Test Drive: Duo Baits Invading a Tackle Shop near you

I was recently contacted by a member of the DUO baits team, and asked if I would be interested in giving some of their baits a test run, and in turn provide my honest thoughts and opinions. Not one to miss a great opportunity, I quickly jumped at the offer, and am I ever glad I did.

I will be honest Im someone that prides themselves on the ability to keep up on "what new" and whats hot" in the lure and bait market, but I kinda missed the boat when it comes to DUO, and if I missed it maybe some of you did as well.. Here is the low down on Duo...

Duo is a Japanese hard bait manufacturer that has been banging out Salt and Fresh water baits since the mid 90's. They focus most of their energy on designing high quality baits that perform when called upon (I should also state here that these are some of the loudest baits I have ever thrown). The "Realis" line of baits as Bass fishing specific and tackle most of the major categories including shallow cranks, jerk-baits, stick-baits, topwater and more. I had the opportunity to test drive 6 Duo Baits, and here is my take...

Realis Crankbait 48SR: I'm the first to admit it, I'm not a huge crankbait guy, but when I do fish 'em, it's all about the shallow running cranks, so the Realis 48SR is right in my wheelhouse. Coming is at just under 2" in length this little guy is built like an SUV, short, flat and yet bulky. It has a wide stance that gives off a pretty sweet wobble on the retrieve no matter if you are burning or slow rolling it home. Duo also did something that I wish more bait companies would look at, they made sure the two trebles cannot get caught up on each other. This may sound pretty simple, but you would be surprised at the amount of baits on the market that foul up due to hook entanglement, 

For a small bait, the 48SR casts like a shot. Whether this is due to the profile or to the internal weigh and magnet system, I don't know, all I can say is that I easily covered good distance on both spinning and casting gear. In case I did not mention it yet, t his bait is loud as hell. On my first three casts the loud knocking made me think I was making contact with the rocks behind me. I kept stopping looking around, and then would try to cast it more gingerly.. yet the knocking still persisted. I finally came to realized that it was the bait (yes that was embarrassing).

I'm not going to spend much time talking about appearance as I believe the old adage " a pictures worth a 1000 words" and since this article is pic heavy, i think Ive said enough.

Test Drive Results: I was very happy with the performance of the Realis Crank48SR and have officially added it to my primary Crankbait box. I'm really looking forward to pounding the shallows with it next spring. 

Realis Pencil 110:  The minute I picked up this bait I was excited to get it on the water. I had done some reading on it, and the reviews seemed to be all around positive. Like most anglers I love to throw walking baits and I'm always in the market for the newest hottest thing, and if I'm being honest I think the Pencil 110 ranks right up there with the best I have ever fished.

This is not a bait for the faint of heart, it is big, bulky and loud as all hell. It's size alone makes it intimidating, unless you have fished with the IMA BigStick there are few top water baits that compete with the Pencil110 for size. And if the size does not get you, the weigh will, this is a hefty bait weighing in a 3/4oz and as I mentioned before and will again.. IT IS LOUD. If you follow this blog on a regular basis you may have seen a recent review of Top Water baits in which I mentioned how loud the Strike King Sexy Dog is, well the Pencil110 makes the sexy dog sound like a whisper.

I haven't even talked about performance yet. The Pencil110 walks the dog with ease, I think my 5 year old nephew would have it mastered in minutes. I really love the baits ability to keep up at high and low speeds, I shook the crap out of the Pencil 110 and it continually performed. It splashes, gurgles and chugs along with the best of them, and any fish in the area your there.

The only part of this bait I think needs some tweaking is the pause. The Pencil110 sits nearly vertical when paused, and because of the size of the bait I think it almost sits too low and would like to see it at more of an 45 degree angle. I get the idea they were trying to achieve and I know the importance of the tail of the bait hanging down to give the fish a target. Personally I think it could sit up a bit higher (this would also improve visibility on the pause)

Test Drive Results: I believe this bait falls into my top 3 when it comes to top water walking baits. It has officially worked it;s way into my primary topwater box and will be tag teamed (depending on conditions and the bite) with my IMA Skimmer (a much thinner bait) as well as Zara Spook Jr. These three baits offer distance profile changes that should suffice in any condition (it has knocked the Live Target walking frog out of the top 3, and the Strike King Sexy Dog off my radar entirely)

Realis Minnow80SP:  The Minnow80SP is one of two jerk-baits that Duo sent me to test Drive. It is what I consider the little brother of the pair. Coming in at just over 3 inches in length and weighing only 0.17 of an oz it is visibly smaller then its big brother (Realis Jerkbait120).

