Best Gear For Fishing A New Lake

How Do you pack for a lake you've never been to? What gear are you going to need? How much tackle should you carry? How much is too much? Do you need anything special? Today Tim answers all these questions by taking you along for a tour of the gear he packed for his trip to Michigan.

Preparing for "anything" that a new lake can throw your way is very challenging. If you specifically select baits that have multiple uses it is much easier to be prepared for varying conditions. From clean water to murky, from a topwater bite to ledge fishing, you can get away with less tackle than you might expect.

Below is a break down of all the gear Tim took to Michigan to chase Smallmouth on lakes he'd never seen before. They're broken into Finesse/Spinning Gear and Reaction/Casting Gear.

Finesse...

Dropshot #1- Strike King Half Shell: http://bit.ly/2iR9awm

Dropshot #2- Strike King Dream Shot: http://bit.ly/2aAoUoR

Dropshot #3- Roboworm 6" Worm: http://bit.ly/2asZyH3

Ned Rig- Z Man TRD: http://bit.ly/2hs4RtR

Ned Rig Head- Z Man LockZ HD: http://bit.ly/2kIgRYK

Neko Rig- Kut Tail Worm: http://bit.ly/2iXlzPu

Neko Rig- Tungsten Nail Weight: http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW

Finesse Tube: Dry Creek 3.5" Tube: http://bit.ly/2cJwI6r

Swimbait- Keitech 2.8": http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

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

Spy Bait - Duo Realis Spinbait 80: http://bit.ly/2uziBeM

Hair Jig- Feider Fly: http://bit.ly/2G7TBwj

Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Crankbait/Spoon...

Megabass Deep Six: http://bit.ly/2A3clKP

Lucky Craft LV-500 Lipless: http://bit.ly/2aAUUbd

Jackall TN-70 Lipless: http://bit.ly/2lqAwjh

Damiki Vault Blade: http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

River2Sea Biggie Squarebill: http://bit.ly/2ahCzvo

Norman Deep Little N: http://bit.ly/2acSLUd

Blade Runner 1 3/4 oz Spoon: http://bit.ly/2aKVLlG

Swimbaits...

Swimbait- Keitech 4.3 Fat: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Swimbait- 6" Trash Fish: http://bit.ly/2xRdCFP

Swimbait- S Waver 168: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Topwater...

Bubble Popper: http://bit.ly/2yxP2ZQ

Rio Rico: http://bit.ly/2RGNx4x

Reaction Innovations Vixen: http://bit.ly/2rp11nr

River2Sea Rover: http://bit.ly/2acSVea

River2Sea Bubble Walker: http://bit.ly/2e0PZOY

Whopper Plopper: http://bit.ly/2bsPbQV

Evergreen Shower Blows: http://bit.ly/2zIkqUH

Rod/Reel Combos...

Drop Shot - NRX 822 DSR - http://bit.ly/2dX9zjv

Hair Jig / Spybait - Daiwa Tatula Elite AGS Spin Rod 7'6" ML - http://bit.ly/2QHupT9

All purpose spinning - NRX 852S JWR - http://bit.ly/2dX9zjv

Deep Crank Setup

IMX Pro Crank Rod 7'6" Med Hvy 906 CBR - http://bit.ly/2FQj6CZ

Shimano Chronarch 150 MGL - http://bit.ly/2n8DghB

15lb Seaguar AbrazX Fluorocarbon Line - http://bit.ly/2aaBBDX

Swimbait Setup

G. Loomis GLX Casting Rod 7'5" Heavy 894C JWR - http://bit.ly/2gqziwT

Shimano Metanium - http://bit.ly/2ezIBfB

Glide Bait Setup

G. Loomis GLX Casting Rod 7'5" Heavy 894C JWR - http://bit.ly/2gqziwT

Shimano Curado 200K - http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

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Spinnerbaits, Crankbaits, and More... Early Spring Gear Review!

Here are some of our favorite gear picks for 2018! From unique hooks to new spinnerbait colors, these are products worth checking out! Spring is arguably the best bass fishing of the year and its one of the best times to try new tackle. 

As Winter comes to a close the fun begins! If you've been considering trying new products, now is the time to do it. Below are Matt's picks...

