BOOYAH Bait Co, which forever changed jerkbait fishing with the Flash Point jerkbait, is taking this innovation deeper with the new Flash Point Deep. Like the original, the Flash Point Deep features a blade atop its head, which serves two critical functions. First, it creates a dramatically better return on forward facing sonar. In addition, it sends out subtle flash to enhance visibility and create a defined aiming point for fish.
The BOOYAH Flash Point quickly became the go-to jerkbait for countless anglers after last year’s introduction, and it took top new product honors in the Hard Baits category at the Pittman Creek Dealer Show. With success came requests for a deeper-diving version to reach fish that suspend a bit deeper.
The new Flash Point Deep dives to 10 feet, 4 feet deeper than the original, but everything else remains unchanged. Same profile, finish, colors, swimming action, suspending posture, hooks…
The Flash Point and Flash Point Deep feature a narrow profile that facilitates a highly responsive action and suggests an easy target. A broader rounded back and belly accurately mimic shad or herring. Etched scales and fins, along with intricate painting, create an exceptionally lifelike appearance.
The action, triggered by every snap of the rod tip, is quick and highly erratic. The Flash Point Deep is engineered to suspend at a 45-degree nose-down angle when paused to imitate a dying baitfish. A weight-transfer system, which utilizes tungsten beads, allows for long casts, which can be critical for fishing jerkbaits, especially in clear water.
The Flash Point Deep jerkbait is 4.25 inches long and weighs 1/2 ounce. It comes armed with three No 6 ultra-sharp carbon steel SS finish treble hooks. It is available in the 12 colors that were developed for the original Flash Point, which include highly natural baitfish imitations and attractor patterns.
My fishing career started with me trying to catch panfish like crappies and bluegills and chasing bullheads from the local river near the small North Dakota town where I grew up. That’s right, bullheads! As I got older, I graduated to the more sophisticated walleye as my species of choice and later became intrigued by largemouth and smallmouth bass.
As a former fishing guide, I dealt with lots of people who might only fish a time or two a year and that made me realize more and more that it really doesn’t matter what species of fish it is on the end of the line for most anglers. In fact, many just want “something that pulls back.”
Because like my former guide clients I just want to “get bit,” I have developed more of an open mind when it comes to fishing. Rather than always targeting my “favorite” fish species, I find myself looking at time of year and what species is at peak bite for that particular time frame. Not only has this change increased the number of fish I catch, but it’s made me a better overall angler.
For example, early spring is peak panfish time and often my fishing involves simple slip-bobber fishing trips to shallow water areas where panfish congregate to feed. Not only is this easy fishing, but it also offers the first open-water fishing of the year as it often peaks before the actual game fish season opens.
Once gamefish like walleyes and northern pike become legal, walleyes are often a focus as they are usually easily accessible in the shallows to mid-depths at this time and often are on a post-spawn feeding frenzy. Fishing a small jig tipped with a shiner or fathead minnow is a simple, but lethal way to feel a walleye pull back during this time.
Panfish and walleyes offer good fishing during spring and early summer. Once the water warms and weed growth begins in earnest, these fish are often a bit tougher to find and catch. At this time, however, largemouth bass are often schooled along weedy cover and are fairly easy to catch.
A simple jig-worm combination featuring a small jig and small soft worm trailer catches bass during this time. Back when I guided we called this a “jig/worm,” now it’s often referred to as a Ned Rig. I often write about the Ned Rig for two reasons. First, it’s an easy combination to fish and, second, it catches lots of fish! Not just bass, but big panfish, northern pike, and the occasional walleye will often readily bite a small worm fished on a light jighead.
A few years back, my Ned Rigging success got even better with the introduction of a bait called a Ned Ocho. This 2.5” coffee-scented bait flat out catches bass, largemouth and smallmouth. Plus, pike, walleyes, and big panfish all eat it frequently too!
Once summer wanes and fall patterns begin taking hold, walleyes often take the spotlight again. Now I go back to the simple jig and minnow presentation a great deal. A small sucker minnow on a jig fished along weedlines catches walleyes, but it is sure to draw the attention of any nearby northern pike or bass as well!
The excitement of a fish biting and pulling back is a big reason many people fish. While some are died-in-the-wool “walleye guys” and others are “bassheads,” there are those who just want to feel something “pull back,” regardless the species. Keying in on some of the patterns presented here can hopefully help anglers do just that. As always, good luck on the water and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure!
Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series on Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, and FanDuel Sports. Visit fishingthemidwest.com to see TV schedules and all things Fishing the Midwest!
PHOTO – The Ned Ocho shown here is a dynamite multi-species bait!
