Thoughts about Slab grabbers

[Bambino0657]

I've had lots of success using Slab grabbers but I can't bring myself to fish them baitless. I've put a small minnow head but most often a perch eye. The tiny barbless hook really doesn't lend itself for adding bait. Do most people fish them baitless? Have you compared the 2 approaches? Thanks for the feedback.

[butkusbowman]

I have never tried that lure but have found even during the fastest bites catching 2 at a time if I don't bait the hook, they won't bite it. Don't know about others but my past experiences.

[skinny4]

Thought mine had small barbs on it. Could be wrong. Haven't been out yet this year but thought there was a barb on it. Only thing I could recommend is adding a stinger hook to it. Dip the eye of a small hook in plasti dip or put small piece of heat shrink tubing over the eye and add it to the slab grabber. Only other option would be cut the hook off leaving the shank and solder on a new hook or wrap it with fly tying thread and add clear nail polish over the thread to hold it in place.

[esox_xtm]

FWIW, in the Michigan areas where they became popular they are fished baitless, most often for perch. Don't know if this will help but you can read more about them here:in-fisherman.com/editorial/cold-war-connections-russian-spoons/154006

[ECobb91]

When I worked at gander in New Hartford (2009-2014) we always had people coming in asking for them. All were fishing it without bait.

That said nearly all mentioned using it in a not so “sportsman’s” way. The way they’re shaped they snag the fish on the bottom jaw when jigged. One guy said he would use a jigging rap to get a walleye to come in, then rip the slab spoon to “hook” the fish. They became so hard to find some guys were making them out of metal plumbing elbows. I asked a DEC officer about it one day and he said as long as it’s hooked in the mouth it’s fine. So it’s a crap shoot but they’re very effective

[HWeber]

When I worked at gander in New Hartford (2009-2014) we always had people coming in asking for them. All were fishing it without bait.

That said nearly all mentioned using it in a not so “sportsman’s” way. The way they’re shaped they snag the fish on the bottom jaw when jigged. One guy said he would use a jigging rap to get a walleye to come in, then rip the slab spoon to “hook” the fish. They became so hard to find some guys were making them out of metal plumbing elbows. I asked a DEC officer about it one day and he said as long as it’s hooked in the mouth it’s fine. So it’s a crap shoot but they’re very effective

Sounds like a load of BS. Fish do bite them baitless. While I don't fish them often I don't think I've ever snagged a fish with one

[ECobb91]

Sounds like a load of BS. Fish do bite them baitless. While I don't fish them often I don't think I've ever snagged a fish with one

Thought it was a little odd too. You’d think the fish would feel the line moving. But more than 3 separate  guys mentioned it in a single season before specifically about walleye. Once I’d agree that’s BS, twice is suspicious, 3 times makes me wonder..

The plumbing elbows is legit. One of my favorite guys who would come in gave me a half dozen of the ones he made.

I know they bite them baitless. I’ve fished with some who’ve used them.

[filetandrelease]

 Old timers on Oneida lake made  and  used what  they called sink pipe  little wider than the simcoe slayer 3” in length  with no bait  99% of the eyes hooked were  right under the chin , the motion that they used was lower it to the bottom let few seconds yank it up 3-5’ then let it flutter back to the bottom and repeat
  Maybe some of the other older guys will
 Chime in
 I can’t comment on the slab grabbers as I’ve never used them and they have a bead
  guys fishing them most likely aren’t using the mentioned technique above

[hangemhigh]

Sounds like a load of BS. Fish do bite them baitless. While I don't fish them often I don't think I've ever snagged a fish with one

I believe him .... I've heard the same thing about guys snagging them that way ....

