We’re going to share with you a few easy to use fishing products that will help you catch more fish this summer:
Soft Plastic Stickbaits
There’s nothing easier to use than a simple stickbait, casting it out and dragging it on the bottom. Gary Yamamoto invented the concept with his Yamasenko, but since then, just about every plastic manufacturer has made their own variation of Gary’s original design. The Yum Dinger is a great, low cost option. They come in a number of different sizes and colors. It’s tough to beat a trusty stickbait, especially when you’re bass fishing.
Northland RZ Jig
One thing that’s critical when you’re fishing these stickbaits is making sure they are paired with the right jigs. What I like about the Northland RZ Jigs is come in a number of awesome colors, including UV options, which you don’t find in many jigs these days.
VMC Finesse Weedless Jig
Another option is the VMC Finesse Weedless Jig. This is going to be great for fishing in and around cover such as weeds or wood. It has a stainless steel weed guard that prevents hangups. It’s a great all around jig, and it’s actually a finesse jig, so it’s designed for smaller plastics.
Z-Man Finesse TRD
Speaking of smaller baits, there’s been a trend in the bass fishing world to downsize from the longer, standard sized stickbaits, down to the shorter, stubbier stickbaits. Z-Man has made a plastic designed specifically for this application called the Finesse TRD. What’s cool about these baits is they’re made out ElaZtech plastic, which is extremely durable and buoyant in the water. When you’re fishing the bait on the bottom, the tail will actually stick up in the water because of that buoyancy.
Z-Man Power Finesse ShroomZ Jig
Z-Man designed the Power Finesse Shroomz Jig specifically to pair with these ElaZtech plastics. It has a different style bait keeper and a unique head configuration that will help hold the bait in place and allow it to stand up on the bottom with ease.
Storm 360GT Searchbait
Another category of easy to use fishing lures are swimbaits. The Storm 360GT Searchbait is extremely easy bait to use. Just cast it out and swim it back to the boat. It’s a straight up fish catcher. It works for walleye, bass, pike, you name it. They’re available in 5.5 inch models at the top end, all the way down to the smallest 2.5 inch size for finesse swimbaiting applications.
Berkley Choppo
If I’m in the boat with someone who has little-to-no experience fishing, I like to hand them a topwater bait. One of the easiest topwater baits to fish are the plopper-style baits, such as the Berkley Choppo. All you do is cast it out and reel it back on a steady retrieve. As long as the plopping tail is spinning, the bait’s going to catch fish!
Daiwa Regal LT
If you’re in the market for a new reel, I’d recommend checking out the Daiwa Regal LT spinning reel. LT stands for Light & Tough. The 2500 size is a great all around option. They have a smooth drag, a deep spool, a 9 ball bearing system and it’s one of the best reels you’re going to find in the $50 to $60 range.
Sufix 832 Advanced Superline
If you’re looking for some line to spool up on your spinning reel, I would recommend braided line and the Sufix 832 Advanced Superline is a top notch choice. The reason why I like braid is because of it’s no-stretch qualities. Also, it’s nice using a bright, high-visibility color like yellow. Many times when the fish are biting extra softly, you might not feel it in your hand, but you’ll see the line jump ever so slightly. That’s where those high-vis colors come in handy.
Shakespeare Catch More Fish
Last up, we have something for the kiddos. If you’re trying to get your children excited about fishing, a great way to do it is to start them with panfish. The Shakespeare Catch More Fish panfish setup is a great option. It has the spincasting reel, a small panfish rod, a tackle box full of goodies: bobbers, hooks, plastics and even some small panfish-sized spinnerbaits.
All these products can be found at your local Fleet Farm store or at fleetfarm.com
