Category Archives: Fishing Tackle

Rods and reels to live bait

How Rod Handles Are Made from St Croix

HOW IT’S MADE

Rod HANDLES

St. Croix delivers the Best Rods on Earth by combining angler-driven research and development, industry-leading design an innovation gained from 75 years of experience, the highest-quality materials, passionate and precise craftsmanship from people who care, and the most advanced rod-manufacturing facilities in the world. All of these things contribute to the pride and satisfaction you feel when you fish one of our rods, but we never assume that’s enough.

Handle design is a key factor is fishing-rod design. While a rod’s blank – its materials, length, power, and action – forms the foundation for how it will perform, its handle dictates how the angler will interface with the rod and, ultimately, experience that performance.

Being an angler-driven company, St. Croix is constantly leveraging angler feedback. Our deep and diverse angling staff – from professional guides and tournament anglers to hardcore fishing-lifestyle enthusiasts – is one of our most valuable resources. We rely heavily on these and other anglers to help increase our understanding of the nuances of how each of our rods are used in various techniques and presentations. This helps or Product and Engineering Teams design handles that maximize both comfort and performance.

Handle Materials

St. Croix uses a variety of handle materials from traditional premium cork and premium EVA, to ultra-durable agglomerated cork, cork composite, carbon fiber, and other proprietary materials like Xtreme-Skin. Many of our handle designs combine these materials. These proven materials are specified on different rod models depending on how and where the subject rods will be used. Comfort, durability, energy transmission, and a rod’s target price point are a few of the primary factors that guide these decisions.

Handle Design

Handle design – its form, dimensions, proportions, and how it blends with the reel seat and blank – is largely dictated by angler trends, meaning how a specific rod will be used.

“Handle design on a new rod starts with a product brief for that particular rod series,” says St. Croix Engineering Supervisor, Gavin Falk. “We’re looking at what the rod is and how it will be used, then investigating things like how anglers position their hands when using those techniques. The product brief also considers the price point we want the new rod series to sell at. These factors help us decide the basic handle-design parameters, as well as our options for materials. We come up with preliminary designs and then start testing those designs through production.”

St. Croix Rod Hybrid Cork and Premium EVA Grip

Falk says in-house 3-D printing technology has significantly evolved St. Croix’s handle-design capabilities. “Once we have a preliminary design, we can print a grip the same day it is modeled,” he says. “We build test rods with those 3-D-printed grips and let our team of beta testers fish them. We take their feedback concerning functionality and aesthetics and can quickly make adjustments. We check specs, refine designs, confirm fit with reel seats, then 3-D print the next versions. Once the design has been confirmed, we design accent pieces and build versions with the actual materials. Those designs are then re-tested and confirmed in the field. We repeat the process until everything is finalized.”

The handle-design process results in detailed engineering drawings for each specific rod model. Those documents also specify the materials, and procedures – order of operations, gluing, the use of any arboring materials, etc. – for assembling the handles onto the rods on the manufacturing floor. “We source our various handle materials from a handful of trusted suppliers from around the world,” Falk says. “These are relationships we’ve worked very hard to build and maintain. Whether it’s cork, carbon fiber, or another material, everything is provided to our demanding specifications, so we know exactly what we’re getting.”

From the proprietary Xtreme Skin handles found on Legend Xtreme and Legend Xtreme Inshore and the carbon handles on our various Onchor models, to our GRASP-equipped handles on Legend Tournament Musky and select bass-fishing swimbait models, St. Croix is continually innovating handle design for the benefit of anglers. Combining materials – like premium cork, premium EVA, and soft rubber gimble butt caps on select inshore spinning models – is another way that we’re pushing the limits of rod-handle design to better support the ways anglers fish. Additionally, new materials like St. Croix’s agglomerated cork used on Skandic Ice and new Avid Inshore rods deliver all the benefits of traditional cork but with greatly increased durability.

“Xtreme Skin is designed not only for angler comfort, but also for maximum energy transmission,” Falk says. “Similarly, the carbon handles on select Onchor Salmon and Steelhead models are very lightweight and durable but are also easy to keep clean and come in and out of rod holders easily by design,” he adds. “GRASP helps anglers fish longer by minimizing wrist fatigue during physically demanding presentations like musky fishing or while casting heavy swimbaits. And we’re seeing how our new ultra-durable agglomerated cork material keeps handles looking and fishing like new in demanding environments like those experienced during inshore saltwater and ice fishing.”

Introducing TRIGON

St. Croix also carefully considers ergonomics. Ergonomics is a science focused on the study of “human fit” through what’s known as anthropometric data – the various measurements of the human body. In the case of St. Croix’s handle program, the latest example of ergonomic design comes in the form of an all-new TRIGON handle and accompanying Dynamix reel seat, carefully conceived to improve angler control while decreasing fatigue and discomfort.

“Our unique TRIGON handle recognizes that the human hand does not form a circle when closed, so we’re no longer limiting our handle designs to cylindrical forms,” says St. Croix Brand Manager, Ryan Teach. “TRIGON features a curved, triangular profile with a rounded inner apex and a flattened top curve to better fit the human hand. The results are a more comfortable grip so anglers can fish longer while exercising increased control to maximize power and accuracy.”

Teach adds that St. Croix’s use of the word ergonomic in its description the TRIGON handle is both valid and earned. “TRIGON’s design is based on actual anthropometric data of the human hand,” he says. “We went to one of the foremost experts in the field to make sure we got it right.”

St. Croix engineers partnered with renown industrial designer, Paul Richardson of Rise Creative, over the past two years to perfect the TRIGON handle design and accompanying Dynamix reel seat. “TRIGON’s inner apex – the triangular point on the lower part of the grip promotes greater hand-to-blank alignment for dramatically improved control,” Richardson says. “Meanwhile, the flattened top curve of TRIGON creates greater hand comfort, which ultimately reduces fatigue and supports longer, more comfortable fishing. And the design’s benefits are further increased in the way of control when the angler moves his or her thumb to the flattened top curve. The accompanying Dynamix reel seat has been specifically designed to fully support TRIGON’s benefits by meshing perfectly with its unique profiles.”

