LETTER FROM THE EDITOR It’s a new year and we’ve got a new magazine, new box colors, new fishing tournament and more... Welcome to 2018 and the new Lucky Tackle Box! My goal this year is to help you have more fun each and every time you hit the water to throw a line. Here’s some of the changes for 2018. Let’s start with the obvious... XL box color. With the addition of our new Tournament Series Box, the Bass XL box is now red. The magazine. I wanted to make sure I gave you as much information and helpful tips as possible to increase your odds of catching more fish. We’re going to breakdown every bait in the box and give you everything you need to know to increase your chances of landing your new PB this year. The magazine is a must read from cover to cover each month. Fishing reports. In February our fishing reports section will go live on Luckytacklebox.com that’ll contain reports from the top guides on over 250 of the most popular bodies of water in the country. How-to library. Ever wondered the best way to fish a squarebill crank bait in the fall? The new how-to library will go live in February on Luckytacklebox.com will allow you to search by bait, season and more to find the exact how-to video or article you need to improve your chances of landing fish in any season or situation. LTB fishing tournament. Your shot at winning over $100,000 worth of prizes this year!!! As a subscriber you’re eligible to compete against every LTB subscriber across the country for a shot at the title. Each month we’ll award prizes to the top 50 finishers in our monthly fishing tournament. Details are on our website. Loyalty points. In 2018 I’m going to reward your loyalty to Lucky Tackle Box with free gifts. The longer you stay, the better the gifts. I’m still finalizing the details and will update you all the moment the program is ready to go. I think you get the point that Lucky Tackle Box is more than just some box full of baits. If you stick with Lucky Tackle Box for the entire year, you’re going to have everything you need to fish any body of water, in any condition and at anytime throughout the year. I’m committed to you and to providing the newest baits to hit the market, to helping you to catch more fish and to have more fun! It’s going to be a great year. Cheers.
Rick Patri Founder IG: @rickpatri
BACKSTABBER Squarebill Product Description
Pro Tips
Featuring a unique design with a hook extending
One of the draw backs of fishing a traditional crank-
from the back of the bait as opposed to the belly, the
bait, is the ability to throw it into heavier cover. You can
Backstabber Squarebill Crankbait repels snags better
bounce them off of rocks, but what about things like
than conventional lures. Specially tuned and weighted
bushes and laydowns? The Backstabber can go where
to accommodate the top hook and swim true, this
other squarebills can’t, so work that bait up and over
configuration hooks fish in the top lip - greatly in-
tree limbs, tighter to docks and any other structure
creasing your odds of landing those larger fish. If that’s
you might not throw your shallow crankbait normally.
not enough, the hooks in the Backstabber also rotate
Remember that the more contact you make the more
360-degrees so fish can’t leverage against the bait and
chance you have of triggering a strike, so make sure
bust free. Unlike any other crankbait on the market, the
you’re bumping into stuff.
Backstabber is truly unique and effective. More info: www.trophytechnology.com/backstabber
Drew’s Notes
One of the biggest mistakes tha anglers make with their crank t novice fishing with the wrong line size. baits is You want to rig up with 10-12 pound test to get tha t bait down to the bottom quickly. If your line is too hea vy, it’s never going to reach the diving depth tha t you nee d to get that lip banging off the rocks, stumps or oth er str ucture and you will get far less strikes.
To read more about this bait go to www.luckytacklebox.com/tips
Recommended Gear 7’0 (Medium Casting) 6.3:1 Baitcaster Reel 10-12 Lb InvisX Fluorocarbon
See our tips on how to use this bait at: wwwluckytacklebox.com/youtube
Water Depth
Mid-Depth Bottom
Depth 0-4 Feet
Topwater
Location Grass
Tules/Reeds
Rip Rap
Docks
Humps
Brush Piles
Points
Rocks
Ledges
Open Water
Mats
Trees
STRIKE KING Half Shell Product Description
Pro Tips
Manufactured using Strike King’s innovative Open Pour
The drop shot is one of the best techniques for catch-
Technology (OPT), the Strike King Drop Shot Half Shell
ing bass, even in the toughest conditions. The length
delivers a finesse specific design that excels with lighter
between your hook and your drop shot is always a
tactics. Offering a level of suppleness that is usually as-
matter of debate. A good starting point is about 6-8
sociated with small batch hand-pours, the Strike King
inches. Adjust it throughout the day to see what works
Drop Shot Half Shell utilizes a unique pouring process
best. You can go as short as 3 inches and as long as 2
that results in clearly defined, multi-layer laminates and
½ feet. If you have a graph, knowing if the fish are right
no blurred edges. Infused with the perfect amount of
on the bottom might call for a shorter setup, while fish
coffee scent and salt, the Half Shell is sure to become a
suspended a couple feet, might require a longer one.