Strike King 4.0 Crankbait: http://bit.ly/2dzeCUk
(Try Summer Sexy Shad if you get a chance)

Owner STX 45 Treble Hook: http://bit.ly/2FNnZwR
(Size 4 and Size 2 are our most commonly used sizes)

Owner STX 38 Treble Hook: http://bit.ly/2oNIeCD
(Size 4 and Size 2 are our most commonly used sizes)

Dirty Jigs Guppy Head: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS
Try 1/8 with a 1/0 hook for 2.8 keitech or 1/8 with a 3/0 for the 3.3's 

River2Sea Bling Spinnerbait: http://bit.ly/2diSwqq
(Golden Shiner and Iced)

Frenzy Baits Wack-A-Sack: http://bit.ly/2oFduEq
(Try pairing with a flirt worm: http://bit.ly/2CMB33J)

We hope you guys enjoyed this gear review! If you did let us know and we'll keep producing this style of video in the future. 
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Need Apparel? Tacticalbassin Gear is here! Get your hats, Hoodies, and sunshirts by emailing Tacticalbassinapparel@gmail.com

Choosing the Right Rod

It seems that everywhere we turn someone is trying to sell us some new piece of tackle. We’re all jaded enough to drown out the advertisements during the Sunday morning fishing shows but now its in the forums, blogs, and even in the headers above our private emails. That said, its not really the advertisements that get me. If they were handled differently I might not be so put off.
I don’t mind being shown new product or concepts but I hate to be told what I need. I’m part of the generation that wants to be shown why, how, and when things work so that I can make an educated decision about what is right for my style.
I get emails daily asking questions about swimbait rods. I thought that perhaps instead of constantly telling people what they should get I would simply show the differences amongst the rods. What you see in this video are 3 of my all-time favorite swimbait rods. There is a 4th rod but I won’t be answering any questions about that one, not yet anyway. When its ready you’ll be the first to know and then you can decide if its right for you.

Its important to understand that we don’t all have the exact same style. These are the rods that perfectly fit my style. I’m not telling you that the rods you use are wrong, but if you’re losing fish, not feeling bites, or uncomfortable while throwing swimbaits for long hours it may be time to take a look at what I’m talking about.
The 3 rods discussed can all be found on this page at tackle warehouse.

Who makes the best braid?

The previous post makes my stance on braid pretty clear. If you haven’t made the switch to braided line yet, its time. Now that we have that out of the way there are a few more details to consider. The term “braided line” actually includes a variety of different materials from a handful of companies. To properly understand braid you must begin by understanding that not all braid is created equal.
I’m not here today to advocate a single brand. However, I will tell you that before reading the following material I fished with power pro and P-Line Spectrex interchangeably. At this time, I’m not sure what I will be using in the future. I’ve always liked the thought of using a brand of braid that had more carriers, as they are typically smoother and more manageable. The downside to this, at least in my own thinking, is that they tend to be weaker overall than lines with only a few carriers. I’ve been arguing with myself about what brands to try and what options might meet my needs for over a year now.
On a recent trip I stumbled my way into the pages of Florida Sport Fishing Magazine. As I thumbed through the pages of the September/October issue I was happily surprised by an in-depth article on braided lines titled, “The 30 lb. Challenge, All braids are NOT created Equal”
I was in for a treat! There are four primary factors that you need to consider when looking at a braided line. As explained in the article they are the fibrous material the braid is made of. (Typically Dyneema or Spectra fiber) The number of carriers (individual threads that will be weaved together to form the line), The “picks” per inch (this represents the number of times the carriers cross each other in the weaving process), and the final coating process.

Once you bring these four factors into play you can select a line that will meet your needs. In the meantime, I’m happy to share this graphic from the magazine. I hope you find it as helpful, eye-opening, and possibly even as much of a shocker as I did. As the title of the article stated, braids are NOT all created equal!

I have to admit that I was completely shocked by some of the results of these tests. Again, I am not here to promote any specific brand. However, after seeing these results I will personally be looking into a few different brands that may better suit my needs. I hope you’ve found this information useful!

If you’re interested in gaining a better grasp of how braided line is made and what separates one brand from another I highly recommend you visit the magazine’s website and contact them directly to try and pick up a copy of the September/October issue at: http://floridasportfishing.com/magazine/

Also, I beg you to support your local tackle shops. We’re in the midst of a tough market and they need all the help they can get. However, if you don’t have a local shop I recommend purchasing your braid from tacklewarehouse. Here is a direct link to their Braided line selection: http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Braided_Fishing_Line/catpage-FLBRAIDED.html?from=tbassin

Did you enjoy this post? Was this information new? Leave a comment and let me hear your thoughts.