Rapid Fishing Solutions Line Guide and Line Clips

Sometimes the simplest things are the best solution. That is the case of two new products from Rapid Fishing Solutions.  I first heard about them at a media event in Buffalo, NY earlier this year and now it seems like they are really catching on.

I had the pleasure of fishing with the guys from this company two years in a row and they showed me the line clips while on the water. We were fishing Lake Erie in a rocking boat and it was never easier to put line through my guides. I even did it backwards by mistake and it still worked. 

Again, so simple, yet so effective.  They also have a line clip that helps keep your line in place after you break off a lure or are done for the day.

 Line Clips

Line Guide

They are inexpensive and make life so much easier. Tackle Warehouse has them both: Line Clips and Line Guide.

Bassmaster Elite Series pro Mark Menendez is a big fan of both of these products. Watch below as he explains them.

Seaguar Finesse Fluorocarbon Review

I have been fishing the new Seaguar Finesse Fluorocarbon on some of my reels for a few months now. For my spinning gear I almost always use braided line with a fluoro leader, but I decided to spool this new line up as a mainline to really put it to the test. It has really impressed me both with how manageable and strong it is.

The line is a double structure fluorocarbon (similar technology to Tatsu) that combines two different resins; a stronger outer core and softer inside. This gives it the strength and manageability. The line is soft and limp but also has excellent knot strength.

Here's Cody Meyer talking about it:

What's With the Sizes?

If you look at the sizes of the new line you will see something a little different. Instead of the standard 4,6,8, etc. for pound test you get something much more precise. The line comes in 5.2, 6.2, 7.3 and 8.4 pound test. This was designed to dial it in even further for finesse techniques. I don't know about you but there are times when I debate between 6 and 8-pound leaders and wish I had something in between. 

Caution

One word of caution about this new line is how thin it is. I spooled up a reel with minimal backing and went through the whole spool of 5.2 and still had room left on my spool. I like to have it filled up nearly all the way for better casting and had to put more backing than normal to get it to my liking. Being thin is a good thing. Make sure to check the diameters compared to other brands. It is a huge difference.

Price
The line comes in a 150-yard spool and retails for $26.99 at TackleWarehouse.com. It is a premium fluorocarbon and priced higher than some of Seaguar's other lines. I do believe it is worth it for how well it performed on spinning gear.

Overall the line performed flawlessly. I caught two smallmouth over five pounds with the 5.2-pound and that was a blast! I still prefer braid as my main line on spinning, but this also makes an excellent leader material.

2015 Bass Fishing Gift Guide - Seaguar Flippin' Line

For the next few weeks I will be sharing some products that I have been using this year. The products I post have my approval based on performance, price, quality and more.  Every item here would make a great gift for the bass angler you are shopping for...or yourself!  

Seaguar is known for their fluorocarbon. They invented it in the 70's, so they know what they are doing.  Their latest offering is a specially designed fluorocarbon and braid for flippin' and pitching heavy cover. Seaguar pro and bass fishing legend Denny Brauer is a household name in the bass fishing world and he is best known for his prowess with flippin' and pitching. He was the one who pushed Seaguar to develop this line and his input was crucial for developing it.

I have used both the braid and fluoro and have been extremely impressed with both. The braid is a solid black color which means you do not have to use your black marker to retouch it. The black coloring lasts and I have not seen widespread fading like you get with other braids.  The braid itself is an 8-strand braid and very thin. It's abrasion resistant and very strong as well. It's a very good choice if you like braid. It comes in 100 yard spools and in both 50 and 65lb test. 

Seaguar pros were excited about the release of Flippin'

The Flippin' Fluoro is what I used all Fall for pitching heavy cover. Where I live we have clear water and thick cover which is where I like to use heavy fluorocarbon instead of braid due to the water clarity. Like the braid, it comes in 100 yard spools which is a perfect size for two reels if you use backing. 

