Originally posted November 23, 2019 – updated December 23, 2023. We hope you love these products and recommendations. Please know that we may collect a share of the sales or other compensation from the links on this page.

1.Fishing Line – Removing old line and re-spooling with fresh fishing line is relatively cheap, can be done in a matter of minutes, and could be the difference between landing that lunker or breaking on off at the boat.  

Get it from Amazon for $18.92

2. Head Lamp – Having a head lamp is a basic essential for all anglers. Whether searching for the right lure in the morning dawn or packing up right a dusk after a long day on the water – having a head lamp to pop on is a great convenience and frees up your hands. Don’t forger that people can and do fish at night.  

Get it from Amazon for $13.97

3. Pliers – This simple tool makes such a difference on the water. From cutting line to crushing barbs to removing hooks from fishes mouths, pliers a versatile tool that is essential for every fisherman to have.  

Get it from Amazon for $23.99

4. Rod Sleeves – Carrying around multiple rods almost requires rod sleeves, not just for the general protection that the sleeves provide, but to also ensure there is no criss-crossing and accidental damage to your poles.  

Get it from Amazon for $16.99

5. Reel Bag – A reel bag is good for storage, travel, and for the fisherman who works with his reels often. This promising review on Amazon says it all, “Movable pockets, secure, lightweight, no complaints.“  

Get it from Amazon for $16.99

6. Fish Book or Magazine Subscription – Legitimate magazines still do exist. You can choose from digital or print versions. They are easily gifted via Amazon too!  

Get it from Amazon for $10.00

7. Filet Knife – Many anglers practice the Catch-Photo-Release (CPR) method, especially with largemouth. Catfish however, are quite tasty and easy to catch. Having a good, sharp knife around is never a bad idea.  

Get it from Amazon for $29.99

8. Tackle Organization – Getting a premium tackle storage box can be quite helpful. Not only are there several compartments to store all sorts of gear – from hard baits, to soft plastics, to extra fishing line – but most come with a flat bottom and sturdy handle for easy portability.  

Get it from Amazon for $26.24

9. Polarized Sunglasses – A quality pair of sunglasses can make a big difference on the water. Less eye strain combined with the ability to “see” further into the water makes having a pair of polarized glasses a fishing must. Sunglasses lenses are typically made of plastic or glass and come in a variety of different colors – each color is best suited for specific weather conditions. You can easily find a quality pair of polarized sunglasses for $26.99 – like these.  

Get it from Amazon for $135.85

10. Tournament Identifier Cull Kit – Whether it’s a friendly fishing match between buddies or the real-deal money tournament – using a cull-kit is an easy way to keep track of multiple fish in a live well.  

Get it from Amazon for $23.93

11. Rod Rack – Storage and organization is just as important at home as it is on the go. Consider an on-the-ground circular rod rack or a wall rod rack or both!  

Get it from Amazon for $29.84

12. Latest and greatest from ICAST – While ICAST has lots and lots of 2019 winner from different categories – this year’s freshwater soft plastic lure winner is the Phantom Spider by Lunkerhunt.

Get it from Amazon for $9.49

13. Hawg Trough – A scale is not the only way to get stats on a fish. Many anglers – especially kayak fishermen – now use Hawg Trough’s. A Hawg Trough is essentially a glorified plastic ruler. Pro tip: darken the measurement lines with a sharpie for easier fish length determination. Darkening the measurement lines if often required for tournaments and helps get accurate measurements from pictures.  

Get it from Amazon for $29.99

14. Scale – Having a nice scale on hand is always great to truly know how much that “huge” fish weighed. Many anglers will use a strong lip-grip tool in conjunction with the scale so that their is less potential to harm to the fish.  

Get it from Amazon for $25.99

15. Glasses Retainer – Using a glasses retainer ensures that you know where your glasses are at all times – around your neck or on your face. Retainers also make it a breeze to constantly take your glasses on and off. Expensive pairs of glasses deserve retainers so that they don’t get stepped on, get flung off, or fall overboard.  

Get it from Amazon for $10.96

16. Hat – Spending the day in the sun can be brutal on your skin. A moisture-wicking UV-protecting wide brim hat can offer a great amount of head and face cover.  

Get it from Amazon for $29.99

17. Fishing Gloves – Have the hat? Have a long sleeve shirt? Pants? While fishermen typically cover all other areas of their body, their hands and fingers are typically the last thought on their mind, and are often overlooked and left exposed to the elements. However, the area should not be ignored and should either be protected well with sunscreen or specially made fishing gloves.  

