New Tackle

Bass fishing tackle and assorted gear tends to be an amazing collection of the continuously revamped, tweaked and improved standbys as well as, from time to time, technology-driven innovative introductions of totally new stuff.

Of course, by now you realize most of the hard plastic baits are made overseas were molding and finishing plants can produce products for pennies and quality has come up to the level which we expect. Soft plastic baits are mostly still molded here in the good old USA. Electronics are mostly now made in Mexico.

Tackle trends in slow years can be difficult to categorize. There is no soft plastic jerkbait craze, no amazing stickbait, and no drop shot tactic this year. Even the soft plastic swimbait explosion of the last three years has slowed. For 2010 we think you’ll see the proliferation of some incredibly lifelike finishes on new hard baits manufacture red in China and other Far East factories not known in the past for their attention to detail. This is changing and you will notice it at the tackle shops and shows this winter and spring.

The recent relentless annual upgrading of fishing electronics will finally slow in 2010 with most manufacturers seeing where the market is going and offering some less expensive models utilizing relatively new technology. That’s good news if you felt the pressure to constantly upgrade your depth finders and GPS units. You’ll note the use of the term “Legacy” units in some manufacturers’ product lines. Read this as good units, with proven technology at great prices that didn’t sell completely out before the recession took high-end unit sales numbers down.

There was a major acquisition in the fishing world you might have missed, too. Jarden Corporation bought out PURE Fishing. Yep, old Tom Beddell got out at the top of the market and is now enjoying a life of fishing, traveling and even more start-up businesses. Jarden is a global-wide company headquartered in Rye, NJ. with over 25,000 employees. It also owns Ball, Crock-Pot, FoodSaver, Mr. Coffee, Oster, Rival, Sunbeam, Marmot, Rawlings and Coleman, so the distribution of PURE Fishing brands should be even better. These brands now include ABU Garcia, All Star, Berkley, Gulp!, Fenwick, Penn (bought a couple years back), Shakespeare, Mitchell, Spider, Johnson and Stren.

What follows is a special W2 preview of many new items you’ll want to find at the outdoor shows and at tackle shops and marine dealers this spring. We think they will be the kind of new stuff that makes an impression at weigh-in as well as at the end of a day of just fun fishing.

ABU Garcia

The new Cardinal® 500ALBi spinning reel series is a performance based spinning reel designed for durability and long life. It was designed with a nine ball bearing Drive and Instant Anti-Reverse bearing for long life performance and instant hook sets. Built with X-Craftic™ aluminum alloy providing maximum corrosion resistance even in the harshest saltwater. It has a smooth and consistent multi-disc drag system that can easily handle those hard running fish. Great for both salt and freshwater angling.

The Cardinal SORON SX series of spinning reels comes with seven HPCR® (High Precision Corrosion Resistant) bearings providing outstanding smoothness during casts and retrieves. Duragear™ gears made of heavy-duty and corrosion resistant brass add to the reel's durability and long life. The body, body cover, rotor, and bail arm are built with X-Craftic™ corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy to be super light, extremely durable, and corrosion resistant even in the toughest saltwater conditions. With our now world famous Carbon Matrix™ drag system, the angler feels a solid and smooth line drag, not the erratic pull of line felt on most other drag systems. The SORÖN SX reels also include our exclusive SuperLine Spool System, which eliminates the need to tape the line to the spool, and completely eliminates slipping superlines. salt or fresh, this is one tough reel.

The ABU Garcia Vengeance™ line of rods features is a balance of function and design that is ergonomically appealing and offers performance enhancing. These rods combine high-modulus graphite with the latest components and technologies at an economical price.

Soft-Touch Reel Seats firmly hold the reel in place and provide increased comfort, deep pressed casting guides and OY spinning frames for greater casting distance, high density EVA foam grips are contoured for superior comfort and durability, there’s a laser etched Abu Garcia® crest on butt cap and a convenient hook keeper. These rods are available by power ratings:
3 - Light
4 - Medium Light
5 - Medium
6 - Medium Heavy 
7 – Heavy.

