This is such a great episode. You obviously researched this one to the hilt. The only thing missing is an on-the-water segment, which I assume is in the works. Man, this is almost better than the original info-mercial, because I think - heck, I know, I'm more excited about the Banjo Minnow now than I was back in the day! I love how they've updated the packaging and have improved the overall design. Ken Kerry, Babe Winkleman, Bill Dance...with spokemen like that in the history of the company this lure was custom made for Retro Bassin'. I checked out the website: the Banjo Frog is an interesting addition, but strangely enough there seems to be no place to actually purchase it (at least I couldn't find it with ease). Constructive criticism: I think the website needs to be updated to a more modern look and feel (like the packaging you showed, which is fantastic). But that's just my opinion. The video spots on the website and on Amazon are great, very compelling. So cool to see you highlight this piece of fishing history. Can't wait to see you take the Banjo Minnow out on the water. Super episode and well worth the wait!
I knew you’d like this one! Definitely took a little extra time to do it right, but I thought this old school classic deserved the extra attention! Hoping to get on the lake with the new Banjo this week, so stay tuned!
I never caught anything on the banjo minnow. Most people here probably dont even remember them but in that kit the banjo frog came with the minnow for free. That thing crushed big bass. I won 3 tournaments in the 90s on the banjo frog alone. That lure in itself was worth the price. Thanks retro
I fished, almost exclusively, the original banjo minnow for like 5 seasons and caught more fish those years than any other. When mentioning to some 'serious' bass fishermen that I used the BM, I was laughed at. Seriously though I know I had the last laugh because boy oh boy do these lures produce fish. Killer.
What's funny is when someone laughs at a lure, I'll actually give it some thought. Fish eat the weirdest things, take spoons for example. The concept of having a piece of metal be your lure sounds kind of laughable but in execution, well... It can work quite well. Not in every circumstance but some lures are extremely strange, but effective.
@@The_Based_Batman Pressured areas, gotta show them something different. They say fish have a memory of 3 minutes. I don’t believe that, in places where sport fishing and catch and release is popular…that big boy isn’t hitting the chartreuse spinner bait a 3rd time. Getting “dry boarded” sucks!
@@captainturf3995 Oh for sure. Especially Snook, those fish aren't dummies. Well. Mayan Cichlid will eat anything, those things are legitimately dumb as bricks but most species I discovered pretty early on are smart.
Great memories here. I remember as a young boy, numerous sleepy eyed, late nights on the couch, captivated by this informercial for the Banjo Miinnow. I watched it so many times I could recite it as I watched. I would take my own lures out to the pool to run my own tank tests. A true classic.
My dad was obsessed with the banjo minnow baits growing up. First memories are fishing with him 30 years ago. God do I appreciate the summers circling the lakes fishing shore all day long. I'd start at one spot and circle the entire lake. It'd take me 5 hours to circle 1 lake fishing peoples docks.
I was working way too much when these lures were hot to remember the commercials but I do remember the customers asking about them. With the proper editing anything can be sold to a willing audience. Good show.
I still catch fish on these today! When I got a little low after they went off TV, I scored a giant amount of them online - not gonna make a lure company any money to promote them today... but they still work so well!
You can get all that stuff and make your own... as an old school pro myself, we were making these decades ago. We would make our own molds and melt plastic worms to make the minnows.
I remember as a kid seeing those original infomercials. Saturday morning fishing shows were my weekend priority. I finally was able to convince my dad to call and order. When it arrived I was pumped. I rode my bike down to my friend's house beside the park, grabbed him, and over to the park pond we went. It was the only thing really within bike riding distance for us so that's what we always fished. It would get some real clumpy grass growth so it was hard for us unknowledged kids to fish. So we're back and forth with our one rod, and my friend starts twitching it through the grass and out from the depths comes this gigantic fish snaking its way right behind the BM! It inhales the thing and I don't remember how but somehow it broke off or missed. We were so bummed. We couldn't believe the size of this thing, unlike anything we had ever seen in that basically uncared for pond. Eventually I broke all the rubber bands and had most of the plastics tear. If I knew how to fish then like I do now I bet I would've slayed bass. Maybe I need to give the new version a try? Anyway great video, and Realistic Fishing brought me here.
The new version sucks. Its rock hard like those cheap walmart lucky strike worm kits. The hooks have an open eyelet (so that you can slip the weed guard rubber band into the eyelet and onto the barb) so eventually youre knot will work its way down the eyelet and slip right off. Pretty disappointing being a young fisherman who was mesmorized by the video, had to convince your parents use their credit card to buy, and wait 2 weeks for it to come... All just to watch your whole rig fly off the hook on your fifth cast... The original ones would work best just as a jerk bait. The new ones are a joke. The design of the weighted eye which the hook is attached to, pivots and doesn't translate any motion into the lure. It just spins like a helicopter. The tiny size i actually used as a drop shot, no eyelet, hooked into the rubber nose. The large size just scares fish away. Ive thrown it on bass and they immediatly run away when it helicopters lol. Maybe this new nee 3rd gen might be softer and have more action.
