These lures are not copies, they are the original Charlie Helin design. Now that we have a replacement hook selected, we can modify the lure. The first thing I do is modify the hook setup. These lures are not copies, they are the original Charlie Helin design. Working the lures across river just ahead of small holes and features were trout tend to congregate can be very effective. Small sizes target trout, the middle range steelhead and silver salmon, and the largest king salmon and lunker lake trout. Flatfish lures have a very distinctive 'wobble' almost like a hybrid spoon/jerkbait. Free shipping. or Best Offer. It may be that the hook eye screws are not aligned on the lure correctly or it more commonly may be the line eye screw that has moved. Jigging is one of the best fishing methods when introducing lure fishing for beginners. 59. If you make a purchase after clicking on a link we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Not only does this make the fish easier to release – and therefore decreases fish mortality – but it can often result in a better hookup, increasing the number of fish to the boat. The first thing I do is modify the hook setup. Helin continued to refine the lure over a decade until he was happy with it. I find that the hook at the end of split ring pliers are great tool to use. This will help get hookups on those short strikers. This article may contain affiliate links. Since I do a lot of catch and release I often replace treble hooks with single hooks. The two main issues that can cause the flatfish lure to roll are: Another approach commonly used on large lakes when trolling is to knock the flatfish of the rocks on the bottom and then let it float back up a few feet as you troll along. Try to retrieve the flatfish lure first with your rod tip down and then with your rod tip up.. When fishing flatfish lures for trout on smaller rivers and steams it's best to stick to the smallest sizes. Standard plugs and crankbait are usually less than 6 in (15 cm) in length but vary in thickness. LOT OF 8 Elmo's Zip fish flatfish #2 SIZE 1/10OZ TYPE F CRANKBAITS 2" PRODUCERS. The secret is the Flatfish's perfect balance and buoyancy that enhances its one of a kind swimming, wide-wobbling action even on slow retrieves. Learn More How to Jig. See our top picks below for the most reliable colors.. This rig features three separate hooks as this allows three different baits to be used which allows the most effective bait to be identified. This will allow the hook to rotate, which will maximize hookups in the corner of the mouth and prevent a hooked fish from getting leverage on the lure to pull out the hook. Your email address will not be published. Frog – good when visibility is good and water is warm. Garrad was fascinated by lures and spoons in particular. Zer one Flatfish Shaped Fishing Lure Bait 10 PCS Per Package Artificial Lifelike Lure Lightweight Lifelike Lure Fishing Kit. The first was “Flatfish: How to catch them” and the second was “Seangling with a baited spoon”. But there are some are some customizations we can do to make them even more effective. Pole Bender Trolling Lure Attractant System by Muddy Bros. No matter where you are fishing, or what you are fishing for, the Flatfish will simply catch fish. $17.99. By roughly 1970 almost 40 million flatfish lures had been sold a testament to it's effectiveness. Silver - Silver works best as a small bait-fish color imitator and so can be deadly when trout are naturally feeding on this type of food. If you are casting then replicate the procedure above by observing the lure closely as you retrieve it towards you. This may need to be repeated a few times until you figure out how to get the correct action.. The Yakima Bait Flatfish F-4 High Action Plug was delivered along with 2 other yakima bait flatfish plugs. According to Helin, the Flatfish was the only fishing lure that swam perfectly at all speeds and could be slowed down and fished subtly without losing any of its lifelike swimming action. Copyright text 2017 by Best Trout Fishing Lures. $10.59 $ 10. Trolling with Lures. This is hardly surprising as flounder, plaice and dab are all fairly similar, leading to some anglers to refer to all flatfish as ‘flatties’. The classic Flatfish is a lure that is recognizable on sight. The way to fix this is to adjust the eye screws. Natural bait ranging from tuna to roe, sardines, herring and more have all been used successfully. Retrieve/troll the flatfish lure at a slow constant speed and observe it swim pattern. He eventually left his job Chrysler to found the Helen Fishing Tackle Company. The two main issues that can cause the flatfish