INVASIVE SNAILS CAN HARM ENVIRONMENT AND YOUR HEALTH, but are they edible?
SOCIAL CIRCLE, GA. (February 4, 2025) – Now, more than ever, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) continues to encourage anglers, boaters, and lake visitors across the State to help prevent the spread of invasive snail species, due to the recent discovery that these species can harbor a type of worm that can potentially cause illness in humans (if consumed).
In a recent cooperative study, WRD and Dr. Tyler Achatz’s parasitology lab at Middle Georgia College (MGC), examined two species of invasive aquatic snails, the apple and mystery snail, for various parasites.
In this study, apple and mystery snails were collected from multiple locations around the state and tested for the presence of various parasites. Test results confirmed a low-level presence of rat lungworm (a parasitic nematode) in both snail species. This parasite can be transmitted to people when snails or slugs are eaten raw or undercooked.
The likelihood of becoming infected with rat lungworm is very low. However, in extreme rare cases, infection may lead to eosinophilic meningitis, with complications including the possibility of death. While this newest discovery is alarming, the Centers for Disease Control website notes that the parasite does not replicate in humans and human-to-human transmission does not occur.
Prior to this study, rat lungworm had only been discovered one previous time in Georgia, in rats near the Atlanta Zoo (2019). While this parasite has been noted in invasive snails in other states, this is the first time it’s been documented in snails in Georgia.
These positive tests mean it continues to be important to remain vigilant against invasive species, to protect your health and the health of Georgia waters.
Introduction of Invasive Species is Preventable
Apple snails are originally native to South America and mystery snails are native to southeast Asia, Japan, and Russia. But both species have been introduced into several states, including Georgia.
Apple and mystery snails are illegal to possess in Georgia (since 2023). However, WRD remains concerned that people may continue to move or introduce these snail species to public waters or to handle and eat these invasive snails.
Invasive aquatic species can cause significant ecological and economic impacts across the state, from damaging vessels and other boating equipment, impeding access to waterbodies, to disrupting the natural ecosystem by displacing and out-competing native species. They can additionally cause human health concerns, as seen with this recent discovery regarding apple and mystery snails.
Prevention is the first and most important step to reducing the risk of invasive species establishing populations in Georgia waters. Taking time to thoroughly wash down your boat, trailer, and fishing gear after each outing on the water; choosing to not dump aquariums; or simply not intentionally releasing non-native species into waterbodies where they did not previously occur are just a few ways you can help.
Another year of fishing has gone by. As I look back on the past fishing season, I can’t help but remember other past fishing seasons. Many, many past fishing seasons. As I remember those days, I’m reminded of how much I’ve learned about fishing and fishing techniques. And then I’m reminded of how, when I thought I had mastered a particular fishing technique, I discovered that I hadn’t. There are almost always exceptions to a technique. Same with fish species. Just when I thought I had the walleyes or bass or whatever figured out, the walleyes or bass or whatever taught me that I didn’t have them figured out. Lure color and lure weight are factors that can contribute to better fish catches.
There are times when fish, any species of fish, will respond better to a particular lure color. A very successful angler once told me that when it comes to walleyes and color, “walleyes like any color as long as it’s chartreuse”. Another very successful walleye catcher said the same thing but substituted orange as the color walleyes like best. Come to find out, Walleye Catcher #1 only used chartreuse lures, and #2 only used orange lures. That’s why they had the most success with those colors. Much of the time they caught walleyes, but every now and then they didn’t. Eventually #1 and #2 started experimenting with other colors when the walleyes weren’t biting. They started catching even more walleyes. There are times when fish want a particular color.
Another color quirk: If you’ve been catchin’em good on a particular color but the action slows, try a different color. Fish can become conditioned to color.
It’s surprising how jig weight can impact how many fish we catch. It became very obvious to me in my early days of chasing largemouth bass how important jig weight could be. In the lakes that my friends and I fished in central and north central Minnesota, walleyes were the preferred fish. Largemouth bass were mostly ignored, and some anglers even considered bass to be undesirable. My friends and I preferred to chase the largemouth because they were usually very willing biters. When we went fishing, we spent almost all of our time in the summer on the deep weedline casting an eighth ounce jig with a four inch plastic worm on six pound test line. When the bass were really biting, we used a larger worm. The larger worm was more appealing to larger bass.
