FREE SWIMBAIT GIVEAWAY!!!

We're celebrating 30,000 subscribers on Youtube and 33,000 Followers on Instagram with two FREE GIVEAWAYS! Everyone loves Swimbaits and FREE Swimbaits are even better! 

Thank you so much to all of you for watching our videos, subscribing to our Youtube channel, or following us on social media! You make it possible for us to do this! Make sure you enter the contests by Friday night, 12/2/16 by 10 PM Pacific time to be eligible to Win and don't forget to enter both drawings to have the best chance at winning some awesome swimbaits! 

FACEBOOK GIVEAWAY: If you want a shot to win 1 of 3 River2Sea S-Waver 200 Glidebaits head over to our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/tacticalbassin for all the details! 

INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY: If you want a shot to win a JSJ SIREN Glide head over to our instagram account: http://www.instagram.com/tacticalbassin

Interested in purchasing either of these baits? You can see them here...
-JSJ Siren Glide
-River2Sea S-Waver

Behind the Scenes of River2Sea

If you've ever had an explosive bite on a Whopper Plopper or a giant bass track down an S-Waver Swimbait, you've thrown a bait that passed through these doors. Most anglers don't realize River2Sea is a local company, located in Richmond, California. A few weeks ago we had the opportunity to spend an afternoon at the River2Sea offices and thought we'd bring you along.

Angelo Alorro, the National Sales Manager, gave us a brief tour. We learned they've been around for 16 years and have developed a handful of bass fishing lures that have shaped the market and changed the way we view bass behavior. Simon Chan is the primary lure designer and his breakthroughs can be seen throughout his own products as well as across the industry. 

Tim and I never realized just how many River2Sea products we use. There are those we talk about regularly but there are a bunch that we fish without ever saying a word. Below is a list of the baits we use that you should take a look at...

-Whopper Plopper
-S-Waver Swimbait (168 and 200)
-Biggie Squarebill Crankbait
-Rover Walking Topwater
-Bubble Walker (Both Sizes)
-Bully Wa 2 Frog
-Spittin Wa Frog
-Bling Spinnerbait

Big Delta Swimbait Fish

This week Tim and I took a break from all the work of filming and editing. Tim got to Spend some time with family and I went fun fishing. Despite the brutal wind/rain forecast I headed for the Delta to see if any of the early prespawn females were moving up to feed and was not disappointed!

Delta Hog (2).jpg

All too often anglers back themselves into a corner by continually fishing the same patterns with the same baits. When major weather events happen its a great time to get out and try new things. Often times the fish will move into the shallows to feed on whatever is being washed into the lake (or river). These shallow fish are an easy target. Even if they're not biting, they'll show themselves. If you pay attention while fishing reaction baits you might be able to catch them on a return visit.

This fish came on a bank I hadn't fished in years, with a bait (S-Waver 200) that I'd never thrown there before. The key to consistently catching giant bass, especially on multiple waterways, is to never stop searching. The Delta is constantly changing. The bass are shifting from one spot to the next, feeding on different food sources and its important you keep up with the changes to maximize your time on the water.

As Winter begins to turn to Spring, branch out, try new lakes, new spots, and new baits. This just might be the best year you've ever had!

How to Back Reel

When the fishing gets tough many anglers turn to finesse tactics. While this increases their odds, it creates its own set of unique challenges. The most significant of which is learning to adapt to fighting big fish on light line.

The technology behind spinning reels has vastly improved in recent years but there is still room to fine tune your skills. One of the best ways to increase your odds at landing big fish on light tackle, is to back reel.

In this week's video, Tim finds himself fighting a 14 pound catfish. He was completely outgunned, armed with only a Stratic, Dobyns Spinning Rod, and 4 lb Line. Catfish are known for pulling hard, rolling in the line, and otherwise destroying tackle. Instead of letting the drag scream and hoping for the best, we flipped the camera on so Tim could walk you through how to back reel, why he's doing it, and how it can benefit you.

The biggest misunderstanding about back reeling is that your drag will be disabled. This simply isn't true, its still intact and working normally. When you're reeling in reverse there is no stress on the line but if a fish pulls harder than you can react to, the drag is still in place and will release line like usual. Really, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain so the next time you find yourself tied to a big fish, flip that little switch on your reel and give it a try!