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!

It's Crankbait Time

One of my favorite ways to fish is with a crankbait.  I grew up fishing these baits and use them every time the situation arises. This year, I have caught some key fish in tournaments on the crankbait and it has won me some money in a few events.  I'm always looking for tips on crankbait fishing.  I just saw something on Wired2Fish.com about crankbait fishing.  It offers four tips to trigger a bass with a crankbait.  One that espescially stood out for me was this one about using silent crankbaits.  Elite Series angler Ben Parker said:

“I think people overlook the silent baits,” Parker said. “If you’re up there in the boat parking lot and I’m on the other end and I want to come surprise you real quick, I run towards you as quietly as I can and try to scare you. But if I come running across the parking lot with a tamborine in my hand, you’re going to turn and see me and be ready for me. The same thing with rattling crankbaits. The more noise they make, the more the bass turns and sees them and has time to think about it. Now in stained and dirty water it’s what you need.

The article is definitely worth a read if you like to throw crankbaits.  Check it out here.

Some Line Tips from Denny Brauer

I have to thank Wired2Fish.com for posting this, it's great.  I already use backing on all of my line to make my spools of  line last longer.  I think there is no other way to do it.  That line at the bottom of the spool will never see the light of day and without a full spool I have seen my casting distances decrease.  I use old mono as a backing and then tie a uni or blood knot and have had zero problems.  A typical 200 yard spool will last me either two or three reels depending on which reel I'm using.  It's a great way to save a little money.  Check out the video for Denny's tips and a little more about Seaguar Tatsu.

Baitcaster How To: Trick For Clearing Backlashes

No matter how long we have been fishing, we all still get backlashes. The equipment has come a long way and the reels don't do it as much as they used to, but it still happens. I saw this cool trick on how to remove a backlash and thought I would share it. It's very simple and works almost every time.