Strike King Rage Twin Tail Menace Grub - Swims like Phelps, Punches like Tyson

I don't know about you, but I don't throw an awful lot of grub baits, and thus I think the Menace Grub flew under my radar for a few seasons before I truly realized it's potential.

Pun fully intended, the Menace grub offers anglers a 1-2-3 Punch perfect for Jig Fishing,  swim-jig fishing and of course punching. It's twin tail action offers a fast, subtle but noticeable flap and will make even the drowsiest fish take notice

lets break this bait down...

Jig Fishing

Unlike standard grubs that you often find slipped in behind a ball-head jig, the Menace performs better on a classic football jig and or a swim jig.

When paired with a football jig the Menace offers an incredible fall  and its thin profile is a big help when flipping timber or target specific areas in which there is little room for error. Once on the bottom it's twin tails will stand tall on the pause and offer a nice soft waver almost saying "come here" to any fish paying attention. Like with any football jig application you need to work the rage tail with long slow drags and the occasional quick hop when you bump into any substantial structure.

If you have been reading this blog for any length of time of if you follow my tackle junkie addiction on instagram, then you know for the most part when jig fishing I'm throwing black/blue jigs, and keep it simple with my trailers.. black/blue and of course variations on pumpkin... yes, you can fish a black jig with a pumpkin trailer, there are no rules against it, and you just might surprise yourself

Swim Jig Fishing

The Menace grub steps up its game when fished on a swim jig, the tails have a brilliant kicking motion that could give Michael Phelps a run for his money. Perfect for fishing around docks or just in times when you need to cover a lot of water, the menace grub/swim jig combo is a great replacement for a spinnerbait in those times you really want the ability to slow things down and even hop or pound the bottom.

I'd really recommend experimenting with speed, the goal is to find where the fish are in the water column and fish as slow or as fast as you need to in order to keep your jig there.. lets be honest we've all seen the KVD Strike King commercial where he fishes a white menace grub behind a Sexy Shad Swim jig, if that didn't sell you on it's ability, I'm not sure anything I can say will!

Pitching and Punching

I spend a good deal of my time on the water with a flipping stick in my hand punching mats and pads, so when it comes to baits that Ill let get a peak under my skirt I'm kinda picky.

Depending on the situation and cover thickness I'm often left choosing between wider profile baits and skinnier or slender baits. The Menace grub falls into this second category and it mostly sees use in the heaviest, sloppiest cover when I'm in  need of a bait that can slip on in (no lube required) and hit the bottom without me having to work hard it. As mentioned above the Menace Grub excels on the fall giving off a short tight kicking motion that is easily seen and rarely the victim of the dreaded short strike. We all know that those longer leg baits often fall victim to fish with poor aim.

As the cover thickens I may also loose the skirt and fish this bait naked, again the goal here is to punch through the cover with little to no drag hoping to surprise the fish (a little bit).

Weigh size isn't an issue here, just find the best weight for the job, again experimenting with the rate of fall the fish like the best on any given day.


There you have it, the low down on Strike Kings Twin Tail Menace Grub.. this ain't your Granddads grub bait

Dealers:

Tackle Warehouse ($5.29)

Land Big Fish ($5.29)

Bass Pro Shop ($5.99)

Test Drive - BombShell Turtle

Its been a crazy summer, and between breaking in a new boat and a tone of new products, I haven't had much time to set down and write. But as the fall hits and the boat gets wrapped (insert sad face) I can now catch up on many on the product reviews I have been working on this season.

Lets kick it off with the BombShell Turtle

PROs:

The BombShell Turtle is a fairly versatile plastic bait and can be fished with both power and finesse techniques. I had more success with the finesse techniques nose hooking the turtle and letting it flutter fall next to docks and various other structure. If you want to power rig this bait I recommend trying it Carolina rigged or Texas rigged without pegging your weight. The turtle performs better when given the ability to do it's thing. Using heavier weights speed up the fall making it more a reaction bait then it needs to be. 

Your final hook option is belly weighted hook smaller swim bait hooks. This option gives the Turtle the same flutter/fall that the nose hook offers. This is another solid option that may help avoid short stoked you can experience with a nose hook.

Although the legs of these bait can be ripped from the body easily, the large profile body is fairly durable and will hold up for multiple fish. 

All 13 colour options blend well with the baits design. 8 of the 13 are natural turtle variant colours and the others are fish catching colours that work well on almost any bait you can through.

CONs: 

Availability and Price are common issues for baits not made by the big boys of the industry. The Bombshell Turtle suffers from both of these issues, and although they can be found at the Bass Pro Shop, most local shops will look at you sideways when you ask about them or share you a days wage to buy them.

As mentioned above the legs and arms are pretty flimsy, and although this is needed to give the bait its action, it also means it will quickly become and amputee once you get into a few fish. This isn't an issue if the front legs are the first to go, but once you start loosing the back legs its time to switch up baits. 

If your looking to flip the BombShell into heavy cover you will need to play around with your weigh sizes. If you go to light the wide body will catch up on the matting or slop making it hard to slide through. Too heavy and your not utilizing the baits best features (those back legs are awesome). 

Last point here.. I was not a huge fan of how a WG or EWG hook sits on the baits back when Texas rigged. It's awkward to properly rig and the hook point has no place to hide. A slight back slot or guard would make a huge difference in the Bombshells performance.  