If you check out the DUO website you will notice that they spend some time talking about how quickly the Minnow80SP reacts, and I cant agree more.. the only issue I have, is that is reacts so quick and easily that I had trouble controlling it. It took multiple casts and retrieves before I was able to get the hang of fishing with this bait. Early on, i had issues keeping it down, hard twitches or jerks had the bait nearly breaking the surface of the water turning it into a top water bait.

I don't want to rag on it's performance as I know there are more talented jerk-bait anglers out there that may have had greater success then I did. On the positive side of things this baits looks incredible in the water and moves as advertised. I love the flash this bait produces and think it could draw the bass into a feeding frenzy.

Realis Jerkbait 120: Ok, now onto the big brother, and a bait I had a much easier time fishing with. The Realis Jerkbait 120 is a bruiser, it is big, heavy and makes some serious noise. I had a blast fishing with it, and love the response on the rod and in the water. It's large flat sided profile gives off great flash and the weight system is uniquely loud.  The Jerkbait120 comes equipped with 4 rattle style weights, two of these and tungsten and two are steel. This combinations gives off two different sounds, the tungsten providing a lower pitch (almost thud) and the steel giving it a higher pitch (crack). I cant attest to what this does to the fish, but I can say it is definitely offering them something different and as we all know sometimes that's all it takes. 

Test Drive Results: As you can see there are some mixed results on this one. I personally prefer to fish with the Realis Jerkbait120 and have added it to my primary jerkbait box along side my IMA Flits and various Lucky Crafts. I think it's profile and sound will provide me with that "something different" when the bite gets tough. The Minnow80SP on the other hand will need some getting use to. I have added to a secondary jerkbait box and will be sure to spend some more practise time with it next season

Realis Spinbait 80: I will honestly admit this little guy had me stumped/confused. I saw the image on-line but did not spend any time reading up on it prior to fishing with it. So with that said you may understand my confusion when I threw what I thought was a top water bait (like a skitter-pop) only to watch it sink as I frantically tried to keep it up on top of the water.. Obviously I was unsuccessful as this bait is not a topwater bait.  Once I understood that, I started to have fun with it. I

The Spinbaits80's long slender body is surprisingly heavy and casts like a shot (and sinks even better). While retrieving the bait the twin propellers give off a nice easy vibration, and when paused the Spinbait80 gives off a soft flutter while sinking. This bait is great for fishing for suspending bass or in areas with various depths and drop-offs. Like the Rapala countdown minnow it can be fished at any depth and still perform as advertised. This is a very unique bait in my arsenal and I'm really looking forward to playing with it in various situations (hell it could even be used under the ice)

Test Drive Results: You can learn from my mistakes, by spending some time getting to know a bait prior to fishing with it, my assumption on this bait cost me nothing by humility, but that being said I should have known better. I like the Spinbait80 and think it has a place in my day to day arsenal, I'm not sure where that is yet, but I plan on finding out.

Realis Vibration62: Last but certainly not least the Vibration62 is a great little lip less crank that will be seeing some time on the soft and hard water alike (yes that means ice for your warm weather anglers).
This little bait offers up what appears to be a trend for the DUO line-up.. great casting distance, amazingly loud internal rattles and superior performance.

The Vibration62 is lite and small enough that it can be fished on spinning or casting gear and the body design gives of great vibration and flash while being retrieve at medium, fast and super fast speeds (without effecting performance). I love that this is available in a couple sizes and the colour options are pretty impressive as well.

Test Drive Results: I loved this bait from first cast, it fishes extremely well and is something I consider an "all season" bait. In the spring it will see some  use on Walleye and Pike trips, and during the summer and fall it will be used during some bass outings, and in the winter I will be jigging up walleye, perch and crappie with it.. yes you can say it is versatile.

Test Drive Overview: 

Again I want to thank the team at DUO for giving my the opportunity to test drive a selection of their baits. I was extremely happy with the quality and performance from their entire line-up, so much so that I will be placing an order for a few of the baits I have yet to test (like the Realis Popper64) as well as stocking up on a few that I feel in love with (Pencil110 and Crankbait48ST). These baits where a lot of fun to fish with, and I believe they can and will fill some holes in my current arsenal. During the above reviews I did not really touch on colour, again I think the images speak for themselves, but in closing I will add that DUO has a pretty impressive array of color choices for all their baits. So If you are looking to mix-it-up and add some new baits to your arsenal you cant go wrong with a  DUO Realis. Check them out at Tackle Warehouse or from DUO International . 

All baits in the above Test Drive where fished using a Dobyns Savvy Micro Guide rod (SS704c) paired with a Daiwa Advantage reel (SunLine SuperSniper FC line)

Retailer SpotLight: SAIL

 http://www.sail.ca/en/home/

For retailer spotlight #2 we are going to focus on a chain that has made the move into Ontario from what was once a Quebec only based business. Sail stores are rapidly spreading into the province with locations in Ottawa, Oshawa and Vaughn.. sound familiar, it should, the Vaughn location puts this relative newcomer in direct competition with the heavy weight Bass Pro Shop. A 4th location in Burlington is on the way in spring 2012.

