TackleTour 2011 Holiday Gift Guide (Part 2)

Saltwater Reel (Accurate Boss Extreme) : When it comes to premium saltwater reels Accurate continues to push the envelope. While we are waiting eagerly for this company to break into freshwater spinning their saltwater reels, both conventional and spinning, are legendary. Many top of the food chain species have succumbed to the company's TwinDrag system.

Serious about saltwater? Think Accurate

 The Accurate BX reels are good, and their new Boss Extreme 2 speed reels are even better if you like switching it up for more cranking power, and come loaded with stainless steel gears, titanium friction washers, and Class 5 ABEC bearings.  Looking to take on some big fish? The entire Accurate line is available at Hi's Tackle Box.

Jig it up with Shimano's Trevala rod series

Saltwater Rod (Shimano Trevala Jigging rods) : Shimano has become a serious contender in the Saltwater rod space and the Trevala rods have become a favorite among anglers that like jigging both conventional and butterfly jigs. Making use of TC4 construction these rods feel lightweight, sensitive, and still powerful enough to pull fish out and away from structure. These rods are best when fished with lighter saltwater techniques and high speed reels like the Torsa Narrow, Trinidad Narrow, or Stella when fishing spinning variants. Anglers can fish these rods hard and not worry as they all come with Shimano's limited lifetime warranty. The Trevala rods are available now at Hi's Tackle Box for $119 to $219 depending on style and action.

Daiwa's Bala jig mixes two types of saltwater lures together

Saltwater Lure (Daiwa) : So what do you tie on the end of that Trevala rod? Try a Daiwa Bala jig. These popular jigs combine a iron and hoochie style squid jig. The sleek design gets the Bala down to the target zone quickly and multiple anchor points allow anglers to fish the lure in a variety of ways. In the water the squid jig flares outwards giving the lure even more flash. When the bite is tough this is one saltwater lure that can still be fished slow effectively, just let the skirt do the work. Daiwa offers the lure in a range of patterns in sizes ranging from 3oz. to 7oz. and pricing starts at $14.95. These lures are available now at Hi's Tackle Box.   

Not a mono, not a fluro, not a braid, meet Berkley's new NanoFil line

Superline (Berkley NanoFil): Looking for a line that is sure to bring a smile to the face of your favorite angler? Try the new Berkley NanoFil. This line is not a mono, or a fluorocarbon, or even a braided line. It is constructed out of gel-spun polyethylene and like a superline comes loaded with Dyneema nanofilaments that are molecular linked and shaped into a unified filament. (Try saying that twice) The result is a line that is very sensitive and has zero stretch, basically a line that casts like mono and has the performance characteristics of braid. This is a great line for spinning reels and is Berkley's longest casting line. A 150yd. spool retails for $19.99 and is available now at Tackle Warehouse.

Cal's current Fluorocarbon of choice.

Fluorocarbon Line (DARM): Ever since our Fluorocarbon Showdown article from several years ago where Sunline Shooter and Toray SuperHard Upgrade came away with our top recommendations, anglers have been asking us what other products compare. There are several that come to mind including last year’s recommendation in this category, Seaguar Tatsu. But a new to the US market player is in town and so far, our experiences with this line have been very positive. DARM fluorocarbon is produced by YGK, one of the more coveted boutique, line manufacturers in Japan and thanks to Hi’s Tackle Box, you can find now find it on US shores. It is our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide recommended buy for that fluorocarbon purist on your list.

Bulk spools from Sunline? yes!.

Monofilament Line (Sunline Super Natural): Part of last year’s Holiday Gift Guide and also recommended in our Summer Buyer’s guide this past year, Sunline’s Super Natural nylon monofilament is still our premium mono of choice. Available in three colors (jungle green, mizu blue, and clear), it’s now even available in bulk spools of 3,300 yards! But don’t worry, if you’re looking for something better sized for stuffing into stockings, you can still get Sunline’s Supernatural in the more manageable 330yd spools at Hi's Tackle Box.

Need to keep track of your catch? Rapala makes it easier with their touch screen Tournament Scale & Culling System.

Tools (Rapala Touch Screen Tournament Scale & Culling System) : As the popularity of bass fishing climbs to unprecedented scales, the availability of tournaments whether they be local club or larger scale events grows each year. Tournament anglers need a quick, effective, and reliable method to not only record the weights of their catch, but to identify them too so that smaller fish can be culled out of their livewell continually throughout the day. Rapala’s Touch Screen Tournament Scale and Culling System does just that enabling anglers to see, at a glance, the weight of up to 8 fish in their livewell and even know the running, cumulative total weight of all the fish in their possession. This system makes a great gift for that aspiring tournament angler on your list and is available now at Tackle Warehouse.