Ott Wins!!!

Photo: Bassmaster.com

I really like the new All-Stars format for B.A.S.S. It was a cool way to end the season and the week had plenty of cool events for fans.  I'm also really glad Ott DeFoe won the whole thing.  He is a great guy and is a rising star.  Congrats Ott!

A long road ahead

We are leaving today for Arkansas.  It's a long trip ahead (over 20 hours).  The good thing is we have something great to look forward to.  We will be at the Legend factory on Friday to pick up our brand new boat.  We couldn't be more excited.  This is what is waiting for us when we get there.  This is a picture from a few weeks ago before it was totally completed.  I can't wait to see the finished project.

Ultimate Flippin' Rig by Powerhouse Lures

The Ultimate Flippin' Rig by Powerhouse Lures is a pretty unique concept for flipping and punching heavy cover.  The punch skirt and big weights have made it possible to fish a "jig" in heavy cover.  This system does it all in one neat little package.  The rigging is also very unique (see video).  I have been using this product for a few months now and am impressed.  There are times when a regular flipin' weight and soft plastic are the ticket, but there are also times when the fish want something a little bulkier.  I have found that in the warmer months, the fish sometimes want a bigger profile.  If you are looking for something new to use next time you are fishing heavy cover, look into this flippin' rig.

Side View

The underside

Want to try the InvisaSwivel?

Are you in a bass club?  How would you like to try the Aquateko InvisaSwivel for free? All you have to do is contact sales@aquateko.com and let them know you are interested in trying the product.  They'll send you some to try.

All you have to do is use them and love them.  If you want to go a step further and do a demonstration for your club, they'll send you more to use and tell your club members what you think of them.  It's that simple.  Why not give it a try.

Bass West USA is now on Facebook

Bass West USA Magazine now has a Facebook page.  Make sure to "like" it and see what's new with the best magazine in the country.  As an added bonus, they are giving away a custom Bassaholics designed Bass West USA t-shirt every time they reach another hundred fans.  

Make sure to check it out for your chance to win.

One Sweet Combo: The Abu Garcia Revo MGX and Villain rod

One of the highlights to the ICAST show this year was the chance to finally get my hands on a rod and reel combo that I have been hearing so much about. The new Revo MGX and Villain rod seem like they were meant to be together (they really were).  I was impressed with the overall weight of the combo and how they seemed to compliment each other perfectly.  This is a combo that looks amazing and feels just as good.  I had the chance to talk with Abu Garcia Product Manger Andrew Wheeler and see what makes this combo so good.  Special thanks to my brother Ryne Brinks for the videography and editing.  

The Revo MGX

The Villain

The Flat Rubber Jig by Tourney Jigs

In jig fishing, so much is made of the type of skirt, the way it is tied, etc.  Jig making has evolved to a point where anglers can choose between a skirted jig that is tied, with a collar or even both.  The skirt material is also evolving as well.  Silicone skirts are very popular and have some of the best looking colors you can imagine.  Some people prefer the round rubber for the different look and with that pulsing look under water.  Well now I am going to throw you another option, the Flat Rubber jig.

A few months ago I had a great conversation with Tourney Jigs and decided to set something up for a review.  He sent me a few jigs to test out and I was immediately impressed with both the design and quality.  He knows his stuff and makes sure the paint won't chip and that the hooks are super sharp.

I was most interested in the flat rubber jig because it is something we don't see much of. He claimed the jig has more action in the water and also gives it a much bulkier look underwater (like a mop jig).

I fished the jig, but to really get a feel for the look, I did a scientific test (in my bathtub..haha) to see how it looked.  Just like he described, it has a unique action.  I was impressed with it and will add this extra trick to my arsenal the next time I am fishing jigs in deep water.

For something new and unique, give Tourney Jigs a chance on your next jig order.  He is a small company and a hardcore bass fisherman just like you and me.  

Check out what's new from Snag Proof

At ICAST this year Snag Proof introduced the new Bobby's Perfect Buzz, which is a cool cross between a buzzbait and a frog.  I liked the idea and also the added kicking tails for added action.  Check out the video to see Bobby Barrack explain this new bait.

Also new from Snag Proof is the addition of three new colors to the Ish Monroe Phat Frog lineup.  Check out the video to see Ish explain it like only Ish can.

