Hey guys. I recently wrote an article for Angling Authority and just wanted to share the link with everyone.
Check it out at http://anglingauthority.com/2013/02/cl-fishin-serious-about-big/
Enjoy!
Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
London Fishing Show
Just got word that Angler's Choice will be at the London Show! Very excited about this be sure to swing by and say hi I'll be there all weekend.
Don't forget your Kill Shots!
Don't forget your Kill Shots!
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Spring Fishing Show - Success!
What a great weekend at the 2013 Spring Fishing and Boat Show! The whole weekend was a blur, as the Angler's Choice booth was crazy busy most of the time. There is a lot of interest in our new Kill Shot that it's unbelievable! We had some big names come through the booth and show a ton of interest in both our baits and colours, it's exciting to think of what's coming in the future for Angler's Choice. Thanks to all that came out and checked us out and who bought some baits - you will NOT be disappointed.
It was great meeting every one, there are a lot of just awesome people in this industry and it was a pleasure to meet them.
Remember, you can order Angler's Choice products from the website, www.anglerschoice.ca, and we'll work with you on custom colours or anything you can dream up. We love our customers!
It was great meeting every one, there are a lot of just awesome people in this industry and it was a pleasure to meet them.
Remember, you can order Angler's Choice products from the website, www.anglerschoice.ca, and we'll work with you on custom colours or anything you can dream up. We love our customers!
Friday, 8 February 2013
Angler's Choice "Mystery" Stick - In-Depth
Hey guys, I decided to write this blog in conjunction with a new contest that is being done by Angler's Choice. Recently, they've decided to change the name of their senko style stick bait, and they decided to let YOU guys choose the name! Read through my In-Depth to find out how you can win a great prize package from Angler's Choice.
The stick bait that Angler's Choice has on the market right now comes in 4 sizes: a 4", 5", 6" and a thick fat 7" version. As with all baits from the lineup, it is salt and scent infused and is incredibly soft. A great bait to wacky rig, this bait will flutter down the water column, using the bumps to help disperse water as it falls, tempting in those chunky bass.
My, and most other anglers, favourite way to rig this bait is the good old wacky style. Simply fold the stick in half and pierce it with a hook right in the center. I actually use a size 1 drop shot hook from VMC for a stick up to 6". Some might think that is small, but I find it's just big enough to peg the fish in the corner of the mouth, and just small enough to camouflage itself with the bait, and not impede the action. Speaking of action, this bait just floats in the water, its ridiculously soft and just wobbles down in front of the bass.
Another way I like to rig this stick bait is Texas rigging a 7" stick and flipping it into the pockets. It's a great way to catch some big fat bass.
For the wacky rig application, I like to use a Denali Jadewood Shakey Head rod paired with an Ardent/Evercast Forge 2000 reel lined with 10 pound Hi-Vis Yellow McCoy braid. I will usually put on a 100% McCoy flourocarbon leader as well.
Now for what you guys are looking for, the contest info! From now until February 12th, you have the chance to name that bait. Just head over to the Angler's Choice Facebook page and comment your name idea. Heck, if you don't feel like doing that, comment below and I'll make sure your entry is passed on. You have the chance to win a pretty sweet prize pack from Angler's Choice.
Here's the link to the contest:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=606710139344712&set=a.119353908080340.21379.115845381764526&type=1&theater
Have at it and good luck everyone!
The stick bait that Angler's Choice has on the market right now comes in 4 sizes: a 4", 5", 6" and a thick fat 7" version. As with all baits from the lineup, it is salt and scent infused and is incredibly soft. A great bait to wacky rig, this bait will flutter down the water column, using the bumps to help disperse water as it falls, tempting in those chunky bass.
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| They "Mystery" Stick from Angler's Choice. Find out how you can name the bait for a chance at a prize pack! |
My, and most other anglers, favourite way to rig this bait is the good old wacky style. Simply fold the stick in half and pierce it with a hook right in the center. I actually use a size 1 drop shot hook from VMC for a stick up to 6". Some might think that is small, but I find it's just big enough to peg the fish in the corner of the mouth, and just small enough to camouflage itself with the bait, and not impede the action. Speaking of action, this bait just floats in the water, its ridiculously soft and just wobbles down in front of the bass.
Another way I like to rig this stick bait is Texas rigging a 7" stick and flipping it into the pockets. It's a great way to catch some big fat bass.
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| Wacky rigged stick baits from Angler's Choice. They'll fill your livewell I guarantee it! |
Now for what you guys are looking for, the contest info! From now until February 12th, you have the chance to name that bait. Just head over to the Angler's Choice Facebook page and comment your name idea. Heck, if you don't feel like doing that, comment below and I'll make sure your entry is passed on. You have the chance to win a pretty sweet prize pack from Angler's Choice.
Here's the link to the contest:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=606710139344712&set=a.119353908080340.21379.115845381764526&type=1&theater
Have at it and good luck everyone!
Saturday, 2 February 2013
2013 Toronto Spring Fishing & Boating Show
Well, show season is upon us, and the biggest of all the fishing shows is almost here! February 15th - 18th at the International Centre is going to be a great weekend! With the exclusive release of the Kill Shot from Angler's Choice, this show is going to be a ton of fun. With hundreds of exhibitors and free parking all weekend, why wouldn't you come check it out?
Here are the show hours:
Show Hours
Family Day Weekend!
Friday, February 15: 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday, February 16: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday, February 17: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Monday, February 18: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Here are the admission prices:
Admission
Adults: $15.00
Seniors: $12.00 ($8.00 on Friday, February 15)
Juniors: $10.00 (Ages 6 – 15)
Children Under 6: FREE*
*(when accompanied by an adult)
Here is the website link:
http://springfishingandboatshow.com/
Oh, and here ya go, a coupon for $2 off any regular priced admission! Enjoy, and come by the Angler's Choice booth to say hi and grab some Kill Shots!
Friday, 18 January 2013
My Favourite Combo
The other day I got a package in the mail from Ardent/Evercast reels (In Depth coming soon) and there is one combo that I haven't been able to put down since. I've been out in the backyard casting, in the kitchen jigging it and in the living room just holding it. It's incredibly light, yet has the cahones to bring in the biggest of bass.