Where to Buy:

As mention this is a hard(ish) bait to find, but the below on-line retails should be able to hook you up if your looking to give the Bombshell your own test drive


BombShell Lures - Learn More

Bass Pro Shop - $5.99

Cabela's - $5.39

FleetFarm - $5.49

Test Drive - Molix SV Craw Magnum

If there is one thing that Molix has proven to me over the past few years, its that when they put their mind to it, they can design one hell of a bait, sure sometimes they miss, but when you swing for the fences eventually your going to hit a home run.. the Molix SV Craw is the perfect example of this theory in practice.

PRO's:

The Molix SV Magnum offers up a jig style profile in a body design that will allow you to work in heavier cover situations that often required a Texas rigged bait. The body is thick and made of a durable plastic that holds up incredibly well. Believe me when I tell you the arms of this bait will be long gone before the body is rendered useless.

With that said the arms are not exactly a weak point when it comes to performance. They may look short and stubby but they give off an incredible motion in the water and look  lifelike on the  fall (check out the below video and you will quickly see what I mean). 

One of the best features of this bait is that it comes equipped with belly slots on both the top and bottom. This makes it extremely easy to rig and hide the hook point for improved fishability. I don't know why more baits arnt made this way, it makes a huge difference when fishing heavy cover for a long period of time.

The SV Craw is available is 2 sizes, the standard (2.75") and the Magnum (3.5"). Of the two I prefer the Magnum not only for its size but also for the additional color options. There is not a single color I wouldn't use but I quickly feel in love with the "Marron Glace" and "Blue Notte". 

Note: The smaller size is the perfect jig trailer size and I have also seen it fished lightly weighted on wacky or nose jig hook. Both of these hooks offer the bait a slower realistic.

CON's:

I have been fishing the Molix SV craw for nearly two months, and there are only three con's I will touch on. The first being the most obvious and that price point. The SV Craw comes in at a hefty $6.99 per pack, and with only 5 baits per pack the math hurts my head and wallet... yet I have still re-ordered them twice already this season.

Con #2 is the light weight arms, I get it, then need to me made this flimsy in order to give off the amazing action they are known for, but they are also very easily ripped off and your $1.25 bait can quickly become an amputee. You will learn to live with this and fish the baits one armed.. until the second arm goes!

The last con is also a pro, and that's the baits overall girth. The body of the SV craw is thick so you need to ensure you pair it with the right hook choice.. EWG is a must in order to ensure there is room between the hook and your bait.

The Video Store: 

The Video store is a new feature in the test drive section, but I think you'll find its worth your time. If you like what you saw from the Molix SV craw but want to see more.. here are some videos with the inside scoop and some live on water action

Note: The first video is not in English, so feel free to turn the volume down. It is a must watch that truly shows off what the Molix Craw can do in the water

Where to Buy:

Tackle Warehouse

Land Big Fish

Bass Mafia

Reins Fishing: Making it rain killer soft Plastic baits

Being hidden away in the "Canadian wilderness" (the term our American friends use to describe even the largest of Canadian cities) it is not always easy to get my hands on baits from small or medium sized bait companies. Most of our retailers focus on the major brands that the majority of the weekend warriors will quickly notice and trust (meaning "purchase") and who can blame 'em. So if I want to think outside the box that often means "thinking outside the Country".. that is exactly what I did recently when I took the plunge and ordered my first assortment of baits from Reins Fishing, a Japanese import that has made its way into the US mainstream.

Reins currently has 9 unique baits, that at first glance most anglers would simply file under: Swimbait, Worm, Creature and Craw categories.. but these baits are not as common as you think, here is an inside look at 4 of them...

AX Craw:

The Ax Craw is one of the baits that drew me towards Reins, it was the first bait of theirs that I really wanted or more specifically needed to try. I have been working my way through a pretty large assortment of craw style flipping baits over the past couple season and the AX Craw caught my attention mostly due to the beefy flipping bait body yet smaller head and agile flapping claws. Most baits provide you with one or the other but not both.. 

This AX Craw will be getting some serious work in my arsenal this season in and around submerged timber, and in the odd pad section, it's large profile will ensure it is seen, and it's ribs, small arms and large claws will  make sure it is heard. Like most Reins baits, the AX Craw is salt impregnated and scented with their "shrimp" scent (similar to a Power bait scent). It is available in a 3.5 and 4 inch version, the one pictured below is the 4" as I truly believe in the "go big or go home" mentality when it comes to flipping baits

Fat RockVibe Shad

Looking the way this bait looks and with a name like "Fat RockVibe Shad" you would have to wonder if Reins ran a "name this bait" contest and a 4 year old child happened to win it.. but don't let the odd name and look fool ya, this bait is the real deal, it has all the keys I look for in a successful swim bait, all mashed into one

It's unique body shape includes a intestine shaped head/body  paired up with a ribbed tail section that is then paired up with a large paddle tail. Obviously this bait was designed to not only move well in the water but to make sure it got noticed when doing so. 

