Frequently Asked Questions

The Danny Swimming plug is a great option for targeting big striped bass and other pelagic game fish. The metal lip provides the action to these iconic plugs, and each OutCast Danny is balanced and tuned to swim right, right out of the package.

But you may want to adjust the plug to match your preference for depth. Many people try to bend the metal lip to accomplish this, but we don't recommend this.

It is best to not mess with the lip, but rather make adjustments by bending the front connection loop (where you tie the leader).

Holding the body steady in one hand, use a pair of pliers to bend the front loop eye. Bend this up slightly to drive the lure deeper, and down to stay closer to the surface. Small bends is all it takes.

We deliver our lures rigged standard with VMC® treble hooks for their superior saltwater endurance, their great hook setting design, and their reliable high quality that truly matches the OutCast commitment to the best components. However, we know that many anglers are seeking improved survival rates for fish after release, and minimizing point contact has been demonstrated to help with post landing mortality. If you're intention is to release the fish you are targeting, using single hooks is the demonstrated way to give them the chance to fight again.

Through exhaustive research, we have found that our lures are nearly as effective at hooking and landing big fish when we swap out one or both of the treble hooks with VMC® Inline Single 3X ILS hooks. When selecting a size for your replacement hook, remember the general rule of "Plus-3+". For example, on our OCHB-03 Medium Hybrid Popper, the stock rigging will be a 2/0 VMC treble hook. We recommend using the VMC ILS size 6/0 or larger on these lures. Using the larger sized single hook will offer a better hook sets, and will more closely match the weigh of the stock hooks, lending similar lure performance in the water. Some anglers may choose to use small elastic hair bands to hold ILS belly hooks into a fixed position on the lure. This can also improve the lures swim characteristics, while having little to no effect on hook ups. It also helps to reduce hook chafe on the finish, lending to longer life of your OutCast Lure.

Additionally, anglers can also replace the tail hooks on our lures with non-hook flags, or bucktails. These synthetic or natural hair attractor devices simulate the drag of a hook, allowing for continuity in lure swim action, and add a little teaser to the slipstream wake.

Lastly, if you choose not to replace the treble hooks, but still want to make releasing your catch considerably easier, you should simply crush the barbs on all hooks. A few lost fish during the fight are a small price to pay for keeping the fish around for future anglers to enjoy.

We recommend using a high quality VMC Siwash hook with closed ring eyes for both tail and body hook positions. You can reuse the split rings furnished with your plug, or upgrade to larger split rings to accommodate a heavier gauge hook. Most of our plugs come with either 2/0 or 3/0 trebles, in 3x gauge. Be sure to match equal of better grade when making the change. You don’t want to risk loosing the fish of a lifetime with a lesser strength hook and split ring. Also be sure to keep an eye on how the weight difference my effect your casting efficiency, and in some cases, how the lure “swims”. If you find that a swimming plug like a Danny or Surfster isn’t acting the same after changing out the hooks, consider adjusting the metal lip to compensate for the weight difference.

Fishermen are notoriously secretive about how, when and where they catch their biggest fish. Our staff has enjoyed many successful days (or more likely nights) targeting big bass and other predator sport fish with our lures. We often find that in side-by-side circumstances, our lure designs out fish many mass market products.

The reasons can likely be supported by the many hours and days that go into each and every design we bring to market. Details matter when you are targeting big fish, and things like being able to reach fish farther away, present lifelike colors and body profiles, and know that the components of your lure are going to stand up to the worst conditions can make the difference between a personal best catch and just another fish story.

We regularly hear from our customers about how well our lures preform, and occasionally they share some impressive statistics. Striped Bass over 50 lbs are not that common, but we get emails about them frequently throughout the year. Additionally, many of our customers take our lures to more exotic fishing destinations, and we get to hear about huge Tuna, Dorado, Jacks, and many more.

Ordering a custom lure is a breeze! Simply visit our order page and select the "(CX) Custom" option from the color menu. After processing your order, we will reach out to you via email to gather details about your desired custom color and finishing preferences. Please allow an additional week of processing time for us to ensure your custom order is delivered on time to your specifications.

First, we hope you had a great day. Maybe you didn’t land as many fish as you had dreamed of before you rolled out of bed at 2:30am, but hey, YOU WENT FISHING!

All OutCast lures are built from durable materials, but these will benefit greatly from a little care and maintenance along the way. First off, salt is the enemy of all fishing tackle. Make it part of your routine to rinse off all lures you’ve used (and even those that may have been exposed to other wet lures) every time you get back to your home. This can be a simple spray from the garden hose, or a dip in a bucket of fresh (and freshly filled!) water. The best option is to rig up a drying line where you store your gear. Hang lures by the tail hook to allow them to dry fully before you put them back into your tackle bag.

This is also a great time to inspect your plugs for nicks, dings, tooth marks or other damage to the finish. Typically these are not deep enough to effect the lure’s outer coating, but in cases where bare wood is showing, you may want to apply a small dab of clear nail polish, or if you’re a fly-tyer, some head cement. This will help to keep water away from the plugs wooden core. Cedar is naturally water resistant, but it doesn’t hurt to give it a little help.

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