St. Croix Rods Promo - Free Rage Rod!

St. Croix Rods Promo

Buy two or more ST. CROIX rods at Monsterfishingtackle.com with a total value of at least $230 and receive a Rage rod FREE!
Shop St. Croix Rods 
Treat someone (including yourself) to an early holiday gift! Right now, when you purchase any two or more St. Croix rods with a total value of at least $230, you can get a Rage rod FREE!

St. Croix Rods Promo - Click to shop St. Croix Rods

 
Here's the details:

• Rods must be purchased between November 15, 2012 and December 31, 2012 from an authorized St. Croix retailer.
• Rods do not have to be purchased at the same time.
• Complete the official St. Croix Christmas Promotion Coupon.
• Coupons are available at participating retailers and St. Croix’s website: www.stcroixrods.com.
• Mail the Coupon, UPC labels (attached to the rod tag), and original cash register receipt(s) to the address on the coupon by January 31, 2013.
• Include $19.95 for shipping and handling.

Printable PDF of promotional flyer!
Printable PDF of promotional coupon!

Sunline Buy 1 Get 1 Promo

Sunline Sale at Monster Fishing Tackle

Sunline is the manufacturer of premium fishing line. A Sunline Sale is absolutely unheard of; now's your chance to get in on a great deal!

Sunline America is announcing their second annual fall sales promotion that offers unprecedented
deals on four Sunline products. The goal of this promotion is to reward loyal customers and
encourage consumers to try Sunline products for the first time. This promotion is offering the best
selling Sunline products at buy one get one free pricing with instant redemption. The dates of the
promotion will be October 26 thru November 4.

Starting October 15 all customers will be allowed to order the items in this promotion at buy one get one free.

 
Visit us at Monster Fishing Tackle or visit our Sunline Sale page directly!

 

Quantum EXO Reel Rebate

Recently, Quantum Fishing announced a $30 rebate on any EXO reel - both casting and spinning models.

 

About Quantum EXO Reels

ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION. This is the simple concept that fueled a revolution called Generation Exo. In 2012, we turned the fishing tackle world upside down by launching the most revolutionary reel building concept ever. Our exoskeletal design concept sheds all unnecessary weight without sacrificing strength and performance. It’s an approach we call “Metal Where It Matters” and it’s yielded our lightest, most technically advanced products ever. For 2013, we raise the bar once again. We are more than doubling the range of Exo products with 15 new baitcast and spinning reels, and 5 new rod models to cover anything from finesse spinning techniques to big water, big lure baitcasting. Whether you’re a hard core finesse spinning angler or a whacked out muskie maniac, there’s an Exo rod and reel that fits the job. And you can be assured that you will be fishing the lightest most technically advanced tackle you’ve ever experienced without any sacrifice in performance or strength. If you’ve not heard about Exo by now you must have spent the last year fishing on some remote island. If you have heard about it but haven’t experienced what every other angler is talking about we simply say “What are you waiting for?” Put a super light Exo in your hands and Join Generation Exo.

G. Loomis Technical Softshell Jacket

Needing something light-weight for the chill in the morning or for the coolness when the sun is setting? The new G. Loomis Technical Softshell Jacket is going to be the jacket of choice.
 

The G. Loomis Technical Softshell Jacket is a front zippered jacket constructed from a polyester stretch fabric which results in a modern fit that doesn't restrict the wearer. The Technical Softshell Jacket, from G. Loomis line of lifestyle apparel, is the perfect light jacket for a day on the water. It's the small details of this garment that really stand out. The full length front zipper extends all the way up to the high collar allowing the wearer to choose their fit based on individual preference. It's that high collar that offers protection from U.V. rays which are still a danger even on cloudy or overcast days. The sleeves of the softshell jacket extend over the palm of the hand and feature a thumbhole that keeps the sleeves in place when casting. The extra length of the sleeves over the hand keeps the hands warm and protects from U.V rays. The Technical Softshell Jacket features fabric which wicks moisture away from the body and has been treated with an anti-microbial finish for multiple days of wear without wash. The jacket has dual zippered side pockets and a welded, zippered chest pocket. Aesthetically, the jacket displays the G. Loomis logos on both sleeve cuffs and on the right side of the chest. Additionally, G. Loomis skeleton fish logo is featured on the chest pocket and back of the collar. We offer the G. Loomis Technical Softshell Jacket in four sizes: Med-XXL in the charcoal color.

Shimano Calcutta D Reels

The new Shimano Calcutta D Reels are poised to be a favorite among bass and striper fishermen for swimbait applications. The original Calcutta reels from Shimano caught on with freshwater bass fishermen who sought a high capacity reel that possessed the strength to handle both big baits and the resulting big fish.

Shimano Calcutta D at Monsterfishingtackle.com

The new Calcutta D reels have been engineered in such a way that allows anglers to palm the reel with comfort. Shimano incorporated a brand new design concept called 'S Compact Body' that shapes the frame of the reel in such a way that the side anglers hold is smaller than the handle side. That engineering affords Shimano to keep the strength in the reel, yet makes it easier to palm.

The new Calcutta D Series Reels also come with Shimano's new X-Drag and X-Ship technology. The X-Drag offers the maximum fighting power possible for the size of the reel. The Calcutta D reels will prove themselves a worthy opponent against any fish. The X-Ship technology provides a smooth free spool that maximizes casting distance.