lure to roll are: Speed - retrieving or trolling the flatfish too fast can cause it to loop over and over. Weight - If you need to get the lure down deep then adding wight too close to it may cause it to spin. The wide wobble, side to side motion of the Flatfish drives fish nuts. From a boat, FlatFish can be trolled, still fished (by anchoring and using river current to work lure) or back-trolled (troll FlatFish behind boat while backing boat downriver slower than river current). The flatfish can be used in a variety of situations to catch many different types of fish. $68.00. Check out any well stocked fishing tackle shop or online and you will find that there are probably about 50 or so different colors of flatfish lures for trout, the entire range is said to be over a hundred. When trolling for bigger trout on lakes then you can size up to usually the F7. Occasionally you may find that the flatfish lure is not swimming correctly. Can look like a smolt or bait fish. If you have spent any time on the water at all, chances are you’ve seen or used this banana shaped lure … Vintage Helin Tackle Co. Flatfish Fishing Lure Fly Rod Model With Box & Paper. Observe it's swimming action. Best Trout Fishing Lures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Some of the best baits used for flounder in the UK, are peeler crabs and ragworms. 5.0 out of 5 stars 1. The flatfish lure from Yakima Bait can be highly effective for trout. But there are some are some customizations we can do to make them even more effective. Cast short with a small bait and you wont be disappointed. On darker days or if you are trolling at very deep depths then you can experiment more with the brighter more flashy colors. Learn More How to Fish a Spoon. The more natural colors are best used to try to match the food that is available to the trout on that particular stretch of water. Frog - The frog is one of the more natural patterns available so best to you it only in clear waters or on bright days. Lot of 10 VINTGE Helin FLATFISH Fishing Lures Wood & Tenite 4 U20 3 X5 M2 + 2. Some of the more popular models from Yakima: Worden are another North American lure producer that also produce a range of flatfish lures. Oddly enough like a lot of trout lures that come in a rainbow pattern it seems to work even though there are no natural rainbow's present in the lake or river. It is a simple hook and often comes “open eye” meaning the eye that connects with the lure isn’t fully closed. Original Flatfish lures feature a built-in diving lip that quickly gets these lures down into the strike zone. Of all of these lures the flatfish bait was devised to produce the most natural swimming action of any plug type lure before it. 5 out of 5 stars (400) 400 reviews $ 20.00 FREE shipping Favorite Add to THREE Antique Fishing Lures on One Large Lead - Vintage Fishing Lures - Wooden and Hair Lures - Large Fishing Lead PifesPicks. As stated above if the flatfish lure is rolling over on itself then it is not swimming as per it's design. In 1988 the Yakima Bait Company purchased the Helin Fishing Tackle Company from an aging Helin. Yakima Original Flatfish LureYakima Original Flatfish Lure - This lure is one of the most productive lures of all time. I did not have to remove it from the package to see this. Designed to produce an enticing wide wiggle when pulled at slow speed, and exhibit an ever increasing “sonic thump” when pulled at or near maximum speed (which varies, depending on size), FlatFish is a staple among anglers everywhere. The size range for smaller waters is F3 to about F5. If hunting big trout on lakes then strong trolling tackle will be needed. These lures are designed to work only in a very narrow speed range. Down-rigger and lead core lines may be a necessity if you are targeting anything deeper than about 20 feet. Trolling flatfish lures for trout can be a great way to tempt those big aggressive fish that live in the depths. 1.5 times the size of the gap is a great default to use. They appeared exactly like the description and i was very pleased to be gifting them until i discovered the F-4 plug was busted completely in half. Popular and easy-to-use fishing spoons are among the best fishing lures for new anglers. $6.00 shipping. Vintage Helin Tackle Flatfish U20 Fishing Lure Dual Trebles 3 … Some come as a full color, some as a pattern and some come as a pattern that varies along it's length. But there is a contingent of trout fishermen that uses light-action spinning rods and reels. Firetiger - The Firetiger works extremely well in low visibility light conditions and can force some pretty strong strikes from the trout. This is one of the more popular fishing methods of fishing with lures while boating. Here is some information on how to do that. You will find them on every beach and scar in the country. VINTAGE FISHING LURES IN BOXES OLD DETROIT TACKLE HELINS FLATFISH TACKLE BAIT. From shop ATaylorShop. 