primetime

KastKing or Piscifun reels are not "Cheap" reels. I still use my "Expensive" reels the most out of habit and because I like them, but I now have a few KastKing reels from baitcasting, round, and spinning I put on some lighting sticks and ugly sticks for friends, and all have taken a beating for months now, and they are still doing great. Piscifun has a good reputation but I have only held a few, never used one for long. I purchased a Pro Max 3 Abu Garcia on Ebay about 6 months ago for $40 which came off a combo, and I have been super impressed with it. If you want to stick with name brand, reels like the Trion, Black Max, Silver Max, Pro Max, Orra, BPS, Academy reels are all solid reels without breaking the bank. Ebay has Daiwa Tatula's for $80, this is the time of year when you gen find clearance deals since all the new models are coming out. Check out the Okuma Calera and Cerros reels. They are fantastic for the price, but Kast King is no different than any other company with the exeption of Daiwa and Shimano, and probably/maybe Lews. When I first tried the Stealth, I figured for sure it was too light of a reel, the drag would not be good etc. since it was only $40 and looked so pretty. After 8 months? that reel has been spooled with heavy braid, 15-20lb Mono, and it has handled 10-15 pound Red Fish. I would love to find something wrong with them, but the bottom line is, they are only getting started, hard to find negative feedback on their stuff, Guys are based on Long Island and will replace anything, and just look at how many reels they sell each day on Ebay. They don't advertise much either, and each year they have nicer and nicer reels as they become more profitable. KastKing is no different than buying a New Duckett reel or any other brand for that matter. Companies manufacture overseas and sell them here, KastKing is now creating new designs each year. I am not saying the Stealth at $40 is better than a Lews $100 reel, but I would put it head to head vs. the Carbon Fiber Lews reel any day which costs $60+? Just my take. Why do we consider China any different than Taiwan, Thailand, Korea etc. anyway. Every country has engineers capable of designing and making a good reel, KastKing stands by their products just like every other major company. I can cast my Stealth with the magnets on 8 farther than any other reel I own. I had a hard time getting it dialed in at first with both braking systems(Not sure why but it took longer than usual), but at 8, it is amazing how far it casts. I know casting distance is a stupid way to judge a reel, just sayin.

The most important part of a jig in my opinion is the quality of hook, baitholder for holding trailers in place if you thread them on the hook, and of course the weedguard thickness and angle of line tie. Siebert Jigs does a good job of breaking down the different types, plus picking your own colors will give you more confidence. Most guys who sell Jigs and pour their own usually start out doing it for themselves because they can't find Jigs out of the package that can do what they want. Usually they share a few with some buddies and then they can't keep up with demand. Hard to beat the Siebert prices and selection, plus they will give you the confidence that you have a top quality jig, and they are actually less expensive than many out of package jigs. For Trailers, all options above are good choices, but I would simply suggest to get "Creative" at times. I am guilty of picking trailers that I think look the best in the water, but the trailer needs to match the mood of the fish and color of the bait/water. For stained water, I love to mix a black/blue Green Pumpkin combination. I also find if I use a green pumpkin/Brown jig with 2-3 different shades of the same color, I tend to catch more fish. A double tail grub is probably the trailer I use most often, but the Rage Menace, and Zoom Critter craw are some of my go to's.

Just ordered 2 of each. I didn't have any baby bass deep divers but I like the idea. I can't afford to buy too many lures right now, plus I agree, a few models and colors are all you need. I had to spend more $ than I planned on a good cranking/Swimbait reel which I felt was worth it since I can use it for so many other techniques as well, plus I needed saltwater quality internals. If only I could find a flurocarbon less expensive than the Sunline, I hate paying the $ for expensive line, but I have noticed you get what you pay for with fluoro, I have only had that Sunline fail on me when I get lazy and do not check it. I guess I now understand why it is so popular, Kind of always thought it was a marketing gimmick. Hopefully I can find a deal on some higher end Seaguar or Sunline and buy a bulk spool.

Learning to catch fish offshore has been much more challenging than I originally thought it would be. However, I am forcing myself to spend at least 75% of my trips to learning the deeper water. Thanks for all the Tips, I decided to purchase a low gear ratio casting reel which forced me to slow down, so I picked up a 4/1 round reel which seemed to help me out when I took my Kayak out on a deep/Clear lake because I think I tend to fish to quickly most of the time. I also bit the bullet and purchased 2 packs of the BassTrix Swimbaits. I rigged one up on a 3/4 oz jighead and after 3 hours of drifting over structure in 15-20', I actually caught 3 good bass in the 3lb class, and lost a bigger fish closer to 5 on the Bomber 7a right at the Kayak(my fault) but I am starting to gain some confidence. Thanks again for the suggestions. It is kind of fun learning and gaining confidence fishing in situations you usually try to avoid.

