Running Rapids And Catching Fish - Ultra Shallow Jet Boat River Fishing!

"ITS GOING TO SPOOL ME!!" Matt yells over the sound of the rushing river! Tim can't stop laughing as he watches the chaos unfold! Come along as we break in the new jet boat and run rapids in an ultra-shallow river full of CLEAR WATER, JAGGED ROCKS and BIG FISH!  

When it comes to fishing we've got a pretty good handle on it, but when it comes to running boats in inches of water above jagged rocks in white water rapids, we're clueless! Watch the chaos unfold as we explore this river, lose our batteries, crash into rocks, and catch some fish along the way!

Below you'll find links to all the baits we had rigged for our day on the water. We've included the exact weights, sizes, and colors. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item.


Matt’s Swimbait... 

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

Bait- Keitech 2.8 Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Color: TW Pro Blue


Matt’s Crankbaits... 

-Megabass Super-Z Z2: https://bit.ly/3fsxn9G

Color: Kasumi Ito

-Rapala Countdown (Size 7): https://bit.ly/2U3PwFx

Color: Silver


Tim’s Swimbait... 

Head- Guppy Head 3/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2nyUJRS

Bait- Keitech 3.5" Easy Shiner: http://bit.ly/2bxJK6H

Color: SunGill


Tim’s Spinner... 

Bait- Blue Fox Flash Spinner: https://bit.ly/3qAVlqb

Color: Blue Shad


Matt’s Light Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel- Shimano Ultegra 1000: https://bit.ly/2PeNvUH

Line- Sunline Super FC 6 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju


Matt’s Medium Combo... 

Rod- St. Croix Victory 7'1" Medium: https://bit.ly/2RPMkfV

Reel- Shimano Vanford 2500: https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

Line- Sunline SX1 Braid 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

Leader- Sunline Super FC 7 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju


Tim’s Light Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'6" Light: https://bit.ly/2jOUXAO

Reel- Shimano Vanford 2500: https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

Line- Sunline Super FC 5 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju


Tim’s Medium Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX+ 852S JWR: https://bit.ly/2dX9zjv

Reel- Shimano Stella 2500: http://bit.ly/2U8Pkzg

Line- Sunline Super FC 6 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju


WANT TACTICALBASSIN GEAR AND CUSTOM LURES? 

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

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

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Deep Crankbaits Tricks To Catch More Bass This Fall

Ready to catch a big Fall bass on a crankbait? Matt and Tim share some awesome tips to help you catch more crankbait fish in the midst of a Fall feeding frenzy! They’re catching these bass 2 and 3 at a time but that doesn’t stop them from explaining retrieves, bait modifications and so much more while reeling in their fish! If you’re interested in throwing crankbaits for Fall bass, let Matt and Tim help you do it more effectively.

Big bass are schooling and ambushing baitfish right now! If you’re not using a deep crankbait to reach those fish, you’re missing one of the best opportunities of the year to catch a new personal best bass! From coast to coast, baitfish gather along deep structure (bluffs, long points, creek channels, and cove backs) and bass of all species come together for the feast. There are a handful of baits that will help you target these fish effectively but few elicit as aggressive a response as the deep diving crankbait.

The guys are using 2 different crankbaits today to keep one of these schools of bass fired up. The bass have a school of baitfish trapped on a tapering point full of scattered rock and with 2 crankbaits flying, the action never stops! Any time you get around schooling fish your goal should be to always have a bait in the water. The key to consistent action is keeping the feeding frenzy alive. Below you’ll find a breakdown of the baits and gear the guys were using to catch these bass.

The baits…

Tim’s Crankbait- Strike King 10XD (Sexy Blue Back Herring): http://bit.ly/2gHT4F0

Matt’s Crankbait- Azuma Z Boss 22 (Grand Shad): http://bit.ly/2poLKUC

Alternate Option- 6th Sense Cloud 9 size 25 (Shad Craft): http://bit.ly/2BQ4uDs

Hook and Hardware Upgrades…

Matt’s Favorite Hook- Owner ST-36 (Size 1/0): http://bit.ly/2cWpeyw

Tim’s Favorite Hook- Owner ST-35 Short Shank (1/0): http://bit.ly/2g8uCMj

Alternate Hook- Mustad KVD 2X Short Shank Triple Grip (1/0): http://bit.ly/2wSxIRz