Factory balancing a rod is no top-secret science; it’s simply an extra step most manufactures choose to ignore. The Vendetta™ series of rods are precisely balanced to meet the weight and specifications of the Revo® and Soron™ reels from Abu Garcia®.

A counterbalance system in the handle creates the perfect harmony between rod and reel, allowing for greater sensitivity and control without the undue fatigue caused by an unbalanced blank

Fuji Soft-Touch Reel Seats firmly hold the reel in place and provide increased comfort, Pac Bay Zirconium Coated Deep Pressed Frame Guides create smooth, long casts, 30-Ton Graphite Construction provides durability in a lightweight, high density EVA foam handles for superior comfort and durability, eye-catching red double anodized aluminum reel screw down provides the ultimate in reel seat lock down, laser etched Abu Garcia® crest on butt cap and a convenient hook keeper.

These rods are also available by power ratings:
4 - Medium Light
5 - Medium
6 - Medium Heavy 
7 – Heavy.

Berkley

FireLine has always been thought of as the smoothest casting superline for spinning reels. Now, with new FireLine Braid, you can have the best selling superline in the world for your baitcast reel. FireLine braid with its revolutionary radial construction that makes it round, smooth and strong, properties that keep line from digging into your spool. FireLine Tracer Braid has the same great properties, but adds alternating 2.5 feet Low-Vis/Hi-Vis colors for easy strike detection.

PowerBait® has new offerings to the wildly successful Hollow Belly swimbaits with new 4" and 6" sizes. All new Hollow Belly's in 3" and 5" Split -tails, 4" Pro Tubes and a 5.5" Flippin' Tube allows you to be ready for any action. The Heavy Weight Regular and Fat Sinkworms are available in 4", 5" and 7" and are weighted baits that allow for precise casting ability and control. Building upon the success of the 4" and 6" Hand Poured Finesse Worm, that Michael Bennett used to win the $1,000,000 FLW Championship is a new 7" Hand Poured Finesse Worm. The triple layer Hand Pour Worm presents a soft and flexible lifelike texture and spade tail design that increases the amount of movement and vibration in the bait. New Jigs designed by legendary bass pro's, Hank Parker, Mike Iaconelli and Jay Yelas are now available. Saltwater anglers have a new 3" and 3.5" PowerBait Rattle Shrimp. These come pre-rigged with the weight molded inside and designed to make the bait fall or swim without tumbling or rolling. Extra strong, corrosion resistant black nickel hooks withstand saltwater conditions and the built-in tube rattle has a clicking sound to attract game fish from further distances.

Capt. Gary's Bass Boat Instant Shine

This is the stuff to keep your expensive bass boat looking better than new for many years. I have tried many, I think all the products available to keep my boat "one of my most expensive investments" clean and looking like new and Capt. Gary's Bass Boat Instant Shine is the best I have found, it is very easy to use after a long day on the water, has a light polymer polish no need for another step to wax the boat and the one product cleans, shines and protects my bass boat from the Sun's harmful UV ray's. As a bonus Capt. Gary's Bass Boat Instant Shine gives me more time on the water and less time needed to clean the boat! For more information go to www.captaingarysproducts.com (910) 892-1791 or sales@warbirdoutdoors.com (703) 878-3111. – Karl Bunch

Gulp!

Gulp! Alive!®, the "replacement" for live bait is 20% more powerful than Gulp! and is available in a new oval bucket that allows larger baits to "swim" in the Gulp! attractant and come out perfectly shaped, ready to use. There are many new shapes and sizes including the 5" Crazy Legs Jerk Shad, winner of the Best Soft Lure category at ICAST. Saltwater anglers also have the new 8" Eel and 6" Bloodworm along with new assortment buckets that come pre-packed with a variety of our best selling shapes and sizes. Trout and panfish anglers will appreciate the new Gulp! Alive! micro baits including Angleworms, Corn Nuggets, Maggots, Waxies and a Fish Fry.

