Ugly Otters...What was I doing wrong???

fishintiger · September 07, 2005, 11:32:50 AM

Ok so last Friday I got "kicked" out of work 2 hours early

so I decided to try out the Ugly Otters that I won

a couple of weeks ago. First thing I noticed as soon as I opened the bag was they smell.

I wasn't really sure how to rig these things so I did my best. I had a 4/0 hook. I think I got worm hooks so they were long and the bait really wasn't fitting on the hook. I really wasn't getting much action out of the tail or the side apendages when it was moving through the water. I think I should have added a little bit of weight because they weren't sinking very fast and when I would start reeling in they would come to the top of the water. Are they supposed to do that? I only got one hit on these and it was a Dustin Fox sacking a Michigan quarterback

hit. It was so hard and quick that it didn't registar with me until the fish was gone. Other than my lack of bass fishing ability the lures looked good and smell terrible. The pond I was fishing is heavily fished by the locals so the lack of catching isn't a big deal. I'll try them again and hopefully have better results. So can anyone figure out what I was doing wrong?

pipewrench · September 07, 2005, 11:57:25 AM

hmmm... generally on any weightless t-rig you can change the action and the way the bait dives by simply moving the hook either a bit more forward or backward into the lure , maybe experiment with this a little. i still dont have any of the otters but i do own a couple packs of Reaction Sweet Beavers and i fish these the same way as i would a tube jig. good luck.

Kal-Kevin · September 07, 2005, 03:54:47 PM

I rig them on a 3/0 ewg gammy thu the tail so the flippers trailed and had good hits near and under docks. this way there is a lot of action out of them for me, and seamed to miss none the whole day I used them.

bassindude · September 08, 2005, 10:16:26 AM

Try using an offset 3/0 - 4/0 hook same as you would use on a lizzard. I cut a < notch in the tail so it looks like a snakes tongue. the first time the hook exits the bait should be through the rough side about 1/2 in. from the head. turn the hook around and poke it back through near the tail. at this point the tip of the hook should be laing flat aginst the smooth side of the Otter. poke the very tip back under the skin to make it weedless and your ready. I do use an 1/8 bullit weight to make it fall a little quicker. as i posted in my review, be ready when the bait hits the water. If you loose feel watch the line. It does happen pretty quick. when I fish them next time if i dont get a strike on the fall, I will pitch to a new location. Jim ><///'>

bass1cpr · September 08, 2005, 10:37:46 AM

Fishintiger, I have caught a lot fo fish on the Ugly Otters. I use the cut lines and cut the appendages and paddle. I use a 1/8 oz. Tungsten weight with a 3/0 Mustad Mega Lite hook. The mega lite hook has a shorter length than a standard 3/0 hook with the same hook gap. I get more reuse's with them using the shorter hook.
I've been to Bass Pro Shops to pick up more Ugly Otters.
New colors I picked up.
EP's Secret
Ripe mellon
Black Blue Flake
Watermelon Red
and More Junbug. The color I won on Ultimate Bass Tuesday contest.
Good luck on your next outing.

fishintiger · September 08, 2005, 11:01:04 AM

Thanks for all the help guys. Looks like I might need to pick up another pack of hooks just a litte smaller.

Bass1cpr I was looking at gambler's website at all the different colors and was trying to decide which new color I was going to buy after I got some good results from the one's I've got now. It will be a hard chioce when I go to buy some more.

bass1cpr · September 15, 2005, 08:26:19 PM

EP's Secret has been a very good color. Junebug is a must have,Black/blue flake,
I would have gotten their watermelon Candy but It just doesn't look wright to me they need to change the size of the flake. Just my opinion. Their Peppered Grass may be the next color I try when I get back over there.

earthworm77 · October 02, 2005, 09:06:32 AM

Pepper grass is a smokin hot color!!!

Swede · October 03, 2005, 04:16:44 PM

Have not use them yet myself - going to soon. If hook isn't fitting correctly - go to a size smaller. I'd recommend 2/0 hook. Guys in Florida would be fishing this bait through the weed mats with heavy weight to get through the mat. Up in the panhandle where I am at I'd be rigging TX with 1/8 oz weight and working slowly around any cover I found. Good Luck!

OHbassaholic · October 03, 2005, 08:58:30 PM

I'm hooked on the Ugly Otters. Of the colors I have so far (June Bug, Blue Lagoon, Bowen's Silver, Blue Grass) my favorite is the Bowen's Silver. The way these lures cast and feel in the water is just down-right fantastic. I have been experimenting with slow and fast presentations. I find that these are very versatile.
I just got an email tonight that they released the "Little O" this month. This one is a smaller version of the Ugly Otter. Many of us are flat out excited about getting our hands on them.

bass1cpr · October 03, 2005, 11:11:58 PM

I'd really like to see thier Watermelon Candy with .015 flake instead of .035 flake. especially the purple flake just looks better in the water.
Earthworm,
I've been pouring a Watermelon/purple flake worm and have been having real good luck with it Drop Shot and Jig worm. Just poured some jig trailers in that color I'll be teaming them with a greenpumpkin jig just a soon as the next cold front gets here Thursday.

I've posted this before but repeating it again might help some of you looking for hooks to use with the Ugly Otters.
Mustad makes a hook called Mega Lite , it's in the Ultra Point family of hooks. IT's a shorter length with the same wide gap of a Mega Bite. Also a little lighter wire. It's been an excellent fit with the Otters and it allows you to bite off the rip and rehook it.
If you go to a full size 2/0 hook you'll be getting one fish to an Otter.
Mega Lite 3/0 is the deal.

fishintiger · October 11, 2005, 11:19:55 AM

I picked up some Laser Sharp 3/0 hooks the other day and they seem to fit the bait a little better. Still haven't caught a fish on them. I was fishing a small lake and I think the Otters were the same size as the fish in the lake so it didn't surprise me that I didn't get anything. I did pick up 2 bass on minnows under a bobber. If it weren't for the minnows I would have been skunked. I need to fish a bigger body of water.

Fishaholic · October 11, 2005, 11:30:02 AM

I took a dink on an Ugly Otter over the past weekend that couldn't have been more than 8" long...rigged it with a Tru-turn 3/0 hook, but I'm convinced it's still not the right hook.