On top of the fact that this bait flat out catches fish, I have to give the team at Reins credit for creating a bait that was built to last (fish after fish). Too many of the swimbait/jerkbaits I have been using just don't hold up.. take the Berkley Havoc Grass Pig or even what I consider a Hall of Fame bait: the Reaction Innovation Skinny Dipper. Both of these baits get chewed up fast mostly due to the pressure put on head portion of the bait while fighting fish. The Fat RockVibe Shad fixes this by creating a larger denser head (and body) that is built like tank..albeit a soft bodied tank . I'm really looking forward to getting this bait on the water, I think it will not only spend some time as a soft plastic jerk/swim bait, but may also get to take a turn on my Alabama rig (yes I still mess around with that thing) and on the back of a swim jig

Ring Craw

The little brother of the AX Craw, the Ring Craw brings more to the table then just a smaller profile. This 3" bait fishes larger then it's measurements, mostly due to the additional appendages and fat round ringed claws. The body of the bait is beefy enough to hold a hook well, although I would recommend staying with a 2/0 or even 1/0 hook.

I started looking seriously at this bait after watching the success my fishing partner (Dustin) had with the Power Team 'Craw D'oeuvre". Both are compact baits, that can be flipped using spinning or casting gear, and give you a smaller profile with lots of action to drive bedding fish crazy. I know I already have mine packed for my Spring trip to Northern NY 

Bubbling Shad:

Fellow Dobyns team member Paul Mueller has been singing the  praises of the Reins Bubbling Shaker for awhile now, simply put he slays fish with it.. but, I'm not much into that style of bait (drop shotting or not) so I decided to take a portion of Paul's advice and take a serious look into another "bubbling bait", the Reins Bubbling Shad.

When it comes to shad/minnow baits I'm from the school of thought that you can do no wrong selecting a white, off-white or other white variant. But in this case I decided to give the "clear" a test drive and all I can say is that thing looks like something out of an Indiana Jones movie.. look at that baby sparkly and shine.

Unlike the Fat RockVibe shad, the Bubbling Shad has a smaller profile, and even when purchasing the larger size, I was kinda disappointed with it's overall presence. Like many of the ring worms on the market this bait gives off the (first) impression that a single hard hook set will rip it to pieces. I would say that this bait was designed with more flair but less durability, kinda like a finesse swim bait.

I'm hoping I get to be proved wrong, as this is the first Reins bait I have held that did not really blow me away, or make me think.. "yeah I could use that". It will get some time on the water this season, and maybe, just maybe, you will see me eat a little crow. 

Whenever ordering baits cross boarder, it helps to put together a selection, ordering just one of the above baits was not cost effective, so I waited until I could add a selection of their baits to my shopping cart, and I'm glad I did. If you are looking to give some Reins baits a test drive, I would recommend ordering them through Optimum Baits, not only do they have an awesome selection and fast shipping, but they also load up your order with an stellar assortment of stickers!

BassJunkies Best of 2012

Just like in 2011 the products  listed below do not have to be "New" just new to me. Sometimes we as fisherman are late getting to a bait that has been on the market for years, but when we do finally get around to using it, good or bad, we can help but share. So below are 5 products that contributed to my success in 2012

Deps Slither K

Im a frog guy, you all know it, so there was no way I was going to complete a "best of" list and not include a frog bait. This year there was some pretty serious competition in the frog market, between the Booyah Pad Crasher and the Jackall Iobee there was no shortage of high quality high performance hollow bellied frogs, but for me, the Deps Slither K was the best of the best.

A small profile frog with super soft body, the Deps Slither K is a dream to fish with. It moves incredibly well in the water and the short fur tail imparts more action then the standard rubber strands used on most other frogs (and it poses less of a hazard to your hook-up ratio). If it was not for it's hefty price tag I would expect to see this frog in every fisherman's arsenal. I had great success with the Deps Slither K and have to say it provided me with the highest hook-up ratio of any Frog I used this year

Zoom UltraVibe Craw

Again this bait is not exactly new to the market, but, it sure was new to me, and I fell in love fast

I have told this story here in the past, but will rehash it now. I have a friend that bought a large lot of Zoom baits off another angler, nearly 300 packs of various Zoom products, and obviously he could not use it all, so being a good guy he contact a group of buddies and offered up some of the baits to us. When he posted the list of available baits, the first 5 guys to responded with the following "I'll take every speed craw you have". This alone was enough to make me head out in search for this bait, and Im glad I did.

The Zoom UltraVibe Speed Craw is a nice compact multi purpose bait that can be pitched into thick pads or flipped and swam through weed-beds. With two leg sizes to choose from you can switch things up and offer the fish a big meal or bite sized snack.  I threw both of these baits all season long with great success. I prefer the smaller Ultra-Vibe to the larger Super Speed just for it's fall alone. Personally when fishing this kind of craw I am usually slipping it through pads or sliding it over timber. If you want a reaction bait that can be swallowed hole, the Ultra Vibe is your bait

War Eagle Screaming Eagle Spinner-Baits

If you read this blog on a regular basis you may be sick of me talking about Screaming Eagle spinner-baits from War Eagle.. but I cant help it, not only are they the best spinner-bait I have ever thrown but they have also increased my confidence level in spinner bait fishing and in turn have made me a better spinner-bait angler.

The small shape yet heavy frame allow you to do whatever you want with them. You can burn the screaming eagle over shallow water and weeds, or you can slow roll over deeper water and bang around in the timber. The un-painted head and flashy blades really focus a fishes attention on the bait when it passes, and a quality hook keeps the fish stuck. I keep it pretty simple when fishing a screaming eagle, I carry two colors both of which are white!