“In order to accomplish the aggressive design dimensional points in the TRIGON design, traditional cork forming could not be used,” Teach says. “In addition to being ultra durable, agglomerated cork is completely customizable and represented the ideal material to support TRIGON’s complex dimensional specifications.”

Think of TRIGON as a bionic extension of yourself – the ultimate interface between an angler and their most important tool. The new TRIGON handle and Dynamix reel seat will be introduced this month at ICAST 2023 on St. Croix’s popular Mojo Bass Series, which has been updated, refreshed, and expanded for 2024. New Mojo Bass TRIGON rods will be available to anglers at St. Croix dealers worldwide beginning August 1.

BERKLEY “CULLS” POWERBAIT CULLSHAD SWIMBAIT, OFFERING CONSUMERS FREE REPLACEMENT BAIT

Due to manufacturing defects, BERKLEY “CULLS” POWERBAIT CULLSHAD SWIMBAIT, OFFERING CONSUMERS FREE REPLACEMENT BAIT

COLUMBIA, S.C. – In Spring 2023, Berkley Fishing introduced the CullShad to a great deal of fanfare and success among top-tier tournament anglers. After releasing the first batch of product to retailers, the quality assurance team at the company identified that this run of product did not live up to the company’s high standards and the Berkley promise to help anglers catch more fish. The issues include inconsistencies in the bait’s hardness and some deformities, both of which have negatively compromised the bait’s action which does not allow it to work as designed.

Berkley’s commitment remains to provide anglers with scientifically-backed baits that surpass expectations, so the company is enacting a plan to get a new batch of properly manufactured baits in the hands of anglers as quickly as possible.

To accomplish this, anyone who has purchased a CullShad is being asked to help the company “cull” them. Berkley will replace any purchased CullShad at no cost with one that performs as it should. There is no need to return anything but rather follow these simple and straightforward instructions to receive a replacement CullShad in the same color and size that meets the high standards established in the design process:

Take a picture of your CullShad(s) on or next to a piece of paper detailing your name and the date you’re submitting the photo.
Visit www.berkley-fishing.com/cullshad-replacement or use the QR code below to initiate the replacement process and upload your photo.

Fill in the required information and click submit. You should receive a confirmation email from Berkley.
All replacement requests must be received by July 31, 2023.
Replacement CullShad(s) will be shipped by the end of August.

The team at Berkley has identified the cause of the issues and are already in production of the next round of baits that meet our stringent standards. By the end of August, the new round of baits will be sent to consumers to replace the previously released baits and we will resume shipping to retailers.

“We take great pride in the Berkley CullShad and firmly support its innovative design, which provides consumers with a fresh perspective on swimbaits,” said Berkley’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, Jon Schlosser. “We have a responsibility to anglers nationwide to guarantee that each product performs according to its intended design. Therefore, we are proactively taking steps to address the concerns related to the CullShad by implementing a replacement program for affected customers, aiming to ensure their utmost satisfaction in light of the inconsistencies found within the first batch of baits.”

Our commitment to our customers and anglers is to continue to develop and introduce the world’s best baits. We appreciate your help ensuring that only the best CullShads survive.

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®, All Star®, Berkley®, Fenwick®, Fin-Nor®, Frabill®, Greys®, Hardy®, Hodgman®, Johnson®, JRC®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Pflueger®, Plano®, Shakespeare®, SpiderWire®, Stren®, Ugly Stik® and Van Staal®.

EARLY SUMMER MUSKY STRATEGIES

St Croix Rod Pros Offer EARLY SUMMER MUSKY STRATEGIES

June 13, 2023

Top musky sticks share tips on finding and hooking more fish during June and July

While anglers in states like Indiana and West Virginia have been targeting Esox masquinongy since ice out, others in key musky states like Wisconsin and Minnesota have been anxiously awaiting their season openers. Musky season opens June 3 in Minnesota and between May 6 and June 1 in Wisconsin, depending on location.

St. Croix pros Rob Manthei of Wisconsin, Brad Hoppe of Minnesota, and Chase Gibson of West Virginia all make a living chasing muskies. We asked each of them to share their insights and strategies for finding and hooking muskies during the months of June and July.

Rob Manthei, Northern Wisconsin

Rob Manthei has fished the fabled musky waters of Vilas, Oneida, and Iron Counties in Northern Wisconsin all of his life and has guided clients there for 28 years. He says specific strategies at season open depend on the weather and water temperatures.

“Every musky angler in Wisconsin is at the mercy of our May weather patterns,” Manthei says. “In a normal year we’ll often have a mid-May spawn here in Northern Wisconsin, but it’s been a late spring so I’m expecting we may still have some spawning going on into early June.”

Muskies are broadcast spawners, meaning they pair up, spawn, and lay their eggs in shallow, soft-bottomed areas when water temperatures reach the mid-to-upper-50-degree range. “During a late spring like we’ve had this year, everything with the spawn tends to happen more quickly once it starts,” Manthei says. “The spawn will last from five days to two weeks, then the fish move out of the shallow spawning bays and into adjacent key transition areas. I’ll be looking around those shallow spawning bays for any emerging weed growth, wood, or boulders along the shoreline.”

Manthei says the general rule is smaller presentations for post-spawn muskies, but he regularly bucks that trend. “I let the fish tell me what they want,” he says. “If I see muskies grabbing my 13”-15” walleyes prior to the opener, that tells me I can come out of the gate with a bigger presentation. Generally, though, I’m sticking to 6”-7” minnow baits and smaller ¾-ounce to 1-1/2-ounce single-blade bucktails. I really like twitching small minnow baits and small gliders in the early days of the season.”