Thanks for the suggestions. I am getting ready to go out now, and since we have some overcast weather, I think I may just go to a smaller body of water and try the same techniques in "Less deeper water if they are not active in the shallows". I follow a guy on You Tube who fishes similar lakes, and for some reason I forget that he is obviously not telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth about depth etc...He does win a good amount of Florida tournaments, so I doubt he is being honest about depths and retrieves, as well as the cadence of retrieves since the editing always starts after he has a fish hooked up. I appreciate the Scrounger suggestion. I have not spent enough time with this bait but I keep hearing about how well it works. Either way, I just need to spend more time doing different techniques because I have realized that I am kind of one dimensional with my fishing. The offshore fish on brush piles get pounded in summer, so I like the idea of maybe doing something a bit different because these fish are pressured for sure. I get bored fishing C-rigs/Jigs all the time, plus everyone is doing that. I should maybe become a more confident crankbait guy even in shallow water before focusing strictly on offshore spots and do it in smaller water so I can be confident I am around fish both active and inactive. Also need to start throwing more Hollow bodies as well I think. I was thinking about hiring a guide for a day who really knows how to fish offshore, I want him to fish as well so I can watch the adjustments he makes and get a better understanding of the cadence, angles etc. I know whenever I go striped Bass Fishing with my brother in NY, He is always doing things I would never think of and catching fish other people do not because he has put the time in & will adjust several times a day based on tide etc. I think I may not be reading my screen correctly, and as mentioned, I may not have the right strategy most days. I thought Bass Fishing is supposed to be easy? Maybe I just need a KVD reel and rod and then I will catch more bass on cranks. Or Maybe just buy more colors and styles of lures, That is what my magazines seem to be telling me.

I have spent the last month doing nothing but fishing offshore and I still struggle catching fish on Crankbaits most of the time, I see the fish suspended, see the bait, try different angles, different types of cranks, and I plan on only fishing this way until I figure this technique out. I currently use the Strike King 6xd, 8xd, Bomber Fat Free cranks, and a flat sided Spro to change things up. The lake I fish most has fish suspended in 12-16' feet of water with depths in 18'-20'. I have switched to 10-12lb fluoro which helps, but how fast do you fish deep cranks, and what is the key with angles, and when they are near bait/Brush? I think I get snagged way to often compared to what is normal. Any lure suggestions would help, I notice if I switch the crank I have been using I often get a few strikes by changing the vibration, but some days I watch other guys catch fish on cranks, while I can barely get a strike and that is now starting to frustrate me. I also like the Poes since I get some strikes when they float back up, Does anyone Carolina rig cranks so you can keep them at the same level as the fish the entire cast? I feel like I have no control over a crankbait yet, is this something that just takes more practice? I plan on trying the Carolina rig floater tomorrow, but people give me odd looks when I mention this, but I have used it before in moving water with minnow baits and had success. Any help appreciated, I am also willing to buy a few expensive cranks if they will help me generate more strikes cause it seems the people catching the best fish in the Summer are coming from Offshore, and in good numbers compared to beating the bank and Mats.

I have thrown Swim Jigs without trailers many times, usually because it falls off, or I am walking a shoreline and do not want to walk back to my truck to get more. You will catch plenty of fish naked if they want a moving bait. The Point of the trailer is to change the profile/Action, I still use a trailer because that is what looks best to me plus it's industry standard." Hook up percentage is much better when you don't have a trailer imo. A good skirt helps, sometimes a trailer gets in the way, if conditions are right, you will be surprised if you throw it a few times. If they are feeding on shad and you tie on a white jig, not sure you need a trailer, but good luck finding any tackle company, magazine suggest trying a jig without a trailer. Most people do not use a trailers on Hair Jig/Bucktails which are fished like a swim jig or any jig for that matter. I know you Why would silicone be different? I never used trailers on Spinnerbaits until a few years ago. Caught just as many fish as I do with a trailer, maybe not the same size, but different profiles/Thump can be important. Experiment, Throw it with a grub, craw, then take it off and I bet you will have different results every time, I wouldn't put money on any of the 3 to work better. Just my take. I am guilty of buying every new soft bait and doing what everyone does, but sometimes you find new tricks by accident, bass see swim jigs all summer long, that is why I think it works well some days. Offshore fishing is tough, I still am learning, but vibration/Profile/Speed all seems to be important, same with exact depth. I swim/Jig hair jigs and have never thought about a trailer.

