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Okuma Raises Their Bass Rod Game to
the X-Level
Okuma has been
elevating their bass reel and rod offerings over the last few seasons by
leveraging new technology and materials to improve performance. Unveiled at the
Classic the new X-Series rods are Okuma’s latest creation and designed to raise
the bar for the brand’s application specific bass offering. |
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Going Basic. The Reliable and Affordable Gravity G3
Baitcaster from ARK Fishing
New to the fishing reel market, ARK Fishing follows the
familiar trend set by many manufacturers of using the same frame and sideplate
design for their catalog of casting reels and putting them together in different
ways to meet varying price points. The Gravity G3 is currently at the entry
level of ARK's casting reel lineup... |
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Shimano
BOOSTs Freshwater Hardbait Lineup
In advance of the Bassmaster Classic Shimano is bolstering their
freshwater lure lineup with three new lures that make use of the company’s
patented BOOST CONCEPT technologies. These new offerings include the Enber
jerkbait, World Rush squarebill, and finesse oriented Zumverno jerkbait. |
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A Solid Little Reel With a Bigger Purpose: Lew's American Hero Tier 1 Casting Reel
The American Hero Tier 1 LFS casting reel from Lew's is a
familiar profile from the manufacturer in a size that's roughly equivalent to an
industry standard 100. It is built with an aluminum frame and graphite
sideplates and features an externally adjustable magnetic braking system... |
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Fold to Cast Further – Shimano’s Armajoint Hard Bodied Swimbait
The swimbait segment continues to grow, and it was just a matter of time
before Shimano launched their own hard bodied swimbait. Rather than introduce
just another single jointed glide or dual jointed wake, Shimano’s lure engineers
wanted to put their own spin on a shad-like profile and create a bait that could
be cast further and fished effectively by anglers of all skill levels. |
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Mike Iaconelli's Powerbait Flute Worm by Berkley is no Fluke
We are in the process of looking at some of
their newest PowerBait lures including the Maxscent Flat Worm but before that
review goes live let's take a look at one of Berkley's classics. With the help of Mike Iaconelli
this the Flute Tail Worm was created for those dedicated Neko/wacky/shaky head
fishermen |
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Forward-Facing Sonar Units and the
‘Harass-A-Bass’ Technique Have Changed Bass Fishing Forever
The rumors percolated pre-pandemic of
an electronics guru devouring the competition in America’s largest crappie
tournaments. Fishing in a previously unimagined futuristic manner, from the
not-so-bass-mecca state of Oklahoma, Josh Jones is reported to have caught more
than 200 ten-pound fish in less than five years...
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Lightweight and Worth the Effort – Edge’s Versatile Epitome
MBR725-1C Rod
If there is one rod maker that needs no introduction it
is Gary Loomis. Gary’s legacy as both an expert in graphite and resin materials
and for his understanding of rod actions and how they apply to different species
and techniques is already the stuff of legend. Gary’s latest rod series, the Epitome, is designed to be his
lightest and perhaps most distinctive rods yet.
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KastKing’s Kestrel Elite Magnesium Baitcaster Takes Flight
Usually aimed toward the casual angler, KastKing reached outside of their
comfort zone and set their sights on JDM competitors with the release of
the Kestrel Elite. Does the Kestrel Elite have enough wind under its wings to
soar with Shimano and Daiwa? |
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Take Two (Piece) with Phenix's Feather Casting Rods
The FTX-C277MH is a two piece casting rod measuring roughly
seven feet, seven inches (7'7") fully assembled. It comes with updated Fuji
stainless steel guides with FazLite inserts built on the same, blended Carbon
Weave blank with Nanolite resin.
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It Is An Obsession, It Is My
Obsession, Lanciotti's Psycho Gill Can Be, an Enthusiast Bait Collector's Key
Nothing inspires an unhealthy passion for bass fishing like a good topwater
bite. This is especially true when your lure of choice is an oversized chunk of
resin or wood. Whether it be a rat, gill, trout profile or other, it's tough to
beat the adrenaline rush of having a three ounce or larger bait slurped down
from the surface of the water. |
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How Does a Budget, Value, Rod Dubbed Offshore
Dominate the Search for One?
