Category Archives: Fishing Tackle

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NICHOLS LURES ACQUIRES DIRTY JIGS TACKLE

Nichols Lures Acquires Dirty Jigs Tackle

Nichols Lures, a recognized brand name in high-quality, American-made fishing tackle, announced today its acquisition of Wisconsin-based Dirty Jigs Tackle. Both brands will be manufactured under one roof in Thomasville, Georgia.

“We have built a reputation at Nichols Lures for creating tournament-grade tackle delivered on time,” says Brooks Woodward, President of Nichols Lures. “We are excited to extend our commitment to excellence with the Dirty Jigs brand and product line. Curt Demerath, the founder of Dirty Jigs, built an incredible company around a superior product, and our entire team stands ready to continue that legacy.”

When asked of the transition, Curt replied, “Now is the time to hand the reins to someone else who sees that same vision and has the same passion for the sport and the product. I can’t think of anyone that I have more respect and faith in to do that than Brooks Woodward of Nichols Lures and I know there will be many new and better things to come from Dirty Jigs with him at the helm.”

Production of the Dirty Jigs line will be nothing new for the Nichols Lures team, as they have been assisting Dirty Jigs with OEM production since late 2021. “It is essential that we maintain only the highest standards for Dirty Jigs products,” remarks Brooks. “Keeping production under our control in Thomasville, Georgia, ensures that the tackle fishermen love will continue to be made properly, and it provides numerous jobs in our community.”

Dirty Jigs was founded in 2004 by Curt Demerath of Shiocton, WI. “Almost 20 years ago after building jigs for myself and a handful of friends I got the crazy idea to start selling them.  It all started with one simple rule, build the jig to do the job the best I was able. That meant using the best hooks, making detailed colored skirts, and offering the right head shapes with the proper weedguard.  As time went on many new colors and styles were created.  As the industry and market changed, some things stayed and some things went away but not that original rule.   I’ve never been afraid to design a new skirt pattern or skirt material color, or try a new jig design,” says Curt.

“Nichols Lures exists not just to make the perfect fishing lure, but more importantly, to make an impact on our community. Our vision is to employ and support as many people in Thomasville, GA, and our surrounding area as possible. The acquisition of Dirty Jigs will ensure that we have plenty of work in the pipeline to keep our entire crew busy!”

ABOUT NICHOLS LURES

No matter what you want in your tackle box, Nichols Lures can take care of you. Spinnerbaits, Jigs, Flutter Spoons, and multitudes of terminal tackle are all part of our extensive line-up of products. Founded in 1989, Dave Nichols began by creating jigs and spinnerbaits out of his garage in East Texas. From there, the company grew, adding new and innovative products at every turn. In 2012, Dave and his wife, Lynn, sold the company to Brooks Woodward, the current owner and operator. Each morning, Brooks wakes up, goes into work, sits down at his desk, and begins hand-crafting each lure that comes his way. We still value high-quality, hand-made, American products, and plan on continuing a 30 year old legacy the right way, with hard work and determination.

HOW TO SCORE ON FALL WALLEYE

How To Score On Fall Walleye

by Bob Jensen

from The Fishing Wire

Air temperatures were in the mid-40’s last night where I live. They’ll get into the 70’s today, and, for the next few weeks, we’ll see those ranges daily. Birds and butterflies are starting to move south, and across walleye country, anglers who like to catch walleyes are starting to get excited. If you live in an area where walleyes live, here’s how you can get in on that action!

Autumn is big walleye time. If a trophy walleye is your goal, select a body of water that has a history of being home to the big ones and fish it hard, now. Some lakes are big fish lakes, others are eater fish lakes. For many of us, the opportunity to catch truly big walleyes is better now than it was just a few years ago. Usually, the biggest walleyes come from lakes that are home to cisco, smelt, and other oily baitfish.

In the fall, bigger baits usually catch the biggest fish. There is a theory that big fish are more likely to eat one big meal than several smaller meals. Hunting down several smaller meals requires more energy, and using that energy keeps the weight down on the fish.

Some folks like to troll crankbaits in the fall, and trolling cranks at night can be especially productive on big fish. Those baitfish we talked about earlier are fall-spawners. They suspend over deep water during the day and move to shallow sand/pebble spots at night. When they’re shallow, it’s easier for the walleyes to catch and eat them. A Lucky Shad style crankbait that enters a walleye neighborhood has a very good chance of getting eaten.

Mike Frisch makes his living chasing walleyes and other species of fish. In the fall many walleye anglers will tie a jig to their line and leave it there all day. Jigs are traditionally a good way to catch walleyes during any season, but they’re particularly good in the fall. Mike will go against tradition and tie on a bottom-bouncer. Behind that he’ll add a 3-to-4-foot snell made of 10-pound test line. Depending on water depth he’ll use a bouncer up to 4 ounces, with 2-to-3-ounce bouncers being what’s on his line most of the time. He goes with the heavy weights because he wants to move quickly. When he catches a fish or sees a group on the sonar he might slow down, but often the faster presentation is what it takes to get the fish to bite. To go against tradition even more, a nightcrawler will be on his hook. It’s often thought that minnows will be most productive in the fall, and at times they are, but there are plenty of times when the crawler will out-produce a minnow. Traditions are good, but don’t let a tradition get in the way of success at catching more fish.

But no matter how good crankbaits or bottom-bouncer rigs can be in the fall, there are times, especially if you’re looking for numbers of fish, that a jig simply cannot be beat. In the past several years, more walleye catchers are going to plastic on the jig. Something like a Rage Swimmer or Rage Grub on a ¼- or 3/8-ounce jig has become the go-to rig for some of the most successful walleye catchers.

If you like to catch big walleyes or lots of walleyes, now and until the water gets hard is the time to do so. As the weather gets cooler, the walleyes get hungrier. If you’re on the water doing what we just talked about, your chances of getting bit will be very good.