I have noticed that if you buy "Older Z-Man Packs" they do not seem to age well from being bent, material not being as fresh etc. as normal plastics. I would make sure you simply buy them from a place like TW, local shop that moves them and you are not buying baits from 3-4 year ago. Just do not leave them in the sun, or mix them with any thing that may contain a type of plastic, keep them cool and as for dye, I use a marker and it has held up the few times I used one. I probably would not put it back in the package after altering any part of the chemical structure. The post above is a good suggestion. Use a chartruese Jig head. Chart jig heads go well with many other baits as well.

All great suggestions, I would simply google the size you want to buy, then ask the google machine the best hooks for that size. I would imagine you find enough info to be reading for days. I think everyone throws some type of Keitech these days.

IMO, I think you can buy a better spinning reel for roughly the same $ or a bit less in the Okuma Line of reels. I have a local tackle shop that carries mostly Okuma Reels, and I have several spinning reels, but also have seen which reels come back to the shop, tested many etc. The Trio is a popular reel on the Saltwater scene, a few years ago it was not a "Higher End Okuma Reel" like it is now. I have always viewed the Trio as a Nicer looking Avenger (Which is a nice reel for the price.) If you like the Trio because of the rear drag, I would look at the Shimano versions instead. Shimano has a Blue spinning reel for $50 with the baitfeeder that is a fantastic deal, I have used many Shimano spinning reels under the $60 range and they are all durable with good drags. With that said, If I were to spend $80 on a Trio for Salt/Fresh, I would spend the extra $10-$20 and buy the Helios RX, or the Inspira. The Next best Okuma option for the money imo is the new Ceymar. It has been rated on several reputable sites as a Best value, and I purchased one a few months ago for $55 and it can be found for less. It is an awesome reel for any price, plus Okuma has great customer service & make better reels every year. Obviously reels like the Pflueger President are often considered the best pound for pound reel and only cost $40 right now, but also take a look at many of the Daiwa reels online since you can find some great deals. The Ballistic is $110 on one site for auctions, but the Procyon can be found for under $100 and is awesome. As for Kast King, I have been amazed at how many people fish them when I visit a pier, and the Mela? only costs $30 and is really light, smooth, and I have seen it handle fish over 30lbs with the drag working perfectly. I have no affiliation with any company, can't speak to the longevity of Kastking, but I can speak to the customer service of Kast King and the guys who own that company are all about doing the right thing. KastKing is no different than any other company who produces reels. In Fact they are based on Long Island, use the same factories, design their own reels, no different than buying a ***, Ducket, or any reel other than Shimano or Daiwa imo. Kast King has a $90 Spinning reel for saltwater that has nothing but great reviews. They can sell reels much less than other companies since they use Amazon and Ebay for Advertising, give out free reels to guides, and each year they make better products. They are made in the same place as many reels much more expensive. I realize that every comany has inexpensive reels, but the Kast King reels seem to fish 2-3x than what they sell for. The specs are legit if that means anything. Hope that helps. The Trio is probably much better than it was several years ago. Okuma has really stepped up their spinning reels in the last few years at great prices. sorry for the ramble. Do not hesitate to buy any Okuma Product, they honor warranties and will often go above and beyond from my experiences, so I stay loyal. The Daiwa BG is one of the best Saltwater reels, for the price not sure how Daiwa is selling it so inexpensive.Can't go wrong with the BG. I would buy the BG over the Penn Battle and both are work horse reels. Check out the Quantum Cabo or try to find an Okuma Raw if still around, both awesome "Heavy Saltwater reels" that you can obviously use in Freshwater. Cabo and Raw both have silly drag power, the Raw has 30lbs of drag for their 3000 series which is crazy.

