newman lures vs tuff shads

[fish N ski]

I was at the butler show and was checking out the newman 5" crankbaits. They look similar to a tuff shad. Can anyone explain the difference in the action between these 2 baits? Are they totally different or are they similar? I would of bought one to try but my $350.00 went to quick. Did have enough for a hamburger though. I also see they are making the tuff shads out of plastic now. I have 8" and 10" tuff shads but nothing smaller. Are newmans a good lure to have in your box?

[cband]

I purchased a small Newman shad and one of the larger ones. I handled the new plastic tuff shads and went with the Newman because it didn't have any rattles. I really like the wood tuff shads and think the Newman will be pretty similar.

[allegheny river kid]

I've only used one of the newman shad profile baits before. It ran decent for me once i tuned it. I bought 6 new plastic tuff shads in the fall and ran most of them, they needed very little tuning to get them running rite so i purchased 6 more over the winter. I have a dozen or so of the old wooden
5" tuff shads and a couple 8" also, i like the rattle in the new ones and how they run.

[fish N ski]

i was thinking about getting a few "NEW" plastic tuff shads just because of the rattles. If you say they run good, I will take your word for it. Thanks for the input.

[esox31]

I ran the plastic tuffs for a couple of days last year in my friends boat and they seem just as good as the older wooden and ones we caught a couple of fish on them too. I looked at the Newman baits and the 5 inchers looked just like to old tuffs . The small glides looked good too I bought one in a perch pattern .

Lance McFeely
"THE FERD"

[Rich W]

I've put quite a few fish in the boat using Rich's baits.

[Red Childress]

I am guessing Neuman's baits are going to run a tad shallower since they are made of cedar. The wooden Tuff's feel like they are made from a denser wood and are a little more streamlined than Neuman's. The old Tuff's are great for ripping and pausing since they rise relatively slowly. Both are great looking baits and I am looking forward to throwing Rich's this Spring for the first time.

[Ivan]

Depending on how old your wood Tuff shads are will determine what kind of wood they are made from. Chris made his baits out of several different kinds of wood. I have wood Tuffs that are made of cedar, poplar, mahogany, and basswood. He originally made them from cedar for years.

[Red Childress]

Mine are mahogany and really get deep.....the 10's will get down deeper than my perchbaits.

[ThreeRiversEsox]

Please- Everyone go to the Columbus Show and buy as many Tuff's as you can. He's going to have some custom show-only colors of the 5 inchers (like 35 colors total) and he will have some of the 8"ers in mahagony. Please buy all of them...so you have no money to buy Rich W and my Newmans ;)

[1roofmusky]

I caught this fish on a new plastic Tuff on Dec 11 last year. It was the first of 7 fish in 12 hours at Lake X in OH on Tuffs.

[ThreeRiversEsox]

That one was for me and you waited this long to tell me?!?! GEEEEZ!! No one said they didn't work in Ohio, those fish eat Sissons ;)

[fisher1]

The simple fact that so many people have tried to copy the Tuff Shad is a testimony to its fish catching abilities and popularity. The Muskies Inc. catch records show the Tuff Shad to be one of the most productive lures on the market for both big fish and numbers of fish caught. To have someone try to mimic you or your product is actually a form of a compliment.
As Mr. Newman himself stated, "I only copy baits that I know I can sell".
Although many people have zero respect for what he is doing, that is why he has attempted to copy Leos, Wileys and Tuff Shads. The all mighty dollar.

[ThreeRiversEsox]

cause in the end, baitfish only come in so many shapes. Newman is using cedar to make his baits, which is essentially how Tuff Shad came into the market and got big. The volume of baits they make aren't comparable, which is the reason it's still economical for Newman to use cedar but Chris moved to plastic. Obviously the cedar tuff's go for big bucks on eBay. I'd have to say that along with the testimony of it's big fish catching abilities and popularity, the bait is copied also in part to its' simplicity. Anyone with a bandsaw and sander can make one.

