Flatfish, The Lure

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I won a couple lots of used Flatfish lures on eBay recently.
I ended up with 26 of them, in various colors and designs, for $20.
Sizes range from F7 down to F3's (medium to small), and just a little spit and polish was needed to clean them up nice.
I tested one out today.

What a neat little lure! It is a slow bait, in that you can't run it fast or it twists and spins instead of wiggling on the retrieve. This can actually look like a fleeing prey, though, in short bursts. At normal speed it wiggles and wobbles like no ones business, and then basically hangs motionless when stopped. Theyre a surface lure, mostly, and float on splashdown. But they rise VERY slowly once stopped at their running depth (2-3 ft.).
I also watched them scoot and nose up the bottom mud as they came in shallow....
Very neat lure, with a wide action envelope. Also, no one uses them anymore so the fish haven't seen them - old school cool.
Any of you guys got tips for fishing them, especially the small ones?

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

I've amassed a minor collection of them, about 30
All of mine are size F7 and below.
There is something about their wiggle I like.

[Kelly Peterson]

Over the years past have caught a lot of fish on them-have about 50 or so assorted sizes(some barely an inch long) and colors of them.

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Nice John.
The Kwikfish is a Flatfish copy, and the k3 is maybe their next to the smallest model? I dunno .
The smallest is 1 5/8", or thereabouts, and that one looks slightly bigger

[John Sheehan]

http://bigbluegill.com/photo/yp-wp-gills-from-shore-sept-midday-1?c...

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Thats a big one there, in an original box. The Helin tackle company went out of business years ago, bought by Yakima Bait Corp. The original were hand carved of wood - I bet Charles Helin was sure glad when plastics molding came into being! 5 million of them had been sold by 1940.

See that wire affair on the bottom? That's a cantilever bail that has a hook on either end. It sticks out to either side balanced on the center eye. The hook is attached with a "safety pin" clip connection just like a Beetle Spin.

[John Sheehan]

Classic Steve!

[Steve Wilson]

       

       

    Here's pic John

[John Sheehan]

Thanks David!

[David, aka, "McScruff"]

Ill sure do it John! when I get home tonight.

[John Sheehan]

Please post a pic of your flat fish lures .I would like to see them .I remember those lures .