Just about all the Shimano baitcasters perform really well, Even the lower Priced model is a really good real and inexpensive. The Caenan/Casitas are nice reels. Some sites have the 70 for 129.00 and for that price it is tough to beat, but you can find last years models of high end reels for great prices right now. Catch the right auction and you can find reels like the Helios, Komodo, Lews Tournament series, Pflueger Supreme XT, Patriarch, and of course Daiwa reels. I think casting distance is mostly about the right lure, line, rod, technique etc. I can cast some of my cheapest reels which I paid $50 for just as far as the higher end stuff, but they are not as good when it comes to the other factors. Some of the Ardent reels are priced much lower on Ebay and they have some nice reels. Shimano and Daiwa reels are kind of the only 2 brands that seem to have different style frames & designs for the most part. Most other reels all seem to be on the same frames, look similar, but every major brand makes reels that are as good as the curado imo, they may just cost more. I have yet to buy a baitcaster that retails for $150+ that I didn't like except Quantum reels. For some reason they just don't hold up for me but I am sure many people really like them. I have owned several shimano baitcasters and spinning reels, and I will say they all seem to outlast my other reels, stay smooth the longest, and for $130 only way to get a comparable reel is to find one that retails for $200 but on sale for $100 range. Most important factor is making sure you like the way they feel in your palm. I have picked up several high end expensive reels and just didn't like the weight/Size/Handle etc. Citica reels are good. I have had one for 2 years and it casts really well, requires very little attention and you can find them for $100.

I fished during High School and College alot, and I didn't have much money so I kept it really simple. 6"-7.5" Culprit Ribbon tail worms in Tequila Shad, Red shad, Moccasin, pumpkinseed and black. Once Power Worms came out I switched to using them 90% of the time. Never went bigger than 7.5", always weightless texas rigged in shallow water (under 8') I didn't use worm weights. I would usually have one rod weightless, one with a small Split shot rigged 18" above the worm. 8-12lb Mono on all rods. I pretty much targeted shorelines and weeds/structure exclusively, but did have days where we would drift lakes throwing a white spinnerbait, almost always a single Colorado blade with a split tail trailer. Spinnerbait and ribbon tail plastic worms. I then moved into becoming a tackle junkie like everyone else and started using all the new techniques, but I am not sure I catch more fish now than I did back then. A split shot rigged plastic worm is easy to fish, and will always get bites in any body of water, spinnerbaits cover water and allow you to locate fish and is just a good change up of fishing slow. Keep it simple. Stick to what everyone agrees works. Worms, Spinnerbaits, Topwater lures like a Pop'r, Buzz bait, Torpedo, zara spook. I often will tie on a 6" culprit with a split shot on tough days after pitching, throwing all kinds of new lures and techniques, and it almost always gets the job done. I will take a ribbon tail worm over a senko almost any day.

10-12" Ribbon tail worm like a culprit, Power Worm, Rage Anaconda....If not producing, start chucking the big 10" Mighty worm. You will catch fish of all sizes, can fish them anyway you prefer, but usually a big worm in summer seems to get bigger bites. A lizard will work if that is a bait you like to fish, I would go to an 8" Lizard for the summer, but all posts are good options. That Zoom ring worm, or whatever they call it, is sometimes a fish catching machine. I like to put it behind a split shot, no idea why they love it some days, but when it works, it is just a fantastic bait. I used to fish some short night tournaments and I used to try and cover all the best water I could with a fast moving bait like a speed worm or swimbait, and once I would find some fish, I would start chucking big worms all over the place. Problem is, I often would not find big fish, but limits in the 4-6 hour tournament in summer of any size can often put you in a good place. Just get a plan and stick to it. Sound like you know the lake so do what normally would do, I don't like trying new stuff in tournaments or new techniques unless I am with someone who is smoking them on something different. Tubes are never a bad choice. You really cant fish one wrong, only issue is having the right size hook for hook sets, but an unpegged tube gets bit when it falls really good at times. Plus you can fish it like a jerkbait, Topater spook, or makes a great bait for gliding behind a c-rig. you can stuff a rattle inside or some foam to make them float which can help if you get them on a drop shot off the bottom.

Most of the worms on the market will catch fish plenty good regardless of brand. So many factors to fishing, I dump all my green pumpkin stick worms in one big bag, I never check to see if it is a BPS,Gambler, GYB, etc...If I grab a Yum Dinger, I fish it, and I actually find they catch fish for me just as good. I like that hook slot. I do have confidence baits as well, I have yet to find a swim Senko replacement but I know plenty of people fish the Cane Sticks and love them. There are so many good quality soft baits on the market now that work great, I think size, color, line, time and place matters most, but I am with you on the confidence thing. I only fish about 20% of the hardbaits I own for the same reason, but I just like having lots of lures "Just in case". I am working on selling as much as I can online right now so I can buy a better 4000 size spinning reel, so I figure why not sell all the lures that are brand new and have been in my bag for several years. I have a hard time giving any new lure a fair chance unless I see somebody else catching fish on it. I love sharing the lures I don't use with people I fish with to see how they work. Most of my friends always grab the shiny stuff first anyway.