Yup, I totally got the banjo minnow in the 1990's. And found some more nose screws and supplies when the local bait shop had their going out of business sale. It looked like those parts were sitting in the back for about a decade
I used to watch this infomercial and beg my parents to buy me the Banjo Minnow, but they never did - definitely contributed to me not getting into bass fishing until adulthood. I mastered bluegill and catfish angling, and even mastered creek fishing landing two trophy sized steelheads, before I ever got into bass fishing. Now, I can't get enough! Definitely gonna pick up a pack or two!
YEAAAAH BUDDY! Birthday is coming up, this is going on my list! Wanted this when I was in my "yout", but Dad said it was a gimmick...they starved those fish in private ponds...what does he know? If he were still able to fish, he'd still be using yellow Stren!!!!
Just before I watched this video, I was cleaning out my ultra light box and found my "As seen on TV" flying lure. Still use this lure and still catches fish. Thanks for the info on this lure!
Man I've gotta order some. I didn't know they still made them. I remember wanting them when I was a kid after seeing them on TV but they just disappeared over the years. Nice video!
I didn’t know the back story before. Awesome video. A friend and I bought these off an infomercial back in 03 I believe. We smoked bass and pike that summer. We were 15/16. I’m going to buy a new set and give it to him. It would make his week.
I remember watching the infomercial as a kid and fell for these, and got some for a birthday present. Never caught more fish that I did that summer. I remember wondering why I never saw these in stores... now I know! Glad to see these baits coming back!
Man oh man I am so glad they are making these lures again. I just placed an order the other day. This video is awesome! I caught some nice fish on the banjo when I was younger. Also happy to see your channel growing, and happy fishing sir!
Just ordered a set, thanks! I used these when I was a kid and caught tons of fish but couldn’t find them anymore (now I know why). We also skipped them across Lily pads and caught a ton bullfrogs with them.
I remember these infomercials on TV back in the 90's!! Had no idea they were still available. Now that buying online is so easy, I will have to get some!
@@RetroBassin It would be great to see the old Jig Worm and Tubes get some coverage. Both of those old lures are mainstays in my box, and they always work in the right conditions.
Also if you can find it another great retro bait was the hannon snake bait. Was a foam floating snake head that you put in front of a plastic worm and reeled it across the top of the water. Also crushed big ones
I remember the first time I went out to go fishing by myself for the first time without my dad and I caught my first bass by myself and it was a blast! Love the Banjo it’s making me want to go get some more!!
Hey Lyndia! Actually it was our trip that had the Banjo folks reaching out to me to do this episode…so this one would not have happened without you guys!!
Great video!! Man I'm 39. And I remember hammering large mouth with the white banjo minnow. In the early 2000s. The medium sized one. That's how I found your video. Trying to see if they were still available. I fished a lot of flukes and such Baits over the years, And still do trying to recapture that banjo bite. Man I'm glad I found them again. Can't wait to get them and get them back on the water
Ha-Ha.. I was just talking about these and the Helicopter Lures with a friend when this popped up on my feel..😳😳..I swear RUclips is stalking me sometimes..🤣🤣..Great video brother!! I caught a ton of bass on both in the 90’s.. keep up the great work, liked and subscribed!!
I was cleaning out my Greg yesterday and found my original Flying Lure kit I bought as a kid in the 90s lol. I put it on the bot to try it again hahaha
The banjo frog was the best part, only bait I used fishing farm ponds for basically my entire childhood lol I can remember ordering the kit online when it first appeared and then getting the smaller kits at meijer when that kit was used up. Great bait wish I could still find them
1993 just married and living at lake California. My wife bought me the 110 PC set. In the dead of winter Temps in the lower 20s. A friend and I took my canoe out. I cough a dormant large mouth! Banjo Minnows worked for sure. That was the first and last fish I ever caught with a banjo minnow. See not long after my catch we swamped the canoe in the middle of the lake. It was too cold to do anything but swim to shore. I retreaved the canoe the next day. All else was gone. That's my banjo minnow story.
When I was a kid I put one of the original kits on layaway at this new store in our town called "Wal Mart". Took me a few weeks to pay off the $30 price tag and take it home. I never even fished them, they got thrown away in 2012 when we were cleaning out the basement. Now that I've gotten back into fishing, I regret throwing them away.
I purchased hundreds of the original Banjo Minnow back in the day. I've caught everything on them, From Largemouth, Tarpon, Snook and Peacock Bass on them. At first I thought they were a gimmick until my fishing buddy out fished me 10-1 and I was using wild shiners. The originals had some special liquid scent on them that the fish would just keep coming back for them until they inhaled them. I still have a few hundred in the originals in the original packaging and double wrapped in Ziploc bags.
I rememb my friends and I pitched in for the kit and after finding out all the components we would go to the tackle store and buy them all separately and make our own kits with all different brands of soft jerk bait , the concept was definitely a fish catcher👍
I was at a Home Depot in stafford virginia , about 5-7 miles from aquia creek and some other Potomac River bass fishing spots. I look down and there’s a box w old tools, old playboys from the 90s and the whole old banjo minnow set w the vhs. I got it in the garage. Had a $29.95 sticker on it
I remember when I found the Banjo Minnow at a local store for cheap and I figured what the hell ill give it a try. And I remember catching my personal best Pike on it. 22 lbs, on the 3rd cast. It was pretty awesome.