Ima Lures

Established in 1998, Ima Japan is one of the most prestigious and renowned manufacturers of hard baits for both saltwater and freshwater species in Japan. Since developing a United States office in 2007, the company has been the leader in bringing innovative, imaginative and realistic pro-inspired lures to the American Market.

Two years ago, Ima lures and Elite Series pro Fred Roumbanis combined to introduce American anglers to the wake-baiting phenomenon through the release of the Ima Roumba, a wide-wobbling lure that since then has captured the fancy of big bass anglers from coast to coast. Recently the two-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier has worked diligently to enhance the lure that was already the leader in its class – he’s worked with Ima’s engineers to create a version with rattles.

The rattling version is a great choice when the water is dirty – especially on local tidal waters.

“At low tides, when the water pulls the sediment off of the vegetation and it gets clear, I like the silent version,” Roumbanis notes. “But when the tide is high and it’s a little harder to see that rattling one will call them from long distances.”

While the lure retains the same three-inch size as the original with the same high-tech components and the same signature action, it will be available in six new colors specifically requested and perfected by the Ima pros.

“I have found the Rattlin Roumba to be very effective when used as a search bait by making three cast as a wake bait and dropping the rod for the next three cast as a shallow crankbait. I can very quickly and effectively cover a shoreline using this technique. My favorite color is the new Double Cheeseburger, I designed this color for the tidal waters on the east coast,” upper Chesapeake Bay guide Karl Bunch told W2.

The Ima Skimmer is a new lure designed to tempt fish even when the topwater bite isn’t particularly aggressive, the Skimmer is a slender, “walk the dog” style hard bait with a side-to-side surface action. When the bait is paused, it slowly drops down to a 70-degree angle resting position — when many of the strikes will come, says the manufacturer. A weighted tail makes casting long distances easier.

For the topwater fishermen Ima has the Big Stick topwater bait. This lure is very effective for stripers as well as old bucketmouth. The Big Stik is a high-tech lunker-killer that walks, pops, spits and catches just about anything that swims. It’s a rear weighted bait making it easier to cast and enabling it to sit in a position that as soon as you start your retrieve, it starts to walk and pitch water a foot and a half to three feet in front of the bait. The ima Big Stik features wire through construction, heavier split rings and quality Owner hooks so it will stand up to any trophy fish. It is deadly for bass, musky, pike, stripers and many saltwater species! It is seven inches long and weighs 1.75 ounces with eight individual sound chambers that allow it to be popped subtly or worked faster to make it “the loudest plug you’ve ever heard.” It’ll spit like a magnum popper, walk like the hardest-sashaying walking bait, and anglers needn’t be experts to make it do its thing.

Koppers

The Koppers LiveTarget Shad looks to be one of 2010’s hottest lures. Just one look at the highly lifelike finishes on these baits will make you a believer. When fishing clear water conditions, this detailed tool is said to perform like no other fish imitation.  The Koppers Live Target baits (a shad, crawdad and golden shiner) have a precise profile and intricate head detail that gamefish find absolutely irresistible. The tight wiggle action is a deadly temptation when worked with a stop and go stroke or steady retrieve.

Lowrance

The new Lowrance Mark™ & Elite™ Series will be available in our region by March 2010
 and should offer area anglers a nice option on their bass boats. Innovation and technology come together in two exciting new lines of easy-to-use and nicely affordable marine electronics – both packed with legendary Lowrance features. From higher-detail target definition and super-bright displays to a smart new case design and simplified one-hand operation -- all are a dream come true for value-conscious anglers and boaters alike.
 

