"The Legend Returns" Fliptail Worms and Lizards

For all my Bass Fishing friends who are old enough to remember the beginning days of B.A.S.S. I am certain you will remember the Fliptail Worm. A blue Fliptail was cast by none other than Bill Dance of Memphis, TN. in Ray Scott's very first tournament which was held on Beaver Lake in June 1967.  While others raced away from the blast off point Dance ran just across from the landing and cast to an old roadbed in plain view of Scott and others.  The blue Fliptail  hit the bottom and a keeper bass inhaled the worm.  Dance set the hook and the rest is history. This was the very first bass caught in a B.A.S.S. Tournament.

All of this replayed in my mind as I was told this story first hand by my lifetime friend Ray Scott while attending the 2011 Southeastern Outdoor Press Association Conference in Branson, MO. a week ago. Over the years I have attended many of the SEOPA Conferences but this was my first as an official fees paying member and not strictly as a volunteer. I had cornered Ray to discuss old times and such when I laid it in his lap that Fliptail was up and running again and I was here in Branson to spread the word.  His first words were "Oh My God" and then it was non stop this and that and about how Fliptail's original owner Bill Stembridge was his first advertiser in BASSMASTER Magazine. Of an interesting note the day I rolled out the display of new Fliptail samples to the outdoors media in Branson it was also the eve of Bill Dance's birthday.  I hope Bill recieved his birthday gift of Fliptails by now and it opened fond memories of days gone by.

Well I'm happy to report that the worms and lizards we all came to love back in the day are back thanks to Orby Partee and family of Clinton, AR.  Partee purchased the molds and full copyrights to the company some years back looking forward to the day he could invest full time into a lure company of his own.  Well that time is here and the worms and lizards are back in production. At this time 9" worms and 6" lizards are being poured with the 7 1/4" worms to follow soon.  There are new colors available that we did not have back in the 60's and 70's. Junebug and Watermelon Seed are two new colors and I have had very good success with both.  My experience on the Yadkin River Chain in North Carolina shows that the Watermelon Seed will be a huge success. I have also enjoyed fishing the lizards in areas where there is a lot of grasses. I fish the lizard without a weight or with a very small 1/16 oz. or so weight. Because you stand to hook a large fish with this setup I throw it on a heavy 7 foot spinning rod and 14-17 pound test line. I recommend a 5/0 wide bend hook. The Fliptails are a little more bulky than most worms and the large hook helps with the hook set. The Bleeding Red hooks by Daiichi work well.

The worms and lizards will be made in several sizes and colors and they are available online at sales@fliptail-lures.com .  For those of you who remember the Fliptails welcome back. For those of you who are new to Fliptails you are in for a treat! Good luck and good fishing my friends.  Be safe.