Like a good wine, Humdinger spinnerbaits made by T&T Lures are getting better with age. The Louisiana-made spinnerbait that Joe Territo, a Baton Rouge native, started making more than two decades ago has caught many bass and won many tournaments recently in South Louisiana. Its success has spread like wildfire, it seems, to the state’s midsection, upper parishes and beyond.
The lifelong Baton Rouge resident isn’t surprised by the compact spinnerbait’s notoriety.
“The bait itself gives you a lot of vibration. Vibration and reflection,” Territo, 57, said recently.
That vibration emanates from the shaft with a .032 wire gauge, he explained.
“It does give a little more vibration than a .035. We give up a little more in strength for vibration. Fishermen say they’d rather give up (strength) to get more vibration. Most say they don’t want me to change it,” he said.
Humdingers come in 1/4- and 3/8-ounce (actually a little bit heavier) models. They are armed with 4/0 Eagle Claw Lazer Hooks.
The most popular models have No. 3 nickel Colorado blades and No.3 1/2 gold willowleaf blades. Stamped on each blade, no matter the size or color, is the word “Humdinger.”
Humdinger also makes gold blade combinations and also paints blades. The 3/8-ounce model has a No. 3 1/2 nickel Colorado blade and a No. 5 gold willowleaf blade.
Territo explained that he doesn’t use bearings, which he said adds to the cost of the product. He uses roller (barrel) swivels.
“I think the blade and diameter of the wire is more important. These things help attract bass — more likely to get that strike,” he said. “Anything that can help increase the catch without adding cost to the product helps.”
Humdingers have come a long way.
“All this started as a hobby. The next thing you know people are asking about it,” Territo said, noting bass fishing buddies and others wanted to get their hands on it in the beginning.
Territo appreciated what he saw when he looked at the spinnerbait made by someone else in the mid-1980s. So he got his hands on it.
“A number of people in our area produced a bait of some type. This particular one we liked and we made some changes,” he said. “It really caught on. People just loved the bait. Orders started taking off. It can get quite busy. This is one of those times — springtime.”
As usual, sales started picking up the second or third week of January, he said. That surprised him, he said, in the wake of another double-barreled blast of hurricanes in September — Gustav and Ike.
Why do bass fishermen and, most importantly, bass covet it? It’d be safe to say because it catches bass and doesn’t break the bank.
“I wanted to keep it economical for the fisherman. I’m not trying to make a $7 spinnerbait. It’s not a real expensive product. You don’t see anything really fancy on the bait,” he said.
Humdingers are built at home by the Territos, Joe and his wife Dottie Harelson Territo, who get a valuable assist when it counts, he said.
“We’ve got people who help us do assembly work from time to time when we’re backlogged. Basically, it’s sitting at the table, putting them together, packaging them up. It’s second nature. You get used to it,” he said.
Humdingers are sold through distributors. There are half a dozen or so distributors who bring the spinnerbaits and other T&T lures to anglers mostly in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and some in Texas and Oklahoma, he said.
About 30,000-35,000 spinnerbaits go out of his home each year, he said.
“It’s definitely gotten to be an extremely popular product,” he said in an understatement. “I attribute the main reason for it taking off is it produces fish. Word of mouth makes it a best-seller. What it’s done is consistently produce fish for sportsmen.”
For example, he said, anglers north of the Mason-Dixon line might fish with someone down South who happens to bust bass on a Humdinger.
Sold.
“It’s been a pleasure to hear from people and learn how a product you make is appreciated,” Territo said. “I get calls from all over — Indiana and Arkansas and people in Oklahoma. We don’t even sell up there (Indiana). Word’s getting around. FLW called a few weeks back looking for the product.”
So there you have it. The Okies, Arkansites and, even Hoosiers are smashing bass lips in their home waters with a spinnerbait proudly made in Louisiana since 1988, three years after Territo started making artificial lures out of his home in Baton Rouge.
Keith Price of New Iberia knows how popular the Humdinger spinnerbait is from both sides of the counter at Cajun Guns & Tackle. The Blue’s Archery owner — who has been in the bow-and-arrow business 13 years, the last nine inside Cajun Guns & Tackle — also is a knowledgeable fishing tackle salesman in the New Iberia store.
“I like Humdingers,” he said. “It’s a real good bait. Even though the price of Humdingers has gone up over the last five years, it’s still one of the most economical spinnerbaits on the market, if not the most economical. They’re durable and work real well, very efficient.
“They’ve had some people in the area who have been using them a long time, I think more in the 1/4-ounce series. We sell quite a few. I stock pretty much all the configurations they offer through the distributors. Just looking, I’ve got about 20 different configurations right now (on the shelves).”
When another regionally made and popular spinnerbait faded from sight in the mid-2000s, Humdingers easily moved into the forefront, he said.
Count Price in as one who throws one “just about any time I go fishing.” Price is an accomplished bass angler who fishes with Brad Verret of Jeanerette on the highly competitive Doiron’s Team Bass Challenge tournament circuit in Stephensville.
The Humdinger’s reputation is growing, he said, particularly in bass club tournaments in the region. How many tournaments are won on them these days?
“Lots. Very much. It’s kind of used all over, but it’s a very localized bait. It’s very popular in the South,” Price said.
He and others modify some of the models, but use others straight out of the package. He might put larger blades, or different blade combinations, or colored blades to fit the situation on the water.
For more information on Humdingers and T&T Lures Inc. products, call (225) 751-9922.
