Whatever happened to abalone?

[Johnny A]

Does anybody remember when abalone inserts were going to be gangbusters? I can’t remember which JDM started it OR if it was a tinkerer who opened the bait bodies and added abalone.

[Cal]

Abalone is an endangered species here in the US and is likely facing similar protection elsewhere. So you can't have the inserts if you cannot source the material.

[Johnny A]

Abalone is an endangered species here in the US and is likely facing similar protection elsewhere. So you can't have the inserts if you cannot source the material.

I would imagine that ended that parade while the trombonists were still doing their lip warm-ups!

[Slazmo]

Abalone / mother of pearl is commercially available in many markets...

Should've seen it in NZ... Absolutely everywhere... We stopped at the mega-thrust seaside earthquake site and Pāua shells were everywhere - all sun bleached like this one I brought home to Aus. But in their wet natural near new form the mother of pearl was beyond belief.

Sun bleached pāua

IMG_20200825_073413.jpg (65.26 KiB) Viewed 2399 times

Anyhow was a raging success in the day and lots of it made its way to sephia jigs, especially these Daiwa jigs I cherish...

Sephia

IMG_20200825_072552.jpg (60.75 KiB) Viewed 2399 times

[Johnny A]

How would they be able to determine the difference between “new” harvest and beachcomber?

[mark poulson]

Didn't Strike King have an abalone paint scheme on their jerkbaits?