Fishing Tackle

by Dave Landahl

The old adage states that fishing lures were designed to catch fishermen and not fish — and each of our tackle boxes certainly support this theory. Manufacturers continually cast lures at us in every shade under the sun, and being the tackle junkies that we are, falling hook, line and sinker is unquestionably inevitable. 

But the fundamental inquiry remains. Does color really make a difference to fish? 

The way to introduce fishing to a newcomer is from shore or by wading in a shallow stream or river. There is simple joy in walking up to a stream or small river, finding a comfortable spot on the bank or a boulder, casting out into the current, and catching a fish.

Congratulations to Dominic Montalto, a 19-year-old Florida College student who caught a near record size bass using a Johnny Morris Titanium 8 heavy action rod with a Bass Pro Shops Pro Qualifier Baitcast reel and a XPS Z9R Perch Swimbait lure in bluegill color.

Sometimes something brand new arrives on the fishing scene that flat commands attention, but it's rare a new line of fishing lures stirs something so urgently in the average bass angler's 'I gotta have those' to the point demand almost immediately outstrips supply.

High-Tech "Glass-Bottom" Fishing

Benefits of integrating today’s underwater cameras with chartplotter/sonar combos in open water

With Christmas just around the corner, many family members close to anglers are trying to figure out what fishing gifts they can buy. As an angler for more than 30 years, my family has struggled with this for years. This year however, I’m making it easy. I’ve created a list of five lures that will make great stocking stuffers, including the best colors to buy. 
 

Watching a largemouth bass explode on a buzzbait spitting along the surface is downright awesome.  Sometimes they’ll just slurp it down and other times all they’ll hit it with is reckless abandon.

Timing is Key

Over the years, Canadian smallmouth ace Derek Strub has tricked a monster smallmouth or two into the boat under the toughest of conditions.  Enter the soft-plastic jerkbait.  “It’s a good bait for catching fish that don’t want to bite and is much more than a finesse bait than people realize,” he said.

Key Conditions

Topwater fishing for largemouth bass is addictive and absolutely awesome!  Whether you are fishing heavy vegetation, visible targets, or open water, nothing compares to a largemouth exploding on your favorite lure.  All across North America, the sound of bluegills smacking on the surface around weeds and lily pads is unmistakably rhythmic.  Our first inclination is to throw a topwater frog, but there’s a new player in town, the Live Target Sunfish Hollow Body.