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RatRumble : The Surprisingly Refined LitRat

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An Under the Radar, Quality Trailer Bait : Reins Ax Craw
Soft plastic trailer baits are generally designed to exaggerate the appearance of a crawdad in defensive posture. As a result, the vast majority feature large, out of proportion claw sections and bodies that for some reason resemble a crawdad that's been stepped on rather than something viable. It's difficult to argue with success, however, as the profile is proven.

Bipidy-Boppidy-Boop, Ark's Brandon Cobb's Fairy Wand is Not a Childhood Fable
Leveraging the success of their best selling Randall Tharp signature series of rods, ARK is hoping to catch another wave of momentum with their latest introduction, a series bearing the name of a rising star in bass fishing circles, Brandon Cobb. Today, we take a look at our first rod in this new line, the BB73MLXS Fairy Wand

Designed to Smash Green Monsters, the iRod Croaker Crusher Frog Rod
Kaimana is a saltwater inshore and offshore series that many swimbait anglers have latched onto and there are two additional freshwater series to book end Genesis, Fiber and Crusher. We take a look at a rod within one of those series designed by pro Kayak fisherman, Ron Champion. Introducing the iRod Crusher series IA784C-H Crusher Croaker.

RatRumble : Narrow Gate Baits's Affordable and Accessible WOOD Rat
The Narrow Gate Baits Rat is a foot long, three piece bait with a body that measures out about six inches. It's a wooden rat turned on a lathe but each section is hand cut with a dovetail saw. Craftsmanship is raw and a little gritty, very apropos for a rat bait, and the bait itself is offered in three different finishes...

KastKing Makes Higher-End Reels that are Still Accessible to All Anglers. Meet the MegaJaws
Refinement and speed are two highly-desirable traits when it comes to fishing reels. From fighting fish to simply reeling in your rig for another cast, everybody loves a reel that delivers performance and efficiency along with a quality feel. This year, KastKing’s new products include reels which are designed to perform at higher levels.

TackleTour ICAST 2021 Video Coverage

ICAST 2021 has arrived! After a strange last year we are excited to be once again on the water and show floor here in Orlando. This year in addition to our article coverage we will also be providing Instagram Quick Hit Videos from the manufacturers and pro anglers.

Jenko Fishing Unveils Swimbaits made of Hemp
Think of all the different anglers out there and all the lures that get popped off on a daily basis—the clutter adds up quickly. Could an alternative material be available that is more friendly to nature? The folks at Jenko Fishing believe so and we think what they’ve found is an interesting start!

Built to Take a Beating: Visser's New Model S Spinning Reels
Spinning reels can often be associated with light line and finesse presentations, but that’s definitely not always the case. Some anglers, particularly those that fish saltwater, can subject their spinning reels to extreme punishment. Whether it’s tossing a bait to Keys tarpon or chucking jigs in the crashing suds for Montauk stripers, these reels need to be able to withstand whatever the fish and environment dish out. ARK Fishing Introduces Three New Affordable Rod Lines
The team at ARK fishing leveraged ICAST to roll out three new rod lines targeting value to mainstream oriented anglers. These build upon the success of the higher end Reinforcer lines and feature clean lines and the Essence Series in particular offers much of what we like about the Reinforcer but at a much lower price. An Array of Unique Baits from Jackall, and a Return of a Classic
Jackall has a vast arsenal in their JDM portfolio and often times when a new bait comes to the U.S. it has already been proven overseas. This year the company brings back an old favorite as well as two very unique options for anglers looking to present something different to finicky bass. A Return to Form - 13 Fishing's Envy Black is Back in a Big Way
When it comes to 13 Fishing Rods the Envy is the company’s well known line of performance oriented sticks. This ICAST the company has completely redesigned these new rods with a cleaner overall look and a focus on refining their tapers for technique specific applications.

Keeping things Fresh and Green, the Shimano Curado Rods get a Major Redesign
While the G.Loomis GCX was the company's rod launch at ICAST Shimano also unveiled a complete refresh to the Curado lineup of rods. The new sticks feature a clean layout with the combination of Hi-Power X blank technology, Ci4+ reel seats and FazLite guide inserts.

What's in the Works at American Baitworks
Home to several brands which include Halo Fishing, Snag Proof, Net Bait, Scum Frog, Freedom Tackle Corp, and STH Bait Co, it’s no wonder they had several new items to show us this year. From killer new frogs to refreshed bass rods, we dropped by to visit with pro angler Scott Canterbury to run through the latest and greatest.

Stay Fresh or Get Salty with Yo-Zuri
Just like myself, Yo-Zuri has been in the fresh and saltwater game for quite some time now. I’ve been using their Hybrid copolymer line and a few of their hardbaits religiously for many years now and have caught hundreds of fish with these products. Since their offerings cover such a broad spectrum of environments and species, it should come as no surprise they had a healthy batch of new products to show off at this year’s ICAST show. The Tatula SV 103 Limited Baitcaster Looks Like a Keeper
Daiwa has a long history of catering to tackle enthusiasts and while the company has been focused on expanding their mainstream offering in the last few seasons it is good to see they haven't forgotten their roots. This season the company is adding some extra features and styling to their popular Tatula line with a new limited edition.

Shimano Refreshes Sustain and Nasci Spinning Reels
Shimano refreshed a number of their spinning reels this ICAST and we were particularly excited about the new look and feel of the new Sustain which has now been redesigned with a MGL rotor. The Nasci line also gets an update and continues to deliver a quality design for both fresh and saltwater environments.

TackleTour ICAST 2021 Video Coverage

ICAST 2021 has arrived! After a strange last year we are excited to be once again on the water and show floor here in Orlando. This year in addition to our article coverage we will also be providing Instagram Quick Hit Videos from the manufacturers and pro anglers.

Obsolete Before Its Time? Shimano Japan's SLX BFS
While a great majority of bass fishermen participate in the various techniques that make up the overall classification, for whatever reason, few are willing to admit to it. It's as if using light line and tiny lures isn't as masculine or cause for as much bravado as yanking a defenseless fish out from beneath a thicket of vegetation or fooling one with a life size replica of a baitfish species.