Get it from Amazon for $18.98

18. In-Ground Rod Holder – Fishing is supposed to be a relaxing hobby. What better way to take that to the max but with a in the ground rod holder. Just shove it in to the ground, cast out your bait, and keep an eye on your rod.  

Get it from Amazon for $6.16

19. Fishing Seat – See above re: relaxing fishing. A portable chair with back support that can also hold items sounds like the swiss army knife of chairs. Holds up to 250 pounds!  

Get it from Amazon for $39.99

20. Hard Baits – New lures to test and try or that become a favorite are always worth getting. You can also never have enough. Pick the color and size that best suits your location the fish you typically see.  

Get it from Amazon for $4.99

21. Soft Plastics – These are hands down the most popular lure or method of largemouth bass fishing. Soft plastics come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and scents. A classic soft plastic that many beginner anglers use is the 5 inch worm in watermelon with black flake.  

Get it from Amazon for $4.99

22. Bait Bucket with Aerator – Bait won’t keep with an aerator at the very least. Some will do this with just any ole bucket – which is fine and cheaper. The specially made bait bucket provides an easy access lid for bait that can jump or crawl out.  

Get it from Amazon for $22.22

23. Rod Cleaning or Repair Kit – Rods get dirty. Rods get broken. Having a cleaning or repair kit can help extend the life and maximize the value of your favorite rods. One can also get satisfaction from restoring something that was once broken back to working condition.  

Get it from Amazon for $25.74

24. Fishing Grips – Most grips slide easily over the existing handles and simply add a pop of color while providing extra grip and comfort.  

Get it from Amazon for $6.06

25. Fishing Box Subscription – Getting a box of new and curated fishing items delivered to your door each month is exciting. Getting its a gift is even better. The most popular websites, Lucky Tackle Box and Mystery Tackle Box, both make it easy to gift multi-month subscriptions. Always check around on the internet for a discount count code before purchasing at full-price.  

Get it from Lucky Tackle Box or Mystery Tackle Box

26. Fishing DVD’s – When the wifi is down or when you are at the far and away lake house – it’s nice to have the physical DVD to pop in and watch some great fishing actions while also getting some tips and tricks to employ the next time you are out.  

Get it from Amazon for $6.99

27. Neck Guard – Covering up your neck can be easy, stylish, and cheap – it also can protect you from the sun!  

Get it from Amazon for $12.99

28. Storage – kayak rack in garage – Getting your kayak inside your garage is one thing – getting up on the wall is another. It’ll make a world of difference once you have your kayak(s) up on the wall and off the ground. Check out this link for a how-to on kayak wall hanging.  

Get a 4-pack from Amazon for $27.99

29. Bobber with Light – This product is actually a light that goes underwater to attract fish – which is kind of cooler than a light-up bobber anyway. Both are cool and should be considered if you’ll be fishing with kids or at night.  

Get it from Amazon for $18.99

30. Line Cutter Ring – This ingenious invention hit the market several years ago and is now available to the mass market for a little over $10 bucks. Wearing the ring makes retying and cutting line a breeze.  

Get it from Amazon for $11.99

31. Camera to Record Record Catches – Having a camera on board or around that’s in a waterproof casing that floats just feels safer than using your phone. Top end cameras like the GoPro offer better quality videos too.  

Get it from Amazon for $329.99

32. Fishing Scent – Adding a little fishing scent to your lures is an easy way to differentiate your lure attractants while on the water. Don’t be afraid to put this on soft or hard baits.  

Get it from Amazon for $9.49

33. Knife – Finally on this list is a knife. A simple knife is one of the most convenient and handy tools to have in life in general. Having a knife on your person can make up for a lot of things in a jam – it’s a good idea to have one.  

Get it from Amazon for $10.50

Bill Evans holding his record largemouth bass he caught on August 8, 2016 – breaking an almost 40 year Washington record.

Updated February 13, 2023 – Originally posted October 2016

We have all heard of Manabu Kurita’s world record shattering 22.331 pound bass caught in Japan in mid-2009. And we have heard legends of George Perry’s 22.25 pounder caught on Montgomery Lake in Georgia in 1932. But what if you live in a state where the average weight of a bass caught is between 1-2 pounds? How do you know if your personal best stacks up to the record held within your own state?