Manthei says an 8’ or 9’ medium-heavy power rod like the St. Croix Legend Tournament Musky LMTSC90MHF GRINDER or LMTSC80MHF TOP-N-TAIL excels in these smaller-bait presentations. “These Legend Tournament models are well balanced and cast even a ¾-ounce bait a mile,” says Manthei, who completes his downsized bait system with a 6.4:1 reel spooled with 65-pound or 80-pound Seaguar Threadlock braid.

“By late June, I’ll typically also start looking to bigger lakes with healthy cisco populations,” Manthei says. “A lot of muskies will move out after the spawn and suspend, fattening up on ciscoes. I use side imaging or Active Target on my Lowrance to look for the suspended bait and predators in the first open basins adjacent to the spawning bays. “They’re easy to find with electronics, but if you don’t have them, just focus on the top ten feet of the water column,” Manthei advises. “Most times the bait will only be 5’-9’ down, and it may push even closer to the surface in the evening.”

Some of the baits Manthei regularly employs in such situations include a Musky Innovations Magnum Swimmin’ Dawg swim bait or a suspending, diving crank like the Drifter Triple D or Livingston Rachel.

“You’re basically just using an open-water retrieve with the swimbait; just count it down to your target depth and start cranking steady with some occasional brief bursts with the reel handle,” Manthei says. “With the lipped diving baits, you just want to crank it down to depth, then give it a big twitch and pause. Make the bait appear injured.” For these open-water presentations with full-sized baits, Manthei casts a heavy power Legend Tournament Musky LMTSC86HF SLING BLADE or LMTSC90HF BIG NASTY rod.

He says the suspended basin bite on the lakes he fishes remains strong through mid-July, although the fish may push deeper depending on temperatures and the thermocline.

Weed flats and edges also come into play for Manthei by the end of June and the start of July. “The cabbage beds have matured on most of my favorite lakes by then,” he says. “I always fish the 7’-to-12’ green cabbage beds first, but the coontail will hold a lot of fish once it matures as well.” Manthei studies the composition and contours of each bed, looking for prime, predator-holding ambush spots like inside turns, points, and pockets. He may fish big bucktails, large jerk baits, glide baits, or other offerings in and around the weeds, depending on the situation at hand.

Brad Hoppe, Minnesota

Brad Hoppe has owned and operated Musky Mayhem Guide Service in the waters of West-Central Minnesota for the past 23 years and owns Musky Mayhem Tackle with his wife, Carrie. He also hosts Mayhems 10K Casts TV on KOTV, Roku, and YouTube along with co-host Chase Gibson.

“Musky season opens the first Saturday of June in Minnesota,” the St. Croix pro says. “This year, that’s June 3, and the spawn should have happened by then. When we get this late but rapid warm-up, spawning usually only lasts for 7 or10 days, so even if it’s still happening during the opener, chances are it won’t last long.”

Hoppe says he typically looks for two things in the month of June. “As fish wrap up spawning, I’m looking for transition areas close to those shallow spawning grounds,” he says. “Those first breaks towards deeper water, early cabbage lines, sand and gravel… stuff like that.”

Like Manthei, Hoppe says he often cuts against the grain of conventional early-season musky thinking and opts to cast big baits. “Right after the spawn, those fish haven’t eaten,” he says. “So, I’ll go big and slow down to offer them a really big and easy meal.”

Hoppe most often finds himself casting giant spinnerbaits like Musky Mayhem Double Cowgirls and Detonators, as well as large rubber baits on a St. Croix Legend Tournament Musky 9’6” heavy power BLADEMASTER II rod (LMTFC96HFT). “I’ll slow the retrieve way down on the blade baits and minimize speed and action on the rubber lures as well… really just small hops on a slow retrieve,” he says, adding that the full cork and EVA handle and GRASP reel seat on the BLADEMASTER II help to alleviate the fatigue that can otherwise limit efficiency when casting and retrieving such large, water-resistant lures. “This rod is incredibly light in the hand for such a big, powerful stick,” he says. “And the ergonomics of the GRASP reel seat and hybrid full-handle design only add to its unique capabilities.”

The second thing Hoppe looks for in June is suspended fish. “I always look forward to this, especially with some of my older clients who have trouble casting for long periods of time,” he says. “Open-water trolling is very effective in lakes with whitefish and cisco populations during the early summer. The muskies push out after spawning and set up around the schools of suspended bait.” Hoppe says a variety of lures are effective for open-water trolling and often chooses baits based on forage species and the depth where they’re located. “We’re usually dragging bigger plugs like 10” and 12” Supernatural Headlocks and Matlocks, 13” Grandmas, or 10” Phantom Hex on St. Croix Mojo Musky Trolling rods. These heavy and extra-heavy power moderate action rods are crafted from a hybrid of SCII carbon and linear s-glass, so they are incredibly durable, which is what you need when a big musky crashes a giant plug that’s already got the rod loaded up. I’ll run the shorter 7’ rods as down rods and the longer ones on the planer boards.”

Hoppe says the thermocline starts to develop in many of the lakes he fishes around the beginning of July. “Once that happens, I stop targeting suspended fish, because they often come up to hit the plugs from a little too deep and I don’t want to compromise a safe release,” he says. “Instead, I’ll position the boat in 20’ of water or so and start casting to 8’-12’ primary break lines. Sideview or live sonar will show you when open-water fish start moving in towards these weed lines, but the transition is usually complete by mid-July.”

Hoppe says baits vary from day to day, depending on the cover, the mood of the fish, and available forage. “If the muskies are hanging deeper, I’ll use a Musky Mayhem Grenade,” he says. “This is a 13”, five-ounce weight-forward tail-bladed spinner specifically designed for fishing deep weed edges. The depth is key; Using my electronics I can confirm where fish are hanging and use other lures like Red October tubes, Cowgirls, Bulldawgs, or Medusas to cover any part of the water column I might need,” says Hoppe, adding that he effectively presents all these offerings on the same St. Croix Legend Tournament Musky BLADEMASTER II (LMTFC96HFT) rod. “I’ll switch to the new BLUE OX (LMTFC90XHF) model if I’m fishing really big rubber,” he adds.

