Strike King Popping Perch Review

This review is a little different than any other I have ever done. I have never used the Strike King Popping Perch. Before you stop reading let me explain. I own this bait and spent a few hours in the boat with Greg Hackney while he fished it and talked about it. Honestly, watching it in action and getting the following footage gave me a much better appreciation of what this bait can do.

Appearances

I saw this bait at ICAST 2016 and didn't really give it much thought. It looked kind of like a popping frog except it was flatter. The bait also has a long tail section that looked more like a fish tail instead of the two frog "legs" made of skirt material. In the water both of these things allow it to skip easily, walk side-to-side and look like a fleeing baitfish.

Action

It is a much more versatile bait than a standard frog in my opinion. You can do it all with the bait. If you can cast and skip well, it is easy to put it in those hard to reach places.

Watching Hackney in action and then again watching the footage while editing this video taught me a bunch. If you watch you can see how he makes repeated casts to the same general area. He also works it just past the target and then retrieves it quickly back to the boat. There is no wasted time. This is something I plan to incorporate into all of my topwater fishing from now on.

Price and Specs:

The Strike King Popping Perch retails for $8.99, which is about average for a good frog-type bait. The specs are also pretty similar. 1/2 oz. size, sharp double hook and everything else you have come to expect. The body of the bait is 2.5 inches and with the tail it measures in at 5.5 inches long. A decent sized bait that will be appealing to big and small bass. 

After seeing this bait in action I will definitely be giving it a shot.

Strike King KVD Sexy Dawg Jr. Review

I've fished the Strike King KVD Sexy Dawg a few times over the past few years and generally really like it. It walks easily, comes in a bunch of good colors and is priced right.  Recently, I have been using the Jr. version and think I like it even more.

One of my favorite topwaters is pictured below with the Sexy Dawg Jr. and they are both about the same size. This bait is 3.75" and weighs 1/2 oz. It is a size that I really like for smallmouth and that is part of the reason I like the Jr. version of Strike King's topwater.

Another thing I liked about it is how it sits in the water.  This is one thing I always look at with topwaters and the ones that I like most sit with just half of the body out of the water.  It really seems to help draw strikes while it is sitting and then changes the action as you start to walk it again.

At $7.99, it is a steal in the topwater world. Many of my other baits cost twice or three times as much. The price alone makes this bait worth a shot.  Besides that, it walks easily and has a really good sound as it is retrieved.  

With the cheaper price comes slightly less quality in terms of paint and finish.  It is not going to have the high end Japanese finishes you may be used to. On the other hand though, how much do bass even see of the finish on a topwater?  

Overall, this is a solid bait for the price. I have caught several fish on the Bone colored bait (pictured above) and am going to try out more of the colors as fall topwater season heats up.

Summertime Smallies

I went out to Long Lake a few weeks ago and the fishing was phenomenal. It was in the midst of a heatwave with temperatures nearing 100 degrees, so we went early and came in around noon. The hot weather suits my style perfectly as I love to throw topwater and drop-shot. The following are two videos I shot that day and what I was using.

Topwater Gear

• Rod: Denali Michael Murphy Jerkbait rod
• Reel: Shimano Curado
• Line: 15lb Seaguar Senshi Mono
• Baits: Megabass Giant Dog-X Pro Blue

Dropshot Gear

• Rod: Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth 6'9" ML 
• Reel: Abu Garcia Revo Premier Spinning Reel Size 20
• Line: 15lb Seaguar Smackdown braid with 8lb Seaguar Tatsu leader.
• Baits: 4.5" straightail Roboworm in Aaron's Magic
• Hook: Size 1 Gamakatsu G-Lock
• Weight: 3/16oz Eco Pro Tungsten Full Contact Drop Shot Weight

My 2013 Spokane Bass Club Season Recap

Last night we had our end of the year awards banquet for the Spokane Bass Club. This was a club that I helped form last year with Dan Rice from FHCOutdoors.com, my wife and a few good friends. The year was a huge success for the club and I am happy to see more and more people are hearing about us and will help to grow bass fishing in our area. I was fortunate to win Angler of the Year in our first year as a club and was thinking about my tournaments from the year. I realized there were two common themes: a jig and a drop-shot. These two baits were by far the best for me this year. Here's a recap of the events and what I was doing.

