creepers

[tkoosh]

Hey Ty-
Wondering if you have any creepers ready for sale? Or are they only available thru stores? I need to purchase 10 as gifts for my friends that are helping me out with my wedding. I am more interested in the black galaxy color or the black with chartreuse, or what can you offer.

Please let me know

Thanks
Tom

[Ty Sennett]

I wish I could help you out but as of right now I can't get any made. It might be four or five months before they are available. If you have something else in mind let me know.

[JohnMG]

Speaking of creepers, I thought this would be a good chance for a little topwater talk. Each of the last 3 Augusts I have spent a week on the Chip. I love the action of a Creeper and had a small 30 inch fish blow up on one and missed it. I used a Pacemaker a lot and also a Roughrider but got no action. I've had follows and caught a couple on Ghosttails and swimbaits. I hear a lot about Pacemakers on this site and I like the sound and profile but what are your thoughts on Creepers? The "duckling" type action is mesmerizing to me. I am interested in any topwater thoughts for the Chip.

[ChipVet]

I have fished the chip for 50 years and used topwater baits almost exclusively for the first 30. I have a creeper make by Frenchy that the fish absolutely went crazy over; hundreds of hits and big fish too but the problem is actually catching them. Probably lost 99 out of 100 and got so frustrated I completely Quit using them. I have used many surface lures and for me the topper type lure and flap tail have been the best hookers, roughrunner or pacemaker are excellent surface lures and will give you more hookups. I always liked the last 2 weeks of august on average and can be a great time for topwater action. The evening has been the best time for surface lures but days that are cloudy with weather coming can also be a good time to fish them.

Topwater can be great fun as you see everything but can also be fustrating. Now I fish mainly bucktails, crane baits and rubber baits. Mostly bucktails on my line as I simply catch more fish but there are times they will not hit them so you need to go to something else. As an example last year seemed to be a year when they would come up more for jerkbaits.

My best hooking percentage baits over the years have been in order - bucktails, crane baits, bulldawgs, pacemakers, smaller toppers,hawgwobblers

My worst hookers have been- creepers, jerkbaits, zaragossa's(side to side) and I have not had much luck with large wood baits.

All baits will catch fish but some just get fish in the boat more often.

[tkoosh]

Thats sucks, I have a couple of your creepers and love to throw them. How about the Pacemaker? Do you have 10 available in the black glitter, black green? Let me know.
The thing about these being gifts is that I wanted to have them pin stripped with our names and the date of the wedding on the back of the pacemaker and then have their nickname on the belly of lure.
Let me know if you these Pacemakers available. The 7 inch model.

[Ty Sennett]

I have those for sure. I have the green and also the black glitter. Give me a call and we can work out the details.

As for the creeper hookup talk; I also have had a tough time hooking fish with creepers. The jointed ones are the worst hooking ones. I actually have had great luck hoooking fish with Creeptonites. I usually catch more on Creeptonites and Roughrunners than I do bucktail hits. Hopefully by mid summer the Creeptonite will be available again.

[ChipVet]

To be fair to the creeptonite I have not given this bait a fair chance because of past experiences. This bait looks like it could be a good hooker because it's quality and positioning of the hooks. The baits Ty makes are all of better quality than most baits and certainly the ones made years ago so I don't want to give it a bad rap. There is nothing more fun than the creeper and the creeptonite may be the one that lets you catch more. On most baits I throw I put bigger wide gap hooks on them but you don't have do to that with Ty's baits; just keep them sharp! I'll try to give it a fair chance this year under the right conditions; but as you know Ty that will be tough to do for an old guy set in his ways.

[tkoosh]

Cool, Thanks a lot Ty! I will try to call you this weekend.

[JohnMG]

Hey Chipvet, thank you for the very helpful and interesting reply. Bucktails may catch more than all other baits combined so let me jump to that topic since you mentioned them. First, with so many people using bucktails for so many years it's surprising to me the fish aren't more conditioned to them. Productivity is everything but I am interested in thoughts on when, if ever, conditioning (maybe later in the season) reduces bucktail productivity. Second, what are the thoughts on single blades vs. double blades lately on the Chip? Thanks in advance for the great feedback on this board and I am looking forward to trying Ty's Creeptonite.

[ChipVet]

I really have not noticed a conditioning problem, sometimes I think that and the next day they will go crazy ; the single blade black bucktail green blade has been a mainstay on the chip for many years now and is still going strong. I have not had much action with bucktails after September and usually go with a bait like the crane bait, bulldawg or jerkbait after that with the crane bait being my favorite again because it is a good hooking bait. I have not had much luck with the double blade on the flowage but have caught a few with the big 10. My number 1 bait has been black with green blade, yellow with green blade and black with red blade. There are times the yellow have worked real well for me especially when sun is out and water is clearer. The black with copper blade was hot a few years back; but if I could only have one bait it would definitely be the single blade black with green blade. I personally use the one Wayne Gutsch made but he quit making them years ago and has recently passed away; I am lucky because he made a bunch for me and I have quite a few left. Hirsch's ghosttail is the next best one I have seen on the flowage and many use this bait with great success. One thing I know is they seem to do well where there is millfoil.