– Bob Jensen of fishingthemidwest.com.

A NEW FINESSE BASS JIG

A new finesse jig based on what works on highly pressured Japanese waters

A New Finesse Bass Jig

Cypress, CA – Known for their extraordinary bass-catching abilities, there’s just something special about rubber-skirted jigs. Pitched, flipped, dragged, or hopped, they simply catch fish—no bones about it. Largemouth and smallmouth bass all eat forage that rubber-skirted jigs resemble—like young-of-the-year bluegills, and, of course, crawfish in all stages of development.

Enter the Ever Green IR Finesse Jig, a rubber-skirted jig unlike any other on bait shop shelves. A new take on the rubber-skirted finesse jig design—like a lot of cutting-edge baits and techniques—the IR Finesse Jig finds its origin on pressured, Japanese waters where anglers are constantly having to find the next big thing.

So, Ever Green is proud to introduce a radical new take in rubber-skirted finesse bass jig design. The lure is sure to please the most discerning anglers looking for that perfect cross between a football-head, round head, grass jig, and sim jig to ply bluegill and crawfish inhabited waters.

The new IR Finesse Jig is fraught with stealthy and consequential features. For one, the head is perfectly rounded to drop straight, deflect of structure, and crawl linearly on bare bottoms like gravel and sand. The head’s line-tie is at a 45-degree angle, which accommodates direct line to your rod tip for better feels and control. The intended line-tie angle also assists successful hooksets. Its custom long-shank hook is bloody sharp and unbending. The IR Finesse Jig also features a significant wire bait-keeper to fortify plastic trailers, while a single and double rattle holder on the base of the head allows for an audible addendum for mimicking crawdad “clicks”. Lastly, you’ll appreciate the weed-guard, which extends beyond the hook point, beating back snags, yet keeps the hook gap open for bass inhales and the subsequent hookset.

The IR Finesse Jig is available in three sizes – 5/16-, 3/8- and ½-ounce – and ten uber-bassy colors, to include: DARK GREEN PUMPKIN, BROWN PURPLE, GREEN PUMPKIN CRAW, BLACK BLUE TIP, SAPPHIRE CRAW, DK GRN PUMPKIN BRN CRAW, CLASSIC BROWN, CLEARWATER CRAW, ALABAMA CRAW, and HITE’S HOT CRAW.

Again, designed in Japan to service bass anglers used to difficult, discerning bass on waters like famed Lake Biwa, the Ever Green IR Finesse Jig was painstakingly designed and tested to catch fish when other methods fail.

Its design is simple—yet effective. Satoshi Ito, Ever Green Product Manager, comments, “Since Ever Green started designing and building baits, our first concern has been to create lures that look and act realistically. With the IR Finesse Jig, you’ve got a great option for largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass that looks and behaves like juvenile baitfish or crawdads skittering along the bottom. It can be fished like a football jig—and dragged on bottom without snags—but also excels as a flipping jig when you want a slightly smaller profile for neutral to negative fish. It also comes through the grass and junk easily for fishing all conditions. All around, it’s just a great bass jig.”

You’ll immediately appreciate the IR Finesse Jig, a bass jig unlike any other. There are numbers of other realistic-looking bass jigs on the market, but none are capable of summoning so many bites.

The bait also casts, flips, and pitches like a bullet. DAIWA recommends throwing it on baitcasting gear with Daiwa J-Braid and a green and brown J-Fluoro Samura Hidden Concept fluorocarbon leader or straight fluorocarbon to feel the slightest movement of the bait and anticipate bone-crushing strikes.

FEATURES

  • Crossover rubber-skirted finesse design with a compact, round head
  • Ten initial crawfish/panfish colors in the bait family
  • Strong, unbending custom, long-shank design hook
  • Wire bait keeper that keeps plastic trailers buttoned and prevents sliding off
  • Single or double rattle holder
  • Plastic brush weed guard that extends beyond the hook point but keeps hook gap open
  • Three sizes: 5/16-, 3/8- and ½- ounce

About Daiwa Corporation

Daiwa’s first spinning reel rolled off the assembly line in 1955. Since then, the company has grown into one of the largest and most influential tackle companies in the world today. To handle sales and distribution in the United States, Daiwa Corporation first opened its doors on September 26, 1966, operating from a small facility in Culver City, California. Today, based in Cypress, California, Daiwa Corporation sells tackle throughout the United States, Canada, Central and South America. From the very beginning, Daiwa’s emphasis has been upon innovation and quality. The result is a long list of product features, design and materials that have become standards for the fishing tackle industry. Daiwa’s long-standing record of innovation has left a visible mark on the majority of tackle manufactured today and continues to advance the sport of fishing.

FOUR WAYS TO TANGLE WITH DOUBLE TOUGH AMBERJACK

from The Fishing Wire

Four Ways To Tangle With Double Tough Amberjack

They may not win any beauty contests and, truth be told, they often live in the shadow of offshore darlings such as black grouper and mangrove snapper; but pound-for-pound, the greater amberjack is one of the toughest fish in saltwater. An often overlooked food fish, AJs offer a high yield of firm, mild filets that turn out well on the grill, the smoker or in the skillet. Common to wrecks, springs and reefs of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, amberjack are not picky fish, but a handful of established techniques will bring these brutes to the boat.

Live Bait Drop: AJs have no teeth, but they have large, powerful jaws with pronounced rubbery lips — basically, they’re designed for grabbing meals with devastating force and gobbling them whole. Suffice it to say, any forage species that suddenly appears on their radar won’t be long for this world.

Common offerings include pinfish, grunts, sand perch and scaled sardines (“pilchards”). Gear up with stout 7- to 7 1/2-foot rods with 4/0 reels, 200-pound braided main line and 4-6 feet of monofilament leader and drop your live bait on a 10/0-12/0 Mustad Offset Circle Hook with a slip sinker sized to the target depth.