A cool new blog from Fletcher Shryock

Photo Bassmaster.com

If you don't know, Fletcher Shryock won the Bassmaster Southern Open on Lake Norman earlier this year and automatically qualified for the 2012 Bassmaster Classic on the Red River.  Thanks to the new rule, he got the berth into the Classic, but then proved he wasn't just a "one hit wonder" when he came home with an 11th place finish at the next Southern Open on Douglas Lake. 

I got the chance to meet him at ICAST and he is really a great guy with a cool background story.  He started off as a professional motorcross racer and now turned his love of fishing into his new career path.  I think he has a great future in the sport.

"Fish with Fletch" is his new blog.  Check it out here.

Nojo's - Quality Hand-Poured Worms

Nojo's Baits was another company with a nice lineup of soft plastics at ICAST.  I have long been a believer in and a fan of hand-poured baits.  Their baits are quality hand-poured worms and the have a unique design.  They are the "original serpent worm" and the baits look like they would have great action in the water.  The thing that caught my attention as I walked by the booth was their great selection of colors.  They also had a cool gliding design for a jighead that was unlike anything I have seen.  

The video below has some great footage of the different bait styles as well as some tank shots of the action.

New from Rapala: The Rippin' Rap, X-Rap Prop and X-Rap Pop

Rapala continues to come out with quality baits for bass anglers.  While at ICAST, I was really impressed with these three new designs.  

The X-Rap lineup has expanded with the new X-Rap Prop and X-Rap Pop.  Both of these baits feature the finish and style of the popular X-Rap, but in proven topwater designs. I can't wait to throw the X-Rap Prop and think this will replace the Devil's Horse in my fishing since this bait is built with top quality components.  

The Prop is going to retail for $12.49 and the Pop will sell for $11.49.

 X-Rap Prop

X-Rap Pop

They also released a new lipless crankbait that looks great.  It is a little thinner than other baits on the market and they say it "shreds like no other bait".  It is designed to be ripped into and through cover and will come in three sizes.  The bait is going to retail for $6.99.

Rapala Rippin' Rap

New from ABT Lure Company: The X-2 Crankbait

ABT Lures, best known for their high quality swimbaits, just released a new crankbait called the X-2.  What's special about this crankbait?  Check out the video to learn more.  They claim the bait will get down to deeper depths much faster and will also be easier to fish all day long. Deep crankin' is always a workout and if you do it all day, you can really feel it in your forearms.  They designed this bait to get deep and stay deep.  The bait is also very heavy, at around an ounce, so casting this bait will not be an issue.  Check out the video and press release.  

I'm looking forward to getting a few of these baits and trying them.  Oh yeah, they are priced  fairly at just $6.99.  

ABT Lures: X2 Series Crankbaits from ABT Lures on Vimeo.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                        

ABT LURE COMPANY’S NEW “X-2” LURE USHERS IN A NEW ERA OF CRANKBAIT FISHING PERFORMANCE AND EASE

You can see the entire press release below:

Droppin' the Bomb(shell)

Castalia Outdoors came out with a pretty unique new soft plastic bait at ICAST, the Bombshell turtle.  At first, I really didn't know what to think about this bait after seeing just the press release prior to the show.  My wife immediately loved the idea, and once I saw it up close and in my hands, I knew this bait might have some real applications.  I have a few samples to try and will be fishing them in some local areas that are just full of baby turtles.  It makes sense; bass will eat anything they can get their mouth's around.  I checked out this video and saw a little more about how it looks in the water.  What do you think of the idea?

SoReal it's scary

ICAST put me on sensory overload.  I saw so many new products and ideas, that they all started blending together.  Through all the confusion, I saw one new product that really got me excited.  It was a new swimbait by Angler's Select (the parent company of Eco Pro Tungsten).  While at their booth, I was able to see a bunch of cool new items that I will share soon.  One of these is the new SoReal swimbait.  The swimbait is really cool looking and has four joints that allow it to swim very realistically ("SoReal").

The bait is fairly small by swimbait standards, at just 4 inches long, yet this is the perfect size for those of us who don't live in California and throw monster-sized baits.  Another cool aspect is the fact that is is a sinking swimbait and sinks at a rate of 2 feet per second.  This is great for those of us who want to fish a little deeper and not have to wait forever for it to fall.