Ark Rods continues to make a name for themselves in the bass rod market. By all accounts, their Randall Tharp Honey Badger series of signature rods has only served to help them gain a stronger foothold in a very hotly contested market. Today, we take a look at one of Tharp's favorite sticks in the lineup, his TS76MHFC Offshore Special.
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Trika's Candidate in The Search for One, Their C73MHF
Setting out with the goal of
delivering some of the best fishing rods on the planet, Trika leveraged their
highly technical approach to deliver a full line of bass fishing rods.
Introducing Trika's Search for One candidate, the C73MHF casting rod.
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Fishing Favors the Bold. Trika’s 7 Foot+ Casting Rods
Trika launched their brand at the end of last
season with a market changing mentality. Chances are you have seen the brand’s
bold performance claims when it comes to outperforming competitors retailing for
much more in both casting distance and sensitivity and we were eager to see just
how these rods would stack up. |
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JDM Calcutta Conquest
for
Finesse - The Calcutta Conquest BFS
Shimano Japan has been busy this season updating their
Calcutta Conquest platforms on both ends of the spectrum. In addition to
launching the new MD reels for big bait anglers the company is also introducing
a new BFS reel with the proven Finesse Tune Braking system which is designed to
deliver lures as light as a single gram.
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TT Interview: Behind the Threads
of Bad News Bass. Talking to B.N.B. Founder Erik Yamamoto
Bad News Bass has deep roots in Northern California and works closely
with local tackle shops, guides, and custom bait manufacturers to offer
exclusive swimbaits and soft goods. We sit down with B.N.B. founder Erik Akira
Yamamoto to learn more about the brand's origins, their exclusive offerings, and
what's coming next.
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The Gold Standard for Round
Reels Gets Dual Cast Control System: The Calcutta Conquest MD
This season Shimano launches new 300 and 400 sized Calcutta Conquest MD
series reels which feature a number of major advancements including a SVS MD hybrid cast control system and interlocking levelwind
feature, and is specifically designed for fishing swimbaits and other giant
lures.
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Daiwa Embraces IoT With New
Bluetooth Equipped IM Z LIMITBREAKER Baitcaster
Daiwa Japan has launched a new generation of the Z series
reels with the IM Z LIMITBREAKER. More than just an update in styling and
refinement the IM Z is a Smart Reel that makes use of Daiwa's new bluetooth and
app controlled "Connecting System" to control, track, and update the new
Intelligent Magforce braking system. |
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The Search For One : Phenix's Re-Imagined MAX-73MH
It's been over seven years
since our introduction to Phenix's Maxim series of rods, and as we shared with
our review of the MAXS-610L, the company revamped the series in 2020 updating
both the series' look and components. Today, we take a look at the most likely
stick within the series to be dubbed "the One" in our continual search for that
singular stick to rule them all. |
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The Impressive Middle Child : Abu Garcia's Zenon MG-X Casting Reel
Abu's Zenon line of casting reels replaces
Premier, MGX, and MGXtreme at the top of their low profile reel hierarchy. Aside
from the Premier, we hadn't fished these platforms in some time, so Zenon comes
to us like a fresh new platform. |
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Turn That Blank Around : A Rainshadow Wrap for BFS Techniques
As reel manufacturers rush to get their take on the BFS
movement to market, it seems rod manufacturers have a little catching up to do.
