The Angler Report » Fishing Tips

Best Terminal Tackle 2008

ThePrincipal — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:43:36 +0000

2008 has been a great year for terminal tackle advancement and innovation. While I haven’t fished with every new product out there, I have been bass fishing with a few things that I really like. I personally don’t jump into all the hype of a product unless that fishing product can save me money in the long run or catch more fish. My line-up of terminal tackle is much the same as last year with the exception of a couple additions to my tackle arsenal.

I wrote about “The Stand Up Jig” released in 2008 by Parasite Weights before the fishing season really kicked in. Now, 9 months later, the stand up jig head has proved that it does when others won’t. When I hear or see the term “stand up jig”; I think about all the jigs I have tried in the past that seem to fall over more often than not. That is far from the case when bass fishing with the Parasite Stand Up Jig. I admit, this jig isn’t the same old thing to rig but, once it is rigged, this jig will stand, bounce and stand again and again, each time keeping that hook point in the strike zone. If your looking for a dependable stand up jig for finesse fishing, this jig is worth the look. The cost of these stand up jigs is comparable to other jigs but, the increased effectiveness and hook up ratio is well above other products I have tried.

The “Cradle Weight” also released by Parasite Weights this year is designed for use with swimbaits. It allows bass anglers to use an offset hook of their choice, get a well balanced rig that runs true. Best part of this system is that your swimbait will never slide down the hook into a ball as the bait gets worn from use. Each swimbait can be fished longer, fished harder without the need periodically fix it which means a huge savings to the bass angler. The cradle weight is available from 1/8th to 1/2oz offering bass anglers lots of options for fishing their swimbaits from; burning it across the shallows to bouncing it across the deeper holes. If you like to fish swimbaits, this may just be what you are looking for.

Also from Parasite Weights are some unique products I use on a regular basis that each save me money every trip to the lake.

The Parasite Clips and weights are worth their weight in gold in my opinion. When I fish a soft plastic weightless, I don’t need glue, I use a Parasite Clip. The clip keeps my bait in place on the hook and allows me to cast repeatedly without the need to fix a bait. The clip also allows me to catch more fish per bait and continue to fish with a seemingly worn out piece of soft plastic. I have saved a ton on soft plastics over the last two years using this product. Simple to rig and worth every penny to those that use them. The clips are great for senkos, flukes, topwater frogs and even while Carolina rigging a lizard.

The Parasite weights have all the same great benifits as the clip but, have weight added to them. The weights make for fast and easy weight pegging and you never need to check or fix a rig. Available in plain lead or painted to 1oz and 3/16 & 1/4oz tungsten sizes. This weight system is not a gimmick, they do just what they claim and will save anglers time wasted and money each time the product is used. Check out the closeup of a tungsten weight rigged to the left, when this weight is rigged, it is vertually imposible for your bait to slide down the hook into a ball. Also, the clip part of the weight keeps the weight securely against the tip of your bait making for a no-hassle pegging method. These weights are very easy to rig and have become something I use on a regular basis. For more information on any of the Parasite Weights line of products, checkout their website: http://parasiteweights.com/

The “J” Hook by Owner is by far the most dependable offset hook I have found. These may cost a little more than other hooks and aren’t available in bulk packs but, I know when I’m using the “j” hook, I can stick a fish. I haven’t bent one of these yet and this is the only hook I have found that will penetrate fish bone or hard areas of the jaw without bending a point or getting dull. These can be set into rocks and other bottom structures and still maintain a sharp point. If you haven’t tried Owner hooks yet, find your style of hook by them and be pleasantly surprised at the quality of the Owner product line.

