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Dave Precht
Senior Director, BASS Publications

Lucky Craft: Real Skin Pointer

For ages, lure tinkerers have tried to add the lifelike taste, appearance and feel of real fish to lures. Some have even glued baitfish skins to plugs. Finally, those attempts have succeeded with Lucky Craft's Real Skin line of hard baits. If you're a fan of the Lucky Craft Pointer jerkbaits, you'll love the way Real Skin pointers look and feel.

I haven't had a chance to fish the lure, but Gerald Swindle has. He demonstrated it in a fish tank at a boat show recently — after numerous other Elite Anglers had worried the fish with their baits and presentations. Swindle claims he proceeded to catch every fish in the tank — twice — with the Real Skin Pointer. The baits are painted, then covered in squid skin (leavings from last night's calamari) and epoxied. The appearance is impressive, but fish won't get the feel and taste of fish skin until a little of the epoxy is worn off. Still, these should be bass killers. Real Skin is available in Pointers, Staysees, Flash Minnows and a few other baits. It adds about $5 to the cost of each bait, but anybody used to paying $15 for a jerkbait won't mind shelling out another 5-skin. (www.luckycraft.com)


Berkley TEC: Pistol Grip

Wherever you're fishing, you're likely to hook something other than bass once in a while — something with lots of teeth. A bass will throw a hook in a heartbeat, but a mudfish will just have to be dealt with. In those times, you need to have a Berkley TEC Pistol Grip liplock for landing and holding a toothy fish (or a bass wearing a treble hook smile). The pistol shape makes grabbing fish lips much easier than any other design, and a matching sheath keeps the tool handy. TEC includes a complete line of accessories. Another that caught my eye was the Digital Scale and Culling Kit. The scale has an ergonomic handle and readout display on both sides. It's accurate to 1/10 of 1 percent. (www.berkley-fishing.com)

Stren: Microfuse Glacier Blue Fluorescent line

If you like night fishing, and you're a fan of braided line, you'll want to try Stren's new Microfuse Glacier Blue Fluorescent line. Available in test of 2 to 30 pounds, it's the first superline with a fluorescent glow.

Fish it under a black light at night, and you'll see the slightest line twitch. It's designed to be very "manageable," meaning it's great for spinning reels. (www.stren.com)

Shimano shoes

I may have been the last fisherman on earth to buy a pair of Crocs, those ugly, clunky looking molded rubber shoes that look like cutoff galoshes with holes drilled in the tops. Even President Bush was spotted wearing a pair. (I wouldn't be seen wearing dark socks with them, however, as he was.) Crocs were designed for boating, since they're self-draining, nonslip and won't mark boat decks. Like most fisherman, I love 'em because they're so comfortable. No longer do I get pain in my heels after a day of standing up and fishing, as I did wearing tennis shoes

Shimano has modified the Croc design to provide more openings in the rubber, along with special channels in the insoles for breathability and water drainage. And they're more slip resistant, according to Shimano spokesman John Mazurkeiwicz. I'll give these shoes a try as soon as they hit the store shelves. (fish.shimano.com)

Strike King: Rage Tail

Buzz frogs were all the rage at this year's fishing tackle trade show, and most design improvements had to do with the frogs' legs. The better the buzz they give off, the bigger the fish they'll catch. Strike King may have come up with the wildest leg action with its Rage Tail. The notched, hook shaped legs have an extra-wide rim for greater water movement.

If you get a chance to see the company's video of savage strikes on these frogs, you'll buy a bag on the spot. Rage Tail is also featured in a great looking shad bait, plus the Rage Craw and Rage Chunk. (www.strikeking.com)

James Hall
Editor, Bassmaster Magazine

Shimano: Stella FD

Walking the ICAST show floor, you can't help but create a wish list in your head. Actually, I create two lists of gear I desperately want: (1) items I can afford (2) items I can afford when I win the lottery. As I was being led through the new products from Shimano this year, I added the company's reinvented Stella FD spinning reel to the very top of the latter list (this series retails for $599 to $699, depending on the model you choose). Oh, but how sweet it is!