I caught tons of fish on the banjo minnow. I was like 8 or something when they first came out. I would go to work with my dad building houses. There was a lake right there. I slayed the bass.
Nicely done video. I love videos like this on old school stuff. I remember the banjo minno but for some reason I never pulled the trigger and purchased a set. I did purchase. Roland Martin's helicopter lure that's a whole other story haha. Enjoy the content so much. I joined your channel.
I was featured on the newest Banjo Minnow informercial because I was praising the lure on Instagram...I have been fishing it since the 90s. This lure is incredible and I have caught the largest fish and the most amount of fish..Bass, trout, catfish, crappie, bluegill hit it but never large enough to inhale it...the BANJO MINNOW works and it's not a bunch of crap..IT WORKS!!!!
I have caught a ton of huge bass on the banjo frog. I have fished all kinds of frogs but this one is my go to. Only problem is bass hit it so hard they don't last long at all. Wish I could find those original frogs.
I bought the Banjo for my kids mostly! I teased them saying the banjo minnow sux lol singing it and my middle son proceeded to pluck a 4 pounder right from under the dock lol ! Still have a few ! All my kids caught fish on them !
Awesome video! I wonder what the results would be if you substituted a small (4" or smaller) soft plastic (I am thinking ribbon tail worm) or even a Gulp minnow for the included minnow. Might be worth a try! Looking forward to seeing your fishing video test on the Banjo minnow. I see it is out, but haven't had the opportunity to watch it yet! Keep these great videos coming!
I've still got a bunch of these an "uncle" gave me. Idk how good of condition they're in because I haven't used them in about 5 years but I remember them being pretty good
Banjo,flying lure and strike king glasses.....I miss the 80s......Jimmy Houston outdoors was my weekend mornings too you to ride my bike to the local lake
I wanted the Banjo Minnow so badly as a kid because of the commercials. Finally got a kit and proceeded to not catch one fish on it. This video, and it's comments, has me wondering if I should try rigging something up like it again. I wonder how a small 3" paddle tail swimbait would do rigged up like a Banjo Minnow.
Oh boy, I remember the banjo was the only infomercial I would actually watch. I also remember begging my parents to grab me a set when I was a kid. I still use them every now and again, they also are being sold again. Happy hooking y’all! 🍻
I can't tell you how many fish I've caught on the original kit. This lure actually helped me become a better fisherman (spinning reels), and I still have some original baits I'm still using to this day. The 006 minnow color choices hurt the bait imo, and if you actually watched the DVD that came with the kit, Wayne shared a secret with the eyes to make the bait swim similar to the original bait. I obviously purchased the new kit and I expect it to catch fish just like the original. Excellent video!🎉
I remember taking a guided trip on the Susquehanna River my friend and I told the guide he could fish we were catching with tubes , plugs , top waters , etc I can't recall what possessed me to tie the banjo minnow on my ultralight ( The Flea ) but it was magic Smallmouth after Smallmouth between 18 & 22 inches my friend said give me one of those then the guide said give me one so I handed him my Flea and it was hard to get him to give it back I offered to make him one but he didn't return my calls it was one of those days Thanks for the memories
I remember watching those infomercials, I bought a kite for my dad in the 90's, we just cracked it open last year to try it out. Definitely will look into the new design =)
The Banjo Minnow still catches fish for me. I have been using them since they first came out. Towards the end of summer going into the fall is when they get just wrecked by the bass in my home lake. The smallies and largies just slurp them up. I also use the largest size ones for tiger muskie and pike. The smallest ones I get crappie, bluegill, perch and trout on. Thanks for sharing about the Banjo. Tightlines and cheers 🍻 my friend.
I too still fish the Banjo. In fact I still have some originals. The 006 version is garbage. I'm looking forward to trying the updated version. I still catch lots of fish on it. Since they quit making the old ones I have searched for suitable replacements. I've gotten close but nothing like the originals. I used to order the original plastics in bulk when you could. Wish they offered that in the updated version. I still have plenty of the original hardware. Not sure its worth buying the limited kit.
I remember I had free cable in the 90's and the Banjo Minnow was in all the fishing shows and for sale in KMarts all over. Now Kmart is no longer in business but you can still buy the Banjo Minnow. I wonder what they would be like drop shotted. 11:52 Monster Mike!!!
i remember when the Banjo minnow was big. its been forever since i fished one and didn't know they started making them again. i might have to get me a pack since they aren't that expensive. would love to see you do a vid on Beetle Spins. they were my go to lure as a teen since they were great at catching multiple species and were dirt cheap. (i have caught everything from bluegill to Bass and even the odd Catfish on them.) i have a whole tray in my tackle bag just for beetle spin stuff (hooks, the little spinners, and tons of grubs of all colors and sizes as well as some appropriately sized curly tails) as far as As-Seen-n-TV lures go my father was a really big fan of the "Flying Lures" (i still have some of the special weighted hooks floating around in "spare crap" tackle box. Also watching some of you vids it seems you are using an old Garcia Mitchell spinning reel, i have one myself and they are fantastic (found mine in the woods at the lake on a busted rod someone just tossed aside.)
