The Story of Tim's 15 lber!

Some anglers spend years in search of a trophy bass. Tim put in his time as an angler but on his first day with a swimbait he boated two bass for 25 lbs! 

Tim's first swimbait fish ever was a 9.8 lber from Collins Lake. It was the biggest bass he'd ever caught but somehow it was still bittersweet. He had high hopes for his first 10 lber and to come so close was tough to swallow. Hours later, lined up on the same spot he got his chance! 

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One bite, one hookset, and a long fight later, Tim was holding a 15 lb bass! He'd hoped for a 10 lber but got a teener, a true fish of a lifetime! 

Swimbait Used: Huddleston 8" ROF 5

The gear Tim SHOULD have been using...

Rod #1-956
Rod #2- 807

Reel #1 (Round Option)
Reel #2 (Low Profile Option)

Line- 65 or 80 lb Braided

Leader- 30 lb

Best Fishing Rods for New Anglers

Its crazy how many brands, lengths, and types of rods are on the market! Tim helps make sense of it all by recommending the 3 rods that you need as a new angler. Forget all the hype and marketing, these will get you through 99% of the techniques we use in bass fishing. 

As a beginning fisherman you want to purchase the best equipment you can within your budget. These are fishing rods you're going to use for a very long time. However, you do not want to exceed your budget so we recommend spending more on the fishing rod than the fishing reel. With that in mind we aren't recommending any high end reels with this video. 

Tim's Recommended Rods Based on Your Budget...

7' Medium Spinning Rod:

Low $$$- Shimano Sellus
Mid $$$- Dobyns Fury
High $$$- G Loomis NRX

7' Medium Baitcasting Rod:

Low $$$- Shimano Sellus
Mid $$$- Shimano Clarus
High $$$- Dobyns Champ Extreme

7'-7'2" Medium Heavy Baitcasting Rod: 

Low $$$- Shimano Sellus
Mid $$$- Dobyns Fury
High $$$- Shimano Zodias

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Reel Recommendations for each...

Spinning Low $$$- Shimano Nexave 2500
Spinning Mid $$$- Shimano Saros 2500

Baitcasting Low $$$- Shimano Caius
Baitcasting Mid $$$- Shimano Citica 7:1

As a new bass fisherman your first purchase should always be a spinning rod. With a spinning rod you're able to master a variety of bass fishing techniques like dropshot, senko fishing, worms, tubes, small topwater lures, and even a few reaction fishing techniques. 

Once you've got a feel for these techniques your next purchase should be a 7' medium baitcaster. This rod will allow you to branch into a few more techniques like rigging a senko texas style, fishing a jig, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, crankbaits, etc. 

These two fishing rods are going to help you progress your bass fishing more than any other purchase but when you're ready, add in a 7'-7'2" medium heavy baitcasting rod. This rod will let you get into heavier bass jigs, texas rigs, large topwaters, small swimbaits and paddletails, and a handful of other techniques. 

We know that getting into bass fishing and trying to purchase tackle and equipment can be very overwhelming. We hope these quick tips will help you make educated decisions while purchasing your first fishing pole. Good luck on your fishing adventure

Texas Rigs: When to Peg the Weight, When to Leave it Free

This week Tim compares the benefits of fishing a Texas Rig with a pegged weight to fishing it with a free sliding weight. We as anglers typically latch on to one method or the other. We all have our favorites and that's okay but when it comes to putting bass in the boat, we need to stay open-minded.  

Understanding when to fish each method can be the difference between a banner day and just putting a few fish in the boat. Pegging the weight on a Texas Rig is a great method in and around cover but if you're fishing an open bottom or around docks and wood, you can't beat the slow falling action of an unpegged rig.

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For a pegged rig Tim recommends using bobber stops, his favorite at the moment is the Paycheck baits. He typically pairs this with a tungsten weight. If you prefer your weight have an insert, you can't beat the Reins or River2Sea. If you prefer no insert, we've had great luck with Vike Tungsten lately.

Whether you're throwing an Ol' Monster, a Brush Hog, or a Keitech Crazy Flapper, the next time you're on the water and your fish stop responding to the bait, trying mixing it up, change the weight, and see if it makes a difference. Good luck out there!