Question for Capt. Archer

[Zummie]

I am confused about one thing in using your spreader bars. I read in one part of your book where you advise running the "same size but different color chase bait" and another place you advised running a slightly larger chase bait to look more like a larger predator fish is chasing the bait.

Where I fish I target Wahoo, Dorado and Blue Marlin and some stripped marlin.

[Captain Fred Archer]

Zummy,

Good question. Actually, they represent two different presentations. The first, "the same size, but a different color chasebait" is what we call a "bait presentation", whereby the chasebait is meant to represent a straggler trying to catch up to its school, which is baitfish's biggest defensive mechanism. The chasebait is the same size as the teasers in the school represented by the bar teasers. It is a different color, which besides its position behind the school is intended to make it look "different", as in injured or ill. Predators, be they lions or fish, zero in on the injured or otherwise different prey and kill them. Bait presentations work best during feeding periods.

The second presentation with the bigger chasebait is known as a "Predator Presentation. Unlike with the "bait presentation", with the "predator presentation" a bigger chasebait chasing the bait ball that the teasers on the bar represent is intended to appeal to and trigger instincts other than hunger during those long periods when the fish aren't feeding. Those instincts are what Black Bart Miller calls "prey drive" and gamefish's aggressive and competitive instincts. (By-the-way, I also recommend that the bigger chasebait be a different color than the teasers to add to its bigger size as a sign that it is indeed, a different, predator fish.)

I hope that explains the two presentations and the reasons for them. Of course, the SuperBar Bible goes into a lot more detail, including how to recognize the right times to run one or the other of the two types and a ton more about spreaderbars and how to fish them to get the most out of them. But hey, that's a book and there is only so much room or time in an Internet post for all of that information, so I am ending this in the hope that it did, indeed, help.

Thank you for the questions, Zummy.

"Knowledge is the key to success". Books remain the fastest, best way to acquire in-depth knowledge fast and efficiently. They allow you to gain knowledge now, and put it to work tomorrow.

[COLOR= We don't just sell excellent big game products, we teach you how to use them. "Blue"] Best in Big Game[/COLOR] Website & online store, www.fredarchersworldoffishing.com

[Zummie]

Thanks for the reply. A few hints on how to know when "feeding time" is would be awful generous.

Another question. I have looked at your RuckusRaisers and it is inconceivable to me that this would not turn into a tangled mess with no weight holding it under water. It seems that the SpiderBar would tangle too if not weighted to stay under water.

[Captain Fred Archer]

Zummie,

Man, you are one tough guy with the questions! All good, with the only problem being that my books are all about big game fishing of many types. They average well over two hundred pages each and most have at least a couple of hundred color pictures and illustrations in them. That adds up to way too much information for me to post here, or anywhere else, although I do post a goodly number of excerpts from the books here, which in effect means that I am giving away pretty large sections from books that I earn a humble living selling.

All of that boils down to me being unable to answer every question that people ask, in spite of wanting to do so. As far as recognizing bite times and peak activity periods, that is discussed in the books, so please read one and you will find it.

As far as Spiders and RuckusRaisers tangling, I remind you that if they did, hard core pros like Josh Temple, who has a board on this site, use both extensively and for a long time now. I promise you, he or any of the many other pro's who fish Spiders and Ruckus Raisers long and hard, like they do, wouldn't even touch them if they tangled on them. In fact, Josh liked them so much that he worked together with our people to come of with a RuckusRaiser that we named "The Josh Temple Special".

I don't want to go on and on about our products' performance. There are too many people who do that sort of thing and too often it turns out to be untrue, so in this case, I suggest that you check with Josh on how our bars actually perform.

And it isn't just Josh who knows how these lures perform. There are actually many, including two very famous pros, Roddy Hays and Peter Pakula. In fact, we are about to debut new lures using components by each of them, both of whom use our bars and have for many years. And some "regular" SFC members use and like them and know they don't tangle.

As it just so happens, our Chris Jones and Scott Walters just finished some video on Spiders running both on the top and as dredges. Chris will post it tonight. We should have one on RuckusRaisers tomorrow and I'll post that if it's ready.

In answer to your questions, yes, when a Spider is run as a dredge, it has a trolling sinker ahead of it. The one in the video is only six ounces. When a Spider is run on top as a SuperBar (the only dredge that I know of that doubles as a spreaderbar), no sinker is attached. It is shown running very fast up top in the video. It runs at a wide range of speeds, but we like it fast. To us, it represents a panicked school of bait and we've found that that drives predators nuts. If you've ever seen a school of mullet or ballyhoo being attacked by gamefish, I think you'll see that.

Okay, Zummie, I gotta go now. I hope that all of this has helped.

"Knowledge is the key to success. And books remain one of the best, fastest ways to gain knowledge."

Best in Big Game Website and online store, www.fredarchersworldoffishing.com

[IglooMan]

Zummie,
Check out this video. It shows SpiderBars running as a dredge (with a 6oz trolling weight) and running on the surface like a spreader bar. As you can see the lines do not tangle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcU4ASeoK9Y

[Captain Fred Archer]

Thanks, Chris.

By-the-way, that's Chris doing all of those great head gaffing shots (we call them "sashimi shots") on the tunas, dorado and wahoo in the "SuperBars Running" video. He doesn't just talk the talk, he walks the walk when it comes to fishing.

A Southern California bar yellowfin a week ago. Scorch with another, same day. One of many marlin - a big one. How about a largemouth...or a smallmouth? We don't just talk about it, we do it.

Best in Big Game website & online store, www.fredarchersworldoffishing.com

[giantfan]

I don't have any Ruckus Raisers yet, but I can tell you that none of the other bars that I have, ever get tangled.... throw them in the water and they just run perfect.

Not sure if you saw this yet but this should give you an idea of what I am talking about.
http://www.6sight.net/client_login/a...ating_call.swf

Oh.... great music selection on the video..... Jorma Rocks!!!

[Ace1st]

Thanks for the reply. A few hints on how to know when "feeding time" is would be awful generous.

Another question. I have looked at your RuckusRaisers and it is inconceivable to me that this would not turn into a tangled mess with no weight holding it under water. It seems that the SpiderBar would tangle too if not weighted to stay under water.

ZUMMIE.....I can speak for the Ruckus Raiser-it doesn't tangle. I agree, the first time I saw it I thought the same, the first time I used it I couldnt believe it. No tangles! What I like about the Ruckus is that it represents what I think a live school of bait looks like. As the bars flex, the baits seem to jump around like ones tryin to get ahead of the other much as they do in real ocean circumstances. The only tangle I have seen is after being hooked up to sailfish which jumped severals times with the Ruckus Raiser trailing beside of the fish. The arms of the RR did tangle then but I guess anything would have under those circumstances. I now pull three on the flats to simulate a broken school of bait. Try them and you will not be disappointed with FREDS RUCKUS RAISER.

[Ace1st]

Heres a picture of three RR's running on the flats. Hard to see but we pull them and they dont tangle. Do yourself a favor and pull them.

[Zummie]

Capt. Archer, thank you for your response. I have purchased some of your spreader bars and the Marlin book. The Superbar book will be my next purchase. I asked because although I liked the look of the Rukus but it just looked like it would be a tangled mess real fast so it scared me. I will give them a try.