Slug-Go A' Go-go

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Slug Go
The First Soft Stick Bait
Dec 22, 2018

These came into the stash not long ago. Some of you old timers will probably recognize them: "Slug-Go" soft stickbaits

What Is A Slug-Go?

Not this Sluggo...

THIS Slug-Go

The Slug-Go soft plastic stickbait was the brainchild of Connecticut angler Herb Reed. Herb was an innovative hobbyist, and the first Slug-Go's were originally made in his garage.

However, from such humble beginnings, they effectively took the game fishing world by storm. They started a revolutionary style of fishing that is still going strong - the soft jerk-bait, or "fluke."

When they first appeared in the 1980's, the Slug- Go wasn't the first lure to be made from soft, man-made materials. Rubber, latex, sponge rubber and early forms of PVC soft plastic had all been used.

It's also fair to say that the Slug-Go wasn't well received at its introduction. There is little exotic, bright, or lurid about them.  
No wild colors, no wiggly, dangly appendages, no noisy hardware. 
None of that stuff.
Subsequently, anglers weren't exactly flocking to them.

Then, a few bass tournament guys started winning big with them. Suddenly, everyone looked around and realized they had missed the  the Slug-Go when it came on the scene.

And it was something of a shocker.

Here was a bait that doesn't employ a straight-line retrieve like other artificials. Instead, deliberate but also random movement is the Slug-Go's strong suit. 

Generally, artificial lures are retrieved by turning the reel handle, and bringing the lure back to you. 
This "retrieve," as it is called, results in the lure returning in a straight line. You can stop them, and maybe twitch them forward - but that straight line movement remains their only trick.

The Slug-Go can do that, too, but it also does something quite different. 
Just stop the bait, and give it a small pop with the rod tip. Now, the Slug-Go is sent into darting, erratic spasms, snatching itself into random movements that bass - and fishermen - had never seen before.
The fish were striking it with abandon, and it was all high demand and hurry up, from that point on!

Herb was mostly selling his hand made baits to locals back in the day, and he spent several years of trial-and-error developing the lure. But, when it hit, he didn't waste time expanding his, "Lunker City" garage shop to meet demand. It's now a renowned business.

History was made, and the Slug-Go became one of the best selling soft-plastic baits ever. They are still made, and widely available, which probably says more than anything about their effectiveness. 

Whats In the Package?

The bait itself is nothing more than a tapered stick of soft plastic PVC, with a few grooves molded around the center of the belly section. In cross-section, it has a "V" shape.

Slug-Go's are available in 3", 6", 7.5", 9", and 12" versions; the ones I have are 6" long.
They are laminated, dark black/blue on top, pearl blue-grey on the bottom. The label card says they are color code #34 (which appears to now be out of production).
There are 10 of them in the still-sealed package, and the attached price tag says, "$4.59." 
Today the same baits are $7.50-$8.00.

The label also proudly proclaims they are "used and recommended" by no less than Bass Hall of Famer, Doug Hannon!
(Doug is deceased now, as of 2013, passing from complications as a result of neck surgery.
May he Rest In Peace.)

Doug Hannon

The top of the bait has a dished surface, running the entire length, with the words, "SLUG-GO TM PATENT," molded in.
It looks very loosely like a fishy shaped thing, but that's it.
Like I said - kinda unimpressive and plain.

So Whats The Big Deal?
But its not how they look, that matters. If THAT was the case, they would have died with Billy Oceans' career. 

No, it's the action that is the main thing. 
Here's how it's been described...

"It has a much longer glide than most of the other soft jerkbaits. You don’t have to wreck your forearms and twitch it like crazy—just soft, intermittent twitches of your rod tip send this bait darting from side to side. After each twitch, it keeps forward momentum quite well and beautifully imitates a dying or injured baitfish."(1)

A salt-water angler described it this way...