I have made a few visits to the Oshawa location since its opening in December of 2011, and think I can be fairly objective here.


Pros:


Starting off with the Pros, the Oshawa store is a thing of beauty, it is well lit, looks cool,  and it is fairly easy to shop. I cant speak for all locations, but the fishing/hunting department is on the second floor of the Oshawa store.. pefect for us snobby anglers who dont really want to rub elbows with campers, and hikers. We want our own section, and we got it.. also glad to see that that the fly fishing section is seperate, would not want a fly fisherman to have to look at Bass gear.. (joke)



The store carries a large assortment of all major brands, and is priced right. Most products can be purchased at the same or better prices then available at other retailers. There are no head scratchers here. no product made me wonder "what are they thinking"



For a new store I found the staff to be friendly and fairly knowledgeable. Im all for a cute counter girl, but if she cant help, why is she there. This is not the case in the fishing department, the staff helped me find the items I was looking for and actually knew what they were.. and I appreciate that.


Cons:



Not to much to complain about here, after three visits Im pretty confident there will be a 4th & 5th visit. That being said this is a new store, and I think they need time to work out the kinks when it comes to product assortment and layout. Although I was able to navigate and find what I wanted, I did not like having to look for ice gear in three separate sections.



As for the product assortment, I think two things could improve the shopping experience. First off the HQ team needs to remember that Ontario is a different beast then Quebec, just because they dont move a lot of ice gear in some of the Quebec stores does not mean the same will be true in Oshawa or Vaughn.. Simcoe, Scugug and the BOQ are all huge bodies of water within an hours drive, you will get ice fisherman in your stores, and you best have what they are looking for or we will keep traveling down the road.



My second concern when it comes to product selection is that they focused heavily on the major brands and are well stocked in them, but the smaller growing brands are not really on display. For me what sets stores apart is product selection, I will drive 2 hours to one store if they have one product I cant get anywhere else ( i.e Paddletales), but if I can get what you have anywhere.. what then sets you apart? 



So thats that, I would recommend you take a trip to a SAIL store near you, they are well worth the trip. If you are looking to gear up for the upcoming bass season they will have the brands you know, and in case you feel like camping, hiking or canoeing, they have all that gear too. Between Sail & Gagnons the Durham region is really set up well for anglers, there is no longer a need to make that extra 45 minute drive to the Bass Pro Shop (and if you do, their is a SAIL store close by) 

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

Company Review: Elite Tungsten

Elite Tungsten

Well it is getting to that time of year again, I drag out boxes and boxes of tackle and start the re-organization process and the process of placing orders to replenish products I ran out of last season. Tungsten seems to always be on this list. No matter how large an order I place I always seem to use it up, and have to place a larger order for the next season.


The best thing about Tungsten is that it is readily available and can be found almost everywhere. The market is growing and so is the competition, and that is a good thing for anglers, as it brings the price down and the quality up. Over the past few seasons I have tried various brands of Tungsten, looking for that perfect mix of price and quality. This season I think I found a winner when a fishing buddy pointed me in the direction of "Elite Tungsten".


Elite has been in the Tungsten business for just over 4 years now, and they have the reputation of a company that puts out a high quality product and has a high level of service. This month I placed my first order with Elite, and here is a breakdown as to how the experience went.


Pro's:


Elite carries a wide selection of Tungsten products, including standard worm weights, flipping weights and drop shot weights. They carry a decent selection of sizes starting at 1/16oz and going as high as 11/2oz. They currently have 6 color options if you include "un-painted". Im a big fan of the "Red" and "Green pumpkin" colours.


The website is not pretty, but it gets the job done. Placing an order is fairly easy, each weight size and color is listed in the on-line store.. 71 in total (not including drop shot weights) all items on one page, there is not hunting or pecking to find what your looking for. They have a quick and easy check-out system that includes PayPal. The site is built to provide order updates when the order is placed and shipped.
Product prices are very competitive, they beat most if not all Canadian companies Ive purchased from, and match off some of the big players in the US market. You can buy direct from Elites site or from Tackle Warehouse


These weights are extremely high quality, and to steal some info from Elites site.. the weights are 97% tungsten and 3% nickel composition. Like all Tungsten they are Significantly harder and more compact than lead, they slip through small holes in cover more easily and help you feel everything your bait bumps into, for increased bite detection. 


The line holes on Elite Tungsten weights are insert free and "diamond bored" for the smoothest finish, and they will put less wear and tear on your line. All paints are a sealed finishes, and are very durable.