Tactics change again when the fish disappear completely into the weeds. “Look for the freshest, greenest weeds,” Hoppe advises. “Cabbage first, coontail second, and speed up your retrieves. You can downsize your bait when fishing over or through the weeds to lures like Rapid Squirrels, smaller Double Cowgirls, or tubes. Grenades go through the weeds well, too,” adds Hoppe, who pairs his BLADEMASTER II rod with a 400- or 500-size mid-speed Tranx reel.

Chase Gibson, West Virginia

Chase Gibson of Bridgeport, West Virginia is a fishing guide, co-host of Mayhem 10K Casts TV with Hoppe, and owner of Muskiebumper Bump Boards. There’s no closed musky season in West Virginia, so Gibson starts fishing at ice-out and stays in the Mountain State – also fishing in Ohio – before moving up to Minnesota from mid-July through October.

“Our West Virginia reservoirs are loaded with shad, crappie and standing timber, so these are some of the factors that make musky fishing here unique,” he says. “Our thermoclines set up by mid-June, and muskies will suspend in deep, timbered coves, as well as out in open water.”

Gibson says jigging with Bondy Baits is a staple presentation in June and July. “The 9-foot BLUE OX is a great jigging rod,” Gibson says. “Its shorter length makes it easy to maintain control while moving around the trees.”

Gibson jigs with100-pound Cortland Masterbraid spooled on a Tranx 500 high-speed reel and generally follows one of two alternate jigging cadences. “Less popular is the taller stroke,” he says. “That means lifting the tip of the rod from the surface of water up to about eye level… maybe a five or six-foot stroke. More often a shorter, faster, snap-jigging technique is most effective. This more aggressive motion moves the rod tip from the surface of the water up to about waist level, then you drop it back down as fast as you can on a tight line. You’re looking to just make them eat it… it’s more of a reactionary-type strike.”

Which jigging cadence Gibson uses ultimately depends on the fish’s activity level. “Using live sonar is very helpful in adjusting your presentation to match the fish’s mood,” he says.

If jigging isn’t working, Gibson will back out and bomb casts into the timber with a black nickel colored Detonator. “I’ll start with a medium-fast retrieve and once the lure gets about halfway back to the boat I’ll speed up and burn it the rest of the way in,” he says. “This gets a lot of follows and they’ll usually eat it on the first turn at the boat.”

Gibson says Cowgirls, Medusa, and Bulldawgs work well for timber-casting, too. “A lot of times I’ll put an extra 1.5 ounces of weight on the front hook hanger to get those rubber baits down faster and keep them running a bit deeper,” he says. “I fish these rubber baits on the Legend Tournament Musky BLUE OX rod and snap-rip them as fast as I can.” Gibson adds that a Musky Innovations Dyin’ Dog has a great dive-and-rise action that works great when muskies are neutral or negative.

Like Hoppe, Gibson is also a fan of trolling when muskies are suspended in open water and terrorizing balls of abundant shad. “We’ll run a planer-board rod, an out rod, and a down rod on each side of the boat and just follow the river channel at 4-4.6 MPH,” he says. Gibson runs bucktails with an eight-ounce weight on the leader in front on the down rods, about 8-10 feet down right in the propwash. He prefers Llungen Lures .22 Short crankbaits on the out rods and planer-board rods.

“Rod choice is a key consideration when trolling,” Gibson says. “You’re pulling big, heavy lures at high speed, so those rods are already under a significant load before a fish even hits. You need extremely durable rods to stand up to the abuse. St. Croix Mojo Musky Trolling series rods have tons of power and strength with a moderate action that really helps absorb shock and keep hooks where they belong throughout the fight.”

Wherever you’re located within musky country, the months of June and July signal game on for pursuing North America’s top freshwater predator. Follow the advice of our pros to more fish-holding locations, more follows, and more fish boatside in the net or cradle.

St Croix Rods Says We’re Giving Away 75 Premier Rods!

This Saturday, June 14, so register for one of their spinning rods to be given away online!

Northland Fishing Tackle PRO SLINGS NEW PLASTICS TO WALLEYE TOURNAMENT SUCCESS

PRO SLINGS NEW PLASTICS TO TOURNAMENT SUCCESS

from The Fishing Wire

BEMIDJI, Minn. – Recent exposure via tournament websites, social media, and TV has created a wildfire of interest in a brand-new line of walleye soft plastics from Northland Fishing Tackle. Aptly-named “Eye Candy™,” an extensive team of tournament pros, guides, influencers, and product designers put the paces through countless iterations of shapes and actions to provide walleye anglers with the best new soft plastics on the walleye scene.

Fact: Northland Tackle’s Eye Candy™ wasn’t intended to launch yet. However, given the success Northland team pros have been fishing the baits, the company decided to ramp up production to provide anglers of all walks with the winning walleye baits.

“We’ve been fishing the snot out of these plastics for over a year and feel super confident in the designs. Given what Tom Hunyh has been doing with them on the NWT and AIM trails and Jason Mitchell is doing via TV and social on the waters he visits, what Brad Hawthorne, Bro, and Nick Lindner are doing with them between Mille Lacs and the north, we knew we had to get them into the hands of walleye anglers everywhere now,” says Northland Fishing Tackle’s Marketing Director, Mike Anselmo.

Huynh Dials In Winnebago NWT Bite with NEW Northland Eye Candy™

Case in point, top-placing NWT/AIM tournament and Northland Tackle walleye pro, Tom Huynh, has been using Eye Candy™ since the first NWT event on the Illinois River this past March. Since, he’s used the new soft plastics to top-finishing tournament success.

“The recent NWT tournament on Lake Winnebago was my first introduction to the lake. The day before I got there I looked at my maps and put a plan together, but my plan to fish the big lake soon changed. Our Airbnb was on one of the upper lakes and there was a little two-boat launch right across the street, so I used that during pre-fishing,” says Huynh.