With the advancements in ergonomics, strength and functionality; the new Calcutta D Series Reels are certain to change the landscape of round reels forever.

New G Loomis GLX Rods

The new G Loomis GLX Rods made quite the stir at the 2012 ICAST show in Orlando, Florida. Their initial release included GLX Crankbait and GLX Flippin sticks which will be supplemented by additional lines of new GLX bass fishing rods to complete their full series.

Monster Fishing Tackle offers additional information on the New GLX Rods with a breakdown of each new rod in their line of crankbait and flipping sticks and their intended use.

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.

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

  

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.

Jackall IOBee Frog

Also at the 2011 ICAST show was another great finesse fisherman and Jackall representative, David Swendseid, who showed off the new IOBee frog. This new frog is designed to be fished right out of the box and features many of the modifications already built in that pros use to prep their frogs for battle. Custom made hooks are designed to improve hooksets and the lure features a balanced weight system that allows the frog to stay balanced when casting and walking the dog. This system also helps the frog sit more level in the water to achieve more splashing and aid in a perfect side to side walking action.

The IOBee features rubber skirts for legs, and the rubber flares out and sink slowly when the lure is paused. The IOBee is 2.5" in length and weighs 1/2oz. making it easy to cast long distances to cover plenty of water. This exciting new frog features the realistic finishes you would expect from Jackall and each frog will retail for $12.99.

The new Jackall IOBee Frog that hit the market is being offered in six different enticing colors and can all be found at MonsterFishingTackle.com

D&M Baits 'Baby Newt' and 'Super Newt'

Following their recent release of the D & M Super Newt and Baby Newt, company rep Dale Meddock offered more info and some instruction for fishing the plastic.  "We will have two sizes, both are five inches long.  The Super Newt is a big piece of plastic and the Baby Newt has thinner legs, ideal for a jig trailer or for flippin' and pitchin'.  From finesse to power fishing, this is really a nice bait," explained Meddock.

Addtional Colors can be seen at MonsterFishingTackle.com

He then included the following tips;

Finesse Fishing

The Newt swims exceptionally well at the slowest retrieve. Several things are trying to happen at once during a slow retrieve. First, the feet will spread apart and the legs will start to quiver. This causes the tail to instantly start swimming. If you speed up your retrieve with pulses in the cranking, the legs will start kicking open and closed. This gives the illusion that the legs are thrusting forward.

Chuck-n-Wind or Power Fishing

This is just as it reads. You can just go down the bank, picking out targets. Pushing out a huge wake and nice bubble trail. You can run the Newt at any depth and at any speed, topwater or subsurface. Burning, sends out huge vibrations from the kicking legs.
It is extremely weedless, made for the heavy mats, thick tules or open water. It will work as great a search bait any time of year.

Bed Fishing

The durability of this floating plastic formula is very nice. Multiple fish catches are possible. Just slide it into a bed and it will setup. The rate of fall is two seconds per foot of fall, this is with no weight and a heavy 6/0 EWG Gamakatsu hook. The Newt falls horizontal and slowly.

Kiss Rule-Keep it simple, stupid!

 The KISS principle states that most systems work best if they are kept simple rather than made complex, therefore simplicity should be a key goal and unnecessary complexity should be avoided.

Dry Rule-Don't Repeat Yourself

 This is aimed at reducing repetition of any kind. The DRY principle is stated as "Every twitch of movement must have a single, representation within a cast”. Predictably changes and uniformly are thus kept in sync.

Power Fishing-Rule of least power

This is a design principle which suggests choosing the least powerful fishing method suitable for a given purpose or don`t wear yourself out.

Yamamoto Senko

While the Senko was his brainchild, and has been his tournament bread-and-butter for quite a while, Gary Yamamoto is constantly looking for ways to improve its effectiveness. Over the course of the past year, he seems to have reached a point where he’s able to catch fish seemingly at will by rigging it “backward.”
“The image people have of the Senko is that you fish it slow, cast it out and let it sit,” he said. “But that’s not the case here. With a #8 by one-inch screw in the head and the hook in the tail, you can fish it pretty fast with a yo-yo presentation. Cast it out, let it fall to the bottom, then pick it up and do it again.”
The proof, as they say, is in the livewell and Yamamoto utilized the technique to notch a 2^nd place finish in last week’s PAA event on Tennessee’s Old Hickory Lake. That’s his second runner-up finish on the rig in less than a year – he came in second to Dave Wolak in an FLW Tour Open on Lake Champlain last year using the same presentation.
Last year, during the Porter Wagoner Memorial Artists and Anglers Fishing Tournament on Old Hickory, Yamamoto located fish with the Senko in large marinas, suspended under floating docks. This time he couldn’t get that pattern to go, so instead he borrowed a page out of his Beaver Lake playbook. When he’d been there at the end of April, he’d targeted bass relating to bluff walls, particularly wherever there was downed wood. He found a similar stretch at Old Hickory and doted on it for much of the tournament.

