I’m the easiest person in the world to buy for, bass fishing gear and tackle is all I need to be satisfied. A rod, a reel, some baits an accessory or two would be a perfect Christmas for me. With so many new items coming onto the market each year, I have narrowed it down to my top four items for the serious bass fisherman this holiday season.
Rod
Retail $200-210
Recently, I looked through my rods
and discovered I have rods from 15 different brands, proving I am not loyal to
just one. With that disclaimer,
The Axid
X comes in 18 different models in both casting and spinning. They look great, are
excellent quality and are made right here in the
Reel
Abu Garcia Revo Beast
Retail: $349.99
Anything named “The Beast” should be built tough and the new Revo Beast baitcast reel definitely is. The newest Revo reel was designed for heavy baits like swimbaits, castable umbrella rigs and whatever else you need a big reel for.
The Beast is slightly larger than most low-profile reels and features oversized handles and a deeper spool for bigger line capacity when using heavy line. It also has 22lbs of drag, a 7.1:1 gear ratio and weighs in at 9.35oz. Abu Garcia has also added some things for added durability like High Performance Corrosion Resistant bearings, beefed up brass gearings and Titanium-coated side plates and line guide. All of these features should ensure that the reel lasts for years to come.
I’m excited to use the Beast for swimbaits because I want to have the low profile design but still have the power to throw large baits. The Beast should be a hit for anyone looking for a new heavy-duty reel.
Accessories
Costa Hamlin
Retail: $169 to $249 depending on lens
Costa Sunglasses needs no introduction and explanation of their quality, so to me it comes down to which frame style, lens types and colors I am looking for. Costa has a long history of impressing anglers with frames and technology as shown by their long list of ICAST awards. The latest to win the award is the Hamlin and the award is well-deserved – they are awesome.
The Hamlin has a look similar to the latest sunglass styles, a more flat front and big lenses. Beyond the look, these are excellent sunglasses designed for those who love being on the water. Costa offers the Hamlin in five different frame colors, eight lens colors and three different lens types.
Depending on your budget you can choose between the 480 glass, the 580 glass and the 580 polycarbonate, with the polycarbonate being the lowest price and 580 lenses being the most expensive. You can’t go wrong with any of them and they all feature a lifetime warranty.
Soft Baits
Yum Drop-Shot Baits
Retail: $2.99 per package.
All of us on the West Coast drop-shot
and I would venture to say that our most popular drop-shot baits are all made
in the west or
The Sharp Shooter
The body of this bait looks very similar to many of the straight tail finesse worms we all use, but the tail section is the key difference. It features a thin, spear like tail for added action. This one is really cool.
The Warning Shot
The warning shot is a compact, ribbed worm that measures in at 3.75 inches long. It has a flat side and basically gave away one of my best kept secrets, cutting a beaver-style bait in half. The tail adds a great tail action and perfectly imitates a small baitfish.
The Kill Shot
Like the Warning Shot, this one has a compact size, ribbed body and flat side. The tail has a very slight action when rigged on a drop-shot and works great. The Kill Shot is my favorite of the three based on my success with it.
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