I remember my ex-girlfriend bought me this when it first came out. I caught a couple of fish on it. I've been pouring/shooting plastic since 1994. I have a Silverside Minnow that i designed and had cut. The nose hook technique definitely works. It's great for drop shot, ned rigging, and of course as a nose hooked fluke.
Wow! I thought about the Banjo Minnow a couple months ago and wondered what happened to it. I remember being about 10 or 11 years old and begging my parents to buy it for me so I could catch more and bigger fish. Well they finally gave in and ordered it for me and I was so excited to go fishing. And it didn't take long. LITERALLY only 4 casts in, I caught a 3lb'r. And that was only the first of several fish that day and many over the time I used them. I absolutely loved this bait and SO GLAD they're remaking them. Thanks for the video!
I had good luck on them in neighborhood ponds when I was a teenager. I remember they were a complete pain to rig and that stupid screw would pull out after a fish or two.
Man I wanted the banjo minnow so bad when I was a kid .I never could talk mom into getting it for me .I think it's finally time to get me a banjo minnow .
I had the original kit which my parents got for my birthday. It didn't last long. The northern pike absolutely demolished the lures, and broke/cut lines repeatedly. There wasn't enough hardware in the kit, and once the spring holders were gone i was left with a bunch of useless plastic minnows. I held on to them for years, but it was many more years before you could buy spring holders at the tackle store.
I just found your channel and now I’m “hooked”😂 but in all seriousness where can I get your merch? I need a shirt, hoodie, hat, coffee mug and some stickers for my truck.❤
Funny as a Mainer I had no idea this originated here. Me and my cousin bought the banjo minnow as kind of a joke when it came out. Then fished it and it really did produce. We fished the same pond for 15 years and this lure produced just as good if not better than 😂anything we threw there. I have bought way more then one of these kits and am going to go for another. For both nostalgia and cause it works. So fun to see this again and still around.
Another great vid. Chris just a thought but when I think about retro fishing in general not just bass but all fresh water fish I think of Babe Winkleman was wondering if I could throw you an idea for a future episode. Can't wait till the next video. Happy easter.
A truly great bait! I caught many bass and pike with the BM. I ran across a brand new kit looking for an old reel today. Time to put it back in action!
![GEEK TIMË [OFFICIAL AUDIO]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ry-6RvkH880/mqdefault.jpg)
This is such a great episode. You obviously researched this one to the hilt. The only thing missing is an on-the-water segment, which I assume is in the works. Man, this is almost better than the original info-mercial, because I think - heck, I know, I'm more excited about the Banjo Minnow now than I was back in the day! I love how they've updated the packaging and have improved the overall design. Ken Kerry, Babe Winkleman, Bill Dance...with spokemen like that in the history of the company this lure was custom made for Retro Bassin'. I checked out the website: the Banjo Frog is an interesting addition, but strangely enough there seems to be no place to actually purchase it (at least I couldn't find it with ease). Constructive criticism: I think the website needs to be updated to a more modern look and feel (like the packaging you showed, which is fantastic). But that's just my opinion. The video spots on the website and on Amazon are great, very compelling. So cool to see you highlight this piece of fishing history. Can't wait to see you take the Banjo Minnow out on the water. Super episode and well worth the wait!
I knew you’d like this one! Definitely took a little extra time to do it right, but I thought this old school classic deserved the extra attention! Hoping to get on the lake with the new Banjo this week, so stay tuned!
I never caught anything on the banjo minnow. Most people here probably dont even remember them but in that kit the banjo frog came with the minnow for free. That thing crushed big bass. I won 3 tournaments in the 90s on the banjo frog alone. That lure in itself was worth the price. Thanks retro
I fished, almost exclusively, the original banjo minnow for like 5 seasons and caught more fish those years than any other. When mentioning to some 'serious' bass fishermen that I used the BM, I was laughed at. Seriously though I know I had the last laugh because boy oh boy do these lures produce fish. Killer.
i caught lots of fish on them as well. the only thing I disliked was keeping it rigged up.
Caught a few with them, never bought any though. People handed them out freely in the 90s cause they didn’t see anything special in them. They were OK
What's funny is when someone laughs at a lure, I'll actually give it some thought. Fish eat the weirdest things, take spoons for example. The concept of having a piece of metal be your lure sounds kind of laughable but in execution, well... It can work quite well. Not in every circumstance but some lures are extremely strange, but effective.
@@The_Based_Batman Pressured areas, gotta show them something different. They say fish have a memory of 3 minutes. I don’t believe that, in places where sport fishing and catch and release is popular…that big boy isn’t hitting the chartreuse spinner bait a 3rd time. Getting “dry boarded” sucks!
@@captainturf3995 Oh for sure. Especially Snook, those fish aren't dummies. Well. Mayan Cichlid will eat anything, those things are legitimately dumb as bricks but most species I discovered pretty early on are smart.
I remember all of this. I was 13 years old when all this happened. It was epic!
Except it didn’t work for shit. And they didn’t even return my money after I sent it back.
@@1FishinAddict I had success with it. According to the comments I wasn't alone so I dunno man.