I actually had the exact color when the Rage bugs first came out and I didn't fish them for the longest time, but glad I saved a few dozen of them. Strike King does have great quality control, They reject baits that don't have enough flake, but you would never know it since they look perfect. The factory that pours them moves a ton of soft baits so even a company like Strike King can miss a few batches, but I doubt it is a problem that will happen often. Try that color in stained water as a topwater or jig trailer and I bet you catch fish as good or better than normal Summer craw, I am a huge believer in fishing baits that are different than what most people throw even if slightly off. I caught plenty of fish on that color, I now fish chart pepper soft baits as part of my normal colors which I never did in the past. I think it is a confidence thing, I believe using Junebug red flake, Black blue/Silver, Red shad green flake instead of the same as most people. I think it helps, and if you believe it, then it is true. I am sure Strike king will refund your money or send you free stuff. If you call Strike King I would be surprised if they didn't fix the issue, Most companies are really good with complaints since the market is so competitive. Phone calls always seem to work best if you are friendly. Good luck. Add it to jig and I bet you like them. We all use chartruese trailers, Rage bugs catch fish no matter how you fish them. You have a limited edition color. Just my take.

Bomber Long A, Bagley's Bang O Lure, Rapala Orignal Minnow & Flat Rap Minnow, Rattlin Rogue, Cordell Red Fin, Storm Sub Wart, Shad Rap & Shallow Shad Rap, Mann's Minus Wake bait, Rapala DT-Fat, Norman Crankbaits, Wiggle Wart, Bandit 100-300, Kvd 1.5, DT Series Rapala, Flat Spro Crankbait with circuit board lip, Fat Free Shad, Bomber Fat A-Model A...Luhr Jensen Speed traps & Worden Timber Tigers.te AC Shiner Balsa Floating Minnow-Light line, killer shallow running crank,wake, jerkbait....Hard to find but once you fish one, you quickly realize why Hand carved cedar and balsa wood cranks are expensive. Glad I found one of these last year in a tackle shop, I never would have known.