If you are still trying to get your bearings when it comes spinnerbait fishing pick-up a screaming eagle (or 10) you wont look back

Lazer Trokar Hooks

Im actually going to eat a little crow here, back when Trokar hooks were introduced I like most anglers were skeptical of the sharpness claims and even more skeptical of the price tag (that one still hurts). But they were new so I bought some. Over the next few years I use Trokar sporadically but was not exactly blown away by what I was seeing.  As I moved into tournament fishing I was more and more cognizant of the quality and sharpness of the hook i was using. During a couple practise trips I broke out the Trokar's and was quickly impressed as I hooked into short striking fish all day. There were times that I did not even have to set the hook, the fish would come up from under the timber wrap it's lips around the hook and even the smallest amount of pressure stuck him.

Needless to say I was hooked (yes bad pun intended). From that point on I started using Trokars on all my rigs and even added a few Trokar tipped spinnerbaits ( I wish they make stinger/trailer hooks for Spinnerbaits). The sharpness of these hooks is incredible, and to this date I have not experienced any of the hook point rolling issues others have described (and believe me, I spent some time in the timber).

Hook quality is important, and my eyes are now open to what a difference a Trokar hooks can make. Over the course of this off season I will be building back up my hook arsenal and I expect that Trokar will dominate the collection

Dobyns Savvy Micro-Guide Series

Yes, yes the debate rages on, but if you are in the market for a micro-guide rod you wont find a better one then the Dobyns Savvy Micro. I personally gave this rod a serious work-out this year and I really  love it. I own the SS704c and it has spent most of it's life working Jerk-baits, buzz baits and the occasional spinner-bait.  Like all Dobyns rods the Savvy micro is light weight, perfectly balanced and tough as nails. The micro guides although still under heated debate did improve my casting distance (very evident while throwing buzz-baits) and seemed to better handle fluorocarbon lines then rods with standard sized guides.

If you are in the market for a micro guide rod, I recommend giving the Dobyns Savvy a try, you will be very impressed with it's handling skills

SuneLine FX2 & Super Sniper FC

In the line category I cant pick just one, so I'm going to have to go with a brand.. SunLine. This was my first year using SunLine brand fishing line and I have to admit I was super impressed. The FX2 frog line is the perfect hollow body fishing line, it is round smooth and very tough. Under close inspection this line looks like rope (that's where it gets it's strength from) but unlike rope FX2 casts very well and will not effect your distance or accuracy as some other stiffer braids will. One other perk I found with FX2 is it's ability to hold it's color, I hate have green dyed hands after a day on the water, most major braid manufacturers have not yet perfect their color stay formula, Sunline has.. no more green hands (now if we could only correct bass thumb)

The second Sun-Line product I used this past season was the Super Sniper FC flourocarbon line. Like FX2 Super Sniper FC is very strong and durable, yet it is still limp enough to cast lighter baits accurately and for distance. The line stayed soft and supple all season long and really makes me excited to try Sun lines premium line-up

Well there you have it, 5 products that really made my take notice in 2012. Obviously there were many other baits that caught my eye, but none provided me with the level of success seen in the above 5 products. I just hope their sophomore season proves to be as productive as their rookie season

Nail'em with the ZOOM Z-Nail

It's Hot, I don't care who you are, this summer is hot, and it's dry and it is making my style of fishing very very complicated. I do what I do, and this season I have had issues finding success, even more so if tournament settings. I believe part of it has to do with the water temps as they are way higher then average and the water levels are lower then average, these combined are driving the fish from the areas Im use to finding them (and fishing them).. but as always when  faced with changing conditions I have to look on the bright side.. and then change with them. The more the conditions change the more Im forced out of my comfort zone and forced to try new baits and techniques.. last night was no exception

After work I headed off to a favourite haunt of mine for a few hours of shoreline relief. This lovely fishing hole is usually great for top water frogs, flipping pads and skipping a wacky worm under the bridge (and into the shade). Last night I threw it all at them, and no one was home. My frogs went ignored, my flipping bait sat dormant and my wacky rig bounced off both walls of the bridge and everywhere in between but no takers came calling.

frustrated I rummaged through my tackle bag looking something different to try and I came across a pack of Zoom Z-Nail plastics that I picked up at a flea market style tackle show. I really loved the way they looked so I grabbed a couple packs at $2 each, but have yet to try them out.

As I mentioned above it was hot yesterday (very hot) and in turn I was lazy (very lazy) so instead of re-rigging some rods I decided to grab my wacky rig rod and use my gammakatsu wacky hook rigged  through the head of the Z-nail. This really offers up a loose presentation and lets it move more freely in the water (see pic below). Once rigged I skipped it up under the bridge and BAAMM, it had barley hit the water and was slammed by a small largemouth bass. After releasing fish one I sent the Z-nail right back under the bridge and, bang, fish #2 was on!.. remember I had just spent the last 20 minutes thoroughly fishing this bridge with a wacky worm, and not two minutes later I was 2 fish in and soon to be a 3rd and 4th fish all caught from an area I had all but given up on.

(wacky but not?)