The screens feature a full five inches of high-detail, 480x480-pixel display viewing with 16-level gray scale (Mark) and enhanced SolarMAX™ color (Elite). 
 The mounts feature an all-new quick-release, tilt and swivel bracket with low-profile base for easy installation, viewing adjustment and one-hand removal/reinstall. 
(Think Humminbird.) There’s also a new keypad design for improved one-hand control., (Hooray!) and a simpler interface with simpler menu text and icons design for faster and easier operation.
 Another cool feature is the new TrackBack™ Tool which allows anglers immediate scroll-back of fishfinder display history to review covered water.
 You can also choose a wider transducer that has /200 kHz dual-frequency underwater fishfinder coverage. 
 

The chartplotters use 16-channel GPS antenna for superior navigation precision with an external antenna option available and are fully compatible with Navionics® Gold chartcards in microSD card format.

The new Lowrance color Elite-5x Fishfinder brings a new level of high performance and high color to serious anglers for an amazing low price.
 

The brilliant five-inch, 480x480 pixel SolarMAX™ 256-color TFT display has unmatched screen brightness, contrast, resolution and viewing detail at wider angles and in bright sunlight. The adjustable screen and keypad backlight improves usability and visibility day or night.
 

Optimum Baits

The new Baby Line Thru is a soft plastic swimbait designed to fish well with a moderate to fast retrieve. The BLT features an irresistible tight body roll and pulsating tail kick that fish can’t resist. This bait is perfect for locating fish quickly by fan casting in the shallows or slowly dragging in deeper areas. Use the 3” BLT with a medium action rod about 6’6” -7’ on 8-14lb line while the 5” should be fished with a 7’ medium heavy rod and 14-20lb line.

The BLT offers a unique and simple way to be rigged. Run your line through the bait and tie on sharp treble hook. Bury the hook point into the belly. When the fish strikes the bait, many times it will pull free allowing the bait to run up your line when fighting the fish thus saving your bait for future use.

Power Pole

In our region we are fortunate that we can flats fish one day and sight fish the next. Whichever you choose, the Power Pole Boat Anchoring System can help you with boat control and make your day of fishing much easier and enjoyable. If you equip your boat with one Power Pole the bow will point in the direction of the current or wind, but stay anchored in that spot. If you equip your boat with two Power Pole's your boat will stay anchored exactly as you have the bow positioned with just pressing the switch.

For more information on the Power Pole System you contact Sanderson Marine (804) 706-4100 www.sandersonmarine.com or www.power-pole.com . – Karl Bunch

Rapala Flat Rap

Though it might seem odd to see a jerkbait with flat sides, don’t judge the Flat Rap before you fish it. The flat sides and triangular lip give this slow-rising balsa lure a dancing and darting action that is one-of-a kind. The lure is available in 3 1/8- and 4-inch sizes and a host of popular colors.

Tuscaroran Lures

This company looks to have one of the most realistic soft plastic frogs on the market. The new Rude Frog is said to solve one of the most annoying problems for frog fishermen: rolling. If the lure rolls upside down during the retrieve, all an angler needs to do is stop the lure, and it will turn upright. Also, the lure is made of a soft but durable soft plastic, enabling it to stand up to numerous fish.

Strike King

The Strike King Rage Smokin' Rooster is an aggressive creature bait with oversized arms.  It measures in at five inches in length and is one of Denny Brauer's favorite flippin' baits because its large profile is a perfect big fish bait.  This is a great bait for Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, flipping or pitching.  Like all Strike King Rage Tail baits, this is bait gives off an unbelievable vibration and it sure to attract some attention.

ZOOM

You probably didn’t think ZOOM could improve the amazing soft plastic jerkbait it calls the Super Fluke. Think again, because the Swimmin’ Super Fluke might have done it. The Swimmin’ Super Fluke has a paddle tail like a swimbait, but it swims upright without the aid of a weighted hook and has an action only the cousin of the original fluke could have. This is certainly one of those lures you’ll want in your tacklebox in 2010. The lures will be available in a host of the company’s most popular colors.