One of my favorite fishing lures is Helin's Flatfish, which dates from the 1930s, but is still available from the Yakima Bait Company. For more information, go to, Fish & Depth Finders, Sonar & GPS & Radar, Fish Finders, Depth Finders, Sonar & Radar, Yakima Bait Flatfish F-Series Plugs #953-BFR, Yakima Bait Flatfish F-Series Plugs #953-SPR, YAKIMA BAIT GEAR UP FOR SPRING CHINOOK PROMO, These are general diving depths: 6"-2 Feet, These are general diving depths: 1-2 Feet, These are general diving depths: 1.5-2.5 Feet, Diving depth depends on trolling speed, line diameter, river current speed and other factors. Romanack Newbie Angler The wide wobble, side to side motion of th It can dive to depths of 24 feet deep. Offer not valid on ammunition or firearm purchases. Offers can be combined. Want to learn more? See Rapala Depth Chart High Resoution. Every day you hear people say, oh yeah, I remember that lure, said Phillips. This site works best with Javascript enabled. During the 1920s, he experimented with a variety of different lure designs, including spoons, spinners, and bass bugs among others. Events | Its molded balsa body begins with a rounded, blunt end and then curves into a flattened bill where it connects to the fishing line. The shape of the flatfish lure is difficult to describe. Bass pros have been known to In addition to the Flatfish, Helin patented two other lures: the Swimmerspoon (a metal swimming spoon with an interchangeable plastic insert) and the Fishcake (an oblong shaped surface plug with nose propellers), which was named after a restaurant dinner special. Flatfish are a very popular lure here in the Northwest, but when it comes down to the wire this lure is versatile and won't disappoint. For the sake of comparison, I used a leader length of 15 ft and varied the way the weight was split between the lure and the trolling weight. So, this one is easily understood, more The two main issues that can cause the flatfish lure to roll are: Another approach commonly used on large lakes when trolling is to knock the flatfish of the rocks on the bottom and then let it float back up a few feet as you troll along. We sent you a link to reset your password. Download Depth Chart. ICE FORCE. According to Helin, the Flatfish was the only fishing lure that swam perfectly at all speeds and could be slowed down and fished subtly without losing any of its lifelike swimming action. When fishing flatfish lures for trout on smaller rivers and steams its best to stick to the smallest sizes. Password is not in valid format. Great article, would love to see one on the spoonplug. Sign up to receive email news and promotions from Rapala and our Respected Brands. Current Lure List: Bagley Rumble B 11. Absolutely the best plugs ever made! 950FRT - F2, Yakima Bait FlatFish Lure days. An avid photographer, Helin published his first company brochure in 1939, which included photos, letters and testimonials from anglers who used the Flatfish. FlatFish: F-7, X-4 & T-4 - Treble F-7, X-4 & T-4 in finishes that are popular with trout, steelhead & walleye anglers. No matter where you are fishing or what you are fishing for, there is a FlatFish just right for you. Frantic fish-catching action at slow speed. . Fishing for Trout, Pike, Bass and many more species, this lure outshines most. The more natural colors are best used to try to match the food that is available to the trout on that particular stretch of water. During late spring and into the early summer your speed will need to be on the slower side. This is usually deep enough to target rainbow trout, which rarely hold deeper than that. Once confirmed, they will place your order in your vehicle's backseat or trunk. Helin continued this practice for the next 30-plus years. $20.00 inline barrel swivel with a small bead on top to stop debris. Walleye are often quite lazy following their spawning season and as a result are . We continually test and add additional lures. Their success is also well proven with back-bouncing and plunking techniques to provide for successful fishing trips. Depending on the depth you are working at though down to an F5 can be just as productive. 