Here's the last of the new stuff for now, though I will drop some more new-stuff tiddybits (items, colors, whatnot) in future Blasters.
Forgot to say last time: Because of ongoing supply issues with existing baits, let alone new ones, most new stuff won't be available til the end of the year or early next year...and that's IF today's normal stays the way it is!
Will have my ICAST wanderin's 'n thoughts next week. Hope you enjoy bass-heads and have a great weekend!
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Jigs, wire baits 'n terminal tackle
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No particular order:
1. BOOYAH Mobster Swim Jig – Chris Jones has been a 1-man marketing machine for this jig by winning an Open and then finishing 3rd at the Classic with it. Can you trust Chris Jones? Well...can you really trust anyone from OK?? HAHAHA OK peeps! 😁
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2. Berkley PowerBait Jigs – Whole new line of jigs, and it ain't just about PowerBait in the skirts – which is cool and they do smell like PowerBait. The Flippin', Skippin', Heavy Cover, Football and Finesse jigs were desiged by Gary Klein, who you might've forgot is a 10th-degree flippin' and jiggin' black belt. The Swim Jig and Finesse Swim Jig were designed by Bobby Lane, who I hear has been takin' ballet lessons with spinning rods. 🤣 Lol!
Anyhow, my 2c is these will be more about the jig/head designs than the PowerBait skirts, but maybe the skirts get the peeps to try 'em, who knows. Clockwise from top L: Flippin', Swim, Football, Heavy Cover:
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3. EverGreen Grass Ripper Swim Jig – Brett Hite likes it, helped design it, same colors JackHammer colors (hand-tied skirts), same JackHammer hook, Brett said: "When it's hot sunny and calm, they get off the JackHammer then they get on this swim jig."
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4. Missile Mini Swim Jig – The Mini Flip sold a bunch cuz it works, Johnny Crews says this is built along the same lines though of course a different head design, line tie and big 3D eyes:
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5. Gamakatsu G-Power Heavy Cover Flip and Punch Hook – Designed by Aaron Martens so it's money. For heavy to super heavy cover, shortened point length providing less hook exposure in heavy cover, strongest Gammy G-Series hook so you can land the fish plus that weed clump, welded eye. In 2/0, 3/0, 4/0 and 5/0.
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6. Strike King Andy Montgomery's Skip’N Buzz – Andy ain't totally right but who is? EMOJ But he can skip a Duraflame log under the back corner of a boat slip! So skippin' a little buzzbait ain't no thang, especially when it's built for skippin'. Pretty interesting idea! 3/8-oz, ships with 2 soft-plastics, MSRP $8.99:
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Word is the Big Blade thumps so hard it makes the JackHammer seem soft! EMOJ Bryan Thrift's pet project, here's what he says about it: > "Wallops the rodtip and makes you believe a big bass could happen at any moment. 5-, 6- and 8-lbers crush it. But the lure’s long range ‘pull power’ also attracts and triggers strikes from bass of all sizes. Throw this thing all day and your hands will continue ringing for a while."
> "Everyone’s throwing ChatterBaits these days...but that means bass eventually tune out the same baits and vibration, cast after cast, day after day. It’s been a major motivating factor driving the development of this new, bite-sized ChatterBait: to produce a subtler sound, profile and a vibe that stands apart from traditional bladed jigs."
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> The Cover Neko Hook consists of a shiner-style straight eye hook with an attached swivel to prevent line twist. There’s also a strong, 90-degree wire keeper to lock plastics in place.
Will come in #1, 1/0, 2/0.
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2. Zappu Pinfree Shot Tungsten Drop Shot Weight – Sounds innerestin' and could be useful: "...teardrop profile and triangular cross-sectional shape...suppresses water flow resistance for a quick rate of fall while preventing the weight from rolling on the bottom.... Made in Japan and designed in collaboration with renowned fishing guide Kenta Onishi...."
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Note: Rod/reel combos are hot in the biz and some real good deals can be had, but I'm not really a combo guy so not lookin' at 'em here.
1. Seaguar101 lines – 100% insane and a no-brainer: Seaguar Basix Fluorocarbon at $9.99 a spool! 🤯 Where do I sign up! The "101" tag means they're for newer fishermen, but I was like: "Fellas, you're gonna have a real hard time keepin' this line outta the hands of bass-heads!" Is it Tatsu? No, but it's designed to be easy to cast and not wind-knot.
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2. Abu Garcia Jordan Lee signature rods and reels – 4 casting reels (6.4 and 7.1 RH and LH), 12 casting rods, 2 spinning. I had 1 Q for Jordan: You use these? He said: "Been fishing with them all year – what I’m using exclusively. Wanted to come out with a rod that tournament fishermen to beginners can use. I was really confident using [the rods] on day 1 because they are a high quality blank. Abu has it dialed in." All I needed to know, maybe you too.