However, every now and then the bass got finicky. We would work our eighth ounce jig/four inch worm along the weedline and couldn’t get bit as often as usual. On one of those slow-bite days, I picked up a rod that had a sixteenth ounce jighead tied on. I threaded my four inch worm on the lighter head and started casting. It didn’t happen immediately, but eventually the bass revealed that on that day they liked this combination better. The lighter jig made the bait fall slower. On slow-bite days, the bass preferred the slower fall. We learned that we could slow the fall of the bait even more by going to a little heavier line or a bulkier bait. Heavier line and bulkier baits have more water resistance so they fall slower.
When we go fishing, we need to remember that, if we’re not having success doing what we’re doing, do something else. In fact, that’s a pretty good rule for life in general.
Photo Caption—When the fish aren’t eating what you’re using, use something else.
The Flint River Bass Club held its first 2023 tournament last Sunday at Jackson. In it, six of us fished for eight hours in a mudhole to land 12 bass weighing about 14 pounds. There was one five bass limit and no one zeroed.
I landed five weighing 5.70 pounds for first, Doug Acre came in second with two weighing 3.36 pounds and had a 1.94-pound fish for big fish and Lee Hancock had three weighing 3.1 for third. Fourth went to Alex Gober with one at 1.71 pounds and new member Scott Smith had keeper weighing .63 pounds for fifth.
When we started at 7:30 AM I could tell the water was very muddy even in the cove at the ramp. My first cast I found out how muddy, my crankbait disappeared about two inches deep.
I fished one place in the muddy cove without a bite for about 30 minutes. When I headed up the river to try to find some clearer water to fish, I was shocked and scared when I saw all the wood floating in the water. Everything from twigs to logs twice as long as my boat covered the water from bank to bank.
That made me stop on a point and try to fish, although it was very muddy and almost every cast produced some kind of trash on my line and lure. After about 30 minutes the light breeze had moved the wood away from one side of the lake enough to run on plane if you were slow and careful.
I had hoped to go up the Alcovy River above the mouth of the South River where the water is often clearer, but when I got to the mouth of Tussahaw Creek I changed my mind. The wood going up the river covered it even worse from bank to bank and the wind had not made any open water at wall.
That condition made me go up Tussahaw Creek where there is often some clear water. And it did get better above the bridge, I could see my bait down a solid six inches!
I caught a small keeper spot by casting a brown three sixteenths ounce Bitsy Bug jig with a green pumpkin Creepy Crawler trailer to a cement seawall. Of course I dipped the tails of the trailer in chartreuse JJs Magic. There are rocks at the bottom of most seawalls and bass will hold against them to feed on crayfish and baitfish.
I kept fishing seawalls like that and every one of my fish, two more spots and two largemouth, hit the jig on a seawall. Lee was fishing the same area and caught his three on a variety of baits.
I invited the spots I caught home for dinner. When I cleaned them they had parts of small crayfish in their stomachs. That is why they liked my brown jig with the twin trailer arms!
LARGE-LURE ANGLERS: Fish How You Want… We Have Options.
The physical demands to anglers engaged in chucking and winding behemoth, water-resistant baits over extended periods are high. St. Croix’s innovative GRASP reel seat addressed this in 2023 with a significant design adaptation promoting wrist-to-forearm alignment throughout the casting, retrieving, and fish-fighting phases. The result? A reduction in both angler fatigue and the potential for injury, allowing anglers to fish large lures longer, safer, and more comfortably. Today, St. Croix Rod announces the immediate availability of the next generation of GRASP technology. GRASP II brings the extended benefits of angler-adaptability. Standard on all Mojo Musky and Legend Tournament Musky series rods, as well as select swimbait rods in the Mojo Bass and Legend Tournament Bass series, GRASP II delivers unprecedented angler choice. Easily change between the included GRASP pistol grip, standard palming trigger, or flat, depending on angler preference, or the specific lure or presentation at hand. No tools required. Every GRASP II rod comes with a handy pouch for secured storage of all pieces.
Mojo Bass TRIGON Mojo Bass large-lure models – JOG710HF LITE SWIMBAIT, JOG710XHF MID-SWIMBAIT, and JOG83XXHFT MAG SWIMBAIT– have been updated with the all-new GRASP II angler-adaptable reel seat for 2025. Retail price is $250 to $270 with a five-year warranty.
• JOG710HF – 7’10”, heavy power, fast action, casting, ¾-3 oz. lure / Retail $250 • JOG710XHF – 7’10”, extra-heavy power, fast action, casting, 2-5 oz. lure / Retail $260 • JOG83XXHFT – 8’3””, extra-extra-heavy power, fast action, telescopic, 4-8 oz. lure / Retail $270
Legend Tournament Bass Legend Tournament Bass large-lure models – LBTG710HF LITE SWIMBAIT, and LBTG710XHF MID SWIMBAIT– have been updated with the all-new GRASP II angler-adaptable reel seat for 2025. Retail price for GRASPII models is $350 to $360. Handcrafted in the USA with a 15-year warranty.