[mcully]

Old timers on Oneida lake made  and  used what  they called sink pipe  little wider than the simcoe slayer 3” in length  with no bait  99% of the eyes hooked were  right under the chin , the motion that they used was lower it to the bottom let few seconds yank it up 3-5’ then let it flutter back to the bottom and repeat
  Maybe some of the other older guys will
 Chime in
 I can’t comment on the slab grabbers as I’ve never used them and they have a bead
  guys fishing them most likely aren’t using the mentioned technique above

I'm not older but have used and made the traps. They cover a wide area sometimes and yes you did get some under the chin but many times you see the fish on your screen and just keep pulling it away until they crush it. I can see where pre graph was just let it sit on the bottom and keep snapping until either they slam it on the drop or button one under the chin as they come over the top of it. Single hook and lead solder. Hard to find the old thicker sink traps now and mostly use the XPS blades since they don't travel around as much fouling nearby dead sticks. The traps worked as attractant too and surprised how voracious some big perch can be. I have a half dozen 16-ounce boxes of 60/40 solder sitting in my office collecting dust.

[PerchEyes]

Iceassasin posted this over in the Perch forum:

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Doesn’t look like any bait on the Slabgrabber.

[trapper2000]

yeah you  never snag a  walleye with a sonar either  ........it's ok i'm a  river rat i can snagg anything in the  mouth and swear it hit

[KingPerch]

I’ve witnessed that sink pipe take lots of walleye when I was a kid…my uncle was an Oneida Lake master with those lures. By the time I opened up 3 holes with a spud…. He had two limits. 😂😁
Crazy ol buzzard!!😜

[Greenhornet73]

I have a cardboard box full of sink traps that my buddy gave to me last year because he didn’t know what they were.  In the 90’s I would have given up my front teeth for those.  To answer the original question of the post, Yes, I fish Slab Grabbers baitless but do add scent to the plastic egg on the hook.  I also dont vertically jig them like you would with a spoon though. More of a drop and drag along the bottom usually.

[62&done]

never heard of a sink-trap  slab -grabber   how about a pic ?

[KingPerch]

I’ve heard that these sink drain pipe lures originated in Russia…. Anyone have a confirmation on this?

These are made from chrome sink trap pipe. They are a brass color inside.

[KingPerch]

Made from these sink parts.

[62&done]

I've made some lake trout spoons in the past from tea pots and car parts but this is a new one on me

[KingPerch]

The ORIGINAL Oneida Lake diehards… not todays wanna-be diehards, made these spoons years ago when I was a kid. I’ve never used them, but my uncle could put ‘em to good use!😁

[tj_cubin]

we found a few perch yesterday right before we left the lake and a bait-less slab grabber was outfishing a dinner bell with a minnow 4-to-1.

[Bambino0657]

Thanks for the info TJ_cubin.

[Greenhornet73]

Here is a handful of old school homemade sink traps

[Greenhornet73]

Here is a handful of old school homemade sink traps

[62&done]

I noticed that some of the hooks are facing to the inside of the curve of the spoon and some are the opposite. Is there any reason for this ?   And I'm guessing that these are used for vertical jigging?

[Adironzach]

For those out there that do want to put bait on a barbless hook, I've often taken a red rubber band and cut them into small pieces.  I like the red ones because they seem to help attract the fish.  It really doesn't take that big "wide" of a piece of band to keep the bait on a hook.  I will usually put a fish eye, maggot, or waxie on the hook then a piece of the rubber band to hold the bait on.  Yes, you do lose the band and the bait sometimes, but I can usually catch a half dozen fish with one band.  And, you can get a lot of tiny pieces of retainer from one rubber band.

appreciate that tip. great idea i will definitely keep that one in the back pocket for barbless presentations

[frnak001]

They don't look too hard to make. How are they holding the hooks? Looks to be soldered but how do they keep the bead from melting?

[HWeber]

They don't look too hard to make. How are they holding the hooks? Looks to be soldered but how do they keep the bead from melting?

Melt the bead on after, you can change the beads out. Bust bead with pliers, run the hook through a flame, and quickly run the hook through the bead

[frnak001]

That makes sense, thanks.

[Greenhornet73]

You can make them pretty easily but with all the new variations now I think you’re better off buying some with Way more flash to bring them in and less chance of faulty welding.  These were used when guys were hardly using jigging raps and one of mine looked like it had kite string tied to it 😆

[PerchEyes]

Greenhornet,
I am a believer in the effectiveness of old timer’s homemade lures.
I make one out of copper pipe that has been a killer on certain days when tipped with (you guessed it) a perch eye.
Thanks for sharing those.
I might have to see if I can find my solder gun.