The Degree of Quality
Makes the Difference:
A Look at D’s Lures
By: Andrew Buss
Makes the Difference:
A Look at D’s Lures
By: Andrew Buss
In 2000 D’s Lures changed the way tubes were used in Michiana. They summed it up simply with their slogan: “The Degree Makes the Difference.” This was in reference to their exclusive use of 60 degree bend hooks. This slight difference from a 90 degree bend made the tube a more versatile bait. Now in 2010, the 60 degree bend is no longer news, but D’s has continued to stay at the top of many Michiana tackle boxes. Today it is not just the degree that makes the difference; it is the overall quality in craftsmanship.
Bob Saros, of South Bend, Indiana first introduced D’s Lures. Much of the success was derivative of the 60 degree hook in his tube jigs. Tournament angler Ron Fabiszak began using them instantly, “Not only do they provide the best hook available, but they are considerably cheaper than the competition.” Saros later added a select variety of tubes made with the same quality as his jigs.
However, in 2009, Saros looked to sell the business. Eventually he sold to Mark Fennell of LaGrange, Indiana. With no disrespect to Fennell, many feared this would be the end of the quality D’s was known.
Bob Saros, of South Bend, Indiana first introduced D’s Lures. Much of the success was derivative of the 60 degree hook in his tube jigs. Tournament angler Ron Fabiszak began using them instantly, “Not only do they provide the best hook available, but they are considerably cheaper than the competition.” Saros later added a select variety of tubes made with the same quality as his jigs.
However, in 2009, Saros looked to sell the business. Eventually he sold to Mark Fennell of LaGrange, Indiana. With no disrespect to Fennell, many feared this would be the end of the quality D’s was known.
It is not possible to find fear more unwarranted. Not only has Fennell continued the quality, but in many ways added to it; and at the same time added products to inventory while looking to grow further.
It has not been easy, but Fennell finds the work rewarding, and he could not be happier. “Saros warned me this would be a lot of work, and I must admit it was initially tough to keep up. However, 2009 went quite smooth, and I’m excited to watch the continued development in 2010.”
Most reputable tackle shops in Michiana offer D’s products including Lunker’s, Travel Tender, Parker’s Central Park Bait & Tackle, The Trading Post, Ye Old Tackle Box, D & R Sportscenter, and Mik Lurch Fishing Tackle Outlet. Mik Lurch offers an online store where D’s products are available.
Tubes are a staple bait for serious bass anglers in the entire Midwest and no where more so than Michiana. Winning patterns in tournaments often include them. Few have had equal success in tournaments than Fabiszak. He has won over 127,000 dollars as a competitor in FLW events alone. His success on local waters will eventually lead to legendary status. He exclusively confesses for us, “90% of the weeknight tournament success I’ve had over the years has been with a D’s tube. In particular, it is my primary bait on Eagle Lake and the St. Joe River.” He never heads out to the water, regardless of season, without a D’s tube ready for action.
It has not been easy, but Fennell finds the work rewarding, and he could not be happier. “Saros warned me this would be a lot of work, and I must admit it was initially tough to keep up. However, 2009 went quite smooth, and I’m excited to watch the continued development in 2010.”
Most reputable tackle shops in Michiana offer D’s products including Lunker’s, Travel Tender, Parker’s Central Park Bait & Tackle, The Trading Post, Ye Old Tackle Box, D & R Sportscenter, and Mik Lurch Fishing Tackle Outlet. Mik Lurch offers an online store where D’s products are available.
Tubes are a staple bait for serious bass anglers in the entire Midwest and no where more so than Michiana. Winning patterns in tournaments often include them. Few have had equal success in tournaments than Fabiszak. He has won over 127,000 dollars as a competitor in FLW events alone. His success on local waters will eventually lead to legendary status. He exclusively confesses for us, “90% of the weeknight tournament success I’ve had over the years has been with a D’s tube. In particular, it is my primary bait on Eagle Lake and the St. Joe River.” He never heads out to the water, regardless of season, without a D’s tube ready for action.
D's Lures owner, Mark Fennell (above), is an excellent fisherman. He uses his experiences and feedback from fishermen to make improvements to his products.
South Bend, Indiana angler Ron Fabiszak poses with an 8 lb 2 oz beast caught on an unnamed lake. The lake lies within 30 minutes of South Bend.
With the countless objects lying in the St. Joe River, tubes can be a big headache. But Fabiszak does not mind. “A tube on the river can’t be beat nine out of ten times. Yes, I lose some, but it is worth the loss. To compensate I’ll rig ten up and lay them on the deck of the boat. As I lose one, I just tie another.”
D’s offers seven different tubes: green pumpkin with purple, green pumpkin with purple and copper, green pumpkin with gold, green pumpkin with copper, watermelon with copper and black, purple/green smoke, smoke purple. The top seller is green pumpkin with purple and copper flake.
