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Published: 22 December 2025

XBraid Report

The popularity of leader material grew exponentially after the dawn of braided fishing lines, aka superlines. Despite their prowess, these incredibly strong-for-their-diameter braids presented two significant drawbacks. Firstly, they did the opposite of vanishing in a watery environment, rather sticking out like a sore fin. Secondly, along with their strength came the tautness of rebar – no give whatsoever.

Fluorocarbon leader material to the rescue. And the most advanced of the advanced leader lines is Daiwa’s XBRAID’s V12 Fluorocarbon Leader.

XBRAID employs a proprietary manufacturing process to create a leader that is 1.3 X stronger than previous leaders. And, amazingly, this while narrowing the diameter.

Optical clarity is another pinnacle proposition of XBRAID V12. “It starts with premium clarity fluorocarbon resin,” said DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin. “XBRAID’s advanced extrusion process then renders a slim profile without sacrificing any strength, finishing with a leader line that is basically invisible in the water with an incredible refractive index.”

The elite resin and sophisticated extrusion process also emphasizes hardness for better travel through the guides and reduced coiling. Inferior and suppler leader lines tend to sloppily unfurl through the guides, creating friction, and worse, develop permanent coiling – memory – after long periods on a reel or their original spool sitting (sometimes baking) in your tackle bag.

XBRAID V12 exceeds sets a new marker for core features associated with 100% fluorocarbon leader lines. For openers, its abrasion resistance is only bested by wire, which is a no-no for most fishing applications. XBRAID V12’s hardness also mitigates stretch, providing the ideal degree of shock absorption when couple with a braided mainline. Going hand-in-hand is XBRAID V12’s heightened sensitivity, imparting the maximum amount of feel through the mainline, rod, and into your hands. And provided knot strength is best on the market.

XBRAD V12 Fluorocarbon Leader FEATURES:

• 100% fluorocarbon
• Made from the clearest fluorocarbon resins
• Proprietary extrusion process
• Slim profile
• Exceptional hardness resists coiling
• Highly abrasion resistant
• Low-stretch
• Incredible knot strength
• 2- to 25lb test strengths
• 33-foot spools

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Published: 15 December 2025

Zoom Report

Zoom Bait Company has announced the launch of two new additions to its lineup: the Thick Trick worm and the Midsize Z Craw. Developed with input from the Zoom Pro Staff, these baits are designed to give anglers precise, purpose-built options for the most technical fishing situations.

The Thick Trick: The Evolution of the Trick Worm

Building on the legacy of the classic Trick Worm, the new Thick Trick offers a beefed-up profile that bridges the gap between traditional trick worms and chunkier stick baits. This new design delivers a "meatier" presentation with a high salt content, applicable to many different applications. 
 
Zoom Bass Pro Brandon Cobb notes the bait's versatility and unique action:

• Shaky Head Dominance: "I'm really liking this Thick Trick. It's just a little meatier, kind of more of that Ned rig look, that stubby stump worm. And I think sometimes it's better." Cobb has found it especially effective as a shaky head, which "always gets bit," particularly around shallow wood, stumps, and small brush piles for spotted bass.
• Unique Neko Rig Performance: The Thick Trick, made with the same high salt content as the Fluke Stick, excels on a Neko rig. Cobb highlights the unique action when rigged strategically: "When I pull this worm with my wacky hook, it would actually vibrate.
• The tail would vibrate. And I caught a lot of fish this year... on this worm by pulling it, which is unique." This vibrating tail sets it apart, attracting bites on the pull that traditional worms often miss

Cobb’s Rigging Tip: When Neko rigged with a nail weight, Cobb advises inserting the tungsten from the back side, not the head. This keeps the head intact, preventing the weight from flying out on hard skips and saving anglers valuable tungsten.

The Thick Trick is available in natural colors, with Brandon Cobb noting that the Green Pumpkin and natural colors are always his go to colors.

Midsize Z Craw: Filling the Sweet Spot

The new Midsize Z Craw answers the call from pros who needed a perfect "in-between" size for their flipping and jig-trailer applications. With the Z Craw measuring 4.25" and the Z Craw Jr. at 3.75", the new Midsize Z Craw lands precisely in the middle at 4.0".

Brandon Cobb describes the motivation behind the new size: “Depending on the lake and the conditions, sometimes the Z Craw Junior is a little small, and the Z Craw is a bit too big.  The 4.0" Midsize Z Craw fills this crucial gap by providing:

• Optimal Jig Trailer Ratio: The Midsize Z Craw offers the "perfect ratio of hook to soft plastic on a swim jig," according to Cobb, allowing for better hook-ups compared to the larger Z Craw.
• Enhanced Flipping Performance: Zoom has modified the design by removing one of the hook slots. This is a key technical update. While the bigger Z Craw needs two hook slots to help with hook-sets through its meaty body, the Midsize Z Craw’s smaller profile allows the angler to Texas Rig it more cleanly. This change provides "a little more meat to put that hook in" and helps the hook stay concealed, preventing it from poking out and getting snagged on grass or wood, a common frustration with smaller baits like the Z Craw Jr.
• Ideal Hook & Weight Pairings: The Midsize Z Craw pairs perfectly with a 3/0 flipping hook, fitting the bait profile a bit better than on the Z Craw Jr. For pitching, Cobb suggests a 5/16 oz weight, landing squarely between the 3/8 oz for the standard Z Craw and the 1/4 oz for the Z Craw Jr.

The Midsize Z Craw will be available initially in 10 proven Zoom colors, with Cobb recommending White Pearl, Tilapia or Green Pumpkin, and Black Blue.

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Published: 05 December 2025

Rapala Report

When you’ve spent all day catching fish, you don’t want to spend all night cleaning ‘em. This is why Rapala is constantly innovating and improving its lineup of fillet tools.

New additions to Rapala’s fillet line-up include an innovative Fillet Mat and the 6” Fish ‘N Fillet knife in a new color, Firetiger.

Rapala Fillet Mat – Confronted with anglers yearning for an easy and quick solution for fish guts and extra skin, the Fillet Mat came to life. This innovative mat allows for premium mobility and convenience for filleting fish. The raised ribs grip fish when filleting, skinning, or descaling. The no-slip bottom stays in place on most surfaces, so the back of your truck, wooden porch, or sturdy counter are all safe. It’s made from durable PVC, an easy-to-clean and dishwasher-safe material. It also rolls up for convenient storage.

The Fillet Mat comes in one size: 24” x 14”.

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $24.99.

6” Fish ‘N Fillet in Firetiger – The Original Fish ‘N Fillet got hit with a little fire this year. Continuing with the original features – a progressively tapered, full-tang blade of European stainless steel that takes and holds an ultra-sharp edge, and a birch handle with fine tooled leather sheath – anglers can now pick up this mighty knife in the color Firetiger.

The Fish ‘N Fillet includes a single-stage sharpener to maintain its razor-sharp edge.

The handle length of the Fish ‘N Fillet in Firetiger is 4-¾” and the blade length is 6”.

The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $29.99.