Gear

Hallman’s early fall tacklebox

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Photography by
Justin Brouillard
Captions by
Justin Brouillard
The Bassmaster Elite Series was midway through its Northern Swing with Bradley Hallman rigging up baits that are ideal for the early fall season. “The spinning rods are here,” laughed the Oklahoma angler. “This is more than I have ever had in my boat at one time.”
“Organized chaos,” said Hallman. 
Hallman spent the day rigging up for practice at Lake Champlain, a place he has fished for years. He has focused on a mixed bag in the past and was preparing for a “mostly smallmouth derby.” 
SPRO Spin John 80. Anytime smallmouth are in play, a spinbait is a great finesse option. “I throw this on any of the flats, grass flats, sand/rock bottom mixes, and it can be anywhere from 5 to 20 feet,” Hallman said. “I am looking for a big bite, a bigger bite than what I’m getting if I am throwing the Spin John.”
“I like a longer rod and light line, and I keep my leader a lot longer for baits I am reeling horizontally like this,” Hallman continued. “I have about 12 feet of Sunline FC Sniper leader, 8-pound test, and for the main line, I want to camouflage things as best as I can and avoid bright yellow. This is the new Sunline Overwater braid in 11 pound.”
“I throw this bait, and the hair jig, on a Falcon Expert Finesse Jig Rod; it is a 7-foot, 6-inch medium-action rod which helps me make long casts and fight fish around the boat,” Hallman said. 
SPRO Walking Haint Topwater. Next up is a topwater bait, and one that works great all across the country. Hallman opts for a bone color bait for the northern tournaments.
“This rod is a Falcon Amistad, 7-foot, 3-inch medium-action rod and this is my favorite rod ever. I carry 20 of these things. They are available in Cara, Low Rider and Expert, and I spool up the new Sunline Siglon PEx9 35-pound braid. I can cast a topwater a mile.”
A closer look at the new braided line from Sunline.
Big Bite Baits Trick Stick. When shallow cover comes into play, Hallman can’t resist a weightless stick bait, and neither can the fish. “I like a little shorter rod for skipping the Trick Stick around, and the Falcon Cara Head Turner is a 6-foot, 10-inch heavy-action,” Hallman said. “This bait gets bit anywhere, and the rod has the power to get them in the boat.”
Hallman likes a jerkbait when the fish are suspended and chasing bait.
SPRO McStick 115. And … inside this Falcon Box is a bunch of SPRO jerkbaits. 
“I throw this bait on a Falcon Cara 5168. It’s a jerkbait rod, five power, a little short and lot of flex. It was designed by Mike McClelland, and I have used this rod forever.”
Hallman reaches for a bag of Big Bite Baits.
And he rigs up a Texas rig.
Big Bite Baits BFE. Hallman designed the BFE a couple years ago to be his go-to all over the country. “It was designed to fit two different hooks — a 5/0 Gamakatsu EWG and a 4/0 Gamakatsu Flipping hook — for different applications like pitching to cover and punching.”
Hallman rigs the BFE on a Falcon Cara 7-foot, 3-inch extra heavy-action Jason Christie Pitchin’ rod with 25-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon line.
Hallman digs in his Phoenix Boats rock locker for this final bait.
SPRO Bronzeye Frog. A frog works anytime the fish get shallow around vegetation. “I love fishing a frog around pads as that’s where I first learned the technique.”
“For a frog, I like the same Falcon Cara Jason Christie rod even though it’s a little longer,” Hallman said. “Around heavy cover like pads, you need a heavy rod to get fish out, and this rod is super stiff and strong.”

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