The selection of available casting rods to support the light line movement just
isn’t quite there, so what’s an enthusiast to do? Well, although the built rod
options may be few and far between, blanks to enable the movement already exist. |
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Designed for Sending Big Baits - Shimano’s Curado 200 DC
The Shimano Curado family has grown once again and
the company’s latest baitcaster, the Curado 200 DC, is designed specifically to
address applications where thicker lines and larger lures require both casting
distance and a robust retrieve. While fishing swimbaits seems like a natural fit
for this reel there are other power-oriented applications that are also well
suited for this new larger Curado DC baitcaster. |
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Time for Another Build or Two: Point Blank Rods's PB731HXF
Rods
fascinate me. The number of ways in which they can be assembled, and the
different materials used to build the blanks represent a world of intrigue and
mystery that never ceases to intrigue. The very core of a fishing rod, it's soul
- that blank, is where it all begins yet it is often shrouded in a build that
makes the task of extracting its character difficult.
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Creature Fever : Big Bite Bait's Hybrid Soft Plastic Craw Tube
The bait's main
body is a tube, but with rings on the outside all leading to the traditional
tube bait skirt. However, out from the sides, just before the bait transitions
to the skirt, protrude two claw like appendages. |
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UFO 6” Gill Swimbait – Abducting Bass Night and
Day
UFO Bait Co. is a custom swimbait builder that creates some
of the most sought-after gill baits in the game. These include the immense
Mothership and the smaller 6” gill, both of which are coveted by swimbait
enthusiasts that have witnessed, or heard about, the many bass abductions that
these renowned baits are responsible for. |
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A Worthy Tribute : Costa’s Versatile Ferg Series
The Costa Ferg frames
pay tribute to the company’s founder, Ray Ferguson, and includes some of the
brand’s newest sport-oriented elements including high quality 580G glass lenses
and vented adjustable nose pads, but also features styling that doesn’t look out
of place off the water.
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Abu Garcia's BFS Flex : The Revo Ultracast BF8
Following on the heels of my
very positive experience with Abu Garcia Japan's Limited Edition LX992Z BFS
casting reel, I was on the hunt for another reel to sample only this time,
hopefully, in left hand retrieve. I came across a second candidate from the same
manufacturer with a very familiar look... |
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Could It Be Magic? Megabass's US P5 F5.5-76X Mark-56
The new US P5 F7.5-76X Mark-56 invokes the name of one of these previous models, the F8-78X Mark-48
introduced in 2019 during the former US Destroyer line's extension. It's only
natural to assume they are the same, or at least similar sticks, but such an
assumption would actually be a mistake. |
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The Surprisingly Versatile Steez AGS
"The Sensor" Casting Rod
Daiwa's Steez AGS "The Sensor," is a seven foot (7'-0") stick
built on the manufacturer's updated SVF Compile-X graphite blank featuring
Nanoplus resin. Guides for this stick are Daiwa's latest, proprietary AGS guides
featuring carbon fiber frames. |
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Defying the Status Quo : ARK Fishing Creates Their Own Gravity
Baitcasters
Given the number of rod and
lure manufacturers delving into the reel segment it's easy to assume ARK is
leveraging the same or similar resources as the majority of these other
upstarts. Well, I'm pleased to say, to make such an assumption about ARK's new
Gravity 7 (G7) would be in error.
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Accessible, Affordable, and More Importantly, Effective : Molix's GlideBait 140 SS
Begrudgingly,
time once dedicated to slinging something exclusive gives way to the less
exciting prospect of fishing something more accessible. However, on the rare
occasion, these circumstances can reveal something unexpected. Here's our
experience with Molix's latest entry big bait craze, their GlideBait 140 SS.
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Lew's Shifts It into High Gear (Ratio) with Their HyperSpeed LFS
Equipped with a 9.5:1 retrieve ratio on a 34 mm spool (33mm to inside of beveled edge), Lew's new HyperSpeed LFS
casting reel is their fastest to date. It features a is one-piece aluminum
frame, 95m handle, and a very comfortable shape and profile. |
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The Megabass P5 Destroyers
are Coming! A First Look at the US P5 Rod Launch Lineup
The much anticipated Megabass America Destroyer P5 USA lineup of rods is
right around the corner and the first run rods just landed here at the
TackleTour lab today. As we begin a deeper dive into the new rods here is a
preview of the launch lineup and what US anglers can expect from the new series. |
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Function Meets Fashion,
Daiwa's Silver Creek AIR TW
With the expanse of BFS fishing in the last few years, Daiwa dove into a
niche within a niche with BFS trout fishing, releasing the Silver Creek Air TW.