15 or 20 lbs main line paired with a lighter leader of about 8 lbs might be best again depends on just how big and powerful the trout are. Putting a Single Hook on a Flatfish lure The flatfish lure from Yakima Bait can be highly effective for trout. The lure range is now available in roughly 15 different sizes and there is a choice of approximately 100 different colors.. $9.99. ADD SCENT, TIP OR ADD FILLET OF BAITFISH TO LURE This can be incredibly effect at getting right down to the rocky features that lake trout love to inhabit. Bait and Lures for Flatfish. Plugs for large fish like muskellunge (muskies) can be up to 10 in (25 cm) long. Old Helin Flatfish Fishing Lure - Antique Fish Bait - Vintage Lures ATaylorShop. $4.05 shipping. Fluorescent Red – great for winter and spring for cold water, or when visibility is low. Depending on the depth you are working at though down to an F5 can be just as productive. If you are trolling set the boat to trolling speed and let the flatfish lure swim beside the baot. By John D. Silva. FlatFish can be cast cross current and allowed to swing through fish-holding water. The Original Flatfish. 0 bids. I think fish are attracted by its bright colors. Lot of 3 RARE WORDEN’s SUPER FLATFISH M-2 FISHING LURES YRBS. $15.00. Just like the Firetiger the trout will attack this color trout lure out of some kind of predatory instinct rather than it imitating a natural prey. Red with Black Spots - Like the Firetiger above the bright red is best on dark days or in murky waters. Flatfish lures for trout can be super effective when either fished just below the surface or down deep. Best Spinning Reel 2018 – (Buyer’s Guide), Flatfish Lures for Trout – Our Full Guide. Look at the gap (space between the hook point and the shank) of the treble hook. Ending Dec 23 at 4:30PM PST 6d 23h. I find no real difference in effectiveness, as long as you use a small swivel for small flatfish and a larger swivel for larger flatfish. Fortunately for us, he also was very methodical and adopted a scientific approach to his fishing which probably still has no equal. The lure’s true effectiveness shines when it’s fished slowly, though, which allows it to wobble with an erratic side-to-side action that fish can’t resist. Occasionally if you are a little too fast or it needs adjusting then it may spin every 10 seconds or so. Design a lure over 3 to 6 in (7.6 to 15.2 cm) long for bigger fish. The size to use should be based on the size of the treble hook being replaced. The lure size you use should match the kind of fish you expect to find when you’re out on the water. First we open up the eye in the eye screw that attaches the stock hook to the body. The barrel will keep the tanglies or twist-up to a bare minimum, Flatfish like all crankbait style lures will spin when tangled or fouled, so remember the barrel swivel. The range is suitable for many species of freshwater fish from small trout on streams to big lakers and a variety of other species such as bass, walleye and musky. For the smaller sizes you will need light spinner tackle on 6 lbs or less line. Finally, trolling against the current, and using either heavy lures or various rigs, is another way to catch these nice fish. Our favorite is the Yakima Bait Flatfish and one we never leave home without. For this reason, many find trolling to be a great way to work the flatfish. Spreader Bars or … Original Flatfish lures feature a built-in diving lip that quickly gets these lures down into the strike zone. Next we take a small swivel and put it in the eye, and then close the eye. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. The original flatfishes were carved from wood. The solution to this is to either place the weight several feet away from it if casting in a river or if trolling use a lead core line or a down-rigger. The last step is we take that open eye siwash hook, and attach it to the other end of the swivel. To catch them just choose a shallow area with an incoming tide. Details Luhr Jensen Kwikfish are full-throttle, wide-action, leave-no-doubt lures that challenge game fish small and large alike. People often think about fly-fishing rods and reels when they think about fishing for trout. On estuaries, flatfish can be caught on lures, especially on jigs. The replacement single hook should be siwash style. In summary flounders are amongst the easiest of all sea fish to