October 10, 2015
By Ned Kehde
When Steve Quinn of Brainerd, Minnesota, who is In-Fisherman's senior editor, returned from the 2015 International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades show in Orlando, Florida, he told us that Asylum Bait Company's Hyper Hare was the most intriguing finesse bait that he saw at this massive exhibition of fishing tackle. For information about its origins, he told us to contact Dale Black of Oil City, Pennsylvania, who is the president of Black Knight Industries. And Black Knight Industries owns Gamma Lines and Frog Hair High Performance Tippet and Leaders, and Asylum Bait Company.
Mr. Black is an ardent multispecies angler, who is fond of plying the Allegheny River in pursuit of smallmouth bass, walleye, musky, catfish, and carp. Lake Erie is also nearby, and so are scores of trout streams and a variety of lakes that are teeming with black bass, bluegill, musky, stripers, and walleye.
In September of 2010, he and Heidi Black founded Black Knight Industries, which they describe as a small family-owned business. In November of 2010, they purchased the fishing division of Gamma Technologies. Asylum Bait Company was created in 2015 by Mr. Black and his best friend Chris Wolfgong and incorporated within Black Knight Industries.
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Mr. Black provided us with details about the Hyper Hair, which was created to be employed on a drop-shot rig with GAMMA Edge 100% Fluorocarbon Line, GAMMA Touch 100% Fluorocarbon Finesse rigs or GAMMA Torque Braided Line with a leader made from GAMMA Edge 100% Fluorocarbon Line. Mr. Black noted that he prefers to use a dropper-loop knot when he affixes the Hyper Hare to his drop-shot rig.
The body of the Hyper Hare is made from rabbit fur and hide, which is affixed to a 2/0 Owner Mosquito Hook. The length is about 3 1/2-inches, but because it is a hand-tied bait, the length can vary a touch.
It is available in four colors: Crawfish Orange, Leech Black, Baitfish White, and Olive.
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Midwest finesse anglers are not drop-shot aficionados. Thus, they will rig it on a split-shot rig, or a lightweight jika rig, or lightweight swinging-head jig.
It retails for $7.29.
Endnotes:
(1) For more information about the jika rig, please see the Midwest column at these links: http://www.in-fisherman.com/midwest-finesse/stacey-the-jika-rig-king/ and http://www.in-fisherman.com/midwest-finesse/jika-rig-update/ .
(2) For more information about the Hyper Hare, anglers can send an email to sales@asylumbaits.com.