Eventually the fishing had slowed and it was time for change. I was happy with the action I was getting from the Z-nail worm and thought, why not try flipping it! So I dropped my wacky rod (a Dobyns SF703c) and grabbed the rod I had rigged up for small flipping baits. I slid off the berkley Power-worm and applied the same Z-nail worm I had been using under the bridge, two short flips later and I hooked into my 5th fish of the day, all on a bait I had never fished before in an area I had just spend 45 minutes combing over.. I don't know what to say, but I can tell you that I fell in love with the Zoom Z-nail on this hot August Day.

This little storey is here to server three purposes, first off, don't get discouraged when the weather or water changes in your favourite fishing hole, just take it as an opportunity to try out some new baits and or techniques, who knows you may just learn something ( I know I did).

Secondly, don't be afraid to switch up your bait style or colour choice, just because you work an area over and don't get a sniff does not mean the fish aren't there. bait size, profile, colour and presentation all play a part in the amount of fish you boat on any given day.. today the slender profile and tapered tail of the Z-nail hammered them, but that does not mean this will be the case next week.

And lastly go out and buy yourself a pack of Z-Nail worms by Zoom, this bulky finesse worm works incredibly well and is perfectly suited for any situation in which you would traditional throw a Senko, or even smaller flipping baits. The tail gives off great action in the water and I think you will be very impressed.

Sneak Peek: El Grande Lures 5" Gila Monster

I got word a few weeks back that El Grande lures were about to  launch a new smaller (5 inch) Gila Monster, being a huge fan of the original, I could not pass up the opportunity to get some in my hands asap.. I dont think these bad boys are listed on their website as of yet, but here is a sneak peek for those as impatient as I am.

If you that have fished with the original Gila Monster you will quickly noticed that this new size is dramatically smaller, El Grande not only chopped almost 4" inches off the length, but they also reduced the the baits overall girth.. the new Gila monster seems to have spent the off season at Jenny Craig...

Not that this is a bad thing, as the reduction in size has done nothing to effect the action of the bait and may even improve it for some applications. Like in the Original Gila this little guy is salt free and the tail will float when paused in the water. It also seems to have a bit more whip then it's predecessor and the slender body profile will more easily slide through thick cover and dense slop.

The 5" Gila Monster is the perfect sized bait for Texas rigging, flipping & pitching as well as shaky head fishing. I may even give it a run on my drop shot rod, as I really love the movement of the longer slender body and tail.  Owner's Jig Rig hook and weight combo is also new to the market, and I feel they would pair up well with the smaller Gila

The larger Gila will still be a staple in my arsenal and will be used mainly to drag like a tube or Carolina rig. When flipping the larger profile is great in sparser cover, and I will use the 5" version when I really need to slide it through a small hole (which requires less body drag).

Less face it, although a great bait the original Gila is a beast, and many anglers will stay away from baits at the 8" or longer mark. Many Northern bodies of water do not hold the same brutes that can be found down south, and thus the average angler avoids monster baits.. Although I dont agree with this tactic, I do see where they are coming from. The new 5" Gila should reach a larger audience as it falls nicely into a more user friendly size.

Not one to rest on their laurels, El Grande not only changes the bait size during this revamp but they have also come to the table with a whole new selection of colors. The new Gila will be introduced in 5 new colors, including an awesome green pumpkin with purple flake that has quickly become my favorite of the 5. See the full color selection below (listed from left to right)

Watermelon (w/red flake)

Black (w/Blue flake)

Green Pumpkin

Junebug

Green Pumpkin (w/purple flake)

If you are a fan of the original El Grande Gila Monster, do yourself a favor and check out the new 5" version, these baits are extremely versatile and will be a great addition to your arsenal. These babies are not yet available on-line, but keep an eye out on the El Grande Facebook page and Website as more info will be available soon

El Grande Lures.. Sizes Does Matter

If you have ever laid your hands on the Gila Monster bait from El Grande Lures, you will quickly notice just how much they believe in their slogan "Size Does Matter", and in case you have never seen or fished with their products, you should also know that that they could just as easily change that slogan to "Quality does Matter" or "Service Does Matter", because this is one company who has all three of these  nailed down.

El Grande lures is an up and comer in the soft plastic bait market, they may not be widely known outside of the US, but those who use their products rarely forget them. I want to take a minute to introduce you to a pretty awesome line-up of baits and colors..

(Bama Bruise Color)

Go big or go home right? so lets start this off with the Gila Monster.. at just under 9"inches of length this King Lizard can rack up some seriously hungry fish. It's slender profile makes this beast a great bait to use while Carolina rigging or while pitching into the slop or other cover. It falls really well and that long tail stands up just long enough to ensure any on-lookers get a good eyeful, and hopefully a mouth full.

This is one serious bait, and if you dont plan on throwing it with a 6/0 or 7/0 hook, you better plan on missing a few fish. You can probably get away with a 5/0 but why try? This big bait is definitely worth your time and money. The color options are pretty sweet as well,  I recommend checking out the Bama-Bruise (close to red shad) and the Komodo. 

(Foxy Fred & Shiner Boom R Ang's)

Next up is the BoomRAng, a slightly different take on traditional jerkbait. The BRA is the brain child of Fred Roumbanis, and has a wicked forked tail, and some seriously sexy colors choices. Coming in at 6 inches on length this bait is can be fished multiple ways, including the traditional T-Rig, and Carolina rig.. Personally I think it will find some time on my Alabama Rig this season.. yes I said it!