That combo for me is my 7' Denali Rosewood Shakey Head rod paired with an Ardent/Evercast Forge 2000 spinning reel. Living in Southwestern Ontario, the majority of my bass fishing is for Smallmouth Bass. It's undoubtedly my favourite fish to target. I love dragging a tube from Angler's Choice, it's my go to bait choice when fishing for Smallies, and this combo is my tube rod combo.
The Denali Rosewood Shakey Head rod is a 7' rod with a medium/heavy action and a moderate/fast tip. This is an extremely light rod that won't wear out your wrist or arm holding it all day. The medium/heavy action allows me the backbone to easily drag a tube on a 1/4 ounce tapered jig head, yet is sensitive enough with the Rosewood foregrip to feel even the lightest of bites. The moderate/fast tip allows me to safely pull that tube through weeds, rocks, sand, whatever you may be faced with, but has no problem setting the hook into the jaw of a porky Smallmouth. The cork split-grip handle finishes it all off in a light, comfortable and eye-catching way. This rod is also extremely versatile as I use it for wacky worming, shakey heads (duh), tubes and I will even use it to drag a small football head jig. Arguably, if I could only use one rod for the rest of my life, it would be this one.
The Forge spinning reel from Ardent/Evercast is a work of art. Just in terms of appearance, it has me hooked! The carbon fiber pattern is eye catching, I love the foam knob - its comfortable and looks great. The Forge 2000 has an 11+1 ball bearing system, and is frankly one of the smoothest reels I've ever laid my hands on. It has a 5.2:1 gear ratio, a lightweight aluminum bail wire, aluminum spool and a high strength aluminum forged body. It is specifically engineered for a smooth, silent retrieve, and that's exactly what it does. The 2000 series has a total weight of 9.8 ounces, and it doesn't feel heavy in your hand at all. The 2000 spool holds about 100 yards of 10 pound McCoy Braid, and I add a 6-8 foot 8 pound McCoy 100% Flourocarbon leader.
I can't wait to get out on the water and use this puppy. In fact, I will have at least two more of this exact same combo by the end of the season, I can guarantee that. I would highly recommend you check out both Denali Rods and Ardent Reels, who knows this might become your go-to combo as well! What's your favourite combo?
That combo for me is my 7' Denali Rosewood Shakey Head rod paired with an Ardent/Evercast Forge 2000 spinning reel. Living in Southwestern Ontario, the majority of my bass fishing is for Smallmouth Bass. It's undoubtedly my favourite fish to target. I love dragging a tube from Angler's Choice, it's my go to bait choice when fishing for Smallies, and this combo is my tube rod combo.
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| Denali Rosewood Shakey Head rod paired with an Ardent/Evercast Forge 2000 spinning reel |
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| My favourite rod from Denali, the Rosewood Shakey Head |
The Forge spinning reel from Ardent/Evercast is a work of art. Just in terms of appearance, it has me hooked! The carbon fiber pattern is eye catching, I love the foam knob - its comfortable and looks great. The Forge 2000 has an 11+1 ball bearing system, and is frankly one of the smoothest reels I've ever laid my hands on. It has a 5.2:1 gear ratio, a lightweight aluminum bail wire, aluminum spool and a high strength aluminum forged body. It is specifically engineered for a smooth, silent retrieve, and that's exactly what it does. The 2000 series has a total weight of 9.8 ounces, and it doesn't feel heavy in your hand at all. The 2000 spool holds about 100 yards of 10 pound McCoy Braid, and I add a 6-8 foot 8 pound McCoy 100% Flourocarbon leader.
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| A sharp looking reel, the Forge 2000 will silently, and smoothly, put that big Smallie in your livewell |
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Siebert Outdoors/Jig Fishing
I just wanted to take a few minutes to talk about an outstanding order of jigs I recently got in the mail. Mike Siebert, owner of Siebert Outdoors, makes a great jig for a great price. The colour selection for both heads and skirts is out of this world! He worked with me to get the colour combination I was looking for and was available whenever I wanted to talk jig fishing. Take a look at the picture below, just a sampling of the jigs that I ordered.
Siebert Outdoors has the entire jig spectrum available to the buyer. Arky style, football heads, big old brush jigs, swim jigs - you can get it all from them. They all come with a trim-able weedguard, and my favourite hook, the Mustand Widegap Ultra Point. Those hooks have helped me put fish in the boat and they will for you too. They've also recently started making and selling spinnerbaits as well, which are top of the line like the jigs.
Personally, I think that a jig is one of the few baits that are great at any time of the year for any type of cover. Whether you want to rig up a 3/4 ounce bullet head style jig and pitch it into the weeds, flip a 1/2 ounce arky style at a dock or isolated cover, or one of my favourite techniques, rig a 3/8 to 1/2 ounce football head and drag it along sand or rocky bottoms, the fish WILL eat this presentation. Bulking it up with a trailer is certainly the way to go. I like the Speed Bug or Flappin' Craw, both available from Angler's Choice. The jig and pig as it's called is one of the few baits that just about every single bass fisherman out there has tied on at all times.
I like to flip a jig on a 7' Denali Rosewood Worm and Jig rod, an Ardent Edge Tournament reel lined with 30-50 pound McCoy Braid, depending on the structure I'm fishing. I'll top that off with a 15-20 pound McCoy 100% flourocarbon leader. Either way, a jig is definitely a bait that you need to invest in as it will most definitely put fish in your livewell.
Check out Siebert Outdoors HERE
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| Siebert Outdoors jigs - hand tied, affordable and great colour selection |
Siebert Outdoors has the entire jig spectrum available to the buyer. Arky style, football heads, big old brush jigs, swim jigs - you can get it all from them. They all come with a trim-able weedguard, and my favourite hook, the Mustand Widegap Ultra Point. Those hooks have helped me put fish in the boat and they will for you too. They've also recently started making and selling spinnerbaits as well, which are top of the line like the jigs.
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| Tie on a jig and get ready to hold on, those bass will inhale them! |
Personally, I think that a jig is one of the few baits that are great at any time of the year for any type of cover. Whether you want to rig up a 3/4 ounce bullet head style jig and pitch it into the weeds, flip a 1/2 ounce arky style at a dock or isolated cover, or one of my favourite techniques, rig a 3/8 to 1/2 ounce football head and drag it along sand or rocky bottoms, the fish WILL eat this presentation. Bulking it up with a trailer is certainly the way to go. I like the Speed Bug or Flappin' Craw, both available from Angler's Choice. The jig and pig as it's called is one of the few baits that just about every single bass fisherman out there has tied on at all times.