What I like most about the line is how abrasion resistant it is. I purposely held back from retying one day while fishing this line and went all day without losing a fish or jig due to breaking my jig. I still recommend retying often, but it was crazy to see just how well it held up.

It comes in 20, 25 and 30lb and is the only 30lb mainline fluorocarbon I have ever seen. It may also be a good choice for guys fishing big swimbaits who want to use fluoro instead of braid.

To purchase, visit TackleWarehouse.com.

Seaguar Smackdown Review

Seaguar Smackdown is the best braid I have ever used. There, I said it.  Now before you think I'm just saying that without trying the rest, I have to say I have used just about every major brand out there and there are some really good ones, but Smackdown is awesome. 

My two favorite things about it is that is smooth and very thin. I drop shot alot and always use braid with a fluoro leader (8lb Tatsu). As thin as it is, I have moved up to 20lb braid instead of 15lb like I was using and it works great on spinning tackle.

The casting distance, sensitivity and most important durability is due to the fact that this is an eight strand braid. The eight different strands are formed in a perfect circle shape and weaved tightly for maximized abrasion resistance. I'm a big fan of this braid in both green and the bright yellow color. It works great and I have had zero issues after using it for over a year. 

The diameter is without question different, look at the chart of the two braids below to see why I am able to use 20lb instead of 15lb.

Seaguar Smackdown

Line Diameters	10lb	15lb	20lb	30lb	40lb	50lb	65lb
Inches	.005	.006	.007	.009	.011	.015	.016
Millimeters	.128	.165	.185	.235	.285	.370	.405
Equiv. Mono Diameter	2lb	4lb	6lb	8lb	12lb	20lb	25lb

Other leading braid

Line Dia.	8lb	10lb	15lb	20lb	30lb	40lb	50lb	65lb	80lb
Inches	.005	.006	.007	.009	.011	.013	.014	.016	.017
Millimeters	.13	.15	.18	.23	.28	.33	.36	.41	.43
Equiv. Mono Diameter	1lb	2lb	4lb	6lb	8lb	10lb	12lb	16lb	17lb

Related Posts:
Smallie Smackdown
My Favorite Time of Year

Smallie Smackdown

I have now fished five out of the last nine days and have spent 95% of my time with a dropshot rod in my hands, mostly because I haven't needed to put it down. The last two trips I didn't even make a cast with something other than with a dropshot rod, a Roboworm and 3/16oz dropshot weight. It's been great too, I've caught literally over a hundred fish and had two smallmouth over 5lbs, and multiple 3's this weekend. It's also the first extended period I have used the new Seaguar Smackdown braid.

My biggest of the year, 5.51lbs. Part of a 17+lb limit of all smallmouth.

It's now available at Tackle Warehouse and is really worth every penny. I've been using the 15lb with a 8lb fluorocarbon leader. My casting distance and sensitivity have been insane and just as importantly, the line has held up strong. I don't know how I ever used a dropshot without braid, it's like night and day. Definitely make the switch to braid on your spinning rods and if you are looking for a new brand of braid, take a look at Smackdown.

Long Lake Classic Recap

Our club's first annual Long Lake Classic has come and gone and it was a success. Helping put this together was a rewarding experience once it was all underway. I can't thank say enough to thank those who helped put it together.

The fishing itself turned out pretty good and as expected, Long Lake proved that it is one of the best lakes in the Northwest with multiple big fish weighed in. I fished the team event with Wes Henry and we ended up in 5th place with close to 31lbs for two days. We had almost 14 one day and just under 17 the next day. If not for a 12 inch fish the first day we might have had an even better bag and moved up in the standings a little.

