5/16/2008

Corkies (Lil' Corky): Colors, Names, and Sizes

Where to Purchase Them, How to Purchase Them, Types, and Amounts

Timothy Kusherets

These are the best all-around colors for any river condition and water clarity. In my extensive time on the water these produce the most consistent hits. There are many who will say that “confidence” in a particular lure or bait is the prime element to getting more hits; I don’t believe it. I’ve experimented with every known corkie there is and hands down these are the best.

Below is a complete list of sizes. I've placed three asterisks next to size ten; which is the very best all-around size to use anytime of the year, and a personal favorite. When ordering corkies you can identify each by fractions of an inch or by the number on the left side of the equal sign, which are most commonly referred sizes.

Corky (Corkie & Corkies) Sizes:
# 14 = 1/4 inch
# 12 = 5/16 inch
# 10 = 3/8 inch ***
# 8 = 1/2 inch
# 6 = 5/8 inch
# 4 = 3/4 inch

A quick thing to remember about using them is that the clearer the water is the longer the leader needs to be and the smaller the corkie should be; however, as waters run with absolutely zero visibility there is no reason to use sizes larger then 10. There are many anglers who use larger and are convinced that it will get the attention of holding fish, though I have yet to see one larger than an 8 that produces.
Volume is the key to getting the biggest bang for your buck. Done correctly, a fisherman can end up not needing to buy new corkies for a couple of years, which can save even more money "if" prices increase due to inflation. Get bags that have 100 corkies in them. Ordering this way saves time, money, and effort; though the expense will not initially be small. Purchase them one time and you won't have to do it again for a long time.

There are other variables that make a corky (corkies) a productive way to fish. Match the size of each corky to the hook so the “bite area” is not diminished with larger corkies and smaller hooks. On the other side of the spectrum, if hooks are too large they can sink corkies below the sight of holding fish rendering them useless. Make sure to use yarn as waters run turbid with zero to three feet of visibility to garner strikes fast.
Other considerations are the length of the river depth, width, and current speed. Terminal gear (Swivels, Pencil lead, and Slinkies) should match the substrate with regard to sand, gravel, rocks, and boulders.

Call or write:
Yakima Bait Company
P.O. Box 310
Granger, Washington 98932
Phone: 509-854-1311

Click this link to go to their Website: Yakima Bait Company