Jackall Lures Never Stops
That’s right just when you think one of the premier bait companies in both Japan and the US has reached the top, they raise the bar again. Jackall has released the 2011 product line and added even more baits to the great line they already have. In this article I will discuss some of the new baits and how I have fished them and found success on several lakes throughout the US.
Let’s start with the one bait I have been begging the guys at Jackall to bring over, the Bling55. This is one of the best flat sided crankbaits I have ever seen. I got a few from a Japan website about a year ago but they are hard to find for sale to the US market until now. There is no difference between the Japan version and the US version except some colors. The bait is made of the same plastic they make the other crankbaits from but this has a little different weighing system for casting. The system takes a small magnetic weigh that slides in a chamber when the bait is thrown. After the bait hits the water the magnet then re-attaches to the other weigh in the belly near the nose of the bait making it one of the truest running baits on the market. They also went out of the normal bill system they use and made the bill of the Bling55 from Fiberglass. This makes the bait cut through the water better and gives it a quicker/tighter action. When I got to fish the bait I found the Magnetic System they use is exactly what other companies have missed out on. I could throw this bait a mile even in 20+ mph winds. For the size of the bait this was one of the most incredible things I noticed. I fished the bait on a Jackall Poison “Master Stroke” rod with a Daiwa Steez reel and Lake Fork Fluorocarbon lines ranging from 10-20 pound test. I found the bait does dive a little deeper on the lighter line as one would think but the heavy line doesn’t hamper the action of the bait like most I have seen in the past. The paint on the bait is some of the best I’ve seen on a flat sided crankbait without having a custom job. After boating more than 40 fish in a single day the bait was scratched up but not “trashed” like many others I have fished before. I know this bait is going to be a “go-to” lure for many years on my boat.
One of the new baits I have fished is a version of the soft bait called the I-Shad that they brought out a few months ago. The new hard plastic version, called the seira minnow 80S, is fished just like its soft counterpart. One thing that makes this one a little different is the open mouth area of the bait. This lets water come into the mouth of the bait and pass through the gill section just like a real fish. I noticed if you twitch the bait or move it faster this sometimes makes a small bubble action as the bait swims. It also helps make the bait more stable and swim more realistic. One thing everyone needs to remember is this bait is fished with the I-Motion tactic and it’s not going to have much feel or action but the bait does work well. We fished this bait mostly on Clarks Hill Lake where there are huge schools of blue herring. We fished a Japan version that almost matched the color exactly and I think in the US its called Sparkle SS Shad. We boated numbers of fish on the bait swimming it below schools of the Herring and it worked very well.
The last bait I wanted to talk about is the Ammonite Shad. Now I have not used the US version of this bait yet but was told by the guys at Jackall it is exactly the same as the Japan version. All I can say about this soft swimbait is it ROCKS! The bait can be fished several ways with several tactics making it one of the most versatile swimbaits I have ever used. I found testing the bait in the pool that it has a tone of action and the body moves a lot making it perfect as a trailer on a swim jig and to fish in stained water. The tail also rotates 360 degrees when it is swimming moving a lot of water and causing a better vibration. The plastic is softer than most swimbaits making it more realistic but still tough enough to catch a good number of fish before you need to break out the glue. When I fished the bait I used a Jackall Poison “ Rushburn” rod rigged with a high speed Daiwa Steez reel and Lake Fork 20 pound Flourohybrid line. I fished it both solo (just rigging it to a 4/0 Owner swimbait hook) and with a ¼ oz swim jig. Both worked well and caught huge numbers of fish in both clear and stained water. I also fished it over heavy grass with the Jackall Poison “Delta Spec “ rod and 32 pound Lake Fork Flourohybrid line with a 1/2oz swim jig and neither the line size nor the rod action had an effect of the baits action. If you are looking for some big bites this is a bait you want to make sure you have in the boat.
In the next blog I will be talking about the last two new baits they have opened up to the US market, the Sole Shad 68 SP and the Swimming Ninja G90. Both of these baits are awesome as well and I’m sure every angler with a passion for catching more and bigger fish will standing in line to be the first to get them in tackle stores across the US.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Kota's American Dream Tournament-Lake Wheeler
I had the chance last weekend to fish the Kota's American Dream Tournament and what a blast it was. Kota and his crew did a great job on the event and worked very hard to make sure everyone had a ball. I really didnt get alot of practice before the event due to working some other shows out of town. I spent about 4 hours one day up river with little to show for it. I fished on the lower end about 3 hours with not alot for my efforts that day either. So I made the choice to just go fun fishing and have a good time.