• LBTG710HF – 7’10”, heavy power, fast action, casting, ¾-3 oz. lure / Retail $350 • LBTG710XHF – 7’10”, extra-heavy power, fast action, casting, 2-5 oz. lure / Retail $360
Mojo Musky TRIGON Incorporating the anthropometric St. Croix TRIGON handle in both split-grip and modified full-grip configurations plus the all-new GRASP II angler-adaptable reel seat on all models, the reimagined Mojo Musky Series for 2025 presents anglers new levels of comfort, control, and choice in pursuit of monster masquinongy. Built on durable, angler-preferred SCIII carbon fiber blanks, Mojo Musky offers 17 versatile lengths, powers, and actions – ten existing and seven all-new – to support excellence in all musky presentations. Retail price is $280 to $380 with a five-year warranty.
• JOMFG76HF – 7’6”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action / Retail $285 • JOMSG710MF – 7’10”, split-grip, medium power, fast action / Retail $280 • JOMSG80MHF – 8’0”, split-grip, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $295 • JOMFG80HF – 8’0”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action / Retail $290 • JOMSG83HMF – 8’3”, split-grip, heavy power, moderate-fast action / Retail $295 • JOMSG86MHF – 8’6””, split-grip, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $295 • JOMSG86HF – 8’6””, split-grip, heavy power, fast action / Retail $295 • JOMFG86HF – 8’6”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action / Retail $300 • JOMFG86HFT – 8’6”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action, telescopic (90”) / Retail $370 • JOMFG86XHF – 8’6”, full-grip, extra-heavy power, fast action / Retail $305 • JOMSG90MHF – 9’0””, split-grip, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $310 • JOMSG90MHFT – 9’0””, split-grip, medium-heavy power, fast action, telescopic (94”) / Retail $350 • JOMFG90HF – 9’0”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action / Retail $305 • JOMFG90HFT – 9’0”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action, telescopic (94”) / Retail $370 • JOMFG90XHF – 9’0”, full-grip, extra-heavy power, fast action / Retail $320 • JOMSG96MHFT – 9’6””, split-grip, medium-heavy power, fast action, telescopic (94”) / Retail $360 • JOMFG96HFT – 9’6”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action, telescopic (94”) / Retail $380
Legend Tournament Musky All Legend Tournament Musky models have been updated with the all-new GRASP II angler-adaptable reel seat for 2025. Retail price for GRASP II models is $405 to $520. Handcrafted in the USA with a 15-year warranty.
• TMGF76HF – 7’6”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action / Retail $405 • TMGS710MF – 7’10”, split-grip, medium power, fast action / Retail $400 • TMGS80MHF – 8’0”, split-grip, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $410 • TMGF80HF – 8’0”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action / Retail $420 • TMGS83HMF – 8’3”, split-grip, heavy power, moderate-fast action / Retail $425 • TMGS86MHF – 8’6”, split-grip, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $430 • TMGS86HF – 8’6”, split-grip, heavy power, fast action / Retail $440 • TMGF86HF – 8’6”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action / Retail $445 • TMGF86HFT – 8’6”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action, telescopic (90”) / Retail $480 • TMGF86XHF – 8’6”, full-grip, extra-heavy power, fast action / Retail $450 • TMGS90MHF – 9’0”, split-grip, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $455 • TMGS90MHFT – 9’0”, split-grip, medium-heavy power, fast action, telescopic (94”) / Retail $455 • TMGF90HF – 9’0”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action / Retail $460 • TMGF90HFT – 9’0”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action, telescopic (94”) / Retail $460 • TMGF90XHF – 9’0”, full-grip, extra-heavy power, fast action / Retail $470 • TMGS96MHFT – 9’6”, split-grip, medium-heavy power, fast action, telescopic (94”) / Retail $495 • TMGF96HFT – 9’6”, full-grip, heavy power, fast action, telescopic (94”) / Retail $520
All-new GRASP II-equipped rods and series are available now at St. Croix Dealers worldwide and online at stcroixrods.com. #stcroixrods About St. Croix Rod Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Best Rods on Earth” for over 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with skilled craftsmanship, St. Croix is the only major producer to still build rods entirely from design through manufacturing. The company remains family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing facilities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With popular trademarked series such as Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all types of anglers from around the world. The St. Croix Family of brands includes St. Croix Rod, St. Croix Fly, SEVIIN Reels, and Rod Geeks.