Below is a list of all the current record holding largemouth bass from all 50 states. 2016 is turing out to be a good year with 2 records already being broken. Andre Klein pulled in a 11 lb 1.6 oz monster from Wagaons Pond on February 20, 2016 and Bill Evans posted a 12.53 lb bass on August 8, 2016, earning him the top spot as Washington State’s record holder.

Updated December 14, 2021. Originally published November 28, 2016.

In-Fisherman Magazine

1 – Tackle Subscription/Magazine Subscription (~$15)

Monthly subscription boxes are all the rage these days and you can find many different options to meet your needs. Mystery Tackle Box and Lucky Tackle Box are two of the most popular – subscriptions start as low as $15/month and each website has the option to give the subscription as a gift. If magazines are more your style; In-Fisherman, Sport Fishing and Bassmaster are all great options.

Rapala Scissors

2 – Line Cutter Scissors (~$5)

While most anglers have a pair of pliers – not many have line cutter scissors. This little tool is extremely useful when re-tying knots. Fishing scissors allows the fisherman to accurately remove tags in a quick and efficient manner.

Largemouth Bass Art

3 – Fishing Art (~$10-$1000)

A fisherman loves all thing fishing – and that includes artwork. The world wide internet offers art items for a man-cave such as this awesome tin sign or a street-type sign. You can also find more refined office and home fishing artwork like this realistic painting of a bass vs dragonfly or this more abstract concept that includes very vivid colors. To make this holiday season a truly memorable experience try going for the original drawing or prints if for sale.

GoPro Camera

4 – Action Camera ($100+)

Sure you get to see all the great pictures of your favorite angler holding his new record fish and smiling but what if you could watch a short video clip which captured all the awesome hook-setting, heart pounding action that took place to land that record fish – an action camera like a GoPro can allow anglers to share their experience with you. Action cameras are often waterproof and can be mounted in many different ways for different angle shots.

Costa Sunglasses

5 – Sunglasses ($100+)

Polarized sunglasses can be a game changer on the water – allowing anglers to see into the water at greater depths and with greater clarity. Costa Del Mar is the primo brand name when it comes to fishing sunglasses and the cost of these sunglasses is totally worth it. You’ll soon be hearing stories about how he or she wouldn’t have caught a fish without them. Opt for glass for the best quality and a scratch resistant lens (also more expensive) or for plastic lenses if your angler is prone to dropping things (impact resistant).

Fishing Rain Gear

6 – Rain Gear ($30-$100)

Just because the weather is bad doesn’t mean the fishing is bad. Bass often are biting most as a storm front approaches. That can mean that anglers often get caught in the rain or simply just decide to fish in it. A good set of fishing rain gear can go a long way in making fisherman warm and dry in the midst of a downpour.

Hawg Trough

7 – Hawg Trough/Scale ($15-20)

Stop all those BIG FISH stories by gifting a Hawg Trough (fish length measuring device) or a fishing scale – that way you’ll know for sure when they say their fish was “this” big.

YETI Cooler

8 – Cooler ($250+)

Being on the water all day takes its toll – anglers can quickly become drained of fluids. Staying hydrated is key. Just like Costa is the name in sunglasses – YETI is the name in coolers. Yeti coolers fit snugly in the back of kayaks and provide no-skid surfaces when installed on boats. If a hard-body cooler shell is not preferred YETI also offers soft-sided cooler bag options.

Berkley Logo

9 – Fishing Stickers/Decals (~$5)

Fishing stickers are a cheap and easy gift to give to anglers. Brand names stickers are often placed on boats, kayaks, tackle boxes and vehicles. You can’t go wrong with brand name stickers from: Costa, Yeti, Abu Garcia, Gary Yamamto, Shimano, Rapala and Berkley. If brand names are their style – try going with classic bass fishing stickers and decals.

Largemouth Bass Picture Frame

10 – Bass Picture Frame (~$15)

This one is cheap, easy and sentimental. Step one: buy bass themed picture frame. Step two: print out photo of angler with their best catch. Step three: frame photo for excellent and personalized gift idea. To flip the script – you could print a out a photo of your biggest catch and autograph it to your “biggest fan” as a funny way to gift the frame.