Cons:


I mentioned this above, but lets face it, the site is not pretty. The logo and the images are clean and sharp, but the story behind the product on the home page is nearly impossible to read with the font and color chosen. In the on-line store many images are missing, and although you can use the sweet picture on the home page (see below) as a weight color reference it would be nice to be able to see the product when shopping the on-line store.


Product all comes blister packs, this is great on a shelf but not the best option for those buying in bulk on-line. I would recommend they look at bulk packs or discounts if you buy in bulk (minus the blister pack or clam shell)


Customer Service:


On top of Product quality, Customer Service is an area where Elite really shines. They have a very high level of communication and respond to email inquiries very quickly.


When I placed my order for some reason I did not get a ship notify (something the site is built to provide). When I contacted Elite they apologized for the issue and  updated me on the status of my order. They also contacted me a second time to ensure the order had arrived. I really felt they would be very supportive if my order did not arrive.. they seem eager to help and honest about the concern in my orders delay.
I assure you my order delay had little to do with Elite, it is just what is to be expected when cross border shopping. My order arrived in perfect condition and this first experience with Elite has ended as a positive one, and Im currently gearing up for a secondary order (drop shot weights)


If you are looking to add to your Tungsten weight assortment I would recommend giving Elite a shot, with price, product and service they seem to be a company that wants and deserves your business

(Image borrowed from Elite Tungsten Website)

Retailer Spotlight: www.LandBigFish.com

www.landbigfish.com

This is the first in a series of reviews I will be working on to cover both store and web based retailers. As a Canadian Angler it can be hard at times to get your hands on the newest, latest and greatest, so I thought I would share with you the places I have found that do it , and do it well.

LandBigFish also known as LBF is an on-line and store based retailer from Akron Ohio. They have a wide selection of Bass products from most major brands and some you may have never heard of. They are also loaded with equipment for most other species including some great crappie gear.

Pros:

LBF is very price competitive, and carry most major brands you are looking for. The site is easy to navigate, and has all product broken down into easy to use categories. All products are displayed well, with great images of all the product options available. Customers can also rate products they have used, a ratings are visible to all customers, this may help when deciding on what to buy, and what to avoid.

International shipping is available. Very Canadian customer friendly. they ship via USPS, so your package may take a bit longer to arrive, but you will also avoid any nasty UPS charges. As we know UPS is a Canadian fisherman's worst enemy.

The LBF website has some great customer friendly attributes. Not only does it allow you to start an account, but it also allows you to create and save "wish lists". I use this feature all the time to create a list of products I may want to order in the future. Once ready to order, I go to the wish list and add the product to my shopping cart, it is that easy, and it makes sure I dont forget about a product. All past invoices are stored in your account so you can review past purchases

LBF also gives a little back to it's customers,  by allowing you to accrue earnings on your account. A small percentage (1.5%) of each order  is saved in your account to be used on future orders.. It may sound small, but it is better then nothing (which is what most companies offer).


Cons:

Although they take most major credit cards, LBF does not accept PayPal. I love to use PayPal when ordering from the US and look for companies that accept it.

You can expect to spend $12 or more when shipping into Canada, i have no issues with that, but it makes you want to place larger orders so that the shipping will drop per item. They offer free shipping over $50 to US customers but this is not extended to Canadian customers even when placing orders with values over $150. This is common, but would be a nice perk.


Service Level: High

I have been placing regular orders over the past 12 months and have yet to have an issue. All product arrives as ordered and in perfect condition. They send emails to confirm when you order has been placed and shipped. The site allows you to track your orders progress with ease.

Key Brands Carried:

this section will focus on unique brands that are quality products but harder to find in many canadian retailers. these are the brands I look for, and more importably buy and use!

Dobyns Rods,  Jackall, ISG Tubes , Missile Baits, Black Angel Jigs, Lews Reels


Overall LBF is a great retailer to buy from, they are  well stocked up and take care of both their US and Canadian based customers. I know i will continue to order equipment from them, and if you have not checked them out I think you are missing out

Sportsman's Direct.com.. On-line Service with a Smile

I recently placed my first ever order with www.sportsmensdirect.com. I was looking for a specific product (Kens Hooks) that I could not find anywhere else and I was pointed in their direction.

When I got to the website for the first time I noticed that they were out of stock on two of the jigs I wanted to order, and not wanting to pay shipping for a small or partial order I emailed them to inquire when they may be back in stock. I got a pretty quick response asking what "out of stock" items I needed and the qty I required.

When I responded with what i was looking for, i got another quick response this telling me that they could take care of me, just place my order on line and choose the current items in stock but in the notes/comment section of my order advise them of what i really wanted (they are all the same price). So I did this and sure enough my order was filled. (and filled correct!)