Trolling: The good thing about live bait is that many species love it. The bad thing about live bait — same.

Often, anglers find it difficult, if not impossible to thread a livie through the layer of barracuda often holding above the AJs. In such instances, deploy your live baits on downriggers about 50- to 100-yards from the target site and troll them into the strike zone.

This obviously limits the number of baits you can fish at one time, as opposed to straight dropping. However, your success rate will be much higher.

Jigging: There’s truly nothing like the real thing for AJs, but these gluttons will often fall for a heavy bucktail jig, diamond jig, blade jig or a slow pitch jig. While the first three rely on active, often erratic motion, the slow pitch jig is made for mimicking the gliding, fluttering movements of a wounded or dying baitfish. Designed specifically for this technique, Mustad’s G-Series Slow Fall Jigging Rod comes in 6-foot, 6-3 and 6-4 models.

With any jig option, keep it moving until you feel a bite. If the fish misses or shakes your jig loose, immediately resume the action. Amberjack are rarely alone and what one fish drops, another is likely to grab.

Topwaters: Despite their preferred proximity to bottom structure, amberjack won’t hesitate to rise topside to blast a big walking or popping bait. Strikes are simply astounding, but make sure you’re properly equipped to handle a big fish by fitting your bait with the new Mustad JAW LOK treble hooks.

Battle Royale

However you hook your amberjack, expect nothing less than brutality. Trust your tackle to keep you connected and use the gunwale for extra leverage. This is truly a test of wills, so the longer you can hold out, the better your chances of defeating this reef bully.

About

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.

What Is Using Wakebaits To Make Waves for Redfish

MAKING WAVES FOR REDFISH

Making Waves for Redfish

from The Fishing Wire

There are many lures and tactics that will fool a redfish and that’s part of what makes them such a popular target. They’re aggressive, have incredible strength, and hold the hearts of anglers throughout their range − the marshes and coastal environments from North Carolina to Texas. Some of the most popular baits and lures have been catching redfish for years, with spoons, swimbaits, jigs, and live bait being popular choices.

Another exciting and relatively new option is fishing a wake bait, according to a well-known guide and accomplished redfish tournament angler, Capt. Mike Frenette of Venice, Louisiana’s Redfish Lodge of Louisiana.

Capt. Mike Frenette

An Emerging Trend – Wake Baits for Redfish

It’s not a complete secret, but fishing wake baits for redfish is slowly gaining steam. Frenette has seen their power and knows they are ideally suited for redfish when the conditions align.

“Guys are starting to figure it out and it’s becoming a trend in the inshore world,” says Frenette. “The cool thing is that it’s excellent for redfish, but trout and snook will hit them, too. It’s just now becoming known as a good way to catch them, and there are times when it’s the best way to get them to bite.”

He utilizes a Strike King HC KVD 2.5 Wake Bait, a bait with the same square bill crankbait profile that’s extremely popular in the freshwater bass fishing world. The difference is a bill angled to keep the lure bulging the surface and “waking” to entice redfish.

Fishing the Wake Bait

Most of the time, Frenette is sight casting a wake bait. It’s a highly visual technique and the bait’s action is well-suited for cruising redfish.

“It works so well because it has the perfect ‘wiggle, wiggle’ action on the surface and looks like a wounded fish,” he says. “It’s not the best bait for covering water because you fish it slowly, but it’s perfect for casting to fish you can see. They cast exceptionally well and accurately, and I’ll cast them past the fish and work it right towards them. You don’t have to move it very fast to get their attention, and a slow and steady retrieve is all you need.”

The wake bait is the best tool for these fish because it can stay in the proper position longer than other baits, according to Frenette.

“If you cast a jig to these fish, it will fall into the grass,” he says. “A gold spoon is great, but it’s harder to keep it in front of them to get their attention because it will sink if you move it too slowly. It’s much easier to cast a wake bait to the fish and work it right towards the fish. The wake creates a ‘V’ several yards behind the bait as it pushes water. A redfish sees it as food and has to kill it.”

Wake Bait Gear

Many redfish anglers prefer spinning tackle for inshore saltwater species, but Frenette opts for baitcasting gear for his wake bait needs. His rod and reel choice is his signature series 7-foot medium Duckett Fishing Salt Series rod with a Lew’s Custom Inshore SLP reel.

“I feel like I’m much more accurate casting with a baitcast reel and that’s very important when sight casting to redfish,” he says. “The rod I designed has a soft tip, like a topwater rod. Another key when fishing these baits is the hookset; you don’t want to set the hook with these baits. Slowly lean away from the fish and let your line tighten and get the rod load to up.”

For line, Frenette opts for 30 to 50 lb. Seaguar TactX braided line, a strong and excellent casting braid with a “pebble” texture that helps cut through vegetation better. He varies his size based on how much grass is present and bumps up to 50 lb. for the thickest vegetation.

“It’s very strong, casts great and slices through vegetation very well,” he says. “Once you hook the fish, they immediately dive into the grass, which can get very heavy with a big fish. A braid like TactX that cuts through grass better helps you land more of those fish.”

Timing and Finding the Bite

Fishing a wake bait can be done any time of the year, but Frenette says it shines from late summer to January. But, it’s highly dependent on water clarity.

“It can work at all times, but water color is critical,” he says. “The fish are more responsive to it in clear water and for us in Louisiana, it starts to clear up in August and stays that way until January. That’s true no matter where you fish for redfish, and if the water is relatively clear, a wake bait will do well.”

Frenette looks for key areas where redfish congregate to feed when fishing wake baits. High-percentage areas are always his first place to look, but he also focuses on grassy ponds in the marshes as the water cools.

“Some of the best places to start are 100 yards to the left or right of any drain that comes into the marsh where the water is moving,” says Frenette. “They’ll generally be 10 yards from the shoreline, and if they are up there, they’re there to feed.”