We caught almost everything we weighed in on a drop shot rig. I think we had one fish weighed in on a tube, but besides that the drop shot was the deal. We fished a few different baits and would rotate through them quite often. Some of the areas we fished we would basically be sitting on one spot for an hour at a time, so switching up bait colors and sizes is a way to get a few extra bites. I can remember casting to the same spot over and over, then switching baits and catching one on my next cast. It happens too much to be a coincidence. The top producers were the Roboworm straight tail, Z-Man Finesse WormZ and the Damiki Pen 2. The colors we used were across the spectrum, dark to light and everything in between. Also have to thank 5Alive Baits for hooking us up with some drop shot weights on the second morning. They are awesome weights,  consistent and clean pours. I have realized that if you are not losing weights, you aren't fishing in the right areas.

This weekend was the first time my tournament partner had used braid to fluoro on his drop shot and he was blown away. It was an adjustment in the morning because he was casting so much further than he was used to and ending up across the docks or into the trees. Definitely a good problem to have. I like to use 15lb Seaguar Kanzen braid (4lb diameter) with 6-8lb Tatsu leader. I had two different fish this weekend wrap me around ropes or logs and I still got them in. One was a big smallmouth that got me wrapped around a rope and was stuck six of seven feet under the water. The line didn't break and somehow Wes got it in the net....it was epic.

Really, what pound test is that?

Line pound test is one of the biggest misconceptions around, it really means nothing when you consider the actual diameter of the line. I have known for a long time to look at the diameter instead of just believing the pound test that is listed on the box.  As a very simple comparison, take a look at the following four fluorocarbon lines and the diameter of their 12lb test:

• Seaguar InvizX (also Tatsu, AbrazX and Senshi mono) has a diameter of .011
• Gamma Edge is .013
• Berkley Trilene is .013
• Vicious Pro Eite is .0133

Just looking at those numbers might not mean anything, I mean we are talking hundredths of an inch. But a closer look shows this:

• Gamma Edge 8lb, Berkley Trilene 100% 8lb and (roughly) 10lb test Vicious are all the same diameter as 12lb test Seaguar.  
• This can mean alot of things. This biggest one is that you can probably use much heavier line when using Seaguar and get away with it.

The full screen shots can be seen here.  Take a look for yourself at your favorite brands.  I looked through a bunch of them and there are some major discrepancies to say the least.

Liberty Lake Recap: Bass at $227 per pound

The 2013 has officially started. Not only was this my first tournament of the year and first since I moved back to Spokane, but it was also the first ever for the new Spokane Bass Club. It was great to get out on the water and compete with all of my friends, old and new. Overall, I think everyone was happy despite the tough fishing and icy boat ramp in the morning.  With 23 degree air temps are low 40's in the water temps, the fish were not in a biting mood. Out of 22 anglers, only two weighed in fish. Luckily I was one of them and my 1.16lb smallmouth translated to a $264 paycheck. That's about $227 per pound! Congrats to the winner, Dustin Lanaville who had a 2.88lb largemouth for big fish and 1st place.

Leading up to the event, Tanya and I had been dying to get out on the water and since Liberty was one of the first to be ice free we spent five days of practice over the past few weekends on leading up to the   event. In all of our practicing we caught four bass between us and crisscrossed the lake multiple times. We also boated more brown trout than I can ever remember catching. I think the time on the water did help because we only caught fish in two small areas in all that time on the water and one of them was where I caught my fish. It was also close to where the winner caught his. It's kind of funny talking about a "pattern", but it was a jerkbait bite with an occasional bite on dropshot. With this cold weather, it was about the only way to catch a fish and this was the only "pattern" I had to try.

I have several new jerkbaits to review and I spent some serious time learning about each one. During practice I had up to six jerkbaits on at once to test out different models and experiment with different line sizes and rods. Here's a quick recap of what worked best for me with more info to come as I begin my reviews:

Rods are not all created equal when throwing a jerkbait: I had six similar rods rigged up for jerkbaits, all between 6'6" and 7'1", and all medium action. By far the best was the Denali Michael Murphy jerkbait rod. It's designed for it and it showed. It had a much better action and you can tell it was made just for this purpose. I enjoyed using this rod because it was light and the 6'8" length was just about perfect for ripping baits all day long.

