Matt and Tim are BACK! Exploring a New Lake! (Chickamauga)

After 6 grueling trips across the country, Matt and Tim are finally back on the lake together! They're exploring Chickamauga in the middle of a Summer rain storm. Come along as they find new water, adapt to changing conditions, and catch bass on topwater and reaction baits. 

A lot of anglers are intimidated by rain. Some don't want their equipment soaked, others aren't sure what to throw when its raining. Today the guys explain why they're throwing different baits and how the conditions are impacting their choices. Its a unique look into both angler's mindsets as they are adapting to changing conditions on new water. 

While both anglers stuck to reaction baits throughout the day, they both downsized their offerings to get consistent bites. Matt leaned toward topwater while Tim leaned toward swimbaits and tail spins. Below is a breakdown of the baits and equipment the guys were using to catch their fish. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Matt's Topwaters... 

Bait- Teckel Blade Waker (Pearl White): https://bit.ly/2DuYZxU

Trailer- Gambler Little Easy Swimbait: https://bit.ly/3jmeYgM

Frog- Jackall Kaera Frog (Bluegill): http://bit.ly/2Fz6SA3

Tim's Topwaters... 

Bait- Teckel Sprinker (Pearl White): http://bit.ly/2rmnqSI

Frog- Live Target Frog 65 (Green Yellow): http://bit.ly/2Q40BAk

Swimbait... 

Bait- Keitech 4.8" Fat Swing Impact (Electric Shad): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Hook- Matt Allen Swimbait Head 3/8 oz (Tennessee Shad): http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

Vibration Baits... 

Tail Spin- Jackall Deracoup 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2p8X4b0

Blade Bait- Damiki Vault 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2rnO7e2

Blade Waker/Keitech Combo... 

Rod- Jackall Poison Adrena 7'4" Heavy: https://bit.ly/3diigiT

Reel- Shimano Metanium 150 MGL HG: https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 50 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 18 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Lighter Frog Combo (Midsize frogs)... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'2" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2czPlZl

Reel- Shimano Curado 150 DC HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Affordable All-Around Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Intenza 7'3" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2QADLTq

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 DC: http://bit.ly/2LWzw2Q

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 50 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 15 lb Mono: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

We Made It To Chickamauga! Topwater Bite Is On Fire!

We're finally on Chickamauga in Tennessee! We survived the cross country road trip and now its time to fish! We're starting out in search of a midday topwater bite and will adapt from there. Do that patterns that work on one side of the country work on the other? Let's find out if the Clearlake pattern holds up!

Matt is joined by his nephew Ethan and together they mix up a variety of topwater offerings including a blade waker, buzzbait, walking bait, popper, and frog. It doesn't take long to find aggressive bass willing to eat them all! Later Matt switches to a Keitech while Ethan switches to a chatterbait, and again they find consistent action. This further confirms the old adage "A Bass Is A Bass" no matter where it lives. 

So many anglers are convinced their fish are different, that they won't eat a particular bait or won't follow seasonal patterns like bass in other parts of the country. While a rare example might exist, the vast majority of fish from coast to coast behave very Similarly. Its incredibly rewarding to drive thousands of miles (literally) and find bass eating the exact baits you were throwing before hitting the road. 

Below is a breakdown of the baits in the video. We've included direct links to Tackle Warehouse for each item where you can see detailed photos and descriptions. We've also included trailers, color, weights, etc... where applicable. 

Teckel Topwater... 

Bait- Teckel Blade Waker: https://bit.ly/2DuYZxU

Colors: Pearl White, Silver Shiner, Bluegill

Trailer: Gambler Little EZ Swimbait: https://bit.ly/3jmeYgM

Colors: Alewife, Ghost Shad

Other Topwaters... 

Popper- Megabass Pop Max (Mat Shad): http://bit.ly/2qqfmm1

Walking Bait- Evergreen Shower Blows 125 (Half Mirror): http://bit.ly/2zIkqUH

Buzzbait- Dirty Jigs Skirtless (1/2 oz): http://bit.ly/2cWI6if

Small Frog- Jackall Kaera (Glitter Bluegill): http://bit.ly/2Fz6SA3

Large Frog- River2Sea Bully Wa 65 (Little Allen): http://bit.ly/2axyR2a

Swimbaits... 

Head- Tactical Finesse Swimbait Head (3/8 oz): http://bit.ly/2Pqrq3n

Keitech- 4.8" Fat Swing Impact (Pro Blue Red Pearl): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Head- Matt Allen Swimbait Head (1/2 oz): http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

Rage- 4.75" Rage Swimmer (Electric Shad): http://bit.ly/2evZF8j

Chatterbait... 

