Catching Big Fish On Light Tackle! Tricks Of The Trade!

Targeting big fish with light line is incredible! When the drag is screaming and line is flying off the spool, the excitement is next level! It requires attention to detail, a whole lot of patience, and specialized tackle doesn't hurt, but its worth every second of preparation. Some anglers do it for the challenge, others do it out of necessity. Whether you're fishing smallmouth in the Great Lakes, largemouth in a highland reservoir, or saltwater species on the flats, these tips will help you prepare for your next light line battle!

Matt is targeting smallmouth because they have incredible strength for a freshwater fish. While this is by no means the most challenging fish to target with light tackle (compared to many saltwater species) it is an amazing fight and a very rewarding fish to catch. On this particular day he was faced with 20+ feet of visibility and very skittish fish. Thankfully the wind kicked up which helped offset the post frontal conditions that blew in part way through the day.  

Below you'll find links to the exact baits and gear Matt was using in today's video. We've also included links to some excellent mid-priced and budget alternatives for battling big fish on light line. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item.

Ned Rig... 

Bait- Savage Gear Ned Salamander: https://bit.ly/3rSNi8g

Color: Green Pumpkin Purple Copper

Hook- Swagger Tungsten Flanders 1/10th: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Hair Jig... 

Bait- Outkast Tackle Feider Fly 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2G7TBwj

Color: Black

Small Swimbait... 

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

Color: Electric Bluegill

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

Tube... 

Bait- Big Bite Salt Tube 3.5: https://bit.ly/2D7j6RX

Color: Pumpkin Pepper

Head- Blade Runner 1/8 oz Inhaler 2/0: https://bit.ly/2NX7nYr

Ned Rig/2.8 Keitech Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX+ 821S NRR: https://bit.ly/2RB0oJP

Reel- Shimano Twin Power FD 2500: https://bit.ly/3df3hX5

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

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

Hair Jig Combo... 

Rod- Megabass P5 "Baby Plugging": https://bit.ly/31Pt839

Reel- Shimano Vanford 1000: https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

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

BFS Casting Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'2" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Curado BFS: https://bit.ly/2QGRVF2

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

Best "Bang For The Buck" Reels... 

High End- Shimano Twin Power 2500: https://bit.ly/3df3hX5

Mid Range- Shimano Vanford 3000: https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

Best "Bang For The Buck" Rods... 

High End- G Loomis NRX+: https://bit.ly/3y0Ss5m

Mid Range- Shimano Expride A: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Budget- St. Croix Bass X: http://bit.ly/2r69Sj6

Favorite Braided Lines...

High End- Sufix 131: https://bit.ly/314VoyF

Mid Range- Sunline SX1: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

All Around- Power Pro Maxcuatro: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Favorite Leader Materials... 

Heavy Application Fluoro- Sunline FC100: http://bit.ly/2O4UElB

Light Application Fluoro- Sunline Sniper FC: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Monofilament- Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9

Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

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

Tube Fishing Tricks For Fall Bass! (Beginner To Advanced)

The Ned Rig has replaced the tube on a lot of fisheries but wise bass fishermen know that the Finesse Tube will always be a staple lure, especially for Fall bass! Tim is giving away his best tricks to catching tube fish including how change fall rate, fall angle, actions, shapes, colors, and more! Get ready to learn everything you need to know about bass fishing with a tube.

So many anglers think of a tube as a 1-dimensional lure that catches lethargic bass. This could not be farther from the truth! It works great for lethargic bass but its also an effective tool when snapped for shallow bass, spiraled for suspended bass, or hopped in deep water. Once you learn the many uses for a finesse tube you'll always want to have one close by.

While ultralight light and small tubes is the "norm", don't be afraid to step out and fish the bigger tubes on heavier gear, even casting rods. When it comes to equipment, a heavy tube is no different than fishing a jig, shaky head, or Texas rig. Below you'll find a break down of the different baits, colors, heads, and equipment that Tim uses to fish his tubes.

The baits...

