Here's some more mostly hard-bait love for ya – and the fish, yep they love baits too lol – along with some other "musts," so let's go!
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Swim/Glide/Coast/Relaaaaaax baits
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They do look relaxin' except for the catapult cast and giant splash down...
1. Catch Co Baby Bull Gill
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Do bulls have gills? No. Do BABY bulls have gills? Gonna say no but then again anything could be in those folds:
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Guess it doesn't matter whether Mike Bucca knows animal anatomy, just can he make a mean swimbait? Answer: Absolutely. The latest in the Baby Bull line – smaller, castable with regular stuff – is this'n:
> ...slow-sinking 3.75" multi-jointed swimbait weighs 3/4-oz and is constructed of ABS plastic compared to Mike's resin-poured original. This downsized swimbait is available in 6 tasty color patterns that mimic sunfish, crappie, bluegill ("ruby gill ^) and shad.
> ...smooth and steady wind allows the bait to swim 2-5' below the surface...creating an 'S' motion as it swims. If you burn the Bull Gill in using a fast retrieve, the swaying swimming motion tightens up, and the bait rises to the surface.
Check it:
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Catch Co recommends fishing it with a M or MH rod with 10-15 lb fluoro.
2. Storm Arashi Glide Bait
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Who fishes this giant swimbait/glide bait in tournaments in a wacky color? Brandon Palaniuk, same guy who catches 'em on it. Go figger. Guess this looks like a brisket sammich going though the water which some fat and/or skinny bass can't resist?
Weirdly (to me) you target-fish with this deal: Inside weedlines, laydowns, bridge pilings, docks, any targets near where fish were spawning.
3. FishLab Bio-Gill Glide Bait
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The Bio-Gill comes in 5 versions: glide bait, swimbait, wake bait and 2 soft-plastic versions. How's that for confidence it'll catch 'em! That one's the glide bait in "redear," comes in 3 versions: 4" slow sink, 5" slow sink and 5" suspending.
> Designed to be fished with a retrieve that includes pauses and slight twitches of the rod tip...darts erratically....
> The slow sink models are designed to cover 3-10' depths while the suspending version is designed to reach 1-5' depths with longer pauses during the retrieve.
> ...equipped with heavy-duty split rings and super-sharp VMC treble hooks.
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Importantly that color BioShad is called "Feider shad," which I told him shoulda been called "Feider's mullet" hahaha! Anyhow, comes in 3.25", 4" and 4.75" and 13 colors. The ribs – what BioSpawn calls "the ExoSkeleton" displaces more water than smooth baits and gives the bait more tail kick and body roll:
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Made to work on a jig, jighead or bladed jig.
5. VMC Weighted Bladed Swimbait Hook
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Do you need extra flash? Do the fish WANT extra flash? Only 1 way to find out mang! Here's you some Flash:
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Swimbait Honorable Mentionings
Don't know a lot about swimbaits so here's just some I've heard about being good...not including Keitech cuz it was already in here:
6. Basstrix – Loooks like not in stock on the TW so you'll have to sniff 'em out elsewhere!
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Give 'em some lipped crankbaits mang!
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DTs all summer! As the fish start slipping offshore, maybe focus on the DT10 = "Dives To 10 feet" (more or less depending on line size and cast length). Remember these were designed by David Fritts a long while back, and that balsa Rapala DTs aren't as loud as other deep-divers.... 2. Hardcore Bullet Crank 7+
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> "On 14-lb Yo-Zuri T7 [fluoro] this bait will hit bottom 27' deep all day long."
That's Spencer Shuffield talkin' 'bout this NEW crank in that YT vid (click the pic), not out yet but should be for sale soon-ish. 4" long, tungsten weight transfer system, sick Hardcore colors – very interested mang! Hardcore has had the 3+ and the 4+ already.... 3. Bill Lewis SB-57 squarebill
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Mark Daniels Jr doesn't know much about squarebills so run from this deal...HAHAHA just messin' man! Of course he knows about 'em and like all pros insists on the finest deets to make it work like he wants it. Some SB-57 ("TN shad" ^) info: - Computer chip board "coffin"-shaped bill
- Honeycomb construction walls so they're thinner
- Subtle rattle
Check this real good vid on it by Mark:
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Here's one time when same-same = good-good. BOOYAH says this is the Xact SAME bait as the mythical/only seen on eBay 'n crankbait collections Xcalibur squarebill: same plastic, same shape, same action, same no sound, but I think the hooks are different as are some of the colors ("black chartruese" ^). Still in pro boats, still catches 'em so... check 'em on Tackle Warehouse. 5. Lunkerhunt Impact Jolt 8F
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New bait, 8F = flatside (so a tighter wobble) that dives to 8'...and I'm kinda diggin' the different colors Lunkerhunt is coming out with like this matte "bone white." The bill's also square for deflection, and it has rattle. Interesting combo of properties.
I personally like tighter action, and if it'll deflect off deeper structure like a "deep squarebill," could be good! Already on TW....
