LURE HEAD DESIGN: CUPPED HEADS VS. SLANT HEADS

As far back as I can remember, lure designs were very basic. Bullet shaped heads and slant heads.

The slant heads fell into two distinct categories. One being a tube shaped head with a slant nose. The other being a cylinder shape tapered head with a dished out nose. This shape was simply named a conventional head. Later some one coined the name Kona Head which described the dished out slant head. During those formative years, the leader tube hole was in the center front and back. The original Kona Head's leader hole was below center in the front dished out area, and in the back the leader hole was centered. Trolling speeds for these Hawaiian lures ranged from a slow 4 knots to a slow 6 knots. It wasn’t until several innovative fishermen altered the original shapes that the doors to modern lure fishing opened. These very important changes offered unique and better lure action and also increased trolling speeds to 7-15 knots. Some of the alterations to the new designs placed the leader tube hole center, front and back, just like all the original straight runner lures were made. Another innovation was the cupped head ... and then along came the cupped heads with jet holes. The always popular Bullet lures took on a new fashion they now come loaded with lead, some even with jets. These new Bullet heads add a deadly dimension to a spread.

The natural questions asked is, "Which of the two designs is better cupped, or slanted?"

I will start with the Slant heads preferred action. With the flat line trolled off the rod tip, our trolling speed will be 8 knots. The placement of this slant head is on the 2nd or 3rd wave, swimming down the wave much like a surfer picks a wave then hangs in there. The slant lure will always try to swim left, right, up, down, pop, & splash. This is exactly what a good slant will do all day long. What you don’t want to see a slant do is to spin, or loop, stay on top splashing, jumping, stay down with no undulations, or pop & splash. You also don’t want a slant to pop every 3-4 seconds. The best pop and splash pattern occurs every 5-8 seconds, the latter being my first choice. When a slant head dives it should pull with it a long tail of white water and bubbles. If the slant can hold the white tail for the full 8 seconds, then it is just that much better. Now what happens if you take the slant head to the rigger, this is simple to describe the action of the slant head will be amplified, more pronounced and spicy hot. This is good and bad. It is good when the increased fire is done with thought for moderation. This is achieved mostly by RPM. and/or Rigger lift. For example, if your slant head is racing across the surface splashing and jumping without going for a swim and hanging a 5-8 count, then you should slow down, lower rigger lift or use a different slant. Try one that has less nose angle, and maybe even some added weight. Cupped lures with or without jets have a negative lift by comparison to slant heads, in my opinion they are better run from the riggers, short or long.

When they are trolling correctly then the action is much like a torpedo steaming along just below the surface. Some have a noticeable head shake, most stay down for a long count 5-10 seconds depending on sea conditions. Depending on the speed they are being trolled, rigger lift will also peak the cupped lures action. They carry a big bubble trail with plenty of white water. They have minimal splash compared to that of the slant head. Cupped lures don’t dive as deep, or undulate as much as the slant heads.

On the positive side, cupped lures are easy to catch. Mixing them with slant heads will give you the best of both worlds. Cupped lures are a must if you are encountering foul weather, big following seas, or pounding head seas.

I have had the pleasure and distinction of growing up during the old world and new world of lures, and to this I say respectfully, some are hot and some are not, lures that is!

My favorite spread is flat short corner “Slant”---- flat long corner “Slant”----short out rigger “Cupped Jet”----long out rigger “Slant”---center out rigger “Cupped Jet”----three slants & two cupped, that works for me.

Aloha, great fishing!

Captain Bart Miller
captbartmiller@blackbartlures.com

(561) 842-4550 or (866) 289-7050
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