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Missile Baits Report
Hover Missle Jig Head
Missile Baits has introduced the Hover Missile Jig Head to capitalize on the red-hot mid-strolling technique for catching suspended bass.
Available in three hook sizes with multiple weights to choose from, the missile shaped weight is centered on the hook shank for an erratic horizontal fall.
“FFS techniques are really taking off and the tackle use is just now evolving,” says John Crews, Missile Baits owner and professional bass angler.
The Hover Missile addresses a tricky technique with a functionally designed jig head. The high quality 90-degree jig hook helps the bait have the erratic and drifting action when paired with the missile shaped weight along the hook shank. A patented anchoring hole in the top fin of the missile weight allows a toothpick to be inserted through your bait and the hole, so your bait does not twist. Simply clip off the exposed part of the toothpick and the bait is locked into place. The #1 size hook comes in 1/32, 1/16, and 1/8 ounce sizes. The 2/0 hook comes in 1/16, 1/8, and 3/16 ounce sizes. 2/0 and #1 hook sizes come in three packs for a retail price of $5.99. The 4/0 hook comes in 1/4 and 3/8 ounce sizes, which come in two packs for a $5.69 retail price.
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Rapala Report
Rapala CrushCity Mayor Swimbait
Jacob Wheeler set out to develop a new swimbait with the product engineers at Rapala, but he didn’t want a situational tool – he wanted a soft swimbait that would catch fish from coast to coast, 12 months out of the year.
Hence, the development of The Mayor. It’s one of five new soft baits in the new CrushCity soft bait line by Rapala, developed by a world-class pro angler for other tournament anglers.
“The biggest thing, more than anything, is subtlety,” Wheeler said. “When you look at a shad swim, or a perch, or a baitfish, when they swim the tail does not move that much.”
Accordingly, The Mayor’s tail does not kick super-hard, but instead steadily and naturally swings from side-to-side. But that’s not where the differences from the competition stop. Rapala’s engineers also integrated a level of body roll that is noticeable but not too aggressive. It tracks true through and across cover.
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Lowrance Report
Lowrance Electronics Eagle®
Lowrance Electronics announced Eagle®, the latest offering in the brand’s entry level fishfinder/chartplotter lineup.
Featuring newly designed high-definition enhanced sonar, with FishReveal™ technology and detailed C-MAP® charting including Genesis Live, Eagle is Lowrance’s most accessible fishfinder yet.
“Eagle brings Lowrance’s high-definition sonar to its most easy to use fishfinder, providing the ultimate tool for weekend anglers,” said Jeremiah Clark, VP and General Manager, Fishing Systems at Navico Group. “Developed to make fishing simpler and more enjoyable, Eagle is quick to install – whether on a boat or kayak – and features enhanced auto tuning sonar and comprehensive C-MAP charts. Lowrance is dedicated to providing anglers of all levels the latest technology with the single aim of helping them to find and catch more fish and with its true eagle-like vision, this new fishfinder will deliver that.”
Eagle was developed exclusively for anglers by anglers. The newly designed TripleShot™ HD and SplitShot™ HD offer improved clarity, depth performance and sensitivity resulting in excellent performance under the surface, while FishReveal™ on DownScan continues to make it so simple to identify fish from weeds and structures.
Additionally, simple auto tuning sonar gives anglers optimal settings from the start, eliminating the hassle of needing to constantly configure settings, and an improved twist-locking connector allows for easy and reliable installation and removal, making Eagle a great portable solution for any type of fishing – simply connect and cast.
Designed to fish, Eagle has a new, rugged, and modern design featuring a new IPS screen that offers improved resolution, clarity, and visibility, even with polarized sunglasses in direct sunlight. Plus, a new range of imaging color palettes allows anglers to adapt the display for changing conditions.
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St. Croix Report
St. Croix PHYSYX Series Rods
St. Croix will introduce a new line of Phsyx rods at the 2024 Bassmaster Classic Outdoor Show in Tulsa, Ok.
The all-new series consists of 25 technique-focused freshwater rods, conceived in science to evolve and advance the angling experience.
What Makes PHYSYX Unique?
SCIV+ Carbon Fiber Blanks – You know SCIV+ from our 2023 Legend Tournament rods; they are among the lightest and best-balanced blanks ever produced in Park Falls. These hybrid carbon fiber blanks feature a distinct and exotic blend of SCIV and SCVI material on every different length, power, and action to create blanks that are exceptionally refined, balanced, light, strong, sensitive, and optimized for their intended techniques and presentations. Select moderate-action reaction-bait models have iACT Glass blanks, which are a hybrid layup of our SCIV+ and 100% linear S-glass materials.
Titanium Guides – All PHYSYX models receive premium, rigid titanium guides with silicon carbide rings. These advanced guide trains support maximum performance with all line types and further promote PHYSYX’s supreme balance.
High-Tactile TPU Grip Lines – Angler grip is enhanced in all weather conditions via strategically placed TPU grip lines that are molded into (not surface applied) PHYSYX’s handle. TPU is a unique thermoplastic polyurethane material featuring elasticity, transparency, and resistance to oils, grease, and abrasion. These TPU grip lines have been rigorously tested with respect to sunscreens, bug sprays, and other common chemical substances anglers come in contact with to ensure durability.
Molded Carbon Fiber TRIGON Handle – This is an evolution of the wildly popular and successful agglomerated cork TRIGON handle introduced last year on Mojo Bass. This rigid, molded carbon fiber version takes TRIGON’s benefits of dramatically increased comfort and control to all-new levels, offering superior energy transmission that has not been seen in a St. Croix handle since Gen-2 Xtreme Skin in the current-generation Legend Xtreme Series.
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Mercury Report
You see a huge fish boil on the surface, cock back your fishing rod and let that lure fly … only to see it plop down well short of the mark. Don’t feel bad. We’ve all been there before. Sometimes, cast after cast goes smooth as silk and you’re rewarded with a big bend in the rod, but other times you need just a little more range to reach the target zone. The good news is, it’s not hard to gain a little more distance in most situations. Put these five tips for farther casting to use, and you’ll be hitting the bull’s-eye the next time that big boil draws your attention.
1. Respool with fresh line, completely filling the reel. One of the biggest reasons people don’t reach their full potential casting range is because they’re using a reel that’s only partially filled. As spool size shrinks, the amount of friction created by line hitting the spool (with spinning reels) or the number of rotations it requires to let out any specific length of line (with casting reels) goes up. So, if you haven’t re-spooled since the beginning of the season and you’ve broken off or re-tied a bunch of times since then, no matter how hard you fling that lure you’ll never get it to go as far as it did when the spool was freshly filled. Likewise, if your line is old, it’s likely developed some memory – those annoying coils that remain in the line – which increases drag as the line passes through the guides. If you haven’t spooled up since last season, change it out to reduce line memory issues. One final note: Swap out that old line for one of a thinner diameter and your casting distance will increase even more.