I got an email letting me know when it shipped and a follow-up email the next week to ensure i got my order. They ship using USPS/Canada Post and cant track packages once they cross over into Canada, so they wanted to make sure I recieved it.. I did.

the last touch was a personal note thanking me for the order (written on my invoice) and a free pack of little atom plastics that had been tossed in with my order.. yes, I know that a pack of plastics is not a huge deal, but the thought behind it was.

I had a great experience ordering from SportsmanDirect, they are a Mom & Pop shop doing what they do best.. taking care of hunters and fisherman, you cant really ask for much more.. Thank you Beth and the SD team

There's an advantage to Outdoor Advantage Lures

While surfing a fishing board a week or so back (www.ultimatebass.com) I came across a link for a company called “Outdoor Advantage Lures”. They are a mom & pop shop operation out of Illinois that is making tournament quality baits without the tournament quality price tag.

I was very impressed by the bait selection offered on their website as well as the cool color options available. Almost immediately I started filling up my shopping chart with a few baits that I just had to have. When i got to the check-out I was highly disappointed that the site did not allow me to ship my order into Canada. But because I was so interested in this product I dropped the company and line to see if they were willing to send some baits my way. Sure enough I got a quick response and they were happy to help me out. I placed my order via email and they send me a paypal money request, done and done... about a week later the baits are in my hand as I type... happy, yes I am.

Company Info:As mentioned above Outdoor advantage run out of Illinois and has been making quality baits since 2008. They specialize in hand poured plastic, you can buy right off the shelf or you can place special orders.. yes, Im talking about plastic baits made to order.
When you place an order with Outdoor Advantage lures, not only do you have a great color selection but they also offer a good selection of scents (anise, garlic, crawfish, earthworm, coffee, and more) and . Since you baits are made to order, you can also choose your scent of choice (Anise in case you’re wondering). (This added little or no time to the order I placed with them)

Website:

The website is user friendly and easy to use. They have a good base of baits available with a great color selection ( i think I said that already). The cool chart is helpful, it is not a small color swatch but a bait actually completed in the color you are looking at. I used it to choose all the colors I ordered. They have a featured section as well as a best sellers areas.. for my money head straight to the special order section, great concept and well executed
PayPal is available and those that know me know that thats a must. For Canadian customer as previously discussed you will have to email them to place an order, the site is not currently set-up to ship up north.

Product:

Here is where it gets good, and I don’t know why Im even sharing this with you guys.. Outdoor Advantage currently has 25 soft plastic bait variations.. Im not gonna name them all, so be sure to check out there site to see what they have. I will discuss the baits that caught my eye and made me place my order..

3” Chunk Craw - My goal this season is to throw jigs till I just cant throw no more, and these chunks are the perfect compact size, but till offer great motion in the water. Wide wings (claws) with a slight lip with give the bass fits. I picked these up in 3 color options (Copper Head, Spicy Shad & Brown Pumpkin w/blue).

3.5” Boss Frog - Im a frog lover and buy up every model I see. The boss frog has a firm body and fairly thick kicking or swimming legs.It is built with a nice slot to hold the hook in place and appears durable enough to hold up to a few fish. (i bought the frog in Copperhead)

Tip: Although I did not order any, Outdoor advantage has a cool option allowing you to “Go Green”, Green or recycled plastics are used to make the green series of frogs, the use a mix of plastics from other baits so you don’t get a color choice, but you will get a one of a kind “green” frog

The 4.2” Advantage Bug XTL is a very cool looking flipping bait. The body texture makes this bait stand out more then any other feature and the arms and legs ( i guess you can call them arms and legs?) are compact enough to slide through cover while still giving the bait a nice profile. When I saw the road kill color on the site I knew it would be perfect for this bait.

Customer Service:

As mentioned above the customer service has been great, they have been very friendly and helpfull in placing my first order with them, and placing an order that their system was not set-up to take in the first place. My order shipped and arrived fast (and correct) and as an added bonus I was provided 4 samples of other baits made by outdoor advantage.. this is a great idea, one of the samples provided is of their 3’ stick bait, this is something I would have never ordered sight unseen ( I have a hard time ordering 5’ senko style worms) but after holding it in my hands I do think there is a place for some in my arsenal

Price & Shipping

Averaging anywhere between $3.25 and $7 these baits are well priced and easy to want more of. Shipping was also reasonable and for the Canadian shopper you will be glad to know they shipped USPS and it still arrived in about a week.. Just an FYI I placed an order with another more well know tackle company and wait on average 3-4 weeks for my shipment to arrive.

Recommended: Hell yes, give these guys a try you will not be disappointed

Check them out at...http://www.outdooradvantagelures.com/

Black Angel Jigs: Review

As I have mentioned a few times, I’m in no way a high-level jig fisherman. This is a technique that I’m just starting to play with but I have had some success.