He also looks for how the fish act, especially when the tide moves. As redfish search to feed, they get into hunting mode and are prime targets for a wake bait.

“We call it ‘floating,’ and the fish start to swim along the shallow grass,” says Frenette. “They are moving very slowly near the surface and looking to feed. The falling tide usually gets them going, but it can also be slack tide right when it starts to fall. Incoming is generally not as productive and doesn’t get them to move as much as an outgoing tide.”

Fishing a wake bait for redfish is an exciting way to entice surface bites from these aggressive fish. The baits are straightforward to fish and make for an excellent option for sight casting to cruising fish. More and more anglers are learning the power of the slow and bulging action near the surface.

About Seaguar Fishing Lines

As the inventor of fluorocarbon fishing lines in 1971, Seaguar has played a prominent role in the advancement of technologies to improve the performance of lines and leader material for both fresh and saltwater anglers. Seaguar is the only manufacturer of fluorocarbon fishing lines that produces its own resins and controls the manufacturing process from start to finished product. Today, Seaguar is the #1 brand of fluorocarbon lines and offers a full spectrum of premium products including fluorocarbon mainlines and leader material, 8-strand and 16-strand braid fishing lines.

SLIP BOBBERS ARE SIMPLY EFFECTIVE FOR CATCHING FISH

Catch more fish using a simple slip bobber rig

Slip Bobbers Are Simply Effective

Mike Frisch

from The Fishing Wire

The slip-bobber method for presenting bait to fish has been around for several decades. Over time, however, this simple yet often effective method got pushed to the side by much of the diehard angling crowd (me included) in favor of what are viewed as more complex, higher order fishing presentations that often garner terms like “cutting edge” and “game changer” as descriptors.

All the while, the simple slip-bobber toiled on in relative obscurity, always amongst the best rigging set-ups for use with kids and beginners but too simple for use amongst at least some of fishing’s diehards. Well, that has changed in recent times as many high-dollar walleye derbies have been won by anglers employing slip-bobbers in at least part of their winning ways. Tournament wins and the fishing methods used to win them do turn heads and recent results seem to have the simple slip-bobber experiencing somewhat of a renaissance amongst today’s hardcore walleye anglers!

Tournament successes aside, this blog is a look at the basics of the slip-bobber rig for use by kids and others just getting started. In fact, the basics to be presented below form the backbone of the rod rigging curriculum presented at ZEBCO School of Fish classes taught to thousands of kids across the upper Midwest by myself and other angling educators the past ten-plus years. However, these basics may also serve as useful reminders to others with much more fishing experience who may need a refresher in slip-bobbers 101 to rejuvenate their fishing successes!

A slip bobber rig begins with the bobber stop (often made of string or rubber), which threads on the line to start the rigging. The stop is designed to be able to be slid up and down the line with this adjustability at the heart of the entire rig. More on that later.

Following the bobber stop, a small sliding bead is added, followed by a slip-bobber. The bead acts as a cushion between the stop and bobber to prevent the bobber from sliding over the stop. The bobber itself may be made of various design, with some allowing the line to slide the entire length of the bobber while others have “slotted” ends that allow the bobber to slide.

The line below the bobber eventually has a hook or jig tied on, usually baited with a leech, minnow, or portion of a nightcrawler. Often a split-shot weight or two are pinched on the line a foot or so above the hook or jig. The split-shots add weight to aid in casting and keep the bobber riding low in the water column to prevent it from being easily blown around by wind. A low riding bobber also increases fish hook-ups as a barely buoyant bobber easily slides under the water without spooking even the wariest of light-biting fish!

Now that we’re rigged, let’s look at some slip-bobber advantages.

First and foremost, the fishing depth the hook/jig fishes at can be adjusted by sliding the bobber stop. Moving the stop up the line/away from the jig or hook makes the rig fish deeper, while moving the stop closer to the hook/jig makes for shallower fishing. These adjustments can be made by the angler using his or her fingers to move the stop, so no line-cutting or retying is necessary.

Second, because the small bobber stop can be reeled right up the rod into the reel and the bobber itself slides down to either the split-shot weights or the jig, a short amount of line can be out from the rod tip when casting. A short line when casting makes for safer casting when kids are involved and is also very advantageous when deep waters are being fished.

Lastly, the slip-bobber rig excels at fish landing. Again, because the bobber stop can easily be retrieved right up through the rod’s guides onto the reel, the fish can be reeled close to the rod tip to allow for easier, more successful fish landing. More than one trophy fish has gotten away at the landing net when a traditional “pinch on” bobber kept the trophy of a lifetime just out of reach during the landing process. With a slip-bobber the fish can be reeled close to the rod tip and landed.

If landing more fish is your goal, regardless your fishing experience, a slip-bobber rig may need to be introduced or reintroduced into your angling arsenal. Following the tips just presented might, in fact, lead to you landing the fish of a lifetime this season, and on a slip-bobber!

As always, remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure.

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series. Visit www.fishingthemidwest.com to see all things Fishing the Midwest.

Choosing the Right Net Can Make the Difference Between Landing and Losing

Get Your Net’s Worth

By Jay Anglin

from The Fishing Wire

Spinning gear or Casting gear? Live bait or artificial? Walk a stream bank or launch a boat in a lake? These are common considerations before venturing out fishing for the day.

With so many landing net options it’s important to choose the ideal combination of hoop size, net depth and handle length for a given fishing scenario. Frabill offers a variety of styles to fit any situation including the immensely popular Conservation Series Nets which have become standard equipment for many professional guides.

One decision many fishermen tend to take for granted is net selection. This lack of forethought often leads to frustration as cheapo landing nets regularly fail when hoops break, net bags tear and handles bend. Murphy’s Law states the big letdown will more than likely occur when that once-in-a-lifetime fish is hooked. The best way to avoid such misfortune is to get serious about what net you bring along.