mainstay of your finesse arsenal. To read more about this bait More info: www.strikeking.com
Drew’s Notes
The St rike King Half Shell is drop shot bait in general, but it is a killer outstanding bed fishing bait wh also an en bass are up spawning. Years ago, be for e thi s ba it was released, savvy anglers would cut bea ver style baits in half to get a similar action. Wh en bed fis hing, try rigging it a little heavier with 1012 pou nd test and a stout circle hook with a casting set up.
go to www.luckytacklebox.com/tips
Recommended Gear 6’11 (Medium-Light Spinning) 5.2:1 Spinning Reel 6-8 Lb InvisX Fluorocarbon
See our tips on how to use this bait at: wwwluckytacklebox.com/youtube
Water Depth Topwater Mid-Depth Bottom
Location Grass
Tules/Reeds
Rip Rap
Docks
Humps
Brush Piles
Points
Rocks
Ledges
Open Water
Mats
Trees
DOBYNS D-Blade Advantage Product Description
Pro Tips
The Dobyns D-Blade Advantage Series Spinnerbaits
Spinnerbaits are highly effective year round and make
will put the odds in your favor. The Advantage Series
for a fantastic search bait. You can cover water quickly,
Spinnerbaits feature a custom head design, which
working the bait in all kinds of cover. Look for lanes
keeps them perfectly balanced and running straight at
that bass would use as ambush points. Things like
any retrieve speed, as well as, prevents the skirts from
the corner of a weed line, the edges of a dock or the
balling up on one side after a fish strikes or coming
points/pockets of reeds are perfect places for bass to
through cover. They are also equipped with a custom
hideout waiting for a quick meal to rush by. Cast past
long shank Mustad Hook and a specially designed bait
those areas and bring your spinnerbait as close to
keeper to ensure a high hook up ratio and hold your
those high percentage areas as possible.
soft plastic trailers firmly in place without the use of glue.
To read more about this bait
More info: www.dobynsrods.com
go to www.luckytacklebox.com/tips
Drew’s Notes
You can catch a lot of spinnerbait fis just a straight, steady ret rieve. Ho h with you can catch a lot MORE fis wever, h if you give the bait some action. Pop you r rod tip to make it look like a struggling baitfish. Ri p it thr oug h grass or bump it into stumps. Burn it fast on the surface and then kill it and let it float down. An yth ing to make the ret rieve more erratic.
Recommended Gear 7’3 (Medium Heavy Casting) 6.3:1 Baitcaster Reel 14-20 Lb InvisX Fluorocarbon
See our tips on how to use this bait at: wwwluckytacklebox.com/youtube
Water Depth
Mid-Depth Bottom
Depth 0-6 Feet
Topwater
Location Grass
Tules/Reeds
Rip Rap
Docks
Humps
Brush Piles
Points
Rocks
Ledges
Open Water
Mats
Trees
Knowing When and Where to Downsize Your Baits Written by Andrew Schadegg
Most of you received the X Zone Lures Muscle Back Finesse Craw in your box this month. This 3 1/4 inch bait is the smaller of the two craw baits that X Zone Lures offers. The other product, the larger sized X Zone Lures Muscle Back Craw is 4 1/8 inches. So when do you choose the Finesse Craw over the bigger Muscle Back Craw? How do you know when and where to downsize your baits?
WHEN to Downsize Your Baits One of things that separates the top professional anglers from the weekend guys is knowing when to make small adjustments. Here are the top times you want to drop down to a smaller profile. 1. Winter/Cold – When winter sets in and the water temps dip down below 50 degrees, the metabolism of bass is really low. That means they don’t expend a lot of energy and are typically lethargic. Many times downsizing and slowing way down is your best bet for getting bit. 2. Nice Weather/Pressured – Are you on water that gets beat up by tons of anglers when the weather gets good? When the same docks get hit by 100 guys throughout the day, bass get acclimated very quickly and sense the presence of something foreign and unfamiliar. This where the small X Zone Finesse Craw on lighter line, lighter weight and a spinning rod would be perfect. 3. Post Spawn/Summer – Just like with cold
water, the doldrums of summer when the water temp gets up in the upper 70’s and 80’s can be a really slow time for fishing. Bass tend to feed more at night and in lowlight hours. This is a great time to go deeper with a smaller offering.