Over the past couple season I have begun to build up a jig arsenal. I was buying jigs in all colors, shapes and sizes from all the big name manufactures. Then I came across a company that is not widely know in Canada called “Black Angel Jigs”. They had a very unique look to their jig with what they call “ trailer enhancer”. What it really is , is some extra long strands that give the jig just a few more seconds of motion in the water.

I bough a few of their Jigs, and fell in love with them, they quickly became a confidence bait in my arsenal and I have been growing my collection over the past couple seasons. Here is a review of the company and the products they carry.

Company & Ordering:

Black Angel Jigs is stationed in Texas, and have an on-line site that ships all over the US and Canada. They do have some distributors, the largest being Tackle Warehouse. But if you want to see their full line of Jigs you have to go right to the sourse at http://www.blackangeljigs.com/

There site is easy to navigate but is not the prettiest thing to look at. The site’s shopping cart is attached to PayPal so it is very easy to use and is safe.

Product Selection:

This is an area that I feel Black Angel Jigs excels. Not only do they have 8 different styles of jigs, but they have some very cool color combinations. Here is a breakdown of their selection….
Finesse Jig:
This jig only comes in a 5/16 size, but has a whopping 10 color variations. Each of which contain the trailer enhancer. I love to use these with finesse worms or with small craws like the Netbait tiny Peca



Football Jigs:
In the football jig section you have two options, standard or Heavy, the standard jigs come in weights of 1/4oz up to 1/2oz. The Heavy’s come in at the 3/4oz to 1oz mark. These jigs are available in 19 different color options.. if you cant find one you like, I think you have a problem



Combat Flipping Jigs:

This jig is made to fish in heavy cover, kit comes in a 1/2oz size with 9 color options. It has a super strong 6o hook and a bait keeper to keep your trailer in place even when fishing the heaviest mess of grass, or timber. It has a head very similar to swim jig but with a flat bottom. This is one my favorite jigs made by Black Angel



Magician Swim Jig:
this really is a magic jig, easily my favorite jig made by Black Angel. This jig comes in either 3/8 or 1/2oz. It has 9 color options and a very unique head design. As with other swim jigs, this has a wedged shapes head, but the line tie is tuned flat. This gig pulls with easy over and around structure. It is also equipped with a long shank hook, Black Angel compare it to a spinner bait body without the arm and blades.







Hitman Football Jig:

This is one of two jigs designed by tournament pros (Jeremy Starks) for Black Angel. The Hitman jig comes in 3 size options and 6 colors. The hook is bent up to help allow the bait the stand straighter and give it a more traditionally crawfish look while in the water. Because it stands up so well, this jig makes it easier for a fish to pick it up off the bottom. This jig is designed to be fished with larger craw bodies, so put your chunks away and break out the craw baits.


Grass Bomb:this is the newest jig in my arsenal. The Grass bomb was also designed by a tournament pro (Lance Vick)and is a mix between a standard jig and a punching jig. The oversized head, and super strong hook are perfect for fishing the heaviest of cover. Currently the Grass Bomb is only available in 1 1/4oz sizes. But a bigger and smaller size is on the way





Texas Finesse Jig:
this is a stronger and tougher version of a standard Finesse jig. It still weighs in at 1/4oz but with a stronger hook and a flat bottomed head, it fishes like a flipping jig (or shaky head). It is great for times when the smaller presentation is key, but you still require some additional strength



Rattle System:
Black Angel has a very cool rattle system that allows you to add one or two rattles to a jig and easily remove them. The rubber band style system slides on to most jigs on the market today and you can add one or two rattles depending on conditions. Im a big fan of this concept as it allows me to change rattle without changing jigs.











Product Quality:

The jigs are very high quality, with chip resistant heads and Ultra Point Mustad hooks (some jigs have Gamakatsu hooks). All skirts are hand tied and have the enhanced trailer.

Pricing & Shipping:

Jigs average in price around $3.50 per jig, some come in two packs and others are sold individually. Shipping is free on orders over $30. As a Canadian customer there was a lengthly delivery time on my order arriving, close to 3 weeks. It was shipped USPS which save me the charges that USP is known for hitting you with, so again, no issues or complaints, it was worth the wait

Customer Service: My order was received and shipped with no concerns. Not allot of email correspondance, but I had no issues or concerns with my order

Recommended: Yes, I would recommend trying these products. If you want the best selection go right to the source, but for those who just want to test out one or two, Tackle Warehouse will fill your needs and ship faster then Black Angel

Why I buy Shimano!

the amount of new rod and reel companies entering the fishing industry every season is a testament to popularity and growth of the sport. But no matter how many rods or reels I test each season, I keep going back to the old standby... Shimano


