The holidays are upon us. If you’re reading this, that means you’ve survived Thanksgiving and have to tolerate your in-laws just once more this year. However, this is also the time to rack up some tackle and accessories. Here is some of the coolest bassin’ gear that hit the shelves this year, neatly arranged by price. We’re feeling the recession just like you, so with the exception of three items, we loaded up on moderately priced items.
UP TO $5
Big Bite Baits Shaking Squirrel
This finesse worm is one of four new baits added to Big Bite’s lineup for 2012. It’s a slammer on a drop shot, shaky head or wacky rig. The Shaking Squirrel is made of the company’s softest plastic for loads of action. It’s ideal as a floating worm, too. The color selection is perfect for clear water. BigBiteBaits.com
UP TO $5
Mustad KVD Elite Series 2X Triple Grip treble hook
These are the hooks that Kevin VanDam designed for his crankbaits. They feature a short shank that supposedly doesn’t give fish any hook throwing leverage. The bend of the hook is said to “lock” the fish’s jaw into the
hook. Mustad.no
UP TO $5
Top Brass Barb-Its
These are the gizmos you wish you had thought of. They’re scary useful and super cheap. Simply slide a Barb-It onto your line, tie on a hook, Texas rig a worm then slide the Barb-It down into the head of the worm with the supplied tool and your worm will stay put without the help of clunky barbs that can tear the worm before it even hits the water. TopBrassTackle.com
$6 TO $50
Spro McRip jerkbait
If you’re looking to buy someone (yourself included) a bait that will catch bass right now (unless your lake is frozen), this is it. This jerkbait was designed by jerkbait guru Mike McClelland (hence the “Mc” in McRip) to dive deep in a hurry. Wintertime bass are often wadded up along deep points and structure, where traditional jerkbaits can’t reach. Once it’s down there with the bass, the suspending action keeps this gem in the strike zone longer. Spro.com
$6 TO $50
B.A.S.S. Christmas ornament
Hang this little gem on your tree and the lake will never be far from your thoughts throughout the holiday season. You need to go to Hallmark.com to find a store near you.
$6 TO $50
Evolve Original Species Frog
Evolve’s idea of a topwater frog supposedly resemble a bass’ idea of a frog. The double hook allows this hard topwater to slide across the nastiest cover on your lake without hanging up. When you look at the thing, it just oozes frog. EvolveBaits.com
$6 TO $50
Berkley NanoFil
In case you haven’t heard, Berkley has invented a new type of line. It’s not monofilament, it’s not fluorocarbon and it’s not braid. It’s a nanofilament line, which means it’s made of hundreds of super tiny (nano) filaments that are bonded together for a freakishly strong line in ridiculously small diameters (the 10-pound-test measures .007, whereas 10-pound mono is .011). The line is super smooth and is in a class of its own with regard to castability. Berkley-Fishing.com
$6 TO $50
Boomerang Tool Co. The Snip
This little critter is too cool. You know you shouldn’t bite your knots off of your baits, and this thing is the perfect cure. It’s always at the ready with its automatically retracting tether, so convenience is no excuse. It snips through braid easily, and it’s got a built-in LED light to boot. BoomerangTool.com
$6 TO $50
Luck “E” Strike RC²
This crankbait is the only one that Rick Clunn is willing to put his name on. This silent square bill is available in four sizes and more than 20 colors. LuckEStrike.com
$6 TO $50
Accu Cull culling system
When you buy the complete system, you’ll have the Cadillac of culling gear. A hyper-accurate scale, tags, and a recorder all ensure you make the best culls possible. Accucull.com
$6 TO $50
Mann’s Slick Lures The Alabama Rig
This could potentially belong in the $100 and above category, given the stories of rigs being sold for as much as 1,000% over retail. But MSRP on these honeys is $25. If you can’t find it on TheAlabamaRig.com, keep an eye on Mann’s Bait Co.; they licensed the contraption from Andy Poss, the Rig’s inventor. TheAlabamaRig.com or MannsBait.com
$6 TO $50
Bass Fishing Vault
This is the book you want sitting on your coffee table when your buddies come over. It’s loaded with history and reproduced memorabilia that can only be found here. Ads from the turn of the century, a poster for the first B.A.S.S. event on Beaver Lake and a copy of the original B.A.S.S. tournament rules are found in here along with commentary from legends of the sport. Whitman.com
$100 AND ABOVE
HydroWave
This gizmo is said to fire up bass’ feeding response by emitting a tactile sound (they can feel it in their lateral lines) that bass register as shad feeding, which means easy pickings. It’s like a dinner bell for bass. HydroWave.com
$100 AND ABOVE
Daiwa T3 casting reel
These reels offer anglers a new level of casting performance and ease of retrieve. The T-Wing (widened line eye) gives less resistance to line that’s coming off the reel than a standard, circular eye. Elite Series pro Ish Monroe reckons that the T-Wing will add up to 20 percent more distance to your casts. Daiwa.com
Skeeter FX20
OK, so this is what we’re all wishing for. Hang a 250-horsepower high-output SHO Yamahammer on the back, and you’ve got yourself a bass-seeking missile. This honey of a rig has everything an angler could need. Remember, dreaming big doesn’t cost any extra. SkeeterBoats.com
_0.jpg)