WHERE to Downsize Your Baits 1. Smaller Ponds – Typically, in little bodies of water you have smaller fish and forage. Again, this is not always the case, but it definitely is true many times. When you’re not getting bit on the bigger offerings, drop down to the smaller, finesse stuff. BASS Elite Pro Brandon Lester with X Zone Muscle Back Finesse Craw
2. Clear Water – Though it’s not always the case, by and large clear water fish are super spooky. They don’t like things that are big and loud. When they don’t seem to be interested in bigger offerings in other baits, downsize and it can make a huge difference in the amount of bites you get. 3. Numbers Lakes – Not every fishery has a plethora of big fish. Many lakes are fun to fish and have a lot of quantity, but not much
quality. That’s OK! Downsizing and catching 50 fish in a day is super fun and a small craw like X Zone’s Muscle Back Finesse can put a bunch in the boat in a hurry. As a general rule, it’s always a good plan to have different sizes of baits ready to go at all times. You never know when the bite will be tough or the conditions will setup right for a smaller bait profile.
XZONE LURES Muscle Back Craw Product Description
Pro Tips
The extremely versatile 3.25” Muscle Back Finesse Craw
This craw is incredibly versatile and can be used for
is designed to provide a realistic mimicry of a craw that
a ton of techniques. Rig it up for flipping, pitching,
swims, hops and undulates with a NEW unique sonic
punching or as a jig, swim jig or vibrating jig trailer.
signature and vibration that bass love! The soft, realistic,
When choosing colors, keep it simple with variations of
textured claws are ribbed on both sides and the outer
brown, purple, green pumpkin and orange. This takes a
edges having specially cupped pinchers that taper
lot of the guesswork out and covers most of your bases.
down to join the body. The specialized plastic, super
Think lighter, more natural colors for clear water and
fine salt and scent infused formula used to make the
darker more contrasting colors for dirty or dingy water.
Muscle Back Finesse Craw allows the claws to float at rest for a time mimicking the defensive stance of a real crayfish.
To read more about this bait go to www.luckytacklebox.com/tips
More info: www.xzonelures.com
Drew’s Notes
When rigging this bait for flippi sure to use an offset hook to ensureng make slips through cover effortlessly. Th that it is type of worm hook is weed-less and bui lt for Te xas rig ging. Perfect for getting into the thick er cov er an d sto ut enough to get them out without ben din g or str aig hte nin g. Make sure to let the bait enter the wa ter as sof tly as possible, so you don’t spook the fis h in the area.
Recommended Gear (for Flipping) 7’3 (Heavy Casting) 7.0:1 Casting Reel 20 Lb Flippin Fluorocarbon JH Fat Gap
w
See our tips on how to use this bait at: wwwluckytacklebox.com/youtube
Water Depth Topwater Mid-Depth Bottom
Location Grass
Tules/Reeds
Rip Rap
Docks
Humps
Brush Piles
Points
Rocks
Ledges
Open Water
Mats
Trees
REACTION STRIKE Reaction Buzz Product Description
Pro Tips
The Reaction Strike Reaction Buzz delivers serious
Most of the time, a slow, steady retrieve is ideal. Just
topwater commotion that is tournament-ready right-
enough to keep that bait gurgling on the top of the
out-of-the-box. Featuring a traditional-sized blade that
water. If you’re not getting bit, try speeding it up.
churns a generous amount of water, while also leaving
Sometimes a faster retrieve causes a more spontaneous
an enticing bubble trail behind, its keel-shaped head
reaction, not giving them time to see the bait, just
allows the Reaction Buzz to get up on plane quickly to
react. When you get a blow up, make sure you always
maximize time in the strike zone. Outfitted with a top
follow up with another cast to the same spot. Make
quality hook for lighting fast hook sets, the Reaction
sure you’re using a good braided line so you can horse
Buzz delivers tournament-grade performance that is
those fish out of heavy cover.
suited for serious anglers. To read more about this bait More info: www.reactionstrike.com
Drew’s Notes
I recommend fishing a bu a trailer hook. Many times zzbait with st rikes where bass will swipeyou get short at the bait, but not actually take it all the wa y dow n. With a trailer hook, you have the opp ort un ity to ca tch many of those short st rikers. In fa ct, yo u’l l be am azed how many bass are hooked with jus t the tra ile r hook. It will definitely up your catch ra te.