He thought he’d found a reliable topwater bite on his company’s Sugoi Splash popper, but it proved to be a frustrating exercise: “I’d get them on and they got off,” he recalled. “I missed a few good fish.” Fortunately, he then abandoned that technique temporarily, headed to the bluff walls, and salvaged his first day of competition to the tune of 13.54 pounds, enough to have him comfortably in 5^th place, but still almost four pounds off the lead.
“On the second day, it got even worse,” he said. “I missed the topwater fish and broke off a 3 ½ pound bass at the boat when it wrapped around a log.” Nevertheless, he had almost 10 pounds, which kept him inside the cut in 8^th place.
“That third day I did some things backward,” he said. “I started with topwater and didn’t get a bite, so I went right to some docks I liked. I had caught a 4 ½ on Day One on one of them and quickly caught one about a pound and three quarters, just a keeper. I hoped they weren’t all going to be that way.”
On Day Three, his years of experience on the water and tinkering with tackle paid off. First, he realized that he’d been fishing the popper on a rod that was too light. He went to a stiffer model and proceeded to atone for past mistakes. Perhaps more importantly, he recognized that the water had gone up four or five inches overnight, which “gave the shoreline grass some depth,” and inspired him to stick with the topwater. “Fortunately, I didn’t miss any more,” he added
He spent the rest of the day mixing it up between the docks and the topwater. Even with the Senko, he maximized his effectiveness by using two different rod and reel combos: when pitching it to the grass and bluffs, he used a baitcasting rod spooled with 20 lb. Power Pro braid and a 16 lb. Sugoi fluorocarbon leader. When he skipped it under docks, he switched to a spinning rod with 15 lb. Power Pro and the same 16 lb. leader. He used a 2/0 Owner worm hook (not wide gap) under docks and a 1/0 version around the bluffs and grass.
By 10am, he had four fish in his livewell when he skipped the Senko up under a dock and tied into a six-pound kicker which he recalled “put up quite a fight” on his light tackle. With that fish in the boat, he had a limit and a kicker, and eventually culled up to 17.73 pounds, the biggest limit of the tournament.
Unfortunately, despite the big bag and the monster comeback, it was not enough to make up his ten-plus pound deficit to Steve Kennedy. Yamamoto fell just under two and a half pounds short, and while he has no regrets – “I performed quite well,” he said – he also noted that if he’d caught all of the topwater fish that bit “it would have been close.”
With two bridesmaid finishes in recent months, the most recent one to a fellow Yamamoto pro, Yamamoto was even-keeled about his fate as he moved directly on to the next event, an FLW Tour tournament on the Potomac.
“The competition keeps me going,” he said. “It’s what helps me develop new lures and techniques. And maybe one of these days I’ll win one on it.”
He may not back into a title, but no one should be surprised if the backwards Senko plays a role when he does claim the hard-earned trophy.

Costa Del Mar Brine Serries Sunglasses

When it comes to optics for anglers there are few sunglass companies that are as in tune with what anglers need out of a pair of polarized sunglasses than Costa Del Mar. The company not only studies the applications that anglers will use their sunglasses in but also is active in helping protect the environment and the fish for future generations.

Take a closer look at the "Brine" model and you will see that it features Hydrolite material for specially molded non slip temples. This material is actually fused into the frame so it will not come off like many competing sunglasses that use rubber slips.

The Brine comes in three different frame colors including tortoise, matte black and gunmetal and can be ordered in a wide variety of lenses. The hinges on the Brine are integrated and are designed to be very tough. Worried about your lenses fogging up? The Brine helps reduce fogging with patented venting on the side of each lens. The lens size on the Brine is medium sized and the sunglasses feature a sleek compact profile.

Lucky Craft SAMMY

The weather is getting HOT and so is that topwater bite we all love! Thankfully, Lucky Craft's SAMMY allows everyone to get in on the action since they've made "Walking the Dog" a breeze to do when fishing the SAMMY. Combine its easy to achieve "Walk the Dog" action with the spitting action of a popper and SAMMY gives you unsurpassed top water performance. But that's not all. Add the bass calling, glass rattles and the ultra natural coloring to top water bait that can be cast a long distance, and SAMMY becomes a must for all tackle boxes! SAMMY has already accounted for victories at the various tournaments within the past three years.

100 size - length: 4"          weight: 1/2oz       belly hook: #4           tail hook: #4

105 size - length: 4-1/8"    weight: 3/8oz       belly hook: #4, #6     tail hook: #5

115 size - length: 4-1/2"    weight: 5/8oz       belly hook: #4           tail hook: #4

128 size - length: 5"           weight: 1oz          belly hook: #4, #4     tail hook: #4

Lucky Craft FLAT CB D-20

Needing to get down deeper to feed those larger bass with a crankbait? Then the Lucky Craft FLAT CB D-20 was built for you. The FLAT CB is a series of crank baits featuring styling that's as functional as it is beautiful. This approach was born through exhaustive research in a technology called "Finesse cranking," which is used commonly in the Southeast, where cranking baits have demonstrated their effectiveness. The lightweight SR, for example, is designed not to alarm bass upon landing on the water. A unique system that shifts the balance point of a high-specific-gravity tungsten weight allows the user to get the maximum distance at each cast without losing control. The powerful rolling action achieved by a low center of gravity produces an excellent reflection effect that enable us to catch bass on all tries-from the very first cast, on the first day of field-testing, indeed, it is a miracle bait design.