Long-sleeved Fishing Shirt

11 – Fishing Clothing – hat, gloves, pants, shirt ($10-$40)

Yes, your favorite angler wears clothes when they fish – but do they wear fishing gear? Are they adequately protected from the sun? Or are they too cheap to spend money on fishing clothing and would rather save it all for baits? Now is your time to gift an item or two to give your favorite angler a better experience out on the water. Fishing is a huge sport and fishing product lines have been developed for hats, gloves, pants and shirts.

Cabela’s Fishing Bag

12 – Fishing Bag (~$20)

Most anglers have a tackle box but not all have a fishing bag. A fishing bag is versatile and great for anglers on the move. Whether it’s fishing a local pond or getting down to your favorite spot – having a fishing bag makes it much easier for an angler to carry a rod and baits and still have a hand free.

Waterproof Case

13 – Waterproof Case ($15-$35)

Nobody wants to have their phone destroyed because of a rogue wave or an unintended swim. A waterproof case is a quick and easy way for fishermen to protect their valuables from the elements. Locking plastic cases have long been the norm but YETI has recently introduced a new soft-sided bag which has impressed many anglers.

Whistle

14 – Safety Items ($5+)

Safety while on the water is something to take very seriously. It is relatively cheap and easy to equip an angler with many safety tools such as: a whistle, air horn, compass and para-cord, flare gun, life jacket and more.

Fishing Chair

15 – Fishing Chair

Not everyone knows that there are specially made fishing chairs that anglers can not only when on the ice but also on banks or piers.

Largemouth Bass Underwater, photo cred: “IMG_1169” by jprime84

1. The first rule of fishing is you never leave fish in order to find more fish! As little as 10% of the angling population account for 80% of all bass caught.

2. Largemouth bass are the most intelligent freshwater fish & are able to distinguish & avoid specific lures after only one encounter. According to the IGFA, some bass lakes believed to be “fished out” contain plenty of bass, but the fish have learned to recognize virtually all the lures in common use on the lake. In such cases, a bait that is new to them will often work where others have failed.

3. The Largemouth bass was first described as a new species in 1802 by the French naturalist La Cépède. He relied on drawings and reports sent to him from a colleague in South Carolina. The largemouth bass is now the most popular game fish in America.

4. Largemouth bass live 16 years on average. The oldest known bass was 23 years old.

Baby Bass In Net, photo cred: “DSC_4664” by MyFWCmedia

5. During the spawn male bass will nudge females to help stimulate the release of eggs. Usually bass will spawn when they are one year old and approximately one pound in size in ponds in the south. In reservoirs and streams they may reach 6 to 7 inches at age one and spawn at age two. After spawning with a female is complete, male bass remain at the nest to guard the eggs and then the newly hatched fry.

6. Bass have a protective layer of mucus covering their body that helps prevent parasites and infections. Wet your hands and don’t allow the fish to touch the ground to prevent the bass from losing its slime.

7. Largemouth bass are described as having a fusiform body shape – that means they have a torpedo-like body that is tapered at both the head and the tail. The longest largemouth bass ever recorded was 29.5 inches long!

8. The largemouth bass is the freshwater state fish of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida.

9. Only about 10% of any given body of water has the right combo of structure, cover, food, temp, oxygen content, etc. that quality bass are looking for and an overwhelming majority of the bass can be found there. The other 90% is void of good-sized fish.

10. Bass have an inner ear bone that can pick up small frequencies of sound like the movement of a crawfish.

11. Largemouth bass typically rely on camouflage to ambush their prey and can make quick short bursts with swimming speeds of 18-20 miles per hour. Just how fast can a bass swim? They can swim in bursts of more than 3 body lengths per second. That means a 20 inch bass could travel close to 5 feet in just 1 second.

12. Bass don’t always “strike”. Anglers must stay alert to feel for the gentle “mouthing” of a bait or lure and be aware that if your line is slowly moving it’s time to set the hook!

13. An angler from California named Mac Weakley actually caught the largest largemouth bass ever (25.1 pounds) in 2006 but it did not count towards any records because he foul-hooked it!

14. It is a common belief that schooling bass are only small fish. While this is sometimes true, bass tend to run in groups of fish that are the same size and age. Thus, somewhere on the lake there are schools of larger bass. They are usually in deeper holding areas than most anglers are targeting. Fewer fish reach old age so schools of larger size fish generally contain less fish than schools of small bass.

