Paul Brown Fat Boy vs. Fat Boy Pro (Similarities, Differences & Hacks)
- By: Wyatt Parcel
- on
It’s corky time!
In this video, you’re going to learn about the recent redesign of the Paul Brown Fat Boy — the Paul Brown Fat Boy Pro.
You’ll see what’s changed and what’s stayed the same, as well as a little hack that I like to use to customize this lure to catch more fish.
Check it out below!
Paul Brown Fat Boy vs. Fat Boy Pro [VIDEO]
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Here are some differences between the Fat Boy and Fat Boy Pro:
- The Pro series has holographic foil inside to add some extra flash. The original has more of a matte color.
- The foil in the Pro series adds some extra support, so if you adjust the internal wire, it’s more likely to stay straight. Bending the internal wire of the original makes it more likely to twist to the side, which can negatively affect its action.
- The Pro comes stock with black nickel hooks, which are much more resistant to rust than the original’s stock hooks.
- The Pro is about $2 more expensive.
Here are some similarities between the Fat Boy and Fat Boy Pro:
- They have the same body design (same size, weight, etc.)
- The rattle on the inside is the same
- They have similar sink rate and action in the water
And here’s a little hack I like to do with these lures: there’s a wire that runs from the eye in front to the hook in the back.
You can bend the wire so that the nose faces down if you want it to run deeper.
If you want it to run closer to the surface, you can bend it so the nose faces up.
Like I mentioned in the differences section, the foil in the Fat Boy Pro helps keep it straight, whereas the wire in the original Fat Boy can sometimes twist to the right or left, which can hurt its action in the water.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to catch gator trout on the flats, it’s tough to beat a corky.
And although the Paul Brown Fat Boy and Fat Boy Pro are very similar, I believe the upgraded hooks alone in the Pro version are worth it.
You can get the Paul Brown Fat Boy Pro from our shop here:
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Have any questions about these lures?
Have you used them before?
Let me know down in the comments.
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Wyatt,
Thanks for the Paul Brown lure update. I currently have a couple of Paul Brown Original series Fat Boy and the smaller Paul Brown Original series Soft-Dine lures that I would like to try. However, they both come with treble hooks that I would like to convert to Owner in line hooks. Do you know what size in line hooks I should use for the Fat Boy and also what size for the Soft-Dine so as to minimize any change in action?
Thank you,
Sam
When will you convince them to put single hooks on? Something about spending a few dollars on a lure to then need to remove treble hooks and do such modification annoys me a little. Can we start a petition or what?
-Paul
I think trebles are truly a thing of the past unless you’re targeting swipers like mackerel (I rarely will release a mackerel!)
Wyatt,
Thank you for the Fat Boy run downs, very enlightining!
I noticed you have some with single hooks and the rest with trebles. A well renowned Rockport, TX Guide told me that if you switch out the trebles to singles, on the Corkys, that they with lose their famous action, and not work as well. What is your take on that?
Corkys are the one bait that I always carry & have wanted to work for me, that I have yet to have any notable success, any tips?
2 very different loaded questions, I know!
Thank you for your contributions to the SaltStrong Nation!
It makes the darting motion occur faster because the action isn’t slowed by drag from trebles, but the twitch and wobble are still the same…. It sinks at a slightly lower rate, but it’s barely noticeable.
While I’ve had some great success with Corky’s lately myself and will be creating subsequent tips, I wanted to bring in the local expert who taught me how to use them so you guys could get the instruction first-hand! Stay tuned for a full Corky tutorial coming soon!
Thank you for a very succinct answer! 👍👌👏
I look forward to the Corky tutorial!
Wyatt….great presentation, as usual. I fish these regularly with good results. Question: I attach to leader with loop knot; is that correct or do you recommend a different knot?
Thank you Bob! And yes, because this lure does not call for a straight retrieve, a loop knot is preferred to allow the greatest action during the twitches (and wobble on the way down!)
Wyatt moves to Texas and starts using Waterloo and Corky, you love to see it!
“When in Rome….”
If it works, you better believe I’m going to use it!
Thanks Wyatt… I change the hooks out immediately as I just dont like what trebles do to fish as I release most. Your post was helpful as you indicate the biggest difference is the hooks so I will stick with the old style.
I agree 100% on the hooks. For catch and release, it’s tough to beat singles. I will say though, the hooks are not the biggest difference. As I mentioned, the foil and sturdier wire make for a more balanced bait when it’s tweaked (plus that foil gives off some great flash!) but the hooks do justify the price increase just from a longevity standpoint. If you don’t tweak your corky, then you might be better off with the old version, yes.
Really appreciate your use of the pool to demonstrate the lure action. Gives a clear picture of what the presentation should be.
Absolutely! I will include more in the next tip I have on corky. Bringing in a local expert to demonstrate some retrieves!
Awesome breakdown of the original vs pro Corky. Ordered one from the shop a few days ago and can’t wait to see how it preforms.
Fantastic!! Looking forward to see what you catch with it, David!
I do not use twitch baits very often, but I do have a couple of mirrodines and yo zoris. How do these compare?
I’ve had days where the fish would eat both. Other days, the fish would strike one but not the other. As a rule of thumb…I usually use the mirrodines in the late spring through early fall. The Paul Brown and fat Boy I use late fall through early spring.
As I mentioned in the “Top 5 Spring Lures” video last week, both soft and hard twitch baits work equally as well, except for the fact that these soft twitch baits are able to be “tweaked” to run shallower, or deeper, depending on where you’re finding fish, which I have found results in increased hookups (once you’re on fish). The more you can put a lure in the preferred strike zone of a fish, the more likely you are to get bit.
Another key difference is that there aren’t many twtichbaits that are as big as the Corky. These lures do a great job imitating big shad and large, stout, fat baitfish, which is preferable when the main forage of fish is these larger baits.