Size: 3"      Weight: 3/4oz      Diving Depth: 20ft

The MR, DR, and D-12 were also developed under the same design concept: The user can choose the most suitable type, depending on water depth. Yet the most notable feature of these baits is the optimized oscillation rate achieved by their slender body designs. Unlike the FAT CB, which can be guided freely in water without being caught in the deadfall or rocks, the FLAT CB is suitable for use in open water, where it can lure bass hiding in rocky crevices or structure, or to catch schooling fish one by one without alarming the rest. Try it, and see for yourself the effect that optimized oscilliation can have.

Lucky Craft LV RTO

Lucky Craft LV RTO 150 and 250. The 150 size is a 2-1/2" long body that weighs 1/2oz. This lure is in the "Sinking" class and posses size 4 treble hooks in both the belly and tail of the bait. The larger version, LV RTO 250, is a 3" body weighing in at 3/4oz and carries size 3 treble hooks.

This new LV RTO series is a lipless crankbait that has a shimmy fall. Takahiro Omori designed this bait to fall with a fish attracting shimmy action that is perfect to get strikes from spooky bass. On retrieve, the wide flat head design increases the water resistance providing a strong wobbling action you can feel. The LV RTO is an excellent bait for use around weedy areas and vertical structure like break walls and bridge pilings. Throw it out, let it sink and hold on. Check out this video to see more!

Trokar HD Worm Hook

The trokar hooks line-up has a hook for every bass fishing application. Here's a description of the Trokar HD Worm Hook.

The HD Worm Hook is a heavy duty offset shank, round bend worm hook designed for soft plastic worm applications including the Carolina Rig. Many pros find this hook to be ideal for the big worms such as the 10" Power Worm. The round bend is among the most important factors when fishing the large plastic worms as it allows for a natural, texas rigged presentation and ensures the fish will stay pegged once they bite. The super sharp hook point allows any angler to set the hook with half the force required with traditional hooksets which means lighter line can be used resulting in a greater number of bites.

Zoom Baits Summer Tips

Zoom Baits Worms

Fishing Summer Ledges

Zoom Baits pro Terry Bolton suggests putting summer-time plastics on a diet Summer time worming for bass is an art form and few know it better than Zoom pro Terry Bolton. Bolton lived and guided on Kentucky Lake for many years. During the summers he laced miles of the lake’s infamous ledges with a wide variety of plastic worms.  Through those years of experience, Bolton has developed a routine to slim his plastic worms down as water temperatures go up.
“Basically, as the summer wears on, I go smaller, skinner, lighter and with less action in my worm selection,” Bolton explained. “It’s a trend that definitely works on TVA lakes throughout the summer and in a lot of other lakes, too.”
When ravished post-spawn bass first hit the ledges on TVA impoundments around the end of May and first of June, the fish are extremely aggressive and will eat anything that moves, including large worms.
“Not only are the ledge fish more aggressive that time of year, but we generally have more stained water, more current and less fishing pressure,” Bolton revealed. “That’s when I go to a bigger worm with a lot of action like a Magnum Ultra-Vibe Speed Worm with a paddle tail or a 10-inch Ol’ Monster.”
During this early-summer-time frenzy, Bolton tops his big worms with heavier 1/2- or 3/8-ounce weights.
“I employ a lot of lift and drop action to the worm early in the season,” he revealed. “The fish want something falling past them with a lot of vibration.”
But by July, Bolton starts altering his worm selection, slimming them down a bit.
“Once the water starts getting up past 82 degrees, it clears up and the fishing pressure begins to take its toll, I resort to smaller worms with less action,” he said. “The Mag II is awesome for the mid summer months – it’s a little thinner and its tail action is more subtle. I’ll drop down to a 5/16- or 1/4-ounce weight to give the worm a slower, more tantalizing fall.”
By the time late summer and early fall arrive, Bolton says “thin is in” and he goes to Zoom’s straight-tail worms including the original Trick Worm and Magnum Trick Worm.
“For some reason, the later in the summer it gets, the more sluggish the fish become and the less action the fish want in the worm, so I’ll back way off to the Trick Worms with a ¼-ounce weight,” he explained.
As for line size, Bolton employs 10- and 12-pound test fluorocarbons a majority of the time, regardless of the worm size or action.
And for colors, he lightens up as the season progresses, too.
“I like the plums, red bugs or junebugs early in the season with the bigger worms,” he said. “But by late summer and fall with the clearer waters, I move more towards the green pumpkins and watermelons.”
“Just remember, the later in the summer it gets, think smaller, skinnier, lighter weights, lighter colors and less action,” Bolton added. “And that should help get you a few more bites during the dog days of summer.”

Discounted G. Loomis Rods

Discounted G. Loomis Rods - G. Loomis Rods are known within the fishing world to offer the highest level of quality, comfort and performance. With fishing rods designed for Freshwater, Saltwater and Fly-Fishing they've got every angler covered. G. Loomis rods are priced at the top of the market and rightfully so, it can be argued they are in a league all of their own when it comes to fishing rods.