On the first day of the event me and partner Paul Ponder ran all the way down and fished bluff walls with topwater baits and the NEW Jackall Bling 55 crankbait. I boated 3 fish fast on the bling and Paul had another solid keeper on a spinnerbait. We moved to another area looking for that last keeper and some bigger fish but time just ran out for us. We had a huge number of "junk fish" and shorts but headed to the weigh in without a limit. Once at the scales we saw every boat in the field had fish and had about the same day we did.
On the start of day 2 Paul and I wanted to move up so we made the choice to swing for the fence and look for bigger bites all day. Well we made the run back down river and stayed in an area we lost some bigger bites at on day 1. We pounded the area with just about every bait we had in the boat and had nothing to show for the efforts. We then moved further up river boating a few fish on a Zipper Worm hand pour rigged on a dropshot and a jig head. We jumped around alot catching a few more fish on a Lake Fork Lures Spoon off drops in about 10 feet of water. Time just didnt give us any help and we had to run to the scales about the time we found a small pattern to build on.
Once at the weigh-in we again saw alot of boats with fish and several locals had smoked em'. The winning pattern was fishing bluff walls down river from the launch with a crankbait and an SK Popper topwater bait. Most all the fish we found were following shad and it was more a right place/right time type of bite. Most every angler told us they fished crankbaits in 6-10 feet of water in coves and the mouths of creek channels.
Special thanks to Kota and his wife for putting together such a great event, the City of Decatur for hosting the tournament, David Haygood of American Bass Anglers and his team for the great job at weigh-in, Regal Marine for the great boats to look at, and all the other sponsors that hellped make this a huge success. I am looking forward to fishing this event for many years to come.
.
On the first day of the event me and partner Paul Ponder ran all the way down and fished bluff walls with topwater baits and the NEW Jackall Bling 55 crankbait. I boated 3 fish fast on the bling and Paul had another solid keeper on a spinnerbait. We moved to another area looking for that last keeper and some bigger fish but time just ran out for us. We had a huge number of "junk fish" and shorts but headed to the weigh in without a limit. Once at the scales we saw every boat in the field had fish and had about the same day we did.
On the start of day 2 Paul and I wanted to move up so we made the choice to swing for the fence and look for bigger bites all day. Well we made the run back down river and stayed in an area we lost some bigger bites at on day 1. We pounded the area with just about every bait we had in the boat and had nothing to show for the efforts. We then moved further up river boating a few fish on a Zipper Worm hand pour rigged on a dropshot and a jig head. We jumped around alot catching a few more fish on a Lake Fork Lures Spoon off drops in about 10 feet of water. Time just didnt give us any help and we had to run to the scales about the time we found a small pattern to build on.
Once at the weigh-in we again saw alot of boats with fish and several locals had smoked em'. The winning pattern was fishing bluff walls down river from the launch with a crankbait and an SK Popper topwater bait. Most all the fish we found were following shad and it was more a right place/right time type of bite. Most every angler told us they fished crankbaits in 6-10 feet of water in coves and the mouths of creek channels.
Special thanks to Kota and his wife for putting together such a great event, the City of Decatur for hosting the tournament, David Haygood of American Bass Anglers and his team for the great job at weigh-in, Regal Marine for the great boats to look at, and all the other sponsors that hellped make this a huge success. I am looking forward to fishing this event for many years to come.
.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Bassmaster Lay Lake Regional
Well making it to Regionals was a long road fishing all new waters all season in one division and 4 new lakes in the other division. I ended up making it to Regional in both divisions being 16th in points in the Tenn Central and 31st is the Tenn East. I was excited to hit some "home waters" at Lay Lake just south of Birmingham, Alabama. Although I have not been on that water in about 2 years I atleast knew where I was going and places that had produced in the past this time of year.