One of the big reasons I have supported shimano all this time comes down to the fact that they support the industry and stand behind their products. I swung by the Shimano Canada Headquarters this morning to drop off a Curado reel to be repaired . Unlike other manufactures shimano has an open door repairs policy and any customer can pull up the the Head Quarters building, (Peterborough, Ontario) look for the blue door and walk in to drop off a reel or rod. You then have the option to pick-up the product when the repair is complete or then will ship it to you

Today I took a curado Reel that seemed to have a little bit of back play , I wanted to get it looked at and repaired in necessary. When I walked in the guys working the repairs desk looked over the reel and explained to me that the small amount of play I was experiencing was to be expected and even if I paid to have then adjust it, it would not make a huge difference. He even pulled out the same Curado reel to show me that it had the same "play" as mine.

walked out satisfied that my reel was working and happy to know that they could have taken my reel, did some work and then charged me for a minor repair that was not needed.

I buy Shimano because I trust them as a company, I know I'm getting top quality products and If and when I have a problem with a product, I know that Shimano will stand behind it. If you have had issues getting products repaired, calls not being returned or are sick of paying shipping charges (both ways) for a repair.. give Shimano a call.. I know I would

Company Review: Power team Lures

You can look in many places on the web to find a review of Power Team Lures products, their line of craw baits is sure to keep people talking and catching fish all season long. But in all my searching I have yet to see a review of Power Team Lures in general.

I have personally placed a few orders with Power Team and thought I would give you guys a run down of my experience so far.

Placing an Order: The power team lures website will not blow you off your feet, but it does include everything you need to gain knowledge of their products and place an order. Products are quick and easy to find, and prices are clear. The site provides videos so you can see the various baits move in the water, and as a nice bonus they offer kits, that provide a mix of various plastic products along with clothing and scent. The kit prices are great and are a cheap way to try an assortment of baits and gets a new customer wearing the Power Team Lures logo.

check out their website at www.powerteamlures.com

Like most Companies today Power Team also utilizes a Facebook page. They are fairly active and respond to questions, concerns or even photos you postPowerteam on Facebook
Product Selection: Powerteam currently offers 6 different styles of product. They include, Scent, Craws, Grubs,Lizards, Worms and Tubes. They offered a variety of different styles of each of these baits, but I would have to say the most aggressive line-up is the craw line. They have some of the most unique baits I have come across to date, and some awesome color selection.

If your like me and love stickers, decals and fishing branded clothing, Power Team offers a few decal options, a T-shirt and a Hoodie.

Product Quality: I have not yet had the chance to use this product on the water, but I have ordered a variety of baits, I have held most of their products in my hand to get a feel for durability. The product looks and feels durable and I would recommend not opening the package in a confined space as the scent is potent..

Product are well packed and sealed. Unlike other pastics you wont be able to open these on the show room floor, the packs are sealed tight and the baits are kept freshPricing and Shipping: The baits start at about $4.50 for some of the smaller one and up to just under $7 for the larger craw baits. They come packaged in 6, 8 or 10 counts depending on the bait you are choosing. This makes some baits come in at just over $1 per piece. Shipping was very reasonable and as a Canadian customer I was happy to report no duty and brokerage surprises when I picked up my order. The order was shipped quickly and I received emails at time of order and at time of shipment

Customer Service: I would rate the customer service at an A, they were friendly and responded to my questions promptly and with straight forward answers. There was a shipping error on my order, I ordered a L shirt but received an XL. I emailed them to see how I could have this issue corrected and received a quick response. I was shipped the correct shirt that same day and was told to keep the XL,. That's good service.

Issues/Concerns: See above, one small shipping error that was addressed without issue. Very happy with the outcome.Recommended: Yes, and to be honest I have already placed a second order and have been watching their site for when the new baits will be added so i can place order #3

Product Review: CC Rod Sock

As an amateur angler gearing up for my first series of tournaments this summer, i have started to buy products not used as much by your typical weekend angler, but probably should be. Rod socks, gloves or sleeves are a great way to keep your rods protected and tangle free when out on the water. I recently placed an order for some rod socks from a new up and company called CC Rod Sock
When I started to do some research on rod socks, slicks, gloves and sleeves. I knew I needed some, but was not sure what I wanted and how much I was willing to spend. There is a wide variety of products available and all of them essentially do the same thing, but the price varies from $5-$10 per sock.

So when my research was said and done, I chose to go with CC Rod Socks. Two key factors in my decision were.. (1) The owner is an Ontario Angler, and I love to support my fellow fisherman, and (2) the price was right, At $6 a sleeve it was cheaper then the ROD GLOVE which is readily available in my area for $9 a glove.