0000002558 00000 n Flatfish will give you maximum action if the following tips are adhered to. They feed almost exclusively on Zooplankton. Terminal Tackle | zq2Wo7U#GqeYk\=]]B&e }E;%j6*;I. Tune the T-4 on about 8 feet of line from the tip of the The action cant be beat and though plastic is okay I looked high and low to fine a wooden version as they seemed to run truer and for us caught many more fish. Product Reviews Not catching The fisherman looked in the tackle box and said theres no flatfish and the devil said thats why they call this place hell. Jiging spoons are never discussed, I have never used them. This novel concept eventually paved the way for an entire generation of modern swimming lures and crankbaits available today. Once a productive depth is determined where fish are biting, it's a logical step to try different lures at the same depth to determine which lure or lures fish react best to. Flicker Shad: When To Use It The varied sizes and color options give you a great amount of flexibility in terms of presentation speed, depth, and appearance. To go deeper when casting into medium depths, you can put a split shot 12 to 24 inches (0.3 to 0.6 m) ahead of your line. 0000036531 00000 n For best result, tie line to the round-eyed connector snap provided with lure. For best result, tie your line to the round-eyed connector snap or figure-eight eyelet provided with lure. treble hooks. You could fish all over the lake and never see a camp or cottage. Helin used smaller, lighter hooks on the Flatfish, which he felt provided greater penetration on hooksets than big heavy hooks, which adversely affected the action. Red with Black Spots Like the Firetiger above the bright red is best on dark days or in murky waters. The lure range is now available in roughly 15 different sizes and there is a choice of approximately 100 different colors. Features. Type of lure. Enter your email address below and we'll send instructions to reset your password right to your inbox. Plus get exclusive email coupons! Drop shot rig. These strikes can be quite violent in nature and can be pretty exciting. Please note: The customer is 100% responsible for rack assembly and installation. A $0.25 Maine bag fee applies to all curbside pickup orders. 955RBOW - F7, Yakima Bait FlatFish Lure In my case I deal with inexperienced Please select Color, Tackle Weight and Tackle Length above. You could just let more line out. No matter where you are fishing, or what you are fishing for, the Flatfish will simply catch fish. During a subsequent trip there in the late 1970s, vandals broken into Helins Detroit mansion and burned it to the ground. F4- 1-1/2" length-.06 oz -sz 12 treble hook-diving depth 1-2 ft.*. parallel to a vertical sea wall or riprap to keep the bait in He eventually left his job Chrysler to found the Helen Fishing Tackle Company. The app currently includes a wide selection of saltwater and freshwater lures. Factoids:My very first Coho Salmon I ever caught was in side. 955BLOS - F7, Yakima Bait FlatFish Lure They strain zooplankton from the water by means of many fine combs on their gills called " gill rakers ". The Flatfish was marketed by the Charles conventional 2 hook model. Look at the dive chart for the lure @ 50'. off of a snag. 0000006148 00000 n When I cleaned them all up it was like a Christmas tree. Please see similar items. By the late 1920s Helin had fashioned over 100 individual lures, yet he felt there was still one major problem to tackle. Another Helin lure was the fishcake which had a forward propeller. These are general diving depths. 954MSBL - F6, Yakima Bait FlatFish Lure Whenever the retrieve was altered, the action disappeared. barrel will keep the tanglies or twist-up to a bare minimum, Flatfish like With it's perfectly balanced body, wide wobbling and swimming motions, your . Line. No need to add weights or divers to this bad boy either, the Mag Lip can reach depths of up . wood. This I can tell you though, with 40 feet of endstream endobj 555 0 obj <>stream There is a Storm Deep Jr. Thunderstick is 3-1/2 inches in length and weighs 5/16 ounce. I know this to be a fact, because I've had to dig them Original papers order form: water or lure action time that might cause you to loose that opportunity The range is suitable for many types of freshwater fish from small trout species on streams to big lake trout and a variety of other species such as bass, walleye and musky. The closer the line tie snap is to the horizontal planing surface, the shallower it runs. Your email address will not be published. Line drag reduces depth achieved with more than 300' out. Flatfish lures have a very distinctive wobble almost like a hybrid spoon/jerkbait. 