Catching Big Fish On Light Tackle! Tricks Of The Trade!

Targeting big fish with light line is incredible! When the drag is screaming and line is flying off the spool, the excitement is next level! It requires attention to detail, a whole lot of patience, and specialized tackle doesn't hurt, but its worth every second of preparation. Some anglers do it for the challenge, others do it out of necessity. Whether you're fishing smallmouth in the Great Lakes, largemouth in a highland reservoir, or saltwater species on the flats, these tips will help you prepare for your next light line battle!

Matt is targeting smallmouth because they have incredible strength for a freshwater fish. While this is by no means the most challenging fish to target with light tackle (compared to many saltwater species) it is an amazing fight and a very rewarding fish to catch. On this particular day he was faced with 20+ feet of visibility and very skittish fish. Thankfully the wind kicked up which helped offset the post frontal conditions that blew in part way through the day.  

Below you'll find links to the exact baits and gear Matt was using in today's video. We've also included links to some excellent mid-priced and budget alternatives for battling big fish on light line. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item.

Ned Rig... 

Bait- Savage Gear Ned Salamander: https://bit.ly/3rSNi8g

Color: Green Pumpkin Purple Copper

Hook- Swagger Tungsten Flanders 1/10th: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Hair Jig... 

Bait- Outkast Tackle Feider Fly 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2G7TBwj

Color: Black

Small Swimbait... 

Bait- Keitech 2.8 Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Color: Electric Bluegill

Head- Dirty Jigs Guppy 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

Tube... 

Bait- Big Bite Salt Tube 3.5: https://bit.ly/2D7j6RX

Color: Pumpkin Pepper

Head- Blade Runner 1/8 oz Inhaler 2/0: https://bit.ly/2NX7nYr

Ned Rig/2.8 Keitech Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX+ 821S NRR: https://bit.ly/2RB0oJP

Reel- Shimano Twin Power FD 2500: https://bit.ly/3df3hX5

Line- Sunline SX1 12 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

Leader- Sunline Super FC 6 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Hair Jig Combo... 

Rod- Megabass P5 "Baby Plugging": https://bit.ly/31Pt839

Reel- Shimano Vanford 1000: https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

Line- Sunline Super FC 5 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

BFS Casting Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'2" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Curado BFS: https://bit.ly/2QGRVF2

Line- Sunline Super FC 7 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Best "Bang For The Buck" Reels... 

High End- Shimano Twin Power 2500: https://bit.ly/3df3hX5

Mid Range- Shimano Vanford 3000: https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

Best "Bang For The Buck" Rods... 

High End- G Loomis NRX+: https://bit.ly/3y0Ss5m

Mid Range- Shimano Expride A: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Budget- St. Croix Bass X: http://bit.ly/2r69Sj6

Favorite Braided Lines...

High End- Sufix 131: https://bit.ly/314VoyF

Mid Range- Sunline SX1: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

All Around- Power Pro Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Favorite Leader Materials... 

Heavy Application Fluoro- Sunline FC100: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Light Application Fluoro- Sunline Sniper FC: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Monofilament- Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Underspin Tricks For Post Spawn Bass Fishing

Underspins have exploded in recent years! There used to be a handful of light wire options, but these days you can get everything from a 12/0 weedless Beast hook to a tiny 1/8 oz finesse head. The rise of the underspin is directly tied to its effectiveness, and there is no better time to throw them than the prespawn. Could that little blade make that much of a difference? Let's find out... 

As the bass wrap up the spawn, shad and other baitfish begin spawning in the shallows. These baitfish congregate in schools and without fail, the bass take full advantage of the opportunity. The underspin allows you to choose your depth as you probe the edges of these bait balls in search of the biggest bass in the school. Yes, you could do this with a bare swimbait, but you'll never know what you've been missing until you try it with an underspin and experience the incredible drawing power created by the addition of a small blade below your bait. 

Fishing an underspin is simple, in most cases its an easy cast and retrieve presentation. Beyond that its a matter of matching the bait (willow leaf vs Colorado blade) to the baitfish and choosing the appropriate size. After that its just a matter of choosing a weedless presentation or an exposed hook. Narrowing down these selections is very simple. Below you'll find links to our favorite heads for each of these applications, as well as some of our favorite baits in each size category. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Weedless Heads... 