The Abu Garcia Max PRO receives a stylish new look and innovative upgrades
Columbia, SC– The Abu Garcia Max PRO, part of the beloved Max family of spinning reels, has helped so many anglers enter the world of fishing over the past decade. Spinning reel technology has advanced significantly. During this time the Max PRO has stayed at the forefront leading the way with top-notch performance and loaded with features only found in this reel.
The Max PRO’s complete overhaul integrates a 7+1 stainless steel ball bearing system and a Carbon Matrix Drag System. Inspired by the Abu Garcia Revo and Zenon series of spinning reels, it provides anglers with a buttery smooth drag system normally only found in higher priced options. The Max PRO also features Abu Garcia’s Rocket Line Management system and Rocket Spool Lip design reducing wind knots and improving line control for a smooth day on the water.
Similar to its relatives in the Max family; the Max X and Max SX, the Max PRO features a lightweight graphite asymmetric body and the revolutionary V-Rotor and V-Spool design to help reduce weight and decrease start-up inertia. The Max PRO is also available as a rod-and-reel combo, which includes a 24-ton graphite blank with a high-density EVA handle for increased sensitivity and comfort. Additionally, the combo is equipped with an Abu-designed reel seat that enhances hand and blank contact, improving responsiveness and bite detection.
Key Features – Max PRO Spinning Reel • 7+1 stainless steel bearings • Carbon matrix drag system • Lightweight graphite A-Symmetric body design for a more compact design • V- Rotor design reduces weight and start up inertia • V- Spool design for a more compact, lighter weight spool • Rocket Line Management system helps reduce “wind knots” • Rocket Spool Lip allows for better line control • Gear Ratio: 6.2:1 • Weight: 8-9.9oz (following reel sizes) • Reel sizes: 750 • 2000 • 2500 • 3000 • 4000
MSRP: $79.99
Abu Garcia Max PRO Spinning Reel 1
Key Features – Max PRO Spinning Combo • 24-ton graphite construction for improved sensitivity • High density EVA for increased feel • Abu designed reel seat for increased hand/blank contact
MSRP: $99.99
The Abu Garcia Max PRO Spinning Reel and Combo is available now on abugarcia.com.
About Pure Fishing
Pure Fishing is a collection of the world’s favorite fishing brands. Every day, all around the world, someone experiences the joy of catching a fish with one of our products. From gear for epic battles at sea to a relaxing day with family at the lake, our portfolio includes the most recognized and admired brands in fishing tackle, lures, rods, reels and storage. Abu Garcia, Berkley, DAM, Fenwick, Fin-Nor, Frabill, Greys, Hardy, Hodgman, Johnson, JRC, Madcat, Mitchell, Penn, Pflueger, Plano, Prologic, Savage Gear, Shakespeare, SpiderWire, Stren, Ugly Stik and Van Staal.
In most of the Gulf States, the speckled seatrout is one of the most popular targets for anglers because they are often plentiful, aggressive, and willing to bite various lures. There are many ways to catch them, but wading for them is an excellent option as they typically stay close to the beach and allow anglers to be as stealthy as possible as they target them.
Noted Texas guide and tournament angler, Capt. Brett Sweeny of Matagorda specializes in inshore species such as redfish and trout and guides clients during the “trophy season” for trout in the winter. One of the best ways to target these spooky fish in shallow water is by wading and making precise casts to their hiding spots. It’s a nice change of pace for anglers accustomed to fishing from a boat, and Sweeny says it gives anglers the best chance at catching a trout of a lifetime.
Trophy Trout Time
Sweeny is looking for fish that weigh seven pounds or more or are twenty-eight inches long on the Texas Coast to classify as a trophy. He says the winter months are best for these fish, primarily because their diet changes and where they live.
“The trophy season usually starts around the first of the year, and by February and March, those fish are the heaviest they will be all year,” he said. “When it gets colder, they adjust their diet and eat more mullet. Plus, in that colder water, they don’t swim or travel as much to burn off as much of that food.”
Whether he’s guiding clients near his home in Matagorda or spending time further south in Port Mansfield as he does for long stretches every winter, the chance for a trophy trout is real every trip, and wading offers an excellent opportunity to catch them.
Wading for trout can be as simple as gaining access to a beach, walking out into the water, and casting, but Capt. Sweeny takes his clients to prime locations via boat, where they enter the water and stalk the shallows. He’s a huge fan of fishing this way because it’s effective and adds a hunting aspect to fishing.
