Below are some of the great 2003 "Success Stories" that have been sent to us. Have a story of your own? Click Here!

Jim Ljungh (about the Gibbs Coho)

Email July 6, 2003

"Hello! I thought I would take a moment to let you know that I have mastered and enjoyed your Coho lures for over 25 years and have caught over 500 Steelhead and 1500 Chinooks over those enjoyable days. I logged most info in an angling book for years and these are rough, but if anything underestimates. I have fished in every style (bottom-bouncing spin'n'glo, bar fishing, float fishing, etc) but have always gone back to my trusty Coho Blue and Silver 80 for deep holes where the monsters hold up. Everyone wonders how they don't get half the fish I do, when we are using the same lure. I have to say it is all in the speed of the troll and "feeling" the bottom so you are almost bottom bouncing the lure itself. I have never had a more proven lure and always felt confidant when things are slow on the river when I have one on.
Eventually, even on a slow day, I usually prevail. I will be going back to Kitimat for work tonight and will no doubt be back on the river by Monday night. I know the Wakita family personally and lived there for 12 years. I have been to Mrs. Wakita's house and seen the "gold" original Coho on the plaque presented to him by Gibbs for his contribution in the design of what I believe is the best lure ever. Period! To carry on with my story, I was in Kamloops for Electrical schooling and my friend was staying at a motel on the Thompsen and his son wanted to catch something. He wasn't having much luck when I spotted a Coho 45 in his tackle box and threw it on. I couldn't believe it, I slow trolled that beauty and he caught a 6 lb. whitefish. He was elated. Anyway, I have been meaning to find you on the web and pass on my life time happiness with Gibbs/Nortac lures and hope this makes your day--you've made mine --frequently! Here are some examples: I have VERY many more---100 or so. All big ones too! A bunch in the 40-50 range! 99% caught on Coho Blue and Silver. Thanks for your time , tight lines , Jim Ljungh (pronounced 'young')"

Steve Wickens (Email, June, 2003) (about the Gibbs Canoe)

STRIKE ZONE Muskie Charters

"Hi there,
Got those Canoe spoons the first week of June. I spent 3 hours running those and the CROC spoons today on my first official charter of 2003. Nothing on the CROCS, but got a 42.5 and 31 inch muskies on the Canoes. They have a nice action and ride high in the water column. The clients were VERY impressed.'"

Jim Turner (about the Gibbs Minnow)

Madras, Oregon, USA

"Billy Chinook is loaded with Big Bulls this year; I took a couple friends out to teach them how to jig for Kokanee. The 3 of us went out a 9am this morning. The water was calm and no wind, perfect day for fishin (Feb. 22nd) and within fifteen minutes of jigging for Kokanee with Gibbs minnows (#12 ½ oz. Pink Pearl) we had about 10 kokes on board and the guys were hooked on this method of fishing. Then D’Arcy Angel hooked this monster on 4lb test line and 15 minutes later had him in the boat. By this time D’Arcy was so emotionally involved he was ready to give this fish a name. This Bull Trout measured 32 inches and weighed 14 pounds. I have been fishing nothing but Gibbs Minnows since a fellow angler clued me in on Gibbs last July. By 1pm we all limited out on Kokanee and had released 7 Bulls all running around 17 to 20 inches. It was real common to be landing a Koke and have one or two Bulls after the koke right up to the edge of the boat, Bulls have a tendency to get under Kokanee and feed on them. This is just like ocean fishing. The Kokanee were all running about 11 to 12 inches perfect for Smoking (Kokanee Candy Bars) nothing beats smoked Kokanee. We make brine using ½ cup of Canning Salt (non iodized) ½ cup Brown Sugar and a ¼ cup Molasses and 8 cups of water. Soak them submerged in this brine over night for 14 hours or so then smoke for 8 to 12 hours depending on the temperature. Wella you got Kokanee Candy Bars. And it is also good with Cream Cheese on Crackers.
Back to the important things catching fish. The great thing about these jigs is you can jig for Kokes and as a side benefit you will pick up Bulls and Browns and even Rainbows at the same time, I have yet to be trolling for Kokes with wedding rings and pick up a Big Bull Trout. And with gas prices as high as they are who wants to spend all day trolling around a lake burning up gas or using your trolling motor. As for a technique if you see the on a Fish Finder and you know where the fish are suspended you can vertical jig at that depth or cast out and do a count down method of jigging. To use a count down method if the fish are around 30 feet cast out and count 1-1000 2-2000 to about 15 (15 seconds) then start cranking in and every couple of cranks twitch the end of the rod, or you can lift the rod from the 9 o’clock position to the 12 o’clock position then let the rod go back down and crank a couple more times. If no strikes you may need more depth extend your count a couple more seconds. Koke seem to suspend in about a 10-foot band so it is critical to be fishing in that band. Lately the fish were running real deep and the size of the band increases. When jigging I use three different weights of jigs for fishing surface to about 20 feet I will use a ¼ oz jig and a ½ oz down to 50 feet and from 50 to 100 feet I use a ¾ oz."

