SW Lures Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 (edited) We have salamanders around this area that are a beautiful purple with white spots and some ugly as heck brownish color. Then there is the mudpuppies, well what we call them. They have got my attention by fishing with soft baits that have done pretty well. I have already made one that looks like a large tadpole/mudpuppies. I also know some that use live bait. So I want to make some swim baits that look like the salamanders. Now I'm thinking about the head and body that looks like a lizard, flat horizontal head with a long thin neck. I was thinking about shorting the neck. My concern is the head shape and the way it sets horizontal. Has anybody tried this type of swim bait? Basically, is it doable? I could use the head as a diving mechanism or just swim it on the top and not worry about depth of about 2-6'. I'm going to carve the four toe feet tight in the sides like a swiming amphibian would do. I'm thinking about 6-8". What ya think? Dale Edited September 7, 2016 by DaleSW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don-Art Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 I have witnessed a road that was covered with salamanders in the fall of the year. I figured that it was migration to a hibernation area. I would think that you could get it to work. Even if you had to modify the shape of the head or angle. Sounds like a great bait for the fall time period. It's worth a try. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrhopkins Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 like these? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted September 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 Yes Sir Mr. Hopkins. That's what I'm talking about. Lol The bottom one is it a top water bait or does it dive do to the head design? I would think it's a top water. I also notice that you kept the tail area flatter for the action I would say. What's the depth that they work in? I was thinking about thinning or keeping the head flat on the top and the shoulder area. The other option would be to make the head down and angled, sortta like a lipless bait. But after seeing these, the lip seems to look just fine. Well that leaves only one more question for me, will my design catch fish? Thanks, Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Young Posted September 7, 2016 Report Share Posted September 7, 2016 We have some tiny ones up here in NH. They are about 4" long (tail included). The population is pretty dense too. But I have never seen any fish bother them. I've been in ponds and watched one or the other surface from about 5 feet down every 20 seconds. They are in wide open and fairly clear water. I always thought they were poisonous or bitter or something. I have never found one in a stomach either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted September 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Salamanders are known as a fishes nightmare during the spawning time. They eat eggs it said, so bring them through a bed and game is on. Also younger salamanders are the most poisonous, as they mature the poison lowers greatly. And yes my soft plastic lures are poisonous to bass, deadly actually. Do release tho! Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Young Posted September 10, 2016 Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 That makes a lot of sense. Fish probably kill them to protect their nest, whether they eat them or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Young Posted September 10, 2016 Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 like these? IMG_0004.JPG IMG_0005 (2).JPG Those are beautiful baits, even though mud puppies are kind of ugly. The largest salamander i know of lives in Mongolia (I think) and gets 3-5 ft long. I don't recommend them as bait for two reasons: They are endangered. You can't find a big enough hook. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted September 10, 2016 Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 Those are beautiful baits, even though mud puppies are kind of ugly. The largest salamander i know of lives in Mongolia (I think) and gets 3-5 ft long. I don't recommend them as bait for two reasons: They are endangered. You can't find a big enough hook. You forgot the most important reason. You will break your back throwing a bait that big! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted September 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2016 I started going through Google and YouTube a few days ago looking at different species of salamanders. Found one on YouTube that I guy was feeding them to a bass in a aquarium, I wonder if the bass went belly up after he feed it? I've seen them being sold, never used then myself other then plastic. The thing is, certain species can tolerate one type of poison more than other species. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonister Posted September 11, 2016 Report Share Posted September 11, 2016 Around here there are tons and tons of fire belly newts in some ponds. I never thought the bass would touch them as they are poisonous but I could see them killing them if they were raiding nests. I actually was working on a salamander but tossed it aside a while ago. Maybe I'll go back to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.t Posted September 13, 2016 Report Share Posted September 13, 2016 Here in Tennessee we catch salamanders in small creeks use them as live bait for smallmouth in streams.if they see it they'll eat it anytime of year.there are mainly two different colored salamanders here one is mostly dark almost black the other is orange with black spots.in my opinion a shallow diver would be the best one to try to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted September 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2016 Mr. T have you fished the Clinch River and the Morris Lake, Cherokee Lake. My profile is the Cherokee. On the Clinch I caught a 5.6 lb. Smallie, not bad for a small river. Love the area and the people there. Shallow diver is what I'm working on. Maybe 2-6' and spend time getting some really good action. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stretcher66 Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 i know its not a hardbait but river2sea makes a salamander bait that looks pretty good. http://www.river2seausa.com/freshwater/413-nest-raider-waterdog.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted September 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 It is a nice looking bait for still waters. But I'm going to use it mainly for moving to swift waters. A crank is the deal for this type of fishing. I'm going to try to get the bait to dive to just above the rocks in a normal level of water in these types of rivers. That should get some strikes. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted September 16, 2016 Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 Dale, Have you tried a Zoom lizard on a belly weighted hook, so it doesn't get stuck in the rocks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted September 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2016 (edited) Yep, I use something like them. But I usually fish them rigged in a Carolina style. I'll rig them hook down or up, all depends. I'll also will use a second hook, a stinger if the fish are hitting short, but in the body. Normally I don't have much trouble. I have had such good success I never worried about another way. I'll give it a try tho. I'm always interested in new ways to fish now adays. Thanks all, Dale Edited September 16, 2016 by DaleSW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.t Posted September 19, 2016 Report Share Posted September 19, 2016 Dale ,I fish a smaller creek called yellow creek in dickson,tn has a good number of smallmouth and red eye(rock bass),some largemouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Townie Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 (edited) Ty Lures made a WaterDog sb Edited October 9, 2016 by Townie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted October 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2016 I like that bait Townie. Looking to hinge it in the tail mainly, maybe in 3-4 places. Mr. T your on the other end of the state. I misspelled the lake it is the Norris. About forty miles northeast of Knoxville. I travel there and few other place each spring. Beautiful area especially back off the main roads. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon P. Posted October 13, 2016 Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 If you end up making a salamander bait I will be more than happy to buy one. I used to buy river2sea nest raiders and those were the BOMB but now they are discontinued Also one of my sponsors Megafrox USA, makes a salamander stick bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted October 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2016 It will be awhile. I'll keep that in mind. I will have a lot going on very soon. Being a hobbyist I might as well just send you one. It most likely will be just before spring if then. Take care and thanks. Dale 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon P. Posted October 14, 2016 Report Share Posted October 14, 2016 It will be awhile. I'll keep that in mind. I will have a lot going on very soon. Being a hobbyist I might as well just send you one. It most likely will be just before spring if then. Take care and thanks. Dale Rn I'm working on a trout glidebait that should be the highlight of my lure making career, if you want I could trade you one of the prototypes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted October 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2016 I tell you what, I have a load of fly's to start on (time line to meet) and after that I will start working on it and look you up no matter what. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon P. Posted October 15, 2016 Report Share Posted October 15, 2016 I tell you what, I have a load of fly's to start on (time line to meet) and after that I will start working on it and look you up no matter what. Dale Do you work independently or for a company? I work at the kingfisher fly shop in Missoula MT and I tie flies in my free time for a little extra $$$ on my paycheck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
