New Tackle - What Are You Excited About?

[MN Fisher]

14 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Geez...You're thirteen years behind!

 

Rapala guy since the early 70s - they've done right by me, but now I'm starting to branch out. Still, 90% of my crank/jerk inventory is Rapala.

 

1 minute ago, Smells like fish said:

Yea, what RW said… what’s next in line for you to try, GYCB Senkos

Got a few as a gifting a few years ago...I got bit more with my Stickos and Zlinkys than the Senkos and the first two last longer as well. I actually lost a fresh Senko when casting...ripped right of the hook mid-flight and it wasn't even that hard a cast. If I was paying $0.75 a piece for the 5", you think they'd be close to as 'sturdy' as the $0.53 Zlinky or the $0.42 Sticko...which both of get good reviews from people who use them.

[gim]

Berkeley max scent tubes.

[Aaron_H]

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Picked up a quartet of Red Eye Shads in 1/2oz on sale - next year find out if they're up to the hype.

 

 

24 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

 

Rapala guy since the early 70s - they've done right by me, but now I'm starting to branch out. Still, 90% of my crank/jerk inventory is Rapala.

 

Well, you can't go wrong there. I think the RES has better action on the fall, but the Rattlin' Rapala is one of my favorite lipless cranks and is an awesome producer. I like the softer rattle it makes versus a lot of others on the market. Just wish the stock hardware it came with was better, bent out a couple of the split rings back before I started religiously upgrading hardware. RES is one of the few I leave the stock rings on.

 

 

I kept my Black Friday purchases very reasonable this year, eight One Knockers in a few colors, a Shadow Rap, and a new sharpening file.

[Buzzbaiter]

[LrgmouthShad]

25 minutes ago, Aaron_H said:

eight One Knockers in a few colors

Them booyahs right?

[Aaron_H]

6 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Them booyahs right?

 

Yessir.

[A-Jay]

 

Not exactly tackle but I scored a great deal on the Simms Challenger Insulated Fishing Jacket & Bibs.

I'm ready for early open water and no more freezing my arse off to fish.

A-Jay

 

[Fat Ika]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

 

Not exactly tackle but I scored a great deal on the Simms Challenger Insulated Fishing Jacket & Bibs.

I'm ready for early open water and no more freezing my arse off to fish.

A-Jay

 

@A-JayI scored that same exact jacket a few weeks back too! I read the reviews on how oversized  they possibly were, so I went into the local fly fishing shop. I still have layering room in a Medium. I'm Large or Extra Large in any other jacket. So glad I had a shop nearby to try on. I can't believe how light and comfortable it is. I have 2 destroyed shoulders, and I couldn't tolerate getting any other cold weather fishing jacket on and off, nor could I tolerate just wearing any other fishing jacket for an extended period of time.

[A-Jay]

3 minutes ago, Fat Ika said:

@A-JayI scored that same exact jacket a few weeks back too! I read the reviews on how oversized  they possibly were, so I went into the local fly fishing shop. I still have layering room in a Medium. I'm Large or Extra Large in any other jacket. So glad I had a shop nearby to try on. I can't believe how light and comfortable it is. I have 2 destroyed shoulders, and I couldn't tolerate getting any other cold weather fishing jacket on and off, nor could I tolerate just wearing any other fishing jacket for an extended period of time.

Medium in both the jacket & bibs is 'Roomy' on me

but It's still a keeper.

A-Jay

[Fat Ika]

2 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

 

Rapala guy since the early 70s - they've done right by me, but now I'm starting to branch out. Still, 90% of my crank/jerk inventory is Rapala.

 

 

@MN Fisher It's sacrilegious in your neck of the woods to not throw Rapala, right? You'll probably go back to Rapala after the red eyes spook the daylights out of your bass.  I obviously don't know what I'm talking about, but while I live in Illinois, my heart is in the Northwoods......... and Rapala has it all.

[MN Fisher]

12 minutes ago, Fat Ika said:

@MN Fisher It's sacrilegious in your neck of the woods to not throw Rapala, right?

Well, considering how close I am to Normark's HQ (parent co of Rapala) - it could be an issue. They might come knocking at my door.

[LrgmouthShad]

6 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Well, considering how close I am to Normark's HQ (parent co of Rapala) - it could be an issue. They might come knocking at my door.