“It’s more like hunting because you are creeping up and making casts to specific targets instead of just blind casting around,” he said. “Getting into the water makes you much more efficient than fishing from a boat and lets you work the holes in the grass more efficiently. The other benefit is less noise because these fish are very spooky, and they won’t hear the waves slap on the boat’s hull or anglers making noise as they walk around in the boat.”
What to Look For
Grass beds are critical habitat, and there is plenty to fish on the Gulf Coast. Sweeny looks for ambush areas, holes in the grass that they call potholes.
“In those big grass beds will be big sand holes in the middle, about the size of a truck, and it’s not just a bare spot but a little depression with slightly deeper water. That’s what you want to find,” he said. “Those fish are going to lay in there, right on the edge of the grass, and when mullet come into that pothole, it’s the perfect ambush point for a big trout.”
The water depth they fish ranges from “knee deep” to “belly button deep,” as Capt. Sweeny puts it. Even minor depth changes are enough to attract trout, and like everything in saltwater, tides make a difference.
“These depressions could only be 8 inches deeper, but that’s enough to hold those trout,” he said. “When it’s sunny, they’ll be in the shallower stuff, and as it gets colder, they’ll be in deeper holes. The best tides are typically incoming in the winter, but if you have some movement either way, it will be better fishing.”
Walking in waders, Sweeny and his clients move from one pothole to the next, and he says the anticipation of each new target is part of the fun.
“It’s easy to lay out a plan together as we creep up to the next pothole; it’s very visual, which is why everyone I take out likes it so much,” he said. “We can ease around and not make a bunch of noise, and it gives you a better chance to catch these fish since the water can be pretty clear this time of year.”
Targeting Trout in the Potholes
The aggressive attitude of trout, even in the colder months, allows them to be caught with several lures. Capt. Sweeny prefers suspending baits such as a MirrOlure Paul Brown’s Original or a “Corky,” as many know them, or Down South Lures Southern Shad paddle tail swimbait. He prefers natural mullet-imitating colors and fishes both on medium power rods with extra fast tips and a Bates Fishing Co. Salty reel spooled with 30 lb Seaguar TactX fluorocarbon with a five-foot leader of 25 lb Seaguar Gold Label fluorocarbon leader connected by a Double Uni knot.
“I like Gold Label because of how much thinner it is. I can go up a size and not lose anything, and I feel like it ties better knots because of how supple it is,” he said. “I also like the feel of TactX because I’m a four-strand guy, and it’s a very strong braid that casts great. It’s a personal preference, and I know some anglers doing this with the Smackdown braid.”
When fishing these lures, especially the suspending twitch bait, Capt. Sweeny mixes up his retrieves based on fish activity, but the pause is where many bites happen.
“I always like to go with two twitches of the rod and then a pause, almost like working a jerkbait for bass in freshwater,” he said. “You want to twitch the bait over that grass, and then you want it to sit as long inside that pothole as you can before you twitch it again.”
Casting accuracy is also critical for getting the best time inside the strike zone possible. “It’s important to make a good cast because if you miss the cast by a few feet, you’re going to be up on top of that grass bed, and they probably aren’t going to eat your bait,” he said. “That’s another reason why your line is so critical, and having a good casting line like TactX makes you that much more efficient.”
For a change of pace and a chance at a massive speckled trout, jump in and wade as you stalk the shallow water. It’s a surefire way to have fun and catch big trout during the winter months when they are at their biggest sizes of the entire year.
Seaguar TactX Camo Braid is available in 150- and 300-yard spools in 10 to 80 lb tests.
Seaguar Gold Label Fluorocarbon leader is available in twenty-five and fifty-yard spools in 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 & 12 lb tests for freshwater use, complementing the 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80 lb test leaders available for saltwater.
You have to be in the Right Place at the Right Time with the right tackle For 50-Pound Musky
By The Fishing Wire
Park Falls, WI –Duncannon, Pennsylvania fishing guide and St. Croix Rod Ambassador, Joe Raymond, must be living right. Almost a month to the day after catching a 7.1-pound personal-best smallmouth bass that many believe to be the largest ever recorded on the Susquehanna River, Raymond caught another fish that has the internet buzzing. This one, however, was over twice as long and seven times heavier. No, it wasn’t a smallmouth bass.
“I was taking some time off and bass fishing up at the St. Lawrence River,” says Raymond, who always carries musky gear on the deck of his Rockproof River Rocket when plying the waters of the storied fishery. “I’m not a musky expert… just an enthusiast,” Raymond emphasizes. “I was scouting some new spots for bass the night before the full moon. Some of my areas have been getting a lot more pressure, so I was just exploring on my day off.”
