Moonshine Lures’ Shiver Minnow

By Sam Wike

Just over a week ago I was sinking my teeth into a bacon cheeseburger at the Bar S in Great Falls, Montana with Paul Considine, North 40’s fishing buyer, and our longtime friend and walleye fishing guru Dale Gilbert.

As you would guess, we were talking about fishing. And why wouldn’t we; Gilbert is a veteran of the Professional Walleye Tour (PWT) and now, in his retirement, he guides and teaches walleye tactics across Montana. He is, for sure, one of the most knowledgeable and effective walleye fishermen we know.

At the Bar S we discussed educational videos and some of the new baits that Considine and I are bringing into our stores in 2018. Gilbert was interested in the video discussion—because he may be the featured attraction in those—but he really perked when the conversation turned to those new walleye baits and, in particular, Moonshine Lures’ Shiver Minnow. That lure, he said, was the one he wanted to test as soon as he got back on the water at Fort Peck Reservoir.

Considine and I are equally impressed; we’ve seen hundreds of jigging minnows and this one stood out. However, a couple days ago, when Moonshine Lures representative Ted Moody visited us at North 40’s headquarters in Great Falls, we were surprised to learn that he’d shown us the Shiver Minnow several times over the years. Long story short, the Shiver Minnow is not a brand-new bait, but falls into the growing realm of slightly modified, tackle industry baits that fish much better than their predecessors. Moody also was able to explain how Moonshine Lures sets itself apart from the herd.

Moody told us, “The really cool thing about this company is that it started in Michigan, and the company is truly by anglers for anglers.

“These baits are made in Michigan, and they are hand-painted in a garage by one of only two painters,” he noted. “So, if you buy one of those Shiver Minnows one of two people in Michigan painted your lure by hand. What’s most interesting, and very proprietary to Moonshine, is their glow paint. Hence, the company name. It glows brighter and longer than any of its competition, and the cult following of anglers in-the-know enforces that reputation.”

The Shiver Minnow is typically fished through the ice or in open water. Gilbert was most excited about the potential to fish these baits in open water. I actually dug a little deeper to find out that guys like Gary Parsons and Keith Kavajecz, from the National Walleye Tour (NWT), are also using these minnows and catching some beasts on them.

I never would have thought that a new jigging minnow would raise this much conversation or, honestly, even really get me excited about fishing one. But after seeing Gilbert’s enthusiasm for the bait, and speaking with Moody about these being hand-painted in Michigan with an attention to detail, I’m super intrigued and eager to test these this fall on my home waters in Montana.