J D Turner (Local Fisherman News, February, 2003) (about the Gibbs Minnow)

Tri T's Services, Oregon, USA

"Maggie Duncan with her first Big Trout, a 29-inch Bull Trout landed on Dec 29, 2002.
She was using a Gibbs Minnow, said Jim Turner an angling friend. While jigging for kokes, in Lake Billy Chinook late last month, this female angler nailed this Bull Trout along with a nice mess of Kokanee (land locked salmon).
'I was in the boat next to them and was able to get the picture before her boyfriend made her walk home,' Jim said. 'I myself have been using the #12 (1/2oz) pink pearl Gibbs Minnow’s in Billy Chinook all year and have been just killing the Kokanee there. There's nothing like it, its not hard to limit out catching 25 fish in just a couple hours. Since I found these jigs I’ll never troll for kokanee again. This is what fishing is all about!'
Kokanee Tip: 'When you see fish jumping get out into the middle of them and cast out letting the jig sink to the count of five, then twitch the tip of the rod every two to three of cranks of the reel as you retrieve the lure. Or, you can jig like you do with a buzz bomb lifting the tip of your rod from a 9 o’clock position to a 12 o’clock position, letting the tip of the rod follow the line back down while keeping the slack out of the line. It’s nothing to get 10 strikes in 10 casts.'"

Mike Flint (Email, January 29, 2003) (about the Farr Better Flasher)

General Manager - Sonora Resort & Conference Centre, British Columbia, Canada

"What can I say?? I have been at Sonora Resort for the past 7 years and fished during the transition years of live bait & cut plugs to the introduction of the down rigger with gear. Flashers are necessary to give your lure action, at the same time they take away the thrill of the fight with the salmon by tiring the fish prior to getting the net in the water. Fishing with Justin and the Farr Better Flasher totally reinvigorated my passion for fighting my catch. Now we are back to the days where angling skill takes precedent over just being a passenger in the boat. There is no doubt that the Farr Better Flasher is the first product to focus on putting the sport back into sport fishing!"

Rick Oullet (Email, January 24, 2003) (about the Farr Better Flasher)

Off Duty Fishing Charters, Ontario, Canada

"Last season I began experimenting with the Farr Better Flashers and quickly came to realize that because of their design, which reduces the drag of the flasher as it swims through the water once it has released, I was able to use littler line and my customers also appreciated the fact that they are fighting the fish and not the counter-pull of a flasher. I'm sold on them now, I can't see myself ever going back to a conventional flasher design."

Rick Oullet (Email, January 24, 2003) (with a Fishing Tip)

Off Duty Fishing Charters, Ontario, Canada

"'Match the Hatch' - A phrase which is very common with fly fishermen. Well it also applies to people trolling for salmon and trout species. I have been keeping details fishing logs of all my fishing charters for over 10 years now and my analysis of the data has shown again and again that in the spring for example when the salmon are feeding on spawning schools of smelts, here in the great lakes, the smelts are actually at they largest size of the year. Therefore I have had better results with larger spoons and flasher. Too many fisherman think that because the water is so cold in the spring they should down size their presentation when in fact I have had better results with the larger spoons such as the Gator #6 and #7. The Paddy Wagon, Black Illusion with white belly and the Sun and Sea are my favorite colours as they produced over 90% of my catches last spring."

Ronald Banks (Email, January 5, 2003) (about Fishing in New Zealand)

New Zealand

"Dear Alison & team at Gibbs Fishing.
The fishing here in New Zealand is starting to hit its peak. I was spin fishing the other day for Kahawai next door to one of our local wharfs, when for 15 minutes from the first cast there was no strikes. So I put a cast out closer to the wharf and whack, I was into the largest Kahawai I have ever caught or even seen. I got him in half way when it jumped right out of the water. It looked like it had been given to much Christmas Pudding! Well, I managed to get him 3/4 of the way in when he decided to dive straight down deep, when snap!!!!! I never gave it enough drag to run with it and the line got to tight and it snapped right off! I'm more of a sport fisherman so I use light tackle, but boy was that fun. I was at the same place today when a Kingfish ( or what the Americans Know as either Yellowtail/Yellowtail Kinfish) came right in close to the rocks where I was standing. What a magnificent sight it was. New Zealand is so full of life, you should be here."

Ronald Banks (Email, January 3, 2003) (about the Gibbs Minnow)

Off Duty Fishing Charters, Ontario, Canada

"A Big Hello From New Zealand.
I went into one of my local fishing stores (Hunting & Fishing New Zealand) & purchased one of your minnow lures. I had never tried them before, & was shocked to see how well they worked on our local sport fish, the Kahawai. I went spin fishing with the 1/4oz Blue Minnow at our local river mouth in Lower Hutt and with the first cast I had one on. Within 25 minutes I had caught 9 Kahawai, until I lost it. I went back to purchase another 4, & was told that they would not be importing them anymore as they were to expensive. I was heart broken. I would do anything to obtain these lures, as they are the best I have ever used. P.S. Happy Fishing & love your country."