catch. Yakima Bait Co. PO Box 310 Granger, WA 98932 (509) 854-1311 www.yakimabait.com . The first time you take the modified lure to the water you need to give it a test and see if it needs tuning. This wobble when fished shallow in the water can cause ripples in the surface that act as a very strong visible trigger for the trout. In the 1930's Helen had designed over a 100 different finds of lures. It should move with a "wobble" and never spin over on itself. Make sure to watch it for a good 30 seconds. First, while I prefer to direct tie and use a swivel about 3 feet above the flatfish/kwikfish, I often get lazy and fish with the swivel directly tied to the flatfish. They have been in many the tackle box for almost one hundred years. When fished down deep it can force big predatory lake trout into striking. On lakes it has been responsible for a very many big trophy trout, probably more than any other lure. $5.00 shipping. Use a small strong snap to attach you lure and about 4 feet up install a inline barrel swivel with a small bead on top to stop debris. A patent was applied for the design of the flatfish lure and it was a big seller over the next few decades. DetailsWorden's Original Flatfish lures have been catching fish for over 50 years. Please notice the hook is farther back than the stock hook. How to Fish a Flatfish Lure When fishing flatfish lures for trout you need to be careful to not cause the lure to roll and loose it's natural wiggle. Either tune by adjusting the line eye or reduce your speed further. The flashy colors tend to get a strike out of the trout more so as reaction than an imitation of their natural food. There is not much weight in these lures so it can be best to choose your set up based on that. Slowly adjust one of the eye screws to see how the lure's swim pattern changes. Trolled from a boat on a downrigger these lures can land you some prize winners if you get the depth and troll right. The flatfish lure was invented by a fishing obsessed engineer by the name of Charles Helin. Since 1934, Worden's® Lures have been helping anglers catch fish. Speed - retrieving or trolling the flatfish too fast can cause it to loop over and over. It can be particularly in the shallows during summer on a dull day. Rainbow Trout – good pretty much all the time. The Rooster Tail® spinner is one of the most famous and productive lures around. Flatfish Lures Another great option for trout fishing in lakes is the flatfish lure. Learn More Flatfish Identification Guide Many anglers of all experience levels struggle to tell the difference between the most commonly found flatfish which are caught around the British Isles. He also wrote several books on catching flatfish. I think it can look like a frog or darker colored bait fish, such as a sculpin. Fishing a slack line is a favoured tactic so that the fish feel little resistance when they take the bait, although even with a slack line a positive bite can be detected with ease in calm conditions. Rainbow Trout - The Rainbow pattern is an all rounder and can be productive on quite a few different weather days and temperatures. Charlie Helin’s original FlatFish is legendary for its ability to catch fish, which often strike this plug with a crushing vengeance. The larger Flatfish in M-2 to T-60 have a large enough lip and surface area to allow anglers to “wrap” bait on the bottom of the lure to add a consistent scent trail. Their aggressive action forces a response from fish, often generating the most savage strikes imaginable. When fishing flatfish lures for trout you need to be careful to not cause the lure to roll and loose it's natural wiggle. The siwash gap should be at least the same size and at max twice the gap size. Here an a example comparing the gap size. For over 50 years the FlatFish has been around and catching fish with its one-of-a-kind swimming action. 2017 Lowland Lakes Opening Day Fishing Report, Creating a Custom Fish Skeleton Sticker Dodger, Creating a Custom Pink Splatter Glow Dodger, Washington Sockeye Update – Late July 2019. As part of the sale Yakima purchased all of the original molds from Helin so you can be sure they have the original swim action as Helin intended. Flounder Fishing Summarised. As a general rule on brighter days or in very clear water it is best to stick to the darker more natural looking flatfish lures. Tricks of flounder fishing include moving the bait regularly to explore the ridges and gutters. In the late 1980s, it became time for the elderly Charles Helin to relinquish operation of the company. Get it as soon as Tue, Dec 29. You would probably be okay only every fishing the F5 on most average sized rivers.