Fabiszak is not the only Michiana angler who has discovered the magic in D’s products. Teddy Bradley has been giving Michiana anglers a beating the past several years and has done a great deal of it with D’s products. Like Fabiszak, Bradley has also become a player in FLW events racking up over 44,000 dollars in just five years.
He has already earned a check in all three 2010 FLW tour events, and in each event, D’s played a factor. He admits, “I have success everywhere I go with a D’s shaky head.” Everywhere is a much larger term for Bradley than for most of us. His everywhere includes, not just local waters, but the nation.
D’s offers seven different tubes: green pumpkin with purple, green pumpkin with purple and copper, green pumpkin with gold, green pumpkin with copper, watermelon with copper and black, purple/green smoke, smoke purple. The top seller is green pumpkin with purple and copper flake.
Fabiszak is not the only Michiana angler who has discovered the magic in D’s products. Teddy Bradley has been giving Michiana anglers a beating the past several years and has done a great deal of it with D’s products. Like Fabiszak, Bradley has also become a player in FLW events racking up over 44,000 dollars in just five years.
He has already earned a check in all three 2010 FLW tour events, and in each event, D’s played a factor. He admits, “I have success everywhere I go with a D’s shaky head.” Everywhere is a much larger term for Bradley than for most of us. His everywhere includes, not just local waters, but the nation.
In late October 2009, Teddy Bradley fished solo in a charity tournament on the St. Joe River. He raised everyone's eyebrows when he weighed over 17# of smallmouth to win the event. Some wondered if locked into Lake St. Clair!
Bradley began tossing D’s products just four years ago and, like many of us, first picked one up off the shelf at a local bait shop. He recalls, “I was attracted to the quality, but also the price. You get more for your buck on a D’s than any of the competition.”
In fact, that is part of Fennell’s marketing strategy. His baits include more in quantity than the competitor’s. Team that up with superior quality, and it is certain to be a success.
D’s Lures offers five different lead jigs: tube (60 and 90 degree), shaky head, hopper, worm head, and the grubhead. All are made with either Gamakatsu or Mustad hooks.
The tube jig has remained the top seller, but shaky head sales have increased the past year. Bradley knows why, “On all three FLW Tour events this year, the shaky head has been a big reason why I’ve gotten a check in each event. It has also been a key bait of mine on the St. Joe River.” Bradley has won several tournaments on the St. Joe in 2010 already.
Bradley, who has amassed nine Top 10 finishes in FLW events, testifies the shaky head works everywhere, especially on local waters. He reveals it excels during the pre-spawn and remains productive through the summer and fall months. He tosses the 1/8 ounce version in water eight feet or shallower, but will toss a 3/16 ounce when deeper. His first choice of worm is the Berkley Powerbait Shaky Worm.
In fact, that is part of Fennell’s marketing strategy. His baits include more in quantity than the competitor’s. Team that up with superior quality, and it is certain to be a success.
D’s Lures offers five different lead jigs: tube (60 and 90 degree), shaky head, hopper, worm head, and the grubhead. All are made with either Gamakatsu or Mustad hooks.
The tube jig has remained the top seller, but shaky head sales have increased the past year. Bradley knows why, “On all three FLW Tour events this year, the shaky head has been a big reason why I’ve gotten a check in each event. It has also been a key bait of mine on the St. Joe River.” Bradley has won several tournaments on the St. Joe in 2010 already.
Bradley, who has amassed nine Top 10 finishes in FLW events, testifies the shaky head works everywhere, especially on local waters. He reveals it excels during the pre-spawn and remains productive through the summer and fall months. He tosses the 1/8 ounce version in water eight feet or shallower, but will toss a 3/16 ounce when deeper. His first choice of worm is the Berkley Powerbait Shaky Worm.
Fabiszak has had success with D's Lures across the country: including Kentucky Lake, Patoka Reservoir, Lake Champlain, Lake Vermillion, Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, Old Hickory and Tennessee River impoundments Wheeler & Wilson Lakes.
Both Fabiszak and Bradley use the grubhead jig but in different capacities. Fabiszak will use them as a tube jig when fishing a lake with gobies present. He insists this will give the tube a bigger head and more realistically imitates a goby. He also uses the grubhead with critter craws in the early spring. He claims, “You can catch a lot of shallow fish in channels during the early spring before the water temperature warms up too much.”
For Bradley the grubhead is used later in the season He explains, “The grubhead works well with single-tail grubs in the fall.” He will also place twin-tailed grubs when he wants more action or wants to slow the descent of the jig.
For Bradley the grubhead is used later in the season He explains, “The grubhead works well with single-tail grubs in the fall.” He will also place twin-tailed grubs when he wants more action or wants to slow the descent of the jig.
Like Fabiszak, Bradley also fishes across the nation. He has had success on many of the same bodies of water, but notably used a shakey head on the river system in Pittsburgh, PA during the championship.
Fennell hand pours all of his jigs. He is always open to new ideas and is receptive from all.