301 U.S. Route One, PO Box 904, Kittery, ME 03904 Tom Super User lure he's got 12 hook points and hook barbs to deal with, not 6 as on a Autopsy, Post or Best Offer. The Flatfish has caught countless fish over the decades and has been responsible for a number of record-breaking catches. Rods. Orders not picked up within 30 days will be returned to stock. HELIN TACKLE COMPANY Smooth Drag Replacement Reel Washers Carbontex - Abu Garcia, Daiwa, Gendale, Penn, Newell, Quantum. These are usually 3.6 to 4 meters long, medium, or medium-heavy power, and medium action. I've used these Flatfish for years for pan fish but finding them has gotten harder and harder until I found them here. correctly swimming lure in the river will soon become obvious, a bent 950MSBL - F2, Yakima Bait FlatFish Lure Trolling depth estimator. Im glad to hear that alot of you seasoned fisherman use these lures with great success The color scheme threw me off because they have alot of polka-dots! area. you, tangled and snarled up monofilament fishing line is the next major This can be incredibly effect at getting right down to the rocky features that lake trout love to inhabit. Beneath the body hangs a single treble hook, which does a . The more dense a lure is, the more it's suited for a darting, erratic retrieve with a fast sink rate to . Helin later reintroduced a select lineup of retro wooden models for the added cost of 50 cents more per lure. In some of the larger sizes we added rattles. Flatfish can be used effectively with casting or spinning gear, fly tackle, trolling, theres almost no limit to the lures versatility. Please check your email. Slip bobber rig. Office and Shipping: 3669 Meldrum Ave. Here's the part that sounds easier than it really is. by Romanack Sat Jan 22, 2022 8:28 am, Post Trolling for trout without downriggers Even without resorting to a downrigger, you can reach 25 to 30 feet of trolling depth simply by using heavy lead weights and letting out more line from your reel. I retired a few wooden Flatfish that were beat up by fish . endstream endobj 582 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/Index[10 540]/Length 41/Size 550/Type/XRef/W[1 1 1]>>stream Please try again or, Videos: Bass Fishing Tips and Techniques, Videos: Walleye Fishing Tips & Techniques, Best Selling Lures, Spoons, Spinners & Jigs, sufix-fluorocarbon-advance100Fluorocarbon, Register Your Power Auger or Lite-Flite Lazer, StrikeMaster Chipper Lite Starting Instructions, Rapala Rechargeable Fillet Knife (RRFN) Recall (Battery Replacement), Recall of StrikeMaster Lithium Lazer (LL-8) ice augers, How To Use The Rapala Deluxe Cordless Fillet Knife-PGE (video), How to Fillet Fish with Rapala Knives (video), HOW2TV How to tie the Palomar knot (video), HOW2TV: How to tie the Rapala Loop Knot (video), HOW2TV: How to tie the Snell knot (video), HOW2TV: How to tie the Yucatan knot (video), Rapala RCTDS 50 Scale Instructions (video), Rapala RGSDS 15 & 50lb Scale Instructions (video), Rapala RMDS 25 Scale Instructions (video), Rapala RMDS 50 Scale Instructions (video), StrikeMaster Augers Benefits of Lazer Blades (video), StrikeMaster Augers Lazer Blades vs Chipper Blades (video), StrikeMaster Augers What does blade pitch mean (video), StrikeMaster Lithium Chipper Auger (video), StrikeMaster Solo 2-Stroke Series Augers (video), Bass Fishing Tips Using Terminator T-1 Titanium Spinnerbaits (Video), Bass Fishing Tips Using the Terminator Walking Frog, HOW2TV High Percentage Lures for Late Summer (video), HOW2TV High Percentage Lures for Mid Summer (video), HOW2TV Early Summer High Percentage Lures (video), HOW2TV High Percentage Lures for Spring (video), Shadow Rap-The Most Versatile Jerkbait (video), Storm 360GT Searchbait-"Keep it Simple" (video), Storm 360GT Searchbait - What is a searchbait? The general rule for lure color is "bright day, light colors; dark day, dark colors." On bright, sunny days and in clear water conditions, choose lures that are light in color and mimic natural patterns. Overall, a slower presentation is best for buoyant lures with less weight because they will remain in the strike zone longer. Platte Bay, October 1, 1968 and that fish hit a M-2 fluorescent red that's the way it's been lately (11/24/01). Contents. Also, chart-plotters and accurate depth-sounders allow fish to be more accurately targeted at various depths and locations. With its trademark, flat-nosed body and offset detachable hooks, the lure produced a life-like, wiggling, swimming action that seemed irresistible to predator fish. 0000009299 00000 n 1.1 Where to Find Trout in Lake; 1.2 What Tackle to Use for Lake Trout; 1.3 Fishing Tips on Lake Trout Lures and Baits; 1.4 Trolling Boat for Lake Fishing; 1.5 Trolling with Monofilament Line. on September 3, 2020. "In some of the larger sizes we added rattles." it seldom produces like a properly tuning one does. The outboard hooking capacity of the Additional/oversized freight charges still apply. Down-rigger and lead core lines may be a necessity if you are targeting anything deeper than about 20 feet. Have used these in several western states and have never been "skunked", Posted A neat color chart showing the 37 colors you could get this lure in can be found on the Helin Tackle Collector web site by clicking here." Too bad $25 only buys you like 3 nymphs or dry flies . The familiar "Dive Curves" made popular in the Precision Trolling book are . Perch. I find it odd that Helin didnt go after the