Yes, selecting the perfect net requires some research, but the study is stress-free.

The chosen one

It’s easy to talk yourself out of a high-quality net when the price tag shows triple digits before the dot. While not breaking the bank is important for most of us, it’s the long run you need to be looking at. Generally, you’ll likely be spending more money by replacing lesser models regularly that have failed miserably.

Take a look at the best nets that fit your needs and then budget for them. Hoop size, net material, handle length and the quality of the components that hold it all together are of the utmost importance.

Generally speaking, hoop size and net depth are dictated by what species are targeted. While many anglers prefer smaller nets because they are less cumbersome, a good rule of thumb is to go bigger than you think you will need. It’s also important to take into account other species you may encounter while fishing. If you mostly pursue bass and walleye, for example, but occasionally run into large northern pike, a net with a deeper bag and larger hoop that can accommodate longer fish is a great choice.

When selecting the proper net, going bigger is always better than going small. Big fish require big nets, don’t skimp on size. Photo by Dawn Kazokas

While many fishermen prefer smaller nets because they are less cumbersome – a good rule of thumb is to go bigger rather than smaller. It’s no surprise that big fish fit into larger nets much easier, but an added benefit of a larger net bag is smaller fish tend to be calm when they are comfortable in a roomy net. This is especially true when the net bag is lowered into the water which permits fish to revive without being handled. Many catch and release anglers and guides use a net with a tangle-free bag deep enough to allow fish to remain in the water. Fish can easily be unhooked and then released by allowing them to swim freely from the open net. Or, if you’re taking a few photos, the fish can be quickly lifted from the net, refreshed and ready for a quick release.

The Spin

The character of the fish you catch is another consideration as some species can be troublesome. If you’ve ever dealt with a huge king salmon sporting a mouth full of treble hooks while it flops wildly on the deck of a crowded boat, you know how much of a problem this can be. This holds true for pike and muskie anglers, as well as saltwater anglers who regularly deal with ornery species that are notorious for twisting and spinning after being netted. Not only can this potentially injure a fish that was intended to be released, there is usually significant tangling of hooks into the netting and possible impalement to the person performing the removal.

Guiding light

Like many guides, a high-performance net is a must for Wisconsin captain and guide Pat Kalmerton. The Lake Michigan and inland lake veteran’s favorite nets by far are Frabill’s line of Conservation Series Nets.

“The Conservation Series features a flat, linear bottom, which supports the weight of the fish and prevents them from rolling,” he states. “The rubber-coated netting is easy on the fish and it’s much easier to remove hooks from. These nets definitely make my job easier. Frankly, I can’t imagine using anything else.

When big fish are on the line anglers need a pro-grade net to finish the job. Net failure should be the least of your worries. Photo by Author/Jay Anglin

“Also, the Pow’R Lok yoke on the Frabill Conservation Series is lightweight, yet, heavy duty – they are incredibly reliable,” Kalmerton added. “The handle design is nifty too. Round net handles can be difficult to hang on to with cold or wet hands. Frabill solved that problem by using an ergonomic heavy-duty aluminum handle that has grooves along the length of it that keep water off your hands so you can maintain a better grip. And trust me, if you’re lifting big fish out of the water non-stop during a hot bite, you need all the help you can get.”

If small spaces are a consideration, nets that have ability to collapse are much easier to fit in the busy confines of a fishing boat. The handles of the Frabill Power Stow Net line not only contract, but the hoop can be folded up. This is especially advantageous and certainly worth every penny when fishing from smaller boats.

On the other hand, some net models, such as the Frabill Conservation Series mentioned earlier, also offer telescoping handles, which provides increased range while netting fish. This is particularly important for anglers fishing from larger boats or an elevated position such as a break-wall or jetty. The longer handle is a huge asset when attempting to land large-bodied, speedy species such as salmon and steelhead, or any fish of trophy proportions that represent a greater challenge during the netting process.

Shore and wading anglers who regularly fish solo, conversely, may want to stick with nets that have shorter handles, which makes it easier to land fish by yourself.

Got the scoop?

The bottom-line is, choose your net wisely. Look for ones that feature the best design and reliable materials, as well the perfect combination of size and features that will most-assuredly improve landing success rates. A net that’s properly matched to the size of fish is especially valuable.

They may cost a bit more, but they are definitely worth the investment.

St Croix Rods Win At ICast

ICast winner St Croix Rods


New St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass GRASP Swimbait rod recognized by the industry as Best New Freshwater Rod at ICAST 2022

PARK FALLS, Wisc. (July 29, 2022) – Advancing and showcasing its mission to handcraft the Best Rods on Earth® that give anglers the upper hand in any angling situation, St. Croix Rod of Park Falls, Wisconsin unveiled an unprecedented 12 new or completely reengineered rod series at ICAST 2022 in Orlando last week.

The 74-year-old family-owned American company was awarded Best of Category honors in the Freshwater Rod category of the ICAST 2022 New Product Showcase Awards for its three all-new Legend Tournament Bass GRASP swimbait models.

The International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades’ (ICAST) New Product Showcase Awards recognize the best new fishing products in multiple categories each year. Voted on by attending product buyers and members of the sportfishing media, these “Best of Category” awards represent the pinnacle of achievement in the fishing tackle industry and are fiercely competitive. Winning one of these prestigious awards isn’t easy; it takes good ideas and even better execution to develop a tangible product that helps anglers find more success on the water.

“We’re humbled and honored that those industry professionals who report on or sell fishing tackle for a living selected Legend Tournament Bass GRASP as the best new freshwater rod amidst a packed category, which included 34 other significant new rods from other manufacturers,” says St. Croix CEO, Scott Forristall. “St. Croix is built – top to bottom – to seek out, understand, and serve the needs of anglers; it’s what drives each one of our St. Croix team members every day, so everyone in the St. Croix family feels great pride and a real sense of gratitude for this recognition. Ultimately though, this award is for every angler around the globe who takes as much pride in using a St. Croix fishing rod as we feel in making them. It’s also for our retail partners who are on the front lines of helping anglers choose the Best Rods on Earth® to meet their specific angling needs and objectives.”