"The Slug-Go acted more like an eel,... than an eel. 
It wriggled left, then right, then rose to the surface and stuck its nose out of the water. 
Then when I stopped reeling, it slithered and wobbled enticingly as it settled. 
It was the most amazing, incredible action I had ever seen, coming from something that looked more like a slug, than a slug.

Three cobia rushed the Slug-Go, the smallest, a 20-pounder. Cobia can be quite finicky, but this fish ate it with the same enthusiasm they have for devouring a live, wiggling eel. I set the hook, and a few minutes later boated my first fish with a Slug-Go... the year was 1989." (2)

Cobia, my dear reader. Salt water. The Slug-Go is also versatile.

And that was 1989. What's that...30 years ago?

Where Are They Now?

Today, 3 1/2 decades after its inception, you don't hear much about the Slug-Go. 
In the modern world of fishing lures, nothing stays popular for too long; fishermen are pretty fickle. The newest thing comes along, and the New Hotshot Bro's hype the new gear. 
There are always a few people that hang on to the older stuff, of course, but the light fades fast on most lures. 

Today, the Slug-Go has been supplanted by... drumroll please...

The Senko and Fluke. 

The Slug-Go was eventually overshadowed by these "latest and greatest" PVC soft sticks, and for good reason: 

They are good at doing the same job the Slug-Go does.

In fact, the flukes are even more "fishy" looking, at least to the human eye. The most popular ones, the Zoom Fluke and Super Fluke, are very realistic, as you can see below...

Zoom Fluke

In the end, the anglers' love for the newfangled, good marketing by the competition, and plain old market share took the Slug-Go out of the limelight more than anything. 

So How Do They Work?
I have no idea. The ones I've featured are still sealed in original packaging, and I don't intend to open them any time soon. 
No, I don't imagine my sealed and pristine package of Slug-Go's is a rare and valuable collectible. 
I won't be retiring on them. 

But I find it hard to open original packaging on ANYTHING, when it's clean and intact. 

And as it happens, I was able to acquire several dozen Slug-Go's from a bulk buyer, in a loose format, without the original packaging.
So, I'll go with those.

Fish 'Em Like This
Old Herb Reed was very helpful, however, in telling me HOW to fish his Slug-Go.

If you look at the opening pictures again, you'll see the back of the label card is covered with information about using the Slug-Go to best effect. 

This used to be quite common in years passed - most lures came with what amounts to an operators manual.
You don't see that much, nowadays. 

So, what did Mr. Reed suggest?

1. First, he is adamant about making sure the bait is rigged absolutely straight on the hook, without bends, twists, or kinks. Otherwise the enticing, "out-of control" action is lost.

2. Next, Slug-Go should be rigged, "Tex-posed fashion," with the hook point protected in the groove that runs the length of the baits back.

3. While Slug-Go is intended primarily as a surface and near-surface bait, options include weighting with nail weights (not bullet weights), and going even deeper with Carolina style rigging.

He also offers general fishing tips for Slug-Go's, to make them irresistible to fish. Here are a few examples of the tutorial information on the package:

Not The End
I've heard of Slug-Go's for years, but never knew anything about them. I looked down my nose at all the wannabe "bass masters," and only recently came around to soft plastics as something I might actually use. 

Sorry, all you bassers. I'll try to do better.

However, coming late to the party as I do, I find myself  also interested in the EARLY techniques and baits more than anything ultra modern and supposedly, "cutting edge."
I'm a crank, and it's an odd twist to which I admit. 

But, I figure every bass in the lake has seen a Zoom Fluke or senko by now, thrown at them by every Walmartian, lip-rippin' baitcaster in these parts. 

But, maybe, just maybe, they haven't seen a Slug-Go, one fished just the way their creator intended.
So that's what I'm going with.
Next time, we'll see how they do in the water.

Quoted sources

1. Walker Smith, https://www.wired2fish.com/tackle-reviews/tackle-talk-lunker-city-slug-go/

2. Bob McNally, www.boats.com/reviews/boats/jerk-wormin/

www.boats.com/reviews/boats/jerk-wormin/

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Tight Lines,

David Hutton

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