Thoughts,tips,tricks,& stories

[R.R. Bridge Fisher]

Any thoughts or stories about this lure? I'm going to put some fresh hooks on it and put it in the bag. Honestly I have never even cast one.

I'd love to hear something about this ..

 

[bob_G]

That's a Reverse Atom.  Those were big medicine back in the day when squid would invade the canal.

Honestly, they kind of suck. They cast like dog poop. Plus when the squid are around by the millions, the fish will hit practically anything.  I'll bet I easily have a dozen of them. Some pre WWII vintage in wine color.

[unskunk]

how does dog poop cast?

never tried it...........

[bob_G]

I used to add a treble tied with long saddle hackles in the front. The thinking being the long saddle would imitate a squid's tentacles.

You really didn't have to work the plug.  Just put the rod under your arm, and reel across current creating a v wake imitating a squid. 

Notice the two holes on top. Those served two purposes. As you reel, every 15' or so, you give the plug a pull, causing it to spout water like a frightened squid.   Also, the holes would allow water inside the plug.  This gave the plug additional weight to cast, since it's aerodynamics sux.

[mybosox3]

15 mins ago, bob_G said:

That's a Reverse Atom.  Those were big medicine back in the day when squid would invade the canal.

Honestly, they kind of suck. They cast like dog poop. Plus when the squid are around by the millions, the fish will hit practically anything.  I'll bet I easily have a dozen of them. Some pre WWII vintage in wine color.

I still have one and when sqid are around ill throw it 

[Kones1]

I have 1 hanging with the collection of other old plugs I have just to look at , not for fishin'   I think Bob Pond made those first. 

[Kones1]

Stew Finley from Rock harbor gave it to me years ago. They caught fish. Probably still do. 

[bob_G]

5 mins ago, Kones1 said:

I have 1 hanging with the collection of other old plugs I have just to look at , not for fishin'   I think Bob Pond made those first. 

Actually Frank Woolner said the plug was invented out of necessity on the beach prior to WWII.

Squid were all over the beaches on the outer Cape. None of the conventional  swimming plugs worked. Some industrious guy hot wired the plug to his car battery, heating it enough to pull the wire out.  Replaced the wire, reversed the hooks, and the prototype of a Reverse Atom was born.  And yes, Bob Pond picked it up and ran with it from there.

 

[Kones1]

12 mins ago, bob_G said:

Actually Frank Woolner said the plug was invented out of necessity on the beach prior to WWII.

Squid were all over the beaches on the outer Cape. None of the conventional  swimming plugs worked. Some industrious guy hot wired the plug to his car battery, heating it enough to pull the wire out.  Replaced the wire, reversed the hooks, and the prototype of a Reverse Atom was born.  And yes, Bob Pond picked it up and ran with it from there.

 

I love it. Thanks for that 

[Kones1]

18 mins ago, bob_G said:

Actually Frank Woolner said the plug was invented out of necessity on the beach prior to WWII.

Squid were all over the beaches on the outer Cape. None of the conventional  swimming plugs worked. Some industrious guy hot wired the plug to his car battery, heating it enough to pull the wire out.  Replaced the wire, reversed the hooks, and the prototype of a Reverse Atom was born.  And yes, Bob Pond picked it up and ran with it from there.

 

I love it. Thanks for that   Here's an original next to my wooden version 

[Joe G]

29 mins ago, bob_G said:

…….. Some industrious guy hot wired the plug to his car battery, heating it enough to pull the wire out.  Replaced the wire, reversed the hooks, and the prototype of a Reverse Atom was born.  

 

I read where Leo Perry, Arnold Lane and Bill Walton were the three guys who did the above   
 

[Angler #1]

1 hour ago, R.R. Bridge Fisher said:

Any thoughts or stories about this lure? I'm going to put some fresh hooks on it and put it in the bag. Honestly I have never even cast one.

I'd love to hear something about this ..

 

Back in another time when it was more intuned with when the squid were around, we would load it with water or force wet sand into the end where the hook is and it worked good enough to catch fish Peace and Prayers h

[Ditch Jigger]

1 hour ago, bob_G said:

That's a Reverse Atom.  Those were big medicine back in the day when squid would invade the canal.

Honestly, they kind of suck. They cast like dog poop. Plus when the squid are around by the millions, the fish will hit practically anything.  I'll bet I easily have a dozen of them. Some pre WWII vintage in wine color.

 

Days when the bass had squid penned against the rocks, you really only needed to hit the water on a cast.  

I used to say they casted like a potato chip, in polite company.  

[Joe G]

Back on 1/19/03, Angler authored a post on the Main Forum titled, The Story Behind the Reverse Atom.  Runs 4 pages and it’s a great read.   You might want to look at it. 
 

I’d post it here but I am not at all savvy in how to do it. 

[Kones1]

56 mins ago, Joe G said:

I read where Leo Perry, Arnold Lane and Bill Walton were the three guys who did the above   
 

That's important to the history of all this. If it isn't shared it's lost. Forever   Lost forever.