Well, it was nothing like I remembered but I had 2 weeks to fish and find areas that would produce. Practice was not great but I did find a few things that I thought would help get me in the top 50 cut and make the National Championship. I fished everything from the Logan Martin Dam all the way down to the Lay Dam finding 3 patterns that would get keeper fish in the boat. One was a solid spinnerbait pattern on sea walls. The key was to hit a wall that had deep water near it and run the walls as fast as I could. If I didnt get a bite go to the next one. The 2nd pattern was flipping grass. I fished this on the lower end of the lake flipping grass lines with a Lake Fork tube in Green Pumpkin with the tail dipped in JJ's Magic red dye. This pattern was great for a bigger bite but not consistant with weather conditions. The 3rd was my favorite, fishing a topwater River2Sea frog on scum mats. I had 2 places I could boat a solid 4-5 pound fish but weather also made this pattern inconsistant.
On day one of the event the weather/high winds was going to kill the two bigger bites I had found. I made the choice to hit the walls and throw a spinnerbait all day. On my first stop I put 3 fish in the boat in about 20 cast covering a 1/2 mile of water. I made several passes then moved. I then got my limit on the 2nd stop but knew the small fish I had would not get the job done at all. My co-angler boated his limit on the 3rd stop and had a 4 lb kicker. I ended up culling only a couple of fish but not much of an upgrade at all. I ended day one with 5.19 and in 100th place which was 2.5 pounds out of the top 50. Needless to say I was not happy. After a good "pep" talk with my wife that night I got my mind in the right again and was ready for day 2.
On day two I hit the water with one thing in mind, catching 12+ pounds and making the cut. I got a call from my good friend Mike before I put the boat in the water and he got me all worked up to go catch em. I owe him a ton for getting everything pointed in the right direction. After a long fog delay and tournament director Randy Sullivan letting us go around 8 am I knew I had a shot. Alot of anglers were on a good topwater bite but the late start was in my favor. I ran to my first stop and my co-anlger had one small fish in the boat. The 2nd stop produced a 3 pound spot on the first cast for me on a Spinnerbait. I then put 3 more keepers in the boat. The bite slowed so I left it going to an area I knew had solid fish in it and if they would bite could move me up alot. Once I sat down I tied on a Jackall TN60 Lipless crankbait in a shad pattern and started chunking. It was like a dream, I boated my 5th fish that went 2.5 pounds and was on a high. I then culled every fish I had except the 3 pound fish I started with. as the bite woould slow down I switched between the TN60 and the NEW Jackall I-Shad in the 3.8 size. I swam it in timber around 10 feet of water on the first break. The key was hitting the timber and catching the fish as they suspended near it. I did dip the tail of the I-Shad in JJ's Magic Red Garlic Dye and feel this made the bite alot stronger. My co-angler fished a bait the same way and had alot fewer strikes than I did.
With only an hour to go I had to make the choice to stay in that area or make a short run to the frog fish I had found in practice to try and get a bigger bite and go for the win. Well, while I was thinking I could almost here my Dad talking to me, saying "never leave fish bitting to find other fish". That is just what I did. I sat in the same area and both me and my co-anlger ended up culling 3 more times with doubles on the last 3 cast before we had to make the run back to the ramp.
Once back we saw alot of anglers that had done well on day one were not happy and struggled most of the day. I was getting more excited that I might have pulled one out and made the cut. Once at the scales I was hoping Randy was going to tell me I was inside the cut. I was floored when he told me I was the new leader with 14.04 lbs and a total of 19.23. This was forsure the comback of the year for me. Well I was bumped off the hot seat, but kinda had a feeling that wouldnt last long anyway. I ended up in 12th place and well inside the top 50 cut to make the National Chmpionship on Lake Guntersville.
I want to send out a special thanks to all of our sponsors that have been such a great foundation of support throughout the season. Federated Auto Parts, Jackall Lures, Lake Fork Trophy Tackle, Bluewater LED, Daiwa, Gator Grip, One Creative Services, JJ's Magic Dipping Dye, Owner Hooks, Topwater Clothing, Gemini Sports Marketing, Wired2Fish, Frazier Marine Group, WAAY 31 Broadcasting, Bass Pro Shops, and American Bass Anglers. Without thier awesome support this year could not have been what it is. I also want to say a HUGE thank you to God, my family, and all our fans. Without your support I would never have taken the chance and started "living the dream".
