How to Tune a Crankbait

Its so frustrating to reach in to your box, choose a crankbait, make that perfect cast, and find out the bait won't run straight. In some cases the bait may even spiral back toward the surface. Luckily, there is a really simple solution to this problem!

All you need is a pair of needle nose pliers. For us boaters, Tackle Warehouse offers quite a few pairs of stainless steel and aluminum pliers to avoid rust.  If your bait is tracking to the right, slightly bend the metal anchor in the bill to the left. If its tracking left, gently bend right. Keep in mind that its very easy to over-bend and create an even more significant pull in the other direction, so make very small adjustments at first.

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Lastly, don't forget that you can intentionally cause the bait to run sideways. Let's say you're fishing a rip rap bank that extends for a few hundred yards. Instead of having a bait that tracks parallel to the wall, a simple adjustment can make the bait track toward the rocks, causing the bait to deflect and draw more fish as it bounces along the wall.

We hope these tips helps! Stay tuned for next week and until then, good luck out there!

Backlash Tricks

There's nothing worse than fishing in the wind, trying to hold position on a spot, picking away at a backlash that just won't budge! Some of us face this more frequently than others but the reality is, we all get backlashes. Over the years we've picked up a few tricks to speed up the process.

If you're not using these two quick tricks when you get a birds nest, you're wasting a ton of valuable fishing time!

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Both of these methods work best with monofilament or fluorocarbon. (In case you're wondering both Tim and Matt use Seaguar AbrazX when fishing Fluorocarbon) They'll work with braid as well but you'll need them less often.

While both tricks are simple in execution, they're difficult to explain without demonstration. The first involves thumbing the spool and reeling over the backlash then backing the line out slowly to loosen the trapped lines from within. The second method is to back the drag off and remove excess loops instead of pulling 5, 10, or even 15 extra feet of line off the spool to get that last loose loop or two off the spool. Please watch the video to fully understand how both methods are used.

Launching a Boat By Yourself

Like many fishing guides around the country I spend most of my mornings pulling up to an empty parking lot and launching my boat without any help, long before the sun rises. Without any other anglers around or bright lighting to help, its important I get it right the first time.

I regularly bump into other anglers struggling to get their boats in and out of the water without the help of a partner. This sparked an idea for Tim and I to show you exactly what it looks like to launch the boat alone. Its really a simple process and with a little practice can become second nature. Having no partner shouldn't keep you from going to the lake and having a great time!

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The next time you're at an empty launch ramp take a few minutes to practice launching solo. Before long you'll be catching fish whether your partner is available or not. Good luck out there!

Note: For those of you launching solo in areas without docks or improved ramps, check out the Z-Launch system to simplify the process.