End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

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WB Staff
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End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by WB Staff »

December 2015 was a dismal month for pork futures...

http://www.westernbass.com/article/end- ... k-products
mark poulson
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by mark poulson »

The end of an era, truly.
Attitude plus effort equal success
CLEAN AND DRY
milehi
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by milehi »

best cold water trailer ever made, buying up what I can find.
Levy
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Levy »

This sucks, 1st was super pork which was hands down the best and now this. Wintertime jib fishing just wont be the same.
GKramer
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by GKramer »

While the raw materials might be in short supply, the real reason for the end of pork trailer production is that fishermen don't buy them anymore. Those who have had success over the years will miss them, but for most of a new generation, pork isn't "cool," is messy, needs special care and is ugly compared to so many other plastic things you can put on the end of your jig or spinnerbait. Twenty five years ago the marketing head for Uncle Josh told me, "Everything else that fishermen put on their jig hook is our competitor." The competitors have won.
milehi
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by milehi »

complained like crazy last few years about the quality control but will miss these bad once I run out. Buying every #11 I can find, hope the curing process is still good. People who have never used pork have no idea the effect it will have on cold water jig fishermen, nothing better
g man
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by g man »

Maybe time to start up a new company? g man
Robb R
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Robb R »

pork futures ? I have several jars of the stuff , probably bought it 7-8 years ago and never used them .
price is good ?
Robb
milehi
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by milehi »

right colors I'll take em. got lots of brown so junebug, purple, blue what I'm looking for. might ask you to open one & small, I'll pay for it
Levy
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Levy »

Robb R wrote:pork futures ? I have several jars of the stuff , probably bought it 7-8 years ago and never used them .
price is good ?
Robb
Robb, do you have any super pork?
Cooch

Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Cooch »

This actually doesn't come as a surprise to me. Uncle Josh's products have certainly played a big part in the history of bass fishing from their inception. Pork chunks, especially used as trailers for a jig in the winter, have caught more big bass, tipped on a jig, than any other trailer. I'm truly surprised though that Uncle Josh lasted as long as they did. Their fatty choice of pork skin was always third behind Strike King's BoHog(passed in 1999) and Super Pork(passed in mid 2000s). UC's earlier pork chunks of the 70's, 80's & 90's was superior to what we've had to endure that past 15 years. It got fattier and fattier, hence shriveled up and dried beyond usage in only a hour or two of air exposure. They changed their dye process and colors faded, even pealed off. Then they listened to too many inexperienced anglers who complained the hook hole was too small and anglers couldn't remove the pork(Simple trick they failed to teach everyone), so they increased the hook hole size, hence the damn things came off all by themselves. I stopped purchasing UC's Big Daddys two years ago because of this change alone. Thank God, I had the presence to hit up every WallMart on the Western BASS Divisional tours of 1999, '00, '01 & '02, buying every jar of Bohog I could find, over 500 jars and still have 300+ left. I have a life time supply and will continue to use it during the winter months until I pass. George Kramer, is right, pork is VERY "Cool" in the winter fer jig fishermen, most anglers just don't git it!

It is a sad time in the Kingdom of the Jig-N-PIG Nation! RIP Uncle Josh pork.
Robb R
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Robb R »

Levy ,
I have three jars , never used any of them . One is labeled "jumbo frog " , measures 3.25 X 1.15 , --- No 1A ? dark color . The other two are labeled Phantom Craw No 37 , measure the same and colors are green and dark with fire tip.
The phantom craw versions are shaped like a set of pinchers and the jumbo frog is shaped with a split tail .
If these are interesting , send me an address and I will ship them N/C .
Robb
milehi
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by milehi »

that cooch is pretty sharp. been using a keeper like on a blade on the frogs for a few years now which helps flipping but skipping dock they eventually just split open in front & were gone. still nothing like it as a cold water trailer, trying to buy every jar I can get my hands on.
Levy
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Levy »

Robb R wrote:Levy ,
I have three jars , never used any of them . One is labeled "jumbo frog " , measures 3.25 X 1.15 , --- No 1A ? dark color . The other two are labeled Phantom Craw No 37 , measure the same and colors are green and dark with fire tip.
The phantom craw versions are shaped like a set of pinchers and the jumbo frog is shaped with a split tail .
If these are interesting , send me an address and I will ship them N/C .
Robb
Robb you are the man. I PM'ed you my address. Thx
Jon Levenson
WRB
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by WRB »

