Article by Bassmaster written by Robert Montgomery: Confronted with the realization that he was about to run out of one his favorite baits — a lure not made anymore — Mike Bucca took drastic measures. Now other anglers are benefitting from the ingenuity of the Georgia guide and luremaker. They are buying and catching bass with the solid balsa walking baits that he reverse engineered from the legendary Balsa Pro, also known as the Ichiban Minnow.
Bucca’s version is the Balsa Bull, its name a variation of Bull Shad, the unique jointed swimbait that he created several years ago. The Balsa Bull weighs 1/2 ounce, measures 4 inches long, and is available in two colors (lightning shad and shimmer shad).
“I gave some of my baits to guys who fished the Balsa Pros originally, and the feedback was very positive,” the luremaker said. “Needless to say, they kept the prototypes.”
That’s not surprising. Just a few thousand of the Balsa Pros were sold in the United States, with production ending in the late 1990s. But they earned an almost cult following as the go-to bait in the clear waters of the West. And today a Balsa Pro might sell for $100 or more — if you can find one for sale.
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