More Tackle Additions

I wanted to update everyone with a list of the items that have been recently added to our online tackle store, More Tackle. We have had very good response to our advertising resulting in orders coming in almost daily, which is great since we didn't go live until the second week of July. We are getting orders from repeat customers, call-in orders from non-internet users (which means they heard about us), and a couple of international orders, too.

We will continue to add new items to the site and last month we added a "Used" category that will be getting more and more attention as time goes on. At this time, these are items we have procured locally, but we may turn it into a means for all US anglers to be able to sell their used fishing products that they are no longer using. We will have to see what kind of response we get first.

If there is a particular item or items that you would like to see available through our site, just email us at info@moretackle.com and let us know your preferences. We will try to meet your needs, best we can.

Best Fishes and God Bless,

Capt Dick

PRODUCT ADDITIONS

Spinning reels:
Pflueger Supreme XT
Okuma Avenger spinning reels - AV-20, AV40 & AV65
Penn 103CS spinning reel
Penn Spinfisher 430SS spinning reel
Baitcasting reels:
Quantum Tour Edition "Burner"
Quantum Code
Pfleuger Trion
Pfleuger President
Spincast reels:
Bass Pro Tiny-Lite (push button)
Bass Pro Underspins
Trolling reels:
Penn 209M Levelwind trolling reel
Penn 9M Levelwind trolling reel
Combos:
Penn Captiva
Zebco 202 Spincast Reel and Rod Combo
Rods:
Shakespeare Wonderpoles in 9', 10', 12', 13', 16', and 20' - great for crappie and brim fishing.
Okuma 7' Halogen rod
Shimano 7' Sojourn rod
Intruder 6 1/2 ft Rod
Lures:
Charlie's Worms
Premium Panfish Crickets
Sliding Weight Shrimp
Barracuda Rigs
Pompano Rigs
Acme Kastmaster
Acme Phoebe
Acme Frisky Fish
Needle Fish Trout Trolling Wobblie
Matzuo Sea Spit & Sputter
Matzuo Spit & Sputter
Matzuo Captain Hook
Matzuo Fantastic Minnow
Matzuo Jointed Fantastic Minnow
Matzuo Salty Dog
Matzuo Shallow Seeker
Matzuo Nano Crank
Heddon Teeny Torpedo in 7 colors
Accessories:
Meyerco Knives (several styles)
Tyzac Cast Nets (5, 6, 7 ft)
Mister Twister fillet knife
Flambeau soft-sided tackle packs (green and "cure pink")
Rapala stainless steel pliers
HT Enterprises heavy duty minnow net
Thermacell Mosquito Repellant & Refills
Line:
Stren Easy Cast line
Jigs:
Shakey head jigs (football, round, grass slipper) with Gamakatsu hooks, 5 to a bag
Ford Fender Model A trolling rigs
12 Fathom Break Away Jig Heads
Terminal Tackle:
Drop shot weights, bag of 10
Reconditioned:
Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod

Picasso

I came across a quote the other day (don't know who wrote it):

"You can paint a painting with Picasso's paint brush, but it doesn't make your painting a Picasso."

With a little rewrite, I came up with this:

"You can fish with Kevin Van Dam fishing tackle, but it doesn't make you a top professional fisherman."

Don't get me wrong. most of the professionals come up with some very good products, but a lot of it is just promotional hype. Sometimes you need to find what works best for you, and sometimes there just isn't anything already out there that suits you just perfect. So experiment ... consider building your own fishing rod. Start with the type of blank you prefer to fish with, then add the type of guides and tip you like, next select the reel seat, and finally add your pick of handles. Now you've got yourself a professional fishing rod with YOUR name on it (so to speak).

At More Tackle we are creating a department specifically for building your own fishing rods. Be it saltwater or freshwater, spinning or baitcasting, you can get almost anything your heart desires and make it all your own. Check it out soon and consider creating your next painting with your own personal paintbrush.

Shaky Head Jigs

Round Shaky Head Jig
Football Shaky Head Jig
Grass Slipper Shaky Head Jig

Shaky Head fishing was a guarded secret among touring pros — that is until Kevin VanDam won the Elite 50 tournament on Lake Lewisville, Tex. and shattered the lake record with a giant 11-pound, 13-ounce largemouth.