“Wes Porak” by FWC Research

15. Many anglers practice what is known as CPR – Catch, Photo and Release. Bass respond well to catch and release because of their hardiness and they have the ability to withstand repeated hook injuries without compromising their ability to feed or causing damage to their gills.

16. When bass migrate, or temporarily move, they do not actually disperse and span out. Rather, they travel together in orderly fashion along underwater highways using structural variations as “signposts” to show them the way. This is very similar to the trails that deer use.

17. Largemouth are the most adaptable of all the bass species. They do just fine even if the water is warm, cold, shallow, deep, murky or clear.

18. Bass know the amount of energy they must expend in relation to the reward they receive. This is why big bass often seem lazy or uninterested even in the presence of excellent food options.

19. Bass are cold-blooded animals which means their body temperatures are the same temperature as the water in which they inhabit. Largemouth bass are most comfortable in water temperatures between 65° and 75°. As the water temperature warms, the metabolism of largemouth bass increases and they must feed more often.

20. Bass have ctenoid scales that are jagged around the edges and that overlap slightly to allow greater flexibility in movement. The other type of fish scale is cycloid. Cycloid scales are rounded and smooth and can be found on fish like carp and salmon.

21. Bass see in color and have eyes similar to humans (cornea, retina, pupil), but their eyes are rounder than humans to handle the light refraction that occurs underwater.

Manabu Kurita and his record setting largemouth bass in Japan.

*Manabu Kurita officially tied Perry’s record from 1932 but his fish did not weigh 2 ounces more than Perry’s so it did not officially beat it.

*Dave Zimmerlee – several anglers claimed to have seen Zimmerlee pull the dying bass from the water instead of actually catching it. Zimmerlee denies this claim.

*Johnny Garduno – anglers claimed that Garduno used his net to scoop his bass as it investigated his stringer of trout.

*Sandy DeFresco – weights were found in the belly of this fish but nobody could explain why. Defresco was awarded the weight of the fish minus the 2.5 pound weight.

*Mike Long – after an expose and in-depth report by Kellen Ellis titled The Dark Secret of “America’s Big Bass Guru” – all of Mike Long’s catches are now suspect.

Interesting Note:

Mac Weakley in California.

An angler from California named Mac Weakley actually caught the largest largemouth bass ever but it did not count towards any records because he foul-hooked it!

On March 20, 2006 Mac caught a 25.1 pound bass with a distinctive dot on the bottom of her gill-plate on Lake Dixon the US state of California.

Mac could have gone the way of controversy as a few of the angler above but did not. He released Dottie after a quick picture. She died of old age 3 years later.

Common Names: largemouth bass, widemouth bass, bigmouth bass, black bass, bucketmouth, Oswego bass, green bass, green trout, Florida bass, ditch pickles, and more.

Identification: Largemouth bass are usually olive green in color with dark blotches that form a horizontal line along the sides with a silvery-white underbelly. A distinguishing characteristic of largemouth bass is the upper jaw extends beyond the rear margin of the eye. They have a nearly divided, deeply notched dorsal fin with 9-10 spines and 12-13 rays in the posterior.

General Description: The largemouth bass is the largest of the black bass species. Average life expectancy is 16 years and a maximum recorded weight of 25 pounds 1 ounce. However, the average bass grows at a rate of:

• Year 1: 4-6 inches
• Year 2: 8-12 inches
• Year 3: 16+ inches

Habitat: Largemouth bass seek clear non-flowing water with protective cover such as logs, vegetation (overhangs or aquatic growth), and man-made structures like docks. Largemouth are the most adaptable of the black bass species and survive just fine in a multitude of environments.

Largemouth Bass Facts

• Largest freshwater gamefish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae).
• Maximum recorded length = 29.5 inches.
• Maximum recorded weight = 25 pounds 1 ounce.

Lucky Tackle Box (LTB) and Mystery Tackle Box (MTB) side-by-side comparison.

Two of the most popular bass fishing monthly subscription boxes are Lucky Tackle Box (LTB) and the

Mystery Tackle Box (MTB). Both currently offer an entry level subscription package for $14.99/month, or cheaper if you subscribe for multiple months at once.