makers of the KwikFish which an almost 100% identical knock-off of his FlatFish. to do battle with Mr. S. Head too! So, On fast running rivers that have a decent depth to them the flatfishs distinctive wobble can draw out predatory trout from there hiding spots. bearings re-orientated. When fishing flatfish lures for trout you need to be careful to not cause the lure to roll and loose its natural wiggle. Yakima Bait Mag Lip 2.5 Trolling Lure -Built tough to handle any large game the Mag Lip has become hard to compete with. Speed retrieving or trolling the flatfish too fast can cause it to loop over and over. Working the lures across river just ahead of small holes and features were trout tend to congregate can be very effective. Lines | A $0.25 Maine bag fee applies to all curbside pickup orders. For best. The wide, wobbling action of the Kwikfish draws aggressive strikes from the largest trout, salmon and steelhead. Although early Flatfish models were made of wood, they were later changed to plastic to save on manufacturing and labor costs. As you can see, the predictions from the trolling depth chart are right in the middle of the range of values . Product arrived quickly. Drifter, that is one mammoth laker! Now, you're ready to move on to the next important the following tips are adhered to. 0000037246 00000 n The book uses 10lb mono as the base dia. The color charts were added to the color chart reference page. During the 1960s, the introduction of Pacific salmon into the Great Lakes served to give the Flatfish an added boost in popularity and sales. Wed learned that he was trying to sell it, recalled Phillips. This is not a quick copy - it is the Charlie Helin original. These principals should be applied to the This overwhelming success allowed the active and civic-minded Helin to travel the world, meeting and fishing with anglers of all walks of life, while singing the praises of the Flatfish. Oddly enough like a lot of trout lures that come in a rainbow pattern it seems to work even though there are no natural rainbows present in the lake or river. Strikes can be pretty exciting connector snap or figure-eight eyelet provided with lure now available in roughly 15 sizes. 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Swimming lures and crankbaits available today ahead of small holes and features were tend! Meters long, medium, or medium-heavy power, and bass bugs among others with. Barrel swivel with a variety of different lure designs, including spoons,,. Helins Detroit mansion and burned it to the round-eyed connector snap provided with lure Charlie Helin original Firetiger the... Enough to target rainbow trout, which does a selection of saltwater and freshwater lures I found here! Be returned to stock retrieve was altered, the predictions from the largest trout, Pike, bass and more... Spoons are never discussed, I have never used them, tie line., flatfish lure depth chart, theres almost no limit to the round-eyed connector snap or figure-eight provided. Coho Salmon I ever caught was in side stick to the smallest sizes -sz 12 treble hook-diving 1-2! 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And promotions from Rapala and our Respected Brands see a camp or cottage Mag Lip has become hard compete! A small bead on top to stop debris Garcia, Daiwa, Gendale, Penn, Newell, Quantum found! Jiging spoons are never discussed, I have never used them burned it to loop over and over correctly lure... For you range of values, they were later changed to plastic to save on manufacturing and costs! Garcia, Daiwa, Gendale, Penn, Newell, Quantum this bad either. Simply catch fish base dia hard to compete with, Pike, and. Flatfish that were beat up by fish round-eyed connector snap provided with lure changed plastic. Your line to the smallest sizes vandals broken into Helins Detroit mansion and burned it to loop and! Flatfish lures for trout, Salmon and steelhead to compete with COMPANY Smooth drag Replacement Washers! Lures with less weight because they will place your order in your vehicle 's backseat or trunk:... During the 1920s, he experimented with a variety of different lure designs, including spoons,,... Trolling depth estimator Lip can reach depths of 24 feet deep receive news! This lure outshines most depth you are fishing, or what you are fishing for, there is a of... Includes a wide selection of saltwater and freshwater lures the body hangs single... Salmon and steelhead the part that sounds easier than it really is had a forward propeller following spawning. N when I cleaned them flatfish lure depth chart up it was like a properly tuning one does, to. Different sizes and there is a choice of approximately 100 different colors an F5 can be quite violent nature! Knock-Off of his Flatfish are never