New Skirts, Super Colors

Tom Monsoor matches the hatch in preparation for the upcoming Tour event.

You know me; if it’s a bait that doesn’t have a skirt on it, I’m probably not going to fish it. Over time I’ve gotten pretty particular about the size and colors of the skirts I throw. That’s why I’m extra excited about the new Bio-Flex skirt material that Skirts Plus in Minneapolis is introducing later this summer.

I worked with the company for the last several months on some colors that haven’t been available to the fishing public before, and I think we’ve hit a home run there. Later this summer you’ll start seeing the new colors such as ZM Series watermelon and ZM Series green pumpkin and all sorts of variations show up on the baits of some big-name brands and even some mom-and-pop operations.

Sooner than that, I’m going to be putting the skirts through their paces at Lake St. Clair, and I’m excited about the challenge. St. Clair is one of those clear lakes and river systems where lifelike colors and patterns are so important, and these skirts should get the job done as far as “matching the hatch.” One color that resembles perch is the prettiest thing I ever saw. The color that suggests a goby is beautiful too. In fact, it’s a heck of a lot better looking than the real thing.

Of course, the Bio-Flex skirt material that Skirts Plus makes has the best action to it, and the existing lineup of skirts is dynamite. I’ve been familiar with the company’s products for years, and they’ve never let me down.

Just a little history: Skirts Plus was started back in 1986 by Don Link, who worked for a rubber company in Minneapolis prior to that. Don liked to fish, and he thought like a fisherman. When he started working with raw silicone he saw the potential it had as far as making skirts for fishing baits. So he developed a process to do just that, and Skirts Plus became the first company in the country to offer silicone skirts. Not only that, but the company was the first to add metal-flake glitter to the skirts. Lonnie Stanley and Stanley Jigs was his first customer. Along the way, Don also patented several other products related to fishing. He’s retired now, but his contributions to the sport were recognized when he was inducted in the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame.

Today his son Tim and Eric Schwartz run the company. They still make great skirts, and there’s no telling how many you’ve fished over the years if you fish jigs, spinnerbaits, ChatterBaits, buzzbaits and so forth. As I said, you should start seeing the new super skirt colors on the baits of major manufacturers later this year. If you can’t wait and want to try some on your own, you’ll be able to order the silicone material to make them through Lure Parts Online (lurepartsonline.com). You won’t be disappointed.

In the meantime, I’ve got two big boxfuls of jigs with the new skirts on them, and I’m headed for Lake St. Clair. I can’t wait to put Yamamoto Swim Senko trailers on them and go to work in that beautiful smallmouth water.