-Dry Creek Tournament Tube: http://bit.ly/2cJwI6r

(Old Ugly, Green Pumpkin Copper, Crazy Eddie)

-Big Bite Baits Tour Tube: http://bit.ly/32e23VR

(Green Pump Blue, Green Pump Copper, Tilapia)

-Z Man TRD Tubez: http://bit.ly/2DbJB8s

(Canada Craw, Green Pumpkin, Mud Bug)

Heads...

-Bite Me Big Dude Goby Head: http://bit.ly/2CV3o7S

-Bite Me Flat Eye Tube Head: http://bit.ly/2diyVXK

-Owner 90 Degree DartHead: http://bit.ly/2nvNGxp

-Provider 90 Degree DartHead: http://bit.ly/2LY9eMj

Tim's All-Around Tube Combo...

Rod- Daiwa Tatula Elite 7'6" ML Feider: http://bit.ly/2QHupT9

Reel- Daiwa Tatula LT 2500: http://bit.ly/2zrq4id

Line- 15 lb Power Pro Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

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

Tim's High-End Finesse Combo...

Rod- G Loomis Conquest 902: http://bit.ly/2BiGUNi

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

Line- 8 lb Sunline X Plasma Asegai Braid: http://bit.ly/2OR5i2j

Leader- 5 lb Sunline Sniper Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Heavy Tube Rods...

Spinning Rod- G Loomis GLX 892: http://bit.ly/2A6HH3O

Spinning Reel- Shimano Exsence 3000: http://bit.ly/2iMtscV

Casting Rod - G Loomis GLX 893: http://bit.ly/2gqziwT

Casting Reel- Shimano Chronarch MGL HG: http://bit.ly/2n8DghB

(Line and leader same as Daiwa Combo)

Top 7 Spinning Rods of 2018 - Buyer's Guide

This Buyer’s Guide looks at the best rod and reel spinning combos in the “mid-range” category. We’ve already covered combos under $200 and High-End combos. This breaks down the best "bang for the buck" spinning rods on the market. The market is saturated with brands claiming to be the best, let us do the hard work and find the best rods at the best prices for you. 

 If you're looking for a last minute holiday purchase, today is the last day that ground shipping will arrive before Christmas. Whether your rod budget is $200 or $500 there is an option here to give you the best quality, sensitivity, and responsiveness for the price point. 

Below is a break down of the rods and reels discussed in this video. They are sorted by price from highest to lowest to make it easy for you to see the the best values based on our review. 

Spinning Combos…

Rod- G Loomis GLX: http://bit.ly/2A6HH3O

Reel- Shimano Exsence 3000: http://bit.ly/2iMtscV

Favorite Models… 852S JWR, 820S DSR, 853S JWR

Rod- Dobyns Champion Extreme: http://bit.ly/29OVnDa

Reel- Shimano Ultregra 2500: http://bit.ly/2nfApml

Favorite Models… 742, 741

Rod- Daiwa Tatula Elite AGS: http://bit.ly/2QHupT9

Reel- Daiwa Tatula LT 2000: http://bit.ly/2zrq4id 

Favorite Models… 7’6” ML, 7’4” medium

Rod- Shimano Expride: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel: Shimano Stradic CI4+ 2500: http://bit.ly/2gu84t7

Favorite Models… 7’ Light +, 6’10” Medium Light, 7’ Medium

Rod- Shimano Zodias: http://bit.ly/2jOUXAO

Reel- Shimano Stradic CI4+ 1000: http://bit.ly/2gu84t7

Favorite Models… 6’8” Medium Light, 7’ Medium Light, 7’ Medium

Rod- Cashion Elite: http://bit.ly/2xJGGPt

Reel- Shimano Nasci 2500: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Favorite Models… 7’ Medium Light, 7’ Medium, 7’ Medium Heavy

Rod- Dobyns Sierra: http://bit.ly/2EyotZU

Reel: Ultregra 2500: http://bit.ly/2nfApml

Favorite Models… 7’ Light, 7’ Medium Light

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Need Apparel? Tacticalbassin Gear is in stock! Get your hats, Hoodies, and sunshirts by emailing Tacticalbassinapparel@gmail.com

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

View fullsize

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