Northbar bottle darters/ Northbar tackle and the Fish they Catch...

[DarkSkies]

This is a small company, run by Rob Koch and Larry Welcome, that has enjoyed some great success this year and last. I believe last year was their first year selling plugs to tackle shops.

Before that, as I understand it. Larry Welcome was making plugs for a few years in a shop in his basement. All made from wood. Years of trial and error to build the "extreme" plug that would stand up to brutal Montauk conditions, swim straight, dive just right, and catch fish in the blackness of night where good construction was important, and critical to a good outing.

Along comes Rob with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was friends with Larry. Out of that friendship developed a thought of a partnership.

Rob took their best producing wooden plug, and set out to copy it in plastic so it would consistently produce the same results for all fishermen.

A lot of fishermen are stuck on the "legacy of wood". I never imagined a plastic plug could gather so much interest, but it has.
I think it's safe to say that Rob and Larry's company is one of the better success stories in this terrible recession we're living through.

I really wanted to know the reason behind the success.

Was it all hype, or was there some good science behind it?

I think the interview today provides those answers. Take a look and make your own judgement.



Best of luck to you guys.

[DarkSkies]

The plugs......




Attachment 16447

Plug 3 - Northbar bottle darter 2.5 oz...speaks for itself.....Cow tested with a 63lb Bass caught by Surfcaster and Northbar company part-owner Rob Koch. These bottle darters are about as dialed in as you can be in terms of presentation and consistency in the way they swim.

1. The creation of the Northbar bottle darter by Inventor Larry Wellcome is IMO probably one of the most notable saltwater fishing innovations in the last decade.

2. This plug is a fantastic choice for the rough water of Montauk and the harsh conditions on Northeast beaches and boulder fields.

3. It is also a killer presentation in inlets, rips and deep water areas where the fish may not be in the top of the water column.

4. Additionally, great plug for trolling in a kayak or small boat at night. Finding stray fish when they are not concentrated.

5. The innovative design allows it to "dig in" when the water is rough or swift.

6. This extra depth and stability will put and keep this plug in the strike zone for longer than almost any other plug. In rough or swift water that is often the slight extra edge that is needed to get a vicious strike from a larger bass.

Here Northbar guy Rob Koch says a few words about how they knew they had something special with this plug.







** Plug 3 pictured below.

[DarkSkies]

They are already profiled in the thread LI Plug and Tackle Manufacturers

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...-Manufacturers

I thought some of the surf guys would want to learn more and possibly chime in with more info.

Feel free.........

1. anything you like or don't like about these plugs....

2. any fish you caught using it

3. your best times to throw it......thanks.

[dogfish]

They are also great for fishing the canal here. Mid tide on a June new moon. Cast out upcurrent. Let it swing. Start a very slow retrieve. Boom! you will know when the bigger bass are below. Good for the herring run as well.

[BassBuddah]

One thing you guys may want to do is load your nb bottles. This makes them easier to cast in bad weather and heavy wind. When you fish mecca that is always a possibility. Rob Koch does it here

[DarkSkies]

June 13.......
Big blues to 15#.....
Bass to 14 #.....
All released......
Bass and blues on big swimmers....
Northbar Bottle Darter accounted for 2 of the biggest bass and bluefish.

Attachment 17202

Attachment 17203

Attachment 17204

[DarkSkies]

June 19 PM trip,
Monty Marathon...8 hours....


That night, after work,,,I returned and fished all night.....
Got some nice fish from that Monty Marathon effort.......
(I didn't find the big blues, that time,,,,but some pesky stripers showed up.. ..so I had to stay for awhile and have some fun.... )

Attachment 17294

Attachment 17296
Attachment 17295
Total for the 8 hour trip..
8 bass to 19#...released....
Lost 2 nicer ones.....due to googan error..
And 3 bluefish to 4#....
All on big swimmers.....
Northbar Bottle darter accounted for the 19#, and a few other bass.

Once that sun got bright ALL ACTION ended.... even the bluefish action.

[Monty]

I don't think I caught a fish on the bottle darter this year.
In the past its been productive, fished smaller plugs most of the year, Bottle Darter didn't see that much action.

Here is a catch from 2011 on the Bottle Darter, this color is my favorite.

[buckethead]

They are deadly at night in the rips at montauk. In better years have gotten bass to 30# on them, Just cast with a slow steady retrieve. Let the current do most of the work. They will dig in, When you feel that let them do their job and wiggle. That wiggle is tantalizing to big fish. Or in montys case a big stargazer. nice stargazer there monty it must have been a couple pounds. Quite an unusual catch for a nb darter. A friend got a 9lb fluke on one fishing the hook at night this summer.

[surfstix1963]

I have that color and a few more, the little time I got to use them I do love the action on them castability is ok.Since I purchased them prior to my accident I didn't get much time to catch fish on them so they have been sitting like many others have.I don't have any of the wooden versions so I can't comment on that.

[buckethead]

I think the plastic version is a lot more consistent for catching than the wooden one. Too much weight and swimming variability on the wooden ones. Don't even use them anymore. The plastic will bring in the biggest fish as long as the hooks and splits are good. my .02

[Monty]

Bump....
I am going to load a few this week.
Will do like the above video.