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3. Lew's XD Cranking Rods – Lew's + XD has to = good. Mark Davis likes 'em and he's cranked almost as many baits as David Fritts and definitely would know. I think it's all graphite? "...Premium HM50 Tour Grade high-modulus graphite with Carbon Nano Tube construction...." 5 rods: 2 MF in 7’ 4” and 7’ 6”, 2 MH in 7’ 6” and 7’ 8”, and the 7’ 10” MH for crankin' your way into the Mr Universe forearm competition.
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Highest-end, lightest Abu rods yet. So sensitive that Edwin Evers, who's known to be sensitive, actually cried when he fished 'em...hahaha just messin' E2! (It was actually Scott Suggs – lol!)
Btw anything that sounds like "Zenon" will always remind me of the NJ '80s band "Xenon" – dang good band for the time man! 5. Lew's Signature Series Rods – Kevin VanDam has a topwater, spinnerbait, spinnerbait/target and squarebill/Red Eyed Shad rods. Andy Montgomery has 2 skipping rods and one Thunder Cricket/bladed jig rod. Mark Rose has jig/worm, Carolina rig, swimbait and deep crankbait rods. Zona has 4 spinning rods – shakey head, all-purpose, tube crackin’ special and power finesse. Z said he needed "more sensitivity" which I think we can all agree on...😂.
6. Cashion John Crews Icon signature rods – I was concerned they'd all be "Little" or "Mini" because so much Crews stuff is thataway, but nope so all good! 😁 Looks like 5 casting and 3 spinning on the TW.
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Honorable Mentionin's
Likewise no particular order:
1. Lew's BB1 Pro LFS Reel – Word is LFS stands for "Local Fish Store?" Maybe not...anyhow not much to say here except y'all know the BB1 and this one has an "ergonomically tapered lightweight aluminum frame with graphite side plates and Lew’s new custom paddle grips." Mark Rose: "Bottom line, this is the best reel you have ever had in your hands for long casting."
2. Okuma Hakai Casting Reels – New high-end (but only $169.99 on TW) reels coming from Okuma. Here's a YT vid explaining 'em better than I can!
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3. Abu Garcia Max low-pro reels – New Max X, Max STX and Max Pro (pictured below) >> 4+1, 5+1 and 7+1. Stainless steel bearings, graphite frame, brass gears, machined aluminum spool. I fished one for a little in FL – it was good. If it lasts, it'll be a great value. $54.99, $74.99, $84.99, combo with a 6' 6" M or 7' MH is just $114.99.
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5. Sunline Maboroshi FC – Camo fluoro leader, "features Sunline’s Vivid Dying Process...significantly reduces the visibility of the leader material...adds 5 natural colors to the line helping it blend into rocks, wood or grass.
8. Shimano Curado Rods – Nice rods ($159.99 - $189.99 on TW), completely redesigned (also reinforced with carbon fiber tape wrap) to have faster recovery which means more distance, better accuracy and I think stronger hooksets because the wrap stops the "ovalizing" of the rod on the hookset. I think I got that right....
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...that didn't fit into the other categories, again no particular order:
1. YOLOtek Juicebox – "The first portable battery pack designed to power your GoPro, Tactacam, DJI or other action camera up to 8.5 hours on your chesty, windscreen, The BOOM! and other camera mounts. Only 8 oz...."
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Does not come in "fruit punch" and does not include a straw. 🤣 sorry, had to!
2. AquaVu AVconnectHD – Now you can record vid to your phone from certain AquaVu underwater vid units like this:
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I find that incredible because I myself seldom intelligently react to changes 😳 😂 Srsly tho – if true, love to hear folks' experiences with it.
4. BeatDown Outdoors mounts – Don't know how new these are but they were at the Classic and ICAST, and James Nationwide/Wolrdwide/Universewide Watson says they're the real deal. Wasn't able to get with 'em at ICAST but got a full rundown at the Classic and they were impressive. Will have more on 'em at some point but here's you a little sample:
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Bottom lines:
- Don't have to head down/bend over to see that front unit as much
- Bigger screen/screens if you want it
- More screens if you want/can afford 'em
- Swivels and you can remove the whole deal looks like real easy
- James says they're bulletproof, including in big water
Learned a little about KastKing – innerestin' company.
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–––––
End of part 2 of 2 – All done!
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On BassBlaster.rocks right now...
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Jay Kumar's BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best and funniest (sometimes worst) stuff in bassin', picked by me – Jay Kumar. I started BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a bunch more in bassin'. The Blaster is the #2 daily read on any given day in the wide world o' bass so thanks for readin'!
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