The Magic Bean by Lunkerhunt 2/8/19

Lure of the Week
Posted 2/8/19

This week I went to the Ice fishing section in Walmart to try to see what they still had. Much to my displeasure they had it half packed up and the remaining supplies were dwindling. Just a week or …

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The Magic Bean by Lunkerhunt 2/8/19

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This week I went to the Ice fishing section in Walmart to try to see what they still had. Much to my displeasure they had it half packed up and the remaining supplies were dwindling. Just a week or so into good enough Ice weather and Walmart acts like its already over. No. The ice harvest is just beginning!

So with this in mind I stock up on a few ice fishing standards and turn tail from the retail giant. Speaking of giants…

Unlike the magic beans to ascend to the Giant’s castle in the sky, the Magic Bean by Lunkerhunt is one to descend to the giants dwelling place in the murky depths. In all seriousness, the Magic Bean is a unique sinking lure designed primarily for ice jigging, but still holds its own in a casting or open water jigging game.

Looking at it in-package, I was tempted to take it for granted. But once you drop this little lure in your palm, you understand it’s true strengths. The Magic Bean I picked up was the ¼ oz. and like other ice lures I’ve picked up, I selected the firetiger paint scheme. The body of the jig is like a teardrop sinker lying on its side. The tail is the pointed end of the teardrop and sports a built-in swivel which connects to a split circle and dime-sized gold flashing blade. Much like a blade you would see on an eighth ounce spinner, the blade isn’t large yet it has almost no resistance to spin and flash in almost any direction, perfect for a jig that bounces and needs to refrain from tangles or mechanical lockups. From the side of the teardrop shape, or the top as it lies on its side, there is a ‘U’-shaped tie-on. Opposite this on the bottom is another that is utilized as the anchoring point for another split circle and red treble hook.

Overall the lure measures in at just over an inch in total length, but weighs an impressive quarter ounce. That weight gets it down deep as fast as you could want it to go. That swivel blade on the tail flashes around erratically attracting nearby fish, and the firetiger design lends a well-blended yet alluring contrast of appearance to semi-light waters. In the late afternoon as the sky may be turning colors I can see this color scheme really working well as it begins to match the color that is cast on the water through the ice. The firetiger design is yellow at the midpoint (lateral line) and darker orange towards the spine and belly of the lure. There are also black vertical stripes painted along the body. A black eye is painted towards the nose, but there is no pupil or contrasting color to make that eye pop. Personally I am in want of more detail in the eye, such as a foil, or at least a white background, but that’s just my humble opinion…

The treble hook is a razor sharp red hook, which goes well with the yellow and orange paint. As the lure is jigged, it hangs directly below. The pill-like shape of the lure allows any strikes to be more successful as it presents a very non-obtrusive and temptingly easy size to attack. It dances well as a jig and the weight gives the angler a clear sense of what is happening down below, even in deeper water where you can’t see. For this reason I would suggest this lure to any of you without a sonar device. Whenever you don’t have eyes on the action, it helps to be able to feel when you get a bite, as opposed to the normal resting bouncing weight of the lure.

They come in a couple different sizes and colors. Grab one and try it out, remember darker colors for darker waters, and vice versa with light. Try it as a jig and maybe in the summertime throw it out some more to see how it swims.

*If you have any luck with the lure of the week, feel free to email your pictures to events@riverreporter.com for an opportunity to share them on our website. If you have a favorite kind of lure we haven’t reviewed yet, feel free to send that lure to our office at PO box 150 Narrowsburg, NY 12764. We will add it to our weekly reviews and share the results. Check back each week on Fridays to see the new lure of the week!

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