Both MTB and LTB typically accept a variety of promotional codes (even old ones) that allow you get a box for $5 including free shipping. You can simply cancel the subscription after the month and get the bait box for just 5 bucks. I found the following promotion codes on the web: For $10 off Mystery Tackle Box try: TRYMTB. For $10 off Lucky Tackle Box try: SAVE10

This video compares the July 2017 bass fishing gear (normal $14.99 membership) box shipment from each company: Lucky Tackle Box (LTB) and Mystery Tackle Box (MTB). The estimated retail value for LTB was $44.75 while the retail value of MTB was $24.83. The Lucky Tackle Box focused on topwater baits while the Mystery Tackle Box contained drop shot baits with the added frog.

#1a Manabu Kurita

Rank: 1a*

Weight: 22.311 lbs

Angler: Manabu Kurita

Location: Lake Biwa, Shiga, Japan

Date: July 2, 2009

*Manabu Kurita officially tied Perry’s record from 1932 but his fish did not weigh 2 ounces more than Perry’s so it did not officially beat it.

Rank: 1b*

Weight: 22.25 lbs

Angler: George Perry

Location: Montgomery Lake, Georgia, USA

Date: June 2, 1932

#3 Bob Crupi

Rank: 3

Weight: 22.01 lbs

Angler: Robert “Bob” Crupi

Location: Castaic Lake, California, USA

Date: March 12, 1991

Bob caught his record bass using a live crayfish as bait.

Rank: 4

Weight: 21.75 lbs

Angler: Michael Arujo

Location: Castaic Lake, California, USA

Date: March 5, 1991

#5 Jed Dickerson

Rank: 5

Weight: 21.688 lbs

Angler: Jed Dickerson

Location: Lake Dixon, California, USA

Date: May 31, 2003

The fish that Jed caught was the famous Dottie. She was caught by Mike Long two years earlier weighing 20.75 lbs. She is one of the most popular bass to ever lived and widely considered to be the biggest.

#6 Raymond Easley

Rank: 6

Weight: 21.2 lbs

Angler: Raymond Easley

Location: Lake Casitas, California, USA

Date: March 4, 1980

#7 Robert Crupi

Rank: 7

Weight: 21.01 lbs

Angler: Robert “Bob” Crupi

Location: Castaic Lake, California, USA

Date: March 9, 1990

#8 Dave Zimmerlee

Rank: 8*

Weight: 20.938

Angler: Dave Zimmerlee

Location: Miramar Reservoir, California, USA

Date: June 23, 1973

*Several anglers claimed to have seen Zimmerlee pull the dying bass from the water instead of actually catching it. Zimmerlee denied those claims and was featured on the cover of Bassmaster a few months later.

#9 Leo Torres

Rank: 9

Weight: 20.86 lbs

Angler: Leo Torres

Location: Castaic Lake, California, USA

Date: February 4, 1990

#10 Mike Long

Rank: 10

Weight: 20.75 lbs

Angler: Mike Long

Location: Lake Dixon, California, USA

Date: April 27, 2001

Action – measurement of rod ability to return to a straight position that ranges from fast to slow and rod strength that ranges from light, medium to heavy.

Active Fish – Bass that are abundant and aggressive in a particular area.

Angler – A person using a rod and reel to catch fish.

Anti-reverse – Feature of many reels that prevent it from spinning backwards to help with tangles.

Backlash – an overspin of the spool of a bait cast reel due to improper tension. Also known as a birds nest.

Backwater – Shallow, slow moving and often isolated areas in the back of rivers and creeks.

Bag Limit – The given number of fish harvest on a daily basis.

Bank Runner – fairly small bass that spend most of their time near shore and are known to be more aggressive and easier to catch.

Bluebird Sky – term used to describe bright, sunny, cloudless conditions that can negatively impact fishing.

Buzzbait – A topwater bait with propeller-type blades that “buzz” the top of the water as the lure is retrieved.

Carolina Rig – a way to rig soft plastics (and occasionally lures) to keep it just a foot or two off the bottom.

Comeback Lure – a lure used immediately after a bass has struck and missed on different bait.

Community Hole – a well-known and heavily fished area where many anglers are known to have success.

Countdown Lure – a lure that sinks at a prescribed rate

Cover – ambush points for bass such as vegetation, stumps or rocks.

Crankbait – lure designed to mimic moving prey. Some crank baits are lipless run deep on slow retrieves and high on fast retrieves while other crank baits have lips (plastic bills) that allow them to dive at any speed.

Creature Bait – bulky soft plastic bait, usually with many appendages and typically shorter than 5 inches.

Deadsticking – the act of casting our a bait and doing nothing, simply letting is sit for long periods of time.

