Flambeau Report
Meet the Blade Krate, a unique, specialized storage system designed to finally give anglers organization satisfaction for any arsenal of bladed and skirted lures.
Featuring 21 Zerust-infused anti-corrosion plastic folders designed to hang 2 lures each via integrated clips, all hooks, skirts, and blades are individually protected and preserved in removable billfold-style clams for tangle-free storage.
The Blade Krate offers organization for 42 bladed lures in a compact box that fits standard tackle bags and boat compartments. The simple, ergonomic filing cabinet design allows for modification to create up to 3 bulk storage compartments when a section of folders is removed for accompanying soft plastic trailers. The functionality of the Blade Krate conveniently reorganizes the angler's priorities: more time fishing and less time fussing with a tangled mess of hooks, blades, and skirts.
Flambeau Report
The Flambeau Crank Bank specialty utility box offers an inventive system of 24 removable cups to give anglers fast and tangle free access to individually stored hard baits.
Just pull, pour, and tie. The simple, effective cup format eliminates the risk of playing barrel-of-monkeys out on the water or catching a treble hook when fishing for the right plug.
The cups are sized to fit and securely store hard lures for the following diving depth classes: round-bill crankbaits (15 feet or less), square-bills (8 feet or less), and jerkbaits (6 feet or less). The Crank Bank isn't just a vault for precious crankbaits, it's a convenient and versatile storage solution for spooks, poppers, frogs, and other hard sided baits outfitted with multiple hooks ready and willing to tangle.
NetBait Tackle is advancing the company’s line of soft plastic baits with the new STH Finesse Series.
The collaboration between the two American Baitworks Company brands will expand the NetBait product selection with three new series of products: Finesse Series Drifter, Finesse Series Crush Worms and Finesse Series Tubes.
The new NetBait STH Finesse Series products have been designed almost exclusively for fishing smallmouth bass, as well as highly pressured and finicky fish where subtle bait actions and reduced bait profiles are critical to generating more bites.
Z-man Report
A traditional exposed-hook mushroom jig excels where little to no cover carpets the lake floor.
Yet it’s often in those underwater jungles — grass, brush, rock and boat docks— where bass like to live and lash out at unsuspecting prey. That’s why Z-Man designed the definitive weedless Ned Rig tool, the NedlockZ™ EWG Jighead.
“The NedlockZ EWG Jighead goes where regular Ned Rigs can’t,” declares Z-Man pro angler Brian Latimer, known to friends as, B-Lat. “Anglers are always asking me how to fish a Ned Rig in heavy cover. Now I can tell them, Z-Man’s got just the jig for you.”
Combining a magic-mushroom-shaped NedlockZ jighead and a custom, heavy-duty size 1 VMC extra wide gap EWG hook, the NedlockZ EWG offers easy weedless or “Texposed” style rigging. Custom-forged to match all the best finesse baits, the special EWG hook features a molded keeper barb to lock the bait tight to jighead—superglue optional—even after hard casts or missed hooksets. The hook’s size has also been tailored to accentuate and max out the action of small softbaits, such as the Finesse TRD™ or B-Lat’s favorite Hula StickZ™.
VMC Report
VMC’s innovative new Crossover system maximizes efficiency for rigging soft plastics and worms on VMC hooks to catch and land big bass.
The system comprises patent-pending Crossover Rings, which feature a dual-channel hood for easy Neko or Wacky rigging, and pliers specially designed to quickly insert soft-plastic worms into the rings.
Crossover Rings are available in three colors (clear, black, green pumpkin) and five sizes (4, 5, 6, 7, mm). They come 10 per pack and have an MSRP of $4.99.
Made of lightweight, durable plastic, Crossover Pliers come with built-in compartments within the handles to store and organize Crossover Rings. Each pair of pliers comes with four 6 mm Crossover Rings and has an MSRP of $14.99 (US).
To rig a soft-plastic worm with the Crossover system, first slide a Crossover Ring over the Crossover Pliers’ closed jaws. Compress the handles to open the jaws, stretching the Crossover Ring. Then, insert and position your worm into the Crossover Ring. Slowly close the pliers’ jaws by releasing tension to the handle while stabilizing the Crossover Rings position. Finally, holding one end of the worm, pull the pliers away from the rig.
And within minutes, you’re ready to catch the big one.