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| Siebert Outdoors Okeechobee jig with a Flappin Craw in Okeechobee Craw from Angler's Choice |
I like to flip a jig on a 7' Denali Rosewood Worm and Jig rod, an Ardent Edge Tournament reel lined with 30-50 pound McCoy Braid, depending on the structure I'm fishing. I'll top that off with a 15-20 pound McCoy 100% flourocarbon leader. Either way, a jig is definitely a bait that you need to invest in as it will most definitely put fish in your livewell.
Check out Siebert Outdoors HERE
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| Check out a jig from Siebert Outdoors, tie it on your line, and prepare to catch some bass! |
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Angler's Choice In-Depth - Introducing the Kill Shot
On January 6th my friends over at rahfish.com had the opportunity to introduce a brand new drop shot bait from Angler's Choice called the Kill Shot. You can check out the review HERE and be sure to check out the tank footage HERE.
This bait is going to be your go to drop shot bait in 2013, this I can almost all but guarantee you! But before you say "yeah right!!" let's go In-Depth.
Size and Colours
The Kill Shot is available in both 3" for a pure finesse approach as well as a versatile 4" version. Available in all the colours offered by Angler's Choice, shown above are some of my favourites. Be sure to give owner Dave McCready a call if there's a custom colour you want, he will do his best to work with you on getting it matched.
My go-to colours for the Kill Shot this year will be Misty Craw, Smoke Holo, Work of Art and Smoke Purple Pearl/Silver Holo with Pearl/Silver Holo. But make sure to check out the entire colour lineup to find your go-to colour!
Action
Like the rest of the Angler's Choice lineup, the Kill Shot is made with a softness that is second to none, thus giving it an incredible action in the water. The ribbed body helps to disperse water to help call in the bass as well as expel air bubbles that have the bass dying to eat it. The spade-style tail also has lateral lines on it that give it a ridiculous up and down action in the water. The Kill Shot looks natural sitting in the water, and when you work your rod to impart some action it will bounce and shake around enticing bites from even the wariest of bass.
Technique
Since this is a drop shot bait, it's primary job will be to get tied onto a drop shot rod. I plan to give this thing a WORKOUT on the drop shot rig. I'll do that using a 7' Denali Rosewood Drop Shot rod paired with an Ardent/Evercast Forge 2000 spinning reel with 8lb McCoy 100% Flourocarbon. But like the rest of the lineup, remember that this bait is versatile. I plan on rigging it on a football jig and dragging it, a shakey head and tossing it at docks, heck I might even wacky rig it!
This bait is not available online or in stores yet, its release will be at the Toronto Spring Fishing and Boat show, Februray 15-18th 2013. Come see me or any of the other Pro Staff for this bait and we'll set you up! But make sure you get there early, this is going to the one of THE hot baits of the show.
This bait is going to be your go to drop shot bait in 2013, this I can almost all but guarantee you! But before you say "yeah right!!" let's go In-Depth.
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| Angler's Choice Kill Shot - On top is the 4", bottom is the 3" |
Size and Colours
The Kill Shot is available in both 3" for a pure finesse approach as well as a versatile 4" version. Available in all the colours offered by Angler's Choice, shown above are some of my favourites. Be sure to give owner Dave McCready a call if there's a custom colour you want, he will do his best to work with you on getting it matched.
My go-to colours for the Kill Shot this year will be Misty Craw, Smoke Holo, Work of Art and Smoke Purple Pearl/Silver Holo with Pearl/Silver Holo. But make sure to check out the entire colour lineup to find your go-to colour!
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| Top L to R: Misty Craw & Smoke Holo. Bottom L to R: Work of Art, Smoke Purple Holo |
Action
Like the rest of the Angler's Choice lineup, the Kill Shot is made with a softness that is second to none, thus giving it an incredible action in the water. The ribbed body helps to disperse water to help call in the bass as well as expel air bubbles that have the bass dying to eat it. The spade-style tail also has lateral lines on it that give it a ridiculous up and down action in the water. The Kill Shot looks natural sitting in the water, and when you work your rod to impart some action it will bounce and shake around enticing bites from even the wariest of bass.
Technique
Since this is a drop shot bait, it's primary job will be to get tied onto a drop shot rod. I plan to give this thing a WORKOUT on the drop shot rig. I'll do that using a 7' Denali Rosewood Drop Shot rod paired with an Ardent/Evercast Forge 2000 spinning reel with 8lb McCoy 100% Flourocarbon. But like the rest of the lineup, remember that this bait is versatile. I plan on rigging it on a football jig and dragging it, a shakey head and tossing it at docks, heck I might even wacky rig it!
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| A 4" Emerald Shiner rigged on a VMC Spin Shot hook with a 1/4 ounce drop shot weight |
This bait is not available online or in stores yet, its release will be at the Toronto Spring Fishing and Boat show, Februray 15-18th 2013. Come see me or any of the other Pro Staff for this bait and we'll set you up! But make sure you get there early, this is going to the one of THE hot baits of the show.
Thursday, 3 January 2013
Angler's Choice In-Depth - Speed Bug
I wanted to write an entry on the Angler's Choice lineup, but rather then have one giant entry, I decided to go in-depth on each bait. This way I can go deeper into rigging, techniques, equipment and other ways to help you boat the bass of a lifetime.
Todays In-Depth entry is going to focus on the Speed Bug. Far and away one of my favourite baits in the Angler's Choice lineup, this little guy is versatility at its best. Texas rig, drag on a football head jig, drop shot or rigged on a shakey head, this is going to help me put fish in the boat during the 2013 tournament season. Let's take a look at this outstanding bait.
The Speed Bug is a craw imitation bait that is excellent for finesse situations. It's an incredibly soft bait that is full of that stinky scent we all love our soft plastics smelling like. I love to rig this one of three ways: shakey head, drop shot and texas rigged on a Fin-Tech football head jig. Coming in many colours, this small, compact bait is also great as a jig trailer and flipped or pitched under docks, into weeds or at isolated cover. My go-to colours for this bait are the Texas Man Handler, Okeechobee Craw and anything green with some flake in it.