Recently, we at Monster Fishing Tackle, have listed rods returned by customers throughout the year. It is our policy that we do not re-stock the items as brand new due to the high price tag of G. Loomis and the expectation of quality that price tag carries. While none of these rods show any sign of use, we have decided to discount them and pass the savings along to our customers. Check them out at Monsterfishingtackle.com

Abu Garcia Reel Sale

The Abu Garcia Revo Reels have just been marked down. That's right, you heard it, Abu Garcia Revo Reel Sale! With incredible discounts on the high quality reels its unlikely that these reels will last very long. If you are in the market for a Revo S, Revo SX, Revo ST, or Revo Premier you need to check out this deal! Available for a limited time at Monsterfishingtackle.com.

The Best Grass Jig Ever?

The Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Okeechobee was the site of a dominating performance by angler Ish Monroe. Ish used the "big stick" all tournament and flipped up over 100lbs of bass during the four day event. While Ish Monroe's feat was incredible, the most dominating performance not have come from an angler at all, instead it could be said the most prominent headline of the tournament was the Medlock Double Weedguard Jig.

Over half the final 12 field offered the jig as one of their primary lures during the tournament, and an even greater number were filmed with it on the end of their line during the television program. The Medlock Double Weedguard Jig isn't a completely new bait on the market, its already been credited with numerous wins by local angler, and partner in Medlock Jigs, Brandon Medlock. The incredible ability to get in and out of heavy vegetation is among the most cited reason for using this unique jig. As the name states the jig actually incorporates two weedguards to keep the hook from gathering weeds, yet the hook point is completely uninhibited and, in fact, possibly more exposed than a traditional jig.

D-Bomb from Missile Baits

After Ish Monroe's crushing victory at Lake Okeechobee, anglers everywhere have tried out the Missile Baits D-Bomb. The early reports are off the charts! The bait is a winner. Pair it with some stout tackle, a 1.5oz Tungsten weight and a Paycheck Baits Punch Skirt and you're ready to go. Take a look at the video from John Crews explaining the features.

The California Delta Striped Bass

California Delta Bass could be a thing of the past! The state of California is taking steps to eliminate the population of the stripers. Take a look at an article by Dr. Peter Moyle and William A. Bennett of U.C. Davis regarding the issue: Striped Bass California Delta

G. Loomis NRX Rods - Monster Fishing Tackle

G. Loomis NRX Bass Rods

G. Loomis NRX Casting Rods

Model	Rod	Line	Lure Weight	Action	Power
G. Loomis NRX 802C JWR	6'8	10-14	1/8-3/8	Medium	Ex-Fast
G. Loomis NRX 803C JWR	6'8"	12-16	3/16-5/8	Med-Heavy	Ex-Fast
G. Loomis NRX 804C JWR	6'8"	14-20	5/16-3/4	Heavy	Fast
G. Loomis NRX 852C JWR	7'1"	10-14	1/8-3/8	Medium	Ex-Fast
G. Loomis NRX 853C JWR	7'1"	12-16	3/16-5/8	Med-Heavy	Ex-Fast
G. Loomis NRX 854C JWR	7'1"	14-20	5/16-3/4	Heavy	Fast
G. Loomis NRX 893C JWR	7'5"	12-16	3/16-5/8	Med-Heavy	Ex-Fast
G. Loomis NRX 873C CRR	7'3"	12-17	1/4-3/4	Med-Heavy	Fast

G. Loomis NRX Spinning Rods

Model	Rod	Line	Lure Weight	Action	Power
G. Loomis NRX 802S JWR	6'8"	6-10	1/8-1/4	Medium	Ex-Fast
G. Loomis NRX 803S JWR	6'8"	8-14	1/8-5/16	Med-Heavy	Ex-Fast
G. Loomis NRX 852S JWR	7'1"	6-12	1/8-3/8	Medium	Ex-Fast
G. Loomis NRX 822S DSR	6'10"	6-12	3/16-1/2	Mag-Medium	Ex-Fast
G. Loomis NRX 822S SYR	6'10"	6-12	1/8-5/16	Mag-Medium	Ex-Fast

Roboworm Robo Minnow Swimbait - Monster Fishing Tackle

Roboworm Robo Minnow

 

Soft Plastic Swimbait

The Roboworm Robo Minnow is a full bodied, soft plastic swimbait that mimics the action of appearance of baitfish such as shad. Roboworm, known for their high quality pours and detailed color patterns, set out to create a swimbait that could accurately replicate the wide variety of shad style baitfish throughout the county. Pairing a wide tail kick swimming action with Roboworm's realistic color patterns, the Robo Minnow is the ideal choice for matching shad that bass often feed upon. Anglers will find this bait to offer multiple rigging options due to the baits full plastic body - use a shank weighted belly hook, jig head, or as an Umbrella Rig bait - this swimbait will put fish in the boat.
The Roboworm Robo Minnow is 4.25" in length and comes five per pack in the clamshell packaging. We offer the Robo Minnow is five colors: Blueback, Ghost Minnow, Perfect Shad, Smokey Shad and SXE Shad.

Evolve Vibra Grub - Monster Fishing Tackle

Evolve Lures Vibra Grub

3" - 8 Baits Per Pack
4" - 6 Baits Per Pack
The Vibra Grub is unlike any soft bait on the market today. Many have tried to mimic its action… to no avail. As water flows across the front of the Vibra Grub, the appendages on either side of the body flutter and undulate with a mind of their own. The Vibra Grub looks impossibly alive underwater, and can be fished using a number of tournament proven methods: On a skirtless jig head, a weighted swimbait hook, as a jig trailer, or on a dropshot rig…amongst others. Two US patents speak to the unique effectiveness of this bait, and largemouth, smallmouth, pike and walleye anglers across the world are starting to understand the genius of this product.

