Latest Tackle Purchase Thread (Bait Monkey Victim Support Group)

[Jrob78]

On 4/21/2023 at 8:01 AM, a1712 said:

Check out the Ray's DIY Carbon Fiber Handles, I have them on 20+ reels. It's nice that you can select length, retainer, nut, retainer screw, and post colors, they also come in black or silver CF. <$30 SHIPPED TO YOUR DOOR. Brian.

Do they take proprietary knobs or do Daiwa knobs fit them?

[a1712]

They accept  factory and aftermarket knobs. The axles are to factory specs for Daiwa and Shimano respectively. Brian. 

[waymont]

5 hours ago, FishTank said:

 

I have heard some good stuff about Ali Express and some bad stuff. Any negative purchases/scams are enough to ward me off. 

Lots of great stuff on AliExpress.

dark sleeper

swimbaits like keitechs

mini cranks

 Cranks

[TheBaitMonkey]

Getting ready for cranking season this year -

 

• Megabass DX Free (casts a mile)
• Shimano World Rush Squarebill with Flash boost
• Megabass S-Crank 1.5
• Bill Lewis ATV 
• Lucky Craft 1.5
• Megabass Griffon SR-X

 

Swapped on Owner ST-35s on a lot of them, now the water just needs to warm back up!

[LrgmouthShad]

34 minutes ago, TheBaitMonkey said:

Getting ready for cranking season this year -

 

• Megabass DX Free (casts a mile)
• Shimano World Rush Squarebill with Flash boost
• Megabass S-Crank 1.5
• Bill Lewis ATV 
• Lucky Craft 1.5
• Megabass Griffon SR-X

 

Swapped on Owner ST-35s on a lot of them, now the water just needs to warm back up!

Those are gorgeous

[bulldog1935]

On 2/28/2023 at 3:04 PM, bulldog1935 said:

ya gotta have a place to put all this stuff...

I've been buying Meiho lure boxes with just about every Japan order, because they're astounding space-efficient.  These two are the same 1200NS box, only 1" thick, and arranged for different lure types.  

 

But I ran out of places to stack these, and began looking at Meiho tackle boxes.  

Here is my VS7080 box arranged for last week's coast trip.  

The white bottles in one side tray are the Procure flavors, the front tray are the packaged titanium leaders. Two rod holders on the end.

Inside, the overflow box for used plastic bodies and the keeper box for used titanium leaders.

There are places all over the box to grab the top trays (keep tools, etc), and stable enough, you can stack more lure boxes on them.   

Below that, the bottom space exactly fits Meiho 800 boxes in the narrow direction, and 1200 boxes in the long direction.

The three thin boxes are lure boxes, the max-thick 1200NDDM boxes are packaged plastic and other terminal for this trip.  

My buddy Stevo called it the Swiss Army Tackle Box.  

Easy to change up for different trips.  

 

They make plenty of other add-ons, including baskets for spinnerbaits.  

I bought this size because it exactly fits in the sternwell of my small 10' river kayak.  

Also discovered I had picked up some 30X0 lure boxes along the way that don't fit as efficiently in this box, so my newest Japan order will be a Bucket Mouth 5000 for stashing the rest of my Meiho boxes.  

 

Meiho has a US importer with a website, but good Japan shopping can find these for 40% of the US price.  $20 for the base box above, lure boxes are $4 to $7 in Japan, the rod holders $15, the small outside boxes $5.  

Not a latest purchase, but a review of sorts.  

I have an update on use of my Meiho VS7080 modular tackle box - from last Saturday's kayak trip, where I found it just as useful as the skeg on the little Redfish 10.  

I picked this box because it exactly fits in the little sternwell of this boat. 

Two rod holders in back (and my Scotty rod holder in front).  

There are all sorts of inner and outer add-ons, rod and drink holders, outer pockets, tippet and line-spool dispensers, inner trays and baskets.  Places on the outside of the box to securely hang the add-ons, inner trays, etc. 

This size box exactly fits Meiho 1200 lure boxes in the long direction, and 800 boxes in the short direction.  The lure boxes come in 3 thicknesses, NS (25 mm), ND (40 mm), and NDD (60 mm).
The different boxes can be arranged to efficiently hold everything from packaged plastic baits and popping corks to micro-jigs.

For this trip, I needed three 800 lure boxes, and the inner basket for spinnerbaits and for quickly hanging swapped-out lures.  There's room for two more 800 boxes laying flat (or lunch if I had better provisions to pack).

[E-H]

Well....I only have 2 quality rods - the St. Croix Avid-x  (6'6" MLF) rods paired with a Vanford 3000 and Procyon 2500 LT and loving that setup for ned type fishing.  Incredible really.  They recently stopped making the avid-x so I started to look for something similar....3 higher quality rods would be best...