Depthfinder – sonor units used to see underwater features such as: water depth, underwater vegetation and fish.

Downsize – when anglers decide to use smaller tackle and lighter pound test in order to take more of a finesse approach to catching bass.

Drag – device within reels that can be adjusted to limit how easily a fish can pull out fishing line when hooked.

Drop Shot – Hook is typically tied 18-24 inches above a sinker weight. Often rigged with soft plastics.

Fan Casting – making several casts only a few degrees apart to cover a half circle. This method is used to quickly identify if fish are in a particular location.

Finesse Fishing – an angling technique characterized by the use of light tackle. This method is often used in very clear waters.

Fishfinder – sonor units used to see underwater features such as: water depth, underwater vegetation and fish.

Flipping – also known as “flippin”, is the act of precisely casting a lure to a given spot using an underhand cast that lands quietly with little disturbance of the water.

GPS (Global Positioning System) – feature of many fish finders to allow anglers to mark exactly where they have caught fish in the past or may have experienced water hazards.

Gamefish – species of fish that are pursued for sport and because of their fighting ability when hooked.

Hawg – slang term for a big largemouth bass

Honey Hole – a personally productive or go-to fishing spot that has big or lots of fish.

Hook Set – the process in which anglers pull back on the rod to drive the hook into the mouth of a fish.

Jerkbait – a lipped, elongated, minnow shaped lure retrieved with a jerking motion of the rod tip.

Jig – a weighted head from which a hook protrudes, often includes a rubber or silicone skirt.

Johnboat – usually a small flat bottomed aluminum boat for smaller bodies of water that may be powered by only batter and trolling motor or a very low HP gas motor.

Laydown – a tree that has fallen into the water, typically a portion of the tree is underwater and while another portion is still exposed above the water and may be resting on land.

Lipping – a way to hold bass by grasping its lower lip.

Livewell – container used to keep bass or baitfish alive by use of an electronic aeration system.

Lunker – slang term for a big largemouth bass.

Match the hatch – selecting a lure that matches the size and color of the bait the fish are currently eating.

Pitching – an underhanded cast in which the rod top is raised to swing the bait forward that allows anglers to cast further distances than flipping.

Plastic Worm – a mold poured soft plastic lure and one of the most popular lures in bass fishing.

Post Spawn – a period right after fish mate (spawn). Many times the fish are exhausted and lethargic as they recover but then become hungry and aggressive once recovered.

Pound-Test – the pull-pound rating or amount of pressure at which fishing links breaks.

Pre-Fishing – fishing a body of water before a tournament to develop a game plan and strategy for tournament day.

Pre-Spawn – the period before fish spawn when bass move to shallower waters to feed aggressively.

Punching – the technique uses sinkers to get baits through heavy cover to fish waiting below.

Reaction Bite – triggering a bass to bite on reflex when surprised by a lure.

Ripping – a retrieval method for jerkbaits in which the bait is quickly jerked forward followed by a period of rest that allows the lure to fall.

Schooling – when many bass are congregated in the same area chasing baitfish.

Shad – common baitfish minnow food source for bass.

Sight Fishing – fishing for bass that are visible to the angler. This often happens when fish are on spawning beds.

Slow Rolling – method of retrieval in which the angler brings the lure in at a rate just fast enough to create the appropriate action.

Spinnerbait – lure shaped like an open wire safety-pin with exposed hook. Often dressed with skirts of various colors and blades of various shapes and sizes.

Spoon – usually metallic in nature and color to imitate the flash of a minnow; spoons can be jigged or casted and retrieved.

Structure – ambush points for bass such as vegetation, stumps, rocks or contour changes such as flats and channels.

Texas Rig (Texas Rigged) – A way to rig a soft plastic to a hook so that the barb is concealed and the rig is essentially “weedless”.

Thermocline – A layering in the water column where rising warm and sinking water meet but do not mix.

Topwaters – Hard plastic or wood floating lures that create commotion on the surface of the water when retrieved.

Trailer – an item such as a hook, blade, or plastic that is attached to the back hook of a lure to increase chances of triggering a bite or catching a fish.

Wacky Rig – the method of hooking a soft plastic bait through its center or middle leaving the hook exposed.

Walk-The-Dog – topwater retrieval technique in which the angler works their wrist, pole, and reeling speed in coordination to make the lure move back-and-forth in a zig-zag pattern.