The BoomRAng has some decent shoulders on it, and comes equipped with a belly slot and slight indentation across the back to protect the hook point. It swims really well and you could run this bait with anything from a 3/0 to 5/0 hook and still not effect the action at all.

As mentioned above I believe the color choices for this bait are one of it's biggest strengths, I love the Foxy Fred, the Shiner and Tilapia, but I think I could find a use for baby bass and shad too.. oh hell I think the entire color selection is worth a look

(Toad & Black/Yellow)

Now what kind of a Frog Fisherman would I be, if I didn't include the El Grande Sapo  in this list of goodies? The Sapo is a traditional Buzz frog, the second smallest bait in the El Grande arsenal this frog is just 4-inches in length. It has a deep hook slot on it's back and will accommodate up to a 5/0 hook with ease. the two out-turned feet churn some serious water and the legs are the right mix of soft yet firm so they give off a great motion in the water  yet still hold up to the abuse doled out by big fish attacking from cover.

With only 3 color choices there may not be allot to choose from, yet El Grande still managed to cover the spectrum. If I had to choose One, I would go with the Toad color, but my second choice would be the black/yellow.  To be honest, I own all three, but that's just me.

(Mardi Gras & Mississippi Mud)

so now on to a tung twister.. the Hatch Match Stick, or the Match Stick for short. This beefy little stick bait is slightly tapered at both ends with a wide scaly belly,  measuring in at  5.25 inches in length the Match Stick is a great skipping worm and also excels weighted and un-weighted while fished on a T-Rig.

For a guy who throws a wacky rig 80% of the time (while worm fishing) Im still working on the proper presentation when using the match stick wacky. It is not your traditionally shaped stick bait and Im still trying to get a feel for it in the water.

Like with the rest of the El Grande Lure arsenal the Match Stick comes in a pretty impressive array of colors, from two tone to some crazy three tone baits, you wont find a more unique color selection on the market today. If I was to name my top three I would have to recommend the Mardi Gras, the Blue Gill and the Mississippi Mud, three very different colors that should have you covered in any situation

(Green Pumpkin/Chartreuse Swirl, Blue Gill, RedBreast)

Im going to finish this article off with the product that drew me to El Grande and that is the El Grande Tube, a very high quality 4" tube bait with some seriously styling color options. I really can't get over the look of the blue gill and redbreast tubes. The site photo really does not do them justice, then need to be seen up close and personal. Before I even fished with them I placed a second order for a few more packs

What stands out even more then the colors is the quality, with a 1/4inch solid head and a thick yet pliable body these tubes will hold up well no matter how you fish'em.  But where this tube really excells is as a flipping tube, the slender profile and slight ribbing offers up a great presentation and a nice fall.  

Thats it, you have now seen El Grande's current product line, but only a small fraction of the colors that are available. If you liked what you see here, be sure to jump on-line and check out more. And if you are looking to keep up to-date on the new products and/or colors, be sure to check out their facebook page.. HERE, and click the like button

New Addiction: El Grande Lures

Im happy to report that as of last night, I'm now a proud member of the El Grande Lures Field Staff Team. This growing company has a great selection of soft plastics unlike anything else on the market today, and Im glad to be working with them

Last year I won my first pack of El Grande Match Stick's during  a contest hosted on www.ultimatebass.com. I was very impressed with the product and it's quality, so I started to dig a bit deeper, trying their Sapo frog as well as their tubes.. and although I will admit I have always been a bit afraid of the GilaMonster, I do currently have a few on order.

Check back later this season, as I get the chance to work through the entire line-up of El Grande baits, including the Boom R Ang, a Fred Roumbas approved jerkbait that will no doubt see some time on my Alabama rig.

thanx again to the team at El Grande Lures, if you dont know who they are, check them out

http://www.elgrandelures.com/index.html

Jackall's got the Craw market covered

I dont know about you, but I have been highly impressed with the line of hard and soft baits that have been coming out of Jackall over the past couple seasons. With the release of the Aska Square bill, the Iobee Frog, right on down to the FlickShake worm, they truly have my full attention and my wallets as well.

Adding to the above are a pair of craw baits unlike many on the market today, the Cover Craw and the Sasuteki Craw are two newer additions, and two very different baits that both have a definitive place in your arsenal.


Cover Craw

I dont know if you have seen or better yet held one of these baits in your hand, but if you have, you will notice something different about it, and that is the soft and supple body of the bait. It has an almost spongy  feel to it, yet it is firm and feels durable.

Soft, scented and salted the cover craw is designed so that the fish holds on, this is not a bait that will be coughed up easily. The short compact, yet bulky frame makes this craw hard to describe, but i'll try.. similar to a tube jig (just not hollow) the craw was designed to be fished upside down, with the hook point coming out near the base of the craw and the hook eye and line coming out at the top end between the claws.

The cover craw was designed this way based strictly on presentation.. and to allow the bait to fall "away" once it enters the water, so it will slide in under any cover.. Do you remember the "flying Lure" a flat tube designed to spiral away from the angler.. this craw is similar to that. Great for flipping docks the cover craw will glide in under the doc instead of falling straight down. It is meant to be fished weightless, but by adding weight to cover craw you will alter its fall, and remove that "fall away" motion, so if you dont like what you see straight out of the package try adding a little weight.