“Rather than trek over to Winnebago, I got sidetracked in a shallow, tea-colored lake attached to Winnebago by a river—and decided to look around. I caught a few random fish here and there without a pattern until I found an old river channel that looked almost like a shell bed on my SideVu. I was marking fish like crazy: catfish, drum, white bass, walleyes, and sturgeon. With that many species, running LiveScope wasn’t easy. I had to cast at every single fish I saw to gauge their reaction and figure out what they were,” notes Huynh.

“After a couple of days, I learned to recognize the reactions of the white bass and drum. The two species that seemed to act about the same were catfish and walleyes. So, for every two or three 10-12 pound catfish I’d catch, I’d hook a 3-pound or better walleye. After I figured that out I was catching 5 or 6 walleyes a day during pre-fish without even entering the big lake. I knew the historical weights for Winnebago tournaments, and since what I was catching were good fish, we decided to stay there. On the Monday and Tuesday before the tournament we had between 13 and 15 pounds each day, so we figured if we could do that in the tournament we’d make the top 10,” adds Huynh.

Huynh says it took him until the last day of pre-fishing to really dial in his presentation.

“Basically, I used the same black Northland Eye Candy™ Grub I used on the Illinois River—actually still the same bag of baits—and threaded it on a 1/8-ounce black Northland Tungsten Jig. It just seemed to cast the right silhouette in the stained water to get bit,” divulges Huynh.

This isn’t the first tournament that Tom has relied on black to either win or place in the Top 10.

“Every single fish I’ve caught in a tournament this year casting has been on a solid black Northland Tungsten Jig—either regular shank or short-shank. Not one fish has come on anything else. For Winnebago, I paired that Northland Eye Candy Grub in black with a black Northland Tungsten. I thought I had an extra bag of the plastics in my boat, but I left them in another tote at home, so I had to rely on the few baits I had. Luckily, they’re made of a super-tough and spongy TPE plastic that holds up to dozens of fish on just one plastic. You don’t burn through ‘em. So I had just enough to do the job. I also caught a couple fish on a minnow and Northland Tungsten, too,” laughs Huynh.

“However, if it hadn’t been for the Eye Candy™ plastics and their crazy ability to hold the scent I use, I don’t think I would have been able to dial in the first two good bites of the tournament that put us into 2nd place,” adds Huynh.

Huynh adds that the Winnebago NWT tournament May 17-18 was the first event this year where he and a partner were able to catch decent-size walleyes.

“I ended up catching two 4’s and a 5-pounder with my other fish. It all came down to the entire system—a black Northland Tungsten jighead, the new Northland Eye Candy™ Grub in black, 10-pound high-vis Daiwa J-Braid Grand X8 to 8-pound Daiwa fluorocarbon, and a Daiwa Kage 1000 spinning reel on a Rosemore rod. The 1000 size reel keeps me from horsing big walleyes in on small jigs and hooks.”

Huynh says he “couldn’t be happier” with the 2^nd Place NWT finish that he ended up with, especially considering he figured out a system with no prior knowledge or experience on the Winnebago system coming into the event. Huynh cashed a $24,122 check plus a Garmin contingency award.

Northland Short-Shank Tungstens Crack Leech Lake ‘Eyes

Following the Winnebago NWT, Huynh bee-lined to Leech Lake, Minnesota, to fish an AIM Tournament—and admits the timing was “completely out of his element” although he and co-angler Nate Wolske have a history of top finishes there.

“We’d never fished Leech that early in the season,” says Hunyh. “We’d won there in the summer and knew how to seasonally pattern those fish, but cold water was completely out of our wheelhouse.”

“The water was 48-49 degrees in the morning so I knew our chance of fishing plastics was fairly slim, but we did get a few bites on Eye Candy. So we switched to minnows tipped on 1/8-ounce Northland Short-Shank Jigs—again, in black,” says Huynh.

Huynh notes that partner Nate Wolske hadn’t fished black Short-Shank Tungsten Jigs to date and was mystified by what happened with a simple change in jig color.

“Nate turned to me and said, ‘I just don’t get it. They’ll hit these black jigs a lot quicker and way more often.’ So, we both used black Short-Shank Tungsten Jigs for every single cast of the Leech Lake Tournament—and it put us in 2^nd place at the end of the event,” shares Huynh.

Hunyh says the difficulty was getting the big females to bite, which had been squirting eggs only a few days prior to the event.

“The big girls were in a funk,” says Huynh. “They don’t come off the spawn and just start eating. They’re exhausted. So they go and stage somewhere. If something comes right at them and it’s convenient, they’ll eat it, but they’re not going to chase anything down.”

Huynh explains: “So we had to slow our presentations way-way down. And the fish weren’t positioned on our electronics like they typically are. They were really close to the bottom making it hard to differentiate walleyes from rocks. Then you’d see a rock move on the screen and we’d get bit and set the hook, but a lot times the jig came back clean, no fish, even though we were fishing our typical routine. They were biting and eating so light that the dense Short-Shank Tungsten was absolutely critical, especially considering we were casting 40- to 50-feet out. With the tungsten you could actually feel the walleyes put the bait in their mouth, a sensation that would carry up through our fluoro leaders, braid, through our rods, into our reels, and up into our hands. With the tungsten—as well as the rest of our gear—we could feel those subtle bites 50 feet away,” concludes Hunyh.

Currently, Northland Pro Tom Huynh is pre-fishing in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, for the AIM National Championship Shootout to be held on Friday, June 2. You can bet Northland Tackle Eye Candy™ and Tungsten Jigs will be very much in play…

ABOUT Northland® Fishing Tackle

In 1975, a young Northwoods fishing guide named John Peterson started pouring jigs and tying tackle for his clients in a small remote cabin in northern Minnesota. The lures were innovative, made with high quality components, and most importantly, were catching fish when no other baits were working! Word spread like wildfire, the phone started ringing… and the Northland Fishing Tackle® brand was in hot demand! For 40 years now, John and the Northland® team have been designing, testing and perfecting an exclusive line of products that catch fish like no other brand on the market today. Manufactured in the heart of Minnesota’s finest fishing waters, Northland® is one of the country’s leading producers of premium quality jigs, live bait rigs, spinnerbaits and spoons for crappies, bluegills, perch, walleyes, bass, trout, northern pike and muskies.

