Poor Boys Baits Erie Darter

Today let’s look at a new bait from Poor Boys named the Erie Darter. The first time I saw this soft plastic lure I was thinking in terms of how I could rig it. At 4 inches in length I was thinking about using it on a drop-shot rig or possibly a darter head or some other type of jig head.

When I got it on the water for the first time, it hit me! I have got to try this on a double rig! Then I could take advantage of all of its attributes in one fell swoop. So I got out the swivels and leader and went to work. A couple of minutes later, my double rig was ready to go.

First, let’s take a look at the Erie Darter and what this little bait can do. Poor Boys designed this in 3 sizes with a 3.5, a 4 and a 4.5 inch. The colors are consistent through the sizes and there are a bunch of them. There is a color in the palette that can imitate almost any bait fish you might have in your local waters. I choose two that can represent both the colors of our local minnows and fingerling bass. I got both in the 4 inch version.

Action

You’ll notice some strong similarities to the old Zipper Worm. The Poor Boys has similar ridges down the sides of the darter and they have a relatively flat top and bottom. However, what makes this lure special is the spear shaped tail. This little tail really is what is responsible for the action of this bait.

It is appropriately named the Erie Darter because in the water, with the same basic retrieve as one would use with a jerk bait, the Darter makes quick directional changes on a horizontal plane that are eerily similar to that of a bait fish. You will need to use some weight with this lure to help with casting distance or to get it to the bottom quickly. On its own, you’ll be waiting some time for it to sink beyond the two foot level.

All this being said, you can fish the Poor Boys bait at different depths depending on the size of the weight that you use. Be careful to not over power the nose of the darter with too much weight as this will kill the action of the lure.

Rigging

I mentioned earlier that, in my opinion, the way to really utilize this bait to the fullest is to use a double rig with it. This technique was popular a few years ago with soft jerk baits but has waned as of late. Maybe due to the relative complexity of the rig itself or the time necessary to tie it, there just aren’t a lot of folks throwing the double anymore. However, in my opinion, it is the best way to utilize the action of the Erie Darter.

I have really enjoyed fishing with the Poor Boys Erie Darter and know that not only has it proven to be effective up to this point but I am pretty sure that there are ways to fish this bait that have yet to be discovered.

On the MVF rating system, the Erie Darter earns a 3.5.

See ya’ on the water ..