With Christmas right around the corner
it goes without saying that we will all be asked what we would like
for this holiday. Most of us will say we need for nothing and focus
on others wants because that is what it’s all about. In the
past by doing this I have received countless ties, flannel shirts,
and things I really wish my family had not spent the money on. In
order to derail this train of unwanted booty I made a stand and
suggested items that I knew would bring great pleasure and happiness
for years to come.
The world of fishing is sacred to us but to outsiders it is myriad
of silly lures and excuses as to why we will be late for dinner.
Knowing this the treasures description must be clear and concise.
If you foresee any room for error you may want to follow my lead
and just place the order yourself and promise to look surprised
on Christmas morning. Over the past year I have been fortunate enough
to sample a lot of products and would like to make some suggestions
that would look really nice under the tree.
Abu Garcia’s Revo series reels have proven to be nothing
short of “The real Deal”. I have used everything from
the Revo S to the Skeet Reese model and offer nothing but praise
for this Swedish engineering. The Shimano Curado is considered
the workhorse by many and continues to provide quality at a reasonable
price. These reels are a trouble free investment that will last
for years.
Don’t settle for the short end of the stick! Years ago I
came to realize that every rod is not created equal and you get
what you pay for. For example, I was jigging a deep ledge this
past October and felt the unmistakable thump on the end of my
line. I was using a ST Croix Premier medium heavy fast action
rod that instantly doubled over when I set the hook. The fish
immediately peeled off twenty feet of braided line and turned
the boat when I applied pressure. I just knew this fish was the
one I have been after for a decade as it shook its heavy head
in an attempt to dislodge the jig. The fish surged again and again
I applied pressure.
Sixty seconds later I landed a twenty-nine pound catfish that
never rolled or led me to believe it was anything other than a
bass. I am certain that a lesser rod would have collapsed under
the extreme pressure I administered and the fish have gotten away
leaving me irate thinking that I had lost the state record largemouth.
I bought my first ST Croix rod some ten years ago and I still
have it. I would have spent triple the money replacing cheaper
rods by now and lost out on years of enjoyment. The latest edition,
the ST Croix Mojo Bass Rod, allows you to fish with a quality
rod at an affordable price. It won’t fit in a stocking but
it just may start an addiction.
Something that will fit in a stocking, especially if it is industrial
sized, is a lure. Can you imagine the weight that must lye on
the shoulders of those that must continuously come up with new
ideas? I could not do it but year after year it gets done. I have
to let the cat out of the bag on this soft plastic series simply
because I can’t contain myself.
Lake Fork Trophy Lures introduced its Hyper series a while back
and I have been leaving a trail of sore lips every since. I caught
a lot of quality bass on their 4” Ring Fry and stumbling
upon their Hyper Series was a blessing. Stanley is famous for
their jigs and this year Lonnie did not disappoint us. The new
SwimMax proved to be very effective for me this past fall when
bass were keying on shad. Stanley also released the Double Take
frog hook, SideWinder soft plastic, and reintroduced the Vibrashaft
spinnerbait. I guess busy would be an understatement when it comes
to Lonnie Stanley and his crew down there in Texas. You either
love them or hate them but the last few years the swimbait market
has evolved by leaps and bounds. Those of us that target trophy
bass soon realized that soft body or tube style swimbaits were
merely a stepping stone and not cost effective to constantly replace.
This past year I really delved into baits like the SPRO BBZ-1,
Castaic’s Catch 22, Tungsten’s Tru Life series, and
Strike Kings King Shad. I have caught bass using all of these
lures and each one has a rightful place in every big bass hunters
tackle box. With these baits you often have to sacrifice quantity
for quality but who amongst us has not caught their fair share
of small bass. There is no secret retrieve nor do they need the
Pope’s blessing, they are made for the average angler to
catch fish.
Seeing is believing, and you have not seen the world unless you
have seen it through a pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses. I know
it is wintertime and most people are not thinking about sun and
fun, but U.V. rays do not take a holiday and eye comfort is not
seasonal. Sunglasses are the perfect gift and something that will
get used all year and for years to come. Whether you are on the
water or on the road, there is a frame design and lens for every
occasion. Hand made in Florida, scratch resistant, shatter proof,
100% polarization and ultra violet protection, the list goes on.
Much like a Rolex watch, these glasses speak for themselves. Once
you own a pair you will wonder how you ever lived with out them.
So confident in their product is Costa Del Mar that they offer
a lifetime warranty. That is insane but it’s what you get
when you make the commitment to live better. Check out their incredible
web site, in fact you can find all of these products online.
Sure Christmas is a time for giving, but when spring rolls around
I want to be able to give it all I got on the water. Thanks for
all the emails this year and I hope you will join me again next
year as we hunt for big bass and look at what it takes to land
them.
If you have any questions or suggestions please email me sowbelly.hunter@yahoo.com
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