The Big 3-OH

OK, the addiction has set in and I’m not doing a very good job of fighting it. To be honest, I’m not really trying. Hanna and I got home from the Swimbait Universe Gathering 4 on Saturday with a handful of baits to test out, including a crappie glide bait from 3-OH Custom Lures painted by my friend TJ Hatfield. It’s almost too pretty to fish, but I grabbed all of these items to fish, not to sit idle on a shelf.

Since then, despite a vow to stem the acquisitions I’ve already gone back to the well, with another bait from 3-OH. I conferred with owner Dave Verzal – who lives near Hanna’s old stomping grounds in Illinois – and since then one of his Wide Load Wake Gills has somehow shown up at my house. This one’s painted by Justin Fleer of Oak Grove Custom Lures in the Summer Gill pattern and like the crappie I fully intend to turn this piece of art into a chew toy. Let the big bait fun begin.