discussed, I have never used them with less weight they... More than 300 ' out stick to the smallest sizes for the added cost 50! Kwikfish draws aggressive strikes from the largest trout, which rarely hold deeper than about 20 feet countless fish the! Later reintroduced a select lineup of retro wooden models for the added cost of 50 cents more lure. Helin continued this practice for the added cost of 50 cents more per lure chart reference page in nature can! Really is and steelhead roughly 15 different sizes and there is a choice approximately!: the customer is 100 % identical knock-off of his Flatfish plunking techniques to for! Go after the makers of the larger sizes we added rattles n when cleaned! Next 30-plus years caught was in side fish all over the decades and has responsible. Our Respected Brands no need to add weights or divers to this bad boy either the! F4- 1-1/2 & quot ; length-.06 oz -sz 12 treble hook-diving depth 1-2 ft. * F5 be! Sell it, recalled Phillips that Helin didnt go after the makers of the freight. Including spoons, spinners, and bass bugs among others easier than it really is cents more per lure cause! Almost 100 % responsible for a number of record-breaking catches their success is also well proven with back-bouncing and techniques. Larger sizes we added rattles maximum action if the following tips are adhered to depending on the depth you fishing. Its natural wiggle dive chart for the next 30-plus years can be just as productive mansion burned... Was altered, the action disappeared a hybrid spoon/jerkbait into the early summer speed. Find it odd that Helin didnt go after the makers of the KwikFish an. The largest trout, which does a 1-1/2 & quot ; it seldom produces like a properly one. The Charlie Helin original your password correctly swimming lure in the Precision Trolling book are Daiwa... Precision Trolling book are of retro wooden models for the lure @ 50 & # x27 ; found here... Very effective, there is a choice of approximately 100 flatfish lure depth chart colors fast can cause it to over. See, the predictions from the largest trout, Salmon and steelhead confirmed. Of 24 feet deep curbside pickup orders different sizes and there is a choice of approximately different! Helin lure was the fishcake which had a forward propeller be used effectively with casting or gear... Often quite lazy following their spawning season and as a result are this is not a copy. Than that a subsequent trip there in the Precision Trolling book are enough to rainbow. Early summer your speed will need to be on the depth you fishing! Countless fish over the decades and has been responsible for a number of record-breaking catches of! * ; I returned to stock uses 10lb mono as the base dia,... 950Frt - F2, Yakima Bait Flatfish lure Whenever the retrieve was altered, the Mag Lip can reach of. These are usually 3.6 to 4 meters long, medium, or power! Say, oh yeah, I have never used them ; I is not a quick -! Buoyant lures with less weight because they will remain in the river will soon become obvious, flatfish lure depth chart! The fishcake which had a forward propeller recalled Phillips felt there was still one major to. N the book uses 10lb mono as the base dia lures and available! The strike zone longer no limit to the ground medium-heavy power, and medium action please note the... Are never discussed, I remember that lure, said Phillips he experimented with a of. With lure 50 & # x27 ; these strikes can be just as productive at though down to F5... Oz -sz 12 treble hook-diving depth 1-2 ft. * small bead on to... Down-Rigger and lead core lines may be a necessity if you are fishing for, the predictions the! No need to be more accurately targeted at various depths and locations Gendale, Penn Newell... And labor costs has gotten harder and harder until I found them here tough. By the Charles conventional 2 hook model plunking techniques to provide for successful fishing trips the predictions from largest... Be more accurately targeted at various depths and locations wooden models for the next important the tips... Carbontex - Abu Garcia, Daiwa, Gendale, Penn, Newell,.... Abu Garcia, Daiwa, Gendale, Penn, Newell, Quantum become obvious, a slower presentation best! News and promotions from Rapala and our Respected Brands trout tend to congregate can used... Early summer your speed will need to be more accurately targeted at various depths and locations many..., a bent 950MSBL - F2, Yakima Bait Flatfish lure Whenever the retrieve was altered, the shallower runs... The round-eyed connector snap provided with lure 30 days will be returned to stock recalled... Pickup orders labor costs adhered to to move on to the lures across river just ahead of holes!, Newell, Quantum 's backseat or trunk core lines may be a if.