Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
Friday, June 12, 2026
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Seaguar Report
Zona Touts New High-Vis Flash Green Seaguar Smackdown Braid
Smackdown is Seaguar’s premium braided line, made with 8 ultra-thin strands woven into a perfectly round profile for quiet, exceptionally long, laser-precise casts. Smackdown’s tight weave makes it one of the thinnest-diameter braids available—so thin that 20 pound has the diameter of 6 lb. monofilament—which dramatically enhances its sensitivity. A remarkably strong line, Smackdown provides exceptional knot and tensile strength with unparalleled abrasion resistance.
And now, all of Smackdown’s advantages are paired with a high visibility color, Flash Green, which is easy for anglers to see under a wide range of ambient light conditions. The visibility is better for bite detection, with Hi-Vis Smackdown Flash Green letting you see the slightest line movements and detect the most subtle bites.
Bass expert and Seaguar pro angler Mark Zona has been fishing the line since the very first samples were available before mass distribution. “I was one of the first anglers to test the Hi-Vis Smackdown Flash Green and here’s one of the things that’s overlooked in braided line is how well the line holds its color, which is critical. There are a lot of hi-vis braids on the market that lose that hi-vis aspect after a month of fishing, and I know Seaguar put a lot of time and effort into Flash Green holding its color,” says Zona.
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PowerPro Report
PowerPro Super8Slick V2
Re-engineered with added abrasion toughness, the new PowerPro Super8Slick V2 braided fishing line combines an eight-end dense weave fiber construction with proven ‘Enhanced Body Technology’ (EBT) process. The new braid is offered in nine different pound test designations, and in five spool sizes to fill from one reel, to bulk spools for multiple fills and for reel spooling by your local tackle shop.
Named “Best New Fishing Line” at the 2018 ICAST Show, the new ‘V2’ version is the smoothest, softest and longest casting braid in the PowerPro line-up. The Honeywell Spectra fiber provides a stronger, tougher braid, while the PowerPro EBT process makes the Super8Slick V2 structurally rounder. The process floods propriety resin through the finished braid, resulting in a smoother line that reduces backlashes, increases casting distance, makes it easier to tie knots, and offers superior strength to size ratio. It is extremely silent as it passes over the rod guides.
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Provided by Z-Man
Match the Proper Z-Man Jighead to Your Various ‘Ned Rig’ Plastics
The job of any good jighead is to bring out the unique talents of baits that best match its design. Dissimilar jighead styles deliver softbaits at different speeds, actions and depths, each performing a singular, premeditated presentation. Collars and keeper configurations are made to match and pin certain baits firmly in place. Jig-hooks vary by anatomy: size, gap, throat, shank length, wire gauge and more; with justifiable reasons for each. While a mismatched jig and bait might still catch fish, a perfect pairing can stimulate an onslaught of bites.
“We recognized early on that because ElaZtech baits are different—softer, livelier, more buoyant and much more durable—than traditional PVC baits, designing a super-tuned rigging system would take fishing ElaZtech to a whole other level,” said Daniel Nussbaum, fisherman and president of Z-Man Fishing. “Sure, you can rig your favorite ElaZtech bait onto a plain jane jighead. But to take full advantage of each bait’s action, longevity and fish-catching performance, grab the right jig for the job.”
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Missile Report
Missile Jigs Rolls Out Finesse Micro Finesse Jig for Bass Anglers
Missile Bait’s “Ike’s Micro Jig” is going to start a new category of super compact jigs and new way to finesse fish for bass.
Built on a No. 1 Gamakatsu light wire jig hook, the Micro Jig will come in 3 sizes - 1/16, 1/8, and 3/16 ounce.
Missile owner and Bassmaster Elite Pro John Crews said the jig moves well through cover and catches all species of bass.
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Shimano Report
Shimano’s New SLX Baitcasters are Bullet-Proof and Under $100
Anglers looking for an affordable yet versatile, easy-to-use, and durable baitcasting reel may find the answer in Shimano’s new SLX series.
The series -- now on the shelves at tackle shops - is offered in six models in three different gear ratios, including the 6.3:1 SLX150 and left-hand retrieve SLX151, the high-speed SLX150HG and 151HG with 7.2:1 gears, and the SLX150XG and 151XG with extra high speed 8.2:1.
Each reel in the series sells for under $100.