-Owner Flashy Swimmer (Silver Willow Leaf): http://bit.ly/2e8O4Y7

-Owner Flashy Swimmer (Gold Colorado Blade): http://bit.ly/2e8O4Y7

-Owner Flashy BEAST (For Big Swimbaits): http://bit.ly/2gx3A54

Favorite Swimbaits For Weedless Heads... 

-Keitech 3.3 - 4.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors- Electric Shad, TW Ghost Shad

-Megabass Spark Shad 4": http://bit.ly/2XcLZk4

Traditional Heads (Largest To Smallest)... 

Overall Favorite- Blade Runner Screw Lock Spintrix (3/8 - 3/4 oz): http://bit.ly/2oocg0a

Best In Current- Hog Farmer War Pig (1/4 - 3/4 oz): http://bit.ly/2pcQnRP

Best Finesse Bait- Cool Baits Down Under (1/8 - 3/16 oz): http://bit.ly/2boS7QA

Favorite Swimbaits For Traditional Heads... 

-River2Sea D Walker 120: http://bit.ly/2NwqBmz

Colors- PB Red, Shamrock Shad, Silver Side

-Keitech 2.8" - 4.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors- Electric Shad, TW Ghost Shad

Non-Traditional Head... 

-Megabass Okashira Screw Head: http://bit.ly/2EpluSA

Favorite Small Swimbaits For Okashira and CoolBaits... 

-Megabass Spark Shad 3: http://bit.ly/2XcLZk4

Colors: Real, Albino, Baby Bass

-Keitech Easy Shiner 3" and 4": http://bit.ly/2bxJK6H

Colors: Electric Shad, TW Pro Blue

-Damiki Armor Shad 3": http://bit.ly/2KtPDAT

Colors: RP Blue Pearl, American Shad, Baby Bass

Keitech Sizing For Flashy Swimmer/Beast Hooks... 

1/0 Hook- Keitech 3.3

3/0 Hook- Keitech 4.3

5/0 Hook- Keitech 4.8

8/0 Hook- Keitech 6.8

Favorite All-Around Underspin Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'6" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B (HG): https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 40 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC100 16 lb Shock Leader: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Tim's Finesse Underspin Spinning Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX+ 852S JWR: https://bit.ly/3y0Ss5m

Reel- Shimano Exsence A 3000: https://bit.ly/3hNG96T

Line- Sunline SX1 Braid 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

Leader- Sunline Fluorocarbon 7 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget Underspin Spinning Combo...

Rod- St. Croix Bass X 7'1" Medium: http://bit.ly/2r69Sj6

Reel- Shimano NASCI 2500: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- Sunline Fluorocarbon 8 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Finesse Swimbaits For BIG Smallmouth! (Fishing With Matt's Dad)

Come along as we explore a new clear water lake in Michigan! Its full of prespawn Smallmouth and Northern Largemouth. They're feeding in schools along the edges of shallow flats and we're casting a variety of finesse swimbaits and hair jigs to catch them. If you've wondered what fishing is like in the North, its on fire!

Its been a while since we've had Matt's dad on the boat. In true form, he set the pace with a bunch of quality fish, leaving Matt and CC with a lot of ground to make up. Each member of the team settled on a different swimbait and all produced quality fish throughout the day. At the end Matt picked up a black hair jig and stuck some nice bonus fish as well. 

Smallmouth pull incredibly hard for their size. If you've never targeted them on finesse tackle, you need to give it a try! Below you'll find links to the exact baits we were using as well as the gear we trusted to get these fish in the boat. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Matt's Dad's Swimbait... 

Head- Dirty Jigs Guppy 1/8 oz with 1/0 Hook: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

Bait- Keitech 3.3" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors: Electric Shad, Electric Bluegill

CC's Swimbait... 

Bait- Megabass Dark Sleeper 3" (1/2 oz): http://bit.ly/2TyR1GT

Color: Wakasagi

Matt's Swimbait... 

Head- Tactical Finesse Head 3/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2Pqrq3n

Bait- Keitech 3.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Color: Smallmouth Magic

Matt's Hair Jig... 

