and feature glittery Starflash silicone skirts ( like on the Llungen- tails). The triangle blade model comes with one skirt and one hook and is 7" long. The large size lexan rectangle blade model comes in a 2 skirt/ 2 hook tandem style that is 11" long and the small size lexan blade model comes with one skirt and one hook and is 7" long. If you want options, then look to the stainless steel rectangle blade models. These blades come in small ( 3" x1.5") and large ( 4" x2") sizes and both are available as single or tandem blade models. Both the single blade and tandem blade models are available in single ( one skirt/ one hook) or tandem ( two skirts/ two hooks) designs. The single skirt models are around 8" and the tandem skirts are around 10"- 12" depending on blade configuration. Are Monsterbaits the next genera-tion of inline spinners or are they just a repackaged ' tail? Only time will tell - but they sure are cool! Over the last 5 years, large plas-tic swimbaits have really proven themselves in the cooler waters of fall. Before this, large minnow-baits like Musky Mania Tackle's 10" Jake were the norm. Now Musky Mania is adding 2 soft plastic baits to their impressive line of lures. First is the Lamprey, which is unlike any swimbait on the market today.

Thorne Bros Lures Lines Rods Reels Baits Poes A- Team Tackle Assassin- X Avenger- X Aggressor- X Envision a Burt jerkbait with a shad tail, all made out of soft plas-tic and weighing 5oz. It is a fast mov-ing, deep running, high vibration bait that is 10" long. The Lamprey should be especially effective trolling and jerking it as you go along. If the Lamprey isn't big and bulky enough for you, check out the new Exo. Available in 3 sizes, the XL is 18" and 12 oz., the Large is 15" and 9oz., and coming later this winter, the Medium will be 12" and 6oz. The Exos definitely have " trophy" written all over them. To describe the Exo, imagine a monster crayfish swimming backwards and hang-ing onto a large sickle- like tail. The Exo is really different than most swimbaits in that the bait is more articulated be-tween the crayfish body and the tail so it has a more exaggerated " hopping" ac-tion as you pull or jerk it. In the front of the Exo is some sparkly tinsel that adds some attracting power and helps the fish target the body— and get the hooks! Both the Exo and the Lamprey come in seven colors: glitter black/ orange, glit-ter hot walleye, glitter largemouth bass, glitter natural walleye, glitter redhorse, glitter tullibee and glitter white/ char-treuse. Sometimes I wish I was smarter, but to me a season doesn't end until I can no longer break ice to get my boat to open water. Seized up reels, stuck boat lids, iced up electronics, frozen nets that would make a better tennis racket than a fish landing device, boat floors that are more like skating rinks and a body that is just chilled to the bone - to me, this is fun! It separates the true fisher-man from the average. Your average size fish is also much nicer. Most impor-tant, at least to me, is that the later I am on the water, the shorter the winter is - at least it seems that way to me! Brett Erickson has been the buyer at Thorne Bros. Custom Rod and Tackle in Fridley, MN for over 15 years. Call 763- 572- 3782 or visit www. thornebros. com.