Here is a review of my Experience....Placing an Order: Quick and easy, the website is laid out well and it was easy to find what I needed and place my order. For me, when ordering online the option to use PayPal is almost a must so I was glad to see it was available. The checkout process quick and I received updates then the order was placed, received and shipped.

Website: http://www.ccrodsocks.com/Product Selection: With 4 color options (Black, Red, Yellow and Blue) there is enough selection without going overboard. There are two sock sizes available either 6ft-7ft or 7ft-8th lengths. There is also both a Spinning rod sock and a baitcaster sock. This is important as the large bottom eye on the spinning rod needs to be covered. I found that some companies that only provide one size sock/glove/slick make them to tight and you have to take more time to pull them down over the eye.

Product Quality: As mentioned before, rod socks are a pretty standard product and the quality from one to the next is fairly similar, that being said the CC rod socks are a quality product, each is made to order and have they two key features that are important to any quality rod sock, sleeve, glove or slick.

(1) The tips are tapered and are dipped in rubber. This gives you great tip protection and unlike other that have the tips wrapped, this dipped rubber will never come un-tied. Some socks on the market have flat or square tips, I never understood this. A tapered tip ensure the rod tip fits snug (no sliding arounf and is protected

The base of each sock has been rolled up and in for an easy on and off. This is pretty standard for this style product, as it keeps the ends in tact and helps prevent fraying. I have had a sleeve in the past that started to come apart at the base. It made it very hard to get the rod in and out of the sleeve

Pricing & Shipping: As mentioned above the price was one of the reasons I purchased the CC Rod Sock. Coming in at $6 per baitcasting sock and $7 per Spinning sock, my order of 7 socks saved me $20 over the same order with a competitive brand.

Standard shipping rates are provided for Canadian Orders. At just under $10 I can confirm they are not gauging on the shipping. The price from Canada Post on my shipment was just under $9 and that does not include the owners time or shipping material

Customer Service: I would rate the customer service a A, communication was great, i knew where my package was at all times and it was produced and shipped quickly. Any and all questions were answered within 24hrs.

Issues/Concerns: I had no issues or concerns with my order. I will mention that there is no real product packaging available for these sleeves, they were well protected by a plastic case and boxed well for shipping, but there is not "professional" packaging. Hey, for $20 in savings I can over look the lack of packaging

Recommended: Yes

My Live Target Family

Over the course of the off season (also know as the ice season) I have been slowly building my Live target family.

Live target has continued to grow their product line and provide a family of baits that allow you to target many species at any depth. My first live target bait was a standard perch bait, after getting my first look at it, I was not sure wether or not I should fish with it, or buy a frame a for it, but after a day on the water it was pretty clear that these baits are made for fishing. Not only do they have a quality realistic paint job, but they are a high performing lure with great rattle action, and what appears to be a quality hook.
(Unlike some other cranks on the market you wont find me changing out the factory hooks)

Obviously the one issue that always pops up when you talk Live Target is price point. But at this time they are not much more expensive then your average rapala, but I would argue that they will out perform your average rapala. A perk to these baits is the colors provide will work on more bodies of water then your standard crank bait, Personally I have been buying them in perch, crawfish and blueegill colors, and at a variety of depths

As a Bass angler in Ontario Canada,the lakes I fish are loaded with perch, pumpkinseed and crawfish. So for me color selection was simple. As stated above I started out with a perch bait, in two depths options. The first and larger bait is a 0-1" diver, this bait is great to rip over weed beds, the second smaller bait dives from 4-6ft, I love using it along weedlines, and trolling in over 10feet of water. Both baits have seen many fish, and still have that great orginal paint job

When I decided to expand the family the next logical choice for me was to go crawfish. The Live Target crawfish line is larger then the other lines in their arsenal, offering many color variations. In my area I have had success with the standard red/black craw bait as well as the fire reds, so I stuck with what I new and matched those colors. (this year live target added a crazy blue craw that I hope to add to my arsenal soon)

Not one to throw a lipless crank very often, i have not spent time with the Live targer lipless craw. I did purchase one this off season and hope to get it on the water more ofter. The larger profile and weight of the bait really drew my attention. It hasa great rattle and shoudl really call those fish in

The last species or should I say color selection, is pumpkinseed. My local lakes are filled with "dink" gills that are perfect for a hungry largemouth. I have expanded my size selection on the gill color to incorporate the smallest size that they have available (2 1/4 inches long 1/4 oz) and to include the largest size, the new wakebait (3 3/4inches long 1 3/8oz).

Im very excited about throwing the wakebait this season. I have been using the Mans -1 baits for years and with the new Live Target wake bait with jointed tail, I think I will have a new fav on my hands

I know many of you are thinking that I missed somthing, how can you talk about live target and not talk about the frogs baits that took top honors at the Icast show, well, I have 4 on order and when I get them in my hands, you will be the first know