Draggin a Football Head
This would have to be my favourite way to present this bait. I rig it on a 1/4 or 3/8 Fin-Tech football head jig. The great thing about the Fin-Tech jig is the 100% weedless rigging style. What I like to do is then drag this along the bottom, preferably rock or sandy bottoms with a little weed. It does an excellent job of mimicking a feeding craw (imagine that!).
For this application, I like to use a 7' Denali Rosewood Shakey Head rod. It has a medium heavy action with a moderate fast tip, giving you backbone you need to pull in those tank smallmouth. I'll use 20 pound McCoy braid with a 12 pound McCoy 100% Flourocarbon leader. To horse in those smallies, I'll round it out with an Evercast Forge 2000 spinning reel from Ardent.
Shakey Head Speed Buggin'
A fun way to rig the Angler's Choice Speed Bug is on a shakey head. Above, I have it rigged on a 1/8th screw in shakey head jig. I would use this on a flat with isolted cover, or pitch at docks along the shoreline. What I'm trying to do with this is put it right on top of the lockjaw bass so they just SLURP it up.
In terms of gear, I throw this bad boy on a 7' Denali Jadewood Shakey Head rod, or even the 7' Drop Shot rod. I'll have 10 pound McCoy braid rigged on an Evercast Edgewater 2000 spinning reel, with an 8 pound McCoy 100% Flourocarbon leader. I downsize the gear as I use this in more of a finesse application.
Drop Shottin' for Smallies
If you like drop shotting, and let's face it, all of us Smallie guys do, then give this a try. Rig a Speed Bug up on your drop shot and get ready for a good old fashioned case of bass thumb!
I use a 7' Denali Rosewood Drop Shot rod with an Evercast Forge 2000 reel from Ardent. I'll use straight 8 or 10 pound McCoy 100% Flourcarbon. I mostly use a VMC spin shot hook with a 10-12 inch leader to a 1/4 ounce drop shot pencil weight.
Well there you have it. Do yourself a favour and pick up some Speed Bugs from Angler's Choice. I can flat out tell you that the fish love 'em and will eat 'em! Head on over to www.anglerschoice.ca today!
Todays In-Depth entry is going to focus on the Speed Bug. Far and away one of my favourite baits in the Angler's Choice lineup, this little guy is versatility at its best. Texas rig, drag on a football head jig, drop shot or rigged on a shakey head, this is going to help me put fish in the boat during the 2013 tournament season. Let's take a look at this outstanding bait.
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| My three favourite Speed Bug rigs. Clockwise from top: Shakey Head, Drop Shot, Fin-Tech Football Head Jig |
The Speed Bug is a craw imitation bait that is excellent for finesse situations. It's an incredibly soft bait that is full of that stinky scent we all love our soft plastics smelling like. I love to rig this one of three ways: shakey head, drop shot and texas rigged on a Fin-Tech football head jig. Coming in many colours, this small, compact bait is also great as a jig trailer and flipped or pitched under docks, into weeds or at isolated cover. My go-to colours for this bait are the Texas Man Handler, Okeechobee Craw and anything green with some flake in it.
Draggin a Football Head
This would have to be my favourite way to present this bait. I rig it on a 1/4 or 3/8 Fin-Tech football head jig. The great thing about the Fin-Tech jig is the 100% weedless rigging style. What I like to do is then drag this along the bottom, preferably rock or sandy bottoms with a little weed. It does an excellent job of mimicking a feeding craw (imagine that!).
For this application, I like to use a 7' Denali Rosewood Shakey Head rod. It has a medium heavy action with a moderate fast tip, giving you backbone you need to pull in those tank smallmouth. I'll use 20 pound McCoy braid with a 12 pound McCoy 100% Flourocarbon leader. To horse in those smallies, I'll round it out with an Evercast Forge 2000 spinning reel from Ardent.
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| Top: Fin-Tech football head jig with a TMH Speedbug. Bottom: Shakey head in TMH |
Shakey Head Speed Buggin'
A fun way to rig the Angler's Choice Speed Bug is on a shakey head. Above, I have it rigged on a 1/8th screw in shakey head jig. I would use this on a flat with isolted cover, or pitch at docks along the shoreline. What I'm trying to do with this is put it right on top of the lockjaw bass so they just SLURP it up.
In terms of gear, I throw this bad boy on a 7' Denali Jadewood Shakey Head rod, or even the 7' Drop Shot rod. I'll have 10 pound McCoy braid rigged on an Evercast Edgewater 2000 spinning reel, with an 8 pound McCoy 100% Flourocarbon leader. I downsize the gear as I use this in more of a finesse application.
Drop Shottin' for Smallies
If you like drop shotting, and let's face it, all of us Smallie guys do, then give this a try. Rig a Speed Bug up on your drop shot and get ready for a good old fashioned case of bass thumb!
I use a 7' Denali Rosewood Drop Shot rod with an Evercast Forge 2000 reel from Ardent. I'll use straight 8 or 10 pound McCoy 100% Flourcarbon. I mostly use a VMC spin shot hook with a 10-12 inch leader to a 1/4 ounce drop shot pencil weight.
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| Drop Shottin for Speed Bug Smallies |
Well there you have it. Do yourself a favour and pick up some Speed Bugs from Angler's Choice. I can flat out tell you that the fish love 'em and will eat 'em! Head on over to www.anglerschoice.ca today!
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| One of the many bass catching colours offered by Angler's Choice - Texas Man Handler |
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Happy New Year - 2013!
First off let me say to everyone Happy New Year! 2012 closed out with a bang for me, and I'm expecting to have a big year in 2013. With that being said, everyone has resolutions. I'd like to share with you some of mine for 2013.
Catch a 6lb Smallmouth
I love my Smallmouth fishing, and with the bodies of water accessible to me, this is definitely an attainable goal. Lake St. Clair, Lake Simcoe, Lake Erie - there was an almost 9lb smallie caught on Erie at the Frostbite tournament in November. With dedication, this is a realistic resolution.
Maintain this blog a little better
I'll be the first to admit that I did NOT update this blog regularly enough. Well, that has been and will continue to change. I promise to bring you guys in depth reviews on products from Denali Rods, Ardent Reels, McCoy Fishing line, The Rod Glove and Angler's Choice baits. My goal with these reviews will be to help make your decision process easier when selecting what products to give your hard earned money to.