Famous-Salt Craw, Sluggo(a fluke), Senko, Rebel Pop'r, Rapala Minnow, Shad Rap, Bill Lewis Rattle trap, original SCUM FROG-Banjo Minnow(Not Joking) If they marketed that bait in BPS instead of on TV, the Lake Fork Magic shad, SPro BBZ, all the segmented baits that were selling for big dollars may have never been created. Also the concept of Nose Hooking soft baits was another Banjo Minnow exclusive which is now one of most popular ways to fish soft baits of all kinds. The Colors of the Banjo minnow were wacky and any infomercial whether a fishing lure or a Kitchen Mop are always considered by most to be a scam, myself included. I remember a buddy of mine who purchased them and used them one day and he was new to fishing, but looking back, if he would have known how to set the hook on a moving soft bait, he would have caught alot of fish before putting it down for good. It didn't help we made fun of him and going back to the culprit was obviously too easy. The first Lake Fork Magic shad was a prettier Banjo Minnow with the new technology of salt etc. I would say the Power Worms or Powerbait/Gulp was a gamechanger for scent and Power Worms replaced almost everyones Culprit worms and mister Twister curly tail worms for about a decade. Gulp and Powerbait sell in all types of fishing, they don't market like they used to. I would argue that any lure or bait that was in catalogs 30 years ago and is still in the catalog is a famous lure. Manns Jelly Worms, Norman Crankbaits, Cordell lures, Smithwick Rogues etc. First Suspended Jerkbait is a big deal, Rogues are never advertised, nor are the Devils horse etc which are copied every year, Many of the Prado lures are the same as they were 40 years ago. To me the Ned Rig is kind of just a Take off of the Slider system, small baits have been used for years in different systems like a westy worm on a c-rig, but Elaztach is kind of a big deal, same with the chatterbait, Z-Man may be just as popular in 20 years since they came out with truly innovate ideas which is rare these days. I would argue the KVD square bills were not original, Cordell, Rebel, Rapala, dozens of others created square bills. Strike King makes great stuff, I fish lots of it, But they seem to be the best at marketing/Advertising/Sponsership. There are 100's of square bills and I doubt if you polled 10 guys you would get any group to pick one brand more than 50%. They Work great, but so do tons of other brands. Strike King has done a great job of selecting bait and lures for their line up that are a good mix and all pretty much work as good as the original stuff. The Red Eye shad is not a game changer but it is special. I give the flange idea of rage tail to Lake Fork as they had that much earlier on their flipping bait, other companies had soft baits that never made it with a similar design. They do a great job of having baits for everyone, and "Tweaking" other companies designs. The original Rage Bug was first Called the "River Bug" by KVD himself before it officially came out, then BPS had the river bug the same year. You can google River bug and strike king and find the connection. Granted they are 2 different baits, but without the flange it is a beaver. Many Bass Pro lures end up in top companies line ups. Especially the soft baits which is for obvious reasons. If Lunker City were to decide to start advertising like crazy, start pushing new versions of the sluggo etc. Get Scott Martin to exclusively fish them, never speak a sentence without saying Lunker City on my Okuma TCS Rod and Okuma Helios Reel, they would blow up overnight. Remember when everything was "Riot Baits"? If KVD was offered more money by Pradco to fish Bomber, have a KVD Bomber best Crankbait, I would guarantee Bomber cranks would sell even better than they do today and really hurt Strike King. I notice Pradco seems to have all the Famous lures and Rapala the other....First Suspending Jerkbait, First Wake Bait, Spook..Heddon,Bomber, Cordell-Big O, Redfin, Smithwick, Rebel,Arbogast..Bill Lewis rattle chap is for sure a gamechanger but Heddon Sonic got there pretty early. Manns jelly worms, ou Creme worms, Salt Craws, Sluggo set the table for flukes and Senkos. If you check out Bass Archives you will notice 99% of lures we think are originals were actually modified from lures made in the past that never made it due to marketing etc... Culprit once had a punch skirt and a company actually had a chatterbait in the 40's. Eagle claw had the Eaker Shaker which gave Z-Man guys the idea...Truly Original designs usually fail and are almost all the "Fads", especially the first go round if not enough money to get them in every angler's hands and magazine. Famous to me is a lure that everyone was using at the time. I have only seen a few in my lifetime. Right now everyone fishes some type of "Senko". The stutter step is a good example of a Fad for sure, but is a copy based off the Mann's Pogo Shad. This could go on forever. I wonder what the next Original design will actually be. Even Glide baits were simply just marketed to Bass fisherman instead of Musky.

Black, white,green Pumpkin. or smoke/Translucents in clear water. A black or white grub will work almost any time. GYB has a color I love which is a black with copper and gold flake for stained water, and it seems to work in all water. I like chartruese for trailers, but most colors will work if you are around fish. Grubs are great for fishing new water to locate fish, you can't really fish one wrong, just casting and winding will catch fish, heavier the weight, faster the tail action.

Jerkbaits mimic smaller fish so they will catch fish in any body of water at any time of year. I am not sure I can fit any more floating Minnow baits or jerkbaits in my topwater box, I don't think I have ever fished a pond, lake, or saltwater spot without trying some type of minnow bait. As much as I love trying new tackle, I am not sure there will ever be a better rapala than the Original balsa minnow & Flat Raps. Thanks for the post, I want to check this out since I have been wondering for years why Rapala would ever discontinue the Max Rap which was similar to the lucky Craft Flash Minnow but was marketed for Saltwater. I am hoping this is the same thing re-marketed and less than $20. I guess Rapala needs something new anyway, it seems every shadow rap, new jerkbait they have come out with in the last few years is always on clearance and they seem to sit on the shelves. Do alot of people fish all the new shadow raps and other new Rapala lures? Just curious since They look fantastic. I only have tried the BX waking Minnow which I thought would be awesome after feeling how heavy they were, detailed, but I sold them off after giving them several good workouts but found the Red Fin was still a much better choice when they wanted a wakebait. Just have to deal with the casting issues and modifications to get one right.

In clear water sometimes a clear lure will work fantastic, most people do not throw clear lures like the clear spook, Chug bug etc. I have some Frogs in clear or translucent colors and they work well in the right situations, I don't think bass know they are striking a Frog, they just see something wounded. Spro makes the baitfish patterned colors in their line and those frogs are one of my favorites, plus the design and action is different than most frogs. The one thing that helps is adding a bit of flake or dye to the lure to give it a little bit of color, even just a few spots with a marker or a red spot. The clear chug bug has mylar dressing and I am convinced that is why it works really good, plus Bass can't tell how big the lure is, so you can get away with larger lures and get more strikes with clear lures. If you don't like clear after buying one, you can paint it any color you want, dip it in some dye and you have good looking colors.