[Little35]

TOP TEN BRAND-NAME LURES FOR MUSKIES 50" AND OVER 1970 - 2007*

Rank Brand Name Total Caught

1 Eagle Tail 174

2 Cowgirl 164

3 Wiley 144

4 Jake 141

5 Suick 139

6 Believer 126

7 Mepps 119

8 Bull Dawg 104

9 Top Raider 102

10 Grandma 99


*Source: "Lunge Log," MUSKIE Magazine, April, 2008

[fisher1]

50 Inch Lures. 1970-2008
Rank, Lure Name, Lure Type, Largest, Total
1 Crank Bait Crank Bait 58.25" 183
2 Eagle Tail Buck Tail 60.00" 172
3 Wiley Crank Crank Bait 56.00" 158
4 Cowgirl Buck Tail 56.00" 153
5 Jake Crank Bait 56.50" 152
6 Suick Jerk Bait 56.00" 141
7 Believer Crank Bait 55.50" 128
8 Buck Tail Buck Tail 56.25" 112
9 Top Raider Surface 57.00" 112
10 Grandma Crank Crank Bait 55.50" 108
11 Bull Dawg Jerk Jerk Bait 55.00" 106
12 Buck Tail Buck Tail 56.50" 101
13 Homemade Bucktail Buck Tail 56.50" 86
14 Double Cowgirl Buck Tail 56.50" 77
15 Surface Surface 60.00" 77
16 Mepps Buck Tail 56.00" 70
17 Reef Hawg Jerk Bait 56.00" 67
18 Bucher Depth Raider Crank Bait 58.50" 66
19 Sucker, Quick Set Live Bait 54.00" 61
20 Tuff Shad Crank Bait 54.00" 58 The Llunge Log is currently showing 65
21 Harasser Buck Tail 57.00" 57
22 Hawg Wobbler Surface 54.00" 56
23 Jerk Bait Jerk Bait 55.00" 56
24 Rad Dog Spinner 54.50" 50
25 Spinner Spinner 54.00" 44
26 Bagley Crank Crank Bait 53.00" 43
27 Buchertail Buck Tail 54.50" 43
28 Live Bait Live Bait 53.50" 38
29 Jackpot Surface 55.50" 37
30 Cisco Kid Crank Bait 55.00" 35
31 Not Specified Plastic / Miscellaneous 54.50" 35
32 Sucker Live Bait 55.50" 35
33 Creeper Surface 55.50" 32
34 Hooker Crank Bait 55.00" 30
35 Inhaler Buck Tail 55.25" 29
36 Lilly Tail Buck Tail 55.50" 27
37 Rapala Crank Crank Bait 54.50" 27
38 Boo Tail Buck Tail 54.00" 26
39 Homemade Spinner Spinner 54.00" 26
40 Mepps Giant Killer Buck Tail 56.50" 26
41 Bobbie Jerk Bait 53.00" 25
42 Hawg Spin Spinner 53.00" 25
43 Legend Diver Crank Bait 54.00" 25
44 Homemade Crank Bait Crank Bait 55.50" 24
45 Artifact Crank Bait 52.50" 23
46 Pacemaker Surface 54.00" 23
47 Ghost Tail Buck Tail 53.00" 21
48 Li'l Ernie Crank Bait 53.00" 20
49 Crane Bait Crank Bait 54.50" 19
50 M & G Bucktail Buck Tail 57.00" 19
51 Tallywacker Surface 53.00" 19
52 Swim Whizz Crank Bait 53.00" 18
53 Creek Chub Pikie Crank Bait 55.00" 17
54 Llungen Tale Buck Tail 54.00" 17
55 M & G Tandem Spinner 55.00" 17
56 Parrywinkle Ck Crank Bait 54.50" 17
57 Sledge Jerk Bait Jerk Bait 54.50" 16
58 Stump Hawg Spinner 53.00" 16
59 Wades Wobbler Jerk Bait 54.00" 16
60 Eddie Bait Jerk Bait 53.00" 15
61 Jig Jig 59.50" 15
62 Legend Perch Crank Bait 56.00" 15
63 Radtke's Pike Minnow Crank Bait 58.50" 15
64 Renegade Tandem Buck Tail 54.00" 15
65 Slammer Crank Crank Bait 53.00" 15
66 Stomper Surface 53.50" 15
67 Homemade Jerk Jerk Bait 53.75" 14
68 M & G Spinner Spinner 54.50" 14
69 Burt Jerk Jerk Bait 54.50" 13
70 Topper Stopper Surface 52.00" 13
71 Homemade Surface 54.00" 12
72 Loke Crank Crank Bait 54.50" 12
73 Shumway Flasher Buck Tail 53.50" 12
74 Ernie Crank Bait 53.00" 11
75 Giant Jackpot Surface 55.25" 11
76 Hughes River Jerk Jerk Bait 52.00" 11
77 Leo Crank Bait 52.00" 11
78 Mepps Musky Marabou Buck Tail 53.00" 11
79 Musky Candy Buck Tail 53.00" 11