Place top 5 in at least one tournament
For some, it might be place top 5 in ALL tournaments, but I want to be realistic. Obviously, the goal is to win every tournament. But, unless you're KVD, that's not always a possibility. Last year was my first fishing competitive bass tournaments with the Tri Bay Bass Association, among others, and, although we didn't finish dead last, we didn't fare overly well either. With what I was able to learn over the course of last season, and the support I have from some great companies, I think placing in the top 5 in one tournament would be the number one resolution I have this season.
Get my first bass boat
This one is probably the furthest resolution from reality I have haha. With a wife, a 2 year old, a second little guy due in April, home renos and other things, unless I win the lottery, this might be a little far fetched. But it's something I'm working towards and hey, I can dream can't I?
Promote my sponsors better than ever
Pro Staff stands for promotional staff not professional staff. With that being said, I want to do my best to promote them through every avenue possible. I have some big things in the works that will help me do this, debuting early summer.
So there they are, my resolutions for my fishing year in 2013. I'd love to hear yours so feel free to comment what some of them are!
Catch a 6lb Smallmouth
I love my Smallmouth fishing, and with the bodies of water accessible to me, this is definitely an attainable goal. Lake St. Clair, Lake Simcoe, Lake Erie - there was an almost 9lb smallie caught on Erie at the Frostbite tournament in November. With dedication, this is a realistic resolution.
Maintain this blog a little better
I'll be the first to admit that I did NOT update this blog regularly enough. Well, that has been and will continue to change. I promise to bring you guys in depth reviews on products from Denali Rods, Ardent Reels, McCoy Fishing line, The Rod Glove and Angler's Choice baits. My goal with these reviews will be to help make your decision process easier when selecting what products to give your hard earned money to.
Place top 5 in at least one tournament
For some, it might be place top 5 in ALL tournaments, but I want to be realistic. Obviously, the goal is to win every tournament. But, unless you're KVD, that's not always a possibility. Last year was my first fishing competitive bass tournaments with the Tri Bay Bass Association, among others, and, although we didn't finish dead last, we didn't fare overly well either. With what I was able to learn over the course of last season, and the support I have from some great companies, I think placing in the top 5 in one tournament would be the number one resolution I have this season.
Get my first bass boat
This one is probably the furthest resolution from reality I have haha. With a wife, a 2 year old, a second little guy due in April, home renos and other things, unless I win the lottery, this might be a little far fetched. But it's something I'm working towards and hey, I can dream can't I?
Promote my sponsors better than ever
Pro Staff stands for promotional staff not professional staff. With that being said, I want to do my best to promote them through every avenue possible. I have some big things in the works that will help me do this, debuting early summer.
So there they are, my resolutions for my fishing year in 2013. I'd love to hear yours so feel free to comment what some of them are!
Saturday, 29 December 2012
WRVO - Reno Viola Outdoors
I wanted to update you guys on something that's coming down the pipe in the new year that I'm really, really excited about. Canadian fishing icon Reno Viola has a 24 hour a day Internet radio network coming to us live, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week! As a part of this 24/7 network, Reno is also going to have a section on his website, http://renoviolaoutdoors.com/, strictly for bloggers to provide tips and tactics to the readers. I'm very excited to say that I will be one of those bloggers! It's an opportunity I'm really looking forward to, and I can't wait to see the launch of WRVO Radio, January 21st, 2013!
Sunday, 23 December 2012
New Sponsors Update - Angler's Choice, Ardent, McCoy
Just a quick update on some exciting things for the 2013 tournament season! I recently signed with three GREAT new sponsors that everyone should take a look at.
First off is an outstanding up and coming soft plastics company out of Wallaceburg Ontario. Angler's Choice really have become the angler's choice in the recent years. Owned and operated by Dave McCready, these are some of the softest baits on the market. And with some amazing colours these baits will be on the end of many lines in the very near future. Check out what my friends over at RahFish.com had to say about their flippin' baits: http://rahfish.com/product-reviews/tackle-product-reviews/anglers-choice-flippin-preview/
Next is Ardent Reels. Known for being 100% made in North America, I'm very excited about joining Team Ardent. Made right here in North America, Ardent reels are workhorses in the reel world. With Drag Tracking Technology, the Ardent Edge Elite is one of the best reels on the market. Take a look today www.ardentreels.com!
Last but not least is McCoy Fishing Line. Known mainly for their excellent mono-filament Mean Green, McCoy also has some outstanding braid and flourocarbon. I really think this line will help boat some pigs this year.
Sunday, 16 December 2012
The Rod Glove - Everyones Favourite Rod Protector!
Today I wanted to take some time to talk to you about The Rod Glove (@THERODGLOVE). The products made by Jim Van Ryn and VRX Fishing have been a LIFESAVER for me while tournament fishing and also fun fishing. Now let's get started talking about everyones favourite rod protection company.
ROD GLOVES
This is what the brand is known for - they're outstanding, durable, 100% North American made Rod Gloves. The standard gloves come in both spinning and casting models as well as microguide models, have a hard plastic tapered tip, come in multiple sizes to cover rods anywhere from 6' to 8' and a rainbow of 17 (!) different colours. These gloves are made of woven material that protects the investment you made in your rods and they come in two standard lengths; the standard casting glove comes in a 5.25' length which perfectly covers your rods up to 7', while the spinning gloves standard length is 5.5'. They also have the 6' length for casting rods and 6.25' for spinning. Both do a fantastic job keeping your longer 7'+ rods safe. They all expand to easily slide over the rod guides. There is also the PRO series which are made of neoprene.
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| The Rod Glove - on the left is a spinning version, the other 3 are casting versions. |
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| Notice the hard plastic, tapered tip. Makes putting your rods in your car or rod locker a breeze! |
REEL GLOVES
This product has to be one of my favourites by far! These reel protectors are durable, easy to put on and like every other Rod Glove product is quality made. It's made of neoprene, easily fits on the reel and attaches to the rod. The way they are designed you can put it on while still being rigged up, there is a place for the line to come through the cover. The casting version comes in two different sizes to fit any reel, and the spinning version will fit up to a 3000 series reel. As I said, these are by far my favourite reel covers on the market today.