1/2 ounce weedless Johnson silver Minnow with the trailer of your choice is often a great way to catch Bass in weeds especially when you are fishing pressured water, or shad are in the area. You can work a weedless spoon in almost any type of cover especially higher in the water column which I find the best way, and let it flutter down into pockets as the flash draws attention in the stained dark water. In winter, I used to catch bass in NY through ice and during Trout season using a Hopkings jigging spoon, Lindy rattle spoon, and a Luhr Jensen crippled herring. A spoon will catch any gamefish found in any type of water. They are kind of like Jigs, you have a ton of different designs, dressings etc. I am guilty of not using a spoon much anymore, and now that I saw your post I want to actually start throwing one again since I am guilty of always wanting to try the newest techniques. The Gator Spoon posted above is a actually really good since they make a nice black color, has a hula popper type skirt, and Luhr Jensen has a spoon with a bucktail dressing that can be good. I still have a few of the old Bagley's Rattle spoons which were just like a silver minnow only had hammered metal, and added the rattle. I used to just cast it out and reel it in like a crankbait and catch fish. Snapping it off weeds and changing speed, deflections etc. help getting bites. You can find good articles about fishing Weedless Spoons online and on this site. Lots of guys are really good at this and usually they do not talk about it. I remember fishing with a friend when I first moved to Florida and He crushed me using a Jawbreaker or baitfish patterned spoon with a Grub as a trailer in weeds I thought were too heavy. I tried to copy what he was doing with the spoon he gave me, and I struggled so it takes practice like anything else but it is smart to use techniques other's do not use. Fish are pressured like never before and covering water with something other than a toad or soft swimbait, swim jig, spinnerbait is a good idea.

download google earth and then search to learn how to include the Navionics feature. people have put articles up and some sights will automatically put pins in every single body of water in a county. It would take me an hour to explain how to use it, I still am learning. People do post info online about "secret" spots all over the place, many times they do not realize they are doing it, you can do an awful lot with some computer knowledge, you can also link Google earth to your phone, set up a day of pond hopping, have the route planned, and no need to wonder if a pond is good most of the time, you will know based on sites you have visited, apps for fishing that will connect, best of all...... Make sure you link the age of the pond or lake you are fishing. Here in Florida most bass mature to double digit size in 6-10 years, so if the pond was built 8 years ago, odds are it will be at its peak. I am usually most concerned with finding an area to put in a kayak etc. but I also do research with the FWC site and others to see if "Private" lakes are truly private, or 100% private. Many residents believe their lake is private, they think the signs are legit, they may even call the cops "if someone bothers you THEY WILL CALL THE COPS". Make sure you can prove they are not correct with official documentation, don't argue with homeowners, Cops appreciate a well planned and professional explanation for your actions, you will feel better if harrassed when you then put your boat back in the water with the cop driving away. In order for a Lake to be Private or stay private, Associations have to take certain actions in most counties, a good majority of Associations do not keep up with laws etc. If you want to fish the best water, become educated, visit your county DEC, Download watershed maps from each county, see what lakes have small streams that connect them for after it rains, also find out results from stocking programs and you will be amazed how much info is available about every inch of a lake for free, or even a tiny brackish pond. One quick tip. Never discount any water based on size or the fact it is a public park. I started a new job almost a year ago and I noticed a stream I never noticed on Google earth before a few hundred yards from my office building. The stream is maybe 15' wide in largest areas, but most is maybe 4-8' wide, lots of floating Junk, and water color looks awful. I decided to walk the stream during lunch and noticed the weeds were super green in many areas, water quality perfect, schools of baitfish and bluegills without any junk fish. I also noticed small Bass but they were chunky. This is in an area surrounded by crappy lakes and water which have been ruined by invasives & salt water etc. Turns out this tiny stream has good moving water at times, steady oxygen flow all day, holes and ditches over 6' with cool water, and I now have roughly half the guys I work with now addicted to bass fishing after they laughed at "Freshwater fishing". Stream has no name, can't see it on Earth unless you really look, but if you study it, you see it connects to 4 Big lakes and also the bay, and somehow this little stream is full of really big bass since they leave the lakes after rain and never have the need to go back. water fluctuates depth quickly certain times of the year, ponds can look Green for only a few days, I don't do the eye test anymore. I bring bread to see what the forage looks like if any, see if the panfish are stunted or consistently too big and plentiful. I have found Too many big bluegills, stunted bass are almost a certainty. Stunted panfish could be good but you want to catch some big shiners, gills of all sizes, see shad schooling, birds, turtles, gators, turtles etc. Turtles = Wood, good place to start. Some of my best spots are places where it took me several trips to catch a few decent bass until I figured out how to catch them. Tons of bait means big fish, also means hard to catch on lures, even in ponds.