The compact body is great for punching, but the short firmer arms will not flail around and draw in the hawgs like it's bigger brother, the Sasuteki Craw...


Sasuteki Craw

Kinda like twins, just the fraternal type, the Sasuteki craw has many of the same attributes as its smaller brother the Cover Craw. Both share the same rounded bottom end and the ability to use the reverse rigging technic. The largest diffrence between the two is the large flapping claws and flat head that make the Sasuteki craw a little more unique then its brother.

The Sasuteki is designed to be a flipping and punching craw, but can be rigged a couple separate ways. Standard rigging is obvious, with the weight being added to the bottom of the craw, it's compact body will slip through cover and fall with the claws flapping like crazy, but if you are interested in trying something new, use that nice little flat spot on its head the Sasuteki and try fishing it upside down, by placing a bullet weight between the claws, giving this craw a very different look and swim when in the water.

Another obvious way to fish the Sasuteki craw is on a jig or shakey head. The durable body slides easily into place and holds up well when bounced around or dragged. Available only in one size you may want to rip off a bit of the tail to reduce it to a smaller 3" frame when using it on a standard jig.

Both of these craws are a welcome addition in the craw market, and If Jackall plastics are not on  your radar yet you are truly missing out. They are a quality product and continue to push product innovation each and every season.. are all Jackall baits a success, No, but Ive learned that with Jackall, it is worth weeding through the "misses" to find all the "hits"

YUM Money Craw.. worth every penny!

The Yum Money craw has been on the market for a few years now, and since day 1 it has garnered rave reviews from the high profile anglers who use them.. that being said I was a little skeptical. For the most part I saw them used by anglers sponsored by Yum and talking them up on various TV shows but i saw little of them in local stores or on the water. They came in at a whopping $8 (or more) a pack and came in packs that I could not open to look, feel or even sniff the bait (yes I’m one of those people).

Recently while placing an order on with tacklewarehouse  I saw a sale on the Yum money craw. Thinking this was my chance to give it a test I picked up a pack. When it arrived I was a little disappointed to find that it was the smallest version and not really what I was hoping for. But, it it did give me the chance to put it through the look, feel and sniff test. And I liked what I saw.

The next day I headed down to my local tackle store and picked up a couple packs to give it an official test drive, (I opted for the middle size ,just under 4inches)

(F2 Version Shown here)

Test Results:

Right off the bat I’m a fan of the feel and consistency of the plastic used in the Yum money craw, it is soft, yet durable, the fish held on well without destroying the bait after just one bite. They are heavily salted (the F2 Version) and this combined with the plastics consistency make for a bait that the fish wont let go

Like many other creature baits (or flipping baits in general) the body of the Yum Money craw has a ribbed textured look and feel, the most aggressive part of the bait is its claws or arms. The designs allows for maximum movement when the craw is falling or swimming yet they are thick enough to withstand the bite and the fight. To me this is smaller profile bait, but it does have “bulk” it is dense and durable and makes a great commotion while in the water.

Techniques:

I have been using two techniques with success. First off, the Money craw is a great flipping jig. The slender profile allows it to slip through cover with ease but the design still gives it great action and a slow fall. I love to flip it around docks, pads and thicker shoreline slop. They money craw is a great bait for getting in between boats and docks in any marina. 

Pitching in and around weed beds will also bring you success. This bait is built to stand up and whether you throw in on a shaky head or a bullet weight it will fall properly and give a raised profile when paused.  When pitching this bait  I also like to swim it between cover, the arms of the money craw act very similar to the legs of most frog baits. When swimming it over short distances I have experienced some pretty explosive strikes and many of my larger fish have come from the swim of the jig presentation. Pitch the jig to the desired cover, lift, pause and twitch, when you want to move on to the next piece of cover slow roll or burn the craw to the next spot. Many fish watching you previous presentation will hit the craw as it swims away.

Color & Size:

There are two versions of the money craw still available. The standard craw comes in three sizes starting at 2 ¾ inches and going up to 4 ¾ inches. It has a few color options and painted on eyes

The F2 series that came out this year is only available in one size; a 3 ¾ inch model and the painted eyes are no more. It has the F2 scent as well as heavy salt. I prefer the color options available in this line to the original, and the bait still has the same slow falling action.

In the short time I have been using the Money craw I have had great success, I have gone from skeptic to believer, now I guess I just have to work on my lack of confidence in the Yum Money hound!

Weapons of Choice:  Dobyns DX795 or 735c
                                 Shimano Curado

ishad, a new technique to revolutionize the sport or just another ifad

Ishad.. thi name seems a bit advanced to me, did Jackall need to get Apples permission before launching this new line of baits? Or maybe they come with an app for your iphone? All i know is this new technique has been making quite a buzz, and I want in. 

Similar to a bait i reviewed earlier this season the ishad is bucking the norm, it is a bait designed to limit movement in the water.. let me say this one more time.. it is designed to limit the baits movement in the water. The ishad technique was designed to look and act like a non wounded, non threatened bait fish. It goes against everything we have ever been taught about what makes a goo dait.. yet anglers
(like me) seem to be eating it up.

