Tackle Tips
These bugs are designed to be fished on their own, no bait or gang trolls required. Leaders should be long, 18″ minimum – but longer is better. Tie the leader directly to the clip (snap hook) supplied with the bug, to allow the lure to vibrate and move freely, and attach the leader to the mainline via a small swivel. Bingo Bugs require the use of weights for casting or trolling. Carry multiple sizes and adjust the amount of weight to match the speed and depth you want to fish.
Trolling
Make sure that you make figure eights in your boat to capitalize on featuring the incredible twitching action of this lure when you come out of the turns. We have found that the best trolling speeds are between 1.7-2.2MPH.
Other effective ways to fish these lures is on lead-core line or on a down rigger. Trolling with lead-core line allows you to fish at deeper depths than if you use monofilament or braided lines (usually used in 30 feet or more). Attach about 10-15 feet of monofilament or fluorocarbon line, with a small swivel, on one end to your lead-core line and use a small snap on the other end of the leader to attach to your Bingo Bug. You can even troll them on a down rigger when you need to get really deep.
Ice Fishing
Not only can the Bingo Bug be fished with traditional trolling, casting and fly-fishing methods, it can also be fished vertically through the ice. An effective way to ice fish with the Bingo Bug is very similar to the way one would ice fish with a fly… Micro Leeches, Woolly Buggers, etc. When small lakes are iced over, even predatory fish tend to migrate to shallower water and feast on insects in the fertile weed beds near shore. This being the case, the Bingo Bug is a prime candidate for shallow-water ice fishing when the bite is slow. You can either use a small snap swivel, or tie your line directly to the Bingo Bug, and place a small split-shot weight about 18 inches above the lure. In a shallow portion of the lake, say 5-10 feet deep, there are two good options for lure placement: either sitting on top of the mud below the weeds, or hovering 3 inches or so above the weeds. Either way, disrupting the bed of the lake is important. In these smaller lakes, bigger Brook Trout and Rainbow trout are often at the top of the food chain and movement at the bottom of the lake means only one thing: food. If you choose to rest your lure on the bottom of the lake, slowly lift your rod tip 12 inches or so, and then let the lure fall back into the weeds. If your lure is suspended slightly above the lake bed, drop your rod tip first to disrupt the dirt and then use the same slow-lift-and-fall method. Remember, everything under the ice moves very slowly so don’t feel the need to quickly and sporadically jig the Bingo Bugs.
Using a Stinger Hook
There are times when using a stinger hook on our Bingo Bugs that can be very effective and productive. Try using a stinger hook when you want a slightly bigger presentation or when you want to present bait when jigging or trolling. Using a stinger hook is not necessary if you want to tip our Bingo Bugs with bait but it does offer an opportunity to present a treble hook in waterways where it is preferred and where regulations allow it. The size of the stinger hook depends on which species that you are after. Below are 3 diagrams showing a simple stinger hook setup (this shows a treble but feel free to use a single siwash), a stinger hook with a minnow and a stinger hook with a worm. Feel free to explore the options.
Fly Fishing
It’s very productive with Bingo Bugs, be sure to use sinking lines and 48″ leaders. A sink-tip fly line is used in rivers, the line is mended after the cast and the bug is ‘swung’ across the current. When you’re reeling this lure in, whether you’re fly fishing or casting, be sure to twitch it and slowly retrieve it to get more action.
General
Always keep your hooks sharp and rinse off the entire lure with fresh water after using it in saltwater.
Colours
Black, due to its contrast, is the most visible colour to fish under most conditions and is the best colour in dark waters. Use darker colors like black, blue and violet under low light or when fishing deep because fish can see them better. Use fluorescent colors like green or chartreuse in greenish waters or deep waters. In clear water, when fishing on the surface, the reds and the oranges often are best. Chartreuse & white or red & white produce the most contrast and are the best combinations under virtually any light.