Hopkins Stainless Steel Lures

ABOUT US

Don’t be caught without a Hopkins®. Sound advice. However, the first catch by Hopkins® will have to be you, otherwise our lures will never wind up on the business end of your line. To attempt to convince you that one, or more of them , should be in your tackle box this page was prepared. For starters, we will proudly blow our own horn a bit and tell you: that our lures have been pleasing fishermen and women for six decades, that they have held numerous World and State Records and that they have been the lure used by the Winners of many of the Professional Bass and Walleye Tournaments.

ABOUT THIS CATALOG. When you scan through it, please bear in mind two things. First, every lure, hook or appendage is shown in actual size. Second - each lure is available in all of the configurations pictured on the page with it, or listed in the “Key” on that page. So, if you are wondering about whether a lure is available in a particular way, it more than likely is. Well more than 500 designated lures may be had! They are derived from different combinations of coatings, coverings, colors, hook dressings & appendages, etc. Space obviously, does not permit them all to be shown. Each one, by the way, is a proven fish taker.

HOPKINS® POLICY. When R. L. Hopkins, an avid salt water fisherman and experimenter, decided that a better lure was needed, his initial objectives were to develop a lure that could be cast for distance, which had good fish attracting action, and one that could withstand the rigors of salt water fishing. Associated with the latter was the ever present problem of corrosion from salt and the possibility of hooking on to a trophy sized, “tackle busting” fish. He built and tested many lures and rejected them for one fault or another until the NO=EQL® No. 3 evolved. It satisfied the requirements of castability and fish taking action, and had two bonuses in that it was deadly for jigging and fine for trolling as well. To meet the third requirement, that of quality and dependability, he chose to fabricate it from solid stainless steel.

While our basic lure design appears outwardly simple, Hopkins® NO=EQL® and SHORTY® lures undergo a rather complex manufacturing process. They are not cast, or stamped out, but are forged from solid stainless steel stock. The Hammered Spoons® too are fabricated from stainless steel. Although, the HammerTails® have lead heads, they are molded on stainless steel hooks. All Hopkins® lures are equipped with Stainless Steel Rings and All single hooks, dressed or undressed, are stainless steel. Our reputation has been built on performance and quality. We will do nothing to compromise either.

THE ART OF USING A HOPKINS LURE. Hopkins® Lures are favorites with countless fishermen, from coast to coast, for both fresh and salt-water fishing. Les Hopkins’ basic design makes them ideal under many fishing conditions and for most species of fish. They are perfect as casting lures . . . their weight and shape give the caster added distance and exciting water action on recovery. They are highly productive trolling lures . . . at all depths. And they are amazingly effective as jigging lures and for ice fishing . . . bottom feeding fish react as though the lure is alive. The popularity of our lures is based in large measure on their performance in catching most game fish, not on advertising claims; so, if they are not producing for you (barring the absence of fish), perhaps your technique is faulty. Space here does not permit discussion of technique. However, there are many excellent books available which cover the subject in detail.

LURE SELECTION – Informed fishermen use
balanced tackle: a rod, reel and lure combination
that is matched to provide optimum casting results and best lure action. Here is a broad classification
of equipment types and line weights, generally
associated with them. Hopkins® Lures compatible with each class are indicated.
A. Ultra light spinning equipment, 4-lb. Test Line or less – SHORTY® 1/2S.
B. Light spinning equipment and light casting Equipment – 4 to 8-lb Test Line – NO=EQL® 1, SHORTY® S-1, 238 Hammered Spoon®, 1/0 and 2/0 HammerTails®.
C. Medium spinning and bait casting equipment – 6 to 12-lb Test Line – NO=EQL® No. 2 & 2 1/2, SHORTY® 45, 58, & 75, 388 Hammered Spoon® and 3/0 and 4/0 HammerTails®.
D. Light surf spinning and heavy bait casting equipment - 10 to 15 lb. Test Line – NO=EQL® 3, SHORTY® 101 & 6/0 HammerTail®.
E. Medium surf spinning and light conventional surf casting equipment - 14 to 20 lb. Test Line - NO=EQL® 3-1/2, SHORTY® 150 & 225, 550 Hammered Spoon®, 7/0 HammerTail®.
F. Heavy surf spinning and medium to heavy conventional surf casting equipment - over 20 lb. Test Line - NO=EQL® 4, 4H, 450 & 600, 8/0 HammerTail®.

These are flexible guide lines only. For example, a lure in a lower weight class can be used with lighter line in the next heavier class. Lighter line than required for casting a given lure can be employed if a “Shock Line” is used. A shock line is line of the proper strength to cast a given weight without danger of snapping, which is spliced on to the line which is already on the reel by means of a blood knot or other suitable knot. It should be of sufficient length to reach from the lure, where it is suspended for casting to the tip of the rod, pass through all of the guides and make a few turns on the reel spool.

Choice of the EQUIPMENT TYPE is determined largely by the method of fishing, the wind and water conditions and the relative size of the fish the angler expects to encounter. Individual preferences are also a factor.

WHICH HOPKINS® TO USE? Now that you know the Hopkins® which will work best with your tackle, which one do you select to entice your favorite species? Hopkins® Lures have accounted for outstanding catches of nearly all fresh and salt-water game fish and for some species, STRIPED BASS and BLUEFISH, for example, every lure from the smallest to the largest consistently has been productive. Just match your tackle with a lure and you are in business. However, for other species certain lures have performed better. They are listed on this page. Once again, these are general applications and by No Means the only Hopkins® effective for these species.

Remember, Hopkins® Lures are one of the most deadly jig type ever developed. This makes them particularly productive when fish are lying deep. Largemouth, Smallmouth, Hybrids, Sauger, Walleye, Lakers, Northerns, Crappie and Stripers are highly susceptible when the lures are jigged in fresh-water. Salt-water species especially vulnerable to jigging are: Amberjack, Flounder, Halibut, Cod, Pollock, Weakfish, King Mackerel, Sierra, Grouper, Snappers, Sea Bass and Rockfish. Use our HammerTails® wherever you would employ a conventional bucktail jig. Its chromed reflective hammered head is a great fish attracter. Stripers really go for them! Most of the emphasis on selection has been addressed to obtaining the proper size. However, knowledgeable fishermen know that no lure performs the same all day, every day. Often just a minor change, such as a change of color, can make all the difference in the world. So, when you decide on the lure you wish to use, do not limit your choice of that lure to a single model. Broaden your fish taking potential by adding an item or two. If for example, your choice is our popular Shorty® 75, add the gold model (75G) as well as a couple of different colored Smoothies®. When the fishing slows down, you will be glad that you did.

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