Of Elephants and Peanuts

[Tunacell]

I have never been a propenent of using small plugs to catch large bass. However, I've been mulling over the events of last weekend and am seriously reconsidering (yes I've been mulling for a week). Over the "long weekend" I hit the upper bay fairly hard. I found a steady pick of bass from 26"-33". Now these weren't much fun on a 9 foot surf rod so against my better judgement I broke out the 6'6" schoolie rod and jumping minnow. I had a blast catching about 10 bass from just under to just over keeper size. I then make a cast, work the lure, and it gets smashed by a solid 25 lber. The 14lb fireline screams off my VS100, runs against a rock, and that's it.

Now 25 lbs is not a montser mind you, but it is fairly large on a 4" freshwater plug. I have always scoffed at the cliche of "elephants eat peanuts", but I have to say I may be experimenting with small plugs for big fish applications. So with that being said, is anyone here a small plug convert and what small plugs have you had big fish success on?

[ChiefLinesider]

Well there is another lure. A lure relatively unknown to the surfcasting community as far as I know. A lure that sends a shiver up a stripers spine. Making it feed. A lure that has a permanent spot in my plug bag of 3 tubes. Given I put at least 2 per tube. But still... It has the deadliest wiggle I have witnessed with any hard plastic.

Its a Tsunami TSCM5F. This is the 5 inch 1 1/2 OZ version. It is also called the TS Cigar Minnow. But the model name is the only thing you can rely on when ordering it since they do make a smaller version. PETE CARRY THESE

[ChiefLinesider]

I have taken many 20's with the tsunami and as good as 30 over the 2 years I have owned them. But I have to mention two more that are excellent producers. That being the 1.5 Habs needle & the troublemaker danny that I think weighs in about 1.5 as well.

[scottw]

I have a buddy who through the years has consistently out fished me both size and numbers-wise throwing these little Yozuri-type swimming plugs..most of the time doing little more than twitching them occasionally...