I loved the og banjo minnow from the 90's. Caught a lot of bass on them. Such nostalgia
the OG banjo plastic was better. the new stuff is garbage and isnt flexible
Great memories here. I remember as a young boy, numerous sleepy eyed, late nights on the couch, captivated by this informercial for the Banjo Miinnow. I watched it so many times I could recite it as I watched. I would take my own lures out to the pool to run my own tank tests. A true classic.
My dad was obsessed with the banjo minnow baits growing up. First memories are fishing with him 30 years ago. God do I appreciate the summers circling the lakes fishing shore all day long. I'd start at one spot and circle the entire lake. It'd take me 5 hours to circle 1 lake fishing peoples docks.
Love the old school memories!
I was working way too much when these lures were hot to remember the commercials but I do remember the customers asking about them. With the proper editing anything can be sold to a willing audience. Good show.
I still catch fish on these today! When I got a little low after they went off TV, I scored a giant amount of them online - not gonna make a lure company any money to promote them today... but they still work so well!
This is an important piece of fishing history... Really great doc.
Glad you tuned in, good buddy!
You can get all that stuff and make your own... as an old school pro myself, we were making these decades ago. We would make our own molds and melt plastic worms to make the minnows.
I remember as a kid seeing those original infomercials. Saturday morning fishing shows were my weekend priority. I finally was able to convince my dad to call and order. When it arrived I was pumped. I rode my bike down to my friend's house beside the park, grabbed him, and over to the park pond we went. It was the only thing really within bike riding distance for us so that's what we always fished. It would get some real clumpy grass growth so it was hard for us unknowledged kids to fish. So we're back and forth with our one rod, and my friend starts twitching it through the grass and out from the depths comes this gigantic fish snaking its way right behind the BM! It inhales the thing and I don't remember how but somehow it broke off or missed. We were so bummed. We couldn't believe the size of this thing, unlike anything we had ever seen in that basically uncared for pond. Eventually I broke all the rubber bands and had most of the plastics tear. If I knew how to fish then like I do now I bet I would've slayed bass. Maybe I need to give the new version a try? Anyway great video, and Realistic Fishing brought me here.
The new version sucks. Its rock hard like those cheap walmart lucky strike worm kits. The hooks have an open eyelet (so that you can slip the weed guard rubber band into the eyelet and onto the barb) so eventually youre knot will work its way down the eyelet and slip right off.
Pretty disappointing being a young fisherman who was mesmorized by the video, had to convince your parents use their credit card to buy, and wait 2 weeks for it to come... All just to watch your whole rig fly off the hook on your fifth cast...
The original ones would work best just as a jerk bait. The new ones are a joke.
The design of the weighted eye which the hook is attached to, pivots and doesn't translate any motion into the lure.
It just spins like a helicopter. The tiny size i actually used as a drop shot, no eyelet, hooked into the rubber nose.
The large size just scares fish away. Ive thrown it on bass and they immediatly run away when it helicopters lol.
Maybe this new nee 3rd gen might be softer and have more action.
I was hooked in the early 90’s! It straight up caught fish, but didn’t hold up for long. Definitely a “as seen on tv” favorite of mine
Yup, I totally got the banjo minnow in the 1990's. And found some more nose screws and supplies when the local bait shop had their going out of business sale. It looked like those parts were sitting in the back for about a decade
The banjo works. We know first hand …Great one Chris
You know it…think we will need to film a Part 2!
Man this takes me back. I remember getting the entire banjo minnow fishing kit along with the vhs tape for Christmas when I was 5.
Looks awesome to me! I use a sluggo which has that erratic action and I crush fish every time I go out.
Whopper plopper for topwater is deadly too
I used to watch this infomercial and beg my parents to buy me the Banjo Minnow, but they never did - definitely contributed to me not getting into bass fishing until adulthood. I mastered bluegill and catfish angling, and even mastered creek fishing landing two trophy sized steelheads, before I ever got into bass fishing. Now, I can't get enough! Definitely gonna pick up a pack or two!
YEAAAAH BUDDY! Birthday is coming up, this is going on my list! Wanted this when I was in my "yout", but Dad said it was a gimmick...they starved those fish in private ponds...what does he know? If he were still able to fish, he'd still be using yellow Stren!!!!
Haha yellow Stren was the best!
Just before I watched this video, I was cleaning out my ultra light box and found my "As seen on TV" flying lure. Still use this lure and still catches fish. Thanks for the info on this lure!
I loved them! All us brothers got them for Christmas, my oldest brother put a 9.14 pound pb in the ol pontoon boat.
When banjo was first introduced I had my brother buy a set and man do they catch fish like the commercial loved it
Great episode. I like the Banjo Minnow 👍
Yeah buddy, I need to look through the Realistic archive to see you fishing it!
@@RetroBassin I dont have any vids using it. Looks like its time to make some
Man I've gotta order some. I didn't know they still made them. I remember wanting them when I was a kid after seeing them on TV but they just disappeared over the years. Nice video!
Just came back out…lucky for me!
I didn’t know the back story before. Awesome video. A friend and I bought these off an infomercial back in 03 I believe. We smoked bass and pike that summer. We were 15/16. I’m going to buy a new set and give it to him. It would make his week.
I remember watching the infomercial as a kid and fell for these, and got some for a birthday present. Never caught more fish that I did that summer. I remember wondering why I never saw these in stores... now I know!
