"Lures of the Month" from ABQ Sportfishing and Bob "Lucky" Lechel:
ABQ's pick is the Reef Runner Ripshad 400 Chartreuse/Orange Prism.
Lucky's choice: Lucky Craft Moonsault CB-250 Chartreuse Shad/Ghost Minnow - dives 6-9ft with a tight wiggle. Has rattles like a lipless crank and lip and vibration of a traditional. Great on schooling fish!!!
Check out the July 2008 photos

The Lytle’s Secret Tail Spinner has a life-like action and a pounding vibration. This lure has produced extraordinary catches of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, striper, striper hybrid, white bass, northern pike, perch, and countless other species.

This lure can be fished year-round: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Due to the unique design features, the Lytle’s Secret can be use in a wider variety of presentations. You can fish the top, middle or bottom of the water column by controlling the retrieve speed.

During the cold water period (winter, early spring, and late fall), look for the fish around deep structures like creek channels, ledges, humps, deep drop offs, long points that fall into deep water, the deep edge of a flat, and around the dam areas. If the fish are relating to the bottom, cast the lure toward the shallower water and let it sink to the bottom with tension on the line as you follow it down. Once it hits bottom, slowly reel the lure in a few feet or more, and then let it flutter back down to the bottom on a semi-tight line. Repeat the process and do this all the way back to the boat. This is to imitate a dying or wounded bait fish. You can also slow roll the Lytle’s Secret Tail Spinner along the bottom by slowly reeling it in at the slowest speed possible, the slower the better.

If the fish are suspending over deep structures, cast the Lytle’s Secret out and let it slowly flutter down, and then slowly retrieve at the depth the fish are holding. With this lure, it’s possible to cover all depths effectively by slowly working the bait down a level at a time.

Another technique that will work during the cold water period is using a vertical presentation with the Lytle’s Secret Tail Spinner. Let the lure sink to the bottom next to a drop off with tension on the line as you follow it down. Once it hits bottom, lift the rod tip a foot or more upward and then drop your rod tip by letting the lure flutter back to the bottom on a semi-tight line, and repeat the process. Watch your line in order to detect a strike, if the lure doesn’t fall all the way back to the bottom, or you feel a slight tick, or the line jumps, set the hook.

During the spring , look for fish moving into the shallow warmer water feeding on baitfish. Some of the areas you want to look for are creek arms, coves, flats next to deep water, and along the dam areas. Cast the Lytle’s Secret Tail Spinner toward the shoreline and slow roll or slowly reel it in, making contact with the bottom or structures every few feet or more all the way back to the boat. Also make sure to cover all depths through the water column for the fish that are suspending off the bottom.

Another good place to fish the Lytle’s Secret in the spring and early summer months is retrieving the lure just above the scattered grass, weed beds, or cover around flats to imitate a baitfish. This will provide a natural looking profile, while the vibration and flash draws strikes.

During summer months, most of the larger fish are moving into the deeper, cooler water on the main lake. Look for baitfish around underwater humps, deep main lake points, edges of creek channels, underwater roadbeds, deep water ledges, deep drop-offs next to flats, and around the dam areas. Most of these fish will be holding on the drop-off of these structures. Cast the Lytle’s Secret Tail Spinner on the top or on the shallowest part of the structures and let it flutter to the bottom on a semi-tight line. Once it hits bottom, reel the lure at the slowest speed possible to the drop-offs. Also try slowly reeling it in a few feet or more, and then let it flutter down to the bottom on a semi-tight line. Repeat all the way back down the drop-off. Most strikes will occur when the lure is at the drop-off where the fish are holding. Make sure to cover all depths through the water column for the fish that are suspending next to the structures. Sometimes these fish will be feeding on the surface near the structures chasing the baitfish. Cast the Lytle’s Secret lure past the schooling fish near the surface by keeping the rod tip up high, and start reeling in at a steady speed to keep the lure just under the surface toward the feeding fish. If a fish hits and misses the lure, stop reeling and let the tail spinner flutter down to the bottom, as they will usually hit it on the fall. Once surface activity stops, make sure to slow roll the Lytle’s Secret near the bottom, as some of the fish will be eating the wounded baitfish off the bottom.

During the fall, the fish will be scattered throughout the lake following the baitfish to the cooler, shallower water. Look for these fish back in creek arms and large coves around flats, points, roadbeds, and edges of weed beds. Also look for these fish around main lake points, humps, edges of creek channels, and along the dam areas. This time of the year, a lot of these fish will be suspending around the structures. Try working the Lytle’s Secret Tail Spinner in all depths through the water column with different retrieves until you find the depth they are holding and feeding in. They will changing location and depth throughout the day following the baitfish.

The keys to using the Lytle’s Secret Tail Spinner throughout the seasons is finding the right depth, speed, vibration, and size of lure to trigger the different species of fish to bite.

Good Luck and Good Fishing!!

Steve and Rod Lytle

Steve Lytle's Guide Service

1304 West 2nd

McCook, NE 69001

(308) 345-1472

steve@stevelytle.com

More information on Steve Lytle, his guide business and tournament accolades.

Since 1994 Steve Lytle and his clients caught or tied a Nebraska state record wiper seven times. The record chase began with Kirk Ulray's 13 lbs. 14 oz. fish in April 1994. Steve caught the current state record, a 20 lbs. 1 oz. monster, on August 1, 1999 from Red Willow Reservoir.

While Steve has become a highly successful and renowned wiper angler and guide, his angling expertise extends well beyond this tremendous trophy species. He has helped countless customers boat hundreds of Nebraska Master Angler fish over the years, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, channel and flathead catfish, tiger muskie, white bass and crappie.

Steve is a native of McCook, Nebr. He started fishing for fun with his brothers as a kid. His interest in fishing intensified in 1983 when he joined the Lincoln County Bass Club in North Platte. He earned their "Mr. Bass" title by catching the most total pounds of bass in club tournaments in 1983 and 1984.

In 1985 he placed 2nd in the Nebraska State Federation tournament on Grand Lake of the Cherokees in Oklahoma. He successfully competed in divisional B.A.S.S. federation tournaments in 1985 and 1986. He also had several top 10 finishes on the Great Plains circuit. Steve gained valuable experience while competing on lakes and rivers in Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana.

Steve began fishing professionally in 1987 on the B.A.S.S. and U.S. Bass tournament circuits. His best efforts included 17th and 19th place finishes during separate tournaments on famed Lake Sam Rayburn in Texas. Steve compiled numerous other top 50 finishes during his six years as a touring pro.

1993 marked the beginning of Steve's full-time guiding career in southwest Nebraska. His fishing experience and dedication have really paid off for clients who enjoyed many amazing fishing days over the years. Nobody works harder to insure his customers have their finest fishing experience and go home completely exhausted. And when it comes to catching big fish, Steve's results are second to none.

Steve is widely recognized as one of the state's most knowledgeable and accomplished anglers. Spend a day on the water with him and you'll see first-hand why he has gained such respect.