Pffff you dont need those silly rapala lures. Just send me those useless shad raps you have and I'll donate them... to the water

[fishwizzard]

11 hours ago, Fat Ika said:

 

Decoy Worm 128 Neko Rig Hook - https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/search-tackle.html?start=0&count=30&searchtext=neko+decoy

 

 

These hooks dive me crazy, some days I do well with them, other days I seem like I miss 75% of my hits.  Same worm, same combo.  There is something I am missing but I have yet to devote the time to sorting it out.  I need to as they (when they work) are the best weedless neko hook I have found.  

[Oklahoma Mike]

1 hour ago, fishwizzard said:

 

These hooks dive me crazy, some days I do well with them, other days I seem like I miss 75% of my hits.  Same worm, same combo.  There is something I am missing but I have yet to devote the time to sorting it out.  I need to as they (when they work) are the best weedless neko hook I have found.  

Its just a very poorly designed hook. Look at how the point aligns with the eye and the gap between the two. Compare that to a similar hook by Owner or Hayabusa and think about how the differences might relate to hookup ratio. 

[Columbia Craw]

I’m curious about reinstating pork as a trailer and trying. Seaguar Basix.  Everything else is ho-hum. Frankly, the baits I purchased from A-Jay’s Custom Baits and Tackle have me more inspired to get them wet.

[CrashVector]

I got a bunch of old vintage lures I'm looking forward to trying out.  Heddon and Arbogast mostly.

 

However...I'm still a hardcore finesse fisherman.

 

It's what I've "thrown everything into", as I find it the most fun/relaxing...so I'll probably be sticking with my reverse Ned rigs and Powerbait pit bosses for 95+% of my fishing.

[NorthernBasser]

6 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 

Not exactly tackle but I scored a great deal on the Simms Challenger Insulated Fishing Jacket & Bibs.

I'm ready for early open water and no more freezing my arse off to fish.

A-Jay

 

You went away from Huk??! That's like Jordan leaving Nike! 

 

If you don't mind, where did you find this deal? I'm in need of some nicer insulated gear myself. 

[A-Jay]

3 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

You went away from Huk??! That's like Jordan leaving Nike! 

 

If you don't mind, where did you find this deal? I'm in need of some nicer insulated gear myself. 

Still have a healthy assortment of the HUK gear.

All good stuff but nothing I have from them is insulated.

Tried to re-home the HUK Leviathan Jacket & Bibs last week but they didn't go.

I'm going to hold onto them for now.

 

Got the new Simms gear from Thousand Lakes Sporting Goods in Grand Rapids, MN

Looks like some of the sales are over though

https://thousandlakessports.com/product-category/shop-by-brand/simms-shop-by-brand/

A-Jay

[Fat Ika]

10 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

 

These hooks dive me crazy, some days I do well with them, other days I seem like I miss 75% of my hits.  Same worm, same combo.  There is something I am missing but I have yet to devote the time to sorting it out.  I need to as they (when they work) are the best weedless neko hook I have found.  

@fishwizzard @Oklahoma Mike - Thanks guys for the feedback. fishwizzard - I never can tell with these darn hooks until I try them out. I'm sure I'll run into the same problem as you lol. Sounds like my same issue with just a traditional wacky rig. I'll have to start a thread about traditional wacky rig......... hooks, best found ways to weight them, plastics......all regarding hook up effectiveness. 

 

OK Mike - Were you talking about these guys from Hayabusa? Any experience with the Hayabusa WRM202? I can't find anything from Owner aside from your traditional weed guard hooks.

 

 

 

[king fisher]

     I did well at getting the Bait Monkey off my back.  If I keep this up he may have to leave for greener pastures. 

      I did get a new Diawa Travel Rod, but that was to replace one I broke trying to get a lure out of a gill net in strong winds without flipping my kayak.  I was lucky I got out of that fiasco with only one broken rod.  Like I tell my wife.  Replacing broken or lost gear, does not qualify as hording.

     As far as something I got that I can't wait to try, and am sure will work when nothing else will. I bought a couple 6th. Sense movement 80X crankbaits. (like I need another crankbait)  Complete submission to the Bait Monkey on this purchase with partial blame to BR members for recommending them.  I hope to be able to return the favor some time.  I'm would be glad to send the monkey in another direction.  