80 Doc Surface 52.00" 10
81 Hi Fin Surface Surface 54.50" 10
82 Homemade Plastic / Miscellaneous 55.00" 10
83 Joe's Bucktail Buck Tail 54.00" 10
84 Marv's Spinner Spinner 53.25" 10
85 Phantom Jerk Bait Jerk Bait 54.00" 10
86 Shallow Raider Crank Bait 53.50" 10
87 Slammer Tail Buck Tail 54.00" 10
88 Smitty Bait Jerk Bait 55.00" 10
89 Super Top Raider Surface 56.50" 10
90 Teaser Tail Surface 53.00" 10
91 Bagley DB06 Crank Bait 55.00" 9
92 Bagley Monster Shad Crank Bait 52.00" 9
93 Bull Dawg Jig Jig 55.00" 9
94 Grim Reaper Buck Buck Tail 53.00" 9
95 Hawgtail Buck Tail 51.75" 9
96 Thunderhead Surface 53.00" 9
97 Dana Crank Crank Bait 52.00" 8
98 Hunter Tail Buck Tail 54.00" 8
99 Manta Jerk Bait 52.00" 8
100 Mepps Musky Killer Buck Tail 54.50" 8
101 Poe's Jackpot Surface 53.00" 8
102 Zippity-Do-Dah Buck Tail 55.25" 8
103 AC-10 Buck Tail 52.00" 7
104 Ace Tandem Spinner 55.00" 7
105 Bionic Bucktail Buck Tail 53.00" 7
106 Cobb Jerk Jerk Bait 53.00" 7
107 Gerry's Girl Buck Tail 52.50" 7
108 Grim Reaper Spinner Spinner 54.50" 7
109 Harrasser Buck Tail 51.00" 7
110 Homemade Surface Surface 56.00" 7
111 Marge Bait Crank Bait 54.00" 7
112 Super Shad Rap Crank Bait 51.00" 7
113 Muskie Snack Crank Bait 53.00" 6
114 Muskie Stalker Crank Bait 52.00" 6
115 Slammer Surface Surface 52.00" 6
116 Stalker Crank Crank Bait 52.00" 6
117 Teddie Bait Jerk Bait 53.00" 6
118 Triple D Crank Bait 51.00" 6
119 Trophy Tail Buck Tail 53.00" 6
120 VooDooTail Buck Tail 54.00" 6
121 Willey's Spinner Spinner 57.00" 6
122 Amma Bamma Jerk Bait 57.50" 5
123 Burmek Crank Bait 52.00" 5
124 Funky Chicken Buck Tail 54.00" 5
125 Globe Surface 53.50" 5
126 Hellhound Jerk Bait 51.50" 5
127 L & L Exciter Jerk Bait 54.00" 5
128 Lelure Globe Surface 51.75" 5
129 Leo Shayla Shad Crank Bait 55.50" 5
130 Low Rider Surface 52.00" 5
131 Marathon Buck Tail 57.50" 5
132 Mudpuppy Surface 53.00" 5
133 Niles Crank Bait 52.00" 5
134 Skimmer Buck Buck Tail 52.00" 5
135 Spoon Spoon 53.00" 5
136 Top Walker Surface 55.25" 5
137 Vibra Fox Buck Tail 54.25" 5
138 Viper Jerk Bait 54.50" 5

[toothyfishman]

I was surprised to see Legend baits down the list that far then I noticed that #43 is Legend Diver with 25 fish
#62 is Legend Perchbait with 15 fish

Combind them puts them up where I figured they would be or higher, really higher actually.

[Larry Jones]

There are at least another 200+ 50" or bigger muskies that were caught on Legend Plows and Perchbaits that were not reported to Muskies Inc. as well!

[fish N ski]

Thanks for all the information. Like I said , I should of bought a few newman lures. I tried to google newman baits but found no site where I could possibly purchase any. Does anyone know what shop sells them? I found where I can buy the plastic tuff shads. I did buy an 8" tuff shad made out of mahogamy on ebay last month. Never fished and paid 32.00 for it. Can't wait to break the cherry on her by getting her wet. Who knows, I might even catch a muskies on it.

[Rich W]

Give Rich a call.
724-944-8123

[fish N ski]

don't really like "cold calling" You know him? Would it be alright

[Rich W]

Calling him won't be a problem. His number is on his cards he hands out.