Monster A-Rig - Monster Fishing Tackle

Monster A-Rig Umbrella Rig

Alabama Style Rig

The Monster A-Rig is an umbrella style lure that possesses a central head from which five wires extend; each wire features a snap swivel for attaching a lure of your choice. The popularity of the Alabama style rigs cannot be overstated. After the win by Paul Elias at the FLW Tour Event on Lake Guntersville, the rig caught on like wildfire claiming responsibility for three straight national tournament wins and forever changing the sport of bass fishing. Anglers all over the country have reported phenomenal success using this type of lure and the reports continue to roll in. Record breaking catches, unimaginable catch rates, and many fish tales have been the results of anglers experimenting with umbrella rigs.
Still, there are many unanswered questions when choosing to use this type of lure. First and foremost anglers may not be aware of just how to set up the unrigged contraption. Out of the package the lure exhibits a straight and narrow appearance that needs to be adjusted in order to be fished properly. Although there are several ways to bend the wires, the two most popular wire configurations are as follows:

• One wire bent straight down, three wires bent through the middle, with the remaining wire bent upward at the same angle as the bottom wire.
• Two wires bent down at the same angle, one middle wire, the top two wires bent to mirror the bottom two wires.

After bending the wires to achieve the desired configuration, anglers then need to add baits. The most popular and effective method is to attach five soft plastic swimbaits by using swimbait jig heads. If there are no state regulations restricting the number of hooks per lure then simply use five swimbait heads of the same weight. For anglers fishing in states that do regulate the number of hooks to be used then it gets a little trickier. Although you may only use a certain number of hooks, it is still best to maintain the five swimbait setup. Anglers have come to find bass will strike the bottom baits nearly every time therefore its best to rig the baits with hooks on the bottom wires. The remaining wires will hold teaser baits that can be attached by using the Owner Centering Pins.
Lets use a three hook restriction as an example: When restricted to three hooks its best to configure the wires with the two-one-two arrangement. Attach a jig head to the bottom wires and the middle wire. In order to achieve a lure that runs straight its best to use two slightly heavier jig heads on the bottom wires and a slightly lighter jig head in the middle. The remaining two wires will house the teaser baits.
When fishing any type of Alabama Rig we recommend the following gear considerations:

• Rod: Swimbait rods that can handle 3-5oz - several rod companies are developing umbrella rig specific rods
• Reel:
  Choose a reel with a high line capacity spool - we also recommend a
  6.1:1 or higher speed reel that can adapt to the diverse conditions the
  umbrella rig thrives in
• Line: 50-80lb braided line
• Hook: Swimbait jig heads ranging from 1/8-3/8oz are commonly used when employing soft plastic swimbaits

The initial success of the Original Alabama Rig from Mann's Lures has spawned several similar lures from many other manufacturers. This version, is our own Monster A-Rig and it is currently offered in two color patterns: Chartreuse Shad and Tennessee Shad.

• Five Wires
• Length: 6.5" line tie to snap swivels
• Unweighted head
• Premium components

iRod Genesis II Bass Rods - Monster Fishing Tackle

iRod Genesis II Series Casting Rods

Bass Casting Rods

The iRod Genesis II Series Rods are high quality bass fishing rods that feature premium components and styling, yet retains an affordable price tag. iRod's Genesis II Series of rods offers anglers a full line of bass fishing rods that encompasses the entire spectrum of bass fishing techniques. With design influence from several of the top professional anglers, the iRod Genesis II Rods are designed to meet the needs of bass fishermen from the novice to expert level. We offer the complete line of Genesis II Series Casting and Spinning Rods.

IRG703C

A staple of every quiver this rod is perfect for all light to Medium fishing. It is a perfect rod for: worms, jerkbaits, poppers, senkos and flukes and traps.
Length: 7′

Lure weight: 3/16 ­ 3/8

Line weight: 6-12lb

Power: Med. heavy

Action: Fast

Handle: 1

IRG704C

This is the perfect jig rod, also a great rod for heavier worms and med. top water baits.
Length: 7′

Lure weight:1/4 – 1 1/4

Line weight: 10 ­20lb

Power: Heavy

Action: Fast

Handle: 1

IRG744C

This is the most versatile rod in the line up. It perfect for topwaters, spinnerbaits, jigs, c-rigs, pitchin, and big worms
Length:7’4″

Lure weight:1/4 – 3/4

Line weight:10-18lb

Power: Med. Heavy

Action: Fast

Handle: 1

IRG754F “Fred’s Magic Stick"

Originally designed by Fred as frog rod but it became so much more. Similar to the IRG744C but with a bit more beef. Its a great rod for frogs, toads. flipping, big worms and jigs.
Length: 7’5″

Lure weight:1/2 – 2oz

Line weight:50-70lb braid, 12-25lb

Power: Heavy

Action:fast/moderate

Handle: 1

IRG703CC “Gabe’s Rip Rap Special”

Designed by Gabe for small to medium crankbaits and most reaction baits. Its composite of glass and graphite give it the perfect soft tip to allow for casting and hooking reaction fish, but has pleanty of backbone to turn the biggest of fish.
Length: 7′