Pend Oreille River Recap: First Place

The July tournament for the Spokane Bass Club was held last Sunday on the Pend Oreille River in Idaho. This is a special place for me and my wife since we got married on this same stretch of river and have fished it many times. It has great fishing and really has something for everyone: largemouth or smallmouth, deep or shallow, grass or rocks. Basically you can fish how you want.  One thing that played into my strategy was the fact that you can only have two largemouth (over 16 inches) per person. With that rule I knew the smallmouth would make the difference.

My partner for the day went up with me the week before and and we found a perfect largemouth area and caught some good ones and saw some others in the area. During the event, we were first boat out and were first to the spot. I caught my first keeper largemouth on a 1/2 oz Eco Pro Tungsten Heavyweight Flipping Jig, he then caught a keeper on a buzzbait and not too long after I caught one on a Megabass Dog-X Jr. So after about thirty minutes I had my max of largemouth and he had one and we went smallmouth fishing.

I also fished the day before the event and found the perfect smallmouth spot, a big point with rocks and boulders and access to shallow water mixed with some grass. I couldn't have made a better spot...the only problem was it was also the biggest party spot on the lake. People were swimming, swinging off a rope swing, jumping off cliffs, picnicking, you name it. We went there early during the tournament and one of my first casts I caught a 2.75lb smallmouth and then we left after it slowed down. When we came back, I caught another nice one right away and then filled out my limit and caught a few that didn't help. My partner also caught a nice smallmouth and lost another one at the boat. I was drop-shotting a 4.5" Roboworm in a few different colors.

I ended up with 11.16lb and got the win. I really thought it would take more because the river is full of big fish, but after hearing how tough it was for the guys who pre-fished I was happy with my weight heading in.

VIDEO: FLW Tour Pro Kevin Stewart with the Damiki Rambler: ICAST 2013

New from Megabass

I don't think there are any bass fisherman that can say Megabass does not make great lures. The attention to detail, finish and fish catching abilities are awesome. Some may balk at the price, but it's hard to deny their effectiveness and design. As you can tell, I'm a big fan of their baits and have been for years. 

The problem used to be just trying to find them, but with some recent developments they are much more accessible and their recent merger promises to reduce the costs a little across the board. I have been lucky enough to test out a few of their brand new items, the Vision 110 Jr and Ito Shiner and love what I am seeing. They are also adding more and more items on TackleWarehouse, like these:

X-Dad Crankbait

Dog X Quick Walker

Holiday Gift Guide: Day 7 - Rapala X-Rap Prop

Prop baits are so much fun to use and the bass really get on them at certain times of the year, especially when the bluegill are spawning.  There are some legendary baits in this category, like the Devil's Horse and others.  Sure they work, but they were in desperate need of a makeover.  The X-Rap Prop fills that gap and more.  It's not just an improvement, it's like a completely different bait.  I was totally excited for this after ICAST last year and after using it this year, I'm still just as excited.

For one, all of the components are much improved; better hooks, better finish, and more. The blades also are pretty unique and are counter-rotating to get a different action. Coming in at about 4.5 inches, it is a great size, and weighs 3/8oz and casts like a bullet. The X-Rap Prop retails for $9.99 at TackleWarehouse.

Holiday Gift Guide: Day 5 - Think Tank Lures Triggerfish

The Triggerfish from Think Tank Lures has gained a devoted following over the past year. I hear it mentioned here and there and then talk to people who have never heard of the bait.  It's a specialty topwater bait, one that is really unlike anything else on the market. It allows you to literally steer the bait wherever you want it to go.

When I did a product review of it earlier this year it took me some time getting used to the bait.  After a few casts I was about ready to give up on it.  It does take some effort at first until you really start to explore what the bait can do.  Now it's just as easy as "walking the dog" or any other technique I have become used to. I have become much better at using it and can control the bait and have it to pretty much whatever I want now.  One tip..fish it on braid, it will make it much easier to walk.

It comes in some great colors and retails for $12.99. Well worth it and TBrinks Fishing Approved!

Holiday Gift Guide: Day 2 - Duo Pencil 110

DUO is a company that just recently hit the shores of the U.S. after being successful in Japan for years.  The company claims they are the #1 bait brand in Japan....that's saying something.  I have seen and used all of their baits that are available in the U.S. The Pencil 110 is the one I have used the most. It might just look like a standard walking topwater bait but I think the design and features make it worth a purchase.

I am not alone, Rahfish.com just added it as one of their Most Effective Baits of the Year.  Having fished with it all summer, I can see why.  It walks with ease thanks to a unique little cup on the front.  I also like the sound. Most topwater walking baits have multiple small rattles inside, this one has one larger steel ball.  The sounds is a little different and more of a knocking sound.