Weed Guard – plastic or wire that covers the hook points to allow a lure to be fished through cover but that is easily suppressed when contacted by a fishes mouth.

Water Column – Is a term used when referring to specific depths across a vertical cross-section of the water body.

Costa Corbina Sunglasses Blue

I want to tell you about a personal best (PB) story of mine that almost didn’t happen.

This fish caught was my best in length and probably weight wise and I caught it on a mid-afternoon in March 2016, not during peak hours. I was on one of my favorite lakes – Town Lake – also known as Lady Bird Lake – it’s in the heart of Austin, Texas. It is a trolling motor and paddle only lake. There are a few boats with motors that support the rowing team but they are the only ones permitted to have motors on the lake – this a very very quiet lake where you don’t have to deal with wake board and ski boats or even bass boats – so the competition and the pressure on the fish is not that great. And to make it even better this fishery is just one damn down from nationally recognized Lake Austin which has been stocked with over 100,000 Florida strain largemouth bass as well as ones from the Sharelunker program here in Texas that TWPD puts on. Many times when these flood gates are opened in heavy rains these very good genetic strains of bass are flushed in to town lake where they thrive because there is not as much pressure from the angling community at large.

I launched at one of my favorite access points and went immediately to a place I call The Tree of Life. The Tree of Life is area where it looks like the tree from the Lion King. It is a very very old tree, the root system is extensive – to me it looks like it has been there a long long time. And usually if something has survived that long there is probably other life associated with that in some capacity. I was just getting started for my fishing day. There were some recent heavy rains in the days before and many fish were spawning and were on the move at this time and of course I had my favorite pair of polarized glasses – my Costa Corbina’s (get the glass lenses – always). I would not have caught that fish I had not been wearing those glasses and that’s the bottom line. The Costa Corbina’s allow you to see into the water in a way that your are just physically unable to do unaided by these glasses. The reflection is simply not there when wearing the glasses so you can visibly see into the water at a greater depth and clarity then you would ever be able to see without glasses on.

“My ability to spot this fish and ultimately catch this fish was predicated on my wearing these glasses to begin with.”

I’m at The Tree of Life, I’m wearing my Coasta Corbina’s, I’m throwing my favorite bait. I have a Texas rigged watermelon senko with black and red flake on 8lb fluorocarbon. I tested my first 12 inches of line and it looked good, nothing was going to snap. As I slowly drift in closer towards The Tree of Life not to startle anything I look over and I see a big torpedo – a FOOTBALL – sitting in the water, facing the shore. It does not know I am there – I am maybe 10 yards away. I see it hanging out by that big root system of that Tree of Life and so I cast my senko a few past it and gave it one nice reel.
The worm stops right in front of the fish’s face and let it slowly drift down. In what appeared to be slow motion I watch that fish go and grab and take that senko lure and watch as a big swirl goes around and I set the hook as fast as I can – I’m in for a rodeo ride! That fish takes off and takes down – it doesn’t feel as tough as it quite should be – but you know it’s a big fish when your rode doubles over like that. I buckled down – I made sure my drag was set alright, I didn’t want to lose this fish to a broke line. I fought the fish and let her swim. When she saw the kayak she dove back down for one last ditch effort. Finally ended up getting her to the kayak and she wasn’t hooked well at all – I’m glad I gave it the finesse I did. It ended up being a 23 inch fish, a new length personal best (PB) – likely weighing in around 7-8 lbs at a conservative estimate. Snapped a few photos, let the fish go. Did not have my rapala scale on me at the time so I referred to TPWD’s conversion chart here for my determination between of 7-8 lbs and that is consistent with any of the other fish I have caught. I think it may have been a large female that had recently spawned and just did not have the energy to fight me hard.

Bottom line is that if you are thinking of these glasses for fishing or personal use – it can literally be the difference in catching a personal best and going home empty handed. It’s an incredible story. You usually have 3-4 fishing stories you can turn back and talk about – and this is one of them.

I’m proud that I was convinced at some point in my life – there is always somebody who convinces you to buy the kayak and get off the shore, or buy the soft plastics and stop throwing bobbers with live worms and minnows underneath them, and the one who tells you that Costa’s may help you too – those guys are the true champions and we should all embrace that spirit. It’s made me a better fisherman, it’s made me appreciate the sport and it makes me want to share and instill that passion in others.