Glad to see these baits coming back!
Man oh man I am so glad they are making these lures again. I just placed an order the other day. This video is awesome! I caught some nice fish on the banjo when I was younger. Also happy to see your channel growing, and happy fishing sir!
This channel is great! I love the song! I can imagine a bunch of dink bass popping up singing as the backup singers
Thanks for tuning in, Matt! Maybe even that old mechanical singing bass!
@@RetroBassin - a few of em!
Still have my set from 20 years ago and works awesome. Love the banjo minnow
Just ordered a set, thanks! I used these when I was a kid and caught tons of fish but couldn’t find them anymore (now I know why). We also skipped them across Lily pads and caught a ton bullfrogs with them.
I remember these infomercials on TV back in the 90's!! Had no idea they were still available. Now that buying online is so easy, I will have to get some!
And back to the original design!
@@RetroBassin It would be great to see the old Jig Worm and Tubes get some coverage. Both of those old lures are mainstays in my box, and they always work in the right conditions.
Also if you can find it another great retro bait was the hannon snake bait. Was a foam floating snake head that you put in front of a plastic worm and reeled it across the top of the water. Also crushed big ones
Check out the video we did on the Lost Lures of Doug Hannon!
@@RetroBassin awesome brother will do. Guy was a bass genius
That was amazing info and history! I love the original footage! What a great story of a great bait!! Thank you for sharing my friend!
This was a fun one to make!
@@RetroBassin I already ordered mine!!
Great video! Grew up watching those infomercials
I remember the first time I went out to go fishing by myself for the first time without my dad and I caught my first bass by myself and it was a blast! Love the Banjo it’s making me want to go get some more!!
Wow, this was so interesting!!! We had fun fishing this one with you, even though you out fished me😂. Thank you for sharing this info!!
Hey Lyndia! Actually it was our trip that had the Banjo folks reaching out to me to do this episode…so this one would not have happened without you guys!!
Great video!! Man I'm 39. And I remember hammering large mouth with the white banjo minnow. In the early 2000s. The medium sized one. That's how I found your video. Trying to see if they were still available. I fished a lot of flukes and such Baits over the years, And still do trying to recapture that banjo bite. Man I'm glad I found them again. Can't wait to get them and get them back on the water
I never had the chance as a kid to fish these but always wanted to! Totally buying some!!!
006 was so good haha the original was awesome. I caught so many fish on both. Absolutely fantastic lure. Even cause a 17 in brookie on one
Ha-Ha.. I was just talking about these and the Helicopter Lures with a friend when this popped up on my feel..😳😳..I swear RUclips is stalking me sometimes..🤣🤣..Great video brother!! I caught a ton of bass on both in the 90’s.. keep up the great work, liked and subscribed!!
My fishing buddy actually had some of these back in the day. He said it was the only tv lure that worked. Great vid retro!
Thanks for stopping by, Ross!
I was cleaning out my Greg yesterday and found my original Flying Lure kit I bought as a kid in the 90s lol. I put it on the bot to try it again hahaha
The banjo frog was the best part, only bait I used fishing farm ponds for basically my entire childhood lol I can remember ordering the kit online when it first appeared and then getting the smaller kits at meijer when that kit was used up. Great bait wish I could still find them
I need to try the new frog!!
1993 just married and living at lake California. My wife bought me the 110 PC set. In the dead of winter Temps in the lower 20s. A friend and I took my canoe out. I cough a dormant large mouth! Banjo Minnows worked for sure. That was the first and last fish I ever caught with a banjo minnow. See not long after my catch we swamped the canoe in the middle of the lake. It was too cold to do anything but swim to shore. I retreaved the canoe the next day. All else was gone. That's my banjo minnow story.
Wayne Hockmeyer. I’ll never forget the name. That funny accent and his ridiculous pitch. Best as seen on TV lure in history. 😂
Awesome episode! Might have to bust out a few I still have buried away 😂
When I was a kid I put one of the original kits on layaway at this new store in our town called "Wal Mart". Took me a few weeks to pay off the $30 price tag and take it home. I never even fished them, they got thrown away in 2012 when we were cleaning out the basement. Now that I've gotten back into fishing, I regret throwing them away.
One of my favorite lures by far especially in the river
I did lots of yard work to buy these suckers back in the day! They worked great.
I purchased hundreds of the original Banjo Minnow back in the day. I've caught everything on them, From Largemouth, Tarpon, Snook and Peacock Bass on them. At first I thought they were a gimmick until my fishing buddy out fished me 10-1 and I was using wild shiners. The originals had some special liquid scent on them that the fish would just keep coming back for them until they inhaled them. I still have a few hundred in the originals in the original packaging and double wrapped in Ziploc bags.
I rememb my friends and I pitched in for the kit and after finding out all the components we would go to the tackle store and buy them all separately and make our own kits with all different brands of soft jerk bait , the concept was definitely a fish catcher👍
The design was definitely innovative!
Great video! I bought some of the original Banjo Minnows back in the mid-90s.