This proves that BFS fishing is on the rise, and for good reason. Being a
majority of my BFS fishing is stream fishing for trout, it was only natural for
me to run the Silver Creek AIR TW through the paces. |
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Baitsanity’s Most Technical Glidebait Yet – The Antidote
TUG
Baitsanity’s newest glidebait, the Antidote TUG,
is also the company’s new halo swimbait and comes with a laundry list of
innovative features which also make it a highly technical bait to master.
Designed for big bait enthusiasts the TUG can achieve some remarkably diverse
glide actions but with somewhat of a steep learning curve is this a big bait for
everyone? |
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A Measure of Consistency, Kistler's New KLX
Last year, Kistler Custom Rods refreshed their
Helium series of rods with a new blank the company is having made overseas. I
found that new KC9 blank crisp, lively, and powerful. Since that introduction,
the company has been busy refreshing their entire family of rods with new
blanks. |
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Berkley’s PowerBait Infused Spinnerbaits – The Power Blade
Series
The Berkley Power Blade spinnerbaits are designed
with numerous custom elements including signature blades, sleek heads molded
around sharp Fusion 19 hooks, and perhaps most importantly, hand tied PowerBait
infused skirting material designed to attract fish. |
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Even More Versatile Than Its Name Suggests, Big Bite Bait's Swimming Mama
How do you improve upon an already popular soft plastic bait profile? How about if you take that popular bait and add to it, a dimension not easily achieved by the original? In the case of Big Bite Bait's popular flipping bait, the Yomama, you streamline the bait and add twintail grub like appendages to transform it into a bait intended to be fished
in constant motion.
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Another Standout Build from Legit Design, the SOC70H
Encouraged by my experience with my first StandOut series rod from Legit Design, the SOC66L+ BFS stick, I wanted to see if that positive experience would translate to a more conventional specification. This curiosity coincided with my need for a stick to probe some weedbeds
with some good ole fashioned, one ounce bullet weighted Texas rigged soft
plastics.
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A Different
Approach : The New Player - Trika Rods
Chances are you haven't heard of Trika rods before as the brand is a new
entry into the highly competitive rod market, but the team behind the new brand
have actually been developing products for outdoor enthusiasts for over two
decades.
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The Myth Lives and Has Transformed : 22nd Century's Nezzuma V-Cut
Well, you know we couldn't
go a full season reviewing rat baits without dubbing one our R.O.U.S. - Rat Of
Unusual Size. 22nd Century is one of the original big bait companies and their
Triple Trout swimbait remains one of our all time favorites. |
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Evoking the Spirit of A Legendary Creature, Evergreen's Dire Wolf Wild 7
The Dire Wolf is actually offered in two configurations.
There's a cork handle variant with a longer rear handle, the RS, and the subject
of today's review, the GT-R, featuring an EVA handle that measures a short, nine
and a half inches (9.5"). Both come with a recommended lure rating of three
eighths to three full ounces (3/8-3oz). |
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Toxic Baits Suck! TXC's Impertinent Little Wake Bait, the Whippersnapper 2.0
Ceaser Chavez out of Northern
California, almost literally on the shores of the California Delta has been
making baits for big bait enthusiasts going on close to ten years. He's one of
the rare builders who've taken it to the next level by opening up a shop with a
retail wing you can actually visit and hand pick baits fresh off the drying
rack. |
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What Took So Long? Megabass's P5 Bait Finesse Stick
In various descriptions of their P5 F3-610X Bait Finesse stick,
Megabass references their classic Hien. Why they chose a different name for it
in this series confuses me and frankly delayed my interest in acquiring it, but
as soon as I discovered the connection, I ordered one. |
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