The trio of all-new Legend Tournament Bass swimbait models featuring St. Croix’s proprietary GRASP reel seat firmly establishes a new standard in heavy-bass-lure rod design and performance. Designed to excel in the presentation of swimbaits and Alabama rigs from ¾ to 8 ounces, these three all-new swimbait rods bring the newly reimagined Legend Tournament Bass Series to an expansive total of 27 distinct technique-specific high-performance models for the benefit of bass anglers worldwide.

New Legend Tournament Bass swimbait models (LBTC710HF LIGHT SWIMBAIT, LBTC710XHF MID SWIMBAIT and LBTC86XXHFT HEAVY SWIMBAIT) have the distinction of being the first-ever contemporary St. Croix rods released with proprietary St. Croix-designed componentry – in this case, the all-new St. Croix GRASP real seat.

“The angler-requested St. Croix GRASP reel seat helps give anglers the upper hand by delivering superior ergonomic control of Legend Tournament Bass swimbait rods during the cast, retrieve, and throughout fight,” says St. Croix Brand Manager, Ryan Teach. GRASP effectively combats the hand and wrist fatigue that commonly sets in when casting and retrieving heavy lures and doing battle with large, powerful fish. GRASP accomplishes this by always keeping the wrist properly aligned while affording the most comfortable and efficient grip on the rod and casting reel – straight and in line with the rod in the ultimate palming position, not canted back or forward which commonly happens with traditional casting-rod grips. The result is total control over rod and fish, with less fatigue so anglers can fish longer, harder, and earn more success.

In addition to GRASP’s ergonomic design, its angler interface is sweetened with an extremely durable and tactile SoftTouch coating. “The selection of the proper coating took years of discovery and trial and error, and it’s a big part of what makes GRASP distinct in the marketplace,” Teach says. “The SoftTouch coating we landed on is just as important as the refined geometries that make GRASP a complete and unique design. It is incredibly resilient yet remains slightly tacky when wet.”

New Legend Tournament GRASP swimbait models will be available to anglers at St. Croix dealers worldwide and at stcroixrodfactorystore.com in October. All 24 other new Legend Tournament Bass models which were announced earlier this year at the 2022 Bassmaster Classic are available right now.

New Legend Tournament Bass rods feature markedly lighter and stronger next-generation hybrid SCIV+ carbon fiber blanks. Select reaction bait models feature all-new iACT Glass hybrid blanks. In addition to their unique combinations of proprietary materials, all-new Legend Tournament Bass rods also incorporate all of St. Croix’s top technologies and premium components.

While every new Legend Tournament Bass rod is special and distinct, St. Croix Engineering Supervisor, Gavin Falk, says the three iACT Glass models – specifically engineered for hardbait applications like crankbaits and chatterbaits – represent an even greater technological achievement for anglers. “These rods introduce a third material – our linear S-Glass – to the hybrid SCIV+ blank to produce rods with the softer actions reaction presentations demand. We call the combination iACT Glass. It stands for Internally Active, and it allows us to deliver those slower, parabolic actions while maintaining peak sensitivity in a blank that’s significantly smaller in diameter and lighter than a pure glass cranking rod,” Falk says. “Our anglers have asked for this and we’re always listening, not being reactive but addressing ideas and opportunities as they come forward.”

Falk wants to remind anglers that these are not “composite” rods. “All three materials in Legend Tournament Bass iACT Glass models – SCIV carbon, SCVI carbon, and Linear S-Glass – are individually patterned and laid up to spec, then all rolled together,” he says, emphasizing that each of the materials are distinct, and adding that Legend Tournament Bass iACT Glass models are the first carbon/glass hybrid rods ever to be rolled on St. Croix IPC mandrels.

Teach says these three iACT Glass models deliver everything anglers have asked for in a reaction-bait rod and more. “You can even walk a topwater with complete control using one of these Legend Tournament Bass iACT rods,” he says. “That’s not something typically thought to be possible with a rod that has any type of glass in it. You can walk these baits with precision and never even think you have a glass rod in yours hands until you’ve hooked up on a fish and the benefits of that moderate, parabolic action kick in. St. Croix is the only company I’m aware of that’s been able to do this.”

The ‘deepest’ cranking rod in the series with iACT Glass is the POWER GLASS CRANKER LBTC74MHM. “This is a 4/5/6XD cranking rod,” Teach says. “We’ve got an 8XD/10XD/DD22 rod in the lineup, too – the LBTC710XHM – but it’s all carbon. This is a rod Dennis Berhorst and Stephen Browning have become quite fond of. The other iACT Glass models are the LBTC72MM FINESSE GLASS CRANKER designed for smaller squarebills and the LTBC72HM RIP-N-CHATTER, which is optimized for fishing bladed jigs and lipless crankbaits.”

Bassmaster Elite angler, Bob Downey says, “I was very impressed with the lighter weights and significantly reduced blank diameters of these new Legend Tournament Bass iACT rods when compared to a pure glass cranking rod. I’m not aware of anything else remotely like these rods on the market and I found their overall performance with chatterbaits and crankbaits to be in a class all their own.”

MLF angler and crankster, Jesse Wiggins agrees. “I’ve always been a huge fan of St. Croix’s Legend Glass rods – and I still am – but these new blue iACT rods have really impressed me, especially in any cranking situation where you need that extra bit of sensitivity.”

Despite the improvements, some things will stay the same: new Legend Tournament Bass rods remain handcrafted in Park Falls, Wisconsin, USA with a 15-year transferrable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service. They also retain their iconic Tournament Blue Pearl color.