The ishad has to be one of the easiest techniques on the market today.. just cast, and reel it in, as straight and steady as you can, no jiggling the rod tip, no jerking motion, no pumping the rod.. just reel. It sounds so easy that it may even be hard.

They are fairly slender profile bait with a slightly ribbed body an ultra thin tail that gives the bait it’s only movement.  It is available in 3 sizes (the largest being 4.8inches) and close to 12 colors, but you will have to look hard to find them since they are not even available on the jackal website and most dealers I found only carry 6 or so. The body is a dense and gives you confidence that it will last for more than one fish, but the tail will be easily destroyed by the smallest of panfish 

The Ishad is meant to be fished with a nose hook jig that is also produced by Jackall. The nose jigs come in 3 sizes all fairly light and designed for the most part for the ishad. A short owner hook and weed guard finish off these tiny jigs nicely. 

As the name states the ishad is meant to be nose hooked, similar to fishing a drop shot. Just slid the hook into the hose of the bait and you are good to go. Obviously to keep the bait running straight you will want to be sure to place the hook in the centre of the hose. The small lead tip will allow for a straight retrieve and give little resistance.     

This technique is all the rage in Japan, or so I’m told. Does it sound to good to be true? hmmm, Only time will tell. But baits that buck the current trends are becoming more and more relevnt as lakes see more and more pressure pressure from anglers. Im all for new tricks and techniques and Im looking forward to giving this one a thorough workout      


Update:


This past weekend I was able to put this new technique to the test. I gave it a thorough work-over with little to no success and I gave my wife one to test out.. what better way to test a lure with no action then to pass it to a non-fisherman who will straight retrieve without thinking twice. Both of us had the occassional tap, but no significant bites or fish. Im not ready to write this one off as of yet, .. more info to come

The Erie Darter - not your average poor boys bait

I was recently invited on a trip to chase down some legendary smallmouth bass on the world famous Lake Erie. The trip itself was cancelled due to a work schedule conflict, but something good still came from as I found the “Erie Darter” by Poor Boys Baits. 

When the trip was first booked I did the obvious thing, jumped on the net asked some questions and did some searches. One bait pop up a lot and that’s the Erie Darter and the Darter jr. Both of these are not a traditional bait for me to fish, but I though what the hell and decided to place an order and give them a try.

These two baits are obviously family members with only 1inch separating the two in size. The Standard Erie darter comes in at 4” and the Jr. At 3”. (if you want to step it up a notch, be sure to check out the Dixie Darter coming in at a whopping 4 ¾ inches)Other than the size, they are identical from their ribbed bodies to the flat mini paddle tail. 

 Poor Boys wants to blow your mind, and when you get to their site you will be mesmerized by the 42 color options available for the darters.. In these 42 colors you still have your 2 size options and two bag qty’s...an 8 count or a 25count.  For the most part the color options stick towards the natural part of the scale. Lots of variation of pumpkin and watermelon colors. I personally like the smoke options as well as a few of the watermelon colors, they are killer smallmouth colors and produce well in the lakes in my region

The one thing that is not so great about the poor boys website is that the colors are not shown on the order screen. (I should say that not all colors are visible in the order screen) You will have to jump back and forth between he “color chart” screen and the order screen when placing your order... Your best to make your color choices first then go to the order screen.

 How to Fish them...

The Darters are highly versatile baits, and can be fished in many ways and  It fits into almost every anglers  style or technique.  If you a finesse a guy, you can break out the drop shot, the Darter Jr. Is the perfect bait for a drop shot rig, the body and tail give it a nice action when fluttered on the line.  The body of the bait is thick enough that it will hold up to multiple bites and still sti properly when twitched or paused.

 If you prefer  to flip, pitch or skip a bait, the darters body is perfectly built to fit into the tightest cover. It can be Texas rigged with out without a bullet weight, and fits perfectly onto a 3/0 EWG. (I like to throw the darter on a thin wire EWG Gammakatsu hook). The Darter skips well and will allow you to get your bait deep under the docks and pull out any monsters lurking back there.
 For the Tube or grub fisherman the darter can be rigged using your standard grub jig head and hopped , swam or dragged like a tube or grub. The tail and ribbed body give off great motion in the water, and give the darter it’s “darting” or swimming motion. The thin profile allows you to pull it thew cover with minimal snags. Like with the any finesse option lighter line is required if you want to feel what this bait is doing, I like to throw it on 10lb braid, but 6-8 mono would also do the trick

For the power fisherman, you can fish these babies on a flipping jig, just rip or bite off an inch or so, and slide the darter onto your lucky jig, the bait hugs tight to your jig and gives is a fairly slender profile. And a good flapping or waving motion on the fall, again the slight ribbing will also provide water movement.

So as you an see other then top water fishing or cranking it back to the boat, this little guy can pretty much be fished any way you choose.

The Low Down :Darters range in price from about $4.99 to approximately $12. They are available from Poor Boys baits on-line at http://www.poorboysbaits.com/catalog.cfm/darters or can be purchased from select retailers such as http://www.landbigfish.com/, obviously the other retailers will not have the selection that you can get when you order direct from Poor Boys, but they do offer easier to navigate websites.

All in all the Erie Darter and Darter Jr. Are great products, they are versatile, and can be used when targeting both largemouth and smallmouth bass. Give one a shot; I don’t think you will be disappointed