I recall posting a how to make pork rind thread on this site about a year ago.
If anyone is interest I can repost it or someone can locate it and add a the link.
Nothing moves in the water like a soft high floatation park rind jig trailer. Yes they are messy and came in solid colors, dried out and could be hard to remove from hooks....they worked to catch some of the largest bass for a lot of anglers over the decades.
Maybe Robin will reopen Super Pork!
Tom
Robb R
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Robb R »

Levy ,
Thanks , shipped them out today , you should get them Tuesday or Wednesday . Good luck and tight lines --I hope they work well for you .
Robb
g man
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by g man »

WRB, I would be interested in a repost of how to make your own if it is not too much trouble. Also wanted to take a second and thank all the guys that have contributed to this thread. I appreciate all the knowledge 8) Thanks, g man
WRB
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by WRB »

Pork rind for jig trailers.
This process takes about 3 weeks.
6" wide x12" long, cut 1/4" thick hog back with thick skin, butcher shop will have them and cut for you.
Lay the hog backs on a flat surface and cover with salt, rubbing in on both sides. Roll the backs so you have 6" high rolls.
Place the rolls backs into Mason jars and fill with salt and seal the jars.
Store jars in a cool place for 2 weeks.
Remove rolled backs after 2 weeks , roll out flat and scrap off the fatty side using a dull tool until,the hog back is about 3/16" thick. You can trim additional fat off using a fillet knife on a flat cutting board, I usually do this after cutting into shapes.
Cover with salt, roll up and place back into the jar, fill the jar with salt and seal for 1 week.
You are now ready to cut the flattened hog backers into shapes. You can have a rule die made by a leather shop or use a pattern and cut out with sharp scissors.
The rind will be off white color, to dye use Rit liquid mixed 1-1 with warm water, you can use the Mason jar. Let the rinds sit over night in the dye. Rinse with warm water.
Store the cured rinds in a heavy salt water solution. Boil 4 cups of water mixed with equal amount of sea salt until dissolved. Cool and cover the pork rinds with the salt water solution in a glass jar with plastic lid.
The cured pork in heavy salt water should float and be flexible, ready to use for jig trailers.
Good luck.
Tom
mark poulson
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by mark poulson »

Thank you.
Attitude plus effort equal success
CLEAN AND DRY
Rod Martin
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Rod Martin »

Do an internet search, there is still some super pork and uncle josh for sale.

I have maybe 40 jars of super pork most is black tadpole.

Mark, I am coming to calif the 24th, have not sent the jigs out yet do you want some pork ?
TR177 Ranger/ Mercury/Lowrance/ Ghost TM
mark poulson
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by mark poulson »

Rod,
I'll PM you.
Attitude plus effort equal success
CLEAN AND DRY
milehi
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by milehi »

I'm old & not real tech savy, where online have you seen pork? looked on ebay, didn't really see anything. thanks
Rod Martin
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Rod Martin »

I just put super pork for sale into my search engine and it popped out some places that had it for sale.
TR177 Ranger/ Mercury/Lowrance/ Ghost TM
WRB
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by WRB »

Most of you know me as Oldschool, couldn't log in under that anymore, so it's now WRB!
There should be several mom & pop local tackle shops with dusty jars of both Super Pork and older Uncle Josh made from hog backs, not the Meat or thin skin pork rinds UJ made the past 2 years.
Tom
Levy
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Levy »

Rod Martin wrote:I just put super pork for sale into my search engine and it popped out some places that had it for sale.
Yes but when you go a step further, very few actually have any and they are colors I do not need. Been there and done that.
WRB
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by WRB »

You can re dye pork rind;
White can be dyed any color.
Any color can be dyed black.
Any color except black can be dyed brown.

You can soften park rind by lightly hammering with a meat tenderizing hammer, skin side down on a flat board...messy! Beer or Coke will also soften pork rind.

Tom
green weenie
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by green weenie »

Just bought 12 jars of super pork from fishandsave. Average 2 bucks a large jar. Still some great colors and sizes. :wink:

Wes
g man
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by g man »

Thanks Tom...g man
Rod Martin
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Re: End of an Era: Uncle Josh to Discontinue Pork Products

Post by Rod Martin »

Levy wrote:
Rod Martin wrote:I just put super pork for sale into my search engine and it popped out some places that had it for sale.
Yes but when you go a step further, very few actually have any and they are colors I do not need. Been there and done that.

You have to go thru a few sites BUT if you like pork its worth it.
TR177 Ranger/ Mercury/Lowrance/ Ghost TM
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