BY MIKE STEVENS
MAMMOTH LAKES – A strong case could be made for Thomas Buoyants being the best all-around lure for Eastern Sierra trout anglers. If tasked to hit the high-country and every type of water it has to offer with one lure, the Buoyant would be the one, and thanks to WON’s close, long-running relationship with Thomas Lures, every year an exclusive Buoyant designed by WON staffers is released, and forget about trying to find them in stores.
First off, the versatility factor. They cast a mile, work well on a fast-retrieve but also have great action on a very slow retrieve. Even at 1/6 ounce (the lightest one), they’ll stay high in the water column if you need them to (above weeds) and unlike just about every other spoon out there, they can be fished effectively in moving water, especially bigger slow-moving stuff like the Owens River and Rush Creek. Thomas Buoyants are deadly while top-line trolled or on leadcore, and while they’re a little big for backcountry fishing, they’ll get the job done when conditions call for a long cast.
For more on all that in greater detail, search “leveling up, Thomas Buoyant” at WONews.com. Or click HERE
Full disclosure: I personally had a hand in designing all the WON exclusive Buoyants, and I did so for selfish reasons. I called for colors and patterns I wanted fish with. It started off pretty tame with a green/yellow nod to WON’s signature colors, then it was a red/gold/yellow nod to the existing red/gold that stands as the most popular Eastern Sierra color. After that, it was time to have some fun with them and WON unleashed a Rasta pattern, California flag, golden trout, brook trout and a spot-on imitation of the Sacramento Perch found in Crowley Lake.
It gets more challenging with each year, coming up with something new that isn’t too close to something Thomas is already stocking shops with. That’s why there’s no rainbow, brown or cutthroat trout, Thomas already makes them. But like the golden and California flag, this year’s crawdad pattern was merely my suggestion, at which point WON’s graphic guru Aly Witmer ran with it and made the dream a reality.
The only way to get your hands on the WON exclusive Thomas Buoyants is at WON events like the upcoming Big Bear Troutfest (Sept. 26-27), the Big Trout Campout at Lake Hemet each April and the PCS Shows (or anywhere the famous spinning prize wheel finds itself).
For more info on all things Thomas Lures (Buoyants and Beyond) visit ThomasLures.com
