I have been asked many times over the course of my career, “If you had only one lure to use, what would it be?”
My answer has always been the same and has never changed, nor will it I suppose. The fluorescent orange Panther Martin!
No matter where I go in the United States or what species of fish I am seeking, this spinner hands down is the most productive. I talked to Cecil Hoge, owner of Panther Martin and a good friend of mine, and we discussed what actually makes Panther Martin the world’s best fish-catching spinner.
Cecil and I agree it has to be the unique concave bend in the spinner with the wide variety of colors available on the market. From florescent colors to flat colors and also their new 3D color patterns, fish just cannot resist them. I have found in my years of fishing I can usually out-fish anyone in streams and rivers three to one using Panther Martins. I am not bragging, it is the spinner that is doing all the work, not me. You can pick up Panther Martins in almost every bait and tackle shop.
Houston, we have a problem! It looks like over the years bucket biologists (anglers who want to be biologists) have been introducing fish illegally in waters around Idaho. They don’t realize what it does to the balance of the waters.
You can’t dump largemouth bass into trophy-only trout waters. The results are catastrophic. Treasureton is a good example. Most of the reservoir is void of trout and the ones that did make it are huge, anywhere from 4 to 8 pounds. However, there are not many of them due to the introduction of a predator species.
The illegal introduction of species is everywhere. Smallmouth in Condie Reservoir, crappie in Twin Lakes and smallmouth in Oneida Reservoir. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Almost every reservoir has an illegal dumping of warm-water species that frankly don’t do well in many instances. Largemouth bass can become stunted or virtually eat themselves out of house and home. Let the biologists do there job and you can sit back and reap the rewards of a managed fishery.
Spring is here and fishing season is around the corner. It is time to set up a checklist of to-do’s with your gear. Here is my list:
1. Change out all that old nasty fishing line. Trust me, if you don’t, you will be sitting there with the memory of the one that got away.
2. Oil all your reels and check for loose parts.
3. Check your rod blanks and eyes for wear and cracks. I didn’t do that a few years back and that was the only rod I brought. It snapped in half and there went the entire trip!
4. Make sure all your hooks are sharp and rust-free.
5. Organize your tackle box. This cannot be overstated enough. Make sure you have everything you need like pliers, reel oil, stringers, bobbers, split shots, measuring tape and so on.
6. And finally, bring a medic kit. Hooks are flying and knives are used to gut fish. You need to have bandages and ointment in case of an emergency.
Until next week enjoy Idaho’s wild outdoors!
Dave Langston has been in the outdoor industry for 27 years as a writer and television show host. His show, AMERICAN PREDATOR OUTDOORS, is seen on The Outdoor Channel’s MOTV.com hosted on the Roku box, iPhone and Android platforms, Xbox, Playstation and Fire Stick. You can also get more information on his website at AmericanPredatorOutdoors.net.