The Scrounger Jig might be better being talked about as a lure but, because it is a unique jig head, I’ll just talk about it now. The Scrounger is in my opinion, one of the most versitile jig heads on the market for anglers. It’s uses are for more than just bass; a scrounger can be used for any panfish, perch, LM bass, SM bass, pike, pickerel, musky, walleye, catfish, striper as well as many saltwater species. It’s unique design allows the fisherman to add a wobble action to any soft plastic used as a trailer. Scroungers can also be tied with hair to become a hair jig or even be used with a skirt much like a spinnerbait. If you are looking for one lure that you can target just about any fish species, this has to be one of them. They are available in a multitude of weights and sizes. You can find out more about the Scrounger at: http://thescrounger.com

Feel free to add your comments or to add anything you feel I have missed and should be mentioned in this article. You can make a comment below or talk about this article in the forums.

Deep Water Smallmouth Angling – Fish “Fizzing” Alternatives

ThePrincipal — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:58:34 +0000

With the ever increasing amount of fishing pressure anglers face out fishing these days. It’s no wonder many anglers are turning to deep water tactics like the drop shot to catch more and/or bigger fish. Targeting deep water smallmouth bass can have its hurdles but, a little preparation can save the day. Sometimes when anglers catch fish deep and bring them to the top too quickly, those fish may be over inflated or seem bloated. This happens when the fish can’t equalize the pressure in such a short time and its air bladder fills with air, causing the fish to often times go belly up. When this happens, the fish has little chance of survival without direct interaction from us, the anglers.

Until more recently, “Fizzing” was about the only way to help the fish and give it a chance of survival. This consists or using a needle to puncture the fish’s air bladder, releasing that excess air. While this may seem like an easy answer for most, the idea of sticking a fish with a needle has its drawbacks. Without proper knowledge of the procedure; you stand to puncture a vital organ, spread disease or just create another problem. Read more about “Fizzing here: http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmaster/columns/story?page=b_col_bt_1106_fizzing_procedure

A few months ago, The Flip Clip was introduced to the angling market. Finally, an easy alterative to fizzing a fish that is much faster and much easier for the average angler. The Flip Clip is something an angler can attach to a fish in distress before adding it to their live well.

What it does: The Flip Clip attaches to the anal fin of the fish forcing the fish to remain in a swimming position and below water level where it can breathe. This also allows the fish a chance to re-acclimate to the pressure and disperse that extra air on its own while in your live well. This is a huge break through for the tournament angler and is clearly the fastest answer to the problem of fizzing. You can read more about this product at: http://www.flipclipfishing.com

If you’re an angler that fishes deep water and runs into the need to fizz a fish, this product is something you should see.

Fishing Line Problems Solved – KVD Line & Lure Conditioner

ThePrincipal — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:46:10 +0000

There comes a time while fishing that we each experience problems with our fishing line. This may be line memory, line twists, un-expected knots or even pre-mature line failure due to harsh chemicals like petroleum-based lubricants. We have all had them but, there is a product on the market that solves those problems, it’s called KVD Line & Lure Conditioner and it is worth it’s weight in gold. Kevin VanDam and many other top level pros know the difference a line conditioner makes while fishing.

KVD Line & Lure Conditioner is a non-toxic water based lubricant to condition your fishing line. When using this product; you can cast 25% – 30% further, virtually eliminate fishing line memory, twists and tangles, and you can rest assured you are using something environmentally safe. Unlike many other products for line treatment, KVD Line & Lure Conditioner has no petroleum distillates which feel slippery, pollute the environment and break down the internal lubricants of your high priced reel.

I’m not trying to knock down any other products that have been available for some time, just educate everyone to the facts that this product is different, with better qualities and is “ok” for the environment we work to keep clean for future generations.

If you haven’t tried KVD Line & Lure Conditioner on your line before and fish a lot, think about giving it a try. You can save money changing line less often, and with gas prices hovering around $3.50 per gallon, we can all use a savings some place.

You can visit there website for more information here: http://www.lineandlure.com

You can also find more good information and ask questions in the KVD Line & Lure forum here: http://theanglingcenter.com/index.php?topic=1089.0

We also have a lens on Squidoo which can be found here: http://www.squidoo.com/lineandlure

The Angler Report » Fishing Tips

Best Terminal Tackle 2008

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