Light line is critical: 8lb and 10lb Seaguar InvizX were the top performers. I experimented with slightly heavier line and also with mono but that 10lb InvizX made all the difference in bait performance and action.

Baits: I estimate that I threw 15 different jerkbaits during these trips and they all impressed me in some way and I believe each will work in the right situation. I'm extremely excited to share my thoughts on the brand new Megabass Vision 110 Jr. and X-80 Magnum but not quite yet.

The Vision 110FX Elite, Vision 110 and Lucky Craft 78SP Deep Diver were the top baits as far as fish catching. Colors ranged from super bright colors down to the most natural finishes you can find.

I will continue my quest to review all of the best jerkbaits, check back for reviews on:

• DUO Realis 120SP Jerkbait as well as the new 100SP
• The Ima Flit Jerkbait family
• Savage Gear CBL Prey 95
• Damiki Slim Jack
• Strike King KVD Jerkbait
• Plus a few more!

Fall = Smallmouth Time

The weather is starting to get cold up here in the Northwest and that means one thing: awesome smallmouth fishing.  Honestly October fishing up here is what I was most excited about when we decided to move back (besides family of course).  I went out last weekend and finally caught a decent sized smallmouth I have been looking for.  A drop shot is my bait of choice this time of year. 3/16oz Eco Pro Tungsten Pro Drop Shot weight with a 4.5" Roboworm.  I have been using 15lb Seaguar Kanzen braid with a 6lb AbrazX leader.  I don't think I will ever go back to anything else.  It's amazing, no line twist problems, better casting and more sensitivity.  I was worried about the knot strength but have caught a few 4-5lb largemouth and this smallmouth that was just under 4lbs.  No problems at all!

First Trip Back in the NW

We hit Long Lake in Spokane, WA today for some fall fishing.  Tanya, myself and our dogs got on the water and were greeted with 41 degree temps and fog as we took off.  Having been in Florida for over four years, it was a rude awakening.

We caught fish pretty much all day and on whatever we threw, but didn't catch too many big ones.  I caught a 4+ largemouth around a fallen tree on a drop shot and 6lb test Seaguar Tatsu.  I probably would have been more scared if I knew how big it was before it was right by the boat.

I caught numerous smallmouth, but most were very small.  I couldn't locate the good sized ones this lake is known for, but this was one of the better ones.  My dogs were pretty intrigued.

Geared Up!

Just finished rigging up 12 rods with Seaguar line.  I have to say, that takes some time to do it right.  I am fishing Long Lake in Spokane and had to totally revamp all my rods and reels as I transition to fishing in the Northwest.  I used Kanzen braid, Senshi mono, and then Tatsu, AbrazX and InvizX fluorocarbon.  With all of this new line and sizes I have a few observations:

I have used Tatsu in the past but the light stuff is great.  I rigged up a Stradic spinning reel with 6lb test.  The spool said it holds 200 yards of 6lb test but I spooled a full 200 yard spool and still had room leftover, even with a little backing.  I think this shows how thin the line is.

I rigged a Revo Premier with 30lb braid and a 15lb Senshi leader so I can fish topwater baits and not worry about the braid wrapping around my topwater. I have found that braid casts much better with a topwater and won't sink as much so its great for topwater baits, but it will wrap around the trebles as you walk the bait.

I rigged another Stradic with 15lb Kanzen braid and then a 8lb AbrazX leader for shaky head fishing. I think this will give me a little more strength and sensitivity.

Tomorrow will be the real test with this line.  I am so used to using 15 and 20lb fluoro and 60lb braid in Florida so this light line makes me feel a little weird.  

Braid to Fluoro Knot Passes the Test

I went out fishing this afternoon to try out a new knot.  I saw a post on Bassmaster.com from Aaron Martens that shows how to tie the Albright knot. It is the perfect way to combine braid to fluoro and was really easy to tie. I was fishing a spinning rod with 20lb Seaguar Kanzen braid and 8lb Seaguar InvizX as my leader and was pulling in huge branches that I had snagged under water.  It was a true test of the line as well as the knot...both passed.