I was at a Home Depot in stafford virginia , about 5-7 miles from aquia creek and some other Potomac River bass fishing spots. I look down and there’s a box w old tools, old playboys from the 90s and the whole old banjo minnow set w the vhs. I got it in the garage. Had a $29.95 sticker on it
Now that sounds like a heck of a Banjo kit LOL
I remember when I found the Banjo Minnow at a local store for cheap and I figured what the hell ill give it a try. And I remember catching my personal best Pike on it. 22 lbs, on the 3rd cast. It was pretty awesome.
I legit still have the ones from the 90’s. One of my parents bought them when I was a kid.
A great lesson into the old school world of the banjo minnow.
Thanks for tuning in, Dennis!
I caught tons of fish on the banjo minnow. I was like 8 or something when they first came out. I would go to work with my dad building houses. There was a lake right there. I slayed the bass.
Caught some nice Bass fishing with it and yes it was all the craze in Bass Fishing,Loved it
I can still hear banjos…
Nicely done video. I love videos like this on old school stuff. I remember the banjo minno but for some reason I never pulled the trigger and purchased a set. I did purchase. Roland Martin's helicopter lure that's a whole other story haha. Enjoy the content so much. I joined your channel.
Thanks for tuning in, Vincent!
Just got my new kit in this week. Alas the weather didn’t cooperate. Can’t wait to try it out all over again.
What timing!
That was an excellent video. Nice work especially putting together all that old footage. That took some work to make this one. Thx for sharing it.
Thanks, Tex! Yeah, this one took a few weeks to do it right. Glad you enjoyed!
Love it. You sold this Banjo to me all over again. Keep up the efforts please.
Thanks for stopping by, good buddy!
Ha! This brought back some memories. I caught a lot of nice fish on the original Banjo Minnow! Still have some in a box in the basement.
Fish it old school!
I was featured on the newest Banjo Minnow informercial because I was praising the lure on Instagram...I have been fishing it since the 90s. This lure is incredible and I have caught the largest fish and the most amount of fish..Bass, trout, catfish, crappie, bluegill hit it but never large enough to inhale it...the BANJO MINNOW works and it's not a bunch of crap..IT WORKS!!!!
No way! The Banjo works!!
I have caught a ton of huge bass on the banjo frog. I have fished all kinds of frogs but this one is my go to. Only problem is bass hit it so hard they don't last long at all. Wish I could find those original frogs.
I bought the Banjo for my kids mostly! I teased them saying the banjo minnow sux lol singing it and my middle son proceeded to pluck a 4 pounder right from under the dock lol ! Still have a few ! All my kids caught fish on them !
I think I got the first pack in the UK 1996 and it caught wherever I used it. I've still got it - some lures and screws .
Awesome video! I wonder what the results would be if you substituted a small (4" or smaller) soft plastic (I am thinking ribbon tail worm) or even a Gulp minnow for the included minnow. Might be worth a try! Looking forward to seeing your fishing video test on the Banjo minnow. I see it is out, but haven't had the opportunity to watch it yet! Keep these great videos coming!
I always wanted to try this system. Maybe this spring is the time!! Thanks for the content.
Loved the banjo frog too.
I've still got a bunch of these an "uncle" gave me. Idk how good of condition they're in because I haven't used them in about 5 years but I remember them being pretty good
Banjo,flying lure and strike king glasses.....I miss the 80s......Jimmy Houston outdoors was my weekend mornings too you to ride my bike to the local lake
The good, ol’ days!
I still have a pair of strike kings as seen on TV
this was awesome man! thankyou for this episode! As an angler from Maine, I had no idea about the history of this lure! great stuff! thankyou :)
I wanted the Banjo Minnow so badly as a kid because of the commercials. Finally got a kit and proceeded to not catch one fish on it. This video, and it's comments, has me wondering if I should try rigging something up like it again. I wonder how a small 3" paddle tail swimbait would do rigged up like a Banjo Minnow.
I was cleaning my garage and found my old banjo lure kit in a box lol I never had luck with it.
Oh boy, I remember the banjo was the only infomercial I would actually watch. I also remember begging my parents to grab me a set when I was a kid. I still use them every now and again, they also are being sold again.
Happy hooking y’all!
🍻
I can't tell you how many fish I've caught on the original kit. This lure actually helped me become a better fisherman (spinning reels), and I still have some original baits I'm still using to this day. The 006 minnow color choices hurt the bait imo, and if you actually watched the DVD that came with the kit, Wayne shared a secret with the eyes to make the bait swim similar to the original bait. I obviously purchased the new kit and I expect it to catch fish just like the original. Excellent video!🎉
I remember taking a guided trip on the Susquehanna River my friend and I told the guide he could fish we were catching with tubes , plugs , top waters , etc I can't recall what possessed me to tie the banjo minnow on my ultralight ( The Flea ) but it was magic Smallmouth after Smallmouth between 18 & 22 inches my friend said give me one of those then the guide said give me one so I handed him my Flea and it was hard to get him to give it back I offered to make him one but he didn't return my calls it was one of those days Thanks for the memories
I remember watching those infomercials, I bought a kite for my dad in the 90's, we just cracked it open last year to try it out. Definitely will look into the new design =)
Thanks for tuning in, Emil!
I still have a brand new 90's banjo minnow kit. Found it in grandpa's old tackle box.