 

I only fish in 1 private lake about a mile long and up to 40ft deep - upstate NY.  Loaded with only and mostly smaller SMB.  They range from 7" to just over 3lbs (only a few of those bigger ones).   Can pick up 100 in a weekend, so it's action packed and amazing.

 

So....I really "needed" a topwater rod to hit the hatch when it comes up in the summer.  Amazing to witness the hour of splashes as the birds/bats/fish/me go after the smalleys rising to the surface to destroy the bugs as they attempt to dry the wings on the surface.

 

Shouldn't have.... but found a deal on the tatula lt 2500 and added an ALX JPS (Jerkbait/Popper/Shakey) spinning rod (6'8" MF).  Both arrive this week....

 

Looking forward to using this mostly unnecessary purchase, dedicated for the early morning and late evening surface fishing.  Haven't used a whopper plopper ever, but picked up several - 60,75,90 to use for the mostly the evening mayhem on this new setup.

 

Can the weather please cooperate soon?  Still some upper 30's at night where I fish...but was in the 70's a couple of weeks ago as the highs.  As the saying goes...I used to be a doctor but I ran out of patience/patients.  ?

[MN Fisher]

Final arrival from my order - same one the crappie lures came in a few days ago, just shipped in multiple packages.

 

Couple more crappie jigs and plastics, then a couple 3/8oz bucktail jigs for bass as well as some line...small purchases lately.

[jminer79]

Got a new mold last week. I enjoy slab fishing so this was a no brainer for me

 

[Jmurphy87]

I grabbed a few more things to try out, all this talk of swim baits had me itching to try a new idea. I fish a pond with a lot of carp so I figured a carp gantral jr couldn’t hurt and I wanted to try the small s waver also. I have a experiment for the black and blue plastics this weekend if the weather cooperates lol.

 

Black and blue plastics are

rage scournbug 

midsize rage bug 

rattlin rage craw

bandito bug

 

d bomb is bayou flash

1/8 tungsten for the shallow weedy waters I fish

3/0,4/0 rig n hooks

3/0 owner jig rig hooks 

gantral jr rat carp

r2s s waver 168 yellow perch

1 spro 30 size rat in brown, wanted a bigger one but they didn’t have any ?

 

hopefully the weather cooperates ?

[AlabamaSpothunter]

This weeks, and last week's visit to the monkey shop.  Bought the C Rigs for components after thinking better about the pre rigged ones, stupid lol.  

 

Going through these D Bombs like water, only get about 5 fish on them, but they're magical and worth it.  

[Dangerfield]

Rounding up some final purchases before the season starts next month. Waiting for a bunch of stuff to come in. Still need another two reels, jerkbait rod and a few more rod holders. 

 

12v 18ah Dakota Lithium LiFePo4 battery, charger, wire clips, shrink tube & all the fixings

Borika TRK150 

3600 Plano Tray 

Roboworm Straight Tail Worm - Oxblood Red Flake & Morning Dawn Hologram

Megabass Spark Shad 3" - Sight Killer Pink & Sight Chart

Raid Head Swimmer Libero - 7g / Pink Trick & Ice Black

Megabass Magdraft 5" - Sunshine Gill

Megabass Magdraft 6” (Bassmaster Classic) - Aurora Shad (SP-C)

Duo Realis Crank G87 15A - Pumpkin Craw & Ghost Minnow 

Berkley Money Badger - 6.25CM - Firetail Green Craw, Ghost Morning Dawn & Special Red Craw

Berkely Dreger 20.5 HD Perch

SK Tour Grade Dbl Willow Spinnerbait - Golden Shiner

Power Pro SSV2 10 LB X 300 YD Moon Shine Braid& 40Lb X 150 Onyx

 

[NorthernBasser]

2 hours ago, Dangerfield said:

Rounding up some final purchases before the season starts next month. Waiting for a bunch of stuff to come in. Still need another two reels, jerkbait rod and a few more rod holders. 

 

12v 18ah Dakota Lithium LiFePo4 battery, charger, wire clips, shrink tube & all the fixings

Borika TRK150 

3600 Plano Tray 

Roboworm Straight Tail Worm - Oxblood Red Flake & Morning Dawn Hologram

Megabass Spark Shad 3" - Sight Killer Pink & Sight Chart

Raid Head Swimmer Libero - 7g / Pink Trick & Ice Black

Megabass Magdraft 5" - Sunshine Gill

Megabass Magdraft 6” (Bassmaster Classic) - Aurora Shad (SP-C)

Duo Realis Crank G87 15A - Pumpkin Craw & Ghost Minnow 

Berkley Money Badger - 6.25CM - Firetail Green Craw, Ghost Morning Dawn & Special Red Craw

Berkely Dreger 20.5 HD Perch

SK Tour Grade Dbl Willow Spinnerbait - Golden Shiner

Power Pro SSV2 10 LB X 300 YD Moon Shine Braid& 40Lb X 150 Onyx

 

Where'd you get the Sunshine Gill Magdraft from? 

[NorcalBassin]

Took so long I forgot I even order this from TW during their Black Friday sale. Really curious to see how it does.

 

[NorthernBasser]

1 hour ago, NorcalBassin said:

Took so long I forgot I even order this from TW during their Black Friday sale. Really curious to see how it does.

 

Report back! I've been waiting to get my hands on one. 

[Dangerfield]

8 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

Where'd you get the Sunshine Gill Magdraft from? 

https://ptboprotackle.ca/products/megabass-magdraft-5
 

they’ve only got Sunshine Gill or Wagasaki in the 5”.

 

https://elitetackle.ca/en/products/magdraft-5

has the same colours as above plus the Albino Pearl Shad and White Back Shad.

[KP Duty]

Received my Savage.Gear Black Ops casting rods yesterday....7'6"MH and 7'11"H.  They are on sale for $199.  I had purchased the 7'3"MH last fall, so I was already familiar with this series.  42T blanks/Fuji K Titanium/SiC inserts and the roomiest reel seat I've held.  All the models are very light weight, but the 7'6"MH/Fast (3/8-1 1/4oz) is in another league.  It feels lighter and more balanced than my 7'4"MH Poison Glorious.  I literally checked the rods length to make sure they didn't send me the 7'1"MH.  I don't have a sufficient scale, but I bet the 7'6"MH weighs 4oz.  

 

 

 

 

7'6"MH balance point...

 

[Cbump]

Beautiful rods. 

[Mbirdsley]

I was hoping my new curado k was going to be in this picture.  I ordered it along with hayabusa hooks.  My bad for just glancing over the shipping email.  I didn’t noticed just the hooks shipped.  That’s my fault.  However, I was very surprised when I went to the mail box and first felt the box.  I was like this feels light for a reel.  Opened it up and just hooks.  I very quickly and politely called the company.  Both items shipped separately.  After getting in touch with C/S the  curado I ordered was apparently on back order but,  magically a shipment came in yesterday  and the reel will go out today. He did call me back within 5 minutes.  
 

so for today hayabusa hooks and two variations of boom boom jr swim baits. I’m going to use the curado to throw smaller swim baits and swim jigs 

[ATA]

[Jmurphy87]

Well I got some more stuff, more different craws to try in black and blue and I wanted to try some spro square bills. I wanted 3/8 oz jigs, I accidentally got a 1/2 oz black and blue. It will work, I fish shallow weedy places so I like to go lighter on my jigs. I wanted to try a variety of craws in black and blue and see what my fish prefer lol. I lost my rights to purchasing any more fishing stuff for a while. I don’t need any more and I told my wife I have a problem and I need help, I am still breathing so I am currently alive for now.

[NorthernBasser]

11 hours ago, KP Duty said:

Received my Savage.Gear Black Ops casting rods yesterday....7'6"MH and 7'11"H.  They are on sale for $199.  I had purchased the 7'3"MH last fall, so I was already familiar with this series.  42T blanks/Fuji K Titanium/SiC inserts and the roomiest reel seat I've held.  All the models are very light weight, but the 7'6"MH/Fast (3/8-1 1/4oz) is in another league.  It feels lighter and more balanced than my 7'4"MH Poison Glorious.  I literally checked the rods length to make sure they didn't send me the 7'1"MH.  I don't have a sufficient scale, but I bet the 7'6"MH weighs 4oz.  

 

 

 

 

7'6"MH balance point...

 

Dang it. I've been wanting another Black Ops but I need another rod like I need a hole in the head. What you gonna throw on that 7'6? 

[NorcalBassin]

21 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

Report back! I've been waiting to get my hands on one. 

Threw it for about 20 minutes today. No takers but I was impressed by the action for it being the mass produced version. Nice tight action with slow steady retrieve, super responsive to rod twitches or manipulating the reel and also looked good on burn/pause/burn retrieves. Very versatile and it'll be in my rotation until I inevitably lose it. 

[NorthernBasser]

38 minutes ago, NorcalBassin said:

Threw it for about 20 minutes today. No takers but I was impressed by the action for it being the mass produced version. Nice tight action with slow steady retrieve, super responsive to rod twitches or manipulating the reel and also looked good on burn/pause/burn retrieves. Very versatile and it'll be in my rotation until I inevitably lose it. 

Nice. How fast is the ROF would you say? 

[NorcalBassin]

I'd guess in the neightborhood of ROF 3-4. Slow enough it doesn't sink much on a brief pause but fast enough you can let it get down in the column a bit if you want to fish it deeper.