Bait- Evergreen JackHammer 1/2 oz (Green Pumpkin Shad): http://bit.ly/2popvj6

Trailer- Hog Farmer Spunk Shad 4.5" (Crystal Shad): http://bit.ly/2UFkCD7

Blade Waker Combo... 

Rod- Dobyns Xtasy 7'5" MH: http://bit.ly/36fIHCg

Reel- Shimano Metanium 150 MGL XG: https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 50 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Keitech Combo... 

Rod- Jackall Poison Adrena 7'4" Heavy: https://bit.ly/3diigiT

Reel- Shimano Metanium 150 MGL HG: https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 50 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline FC-100 Fluorocarbon 16 lb: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Popper Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Curado 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2gUWTft

Reel-Shimano SLX DC XG: http://bit.ly/2LWzw2Q

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 30 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Finding Secret Fishing Spots With Google Earth! (Actual Favorite Waypoints Shown!)

There are so many Google Earth Tricks fishermen don't know how to use! With our cross country move we've been spending a ton of time on the computer preparing to explore new lakes. We've found a bunch of new spots using this method and today we're showing you how to do the same. Come along to some of our favorite fisheries and see our best spots as you learn the methods! (If you're a California angler, get ready to write down some coordinates!)

Every angler knows you can jump on google maps and get a good idea of what a lake looks like before you arrive. But few anglers know how to remove distortion from the map, jump between different water levels and times of year, drop waypoints, and export all of it to the electronics on your boat. Its amazing how far technology has come and if you're not progressing, you're falling behind. 

Google Earth is just one of the tools you have available as an angler today. Modern electronics have seen huge advancements as have the mapping cards that we use with those units. Google Earth is a free program that any angler with a computer can use. We combine that program with a few different electronics to maximize our time on the water. Below you'll find links to a few of our favorite items from different brands to help maximize your time on the water. 

Our Electronics and Mapping... 

-Humminbird Solix 15 CHIRP G2 Depth Finder: http://bit.ly/2Hazsej

-Lakemaster Plus Digital Charts: http://bit.ly/2Dk5Erc

Budget Alternatives... 

Humminbird- Helix 7 CHIRP G3 Sonar: http://bit.ly/2SoFl8a

Lowrance- Elite 7 Ti2 Fishfinder: https://bit.ly/3aY4m4S

Alternative Mapping... 

Navionics Hot Maps Platinum: http://bit.ly/2ZitTiR

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Reel Review - Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B (2020 Shimano Metanium)

The 2020 Metanium MGL 150 B is an awesome new reel from Shimano! We put it through the paces the past few months before weighing in with a review. With requests pouring in, its time to share our experiences. In a word, this reel is AWESOME! 

Aside from the Metanium name, the reel is hardly recognizable when compared to its former counterparts. The Metanium MGL has reached new heights with features like a Magnesium frame, CoreSolid body (1 piece frame), and an MGL III Spool. The reel itself feels very similar to the Bantam but is several ounces lighter. The finished product is light weight, incredibly strong, and ultra smooth. 

After fishing these reels hard for months we've seen no reduction in performance. They're as smooth as the day we opened the boxes, if not smoother. We've been using this reel for "finesse power" techniques. These are cross over techniques where you need the ability to throw light baits but you still need torque and power after you get the bite. It shines for finesse jigs, small to mid-size crankbaits, keitechs, topwater, dock fishing, etc. 

See the reel here... 

-Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B: https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

If you're interested in other Shimano reels at different price points, here are a few of the others we've reviewed in recent years. 

-Shimano Antares 70: https://youtu.be/6qMtpGqcG-w

-Shimano Bantam MGL: https://youtu.be/_o_xtIlBmXQ

-Shimano Curado 150 DC: https://youtu.be/7Q9_5SuLP-8

-Shimano SLX DC: https://youtu.be/s4DTn-Q_SU0

Crankbait Combo With The Metanium... 

Reel- Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B: https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 906 CBR: http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Line- Sunline Crank FC 12 lb: https://bit.ly/3fohguC

Buzzbait Combo With The Metanium…

Reel- Shimano Metanium MGL 150 B: https://bit.ly/34HlAAk

Rod- Jackall Poison Adrena 7’4” Heavy: https://bit.ly/3diigiT

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 50 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Different Reel Speeds/Techniques...

8.1:1 (XG)- Buzzbait, Toads, Burning Lipless, Speed Cranking, Squarebills, Whopper Plopper

7.1:1 (HG)- Topwater, Spinnerbait, Chatterbait, Hopping Jigs, Shaky head, Underspin, Most Moving Baits

6.2:1 (Standard)- Carolina Rig, Finesse Fishing, Dragging Jigs, Bottom Crawling Swimbaits, All Around Universal Speed

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G