Shimano is now using a cold-forged aluminum drive gear and hardened brass pinion gear — meaning it will wear out about the same time cockroaches become extinct. The company also has developed the Propulsion Line Management System (redesigned spool lip, long stroke spool shape, improved bail/line roller) to eliminate line twist. Add a super sweet drag and three gear ratios to choose from, and you have the ultimate in spinning reels. I hear Powerball is up to $15 million — go buy some lottery tickets and hope for the best. (fish.shimano.com)

Tru-Tungsten: Tru-Life Swimbaits

The only thing hotter than the air temperature in Las Vegas right now (which is somewhere close to the surface temp of the sun), are the new products being released at this year's ICAST Show. There are scads of goodies coming to a fishing tackle retailer near you.

One that stood out to me today as I walked the aisles is brought to you by Tru-Tungsten. They have developed the most versatile swimbait I have ever seen. The Tru-Life Swimbaits are floaters — until you pull a pin from the bait's belly and drop up to four tungsten balls in a belly cavity. This allows you to adjust the sink rate of the bait depending on the depth of water you are fishing. This is a very cool feature. Even cooler is the action.

Watching the bait perform in a tank in the booth was somewhat mesmerizing. Dang thing looks real in the water. Plus, when you quit reeling, it flares to the one side like a prey fish would do just before getting eaten. The bait comes in two different sizes and four different colors. I'm gonna opt for the Tilapia version for my next trip to Lake Toho. Retail price is $59.99. (www.tru-tungsten.com)

Matt Vincent
Editor, BASS Times

e21 Fishing: Carrot Stix rods

If you can turn corn into ethanol, why not carrots into fishing rods? That's exactly what Ken Whiting has done. And believe me, it's no gimmick.

Whiting's new bio-rods are definitely impressive. Constructed of ultra-high modular graphite and molded out of bio-fiber (from carrots, of course), the entire line of "Carrot Stix" are what you might expect from rod guru Whiting, president of e21 Fishing.

Whiting says the use of plant fibers shows unlimited potential in other product lines, even as a viable replacement for fiberglass. (Maybe we'll see Bugs Bunny gracing the gunnels of the next generation of the Hottest Rig Running?)

e21 Fishing is one of the industry's newest rod companies, but it made a big splash right out of the gates after signing defending Bassmaster Classic champion Boyd Duckett to its pro staff.

How impressive are the Carrot Stix? They earned Whiting the prestigious "Best of Show" at the 2007 ICAST Show in Las Vegas.

Check them out yourself by visiting the company's Web site at e21fishing.com or contact the home office at 416-362-2121.

Minda Lures: Injured Minda

We've all heard the commercials, right? "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." Well, that ain't necessarily so when it comes to the 2007 ICAST Show being held this week in Sin City. What's happening here now will end up at fisheries across the country in the coming months.

News flash! Of all the standard lure categories out here, it looks like swimbaits are hotter than the asphalt outside of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Lots of new styles and designs and immaculate finishes are on display.

I went looking for anything "unique and different." And I believe I stumbled across something. It's called the "Injured Minda."

What makes this lure different is a two-piece hinged body designed for both moving and stationary presentations. Confusing, I know. But hang with me. Your fishing line passes through the main body of the lure and connects to a hinged tail section. Any movement of the line delivers a quivering reaction at the tail section — even when the lure is stationary in the water column.

For more information, contact John Guerin of Minda Lures at 866-649-2941 or visit the company's Web site at www.mindalures.com.

Ronell Smith
Editor, Fishing Tackle Retailer

SeaSucker: vacuum cups

Using vacuum cups instead of the less reliable suction cups, SeaSucker's line of products makes screws obsolete for fastening items to your boat. Unlike regular suction cups which do a poor job of holding pressure, the SeaSucker vacuum cups use an integrated, hand-operated pump to create suction, which means pressure can be constantly re-applied.