POTENTIAL WORLD RECORD CATFISH LANDED

Wels Catfish

from The Fishing Wire
Unbelievable! MADCAT Pro Staff Alessandro Biancardi (ITA) shocks the whole catfish world with a monster caught in river Po a few days ago! Alessandro’s huge kitten beats the previous world record by 4cm and the fish is a result of 23 years of hard work! We’re sooo proud of you, Alessandro! Grazie! You have written history in the world of catfish angling! You situated the MADCAT brand on the top! Read how Alessandro described his incredible adventure below!

“Hi everyone, I’m Alessandro Biancardi from MADCAT ITALY team, I’m here to describe with trembling voice and eyes full of joy, what happened just few days ago, after 23 years of intense catfishing!

Everything started as a normal day of fishing, I went to the great river Po. Before leaving I checked knots, hooks, each connection, because I’m extremely meticulous. I always need to be 100% sure that everything is in place if a dream fish decide to bite my lure.

I was alone on my boat, the water level was starting to drop after a big flood, I decided to fish with spinning technic so I started casting my lure in the muddy water… I used to start with a crank bait to quickly understand if fish are active or not, this time I had a different feeling and I started with a Savage Gear Cannibal Shad on a 12/0 (40 gram) jig head.

In silence I approached the first spot and after few casts a powerful bite arrived, the fish stood still some seconds before starting a very complicated fight, between strong currents and a lot of submerged obstacles. I calmly managed to fight what I felt to be a prehistoric fish. I followed it for 40 endless minutes, when it surfaced for the first time, I really realized that I hooked a monster, adrenaline started pumping hard and the fear of losing it almost sent me into a panic, I was alone facing the biggest catfish I ever seen in 23 years.

I tried gloving its mouth 2-3 times, but it was still too strong, I decided to go in shallow water trying to land it from shore and after few tries, I managed to land it!
I tied the fish to let him recover from the long fight then I suddenly realized that the boat was not anchored, and it was going away in the current, I was forced to have a swim to recover it with all my stuff.

I called my friend Marco to reach me and to warn the guys at the near WELS-CAMP AM PO, I was sure that the fish I caught was special, but I never imagined what would happen next when we measured the fish on the mat. Under the incredulous eyes of many anglers, the meter stopped at 285 cm, it was the new WORLD RECORD catfish!
I was very curious about the weight but I feared to stress too much that rare specimen so I decided to safely release it, hoping it could give another angler the same joy he gave to me.”
Gear used to catch this world record monster:

World Record Catifh Jig

• Rod: MADCAT XTAAZ Spin 2.70m
• Reel: Savage Gear SGS8 8000
• Line: MADCAT prototype braid
• Lure: Savage Gear Cannibal 15cm
• Jig head: MADCAT (12/0) 40g

Alessandro, you have the respect and hearty congratulations of the whole MADCAT team! You’re simply the best!
Please give Alessandro an applause and a follow:

https://www.facebook.com/alessandro.biancardi.18
https://www.instagram.com/alebiancardi_catfishing_madcat/

: In the presence of 10 witnesses, an official measurement that was thorough was done. Additionally, documentation was sent to the IGFA so they could officially record this large fish! Although this procedure takes some time, what matters to us is that our consultant captured the largest catfish ever— catfish world record!

St. Croix’s 2023 Customer Appreciation Day Saturday June 17

Mustad Hooks Offers Tips On WHY YOU NEED MULTIPLE PITCHING RIGS

WHY YOU NEED MULTIPLE PITCHING RIGS

from The Fishing Wire

It’s one of bass fishing’s most broadly used techniques and for good reason. Pitching baits offers a highly efficient way to cover a shoreline with quick, accurate presentations, allowing you to slow down and pick apart promising cover.

Targets will vary, so keep a selection of rigs handy.

Light Cover: Sparse hydrilla and milfoil, patchy lily pads, or thin eel grass; bass may relate to this thin cover during early mornings or during their spawn. Here, you don’t need much weight — just enough to allow for accurate casts and the ability to navigate through the cover.

A classic Texas rig with a 3/16- to 1/4-ounce Mustad Tungsten TitanX Worm Weight and a craw or creature bait on a 3/0-4/0 Mustad KVD Grip-Pin Soft Plastics Hook fits this role. Other options: A 4- to 6-inch lizard or a soft stick worm on a 3/0 or 4/0 Mustad Offset Shank Worm Hook. Pitch your bait into gaps and breaks in the cover and stay alert for distinct holes amid grass beds, where hard sand or shell bottom offers ideal holding spots.

Heavy Vegetation: When matted grass or thick rafts of floating vegetation (hyacinth, pennywort, etc.) blanket the surface, the shadowy caverns below offer prime bass habitat, particularly during the heat of summer. Standard pitching rigs often hang on the dense cover, so you’ll want to switch to the “punching” technique, which uses heavier terminal tackle to drive a bait through the cover.

You can use similar baits used when flipping light cover, but you’ll want to beef up the hook to a Mustad Grip-Pin Max Punching Hook and add a 1- to 2-ounce Mustad Tungsten TitanX Weight secured with a Mustad Weight Stop.

Nothing complicated here; you’re simply forcing a bait through the cover for what typically turns out to be a reaction bite. Even when fish are not in an active feeding mode, the sudden appearance of a forage profile usually triggers a reaction bite.

Multi-Purpose: Boaters have the advantage of carrying an arsenal of rods, each rigged for specific tasks; even modern-day fishing kayakers can transport a good selection. For the bank fisherman or the casual kayak angler, a minimalist approach necessitates making the most of two or three rods.