VanDam used the technique in his next three victories, but he wasn't alone. It's become a go-to technique for a number of pros that say it works anywhere, anytime. Guys like Jeremy Starks of West Virginia and Bink Desaro of Idaho are shaky head aficionados who have seen the technique save the day on more than one occasion. Whereas Shaky Head fishing is best suited for rocky bottoms, sandy flats or around sparse grass beds, it can be fished around the edges of thicker cover and in water from 1 to 40 feet deep.

It's a killer around riprap banks, secondary points and deep boulders. Northern smallmouth anglers, who have always relied on tube jigs for catching numbers of big smallmouth, are discovering the shaky rig is a good alternative when the big ol' brown fish are snubbing tubes.

And best of all, it's an easy rig to fish.

Basically, shaky wormin' involves a straight tail finesse worm fashioned weedless on a small, ball head jig. Once rigged, make a long cast and let the bait fall. Be ready — many strikes occur in the first three seconds after the bait contacts the bottom.

If not, began shaking the rod tip in short, rapid bursts, maintaining some slack in the line while you hold the rod in a 10 o'clock position.

This movement keeps the worm vertical and the tail quivering seductively. Don't hop the jig — inch it along and keep it dancing like a creature feeding along the lake bottom.

The gear you use and the manner in which the worm is rigged is important to the proper presentation. Some anglers prefer baitcast tackle, but a 7-foot medium action spinning rod is best because it fishes light line better, and light line imparts more action in the bait. Eight and 10 pound line is preferred and basic monofilament works, but sensitive fluorocarbon line transmits subtle bites better.

Most strikes feel like a simple tick or tap at the end of the line, or, if the fish are aggressive, they'll gobble the worm and streak off with it.

While a 4½-inch finesse worm produces more bites, 6- and 7-inch styles, especially the floating variety, attract bigger fish. And if you take a poll of the pros' favorite colors, you'll find shades of green, especially green pumpkin, watermelon or watermelon candy, are high on their lists.

To rig the shaky worm, enter the hook point into the head, push it out the side, and then roll it over so that the hook point enters the main body and protrudes through the top. You can leave the hook in the belly, but better yet, push it through and skin-hook the barb on the topside of the worm.

Some anglers prefer to leave a little hump in the worm between the jig head and the barb. This bend provides additional action and can make the worm more attractive to wary bass.

Find these and other goodies at More Tackle.

reBlog from Kenny Breckenridge: Kenny's Great Outdoors

I found this fascinating quote today:

1) You have a power worm dangling from your rear view mirror because you think it makes a good air freshener.Kenny Breckenridge, Kenny's Great Outdoors, Aug 2009

You should read the whole article.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Boy, has it been a busy time ... not just for fishing, but for working on our new business. The tackle store site is beginning to get some sales ... even before we have it all loaded with product. So far we have added over 400 products, and still counting.

Right now we are trying to get our rod components added in. That way customers can build their own fishing rods exactly to their own specifications ... at a reasonable price, too. We have great supplies from manufacturers like Rainshadow, Forecast, Alps, and Solid Works.

We also have a section for reconditioned, or as I prefer to think of it as recycled, rods and reels. They all carry a 30 day warranty and I personally guarantee the reconditioned reels because I am the one who repaired them and got them in top notch working order. Of course, we have them all at terrific prices, too.

Stop by, take a look, let me know what you think of the new store.

Get more, save more, fish more. After all, that's what's most important, right?

Father and daughter sharing quality time fishing together with the Southern Outdoorsman Guide Service.

captdick Father and daughter sharing quality time fishing together with the Southern Outdoorsman Guide Service. http://twitgoo.com/1ys74

Wait for greener Weights

I'm sure you have heard all the hoopla about lead ... the dangers of it and all. Well, fishing with lead weights is a bad thing, too. The lead leeches out into the water and contaminates everything that comes in contact with it.

There are new weights available now in Tungsten. These lead-free weights are better for more than one reason. Of course, the most important is no lead. But, in addition to that, Tungsten is heavier (denser) per its size. Therefore, a 1/4 ounce Tungsten weight is smaller and slimmer than its counterpart in lead. This will make it fish easier, with less hangups, and penetrate cover better.

Sounds like a win-win situation for both Mother Nature and us anglers. We will try to bring you some good deals on these new weights on our tackle site, More Tackle, but in the meantime we still have other weights at rock bottom prices.

GET MORE, SAVE MORE, FISH MORE

Well, it's finally happened. We have gone live with our new online tackle outlet store, More Tackle. In its infancy, we have started small with around 350 products, but will continue to grow and grow over the years to come. Our goal is to provide you with deep discounts on hard-to-find products that you have come to love over the years but can no longer find, either online or at brick and mortar retail stores.

