With the prevailing hot weather of summer along the costal shore lines, fishing at night will keep you cool and is a prime time to catch sea trout. Look for them on weed flats, oyster bars, and areas with natural current. Fish with black topwater lures––the silhouette is most visible during low light conditions. Don’t be afraid to throw bigger baits that will draw fish from cover; also, larger baits create more sound to help fish find your bait.
Fishing frogs has long been associated with lily pads and thick grass mats, which are prime places to use the frog, but the hollow bodied frog also is a great choice for fishing docks and shallow flats. Look for high percentage areas like log jams in lily pads or independent vegetation in shallow waters. Jackall has 2 hollow-bodied frogs, the Iobee and the Gavacho. The Iobee works best in heavy cover, has a subtle walking action and is made with very soft rubber to give you the best hook-ups. The Gavacho shines in sparse or off-colored water because it has a larger profile, and the popping mouth displaces more water. Recommended Shimano tackle for frogging: The Shimano Zodias 7’5” heavy power, is one of the best frogging rods around. It is lightweight to work frogs with less effort yet has the power to pull even the largest of fish from the heaviest cover. The Shimano Chronarch MGL HG is a reel that can cast frogs a long distance effortlessly and has sturdy HAGANE gears that will hold up to the abuse of fishing in heavy cover. PowerPro Maxcuatro in 65- to 80-pound test has a thinner diameter than regular PowerPro, which will increase your casting distance––plus, you wont have to worry about line breakage.
Built with the serious tournament angler in mind, the G. Loomis IMX Pro takes performance to the next level with hi-tech, technique-specific designs that are second to none. Offering increased responsiveness and sensitivity for finesse techniques, the G. Loomis IMX Pro is built with an entirely new blend of high-modulus, high-performance material that helps to reduce weight without sacrificing anything in power. Constructed using strategic scrim placement and carefully place Fuji K-Frame guides, the G. Loomis IMX Pro caters to a host of specific techniques, resulting in enhanced performance. Complete with a Fuji ECS reel seat and premium cork handles for increased comfort, the G. Loomis IMX Pro combine advanced technology and unbeatable design all-in-one lightweight package.
On any waters where smallmouth bass reside, a soft-plastic tube is a sure fire way to catch fish. During summer look for fish on large weed flats or gravel bottoms. These areas hold crayfish and gobies. This time of year fish prefer an erratic retrieve, which is done by hopping or “stroking” the tube off the bottom. This aggressive retrieve gets the fish’s attention from far away and helps them find your bait. Match the hatch with tube––if it’s mostly gobies that fish are feeding on, use a green pumpkin with gold and purple flakes (or watermelon colors for imitating crayfish), depending on the body of water you are fishing. Selecting the right tube rod is extremely important. A 7’ to 7’5” extra fast action, medium-power rod will get the job done. The ideal rod for this situation is the G. Loomis E6X 852S JWR spinning rod. Pair this with a 2500 Shimano spinning reel, spooled with 10-pound PowerPro Super Slick with a fluorocarbon leader, and you will have a setup that offers the ultimate sensitivity for chasing big smallmouth with tubes.
A true workhorse of a rod series, Shimano Convergence rods are an unbeatable value that sacrifices nothing in-terms of quality or performance. Offered in a compact selection of actions and lengths, the Shimano Convergence rods are built using a high-composite blank construction for increased power and durability. Outfitted with Fuji O-ring guides and TCS reel seats, Shimano Convergence casting rods are suited for a wide range of applications. Made with contoured AA cork for all-day comfort, Convergence rods deliver a no-nonsense design that satisfies angler's requirements without breaking the bank.
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