Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Outdoor Pro Shop To Distribute Z Block Sunscreen

Outdoor Pro Shop To Distribute Z Blok Sunscreen

Outdoor Pro Shop based in Cotati, CA has become an authorized retailer of Z Blok sunscreen, which solves the eye stinging problem and is non-greasy and fragrance free. They will sell three SKUs including the 4 oz., 2 oz. and .15 oz. stick.

Outdoor Pro Shop, which is a full service fishing tackle retailer, has two locations. Its original 24,000 sq. ft. store in Cotati serves Sonoma County and its Oakland store serves the greater San Francisco area.

Mr. Ken Elie, President of Outdoor Pro Shop tried the product on a recent fishing trip and said “Having grown up on the beaches of Southern California, I have a long history of facial cancers, keratosis problems and Effudex treatments etc. I have been an avid angler my whole life and in addition to proper SPF clothing I always use sunscreen on my face, ears, neck, and back of my hands( I hate gloves ). I recently went on a 12-day trip to the remote islands southwest of Cabo San Lucas and was in the sun all day on many of the days. In addition to my usual sunscreen products I brought a tube of Z Blok that was given to me to try. This product is GREAT ! Z Blok does everything it says it will. It applies easily, is clear when dry, is non-greasy, is odor free, does not sting the eyes when sweating all while providing excellent sun protection. I caught a lot of big tuna and wahoo on this trip and at the end of the day I was comfortable and sun burn free."



New Z Blok sunscreen is truly different in that its fragrance free formula does not burn or sting the eyes if water or perspiration causes it to migrate into the eyes. This allows athletes to stay focused on performing at their peak without needless, painful distraction.

Z Blok was initially tested by the Puma Ocean Racing Team in the grueling Volvo Around the World Race, where sailors get pummeled with waves at up to 35 miles per hour. According to the Puma Team skipper Ken Read “The UV protection is excellent. The entire crew believes in the product and we certainly put sunscreen to a test that few others can. Importantly we have experienced no eye stinging or irritation - and we are wet a lot!"
In addition to the benefit of eliminating the stinging eye problem, Z Blok contains the active ingredient Zinc Oxide that rubs in clear (hence the Z Blok name). Zinc oxide is the only active ingredient to provide “significant protection” from both UVA and UVB rays according to the EPA (see “The Burning Facts” attachment).
These are a few facts that the general public does not know about sunscreens in general which are also addressed in the attachment from the EPA:
1) SPF (sun protection factor) only measures protection from UVB rays. It does not measure protection from cancer causing UVA rays. Zinc oxide is the only ingredient to provide extensive protection from UVA rays.
2) SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, SPF 30 blocks 97% and no SPF blocks 100% (see the chart on page 3 of the enclosed EPA document). Products claiming an SPF above 30 provide a false reassurance to the consumer.
3) Zinc oxide is a physical element as opposed to most other ingredients such as PABA, which are chemically based. Physically based elements are far less likely to cause an allergic skin reaction according to the attached EPA document.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Strike King KVD 1.5 and 2.5

A leader in crankbaits, Strike King expands its line-up of already awesome hard baits with two new KVD models. The KVD 1.5 and KVD 2.5 were designed to the specifications of BassMasters Classic Champ Kevin VanDam. These baits are perfect for his style of shallow water power fishing. The square bill design and unique action allows the bait to constantly “wander” with erratic action while still running true. It also helps deflect off cover to entice strikes. These KVD baits are designed with no internal rattles for a “silent” approach.

These are just a few of the colors that are offered by Strike King in the KVD 1.5 and 2.5. To see more color options as well as the new 1.0 size, head on over to MonsterFishingTackle.com and check them out!

Lucky Craft Pointer 100 DD

"DD equals Deep Diver" Listen up all you Pointer fans. Lucky Craft now has a new Pointer minnow to add to their repertoire. The new Pointer 100 DD is a deeper diving version of the popular Pointer 100 SP. This new Pointer 100 DD is a great bait for fishing a few feet deeper than the original 100 SP. This bait will dive about 6-7 feet deep and suspend when paused. It has a wider wobble than the Pointer 100 SP and still has the same body style. This bait can be used for a bigger profile bait in lie of the Staysee 90 SP. When the fish are holding out a little deeper this bait will get in their face and aggravate them to strike.

  • Length: 4" (100mm)
  • Weight: 5/8oz (16.5g)
  • Class: Suspending
  • Belly: #5
  • Hook Tail: #5
  • Max Diving Depth: 6-7ft
  • Line: 10-12
  

Friday, June 1, 2012

Yamamoto Fat Ika

The Yamamoto Fat Ika has become a deadly tool for many bass anglers. Though it has secretly been winning tournaments for a while now, the Fat Ika is still a bait that is misunderstood by many. At first glance, the Fat Ika looks like a tube bait, and many anglers start off rigging it as such. However, it is only when rigged backward that the Fat Ika discovers it’s greatest potential - as a penetrating target bait.



When rigged on a Gamakatsu 5/0 EWG hook (as seen above), the Fat Ika does it’s magic. Rigged without a weight, the bait should be cast out and let to  sink on a slack line. The Fat Ika falls away from the angler when rigged as such, so significant slack should be allowed on the sink. The bait falls at an angle (as seen below) because of the salt in the plastic creating weight to the back end of the bait.

Most strikes occur on the initial fall, but if the bait settles to the bottom, twitch the  bait upwards with a sharp lift of the rod tip. One or two lifts, then let the bait settle back to the bottom on a controlled slack line. Always watch your line for indications of a strike. As you lift the bait, the skirt flares, and then folds back as the bait falls again to the bottom. A very realistic crawfish action is created by the Fat Ika's lift and drop. Most often used in shallow areas with targets such as docks, brush, weeds, etc., the Fat Ika can really penetrate deep into such areas with it’s backwards decent. This is a technique where you’ll need to use a medium heavy rod with at least 12 lb test line.

The Fat Ika is much like Yamamoto’s Senko for the fact that weight from salt gives each bait its action, not the angler. They are both patience baits which need to be fished slowly, enabling each bait to do its job. The weightless technique is deadly for big bass because it forces anglers to slow down and spend a longer time with their baits in the water. The Fat Ika is definitely one of the deadliest weightless soft plastic baits ever invented.

Good luck using the backward Fat Ika.