Split Ring- Owner Hyperwire Size 4: http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX

Tim’s Rod/Reel Combo…

Rod- G Loomis IMX Pro 968 CBR: http://bit.ly/2FQj6CZ

Reel- Shimano Tranx 200 HG: http://bit.ly/2Tv0yCy

Line- 16 lb Sunline Sniper: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Matt’s Rod/Reel Combo…

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7’6” MH Glass: http://bit.ly/2cgmMAe

Reel- Shimano Tranx 200 HG: http://bit.ly/2Tv0yCy

Line- 15 lb Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

Budget Friendly Combo…

Rod- Shimano SLX 7'10" Heavy Moderate: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX XT HG*: http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- 15 lb Sunline Assassin: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm

*The added adjustment of the "XT" over the standard SLX makes dialing in a crankbait much easier for long range casting.

**Tim and Matt are both using "HG" models in their reels. This is a 7:1 ratio. This may come as a shock to many anglers but deep cranking on a 7:1 allows for more control of your speed, harder starts and stops, and more aggressive reactions. It is more difficult to reel than a 5:1 or 6:1 but the pros outweigh the cons**

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Where Do Bass Go In Summer? (And How To Catch Them)

Summer bass fishing is really fun once you know where to look! You can catch fish all day long, even in the heat of the day. Summer gets a bad wrap amongst fishermen because they don't understand bass movements and feeding patterns. Once you get ahead of the fish, its non-stop action! Let's take a look at where they are and how to catch them.

During Summer the bass break into two distinct schools. The first goes shallow into cover and the second heads out to main lake structures. The shallow fish are fun because you can target them with a variety of power fishing techniques, our favorite are frogging, flipping, and throwing swim jigs. The fish on outside structures group up around current when available and large structures when the water is calm. These fish can be caught on crankbaits, worms, jigs, and a variety of other lures.

Don't let the pressure steer you away, summer is prime time for bass. Don't be surprised if you find bass stacked up in current and catch 100+ fish a day, and who knows, there might even be a GIANT bass in the mix!

Below is a breakdown of the lures and equipment we use to target Summer bass. We'll begin with cover-oriented options and end with offshore options.

Frogs...

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

-Jackall Gavacho (Gill, White): http://bit.ly/2L7KsWS

Flipping...

-Jackall Archelon: http://bit.ly/2uo4sN5

-Vike Tungsten 1.5 oz Flipping Weight: http://bit.ly/2DUIxB4

-Gamakatsu Superline 4/0 EWG Hook: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG

-6th Sense Peg X: http://bit.ly/2bHjowk

Swim Jigs...

-California Swim Jig 3/8-3/4 oz: http://bit.ly/2auXfmx

-Keitech 4.3" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Senko...

-Yamamoto Senko (5"-7"): http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

-Wacky Hook (1/0-4/0): http://bit.ly/2aKGmHM

-Texas Hook (3/0-6/0): http://bit.ly/2ac92XG

-Squarebill Crankbait...

-Rattling- River2Sea Biggie Poppa (Abalone Shad, Horizon Shad): http://bit.ly/2ahCzvo

-Silent- Lucky Craft 2.5 (American Shad, Citrus, Gizzard Shad): http://bit.ly/2BGxKPa

Deep Crankbait...

-Strike King 6XD: http://bit.ly/2ery44M

-6th Sense Cloud 9: http://bit.ly/2BQ4uDs

Shakey Head Worms...

-Canterbury Shaky Head: http://bit.ly/2aFOs0V

-Netbait T Mac Worm: http://bit.ly/2jndwj9

-Zoom Trick Worm: http://bit.ly/2aWkG7E

Jigs...

-Football Jig: http://bit.ly/2d0iJbd

-Pitchin Jig: http://bit.ly/2amL3of

-Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver: http://bit.ly/29W3RZW

-Reaction Innovations Spicy Beaver: http://bit.ly/2MPuma1

-Strike King Rage Bug: http://bit.ly/2aAsuiV

Favorite Flipping Combo...

Rod- Expride 7'11" XH: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

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

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

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