Bait- Andy's Maribou Pro Series Fly (1/8 oz): https://bit.ly/3uYqDsw

Color: Black

Matt's Casting Swimbait Combo... 

Rod- Megabass P5 "Dark Sleeper": https://bit.ly/30GcHqb

Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL 50 (HG): http://bit.ly/2uQ4oH8

Line- Sunline 12 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Matt's Dad's Spinning Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX+ 852S JWR (Pre-Order): https://bit.ly/3y0Ss5m

Reel- Shimano Exsence 3000: https://bit.ly/3hNG96T

Line- Sunline SX1 12 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

Leader- Sunline 6 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Matt's Hair Jig Combo... 

Rod- Megabass P5 "Baby Plugging": https://bit.ly/31Pt839

Reel- Shimano Vanford 1000: https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

Line- Sunline Super FC 5 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Frog Fishing - Everything You Need To Know!

CRAZY topwater strikes on frogs are incredible! Once you've had a bass erupt through heavy cover, you'll never forget it! In the past these explosions were often met with disappointment when the bass didn't hook up. But with today's advances in equipment, frog design, and hook shapes, you can have an excellent catch rate, even in heavy cover!

With all the frog designs on the market its hard to understand what they're all for, let alone which ones are worth the time and effort! In today's video Tim separates frogs into 5 categories, teaches what each category is for, and shows his favorite baits for each scenario. Frog fishing doesn't have to be difficult, and you can start having success right away. 

Below you'll find links to all of Tim's favorite frogs. We've separated them by category and included favorite colors for each model. We've also included our favorite frog combos, as well as some budget-friendly options. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Every Day Frogs...

-River2Sea Bully Wa 2 65: http://bit.ly/2axyR2a

Colors- Little Allen, Ghost, Yellow Head

-LiveTarget Hollow Body 65: http://bit.ly/2Q40BAk

Colors- Albino White, Bright Green, Green Yellow

-Spro Bronzeye 65: http://bit.ly/2sz9Qje

Colors- Killer Gill, Clear Chartreuse, Nasty Shad

-Scum Frog Launch Frog: https://bit.ly/3rOYQIF

Colors- Shad, Leopard, Dusk, Bluegill

Popping Frogs... 

-Jackall Gavacho: http://bit.ly/2L7KsWS

Colors- Black Gill, Gold Gill, Chart Strike Gill

-Spro Poppin Frog 60: http://bit.ly/2hKsO0g

Colors- Sunfish, Leopard, Navy Seal, Nasty Shad

-River2Sea Spittin Wa: http://bit.ly/29YS5g6

Colors- Poison, Ghost, Bream

-Megabass Big Gabot: https://bit.ly/3bXW8Jh

Colors- Chart Head, Jungle Bone, Wild Gill

Mat Frogs... 

-Spro King Daddy: http://bit.ly/2h0LCYd

Colors- Killer Gill, Nasty Shad, Midnight Walker

-River2Sea Phat Matt Daddy: http://bit.ly/2L7KgqC

Colors- Ghost, Yellow Head

Open Water Frogs... 

-River2Sea Bully Wa 2 65: http://bit.ly/2axyR2a

Colors- Little Allen, Ghost, Yellow Head

-Teckel Sprinker: http://bit.ly/2rmnqSI

Colors- Bone, Pearl White, Lemon Lime

-Teckel Honker: http://bit.ly/2Xj7Ye4

Colors- Bluegill, Lemon Lime, Pearl White

Finesse Frogs... 

-Jackall Kaera: http://bit.ly/2Fz6SA3

Colors- Glitter Hasu, Glitter Gill, White

-River2Sea Bully Wa 55: http://bit.ly/2axyR2a

Colors- Bluegill, Little Allen

Braided Line For Frogs... 

-Power Pro Maxcuatro (50-65 lb): http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

-Sunline FX2 (60 lb): http://bit.ly/31u57xA

Favorite Frog Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'3" Extra Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B (XG): https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Finesse/Open Water Frog Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'2" Heavy: https://bit.ly/3aeQbYW

Reel- Shimano Curado 200K (HG): http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 50 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Budget Frog Combo... 

Rod- Shimano SLX 7'2" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX DC (HG): http://bit.ly/2LWzw2Q

Line- Power Pro Braid 65 lb: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz