Ask The Pros
Flappin' Hog
Recommended Methods for Using the Flappin’ Hawgs and Crawdads
Q. I recently purchased some Flappin’ Hogs and Crawdads and am interested in your recommended fishing methods for smallmouth bass .
Don Bishop
New Brunswick, Canada
A. Place them on a jig head or Texas rig and fish them in a hopping motion around rock piles and the edge of grass lines. You will want the bait to make contact with the bottom then hop it off the bottom by lifting your rod from the 9 o'clock position to the 12 o'clock position. When returning to the 9 o'clock position reel up the slack in your line. More then likely you will get the strike when the bait is falling back to the bottom.
Don Roberts
Midwestern Pro
A. A great application for the Flappin’ Hog is to rig it weightless on a 3/0 Gamakatsu EWG and skip it underneath docks and other cover. It also works on shallow humps and rock piles. The weight of it makes it easy to throw and it sinks at a good rate.
Nick Barr
Northwestern Pro
A. I recommend three precautions when fishing the Flappin Hog:
1) Get a complete physical exam with emphasis on your heart! These baits produce heart-stopping hits!
2) Bring a change of underwear when you go. (You figure out why!)
3) Don't throw them on sissy sticks! Big bass love these compact creature-style baits! You need a strong pole and line or you will be singing the blues about the toad that got away.
Now, for rigging:
Jigs - these baits are great trailers. With traditional skirted style jigs, the Flappin’ Hog can be rigged full length or you can shorten it a little to tuck it up under the skirt. Either way, it creates a compact presentation that displaces a lot of water and draws big bites! It’s an excellent bait to fish fast on a 1-ton football head. When I use it this way, I treat it just like a crankbait: fish fast and bang hard into every bit of underwater structure. In essence, it becomes a reaction bait when fished this way.
Carolina Rigged - I love to fish these baits on a three foot leader behind a big egg sinker. The sinker makes a commotion as it kicks up a lot of mud, drawing fish closer. When they see/smell the Flappin’ Hog, the rest is history. I use a lot of scent on the bait (my preference is smelly jelly Crawfish). Again, this is a reaction bait when fished fast but you can also slow way down for cold water and treat it as a slow presentation, feeding bait.
Darterhead - You can thread the Flappin’ Hog onto a darterhead and shake it on rock piles, next to weed bed edges or even under docks for excellent results. The thick body and abundant tentacles help it avoid snags despite the exposed hook.
Texas or Florida Rigged - When you are faced with thick surface weeds and the bass are buried under it, it's time to use a 1/2 or 1 ounce weight to punch through to the fish. I would peg the sinker if Texas-Rigged or use one of the screw-in weights (Yamamoto has them in their store) for a Florida rig. Also, coat the bait liberally with a scent. The slippery coating will act as a lubricant to help the bait pass through the vegetation. Be ready. Bass often slam the bait the instant the Flappin’ Hog breaks out of the weed cover above it! If they don't, then let it sit on the bottom and gently shake it every few seconds until the bass finds its way through the weeds to the commotion.
Other methods - the Flappin’ Hog is a very versatile bait. I've heard of guys fishing it weightless and others even using it on a drop shot. I don't use them that way because I have other confidence baits for those applications. I believe these guys and I would not be the least bit surprised if these other applications work. The nice thing about the Flappin’ Hog is that it is very versatile. In fact, if I was limited to only ONE plastic bait in my tackle box, it would be the Flappin’ Hog because it has so many possible variations for fishing. Flip it, pitch it, drag it, bounce it, suspend it, jerk it, fly-line it...they will all work with this little bait!
Dean "NaCl" Sault
Western Pro
A. The Flappin’ Hog is dynamite for smallmouth, when fished on the bottom with a football head jig. I prefer to use the lightest head that maintains contact with the bottom. It is also a great bait to skip under docks and when sight fishing by rigging it Texas-rigged on a 3/0 Gamakatsu G-Lock hook; pinch on a 1/32 ounce weight at its nose and let it slowly sink...then be ready to do battle.
Marc Marcantonio
Northwest Prostaff