The bait retails for $16.99 at TackleWarehouse and comes in some awesome colors. These four are some of my favorites.

2 Contests, 2 Winners

Two contests just wrapped up yesterday and I'm happy to announce two winners for some great products.  

ThinkTank Lures offered three of their awesome Triggerfish topwaters.  The winner was Raymond C!

Lethal Weapon Lures also gave one of their Drag Queen Football Heads to a lucky winner....John Chatham!

Thanks everyone for entering and be sure to check out my reviews of these great products.  Both of them are great quality baits and totally unlike anything else on the market.  Check em out!

My Reviews:

Triggerfish: Worth the hype?

Lethal Weapon Drag Queen Football Head Jig

ThinkTank Lures Contest!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ICAST: DUO North America

DUO North America has had a busy few months since they launched at the Bassmaster Classic earlier this year.  This was their first ICAST and it was a big success.  They have Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie Brandon Card on their staff and he was there to explain what's new from DUO in this video.  Check it out.

Also, DUO announced a scholarship program for young bass anglers.  This is the first of it's kind and I thought it was a great idea.  You can learn more about it here.

Enjoy the video:

ICAST: Flip In The Bird - The Story

I had heard about unique topwater bait they call Flip In The Bird, but ICAST was the first chance I had to really see it up close.  I talked with the inventor Sam Kennedy and he explained how and why he created this bird topwater.  It's a cool story and I was lucky enough to get it on video.  Enjoy!

ICAST 2012: Livingston Lures

At the ICAST show this week there were a few companies that really stood out.  One of them was Livingston Lures.  A quick glance at their products might make you think that they are like every other company that makes hard baits for saltwater and bass fishing, but this was definitely not the case.

Augie at the Livingston Booth

Every time I walked by their booth I saw a huge crowd gathering around to check them out. They make baits in several key categories: shallow diving crankbaits, wake baits, deep diving crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, topwater lures, jerkbaits and soft plastics.  The difference in their hard baits is the unique sound chamber that has electronic sound technology that allows the baits have a unique "croaking" sound.  I didn't know what to think about this when they mentioned it, but after hearing it for myself I thought it was pretty cool and truly something I have never seen (or heard) before. Some of the baits even have an electronic LED lights for the eyes. 

I have a few of their baits to try and am excited to get them in the water for a full review.

Livingston Dive Master, Pro Ripper and Pro Wake

They also had a bait called the Scuttle Buzz, which they call a hybrid spinner buzz bait.  It has four blades, two clackers and a double trailer hook.  This thing looks like it will make a big commotion.  I will also be reviewing this bait.

Livingston Lures Scuttle Buzz

Keep an eye on Livingston...they are making some innovative products.

The Triggerfish - Worth the hype?

The lure called the Triggerfish by Think Tank Lures is unlike anything I have ever used.  I remember seeing a video for this about two years ago and I honestly didn't know what to think.  Billed as a "steerable lure", I was pretty skeptical until I watched the video.  This thing can really do some neat tricks.

I finally got the chance to try them for myself.  Think Tank Lures sent me two of their lures for this review, both were the new colors they just released. I have used it for a few trips and feel like I finally know how to work this thing.  After about five minutes of fishing with it, I was about give up on it and throw it in the closet.  I stopped and actually read the package on how to use it and things went much better from there, I can now do all the tricks.

They claim that their "revolutionary Z-Trieve steering technology allows you to fish in places you never thought possible".  It's true.  Unfortunately, I didn't have any cool overhanging branches or dock pilings to run it under, but nonetheless - it was awesome to steer it sideways along grass mats.  I can see so many possibilities for this bait and will keep it in my box for the perfect situation.  I did catch a few fish on it, but not in the places I thought I would, it was mainly in open water as I zig-zagged the bait back and forth every few seconds.

It was really different fishing this bait.  You reel with your rod tip up and reel in the slack until the bait is moving where you want it to. The key is keeping the line out of the water at all times. Leading the bait in one direction with your rod will make it go as far as you want it to, and at any angle.  If you want to switch directions, just stop and the unique head design will make it go the other way.

There are a few other actions as well, you can make it do a Barrel Roll, Crippled Dive, Jumping Minnow and Diving Chug.  I tried all of these, but like the steady zig-zag retrieve the best.  Watch this video to see how they do it.

The bait itself is 5/8oz and 4.5" long and comes in a bunch of colors, including the new ones that were just released.  They recommend to use braided line up to 30lbs or Mono between 6-12lbs for best performance.  I found that it is much easier to work the bait with braided line.

Scoring for the Triggerfish by Think Tank Lures

Price/Value: 4

$12.99 for a topwater doesn't seem that bad when you look at others out there, and there really isn't anything else quite like this.

Durability: 4

The paint looks really good and durable.  I made a few errant casts and caught some fish and so far so good on the paint.

Performance: 4

I'm not going to lie....this takes some work to get it right.  It's not some bait you just cast and wind, but when you put in the time, it can do some cool tricks.  It's not going to be my most-used bait, but it will have it's time and place.

Innovation: 5

I can't recall giving out another 5 for innovation in this copycat industry, but this bait deserves it.

Availability: 3

It is found a few places online; including TackleWarehouse and ThinkTankLures.com

Total Score: 20  - Must Have!

This video should warm you up

Most of the country is cold now and all of you in the Northern States are probably dreaming of topwater fishing with frogs.  I have something that should warm you up a little bit, a video of the new Bobby's Perfect Buzz in action.  The video is from none other than the man himself, Bobby Barrack.  Enjoy!

Show them something different; Get Custom with Pizz Customs

Custom painted hardbaits have become very popular, and with good reason; they look amazing and catch fish.  There are so many companies out there and guys painting baits in their garages that it has become hard to decide who to chose when you are ready to get that custom paint job on your favorite baits.  I had been hesitant to get some of my baits painted for the simple fact that I didn't know who to choose.  I had seen some custom painted baits from different companies, but until I saw a display of Pizz Customs I never did it.

I had the chance to talk with Paul at Pizz Customs and it was immediately obvious that this guy knew what he was doing.  He went into detail about the types of paint jobs he can do, the paint and finish he uses and more.  He had thought of every detail.  Some guys just paint them and don't even consider the type of paint and finish they use.  Some of these "custom painters" make the baits much heavier than they need to be with thick layers of finish.  What this does is make the bait heavier and this can even change the action of your lures.

For my first round of custom painted baits, I decided to pick out some of my favorite styles of baits that had colors I wasn't crazy about.  A perfect example is the original Storm Wiggle Wart (pre-Rapala) that was painted in a steelhead color from my days in the NW.  This is a classic (and valuable) bait in a pink color I would never use.  Now with this makeover the bait is ready for the bass.  I also had a few other baits that were proven fish catchers, but the colors were bland and basic.  I told Pizz Customs to get creative and gave him a basic idea of what I wanted and he made magic with the airbrush.

One of the best things about using a custom painter like Pizz Customs is that it is really that, custom.  Tell them what you want and they will make it happen. The designs are all creative and catch fish.  Check out their website for a gallery of some of their baits, or check out the Facebook Page for more.

BEFORE

AFTER

The Wiggle Wart in Sexy Craw and the others in a brand new test color.

Pizz Customs is offering everyone who reads this a discounted price to try them for yourself.  The price for a custom painted bait is very competitive and will cost you $15 per bait.  If you mention my site or this review, he will give you your 4th bait free.  Buy 3 and Get 1 Free.  That's a great incentive to give them a shot, you will not be disappointed and the turnaround time is much faster than others in the industry, no more waiting for months to see your baits again.

2011 Forrest Wood Cup Lures

I just saw a cool post on Wired2Fish.com where they posted a few pictures of the rods and reels the Top 10 Pros had on their decks before taking off.  It was a good way to see the baits the pros actually planned to use vs. what they say they were using when asked on stage.  I noticed a few things from the pictures; one being that everyone seemed to be using the Brian's Prop Bee.  This is a sleeper bait and always seems to come up during summer tournaments where the bluegill are bedding and the bass are chasing them around.  

This looks to be Andy Montgomery's deck as the rods look like they are all Fetha Styx.  The post doesn't say who it is, but that's my guess.  Also I can see he has a Paycheck Baits Repo Man (which I love) attached, with some prop baits, swimbaits and a makeshift buzzbait.  The buzzbait looks like it has a white Zoom Horny Toad on it.  That is a very interesting idea!

If you look at this pic, you can see a Triton Mike Bucca Bull Shad, another sleeper underground bait that I have heard great things about.

It was cool seeing all of the baits they were using and I am anxious to see who actually wins this event.

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