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| Reel Glove - one of my favourite products! |
OTHER PRODUCTS
The Rod Glove also has a few other products to make anglers lives easier on and off the water. They make a handy little product called the Bait Glove. I transport my rods fully rigged in my truck and let me tell you I used to have crankbait trebles hooked into everything! Not anymore with the Bait Glove. It comes in three different sizes - 6", 9" and 12" - and has been a life saver for transporting fully rigged rods.
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| Another innovative product from VRX Fishing - the Bait Glove! |
There are also the Technique Tags which help make you more efficient on the water. Now you can simply look at your rod and see what's tied onto it. The Technique Tags simply slide onto the original Rod Gloves and save you time on the water by letting your readily identify what's tied on.
The Rod Glove Saver and the Rod Glove Wraps are also handy products to have. The Saver allows you to attach a clip to your Rod Glove, then wrap it around your reel handle, effectively eliminating the chacne that the wind might grab your glove and blow it out onto the water. The Wraps allow you to wrap your rods into a nice, easy to carry bundle, making it a breeze for transporting all your rods to and from the boat.
Hopefully you're beginning to understand why the Rod Glove family of products is by far one of my favourite companies out there today. Not only do they make an outstanding product that helps EVERYONE angler out there, the owner, Jim Van Ryn, really goes out of his way to ensure that you - the customer - is 100% satisfied. Check out the Rod Glove today, you won't be disappointed!
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| Great product, great service - what more can you ask for? |
Monday, 10 December 2012
Denali Custom Rods
JADEWOOD SERIES
This is has to be one of the best entry level rods on the market these days. Starting at just $89.99 these rods are focused at the recreational angler, but are lightweight and sensitive enough to be used everyday and on the tournament trail. As I said earlier, each rod is technique specific, so if you need a crankin' rod Denali has it, if you need a drop shot rod Denali has that too. These rods are made with a split-grip EVA foam handle, and has an Asian hardwood known as 'Jadewood' (hence the series name) as the foregrip. Not only does this look sharp, it actually adds to the sensitivity of the rod, transmitting the bites you get better and allowing you to set the hook on even the shyest of biters.
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| Denali Rods Jadewood series. Note the EVA Foam split-grip handle and the Jadewood foregrip. |
The Jadewood series comes with a limited lifetime warranty which is outstanding. They come in sizes from 6'6" right up to their multipurpose A-Rig/Swimbait rod which measures in at 7'11". Check out the link to see all the rods the Jadewood series offers. During this past season, I regularly used the Jadewood series and came away impressed with its sensitivity, backbone and how lightweight they are.
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| Close up of the Jadewood foregrip. Added sensitivity and it looks great too! |
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| All Denali Rods are technique specific, as you can see here with the Crankbait, Spinnerbait and Multipurpose rods |
ROSEWOOD SERIES
The Rosewood series is the next step up for Denali. These rods are their mid-level rods and start at $189.99. Made with Hi-Modulus BSTI-10 blank, these rods are known for their incredible sensitivity and for being ridiculously lightweight, aided by a high grade Portuguese cork split-grip handle and the Rosewood foregrip. The Rosewood series uses the same guides as the Noirwood series, guides that are lighter and made of stainless steel. They are also more durable due to the recessed ring design.
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| Rosewood Series. Look at the high grade cork handles and the beautiful Rosewood foregrip |
The Rosewood series are all technique specific and range from the 6'6" Finesse rod to the 7'11" extra heavy Rig Rod. Denali is so certain that the Rosewood rods are they best on the market that they've backed it up with a LIFETIME warranty. That's right, LIFETIME.
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| Close up of the Rosewood foregrip |
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| All Denali rods are technique specific. Here we have a Worm & Jig rod, as well as a Shakey Head rod |
Denali Custom Rods also has the Noirwood series, which is their top of the line rod. Starting at $369.99 these rods are the best of the best. Also, I would recommend checking out the Signature Series. Mike Murphy, Ray Scheide, Mark Tyler and Terry Bolton all have models in this series, which is the Rosewood Series, but designed specifically to these pro's designations. Definitely check them out as well.
So there's an overview of the Denali lineup, you should most definitely give them a hard look the next time you're in the market for a rod. Lightweight, sensitive, outstanding craftsmanship and out of this world service!
Saturday, 8 December 2012
TBBA Angler Jared Blair on Reno Viola Outdoors!
Hey everyone, just thought I'd make a quick entry about the interview my tournament partner did with Reno Viola on his radio show Reno Viola Outdoors. It was a great interview by both and really promotes the TBBA Tournament Trail. Click the link below to hear Jared talk about how he got into tournament fishing and what it takes to succeed at it.
Friday, 7 December 2012
It's Been So Long / TBBA
Well, it's certainly been a while since I updated this silly thing...I promise I won't let it happen again! I'll be updating this blog throughout the winter with announcements, reviews and other fishing articles.
I'll do a quick recap on my Tri Bay Bass Association season. Although I would've loved a bit more success on the tournament trail, it was good to get into my first competitive, tournament angling. The first qualifier of the season was out of Turkey Point aka Long Point Bay. My partner and I decided that, although there was a decent chop on the Bay, we'd make our way to the outer Bay for some smalljaw action. Let me tell you, we were somewhat rewarded with our efforts! As soon as we roll up to our spot, second cast in my partner hooks into a 4+ pound smallie, what an exciting way to start a tournament. Ten minutes later, boom! Hooks into another one! Unfortunately this beast, which was bigger than the first, spit the hook at the side of the boat. Both these monsters hit a tube being dragged. Eventually we were getting rocked out there so we headed closer to the inner bay. We were able to get a limit, but not able to upgrade that limit, finishing 58th out of more than 70 boats.
Next we had the Rondeau Bay Qualifier. After prefishing, we thought we had a good chance. We found fish and consistently caught them flippin, throwing spinnerbaits and topwaters. The day of the tournament was ridiculously windy, but it turned out to be a great day. Just like in prefish we found them flippin' docks, throwing topwater frogs, and tossing a spinnerbait. We had a better placing in this tournament, 34th, but there were less boats. You win some you lose some.