Check out this video for an easy demo of a great knot.

Line Spooling Made Easier

I always struggle putting new line on my reels, espescially when I'm by myself.  I always want to make sure it goes on correctly and evenly.  I have the portable line spooler for use when I am at home, but I don't take it on the boat with me.  Sure, it's easy enough to have a buddy grab a pen and hold the spool, but there is a new product that is just as easy and makes it a much faster process.  I just got my hands on a new Berkley Mini Line Spooler and this thing is awesome.

The spooler clips on to the rod and has a nice tension handle to adjust it with a spin of the knob.  I also line how small it is.  I keep extra spools of my Seaguar fluoro and braid in my boat in case I need to re-spool while on the the water, and this new spooler will stay with them, ready to go when I need it.  

Check it out, I think you will like it.  Also, see the video demo of just how easy it is to use. The best part is it costs less than $5.00. 

4 Things That Made My Fishing Easier Yesterday

We went out to Okeechobee again yesterday and as we always do, we caught a bunch of fish. The size wasn't there this time and we struggled to catch anything bigger than two or three pounds.  I was happy with the trip though because it allowed me to test out some new products and gear.  I came away from the day with four tips that made fishing easier.

The use of braid and fluoro on a spinning rod is worth all the hype.  I posted something about this earlier in the week and I was beyond pleased with the results. I rigged up two of my spinning rods with 20lb Seaguar Kanzen for shaky head fishing. I tied two different knots; the Reverse Albright and Seaguar knot.  They both worked as intended and I had no breaks at the knot.  More importantly, they were both very easy to tie.

The second thing I realized was that using a Kumho USA hook on a Carolina-rig is a must. The Reaper Keeper system on the hooks is something I am exited about after using it for several techniques, but after using both a standard worm hook and Kumho for a Carolina-rig yesterday the Kumho will be my choice from now on. The reason? The Reaper Keeper really does keep the worm in place and after having fish miss the bait or having the rig drag through rocks and grass, the worm often gets messed up and you end up dragging around a bait that has no chance of getting bit.

The third thing was the use of something called "The Rock" by Jewel Bait company.  If you know me, you know I am an advocate of using tungsten weights for everything, but I had the chance to try some of these football shaped weights and decided to give them a try.  The design is simple, yet it works as advertised. Paired with an Eco Pro Tungsten Pro Bead this Carolina-rig setup is great.

The last thing that really helped to make my fishing easier yesterday was the use of the Eco Pro Tungsten Diamond Peg.  The design is so basic yet it works. Much like the Reaper Keeper, the peg keeps your bait securely locked in place.  I was using this for fishing a 10 inch worm yesterday and the worm stayed put after catching numerous fish. The worm would always rip in half before it would slide down the hook.  These things work!

Braid to Fluorocarbon on Spinning Rods

It seems like use of braided line with a fluorocarbon leader on spinning rods is the way to go.   I hear about it all the time and it makes sense.  Until now, I have been holding off on trying this way to fish.  I don't know why, but I think I was always leery of having extra knots and potential weak links in my system.  I am going to try it this weekend and see for myself.  

I have a spool of Seaguar's new Kanzen braided line in 20lb test with a 6 pound diameter. I think this will be the perfect line to test it out with.  I am going to experiment with different leader lengths and see what works best for me.  

The knot choice is always debated.  Some prefer to use a uni-to-uni, but I have heard many others who swear by the Reverse Albright knot.  (See video below)

What is your choice for knots on braid to fluoro?  I'd like to hear some input on this.

ICAST: Celebrating Seaguar's 40 Years....check out this cake!

One of the highlights of today's show was the 40th Anniversary celebration from Seaguar. They had an awesome cake that was six feet long and looked exactly like a tuna. The good news was it didn't taste like fish and was great.  Congrats Seaguar on 40 years!