The Livingston Lures Walking Boss II, Not Just A Sequel

Stick baits, or spook style baits have been all the rage for the past several years but we are now seeing an older design resurface.

That of the old crazy crawler whose action was based on a cupped front lip that made the bait gurgle as it swam across the surface.

We’ve been fishing the Walking Boss II from Livingston Lures for the past few months which takes that old action but refines it for today.

The Walking Boss II is 4-5/8 in length with a weight of 15/16oz. This lure comes with a three hook configuration with the rear hook being dressed. The lip on the front of the bait is a clear plastic that when retrieved gives the bait its gurgling action. It also has a hinged rear segment that accentuates its side to side waggle.

Livingston has incorporated their EBSMT (Electronic Baitfish Sound Multi-touch Technology) which consists of four Modes into the bait. EBS Original, Craw, Shad and Silent. They go one step further by having a single ball rattle in the rear section of the bait so that even on Silent Mode, there is some sound being emitted by the bait.

The How To

The process for selecting a particular sound is the same as in other baits equipped with the EBSMT. You submerge the bait in water for 5 seconds to activate it. You cycle through the sounds by simultaneously holding the line tie and front hook hanger. Find the sound you want then let go. The bait will continue in this mode until you change it.

As we’ve mentioned in previous articles about this new generation of baits from Livingston, their finishes have come a long way both in terms of the paint schemes and the molded plastics that now have very good detail that adds to the overall appearance of the lures.

The Walking Boss II has all these features built in, is available in about 8 patterns and is ready to rock out of the package.

The line tie on the bait is situated under the lip so that it applies downward pressure to the lip on the retrieve. That keeps the bait running smoothly whether you are crawling it or burning it.

We’ve been throwing this lure with a Quantum Smoke 151 SPT spooled with 15lb Yozuri Original Hybrid clear line paired with a 7’ medium heavy Smoke rod. This rig gives us the line capacity we like for heavier baits so we can really chuck ‘em out there and has plenty of power to get bass in from distance.

In playing with the Walking Boss in shallow water we noticed that at rest, this bait will sit in a tail down position with the angle being about 35 degrees. That allows the head and lip to be out of the water when its motionless and provides an easier target for those shy followers who won’t commit to a horizontal bait on the surface.

Changing It Up

This bait is meant to be moving, not sitting still looking pretty. It is a lure that can be thrown in open water, under hanging tree limbs, over submerged grass and even through some sparse cover.

Just don’t put it in the thickest mats you can find because with nine very sharp hook points, its going to find something to pick up.

You can fish this like an idiot bait in that you can throw it out, then just reel it in. Nothing to do but crank the handle. You can vary your retrieve speed every cast or within every cast by simply speeding up or slowing down. This will draw strikes.

However, if you choose to do it this way, you’re missing the boat. Here is what we have found is the most effective way to use this plug.

In our experience with the Walking Boss II, we’ve gotten a whole lot more strikes by varying our retrieve with kind of a choppy, jerky cadence. Just go spastic in your cranking hand as if you have absolutely no rhythm, then repeat all the way in.

This gives this lure more of an erratic action that seems to mimic a baitfish in deep trouble which has apparently been more than a little appealing to bass of varying sizes. It’s been interesting to see some dinks as well as some big ‘ole donkeys come up and just hammer this bait. Bass of all sizes have hit this bait with equal enthusiasm.

Our hook-up ratio has been very good with the Walking Boss II and we’ve had no problems with any of the components showing any unusual wear. Yeah, there are some teeth marks on the bait but as far as we’re concerned, a bait with no battle scars just means bass won’t eat it.

Switching Gears on the Fly

As with any of the baits with the EBSMT, you can change the baits sound profile without changing baits. So if the bite slows, either choose a different mode or go silent. Often, this simple procedure will pick up more fish from the same area that refused the first time through.

It is this flexibility that stands out when compared to all the others. Not to mention that this is a bait that the fish really haven’t seen enough to become conditioned to avoid.

We also want to mention that this is a bait that is simple to use. If you can cast it, you can fish it. It takes almost no experience to master how to get it working properly. This is a big advantage if you’re teaching someone about topwater who has very little experience.

The Walking Boss II is another introduction from Livingston that shows the company’s willingness to think outside of the box and deliver products with an edge to the marketplace.

Livingston Lures Walking Boss II
Overall Rating
A lively topwater bait

See ya’ on the water …