Fantastic Feathers

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ll be familiar with the theme of “angling efficiency,” and how the Rapala VMC family’s collection of lures and other fishing products are designed to help anglers be as productive as possible on the water and catch more fish. This instalment focuses on the feather features of VMC jigging spoons and jigs, and how tied-on materials can increase the strikes anglers get on the ice.

Social media does a great job showing angling trends. In late fall, for instance, online feeds are ripe with photos and videos of anglers showing how they trick-out jigging spoons  as part of their preparations for the upcoming ice season. 

Recognizing not all anglers have the time, or inclination, to take on DIY lure projects involving tying marabou or other feathers to hooks, VMC has taken on the task. This is seen in the recently released Rattling Roach Spoon and new Hatchet Spoon, which feature tied marabou trebles and are available in 1/16, 1/8 and 3/16 ounces.

Giving the Rattling Roach Spoon and the Hatchet Spoon a marabou teaser tail does several important things. For one, it conceals a super sharp VMC treble hook, to help fool more fish into biting. 

Adding marabou also enhances strike-triggering action, the feathers flaring and pulsating tantalizingly as a spoon swims up, then tumbles down. Just as beneficial is the way marabou constantly moves with an incredibly subtle action when jigging is paused and the spoon is held still. These muted marabou gestures can resemble a minnow fanning its tail, and produce a persuasive visual onlooking fish can’t resist. 

Spoons aren’t the only lure category where feathers make fantastic additions. The new 1/16-ounce Tungsten Roach Jig, for instance, is a marabou jig deadly for catching all kinds of fish thanks to the natural flowing action its feathered body has in the water.

Another benefit of feather-dressed baits is they’re extremely resilient. Tying feathers to the hook makes these presentations very durable, and gives them a much longer lifespan on the hook than soft plastics or live-bait, which typically require more re-rigging and re-baiting in comparison. As a result, a feather-dressed bait can improve an angler’s efficiency in that it can be fished longer in the strike zone longer. 

Now, although the Rattling Roach Spoon, Hatchet Spoon, Tungsten Roach Jig and Tungsten Bullfly Jig catch a ton of fish right out of the package, there’s nothing wrong with adding live-bait or a scented soft bait. The added taste and smell complements the alluring action of feather-dressed baits, making the presentation even more potent. 

Other tied jigs worth having for ice fishing include Bucktail Jigs and Moontail Jigs, which are made with deer hair, as well as Hot Skirt Glow Jigs, featuring “glow-in-the-dark skirts” and flashabou fibres. These ultra-durable materials come alive underwater in a mesmerizing, lifelike display. The action of these hair jigs are slightly different from marabou or goose feathers, which gives anglers more tricks up their sleeves for fooling walleye, panfish, northern pike and lake trout.

In the years ahead, anglers can expect to see more marabou-dressed VMC lures being released to accompany the Rattling Roach Spoon, Hatchet Spoon, Tungsten Roach Jig and Tungsten Bullfly Jig. In the meantime, those of you interested in learning how feathers can make your favourite lures even better at catching fish are encouraged to read this blog, which offers tips on how to customize Jigging Raps, Rippin’ Raps, spoons with Dressed X-Rap Trebles, along with bonus content on modifying lures using Bladed Hybrid Trebles and Glow Resin Trebles.