Lure weight:1/4 – 3/4

Line weight:8-16

Power: Med. Heavy

Action: Fast

Handle: 1

IRG783SB “Jr. Swim”

This rod was designed to cast the most popular size swimbaits. Don’t let its moderate action fool you, this rod will handle the biggest of swimbait fish. Designed to cast 5-7″ swimbaits without any fatigue.
Length: 7’8″

Lure weight:1-4oz

Line weight: 12-20lb

Power: Med. Heavy

Action: Moderate

Handle: 2

IRG794SB “Large Swim”

Another swimbait rod made to fish 8″- 10″ swimbaits all day without feeling it. Perfect for Hudds. It’s super light weight, thin wall construction makes it the most comfortable rod out there.
Length:7’9″

Lure weight:4-10oz

Line weight:15-25lb

Power: Heavy

Action: Moderate

Handle: 2

IRG795SB “Jumbo Swim”

This rod is made for the biggest of baits 10-12″ Don’t let its size intimidate you, its thin wall construction makes it feel like half the rod.
Length: 7’9″

Lure weight:8-12oz

Line weight:20-50

Power: Extra Heavy

Action: Moderate

Handle: 2

IRG7114P “Bub’s Punch Rod”

Bub put in a lot of thought in to this rod. It has the power to pull out any size bass out of heavy cover but has a soft enough tip to play fish without tearing out the hook.
Length:7’11″

Lure weight:1/2 – 2oz

Line weight:50-70lb, 15-25

Power: Heavy

Action: Fast/Moderate

Handle: 3

IRG713S “Fred’s Power Finesse Rod H”

This is the perfect compliment to the 712S. Its a perfect rod for fishing senkos, jigs, tubes and skipping docks.
Length:7’1″

Lure weight:3/16-7/16

Line weight:8-16

Power Med. Heavy

Action: Fast

Handle: 4

IRG723C “Stone Cold Swim & Vibrating Jig”

Designed by Marty stone for Swim and Vibrating Jigs but also a great rod for most other reaction baits. The tip is not only perfect for hooking reaction fish but also aids with effortless roll casting.
Length: 7’2″

Lure weight:3/8-1 1/2

Line weight:12-25

Power: Med. Heavy

Action:moderate Fast

Handle:1

IRG7113CC “Fred’s Crank Launcher”

Fred designed this rod for deep diving cranks but will work with mid divers and larger shallow divers. Not your usual crank rod, this rod is all graphite and is not  whippy and soft like others. It’s tip is strong enough to drive in a hook set yet forgiving enough to play the fish without ripping out the hooks. It will also cast any crank bait a country mile which is needed to get the big cranks down deep.
Length:7’11″

Lure weight:3/8-1 1/2

Line weight:8-20

Power: Med. Heavy

Action:Moderate

Handle:1

IRG693CC “Stone Cold Squarebill”

Very similar to the Rip Rap Special but a bit shorter for fishing near and around overhanging trees and cover. Another glass/graphite composite blank with a glass tip to help with casting and hooking nipping and slashing fish but also has the graphite backbone to control the meanest of fish.
Length:6’9″

Lure weight:3/16-1/3

Line weight:6-12

Power: Med. Heavy

Action: Fast

Handle:1

IRG693C “Harold’s Lone Star Special”

Designed by Harold “The Legend” Allen. Harold was looking for a rod he could use for almost everything and that he got. This rod is great for shaking worms, fishing topwater, spinnerbaits and even jigs. If your looking for a all around rod in a shorter package, this is it.
Length:6’9″

Lure weight:3/16-1/2

Line weight: 6-12

Power: Med. Heavy

Action: Fast

Handle 1

IRG7103AB “Bama Rig Special”

This is not another swimbait rod. we needed a rod that would be perfect to throw all variations of the umbrella rig. It will throw a three arm bait with 1/8 heads all the way up to a five arm bait rigged with 1/2 oz heads as far as you want. Its responsive tip allows for smooth hook ups and has plenty of backbone to land multiple fish at once.
Length:7’10″

Lure weight:1-4oz

Line weight:50-70 braid

Power: Med. Heavy

Action: Moderate

Handle: 2

Roboworm Robo Minnow Swimbait

Roboworm Robo Minnow

Soft Plastic Swimbait

The Roboworm Robo Minnow is a full bodied, soft plastic swimbait that mimics the action of appearance of baitfish such as shad. Roboworm, known for their high quality pours and detailed color patterns, set out to create a swimbait that could accurately replicate the wide variety of shad style baitfish throughout the county. Pairing a wide tail kick swimming action with Roboworm's realistic color patterns, the Robo Minnow is the ideal choice for matching shad that bass often feed upon. Anglers will find this bait to offer multiple rigging options due to the baits full plastic body - use a shank weighted belly hook, jig head, or as an Umbrella Rig bait - this swimbait will put fish in the boat.
The Roboworm Robo Minnow is 4.25" in length and comes five per pack in the clamshell packaging. We offer the Robo Minnow is five colors: Blueback, Ghost Minnow, Perfect Shad, Smokey Shad and SXE Shad.