     I did buy some of my favorite crankbaits and soft plastics ( which fall in to the replace not hoard category),  but considering the Fed Ex employee wont need a fork lift to load my package in the truck, I think I showed amazing restraint.

[Oklahoma Mike]

3 hours ago, Fat Ika said:

OK Mike - Were you talking about these guys from Hayabusa? Any experience with the Hayabusa WRM202? I can't find anything from Owner aside from your traditional weed guard hooks.

 

Yeah, the WRM202 is a much better hook IMO. I also like their Spin Muscle hooks.

 

As for Owner, I like their Mosquito hooks, their standard wacky hooks, and their Sniper finesse neko hooks. If you look at the design of all these hooks and compare the alignment of the hook point to the Decoy hook mentioned earlier, you can easily see why these would allow a better hookup ratio.

[fishwizzard]

14 hours ago, Oklahoma Mike said:

Its just a very poorly designed hook. Look at how the point aligns with the eye and the gap between the two. Compare that to a similar hook by Owner or Hayabusa and think about how the differences might relate to hookup ratio. 

 

I agree, it looks like it will never work, but like it does, very well some days.  I have gone 10 hits to 10 hookups with it a few times but other days it's like 50/50 at best.  In terms of getting a small Neko through light wood cover on 7lb line, it's the best hook I have found, so I am willing to spend some time trying to get it to work out.  

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I'm excited to use a new rod I've got coming.  I've never even held and Ark before so I'm anxious to check it out.  

 

11 hours ago, fishwizzard said:

 

I agree, it looks like it will never work, but like it does, very well some days.  I have gone 10 hits to 10 hookups with it a few times but other days it's like 50/50 at best.  In terms of getting a small Neko through light wood cover on 7lb line, it's the best hook I have found, so I am willing to spend some time trying to get it to work out.  

Its a good hook.  The hook up ratio of some of the better neko hooks, but its not a fair comparison.  The 128 is designed like an offset worm hook instead of an octopus style.  

To me its worth losing a fish or 2 then snagging up and spooking the fish to get the rig back.

[softwateronly]

On 11/28/2021 at 9:32 AM, LrgmouthShad said:

Okay I’ll bite. I ordered quite a few Picasso spinnerbaits because they were on an additional sale on TW. 30% off overall, couldn’t say no. I am impressed with the components on the spinnerbaits. I think they have mustad ultra points, sampo swivels, a 0.035 diameter heat treated wire, and a really cool head design. This is a good list of specs for me. I don’t care about the skirts or the blades since I’ll likely be changing them but the components on these spinnerbaits are awesome. 
 

I bought AFTCO hydronaut gloves for cold weather use as well as the helm insulated gloves. Between these two, I hope my hands stay warm for winter fishing. 

 

edit: I should add the Picasso spinnerbaits I got were the Picasso Inviz R Wire double willows. Did double willows because more color selections. 
https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Picasso_Inviz_R_Wire_Double_Willow_Spinnerbaits/descpage-PIDW.html

I picked up 2 more picasso invizi wires in 1/2oz double willow as well.  I did real good with it last summer as a night time slow roller with a dwalker/swammer on the hook, so much thump.  It's definitely a spinnerbait that worked much better for me slow vs fast.  Last fish I caught on it was a 40"+ northern, the wire didn't survive the landing.

 

 

On 11/28/2021 at 9:30 AM, roadwarrior said:

Reaper

 

 

I threw an upton's 9" reaper T rigged with decent success during big worm season.  I wanna branch out more with Iovino's 6" and mojo rigs and experiment with rage rigging the 9" 

 

I also picked up Gambler and Nichols (5/16, 3/8, 7/16) weedless power neds and think both the 6" reaper, damiki stinger, and a 5" jerky j can prove effective in deeper short weed beds when my jigs bury themselves a bit too much and I think they're keyed in on baitfish.

 

scott

[fishwizzard]

8 hours ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

 

Its a good hook.  The hook up ratio of some of the better neko hooks, but its not a fair comparison.  The 128 is designed like an offset worm hook instead of an octopus style.  

To me its worth losing a fish or 2 then snagging up and spooking the fish to get the rig back.

 

Do you do anything special in terms of rigging it?  My last trip out I rigged it upside down and it seemed like that might be the ticket for smaller pond bass who can't engulf my finesse worms.