After a lifetime of fishing, 12 years of those spent as a guide on Big Lake, Paul Grindol figured he had something to offer fishermen — a new creation.

It’s what he calls a “collared lead head.”

“There is a big reason for the design,” he said. “Most lead heads are designed with a barb on the shaft, to hold the bait. The problem is that when the fish pulls it tears the bait.

“These are collared and it (helps) keeps the bait on so they won’t tear when you catch a fish.”

The tearing part is the key.

Two to three inward collars (pointed toward the hook) are located down the shaft, giving the hold-to effect.

Grindol said it works just as effectively on live bait as it does with artificial.

He estimated 50 percent of the guides on Big Lake use the lead heads.

“The design wasn’t mine, but a couple of my friends who came to me with it,” Grindol said. “They got it going and I took off with it.”

The lead heads come in one-sixteenth, one-eighth, one-quarter and three-eighths weight with 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 size hooks.

“We just came out last month with an extra-wide gap hook that is designed for the bigger soft plastics,” he said.

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Grindol has also come up with a monofilament rigged cork which consists of the cork, a couple of beads and a weight.

“There have been wire-rigged corks,” he said. “We came out with a monofilament rigged cork. The wire bends with use so we put out the other to give fishermen an option.

“The beads, which are located above and below the cork, makes a clacking noise so that when you pop the line in the water, fish will recognize it as bait fish jumping. The weight is a half ounce so that you can chunk it and get distance on your throw.”

All that is left is to attach a leader (18-24 inches depend on depth fishing) and hook and its ready.

“It really works well with both live and artificial shrimp,” Grindol said.