go to www.luckytacklebox.com/tips
Recommended Gear 7’3 (Med/Heavy Casting) 7:0:1 Casting Reel 50-65 Lb Smackdown Braid
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See our tips on how to use this bait at: wwwluckytacklebox.com/youtube
Water Depth
Mid-Depth Bottom
Depth 0-6 Feet
Topwater
Location Grass
Tules/Reeds
Rip Rap
Docks
Humps
Brush Piles
Points
Rocks
Ledges
Open Water
Mats
Trees
LOGIC LURES Wiggly Jiggly Product Description
Pro Tips
The Logic Lures Wiggly Jiggly™ Jigheads 2-Pack are
Try working this with any worm, craw or creature bait
made of tungsten for durability and can be rigged
in your arsenal. A fantastic option for those who like to
weedless for versatile use. The low-leverage design puts
fish a shaky head style presentation. The action of this
the pivot point behind the jighead to allow the entire
style jighead is perfect for shaking the bait in place to
body of your lure to wiggle and attract fish. With a
give the maximum amount of action.
size 4/0 hook, it works perfectly with multiple sizes of plastic baits. More info: www.logiclures.com
To read more about this bait go to www.luckytacklebox.com/tips
NETBAIT Paca Craw
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Product Description
Pro Tips
The Paca Craw is an extremely versatile bait. When
Try rigging this bait on a small ball head, shaky head or
flipped or pitched the claws of the Paca Craw have a
swinging football head. This option allows you to fish
helicopter effect which slows the decent of this bait.
this bait with lighter line in a more finesse style. The
The hollow body can accommodate a large rattle or
Paca Craw has a hollow body, so the back end is more
can be used as a reservoir for scent. The first half inch
buoyant, giving an enticing presentation to any finicky
of the butt end is solid plastic which will help the from
bass. Work it in slow hops and make sure to dead stick
sliding down the hook. The NetBait Paca Craw is by
it for longer periods of time to see what works best.
far one of the most versatile soft plastic baits on the market. More info: www.netbait.com
To read more about this bait go to www.luckytacklebox.com/tips
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light illuminating the water. Q: Was wondering why people don’t use a snap swivel on their line to hook on different lures, does
GUEST
R: ANGLE
adegg
ch drew S
An
it bother the action or something else? - Damon, Fontana, CA A: You’re definitely on to something mentioning the action. One of the biggest mistakes new anglers
Q: Does cold weather play a role in the color of baits you’re choosing, if so, how? - Darnell, Albany, New York
make when starting out is not paying attention to the little details. Fish are not smart, but they instinctually know when something looks natural or unnatural. On top of that, lure manufacturers test baits with a direct tie from the line to the o-ring of
A: The short answer is that water temperature doesn’t
the lure. So if you use a snap swivel, the bait isn’t
really play a role in the color of the baits I’m choosing.
going to perform the way it was intended.
The conditions that effect lure color choice has more to do with water clarity and light penetration.
Another reason to avoid using snap swivels is that they are typically not the greatest quality. Most snap
As a rule, if you’re fishing clearer water on bright,
swivels are cheaply made and have a tendency to
sunny days, you want to go with more vibrant colors
break or bend out. Meaning, if you hook a big fish,
like white, chartreuse, chrome or anything with a
there is a much better chance of you losing that fish
flashy blade that reflects well. This is especially true
with a snap swivel. You want to eliminate as many
when fishing for trout, pike, walleye, bluegill, crappie
weak spots between your line and your bait as
and smallmouth bass. For dirty, muddy water or those
possible. That is why a direct tie, with good quality
dark, cloudy days it’s better to stick with your darker
fishing line, is absolutely imperative to maximizing
colors. Think black and blue, browns or purples. These
your cast-to-catch ratio.
put off a more pronounced profile when there is less
MEET THE LUCKY TACKLE BOX TEAM! Everyone at LTB works hard to create the best experience possible for our subscribers, so we wanted to introduce you to a couple members of our team here at Lucky Tackle Box. It takes a lot of dedication and passion to keep this company rolling out all the best fishing products every month to your doorstep, so we wanted to give you a little look behind-the-scenes at some of the people that keep it all running smoothly.
Claire O’brien
Andrew Schadegg
Job Title: Social Media Coordinator Personal Best: Work in progress Favorite Water: Maroon Lake, CO Favorite Lure: Evolution Baits Grassburner Fun Fact: When I’m not on IG, FB or Snapchat, I’m studying to be a clinical social worker and I have a creepy fascination with true crime, my
Job Title: Editor Personal Best: 8.2lb Spotted Bass Favorite Water: Clear Lake, CA Favorite Lure: Duo Spinbait 80 Fun Fact: When I’m not bass fishing, I love watching baseball and coaching my 10 year old son’s little league team. In 2016 we got to see
favorite book is Devil in The White City, about H.H. Holmes.
the Cubs play in the NLDS before they won the World Series!