I find reels with just the external systems are the easiest to get dialed in, easiest to adjust, and the pins inside can be tricky to get right, you can be losing distance and not realize it until you grab a different reel. Just my opinion but my buddy just picked up his first casting reel, He grabbed the Orra sx combo which is actually super nice and only $79. It is built with same material as the Revo for most part, just doesn't have the same internals but I think it is pretty much the same quality as the Revo S but that reel is on sale for $79 at several stores, the STX is 104 on Ebay as one seller puts the revos really cheap for a week every month. IMO the STX is not the easiest reel to get dialed in, but once you do it is super nice, so are all the abu reels down to the pro max. Keep this in mind....Shimano reels like the curado and citica hold their value so you can get a good chunk of your money back after a few years if you keep it in good shape. Same with ABU REVO's, Guys pay $70 for Gen 1 reels that look fished. Daiwa reels are also a good deal, as mentioned the Tatula and Fuego are great options. Check out combos from cabelas and bass pro, they put the vengeance with the Revo SX and few other reels I believe and you save money. If you want a reel that is priced awesome right now, casts super easy, light, looks really nice, good drag etc...Okuma Cerros or the calera which has 1 less bearing but they are great for any size lure, super easy to adjust, quality frames, bearings etc. Okuma also has great service if you have any issues. I like the Cerros better than many reels that look just like it and have similar features etc. If you have a Gander mountain by you you may get lucky....reels and rods went 60 percent plus for everything if store is closing, They carry tons of options since nobody buys fishing gear their but you can find your rod and a Citica for under $110 for both or Lexa etc. Guys are winning top quality reels in auction right now for crazy prices, notice all the citica reels going for under $100 and reels like ducket 320 which is 229 going for $80, Komodo under $100, Exo etc. This is the best time of year to be on point with Ebay and look for auctions or buy it now and search Just Entered. Prices will only go lower with Icast coming up. Just get the best value for you, if you like the feel of an Ardent Apex better than a reel more expensive, get it since all major brands have reels in same category. Orra sx is a fantastic combo. Rod feels just like a Vendetta without the color. Cabela's rods in a combo are the best way for price and warranty. I love Cabelas rods, the $40 Rod lifetime is just priced low, quality is fantastic, they use pretty good blanks many guys like. The combos put Revos or curado with $100 model rods and only cost $179 or something. Soon they all go on sale where you can get the Carbonlight and PQ at bps for $100. Time to fill stores with 2018 stuff at list price.

If you step up to the Helios or the Komodo you will cast light lures without any issues as the settings are simple. I like the Daiwa T3 since it is designed with saltwater bearings, I am pretty sure the curado is saltwater ready so are the Revo's. Since Okuma is known as a saltwater first company, I tend to buy them the most since I use all my reels in fresh and salt. The Komodo may not be saltwater I would check, The ss komodo is for saltwater or fresh, reel is expensive but awesome. That is my next reel when I "Need" One.

Pflueger President, Okuma ceymar fishes much better than its price tag and it looks bad ass as well. It was ranked best value and performed better than most reels in this years Outdoor life? They always have awesome reviews, if you look back at their picks from years ago, they usually get it right. Any Shimano in the 40 Plus range will work great as well, the Trion is a solid reel but heavier than the president or get lucky and find a summitt or purist which is more like a supreme but priced lower since they are only made for Cabelas. You can find brand new Purist reels on ebay for under $20 and they are sealed, stainless bearings, just check the specs as they have a few versions which have changed over the years. Mitchell 300 Pro is a nice reel as well. Lastly, Kast King Mela for $30...Looks identical to the ardent wire, light, silly amount of drag power, hard to believe they really have high quality bearings and all the features they list, but they do....Its slowly becoming one of the most popular reels I see especially when saltwater fishing. I don't think the drag is sealed but for freshwater it does have what you would want.