The last qualifier of the season was on Lake St. Clair out of Mitchell's Bay Marina. Let me tell you first off that I just LOVE Lake St. Clair, its a Smallie FACTORY. We were able to sit on our spot all day and just hammer them, clone after clone. We got into some nice 3 pounders, but so did everyone else haha. The most exciting moment came when Jared called two chasers up on his Livetarget Perch crank, and I tossed in my tube to the follower. We hooked up at the same time and had a nice double header of 3 pounders. Again, we finished 34th, but it was a lot of fun hammering those smalljaws
Unfortunately we didn't qualify for the Classic on the St. Clair River, but congrats to all that did and to the eventual winners, Chad Wentzell and Brad Coon.
I'll do a quick recap on my Tri Bay Bass Association season. Although I would've loved a bit more success on the tournament trail, it was good to get into my first competitive, tournament angling. The first qualifier of the season was out of Turkey Point aka Long Point Bay. My partner and I decided that, although there was a decent chop on the Bay, we'd make our way to the outer Bay for some smalljaw action. Let me tell you, we were somewhat rewarded with our efforts! As soon as we roll up to our spot, second cast in my partner hooks into a 4+ pound smallie, what an exciting way to start a tournament. Ten minutes later, boom! Hooks into another one! Unfortunately this beast, which was bigger than the first, spit the hook at the side of the boat. Both these monsters hit a tube being dragged. Eventually we were getting rocked out there so we headed closer to the inner bay. We were able to get a limit, but not able to upgrade that limit, finishing 58th out of more than 70 boats.
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| Blast off! Turkey Point TBBA 2012. Myself and Jared Blair blasting off, starting the 2012 TBBA Season |
Next we had the Rondeau Bay Qualifier. After prefishing, we thought we had a good chance. We found fish and consistently caught them flippin, throwing spinnerbaits and topwaters. The day of the tournament was ridiculously windy, but it turned out to be a great day. Just like in prefish we found them flippin' docks, throwing topwater frogs, and tossing a spinnerbait. We had a better placing in this tournament, 34th, but there were less boats. You win some you lose some.
The last qualifier of the season was on Lake St. Clair out of Mitchell's Bay Marina. Let me tell you first off that I just LOVE Lake St. Clair, its a Smallie FACTORY. We were able to sit on our spot all day and just hammer them, clone after clone. We got into some nice 3 pounders, but so did everyone else haha. The most exciting moment came when Jared called two chasers up on his Livetarget Perch crank, and I tossed in my tube to the follower. We hooked up at the same time and had a nice double header of 3 pounders. Again, we finished 34th, but it was a lot of fun hammering those smalljaws
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| Weigh-in at Mitchell's Bay - yes I know, I suck at holding fish |
Unfortunately we didn't qualify for the Classic on the St. Clair River, but congrats to all that did and to the eventual winners, Chad Wentzell and Brad Coon.
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| Weighing in at Long Point Bay. Photo cred to www.tracybphotography.smugmug.com. |
Sunday, 24 June 2012
Quinte Bass Champs
Yesterday was the first annual Quinte Bass Champs hourly weigh in tournament. My partner, Jared Blair, and I drove up Friday night, scoped out the launch, got our gear ready and then crashed for an early morning. After getting up at 4am, loading up the boat then making a stop at a busy Tim Hortons, we were at the launch by 5am. There were tons of boats already there so we launched and just floated around until the 6:45am blast off.
For us, the fishing was slow to start the morning. A pike and a few small perch were all we could muster in the first hour. Then, the bite for us was on. We spent the majority of the morning burning spinnerbaits over weedbeds, and that did the trick. I was throwing a white/chartreuse spinnerbait from Vinnerbaits, and I was able to nail a few Largemouth within a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, nothing with any size. And that was most of our day. Lots of Pike, and lots of average sized Largemouth - 2 to 3 pounds. Near the end of the day I was able to boat a few more 2-3 pound fish on a Krazee Kraw Beev from Vinnerbaits, but unfortunately, we walked away from this tourny out of the money.
Overall it was a great tournament and a great experience. The biggest fish of the day was over 5 pounds and most of the winning fish were in the 3-4+ pound range. Having never fished Quinte before we did OK but it wasn't good enough. We'll get 'em next time! Congrats to everyone that got a cheque, there were some big fish weighed in.
Thanks for reading
Sam
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| We're somewhere in this group. The top 40 boats are ready to blast off at 6:45 AM. |
For us, the fishing was slow to start the morning. A pike and a few small perch were all we could muster in the first hour. Then, the bite for us was on. We spent the majority of the morning burning spinnerbaits over weedbeds, and that did the trick. I was throwing a white/chartreuse spinnerbait from Vinnerbaits, and I was able to nail a few Largemouth within a matter of minutes. Unfortunately, nothing with any size. And that was most of our day. Lots of Pike, and lots of average sized Largemouth - 2 to 3 pounds. Near the end of the day I was able to boat a few more 2-3 pound fish on a Krazee Kraw Beev from Vinnerbaits, but unfortunately, we walked away from this tourny out of the money.
Overall it was a great tournament and a great experience. The biggest fish of the day was over 5 pounds and most of the winning fish were in the 3-4+ pound range. Having never fished Quinte before we did OK but it wasn't good enough. We'll get 'em next time! Congrats to everyone that got a cheque, there were some big fish weighed in.
Thanks for reading
Sam
Sunday, 17 June 2012
Detroit River Fishing
A couple Sundays ago I was able to get out on the Detroit River with my tournament partner Jared Blair. After waking up at 3AM, gassing up and making a quick Timmies stop, it was then just a quick drive to Leamington. We got down to Amherstberg and were on the water by 6:30. We had an excellent day on the Michigan side of the water by boating over a dozen Largemouth in a short 4 hour period.
We started throwing jigs and spinnerbaits but weren't having any luck. Jared switched to a wacky rigged Quiver Stick from Bass Magnet Lures and the bite was on! We caught fish after fish on them and had a great time. My Denali Rosewood Shakey Head rod held up great on some hard fighting fish. The Rock Bass bite was even on in force! Haha.
It was a great day on the water and a good warmup for tournament season. We'll be fishing the inaugural Quinte Bass Champs tournament on June 23rd, opening day. It should be a great tournament with over 120 boats registered. Can't wait for this one!
Thanks for reading.