The devices are available on everything from cup and rod holders to holders for GPS units and chum sticks.

SeaSuckers can also withstand the rigors of saltwater, have a holding capacity exceeding 100 pounds and come with a check valve to apprise anglers when the devices are losing pressure. (www.seasucker.com)

Rapala: SubWalk

What angler hasn't been frustrated by fish refusing to commit to come up to take his topwater lure? You know the fish want the enticing walk-the-dog action, but you cannot get that same action below the surface to draw a strike — at least not before now.

The Rapala X-Rap SubWalk, which has a walk-the-dog action even below the surface, will be a huge hit for anglers chasing everything from bass to tarpon.

The 5/8-ounce lure, available in a dozen life-like colors, sinks very slowly when not being retrieved. But impart a twitch-pause, twitch-pause action to the rod, and the lure comes to life, walking from side to side just beneath the surface. (www.rapala.com)

Yum: Big Show Paddle Worm

The Big Show Paddle Worm is a worm whose time has come. It may not look like much, but any angler who fishes grass or matted vegetation knows that you need a worm with a straight tail to avoid frequent tangles. And, before now, the only real options have been regional offerings, many of which are not available outside of places like Florida.

No longer.

In my opinion, this worm will be a huge hit, especially among guys who like to flip and pitch cover or for when a more subtle approach is required.

The Big Show Paddle, featuring a flat, ultra-narrow midsection and paddle-shaped tip, will also stay upright when fished on the bottom. What's more, it comes in three sizes and 16 colors, which together cover a huge variety of applications.

The 6-inch version can be used on a shaky head or as an offering on a split-shot or even drop-shot.

The 7 1/2- and 10-inch worms are ideal for Texas rigs, Carolina rigs or fished as a punch bait behind a big flipping weight. (www.yum3x.com)

Nathan Benson
Assistant Editor, Fishing Tackle Retailer

Tru-Tungsten: Tungsten Weighted Soft Plastics

The innovator behind some of the best weights in the fishing industry, Tru-Tungsten, is back with its own line of soft plastic baits. Fishing in central Florida, I use soft plastics easily 90 percent of the time. Sometimes I want to go weightless if I'm throwing a stickworm. But if I'm using a Texas rig, for instance, I put on a Tru-Tungsten T-Rig or traditional worm weight. But now, things have changed. Now it is no longer necessary to put on a weight — I can just grab the worm I want with the appropriate "sink rate," and I'm good to go. The worms are impregnated with varying amounts of tungsten powder, ranging from 1/32 ounce to 1/8 ounce. The worms are also available forward-weighted or rear-weighted, depending on the fall you want. Also, according to designer Tim Gregory, if the hook passes through one of the tungsten pockets, the bait has incredible sensitivity. (www.tru-tungsten.com)

Mann's Bait Co.: HardNose Snake

Florida is home to many, many snakes. So it stands to reason that a soft plastic snake would be a very popular bait in the Sunshine State.

The latest soft plastic bait from Mann's Bait Co., the HardNose Snake, should sell very well there — and everywhere else water snakes abound. It looks great, and it features Mann's HardNose technology that helps the bait's head resist tearing and stay put on the hook. This design also ensures that you can feel free to launch this thing into the nastiest cover and not have to worry about getting caught up. The snake is 10 inches long and features a very lifelike appearance and swimming action. (www.mannsbait.com)

Bill Lewis Lures: Vibra-Trap

At the New Product Showcase Reception Tuesday evening, I got to take a look at Bill Lewis Lures' latest lipless crankbait, the Vibra-Trap.

What's really cool about this bait is it uses something the company calls Fleeing Prey Action — an erratic, zigzagging, walk-the-dog action. But what's unique about that is, being a lipless crankbait, it has that great action under the water's surface. I love Spook-type baits, so that really caught my attention.

The bait also features a wide "Pot Belly" design that houses a Tru-Tungsten Powerball, creating a hard-knocking sound that attracts fish. I can't wait to give this a try on the water back in Orlando! (www.rat-l-trap.com)

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