Secret Weapon Lures

Product Review

By:  Billy Harris

 

            One of the first questions that someone asks me is, “What made you switch to the Secret Weapon spinner-bait and buzz-bait?”  Quit simply put, quality and versatility.  The system of quick-change blades and skirts makes this bait very versatile.  Not only with the lures themselves but the blades can be used on other lures such as Rattle Trap type lures and other crank-baits.

            I first became familiar with Secret Weapon Lures thru a friend of mine that was in the same Bass club.  He always talked about the spinner baits but nothing he mentioned seemed to click with me.  He explained the whole concept of quick clips for the blades, the kits, etc. Nice idea I thought but not a must go buy item.  I have a friend, Tim that was just learning to fish.  I had taken him out a few times trying to teach him different methods of fishing.  I first went for the easy high rate of return techniques.  I taught him about the Carolina rig, Rattle Traps and last but not least the spinner bait.  Before I knew it he had 4 fish on white spinner bait and I had 3 lost spinner baits he caught up in wood, rocks, and you name it.   He was hooked on spinner baiting.  I tried to explain to him all the different blades, skirts, colors, and combinations, when and where to use them.  He quickly complained that he would have to buy $200 worth of spinner baits to cover all the choices he might have to make.  I then told him about the Secret Weapon Spinner bait kit and explained all the details of the kit that I had remembered from my friend.  Tim went out and bought the kit the next day.  Two weeks later Tim and I went fishing again and he was hooked on the SWL kit.  He raved about the kit and how it was the best investment he had ever made in lures.  Just think I had yet to fish with one and I had convinced him he had to have the kit.

            My awakening came in November 2005 while fishing with John Wells while fishing the 2005 B.A.S.S. 2nd Chance regional at Old Hickory Lake in Tennessee.  John drew me as an observer so I was not the most interested in catching bass. I wanted to learn from John and pick his brain about bass fishing.  We pulled up on this point and he pulled out, yes, the SWL spinner bait.  I just thought to myself, “man everyone has this thing.”  He had a few fish swirl on the lure and caught a couple dinks.  As we fished throughout the day I mainly fished a spinner bait in white/chartreuse double willow leaf. It was one of my favorite lures. I was catching my fair share of fish behind John until a dock ate my spinner bait.  Unfortunately it was the only one I had in that particular color patter and blade combination.  As I sat in the back of his boat moping and whining about it, he pointed to the floor and said to try that one.  I picked it up and indeed it was the Secret Weapon spinner bait.  I tied it on and continued to catch fish off docks, wood and grass flats.  I really like the way this lure ran beside the docks and in the grass.  The grass did not gum up the SWL nor did the blades stop turning.  Let me tell you I ran this lure through some heavy grass and the blades kept on turning.  I also noticed as I burned the spinner bait this one kept on running straight and never rolled on its side like many of the spinner baits on the market. Main thing was, I was still catching fish!  I as hooked on the SWL.

            Once I got home I contacted the SWL Company and got my own kit of spinner-baits and buzz-baits. The next chance I got I headed out to my favorite lake, J. Percy Priest in Nashville, TN.  My sole mission was to fish the SWL and see for myself what all the hype was about.  I tied on a white buzz-bait and started catching some small fish. I noticed the ring behind the buzzer and figured I would put on a willow leaf blade behind the buzzer. WOW, what a difference. My next fish was a nice 18” largemouth.  I caught 2 more keepers on that buzz-bait.  I know the willow leaf blade made all the difference.  As the sun got up in the sky I switched to a white/pepper double willow leaf and started flipping lay downs.  I pulled up on this large limb and I could see a very nice bass hanging out on the edge of the limb.  I must have thrown the spinner-bait by him 10 times and no strike.  I got my box out and change blades within seconds. I saved a lot of time not having to rummage thru my tackle box to find another spinner-bait to tie on.  In a tournament a loss of 5 minutes can mean a lot of $$$.  Anyhow after my 3 differ blade combination the fish bit and was caught.  It turned out to be 20” long and 4.5lbs roughly.  I thought to myself it was just because I antagonized the fish into biting.  I kept fishing that blade and color combination and caught 7 more bass off that spinner-bait.  So much for luck huh.

            I was so impressed with the SWL I contacted SWL about a Field Staff position with them.  I am confident in this system and the quality it provides in the spinner-baits. Take a minute and get yourself just one of the SWL spinner-baits or buzz-baits and I am sure you too will be hooked right along with the bass.

 

Billy Harris