Monster A-Rig - Monster Fishing Tackle

Monster A-Rig Umbrella Rig

Alabama Style Rig

The Monster A-Rig is an umbrella style lure that possesses a central head from which five wires extend; each wire features a snap swivel for attaching a lure of your choice. The popularity of the Alabama style rigs cannot be overstated. After the win by Paul Elias at the FLW Tour Event on Lake Guntersville, the rig caught on like wildfire claiming responsibility for three straight national tournament wins and forever changing the sport of bass fishing. Anglers all over the country have reported phenomenal success using this type of lure and the reports continue to roll in. Record breaking catches, unimaginable catch rates, and many fish tales have been the results of anglers experimenting with umbrella rigs.
Still, there are many unanswered questions when choosing to use this type of lure. First and foremost anglers may not be aware of just how to set up the unrigged contraption. Out of the package the lure exhibits a straight and narrow appearance that needs to be adjusted in order to be fished properly. Although there are several ways to bend the wires, the two most popular wire configurations are as follows:

• One wire bent straight down, three wires bent through the middle, with the remaining wire bent upward at the same angle as the bottom wire.
• Two wires bent down at the same angle, one middle wire, the top two wires bent to mirror the bottom two wires.

After bending the wires to achieve the desired configuration, anglers then need to add baits. The most popular and effective method is to attach five soft plastic swimbaits by using swimbait jig heads. If there are no state regulations restricting the number of hooks per lure then simply use five swimbait heads of the same weight. For anglers fishing in states that do regulate the number of hooks to be used then it gets a little trickier. Although you may only use a certain number of hooks, it is still best to maintain the five swimbait setup. Anglers have come to find bass will strike the bottom baits nearly every time therefore its best to rig the baits with hooks on the bottom wires. The remaining wires will hold teaser baits that can be attached by using the Owner Centering Pins.
Lets use a three hook restriction as an example: When restricted to three hooks its best to configure the wires with the two-one-two arrangement. Attach a jig head to the bottom wires and the middle wire. In order to achieve a lure that runs straight its best to use two slightly heavier jig heads on the bottom wires and a slightly lighter jig head in the middle. The remaining two wires will house the teaser baits.
When fishing any type of Alabama Rig we recommend the following gear considerations:

• Rod: Swimbait rods that can handle 3-5oz - several rod companies are developing umbrella rig specific rods
• Reel:
  Choose a reel with a high line capacity spool - we also recommend a
  6.1:1 or higher speed reel that can adapt to the diverse conditions the
  umbrella rig thrives in
• Line: 50-80lb braided line
• Hook: Swimbait jig heads ranging from 1/8-3/8oz are commonly used when employing soft plastic swimbaits

The initial success of the Original Alabama Rig from Mann's Lures has spawned several similar lures from many other manufacturers. This version, is our own Monster A-Rig and it is currently offered in two color patterns: Chartreuse Shad and Tennessee Shad.

• Five Wires
• Length: 6.5" line tie to snap swivels
• Unweighted head
• Premium components

FLW Table Rock Winning Baits

Brent Long Winning Baits

While most in the area fished crankbaits, Long concentrated on one technique – flipping what he called “trash” for prespawn largemouths. In reality it was a mixture of sticks, stumps and lay-downs – any wood that had washed up on shore since the water came up a week ago. Long flipped the wood with either a black and blue jig made by Ernest Langley (tipped with a Charlie's Chunk) or a Charlie's Worms Flippin' Bug. Long would make several pitches at each piece, starting at the outside and working his way in. “I grew up watching and idolizing Hank Parker and Denny Brauer; they were dirty, shallow-water fishermen,” Long said. “But it's so hard to win a tournament shallow nowadays because those fish get so beat up; you almost have to find a school. But that's what I like to do; that's what I do best.” We offer several similar products: Jewel J Lock Flipping Jig Zoom Super Chunk Missile Baits D Bomb

2nd Place - Spencer Shuffield Baits

The 2011 Co-angler of the Year crushed the Table Rock bass this week on a modified umbrella rig called the Swim N' Frenzy. With shorter wires, smaller Keitech Swing Impact swimbaits and tiny willow blades, the entire rig can be thrown and pitched with ease. While Missouri state law allows only three hooks, Shuffield has already won a BFL event on Lake Ouachita with the bigger five-hook version. Chubby Chaser Baby Girl Keitech Swing Impact J-Will Swimbait Head

3rd Place - Troy Morrow Baits

Morrow worked both the clear and the dirty water near the State Park. On day one, he sampled the clear water and struggled. He thrived in the dirty water on days two and three but a gut instinct told him to return to the clear water Sunday due to the boat pressure in the dirty water. It turned out to be the right decision. “In the clear water, I was using an original Wiggle Wart painted by Xtreme Lure Creations in a green pumpkin crawfish pattern,” said Morrow. “What can you say about the Wiggle Wart? We keep throwing them and the bass don't seem to figure it out because they keep eating them.” Crankbaits Umbrella Rigs

4th Place - Clint Brownlee Baits

“I was catching most of my fish out a bit in the 5- to 10-foot range,” said the Tifton, Ga., pro. “When the water started dropping, I decided to fish steeper banks.” Brownlee said he felt most comfortable in the dirty water and never had inclination to play the sight-fishing game in the clear water. His key baits were Strike King 3XD and a Lucky Craft 1.5 crankbait in browns and crawfish colors. Strike King Series 3 Lucky Craft Crankbaits