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GREAT rod that for some reason was named for Alpha prez Jake Boomer's nickname when he was a kid – he was a little chubby, all good, the rest of us caught up . Okay I have no idea if Jake was chubby, but for sure Brandon Palaniuk was and he helped design and name this rod.
Okay Brandon prolly was NOT chubby but here's some for-real deets about the round mound of rebound the Rebound rod:
> ...nicknamed the Rebound due to its ability to recover slowly from the surges of the barely-hooked, derby-winning fish. ...has all the fish-landing characteristics of fiberglass with the added benefit of sensitivity....
> ...The 7'0" MH mod-fast Rebound excels at most crankbait sizes, squarebills, Rat-L-Traps and Chatterbaits.
> ...the crankbait rod can be the most difficult nut to crack with competitive anglers...crux of the issue was balancing sensitivity with a moderate responding action. The only solution to this problem was S-Glass, which has the sensitivity to feel a weed on your slow-rolled crankbait, and the moderate action to pin acrobatic smallmouth....
I'll say this: It's the best-casting, best-feeling glass crankin' rod I've ever used...not that I'm an expert but I've owned a lotta rods mang! It's definitely not graphite-like sensitive, but Jake tells me it's the most sensitive glass you can get. And Brandon kisses each rod they ship out.
Okay he probably doesn't do that but it might be a good idea? Git one here!
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Gonna keep these short 'n sweet so we can get on the water faster!
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Btw I named my Hopper cooler "Randy." I'm like, "Randy get off that seat! Randy is my drink cold? It better be!" HAHAHA Vexus and olde-skool Ranger peeps!
2. Go to your neighborhood parts store or wherever you can find Sea Foam Marine PRO (Wally-Mart?) and pour the whole can in with at least 1 fillup. If you've got a newer motor, you might not notice a difference but it is still working to protect your outboard. If you've got an older motor you've never treated before, you might be surprised at that start, idle and holeshot. Here's Brian at Sea Foam with 90 seconds on what Marine PRO does – including stablizing fuel for up to 2 YEARS. He's standing by a wally boat but he owns a glass Ranger bass boat:
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3. What's the easiest way to get the spouse on board for a new Vexus (or other) bassin' tub? Take her for a ride, and better yet LET HER DRIVE! Ain't a person alive who won' love that – except maybe vegan types who don't get stoked about going fast, charred American beef and shootin' iguanas with air guns! (Last one maybe not...lol) You can also show her this pic and – if you're really desperate for a new rig and/or really trust her decoratin' taste – let her pick the color:
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1. GPS Anchor lock. #nobrainer
2. Lift Assist means you waste no calories deploying and stowing your tm, and no back strain.
3. Works with all major sonar brands.
4. Sometimes it sounds like R2D2...which I personally love and makes me wonder if in the future we can program our own noises...?
5. It looks cool, kinda like a combo of a Stealth Fighter and that Robocop robot:
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I might stencil some bass on the head of my Tour Pro like the fighter pilots did (still do?). Anyhow, here's Shaw Grigsby talkin' 'bout why he digs it:
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1. 10 out of 10 functionality
2. 10 out of 10 looks (do NOT let someone look cooler than you out there lol)
3. Colder morning runs
4. Rain
5. Wind
6. Fish barf washes right off
Do I need to say more than that?? Check 'em:
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PSA: Flat brims ain't required with SIMMS stuff but they do look good... Reminder that the insanely-good-sounding new SIMMS CX Rain Jacket 'n Bibs in that vid are out, but if $399.95 apiece is too spendy then the Challenger Jacket 'n Bibs are half that price and still reeeeeal good. 6. Take care not to forget your BUFF stuff – for sun protection (particularly if you're follicly challenged like me), for body-temp regulation and for bassin' fashion such like Ott DeFoe right here:
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Decode:
Green arrow = good
Red arrow = uhhhh
- MLF official on Instagram, misses hookset
- BUFF maybe needs to make some toe sock things for Ott?
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How many times would you:
a) Look at that vid of yourself...of your studly self
b) Post and re-post it on your social
c) Show it to your friends, relatives, mailman, everyone at the boat ramp, etc
d) Go to sleep happy after watching it again
Answer: A lot!
8. Redneck Lipstick BBQ sauce – No idea where to squeeze this in but I do know what to squeeze it ON ➡️ just about every dang thing I can find! Once't you squeeze some of this on your meat cookin's, fried taters or even tater chips (Cheetos??), ain't no way you won't have some around 24/7! My kids are addicted just like me.... Git it here!
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Does that pic not make you proud to be a meat-eatin' bass-head or what!
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1. No idea how the info about the BOOYAH Swim'n Jig got left out on Thursdee so here 'tis:
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How 'bout that "river killer" color! The Swim'n Jig has an arrowhead-type head with a flat bottom, which along with a line-tie that's in-line with the hook shank is supposed to make it mo' weedless AND so it can be burned back to the boat. Comes with 2 loud red rattles.
2. Seems TW doesn't carry the exact Kistler rod Trey mentioned for bladed jigs 'n cranks, so here 'tis on The Kistler site (believe I got it right!). Dang, if I only made 2 dohs I had a good day! Just kidding, I hate mistakes – sorry peeps!
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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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