To begin with, we have the following "departments:"

Rods
Reels
Rod & Reel Combos
Reconditioned Rods, Reels, & Combos
Clothing
Baits, Lures & Tackle
Boating Supplies
Electronics
Fishing Accessories
Rod Components
Novelty/Gift Items
Hot Deals
Clearance Items
Bulk Sales

A lot of the items we offer have been discontinued, therefore the supply is limited. So it's first come, first served on those items. That's why you may not be able to find them anywhere else. But that's the whole idea. Have you ever noticed how you come across something that you really like after trying it ... only to find out that you should have bought the store out because they quit carrying it as soon as you went back for more? Well, that has happened to me so many times that I decided to do something about it ... or at least as much as I could without going into the manufacturing business!

Also, we will be carrying reconditioned rods and reels, which will all carry a 30-day warranty. And, if you prefer to either fix or build your own rods, we will eventually have one of the largest selections of rod components available online - at some of the best prices online, too.

Keep checking back with the site because stock will be constantly changing. So, if you're looking for something in particular, we might not have it right now but we could at any time in the future. Or, if you would like to be added to our mailing list, send your email address to CaptDick@MoreTackle.com so we can notify you of updates to the site. Let us know if there is anything special you have been looking for and we will try to locate it.

Remember, we're not looking to get rich. We just want to help provide you with a viable way to get items that you've missed at a price you can live with. When you go to checkout you will see that shipping has not been included in the product prices. We have done this because shipping prices vary according to location and total weight or size of package(s). Why should one person living in the next state have to pay the same as someone clear across the country? Also, this way you see your actual cost of the product(s) without extras added in. We only charge for shipping - no handling or packaging fees are added in.

That way you can get more, save more, and fish more ... with More Tackle.

Enjoy!

Spring into June

I don't know if it's the rain we have been getting for the last two weeks raising the water levels, or the fact that the temperatures have not been too high because of the afternoon rains, or the fact that a rise in water level increases the forage. All I know is that the fishing is still great.

This 7/12 lb largemouth bass caught by Brian Futch of Mulberry, FL during our outing Tuesday morning, June 2, 2009, is proof that the big ones are still very active and "available."

If the rains keep coming throughout the rest of Spring and into the Summer, then this should be a good year for not only bass fishing, but the bluegill fishing will be picking up, beginning with the full moon tomorrow.

Don't forget to follow the law regarding daily catch limits ... and possession limits. These laws have been put into place for a good reason, so please respect them.

On another note, keep a watch out for our new online tackle outlet store, www.moretackle.com, which will go live some time this month. We will be offering great deals on some of your favorite tackle and specials on discontinued items that some of you have been asking for in various fishing forums. If there is a particular lure or other item that you really liked and wished were still available, send us an email at captdick@moretackle.com and let us know. If we can get it we'll let you know personally.

WISE GUIDE SHOPPING

What should a customer expect when they hire a guide for freshwater fishing?

Well, several things. For starters, they should expect that the guide has a significant amount of experience in his past, in addition to recent experience and current knowledge. They should expect to find all of the equipment/supplies that is advertised to be present and in good working order. They should expect the guide to be prompt and give them the full amount of time on the water. But, in addition, they should expect to be guided in a clean boat fully rigged for the intended type of fishing.

So many times I hear about and see fishing guide's boats that have not been cleaned up after a prior fishing excursion. Each client should be treated equally with the same amount of respect and dignity. This means providing each and every one with the same level of service and professionalism. After all, they are paying for it.

Guides establish their own prices, but often competition drives the prices down in an attempt to out-price one another. In doing so, the client shouldn't have to sacrifice quality of service. Again, it is the guide's choice as to what to charge for his/her services. Therefore, it comes back to that same old saying ... you get what you pay for.

Also, beware of prices that "include bait". Many times that included bait has been purchased ahead and in bulk. This means that you could receive substandard bait that is not the correct size for a particular time of year. Bait generally varies in cost dependent upon the time of the year, ease of harvesting, and size. You can expect to pay anywhere from $8.00 p $15.00/dozen and up. Sizes range from small all the way up to jumbo, which can run as much as $20.00/dozen. Let your guide know whether you are fishing for fun and quantity, or if you are looking for that trophy wall mount.

So, a word to the wise ... shop around, but don't compare just price. As a customer, you should keep in mind what level of quality service you expect, too. Don't be afraid to ask for references from former clients. Your reputable guides will be more than willing to give you that information.