The Banjo Minnow still catches fish for me. I have been using them since they first came out. Towards the end of summer going into the fall is when they get just wrecked by the bass in my home lake. The smallies and largies just slurp them up. I also use the largest size ones for tiger muskie and pike. The smallest ones I get crappie, bluegill, perch and trout on. Thanks for sharing about the Banjo. Tightlines and cheers 🍻 my friend.
I too still fish the Banjo. In fact I still have some originals. The 006 version is garbage. I'm looking forward to trying the updated version. I still catch lots of fish on it. Since they quit making the old ones I have searched for suitable replacements. I've gotten close but nothing like the originals. I used to order the original plastics in bulk when you could. Wish they offered that in the updated version. I still have plenty of the original hardware. Not sure its worth buying the limited kit.
Not sure how the 006 was in 2006, but I can say they didn’t hold up for me well in 2022. The new one, however, is money!
Thanks for tuning in, Travis! I never have thrown the small one…need to try!
I bought a kit full of these things. I LOVED them. Caught to a of fish.
I still use them today.. they work pretty well!
I remember I had free cable in the 90's and the Banjo Minnow was in all the fishing shows and for sale in KMarts all over. Now Kmart is no longer in business but you can still buy the Banjo Minnow.
I wonder what they would be like drop shotted.
11:52 Monster Mike!!!
Told Monster Mike he and I need to throw some old school lures for peacocks!
i remember when the Banjo minnow was big. its been forever since i fished one and didn't know they started making them again. i might have to get me a pack since they aren't that expensive.
would love to see you do a vid on Beetle Spins. they were my go to lure as a teen since they were great at catching multiple species and were dirt cheap. (i have caught everything from bluegill to Bass and even the odd Catfish on them.) i have a whole tray in my tackle bag just for beetle spin stuff (hooks, the little spinners, and tons of grubs of all colors and sizes as well as some appropriately sized curly tails)
as far as As-Seen-n-TV lures go my father was a really big fan of the "Flying Lures" (i still have some of the special weighted hooks floating around in "spare crap" tackle box.
Also watching some of you vids it seems you are using an old Garcia Mitchell spinning reel, i have one myself and they are fantastic (found mine in the woods at the lake on a busted rod someone just tossed aside.)
I remember my ex-girlfriend bought me this when it first came out. I caught a couple of fish on it. I've been pouring/shooting plastic since 1994. I have a Silverside Minnow that i designed and had cut. The nose hook technique definitely works. It's great for drop shot, ned rigging, and of course as a nose hooked fluke.
I always wanted to try these things as a kid. Dad always just laughed.
Wow! I thought about the Banjo Minnow a couple months ago and wondered what happened to it. I remember being about 10 or 11 years old and begging my parents to buy it for me so I could catch more and bigger fish. Well they finally gave in and ordered it for me and I was so excited to go fishing. And it didn't take long. LITERALLY only 4 casts in, I caught a 3lb'r. And that was only the first of several fish that day and many over the time I used them. I absolutely loved this bait and SO GLAD they're remaking them. Thanks for the video!
I had good luck on them in neighborhood ponds when I was a teenager. I remember they were a complete pain to rig and that stupid screw would pull out after a fish or two.
Man I wanted the banjo minnow so bad when I was a kid .I never could talk mom into getting it for me .I think it's finally time to get me a banjo minnow .
I had the original kit which my parents got for my birthday. It didn't last long. The northern pike absolutely demolished the lures, and broke/cut lines repeatedly. There wasn't enough hardware in the kit, and once the spring holders were gone i was left with a bunch of useless plastic minnows. I held on to them for years, but it was many more years before you could buy spring holders at the tackle store.
They now have replenishment packs available!
I just found your channel and now I’m “hooked”😂 but in all seriousness where can I get your merch? I need a shirt, hoodie, hat, coffee mug and some stickers for my truck.❤
Right here, good buddy! www.txprovisions.com/collections/retro-bassin-gear
Great video brother and I can't stress enough how much I love the theme song you use
This is my new favorite channel
Yeah buddy! Welcome aboard the retro wagon!
Funny as a Mainer I had no idea this originated here. Me and my cousin bought the banjo minnow as kind of a joke when it came out. Then fished it and it really did produce. We fished the same pond for 15 years and this lure produced just as good if not better than 😂anything we threw there. I have bought way more then one of these kits and am going to go for another. For both nostalgia and cause it works. So fun to see this again and still around.
Another great vid. Chris just a thought but when I think about retro fishing in general not just bass but all fresh water fish I think of Babe Winkleman was wondering if I could throw you an idea for a future episode. Can't wait till the next video. Happy easter.
Bring it, Joshua! I am a saltwater fisherman at heart!
Came back to view again this is awesome dude good job
That means a ton, Jonny! We definitely gave this one the special treatment it deserved!
The banjo minnow had all that over complicated hardware but if you took a small hook and just nose hooked the banjo minnow it was lethal in ponds
I do like the screw-in anchor as I find the baits last longer.
A truly great bait! I caught many bass and pike with the BM. I ran across a brand new kit looking for an old reel today. Time to put it back in action!
I really enjoyed this episode. Very informative and has never interested in picking one up. Its like the drop shot but actually usable.
And according to Ken, it works great as a drop shot as well!