Raymond was marking bass and working some scattered rocks along a grass line at about 5:00 PM when his Legend X spinning rod doubled over.
“I hooked a three-pound bass and was fighting it back to the boat when I saw a big musky charge up with gills flared right underneath it,” Raymond recalls. He describes the fish as a bona fide supertanker. “This fish was as fired up to eat as they come, but I couldn’t throw back at it because I wasn’t rigged up,” he says. Raymond unhooked the bass and hurriedly grabbed his musky rod.
After tying on a substantial chunk of white rubber, Raymond started fan casting with his Legend Elite Musky LEM86HF. “I couldn’t locate the fish on my electronics, so I was just casting and ripping the bait along that grass line,” he says. After about 20 minutes of rip… pause… rip, Raymond says his lure hard-stopped and he set the hooks into “all the weight in the world.”
The St. Lawrence River has some of the biggest muskies to be found anywhere and claims a historical world record – a 69-15 fish caught by Arthur Lawton in 1957. “Historical” because although the catch is still recognized as the NY state record by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, it was disallowed as a world record by both the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and the International Game Fish Association amidst much controversy – like so many other old musky records. That said, there’s no arguing that the St. Lawrence has produced numerous documented muskies over 50 pounds. Over the past few years, Raymond himself had already caught three fish there 55 inches or greater.
And he suspected the fish he was tied to might be his biggest yet.
“I was pretty sure the fish with my lure in its mouth was the same giant that had followed my bass to the boat,” Raymond says. “It was fighting like crazy… just dug and dug and dug, but I’ve been fooled before; I’ve caught 44-inchers that I swore were going to be a whole lot bigger. I had my drag totally locked down and was giving this fish everything my equipment and I had to get it into the net as quickly as possible.” When he got the fish near the boat, his suspicions were confirmed. “I’m sure it was the same fish,” he says. “Long, deep, and incredibly girthy all the way down through its tail. The fish was still punching and surging, but I saw it was well hooked, so I backed off the drag a half turn. I knew I had her.”
Raymond slid the giant into his net. He taped the fish at 55” long and 27” around.
“I was shaking and just wishing someone else was there to share the experience,” says Raymond, who spotted some people on a nearby beach and idled over with the fish in the net to ask for their help with a couple of photos. “They were interested in what I’d caught and were happy to help. They were so nice,” he says. While Raymond didn’t weigh the fish, he speculates it was somewhere just north of 50 pounds, making it the heaviest of his life — a statement backed up by common musky length/girth weight calculators.
After a couple quick photos, Raymond spent a few minutes observing the fish in the water before releasing it and watching the tank swim away.
Takeaways
When reflecting on the experience, Raymond wouldn’t comment on whether or not “living right” has anything to do with his recent good-fishing fortunes. But he does offer a few observations.
“If you spend enough time on the water you’re going to run into big fish,” he says. “And if you are spending that much time on the water, you’re going to have learned a lot and be a good angler. I don’t think there’s any more to it than that. I’m on the water all the time and it increases my odds of big-fish encounters.”
Raymond says he was fortunate to locate a trophy fish on a body of water known for giant muskies at the right time. “Anyone who puts time in chasing muskies knows what a grind it usually is,” he says. “Timing definitely matters. You can go days without catching or even moving one, then you hit a feeding window and the switch flips and you might see and catch several. That’s why I don’t guide for muskies; I really don’t want that kind of pressure… plus, I don’t want to ruin musky fishing for myself. I caught that big smallmouth on the same lunar period a month earlier – the day before the full moon. I was lucky to find both of those fish right when they were ready to eat.”
While Raymond wasn’t targeting muskies, he was prepared with the proper gear because of his knowledge of the fishery and his previous experiences there. “Like I said, I’m no musky expert, but I do make my living on the water, so I know the value of being prepared with the right equipment to take advantage of opportunities,” says Raymond, whose favored all-around musky setup is a St. Croix Legend Elite Musky 8’6” heavy power, fast action rod paired to a Tranx 400 reel spooled with 80-pound Smackdown braid tied with an FG knot directly to a custom Seaguar AbrazX 130-pound fluorocarbon leader.
“The 86HF is simply the most versatile musky rod you can get and anyone who’s fished the Legend Elite version will tell you it’s in a class by itself. It’s amazing how a rod that powerful can feel so unbelievably light. There’s always one in my rod locker when I’m fishing anywhere near muskies.”
Finally, Raymond dives into big muskies and what makes them so special… and so vulnerable.