New St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Features

Next-generation hybrid CARBON FIBER SCIV+ blanks
Technique-specific iACT SCIV+ and linear S-Glass hybrid blanks on specific models
Fortified Resin System (FRS) technology
Advanced Reinforcing TechnologyTM (ARTTM)
Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel technology
Taper Enhancement Technology (TET) blank design
Fuji® K-Series tangle-free guides with Alconite® rings
Fuji® SK2 reel seat on casting models with ergonomic complimenting componentry
Fuji® VSS real seat on spinning models with extended foregrip
Precision machined aluminum reel seat nuts and wind checks on spinning and casting models
Split-grip, super-grade cork handles customized per model
Swimbait models (3) feature GRASP reel seat technology
Full-grip super grade cork handles on select models
Model specific hook keepers selectively placed per technique
Single coat sealer on blank with slow cure finish
Two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish on guides
15-year transferable warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
Designed and handcrafted in Park Falls, U.S.A. for bass anglers worldwide
Retail price $290 to $395

New St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Casting Models

JERKBAITS / LBTC68MXF – 6’8”, medium power, extra-fast action / Retail $295
ALL-IN / LBTC71MHF – 7’1”, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $300
FINESSE CARBON CRANKER / LBTC72MHMF – 7’2”, medium-heavy power, moderate-fast action / Retail $315
CARBON CRANKER / LBTC72MHM – 7’2”, medium-heavy power, moderate action / Retail $315
FINESSE GLASS CRANKER (iACT) / LBTC72MM – 7’2”, medium power, moderate action / Retail $315
RIP-N-CHATTER / LBTC72HM (iACT) – 7’2”, heavy power, moderate action / Retail $315
POWER FINESSE / LBTC73HXF – 7’3”, heavy power, extra-fast action / Retail $320
WORKHORSE / LBTC73MHF – 7’3”, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $320
FLIP-CHAT-CRANK / LBTC73HMF – 7’3”, heavy power, moderate-fast action / Retail $320
SLOP-N-FROG / LBTC74HF – 7’4”, heavy power, fast action / Retail $325
POWER GLASS CRANKER / LBTC74MHM (iACT) – 7’4”, medium-heavy power, moderate action / Retail $325
WARHORSE / LBTC75MHF – 7’5”, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $330
FLIP’N / LBTC76HMF – 7’6”, heavy power, moderate-fast action / Retail $335
BIG CRANKER / LBTC710HM – 7’10”, heavy power, moderate action / Retail $345
*LIGHT SWIMBAIT / LBTC710HF – 7’10”, heavy power, fast action / Retail $350
MAG CRANKER / LBTC710XHM – 7’10”, extra-heavy power, moderate action / Retail $345
*MID SWIMBAIT / LBTC710XHF – 7’10”, extra-heavy power, fast action / Retail $360
POWER FLIP’N / LBTC711HMF – 7’11”, heavy power, moderate-fast action / Retail $340
*HEAVY SWIMBAIT / LBTC86XXHFT – 8’6”, extra-extra-heavy power, fast action / Retail $395
*New at ICAST 2022, available October, 2022

New St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass Spinning Models

PINPOINT / LBTS68MXF – 6’8”, medium power, extra-fast action / Retail $290
DROPSHOT FINESSE / LBTS610MLXF – 6’10”, medium-light power, extra-fast action / Retail $290
VERSATILE / LBTS71MF – 7’1”, medium power, fast action / Retail $300
POWER VERSATILE / LBTS73MHF – 7’3”, medium-heavy power, fast action / Retail $300
DROPSHOT FINESSE XL / LBTS73MLXF- 7’3”, medium-light power, extra-fast action / Retail $300
POWER FINESSE / LBTS73MXF – 7’3”, medium power, extra-fast action / Retail $300
HAIR JIG / LBTS710MLXF – 7’10”, medium-light power, extra-fast action / Retail $335
SWIMMING BAITS / LBTS710MMF – 7’10”, medium power, moderate-fast action / Retail $335
#CROIXGEAR

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DO BACKLASHES CAUSE BREAKOFFS WITH FLUOROCARBON?

from The Fishing Wire and Sunline

Backlashes damage your line


The dreaded backlash in a baitcast spool can end the use of that reel very quickly. Whether it is an errant cast into the wind, or a skip cast that didn’t go as planned, a bad backlash can require a scissors to get you up and operational again. This video quickly shows you how to dial in a baitcast reel, to help you prevent this from happening. No matter how good you are, that errant cast still happens to even top-level tour pros. Protecting your line while removing a backlash will help your fluorocarbon last longer and prevent critical break offs.

Anglers choosing to use fluorocarbon line with a baitcaster reel may experience backlashes or loops in their lines during use. Those errant casts cause the spool to overrun and that creates loops, kinks, and tangles in your line. Those overruns can cause a kink in the line when they occur or when an angler is working to remove them. You pull on the line when it is stuck, and a kink is created in the line in that spot. Those kinks can damage your fluorocarbon line and lead to failure later during your usage of that reel and line. The more kinks you cause in your line the more damage you are doing to it and the more likely it is that your line will break when casting or during hooksets.

Kinks in backlashes can cause line breaks

You take the kink like the one above out of your line and it may seem ok, but the damage is often done by then. Sunline has 15+ employees that work in their R&D Department and they spend their days studying line and factors that impact the performance of line. The Sunline R&D team studied the impact that kinks can have on the performance of fluorocarbon line on a bait cast reel.

Below you can see a cross section image of two lines when viewed under an electron microscope. Line A is a normal fluorocarbon line that you can see has no defects. Line B shows an image of the same line where it had been kinked. You will see in image B that micro cracks are now visible inside the line at the spot where it was kinked. Those micro cracks weaken the line and lower the overall performance of the line.

