VanStaalSteve

Too bad. My local tackle shop has not had them all year. I heard it was because they couldn't find enough bucktails. I guess they were correct. I'm glad I built up a good stock of them over the last few years. I'd buy five at a time. I must have at least 100 or so in various sizes. Dan Tinman makes a good one too as do a few others I've tried.

For some reason I never caught as well on these red dot Redfins?

My buddy Frank, actually one of my first surf fishing mentors, used to catch on them. They weighed about 4 oz. and he would cast them a mile with his 11 1/2 foot Lami (fiberglass) rod.

Try a Rebel Jumpin' minnow instead of any pencil. I have seen them out fish pencils many times. You can even get loaded models with beefier trebles from Ron Redingfin.

Quick story: back in the late '70s a surf fisherman I knew well used to load the 7" and 5" Redfins entirely with lead. The plugs would cast like a sinker, and I personally saw him catch bass on both sizes of these loaded up plugs. He was into distance and mostly used these heavily weighted Redfins in windy and/or rough water situations. He gave me a few but I never caught on them. Both sizes came through the water like a stick. No action at all.

1 1/4 oz. to 1 1/2 oz. is just about a perfect weight for a loaded 7" Redfin as others have noted in this thread. On these plugs I like a 4/0 4X VMC treble on the belly w/split ring and a 3/0 4X VMC treble with split ring on the rear. Anymore load and the Redfin starts to lose its enticing action. Also, a I oz. light load is great for a surface swimming Redfin. I downsize the trebles on these plugs to VMC 1/0 belly and rear with split rings. I have found that mercury is the best way to load these plugs, but it is very dangerous and hard to find. Water works great too and is readily available and safe. Just be sure to seal your Redfin with Zap-A-Gap glue inside and out before loading. That way they will not leak no matter what loading material you decide to use. The loaded 7" Redfin is one of my all-time favorite plugs to catch stripers. At least one or two have been in my surf bag since the late '70s. How many plugs can you say that about?

4/0 4x VMC treble is a pretty good hook and works well on the SS darter. I have used it on the largest SS needle too, on the belly, with a 6/0 dressed VMC siwash on the rear.

No. But, those AS Hunter elite bags were not bad.

I am very surprised. I have two and never had that problem. Actually, I have had several different styles of Grundens jackets and had never had one leak. I have been wearing them since mid '70s.

A sample of Jimmy’s excellent bags.

I have been cleaning out my old residence recently and found this card. Jimmy made some excellent stuff including well thought out, bomb proof surf bags.

Grundens

This feeder has worked out over the years. I do 4 parts (cups) water (boiled first) to 1 part (cup) sugar mix.

I have been rinsing my plugs, reel and rod with freshwater after each trip for many years. It takes an extra ten-minute, tops. Plugs and hooks last a lot longer. I think it's well worth the time.

Switch out originals to # 2 VMC 4X trebles (matching SS split rings) and rinse plug with fresh water after use. Trebles will last longer for sure