In such scenarios, the ability to immediately switch from pitching to a swimming or twitching presentation broadens your versatility. One of the best options for this is a 5-inch soft plastic stick worm rigged on a 3/0 or 4/0 Mustad Offset Shank Worm Hook .

With a tapered tail, the stick worm easily slips into sparse grass, holes in lily pad fields, and gaps in cattails or reeds. Pitch the bait into a promising area, give it a couple of twitches, then repeat. Optionally, add a nail weight to the tail for better control and a unique presentation. When the worm hits the water, that weight pulls it down and away for a darting look.

For thorough coverage, shifting to a cast-and-retrieve pattern allows you to work the vegetation’s perimeter edges or target fish that you see chasing baitfish. Add a screw-in spinner blade to the stick worm’s tail end for extra appeal during the swimming presentations.

About Mustad

Mustad has led the global hook market since 1877. Mustad’s mission is to create a comprehensive multi-brand company that leads the fishing tackle industry, while focusing on innovation, employee and customer satisfaction, and sustainability. With the addition of TUF-LINE and LIVETARGET, Mustad continues to solidify its position as a complete sports fishing brand family.

Nicole Jacobs offers BAIT SELECTION TIPS FOR CATCHING PANFISH

BAIT SELECTION FOR PANFISH

from The Fishing Wire

The panfish family includes several of freshwater’s most popular and best-tasting fish. They are a favorite quarry from youngsters to experienced anglers looking for a fun fishing outing or to stock their freezer with tasty filets.

Their wide range makes them accessible to most anglers and they’re generally eager to bite when you locate them. One of the greatest things about fishing for them is that it can be as straightforward or as complicated as you want to make it, but catching more and bigger panfish takes the right live bait or lure for the situation.

Minnesota-based fishing personality Nicole Jacobs and Wisconsin guide Vince Moldenhauer share their insights on bait selection for three popular panfish species.

Crappies

A prized target everywhere, the crappie are aggressive fish that are fun to catch and make for excellent table fare. Catching them is possible with a wide range of baits, depending on the season.

When the ice has just recently thawed early in the year, Nicole Jacobs keeps the ice fishing mindset with small ice fishing jigs when fishing for fun or guiding clients on Twin Cities Metro area lakes.

“Here in the North, we start the year fishing vertically in deeper water and continue to move shallower as it gets warmer,” she says. “We start the year with small 2 and 3-mm Acme Pro-Grade Tungsten Jig ice jigs. Gold, silver, and chartreuse do the best for us. I tip them with a one-inch Berkley Gulp Minnow to add some scent. As it gets warmer and the fish become more active, we switch to 1/16 and 1/32-ounce jigheads with crappie tubes or grubs.”

For both lure types, Jacobs says it’s hard to beat a bobber for crappie that are notorious for suspending in the water column. Any bobber will do, but she’s partial to the Rocket Bobbers made by Tackle 2000. They are designed for better casting distance, which is paramount with lightweight lures.

“They cast great and there’s just something about the action they give your bait when you pop the rod,” she shared. “Most fish will hit the jig right when you pop it and the bait is swinging back under the bobber.”

Fishing for crappie can be done with a standard spin cast or spinning setup, but Jacobs likes to go ultralight for a little more fun.

“An 8-foot ultralight St. Croix rod with a 1000-sized reel is a lot of fun to fight crappie,” she said. “I spool the reel with 10 lb Seaguar Smackdown Flash Green, which helps to detect light bites because the line is so bright. I’ll use an 8-foot leader of 4 lb Seaguar Gold Label fluorocarbon. It’s a very thin line and more like using a 2 lb test, so your lure will have even more action under the bobber.”

La Crosse, Wisconsin guide Vince Moldenhauer targets panfish, including crappies, year-round, primarily on the Upper Mississippi River. For crappie, he’s generally fishing with live minnows, crappie jigs, and more aggressive lures like a Rapala Rippin’ Rap lipless crankbait.

“Live minnows are one of the quickest ways to locate crappies,” he says. “I’ll generally start with that and then mix in Kalin’s Crappie Scrubs in either the white with green tails or purple with a chartreuse tail on a small jig head under a Rocket Bobber. The Rippin’ Rap in the #3 size is also a fun way to catch them and they like the shiny chrome colors.”

Moldenhauer has developed a simple approach for gear that allows him to jump from species to species quickly. He likes a Fox River medium light spinning rod, either a 6-foot, 6-inch, or 7-foot, 3-inch model for all of his panfish species and he’ll keep the same setup when he goes after walleye. He pairs them all with a 2000 or 2500-size Daiwa spinning reel and 10-pound Seaguar Smackdown in the Flash Green color.

“I love how thin the Smackdown braid is,” he said. “That helps me and my clients detect more bites, even in the current, because you have a better feel of what your bait is doing.”

He’s a proponent of having consistency with his gear to stay better connected to his lure. The only thing he will alter is his fluorocarbon leader size.

“I like to use the same setup for everything just to have the same feel,” he said. “I’ll use the longer rod when fishing a bobber and the shorter rod when casting and working a lure. All I have to do is adjust my Gold Label fluorocarbon leader size. It’s 4 lb for crappies and gills and 6 or 8 lb for perch and walleye.”

Bluegills and sunfish

Fishing for bluegill on a river system requires a slightly different approach to locating them in the current, but Moldenhauer’s plan will work anywhere.

“I like to use redworms or nightcrawlers for bluegill and perch,” he said. “It’s a great way to locate fish and see where they are. Then, I like to switch to soft plastic baits because there’s less mess and you don’t have to keep adding bait to your hook when you get into a bunch of them.”

His worm setup is simple, a #6 or #8 Aberdeen hook or a 1/32-ounce jighead. When fishing Aberdeen hook, he employs a drop-shot rig to keep the bait on the bottom and the hook approximately a foot above the weight.