Sometimes you just have to try something else just to do something different and if what you are doing is working. Talk to other fisheman and find out what they are seeing fish on and you sometimes can develop a pattern and a lure. One year I noticed a guy catching fish on black and red and I was not seeing much so I switched and started to catch fish so it is true they want a different color from time to time. Same can be true for a surface lure like the pacemaker.

You also need to be aware of the pulse of the lake such as: water level rising,dropping or steady, weather patterns, bait fish- crappies, perch, bullheads etc. and where and what kind of weeds there are and if they are healthy. Wood is still a factor but not near as much as it was years ago but when fishing humps most of the fish I've seen have come from a particular deep water stump or brusch. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

[jkahler]

The Creeptonite is a good hooking bait. I've caught a couple on it. The wings are thick enough that they don't get bent up from fish.

[Ty Sennett]

Thanks for all the info ChipVet. I've got a couple of Wayne's bucktails also. They just have that certain somethng that the Chip muskies like. Like you said, Ghosttails also are good on the Chip.

Thanks again,

[LarryO]

Which model of the Ghost Tail are you guys using?

[deantre]

It depends on where I am fishing, smaller lighter models in shallow weedy stuff, heavier models to go deeper. The twin nines are nice but sometimes the larger single blade can do the trip too. Course the twin eights are easy to throw all day on any type gears. Mind you I just fish the chip but would expect the same on any body of water. The green blades seem to produce year after year on the chip, wonder why they don't get educated to that color. Have had action on black and also white blades on occasion too.

[LarryO]

Okay, thanks for the reply. I from Indiana and normally fish Kinkaid in Illinois and nobody uses Ghost Tails down here....except me. I throw them on occasion and usually use the series I (1 oz) or series III (2 oz) sizes. I am planning a trip to Chippewa Flowage this fall and from reading the posts here, the Ghost Tails seemed to be the favorite, so I assumed there was a particular size everyone must prefer.

I have plenty of twin 8's, 9's and 10's but in different brands....Cowgirls, Llungens and Shumways.

[ChipVet]

I Have had the best luck with a single blade 8 with a small amount of hair on it. But once it gets close to October on a normal year whatever that is; for me it usually goes with water temperature. Once it starts cooling down I have had better luck with a glide bait, jerkbair or something like the bulldawg. I have had reel good luck with the bucktail in an average Sept

[Ty Sennett]

I use a lot of different Ghosttail models. The new little Ghosttail is pretty awesome. I tried that one last year. They have pretty much every color and weight you can imagine to fit your needs.

[Ray Perry]

I have done well on hook ups with the Creeptonites as well.

Ray

[Ty Sennett]

That's because you have the signed Creeptonite from Rachel. She added a little love to that one. You have a way with the ladies Ray.

[makins117]

Ty,

As soon as you start making Creeptonite's again I want a couple. I was really hoping I could find some online somewhere, but no dice. So put me at the front of the line please (assuming you make some more).

Thanks,
Matt

[DMBFID]

Ty,

You are correct, Razor does have a way with the ladies!!!! I really like his new move he has been using the last couple years when we come to visit... you know the one where he falls asleep in the first 15 minutes we arrive at a bar?!?!? Dude can flat out RAKE!

Anyway, now that he is married, don't you think he should pass that lure on to me? If I was his wife I would be pi$$ed that he has a bait signed by a woman. Is Ray the only one who has a custom creeptonight with the blades on it and signed by Rachel?

Peace - Fidler

[Ty Sennett]

Fidler, the answer is yes. Get over there and save that marriage.

Matt, not sure when I'm getting more of the Creeptonites. I was promissed some for the MN show but it didn't happen. I'd turn out some on the lathe but that would take too long.

[tkoosh]

Hey Ty!
Got the Pacemakers today! Thanks a lot! Thanks for the spreader hook pacemaker, cant wait to throw it!

[makins117]

Matt, not sure when I'm getting more of the Creeptonites. I was promissed some for the MN show but it didn't happen. I'd turn out some on the lathe but that would take too long.

Okay. If you end up having some at some point I can always get them when I come up in September.

[wicked]

Hey Ty that's a bummer the creeptonites won't be ready for mn show I was looking forward to grabbing a couple also.Will you still have some of the wooden pacemakers there?I know you meet to many people to remember them all but I'm sure you'll remember the kids when we see you.Branden was the sidekick you ended up with at the thorne bros. spring sale.He had a blast hanging out and is really excited to see you again.Thanks for sharing you're time with the kids.Is there a way to email you pics I have the one with you and him in the tent with the big phantom glider he weasled outa the guy at the table next to you, it's hanging on the wall for a few more years but I did get him a new baitcasting set up for easter this weekend.Enjoy the holiday Russ

[Ty Sennett]

I remember Branden. It's good to see the little guys into fishing like that.

I'll have some of the magnum wood Pacemakers at the show and some collectors edition wood ones. Those aren't really for casting but I guess you could.

See you at the show,