Sam
We started throwing jigs and spinnerbaits but weren't having any luck. Jared switched to a wacky rigged Quiver Stick from Bass Magnet Lures and the bite was on! We caught fish after fish on them and had a great time. My Denali Rosewood Shakey Head rod held up great on some hard fighting fish. The Rock Bass bite was even on in force! Haha.
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| My first fish of the morning. A solid fish that put up a great fight. |
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| Jared Blair with the first fish of the morning! This guy hammered a Quiver Stick from Bass Magnet Lures. |
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| My biggest of the day, easily brought to the boat with my Denali Rods Rosewood Shakey Head rod. |
Thanks for reading.
Sam
Friday, 15 June 2012
Package in today - Vinnerbaits!
Hey everyone,
I got a package in the mail from one of my sponsors, Vinnerbaits. They are a now private bait company out of New Jersey. Vinnerbaits was an up and coming company that's key feature was the Vinsert technology. Each bait in the VT series has a tough insert molded right into the bait, causing the bait to travel up the line and not pull off when a fish shakes their head. The VTx series has a Vinsert running right through the entire bait.
This order consisted of some of my favourites in both the VT and VTx series. Wakki Stikks, Shakee Stikks, Twitchin Shads, Vinnerminners and of course, Jigs. Now enough talking, here's some eye candy!
Up first we have the Vinnerminners. Vinnerbaits swimbaits are top of the line and durable, like all of their baits. The colours on them are outstanding. These are all the 4" version and great for both Smallies and Largemouth.
Another one of my favourite techniques is throwing a wacky rigged senko. Vinnerbaits Wakki Stikk is the ultimate stickbait for wacky rigging. With a Vinsert molded throughout the entire bait, it is all but guaranteed to NEVER rip off from your hook. Check out the link below and decide for yourself :)
Lastly, one of my favourite baits to throw are jigs. They have been one of my go to baits and I just love flippin a jig. Keeping with the rest of their baits, Vinnerbaits finesse jigs, flippin jigs and piledriver jigs are outstanding. All hand-tied and painted with a shiny enamel, you can toss these all day, bounce them off docks and structure, and the paint will still look brand new. Take a look for yourself.
So there you have it, some of my favourite products from Vinnerbaits. As I mentioned in the beginning of my post, Vinnerbaits is a private company. The guys decided to shut it down to the public to spend more time with their growing families, being a new parent I can't say I blame them. They were working around the clock to churn out some outstanding baits. While they are no longer available to the public, they are still available to staff members and select customers. With that being said, if you see something you like send me a message and I can help you get your hands on some.
Thanks for reading!
Sam
PS Some more pics!
I got a package in the mail from one of my sponsors, Vinnerbaits. They are a now private bait company out of New Jersey. Vinnerbaits was an up and coming company that's key feature was the Vinsert technology. Each bait in the VT series has a tough insert molded right into the bait, causing the bait to travel up the line and not pull off when a fish shakes their head. The VTx series has a Vinsert running right through the entire bait.
This order consisted of some of my favourites in both the VT and VTx series. Wakki Stikks, Shakee Stikks, Twitchin Shads, Vinnerminners and of course, Jigs. Now enough talking, here's some eye candy!
Up first we have the Vinnerminners. Vinnerbaits swimbaits are top of the line and durable, like all of their baits. The colours on them are outstanding. These are all the 4" version and great for both Smallies and Largemouth.
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| Vinnerminners, from top to bottom: Golden Shiner, Zombie Shiner, Greenback Shad & Molten Steel |
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| Wanna catch a pig? Try wacky rigging the Wakki Stikks and Shakee Stikks: Top, Shakee Stikk in Shockwave, Bottom left, 3" Green Pumpkin Wakki Stikk, Bottom right, 4" Pumpkinseed Wakki Stikk |
Lastly, one of my favourite baits to throw are jigs. They have been one of my go to baits and I just love flippin a jig. Keeping with the rest of their baits, Vinnerbaits finesse jigs, flippin jigs and piledriver jigs are outstanding. All hand-tied and painted with a shiny enamel, you can toss these all day, bounce them off docks and structure, and the paint will still look brand new. Take a look for yourself.
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| From left to right: Finesse jig 1/4 ounce in Green Pumpkin, Flippin Jig 1/2 ounce in Orange Craw, Piledriver Jig 5/8 in Blue/Black. |
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| All the jigs from Vinnerbaits are hand tied and made to order. The Flippin Jig comes with a built-in rattle. |
Thanks for reading!
Sam
PS Some more pics!
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| Love me some spinnerbaits! White/Chartreuse, my favourite! |
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| Twitchin Shad, great for jerkin, I like to drop shot them |
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| Vinnerbaits Hawg Frawgs. At the front is the Bad Ass Bullfrog colour, at the back is Black/Chartreuse |
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
First post!
Well, I started a blog...
I figured that just maybe there are a few people out there that love bass fishing in Southwestern Ontario and decided that I'd start a blog to keep them up to date on tournaments, news, stories out of the industry and just a few tips that hopefully help you boat more fish.
I've been fishing just about my whole life, or at least as far back as I can remember, and always had a passion for it. This passion has taken me across Ontario, and this year I decided to get involved in fishing tournaments with my long time friend Jared Blair. We will be fishing the Tri-Bay Bass Association, which is a great series that fishes Mitchell's Bay, Rondeau Bay, Long Point Bay, and also Lake St. Clair. We'll also be fishing the Quinte Bass Champs, one we're really really excited about.
Anyways, hopefully you guys (and gals) enjoy this blog as much as I enjoy writing for it, stay tuned as I hope to be posting every day!
Sam
I figured that just maybe there are a few people out there that love bass fishing in Southwestern Ontario and decided that I'd start a blog to keep them up to date on tournaments, news, stories out of the industry and just a few tips that hopefully help you boat more fish.
I've been fishing just about my whole life, or at least as far back as I can remember, and always had a passion for it. This passion has taken me across Ontario, and this year I decided to get involved in fishing tournaments with my long time friend Jared Blair. We will be fishing the Tri-Bay Bass Association, which is a great series that fishes Mitchell's Bay, Rondeau Bay, Long Point Bay, and also Lake St. Clair. We'll also be fishing the Quinte Bass Champs, one we're really really excited about.
Anyways, hopefully you guys (and gals) enjoy this blog as much as I enjoy writing for it, stay tuned as I hope to be posting every day!
Sam
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