Moldenhauer looks for rocks, weeds, and break lines and prefers the drop-shot rig over a bobber setup because it keeps the bait in the strike zone longer and right on the bottom.

Jacobs also chases bluegill and sunfish and says it’s hard to beat wax worms or spikes fished on a simple hook with a split shot sinker attached.

“I also use the same ice fishing jigs that I use for crappie for the bluegill,” she said. “They will work great year round and it’s hard to beat the gold color jigs.”

Perch

There are standard-sized perch and then the jumbos that Moldenhauer and his clients catch on the Upper Mississippi. As a result of their bigger size and ability to fight hard in the current, much of his tackle resembles what anglers use for bass fishing.

He uses the same approach with perch, which starts with worms, primarily targeting weed lines with a slight current. These two ingredients, moving water and vegetation, are keys to finding perch all year long for Moldenhauer. After he locates a group of fish, he’ll switch to soft plastic lures.

“Everyone says to go small, but perch are aggressive fish and some of the best baits are two and three-inch Keitech swimbaits,” he said. “I also use the same things I use for crappies, the Kalin’s Crappie Scrub on a 1/16 or 1/32-ounce jighead. For perch, whatever soft plastic you use, it must have some orange in it. They love that color.”

He uses the same general setup as he does for the other panfish but bumps his leader size to 6 or 8 lb Gold Label. “They are hard-fighting fish and can get big, so I like to use a little heavier line,” he adds.

Fishing for panfish is a time-honored tradition of many anglers and one of the best ways to get new anglers into fishing. They are an exciting group of fish to target because the action can be nonstop fun when you get into them. Picking the right baits for panfish is relatively straightforward and a mix of live bait and soft plastic lures will cover your bases, no matter where you live.

Seaguar Smackdown braid is available in high visibility Flash Green and low visibility Stealth Gray. It is available in 150- and 300-yard spools ranging from 10 to 65 lb test sizes.

Seaguar Gold Label fluorocarbon leader is available in 25- and 50-yard spools in 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80 lb test leader material.

About

At Seaguar, we believe in delivering premium performance at every step of an angler’s journey. Whether it is performance fishing lines for elite pros, or for sophisticated anglers who are seeking the absolute highest quality — or for those who are brand new to angling — we make it easy to fish the very best. Our dedication to excellence is also reflected in our commitment to both conservation and social responsibility. Healthy lakes, rivers, streams, ponds and oceans are essential to the sport we love — and to the angling community we serve every single day.

NEW STATE RECORD NORTHERN PIKE CAUGHT IN NORTH IDAHO: 40.76 POUNDS!

from The Fishing Wire

On March 21, 2023, Hayden Lake in North Idaho produced a new certified state record northern pike. The record fish weighed a whopping 40.76 pounds, was 49 inches in length and 26.5 inches in girth – a true monster of a fish!
Certified state record northern pike caught in Hayden Lake, Idaho.

The record was previously held by a fish that was also caught in North Idaho, in Lower Twin Lake. The fish, caught in 2010, weighed 40.13 pounds, was 50.75 inches long and 22.75 inches in girth.

The Story

Thomas Francis is an avid northern pike angler and has been for some time.

“Pike is what I go after all the time. I spend almost everyday fishing for pike. As soon as the ice is off and until it comes back,“ Francis said.

Despite being an avid pike fisherman, nothing could have prepared him for the fish that would later latch on to the end of his line and lay claim to the Idaho state record.

Fancis‘ day of fishing on Hayden Lake started like any other – same gear, same approach and same goal, to catch big pike.

When he got to the lake that day, there was still some ice on the lake, so he couldn’t cast right up to the shore, only to the edge of the ice.

“When my lure hit the water, I let it sink all the way to the bottom. As soon as my lure hit the bottom, I felt her hit. I fish with 80 pound-test line, and she almost immediately started peeling drag, a lot of it,“ said Francis.

Francis said he almost immediately knew this was a big fish.

“She pinned herself to the bottom and just kept going, peeling drag the whole time. I knew that wasn’t normal, and I could tell it was something special.“

After peeling drag for a while, the behemoth changed her tactics.

“Suddenly I got slack line, as she was coming straight up from the bottom. She came flying out of the water, and it was obvious she was a huge fish,“ recalled Francis.

When he finally landed her, Francis said he knew she was going to be a state record fish, or at least a close contender.
State record northern pike caught in Hayden Lake, Idaho.

“I immediately headed for the dock to try and find a boat with a scale and tape measure. We found a boat with a scale, and the fish pegged the scale out at 30 pounds, so we knew we needed to find a bigger scale.“

After visiting a few different places to find a certified scale, they finally received a certified weight of 40.76 pounds, a new state record.

When asked what he thinks about pike fishing in North Idaho, Francis said, “I like having pike around; they are the biggest fish we can go after here in North Idaho, and I fish for them almost everyday.“

About Fishing

Welcome To About Fishing

Category Archives: Fishing Tackle

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ABOUT Northland® Fishing Tackle

POTENTIAL WORLD RECORD CATFISH LANDED

St. Croix’s 2023 Customer Appreciation Day Saturday June 17

Mustad Hooks Offers Tips On WHY YOU NEED MULTIPLE PITCHING RIGS

WHY YOU NEED MULTIPLE PITCHING RIGS

About Mustad

Nicole Jacobs offers BAIT SELECTION TIPS FOR CATCHING PANFISH

BAIT SELECTION FOR PANFISH

Crappies

Bluegills and sunfish

Perch

Seaguar Smackdown braid is available in high visibility Flash Green and low visibility Stealth Gray. It is available in 150- and 300-yard spools ranging from 10 to 65 lb test sizes.

Seaguar Gold Label fluorocarbon leader is available in 25- and 50-yard spools in 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 80 lb test leader material.

About

NEW STATE RECORD NORTHERN PIKE CAUGHT IN NORTH IDAHO: 40.76 POUNDS!