Well, it was nothing like I remembered but I had 2 weeks to fish and find areas that would produce. Practice was not great but I did find a few things that I thought would help get me in the top 50 cut and make the National Championship. I fished everything from the Logan Martin Dam all the way down to the Lay Dam finding 3 patterns that would get keeper fish in the boat. One was a solid spinnerbait pattern on sea walls. The key was to hit a wall that had deep water near it and run the walls as fast as I could. If I didnt get a bite go to the next one. The 2nd pattern was flipping grass. I fished this on the lower end of the lake flipping grass lines with a Lake Fork tube in Green Pumpkin with the tail dipped in JJ's Magic red dye. This pattern was great for a bigger bite but not consistant with weather conditions. The 3rd was my favorite, fishing a topwater River2Sea frog on scum mats. I had 2 places I could boat a solid 4-5 pound fish but weather also made this pattern inconsistant.
On day one of the event the weather/high winds was going to kill the two bigger bites I had found. I made the choice to hit the walls and throw a spinnerbait all day. On my first stop I put 3 fish in the boat in about 20 cast covering a 1/2 mile of water. I made several passes then moved. I then got my limit on the 2nd stop but knew the small fish I had would not get the job done at all. My co-angler boated his limit on the 3rd stop and had a 4 lb kicker. I ended up culling only a couple of fish but not much of an upgrade at all. I ended day one with 5.19 and in 100th place which was 2.5 pounds out of the top 50. Needless to say I was not happy. After a good "pep" talk with my wife that night I got my mind in the right again and was ready for day 2.
On day two I hit the water with one thing in mind, catching 12+ pounds and making the cut. I got a call from my good friend Mike before I put the boat in the water and he got me all worked up to go catch em. I owe him a ton for getting everything pointed in the right direction. After a long fog delay and tournament director Randy Sullivan letting us go around 8 am I knew I had a shot. Alot of anglers were on a good topwater bite but the late start was in my favor. I ran to my first stop and my co-anlger had one small fish in the boat. The 2nd stop produced a 3 pound spot on the first cast for me on a Spinnerbait. I then put 3 more keepers in the boat. The bite slowed so I left it going to an area I knew had solid fish in it and if they would bite could move me up alot. Once I sat down I tied on a Jackall TN60 Lipless crankbait in a shad pattern and started chunking. It was like a dream, I boated my 5th fish that went 2.5 pounds and was on a high. I then culled every fish I had except the 3 pound fish I started with. as the bite woould slow down I switched between the TN60 and the NEW Jackall I-Shad in the 3.8 size. I swam it in timber around 10 feet of water on the first break. The key was hitting the timber and catching the fish as they suspended near it. I did dip the tail of the I-Shad in JJ's Magic Red Garlic Dye and feel this made the bite alot stronger. My co-angler fished a bait the same way and had alot fewer strikes than I did.
With only an hour to go I had to make the choice to stay in that area or make a short run to the frog fish I had found in practice to try and get a bigger bite and go for the win. Well, while I was thinking I could almost here my Dad talking to me, saying "never leave fish bitting to find other fish". That is just what I did. I sat in the same area and both me and my co-anlger ended up culling 3 more times with doubles on the last 3 cast before we had to make the run back to the ramp.
Once back we saw alot of anglers that had done well on day one were not happy and struggled most of the day. I was getting more excited that I might have pulled one out and made the cut. Once at the scales I was hoping Randy was going to tell me I was inside the cut. I was floored when he told me I was the new leader with 14.04 lbs and a total of 19.23. This was forsure the comback of the year for me. Well I was bumped off the hot seat, but kinda had a feeling that wouldnt last long anyway. I ended up in 12th place and well inside the top 50 cut to make the National Chmpionship on Lake Guntersville.
I want to send out a special thanks to all of our sponsors that have been such a great foundation of support throughout the season. Federated Auto Parts, Jackall Lures, Lake Fork Trophy Tackle, Bluewater LED, Daiwa, Gator Grip, One Creative Services, JJ's Magic Dipping Dye, Owner Hooks, Topwater Clothing, Gemini Sports Marketing, Wired2Fish, Frazier Marine Group, WAAY 31 Broadcasting, Bass Pro Shops, and American Bass Anglers. Without thier awesome support this year could not have been what it is. I also want to say a HUGE thank you to God, my family, and all our fans. Without your support I would never have taken the chance and started "living the dream".
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