Microscopic picture of damage from backlash

These lines were also tested for straight breaking strength before and after the kink. The line that had been kinked showed a measurable decrease in breaking strength. The micro cracks from the kink had caused the line to break at a 5% lower strength on average after repeated testing. More kinks are only going to continue to weaken the line causing it to fail below the rated level. This can often be seen when fluorocarbon line unexpectedly breaks in the spool on a cast. The kinks from backlashes in your spool have weakened it, so that it breaks inside the spool on a random cast.

The line damage from kinks is also magnified on powerful hooksets where higher stress is placed on the line, and it breaks at the weakest point.

Having your reel dialed in with optimum settings for that lure and technique is the best way to avoid backlashes. No matter what, backlashes and tangles happen when using baitcast reels, just make sure to remove the tangles as carefully as possible to avoid any kinks in the line which will decrease the breaking strength.

What Is Power Rigging for Walleyes and Why Should I Try It?


Tips from Tony Roach
from The Fishing Wire

Nearly fifty years after the inception of the modern live-bait rig—what’s today known simply as the ‘Roach Rig’—its sheer effectiveness still raises eyebrows and turns heads. Take a vigorously squirming minnow, nightcrawler or leech, and couple it with a hook, leader and sliding sinker and you’re fishing the deadliest walleye presentation of all time. Get a natural, lively bait to the bottom, and just start creeping your way along fruitful structure. Sooner or later, a walleye is going to eat. It’s just that simple.

Well, sort of. During the same fifty years, a number of nice little developments have transformed a serviceable bait delivery vehicle into a precision live-bait system. The walking sinker evolved into the Quick-Change Roach Sinker. The bottom bouncer transmogrified into the Northland Slip Bouncer. Live bait care tools, like those by Frabill, now ensure a healthy supply of critters. All the while, hooks, lines, and electronics have advanced almost beyond comprehension.

Which is where “power rigging” enters the equation. It’s old school rigging (light and easy) meets heavy metal bottom bouncing (head-banging fast), plus a dash of new wave tackle and tactics. Developed by ace guide Tony Roach, this hybrid live bait system is indeed, as he calls it, “Roach rigging on steroids.”

“Power rigging lets me maintain a natural live bait presentation, while triggering fish with a bit more speed,” states Roach. “Sort of like rip jigging, the presentation induces a reactionary response, while the live bait closes the deal. Early in the season, you’re moving slow with rigs and jigs, presenting bait to fish on a definite ‘feeding bite’; show ‘em a tempting morsel, keep it in front of their snouts, and they’re going to eat. Later on, as water warms, and the food supply expands, walleyes can turn a little tricky—a slight boost in speed is often all it takes to get fish to go.

“What I really like about the power program is that I can work quickly along a lengthy edge or over a vast flat, moving .9- to 1.2-mph,” he continues. “I can still put natural bait in front of them, but I can show my wares to a lot more active fish. What I also like is that the more boats there are working a spot slowly with rigs, the better. I can cruise right along and mow down the active biters.”From a lake-wide perspective, Roach’s power spots aren’t secrets. “This approach works on nearly any classic late summer and fall walleye location. Rock points, weed edges, transition areas, mudflats—anywhere you can drag a standard walking sinker and live bait, you can power rig,” he asserts.

“It’s really sort of a hybrid between slow-down rigging and dragging spinners on three-ways. I’ll start doing this pretty early in the summer—right after those initial insect hatches— and stick with it on and off through late summer into early fall. Once surface temps hit 60-degrees or so, it’s time to break out the power rigs. Then again in August and September, it really shines as water begins to cool a bit.“Those days when everyone is either creeping along with a standard rig or bottom bouncing at a good clip–especially on flat calm days–that’s when I’ll break out the power rigs.

”Roach’s power program employs a straight wire bottom bouncer, such as the Northland Slip Bouncer, coupled with a super long leader—up to 15-feet for coverless flats— tied with 8-pound test Berkley XT. At slower speeds he typically rigs a live ribbon leech, small shiner or chub on a single #6 or #4 hook. If Roach is pulling crawlers, it usually means he’s moving a bit faster, employing a dual hook harness. For added attraction, he occasionally adds a single fluorescent bead, or a single 00 flicker spinner. Often, too, especially with longer snells or near vegetation, he likes to add a Rainbow Float, 1 to 8-inches above the hook. “You can pin the float in place using a rubber Snubber Stop,” he asserts. Keeping the float well above the hook holds the entire leader off bottom, rather than just the bait itself.

While the hook, float and live bait power the presentation, the Slip-Bouncer drives. Unlike the standard R-bend bottom bouncers, Slip-Bouncers are composed of a single straight wire shaft with an open eyelet on top, which lets you feed line freely to biting fish—no resistance. The 5-inch wire “feeler” transmits bottom types like a stethoscope, while a slide-on weight system yields rapid adjustments to varying depths, speeds and currents. Another advantage: tickled over soft silt, mud or sand, these needle-like weights disturb very little bottom substrate, an occurrence that often spooks walleyes.

“Slip Bouncers are a gem—something every angler should add to their bag of rigging tricks,” Roach says.“Power rigging is ideal for inexperienced anglers and old pros alike. If I’ve got beginners in my boat, I can just set soft-tipped 8-1/2- foot trolling rods, like my Mr. Walleye SuperPros, in rod holders, and let them load up and set themselves. If we start missing fish, we simply hold rods and delay our hooksets. Drop the rod tip back toward a biting fish, feel for solid weight, and give a nice long sweep. Once you get things dialed in, you’ll hook every biter. It’s a pretty forgiving system.

“Really, power rigging can be the answer on any given summer day. Right in the middle of a classic ‘slow-down’ rigging bite, you can really put on a clinic. But the power program shines later on, too, when everyone else is moving faster, pulling standard spinner rigs. In both cases, the system can really make you a hero on those tougher flat calm day bites. Tell you what, any method that saves my hide on tough guide days is okay in my book.”