[redg8r]

I find myself defending this bait more than I should.

The "original" banjo minnow (before all the add-ons) is a nicely designed & effective bait. It's achilles heel is that it was indeed marketed via late night infomercial, which only thru popular opinion, instantly makes it a "rip-off"

Any of you dismissing this bait actually fish one? or are you just passing on the comments you hear. Just curious, because I have fished them & every knock-off or similarly designed bait and they have been productive for me.

The infomercial may have turned off alot of people but the owners are laughing all the way to the bank.

The question asked was: Anybody use them/like them in fresh water or salt?
Answer: I have & like them, however there are other variations from other manufacturers that produce just as well. I personally like the "Scattering shad" from Renosky, very similar in design, however it has a skirted tail. You also dont need to rig it like a Banjo, simply rig it like a normal bait. They are becoming harder to find.

The Zoom Fluke as mentioned before has a similar design, however I find the girth of the fluke deters the action, they swim more like a darter rather than "swimming". They are available everywhere.

The helicopter lure, I have, in the original packaging bought at a yard sale. I keep it around for when I need a good laugh & consider it a novelty item. Roland Martin will promote anything.

[Brad S]

redg8R

Thanks for actually answering my question, I was getting tired of coming back to this thread only to find another person (apparently having never used them) telling me that they were a rip off.

Fact is, I did some research online and found at least 50 people at different sites that have used them in fresh water and swear by them. They were anglers, not people trying to sell them.

Who says you have to use the hooks they use on the informercial?

Fact is, if a person were to watch the fishing show "The hunt for big fish" with Larry Dahlberg they'd see him catching lots of very nice, large fish of many different species on a lure he made called "Mr Wiggly", which is VERY similar to the banjo minnow, he just rigs them differently (with a treble hook).

They have great action and I'm confident that the banjo minnows will be effective on striped bass and fluke (summer flounder) in salt water and I plan to give them a good workout this season.

Just wanted to know if anybody online at this site had tried them in salt water.

[thedude]

Originally Posted by Brad S

redg8R

Thanks for actually answering my question, I was getting tired of coming back to this thread only to find another person (apparently having never used them) telling me that they were a rip off.

Fact is, I did some research online and found at least 50 people at different sites that have used them in fresh water and swear by them. They were anglers, not people trying to sell them.

Who says you have to use the hooks they use on the informercial?

Fact is, if a person were to watch the fishing show "The hunt for big fish" with Larry Dahlberg they'd see him catching lots of very nice, large fish of many different species on a lure he made called "Mr Wiggly", which is VERY similar to the banjo minnow, he just rigs them differently (with a treble hook).

They have great action and I'm confident that the banjo minnows will be effective on striped bass and fluke (summer flounder) in salt water and I plan to give them a good workout this season.

Just wanted to know if anybody online at this site had tried them in salt water.

i think its babe winkleman's show where he's catching big pike on them also... he's got it in the opening credits.... mabye it was al linder... wisconsinites all sound the same

[redg8r]

I didnt mean to come off rude & it's true that alot of infomercials use deceptive marketing such as starved fish in test tanks & private stocked ponds, however the banjo will catch fish & I believe there is some nugget of truth to the instinctual eating of crippled prey.
It's demonstrated throughout the animal kingdom. wounded prey requires less energy to catch.

The Banjo "style" of baits has produced fish for me when nothing else would.

[King Bait Co.]

My buddy had a few of thoes helicopter lures. He had caught a 5 pounder on one. He has a photo with the helicopter hanging from the hawg mouth. He did catch quite a few fish with them. So if anybody has any let me know he's looking to buy more. He lost the ones he had in battle.

[Grimsbane]

I know, I know, I'm a sucker but i bought some too.

Know What? They Work!

I use em in salt water for speckled trout either with a cajun thunder rig or without. Chartreuse and white seem to be the best in my neck of the woods.

[NorthernReb]

I know Im a little late on this, Im new here and I figured I'd chime in.
I bought some of these and the little buggers actually work. When Im out on the lake and Im getting skunked, I pull out some of these and bam, I start getting bites. I love them.
I even caught a nice size Pike on one of their Trout Lures.

NorthernReb

[Fatman]

They worked alright for me but then they were a gift from my wife. I used nothing but the Banjo's for a week but the cost of them actually made more sense to me to rig fluke the same way and I can make the spring parts on my wire forming tool.

The only two of the informercials that I bought and used myself were the Flying Lure by Alec Langer and the Zebco Indestructible rod.

I love the flying lure it really does work!!!! Great for folks who can't skip jigs up under docks!! ME.

Every rod I've ever let my nephew use until he bought his own got broken. I saw the show where they used a PVC pipe and put the rod in and used compressed air to shoot it at a brick wall. I figured what the heck, and bought one and I'll probably buy him another, they're that good a rod.

Fatman

[King Bait Co.]

Fatman do you have a picture of the flying lure you can put up?

[NorthernReb]

Hello Fatman, you mean the Zebco Indestructible rod actually worked? I was so afraid to waste my money on one. Now I might have to look into it. My wife is gonna love me. LOL LOL