Tubes (right):
1. green pumpkin purple copper
2. green pumpkin purple
3. green pumpkin copper
4. green pumpkin gold
5. watermelon copper
6. smoke purple
7. smoke purple green
1. green pumpkin purple copper
2. green pumpkin purple
3. green pumpkin copper
4. green pumpkin gold
5. watermelon copper
6. smoke purple
7. smoke purple green
Jigs (left):
1. 60 degree tube head
2. 60 degree grub head
3. 90 degree worm head
4. 60 degree flat eye shakey head
5. 60 degree hopper head
1. 60 degree tube head
2. 60 degree grub head
3. 90 degree worm head
4. 60 degree flat eye shakey head
5. 60 degree hopper head
The two anglers use the hopper jig with success as well, but take different approaches. Fabiszak, winner of 5 FLW events, prefers a heavier weight, ¼ - 3/8 ounce, while Bradley prefers lighter jigs, 1/8 – 3/16 ounce. Fabiszak acknowledges, “I use the hopper jig a lot when fishing deep water. I like to use Erie Darters early in the spring and then twin-tailed grubs later in the season.”
Bradley uses the hopper jig because “it is a much more subtle bait.” He also uses the hopper with Erie Darters, but will also use them with critter craws. “When I’m fishing isolated pieces of structure, such as weedbeds on flats (I encounter a lot of this on Lake Wawasee and Maxinkuckee), I want a slower fall for my bait. The hopper provides this.”
Bradley uses the hopper jig because “it is a much more subtle bait.” He also uses the hopper with Erie Darters, but will also use them with critter craws. “When I’m fishing isolated pieces of structure, such as weedbeds on flats (I encounter a lot of this on Lake Wawasee and Maxinkuckee), I want a slower fall for my bait. The hopper provides this.”
But admittedly, the most common bait Bradley and Fabiszak use of D’s are the tubes. Interestingly, they have similar strategies and prefer the same colors. Their first choice of tube is the green pumpkin with purple and copper flake. Bradley admits, “It is my first choice whenever I am in water that is fairly clear: the clearer the water, the better.”
Fabiszak actually helped Saros create this color scheme. His philosophy was simple: “Purple works so well around here. It mimics crawfish and gobies perfectly. In fact, any kind of live bait you analyze has a purple hue to it. It’s a natural color selection.”
They also have a similar philosophy on the tube jig: go heavy. Bradley admits he doesn’t drag his tube very much; rather, he spends most of his time snapping the bait out of weeds. “If I am in six feet of water or less, I match my tubes up with a ¼ ounce jig. But my favorite match is a 3/8 ounce jig in water between six and 15 feet. If the wind is blowing, I match it up with a ½ ounce jig.” When snapping his tube, Bradley’s main objective is to maintain contact with the bottom, and the heavier jig allows a better feel of the bait and its surroundings.
Fabiszak actually helped Saros create this color scheme. His philosophy was simple: “Purple works so well around here. It mimics crawfish and gobies perfectly. In fact, any kind of live bait you analyze has a purple hue to it. It’s a natural color selection.”
They also have a similar philosophy on the tube jig: go heavy. Bradley admits he doesn’t drag his tube very much; rather, he spends most of his time snapping the bait out of weeds. “If I am in six feet of water or less, I match my tubes up with a ¼ ounce jig. But my favorite match is a 3/8 ounce jig in water between six and 15 feet. If the wind is blowing, I match it up with a ½ ounce jig.” When snapping his tube, Bradley’s main objective is to maintain contact with the bottom, and the heavier jig allows a better feel of the bait and its surroundings.
Fabiszak adds, “A heavier jig allows me to cast it further and fish it faster.” Like Bradley, he spends a great deal of his time snapping the bait opposed to dragging, but he adds, “Most people do not realize how long it takes for a bait to hit bottom. Not only do I use the heavier weight, but I use six-pound line to help it sink even faster.” He also reveals, “I only work my bait the first 10 – 15 feet of the cast. After that I reel the bait in and cast again.” He claims most strikes happen in that first 15 feet, and he begs the question, “Why work it back to the boat when the majority of strikes come in that range. I want to maximize my time on the water.”
Fennell hopes to grow D’s Lures even more in the future. He is taking an approach that is fishermen friendly: “My research is based on the feedback I get from fishermen. I am always looking for feedback on new styles that are in demand.” In fact, Fennell stays much involved with fishermen through fishing clubs, plus, as a participant and sponsor in several local tournament circuits. He offers, “If you have an idea for a new jig, let me know. We’ll see about getting it into production someday.” This is an approach that speaks volumes of his character: a quality approach to a quality product.
Fennell hopes to grow D’s Lures even more in the future. He is taking an approach that is fishermen friendly: “My research is based on the feedback I get from fishermen. I am always looking for feedback on new styles that are in demand.” In fact, Fennell stays much involved with fishermen through fishing clubs, plus, as a participant and sponsor in several local tournament circuits. He offers, “If you have an idea for a new jig, let me know. We’ll see about getting it into production someday.” This is an approach that speaks volumes of his character: a quality approach to a quality product.
Click on image to enlarge.
Click on image to enlarge.