The best part of the bait is the price.  It should retail for between $8-$9 and should be available sometime in September.

By the way, I fished it this evening for a little while and it does everything as intended. It's going to be a killer bait.

AR Lures U.S. - Hand-crafted wooden baits

Now that ICAST has come and gone, I have had some time to think about all of the cool things I saw in Vegas. One company that I liked was a company called AR Lures U.S.  Their lures are all hand-crafted and hand-painted.  The quality was impeccable and the color selection was really unique.  The best part of the baits was the fact that they are all made out of wood (bass wood).  Wood baits have long been known for having great flotation qualities and action.  I received a small crankbait to test out and I am eager to get it in the water.  For more info; check out ARLuresUS.com. I believe you will start hearing more about this company as they continue to expand here in America.

I won again!

It looks like holding all of these contests is paying off.  I just won another contest online (a contest just for being a Facebook fan of Onyx Outdoor Gear). Just a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to win the Biobor  - Cliff Crochet vs. Bradley Roy contest and now I won a new life jacket, which is nice since I have a new boat coming next week.  If you aren't a fan of Onyx, it may pay to "like" them.  Thanks Onyx Outdoor Gear!

A New Pro Bass Tour?

I just saw something on the blog "Kramer Gone Fishing" that caught my attention.  He says a new bass fishing league is "just around the corner" and also that it already has a full field and sponsor support.  Interesting...isn't this what the PAA is?  I am anxious to see what (if anything) will come about.  What are your thoughts?  Do we need another bass tour?  

To see the entire post from Kramer, click here.

Finally made it back from ICAST 2011

We just got back from Vegas after checking out everything that is new and exciting with the fishing industry.  I have plenty of things to talk about and will be posting some great videos and new product previews in the coming days. Some of the new items coming out are really exciting and I am looking forward to sharing them all with you.  

It was also really great to meet and talk with so many other bloggers, companies and pros out there, this industry really does have some great people.      

Death Shimmer at ICAST

ICAST: More new rods

The new rods from St. Croix and Shimano caught my attention.  The new St. Croix Rage series was really pretty cool.  It had the great lightweight feel you would recognize if you own any of their rods, but it also had a smooth grip.  It was interesting looking and felt good in my hands.

Shimano also had some new rods and they all look like the popular Cumara and Cumulus lineup. Sleek, split grip EVA foam and all black. The Compre and Clarus have had a major makeover and both looked and felt great.

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!

ICAST 2011: The Quantum Exo

The buzz of ICAST this year has been really been about the Exo from Quantum.  They were really good at promoting the new product launch and were very secretive about it....this made some suspense.  I couldn't wait to see it, and it was pretty cool.  The whole Exo concept comes from the idea of creating an Exoskeleton.  The reels and rods are very light since there are plenty of areas where they found a way to reduce weight and then did it.  The reel is aluminum...not magnesium and is still only 5.9 ounces which rivals the weight of some smaller designs that are made with lighter materials.  They said the entire combo weighs less than 10 ounces.  They just launched a new website today and it offers all the info you would need to know about it and also has a cool contest starting where you can win and be the first consumer to use the product.  They are hoping to have the baits available by December.  Until now, enjoy the pics!

ICAST: Denali Rods

I have been hearing about Denali Rods for a long time now but until now I have never had them in my own hands.  I was really impressed with the quality of the rods and the design.  They also launched a new logo a few months ago and are showing they are for real.  The rods all feature their trademark hardwood foregrips and have three rod ranges that are are sure to meet anyone's price range. 

Check them out at denalirods.com

Pictured is the Noirwood Series

ICAST New Product Preview - Rods and Reels

The rods and reels were a popular stop tonight.  I wish I would have spent more time getting more photos of the cool new stuff, but it was like waiting in line for an autograph from a rockstar; people were lined up deep! I did notice a trend in the reels and it was lighter, stronger and CARBON FIBER.  It seemed like the look was to make it as cool as possible and also weigh as little as imaginable.  The rods were also pretty sweet and I will be checking them more closely at the show.  For some great photos, check out Angler Gear's lineup here.

 The highly anticipated new Shimano Chronarch

The new Ardent Edge looked really cool