Fishing Tip:

" Having trouble deciding what to use on Tournament day? Too many choices in your tackle box? Try putting together a smaller selection of tackle prior to the tournament. I usually put together a small box with 6-8 different baits I have been successful with before as well as all the hooks and weights to rig them. I do this for almost every tournament I fish and it makes my decisions on the water much more effective "

Michael Root 

Fishing Tip:

"Are you looking for a way to get your Buzzbaits to cast better? Try adding a plastic grub body with the tail torn off threaded on your hook. This adds just the right amount of additional weight in order to make casting much easier. In addition I also use small zip ties instead of those annoying rubber rings to keep my Spinnerbait, Buzzbait and Jig skirts in place."

Kaz Ota  

Fishing Tip:

"Do wish you could skip a tube under a dock or in a brush pile without getting snagged? Now you can - Just throw a stupid tube. Sounds funny but a stupid tube really works. Begin rigging your tube with the same head you would use if fishing with the hook exposed. The only difference is insert the hook first. Expose the hook about a 1/2" from the front of the tube and then rotate the head 180 degrees inside the tube (Pic #1). You finish by just sticking the hook back through the tube in order to make it weedless (Pic #2). The only thing left after this is Catch some fish..."

 Pic #1     Pic #2

Tom Presnell   

Fishing Report 4/15/08: Lake Hopatcong

Keitech Lures had an open Buddy Tournament which Greg Pavlic and I fished on Sunday 4/13/08. Weather conditions were not so great (Cold and Wind) but, fishing was not bad. The water temperature has hit the High 40's - Mid 50's already. We managed to catch 6 Largemouth weighing 12.85lbs with our biggest being 3.93lbs. That weight managed to land us in 11th place out of 36 boats. The winning weight was over 25lbs for 8 fish. Overall I think this is a great sign for our upcoming tournament on the 20th. See you all there.

Michael Root 

Fishing Tip:

"Do you Fish a FROG over weed mats? If you do or are thinking about trying it - Give this easy tip a try. Many frogs are very light right out of the package and don't cast well. Try adding some small split shots (about 6-8) into the body cavity of the frog. This adds just the right amount of weight to make the bait easy to cast and to also make for a much better presentation above the weed mat (30-70lb Braided line with a heavy action Flippin' Stick is suggested). Hopefully this will help you be more productive in the SLOP!" 

Shane LaBar