“There have been fish like mine – and bigger – caught all up and down the St. Lawrence in the past decades,” Raymond says, “but they are becoming fewer and fewer. It’s sad to see what’s happened here. It’s still a viable destination and there are monsters here, just not as many. The water has really cleared up because of the zebra and quagga mussels, which has reduced the amount of grass and altered the fishery. And then you’ve got the VHS virus plus all the gobies eating most of the musky eggs. I don’t think the outlook is good. We don’t really see small fish here anymore, which is a bad sign.”
Raymond says if you are fortunate enough to catch one of these big, old St. Lawrence muskies – or a big musky anywhere – you’ve really got to be extra careful with them. “Other than taking a couple of photos and measuring it, this fish was kept in the water the whole time. That’s important. And when you do take them out, despite their size and how resilient they may seem, they’re actually more fragile than about any other trophy fish. Gravity alone can injure a fish like this, so how you lift and handle them matters.”
Whether you fish the St. Lawrence River or any other body of water where muskies swim, trophy fish time is happening right now and will continue through ice up. So, follow Raymond’s advice and get out on the water. They may be known as the “fish of ten-thousand casts,” but one of those casts could end with the fish of a lifetime.
Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Best Rods on Earth” for over 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with skilled craftsmanship, St. Croix is the only major producer to still build rods entirely from design through manufacturing. The company remains family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing facilities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With popular trademarked series such as Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all types of anglers from around the world.
Lately bad boat and trailer luck has turned into good fishing luck for me. The last two trips have started as near disasters. And the last one almost ended in a disaster. Add to that Doctor Hopkins diagnosis of “Fisherman’s” or Tennis Elbow causing pain on every cast and it has been interesting!
Last Sunday 11 members of the Spalding County Sportsman Club fished our September tournament at Lake Oconee. After fishing from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM we brought 23 keeper largemouth longer than the 14-inch size limit and weighing about 44 pounds to the scales. There were three five fish limits and two fishermen zeroed.
I won with five weighing 12.28 pounds and my 5.63 pound largemouth was big fish. Niles Murray had five at 10.63 pounds for second, Kwong Yu was third with five weighing 7.63 pounds and Jay Gerson placed fourth with two at 4.16 pounds.
I started out pretty good catching two bass before 7:30 but they barely touched the 14-inch line on my keeper board. In the next hour I landed two more keepers about 15 inches long and one short fish. All those fish hit a weightless Trick worm around grass.
By 10:30 the sun was high and I had not gotten another bite. I idled back into a cove where I had seen a brush pile, stopped and scanned around with my Panoptix looking for it. As the beam passed a post out from the bank, I saw a blip that looked like a fish, holding on the side of the post about three feet down.
I cast to the post and saw my jig swing away from it as it sank. The next cast went over a bar on the post and I saw the blip move off. I figured I had scared the fish then noticed my line was following it!
When I set the hook the five-pounder jumped past the bar my line was on and my heart stopped. I just knew it would break my line on the post or bar or get wrapped around it. Since I was fishing by myself I had to ease the boat to the bar, pick up my net with one hand, reach over the bar and somehow pull the fish to the net with the rod in my other hand.
It worked!
I fished hard the rest of the day hoping to cull the two squeaker keepers I had caught early but caught nothing but 13-inch fish. Then, with five minutes left to fish, I pitched my jig to a dock, the line moved off and I landed a 15-inch fish.
Two weeks ago when I went out to get my boat ready to go to Bartletts Ferry my motor would not trim up, the motor was burned out. So Thursday morning I went to Bartletts Ferry near Columbus going through Gainesville on the way to get a new trim motor.
Last Thursday when I unhooked my boat at the barn to load my camper, I saw a flat tire on my trailer. When I got the spare out I remembered how bad it was. Luckily Biles Tire in Jackson had two in stock and quicky put two new ones on to get me on my way to Oconee.
Monday when I loaded my camper I extended one of my jack poles and broke the shear pin. I had to take that leg off and load the camper using three poles, a scary ordeal. When I got to the barn I was able to replace the shear pin, I carry four extra just in case, and after a few mistakes got the camper off the truck.
As I write this I am getting ready to go load up my boat and camper and head to Bartletts Ferry for the Sportsman Club Classic on Sunday.
I hope I have used up my bad luck, but not my good luck!!
The physical demands to anglers engaged in chucking and winding behemoth, water-resistant baits over extended periods are high. St. Croix’s innovative GRASP reel seat addressed this in 2023 with a significant design adaptation promoting wrist-to-forearm alignment throughout the casting, retrieving, and fish-fighting phases. The result? A reduction in both angler fatigue and the potential for injury, allowing anglers to fish large lures longer, safer, and more comfortably.
