CONTENTS PG.3
FISHHOUND FAVORITE:
STRIKE KING RAGE CRAW
We point out what makes this bait a killer on the water!
PG.5
TACKLE SHOP BOB TSB returns with EVEN more wacky advice to your questions.
PG.7
NEW FOR 2017!
BIWAA TAIL GUNR Biwaa’s newest and LTB subscribers get it first!
PG.9
LUNAR CHARTS Use the Sun/Moon to catch more fish!
PG.10
TYING THE KNOT:
HOMER RHODE LOOP KNOT This multi-use knot is a must have for your angling arsenal.
PG.11
PRODUCT FEATURE:
LIVETARGET MAGNUM CRANK Big baits catch big bass and the Magnum Crank is no exception!
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FISHHOUND FAVORITE
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Tackle Shop Bob
TACKLE SHOP BOB On fishing, work, relationships and more...
Q: TSB You give great fishing advice but what about dating? Any advice for a guy out in the dating world? - John, Manhattan Beach, CA A: Much like dating, the charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope. It is all about patience, technique and being at the right spot at the right time. Make it fun and embrace the here and now, the chance to have new and fresh experiences and make incredible memories. And if you don’t like what you caught, you can always release it back into the wild. Q: Hey TSB, will fish stray away from rusty hooks? - Griffin, Charlotte, NC A: It’s always a wise decision to stay away from old rusted hooks if you have the choice. Rust can have a negative impact for a few reasons… first and foremost, if its rusted, its likely not as sharp, which leads to weak hooksets; and trust me, you don’t want that to be the reason you lost a lunker. Fish also have a keen sense of smell, and since rust is a chemical reaction, the fish will pick that up and potentially find something “off” about your setup and move along. Lastly, you don’t want mess around with a rusted hook, poke yourself and end up foaming at the mouth. Hooks don’t cost much; so go get some new hooks and while you’re at it a bottle of wine (if you’re legal drinking age of course) and
put the cork in your tackle box to absorb moisture and delay any potential rust in the future. Q: I’ve been given a few packs of tubes recently and don’t really know too much about them, what is the best way to fish one? - Christian, Blue Ridge, VA A: So glad you asked. Although they can be overlooked, tubes are some of the most versatile soft-plastics out there. Just be sure to know how to use them effectively. In my opinion, nothing beats a steady, methodical drag across the bottom. No fancy movement necessary, just a slow pull across the water’s floor to begin the chase. If you’re getting a little bored and the fish aren’t biting, feel free to start hopping; repeatedly lift the rod tip up and let it fall again and again until you get some action. For more of a variation, do drag across the bottom with the tube Carolina-Rigged so that it’s still easily visible and not fully touching the floor. If you want to get a little more advanced, you can also flip and pitch your tube baits. Just be sure to Texas Rig your bait with the sharpest hook you can find… once you get down the basics, you’ll find whatever works for you and you can make your own adjustments. Got a question and need Bobby’s advice? Send him an email at: bobby@BigBassMonthly.com If he’s got good advice he’ll give it to you and hook you up with $30 worth of fishing tackle.
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NEW CUSTOM DESIGN PHTHALATES FREE FORMULA
STABILIZER FIN
ROUND FLAT PADDLE
DESIGN FOR ALL RIGGING
THREE WAYS TO RIG BIWAA’S NEWEST SWIMBAIT
CATCH EM’ BY THE TAILGUNR Written by Andrew Schadegg
Since 2008, French-based Biwaa Fishing Performance has worked to create cutting-edge, innovative products that have been catching fish throughout Europe, Asia and over the past few years, the United States. With popular baits like the Divinator, S’Trout and Deus, the new-tothe-market TailGunR is set to move soft swimbaits forward with unique features that work for multiple applications. Lucky Tackle Box subscribers are among the first to get the brand new TailGunR swimbaits in their hands. Here are three effective ways you can fish the TailGunR at your local lake, pond or river:
Rigged with a Swimbait Hook This is the easiest and most basic way to rig a soft swimbait, like the TailGunR. Most hook brands have designs specifically for this application, like Mustad’s Power Lock Plus Series of hooks. This set up allows for a natural presentation, with the swimbait moving through the water like a small bait fish. It’s also weedless, which lets you toss this rig into the nastiest, heaviest cover, coming through without getting hung up. You can also slow roll the rigged TailGunR along the bottom, even in rocky areas, which is highly effective at triggering strikes.
Trailer for a Vibrating Or Swim Jig Without a doubt, one of the most effective ways to use the Biwaa TailGunR is as a trailer for a vibrating or swim jig. The tail provides a ton of vibration and action, with a ton of bulk to make the jig look bigger. Even 4 and 5 inch versions of this bait are not too big, when paired with a bulky jig with a large hook. Try using this with a vibrating jig in dirtier water or when the wind is blowing, and with a swim jig in calm conditions or clearer water.
Top Hooked with a Swimbait Head Another variety of swimbait hooks are a specially designed lead head, similar to a darter head, that can be fished with the hook exposed out of the top of the swimbait body. This is particularly effective on bodies of water without heavy cover. The top hooked swimbait is perfect for slow-rolling on the bottom, because the belly of the bait can literally sit on the bottom naturally and go over structure easily. Don’t be afraid to let it pause while retrieving. Many times the biggest strikes will occur when you’re pausing your swimbait.
USING THE SUN/MOON TO CATCH MORE FISH What are Astro tables and how does it work?
Astro Tables are far more effective than moon tables because they take into account critical solar energies as well as lunar. PrimeTime data is based on solar/lunar research at a leading college of astrophysics and our own research pond/wildlife area. Annual data is supplied by the U.S. Naval Observatory. All lunar times are adjusted to the center of your time zone and for Daylight Saving Time. LUNAR PERIODS
BEST DAYS VALUE
FEB 2017
POOR FAIR GOOD EXCL
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BETTER FISHING TIMES
TIMES OCCURRING AT NIGHT ARE SHADED MOON RISE
Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
32 41 54 47
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
45 46 55 64 73 76 64
12:50 pm
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
51 38 29 26 24 27 34
7:49 pm
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
23 18 19 20 33 45 57
1:23 am
Sun 26 Mon 27 Tue 28
65 58 52
6:48 am
25 50 75
AVERAGE
10:04 am 10:42 am 11:21 am
12:04 pm
1:42 pm 2:39 pm 3:40 pm 4:43 pm
5:46 pm 6:49 pm
8:48 pm 9:45 pm
10:41 pm 11:35 pm
12:29 am
2:15 am 3:06 am 3:55 am 4:42 am 5:26 am 6:08 am
7:26 am 8:04 am
PRIMARY
MOON OVERHEAD
MOON SET
3:09 pm - 5:312pm 3:53 pm - 6:29 pm 4:38 pm - 7:28 pm 5:26 pm - 8:28 pm
10:42 pm
6:18 pm - 9:30 pm 7:14 pm - 10:30 pm 8:12 pm - 11:28 pm 9:12 pm - 12:24 am 10:11 pm - 1:17 am 11:10 pm - Midnight Midnight - 2:06 am
1:57 am
12:07 am - 2:49 am 1:01 am - 3:31 am 1:56 am - 4:08 am 2:48 am - 4:46 am 3:38 am - 5:24 am 4:27 am - 6:03 am 5:17 am - 6:43 am
11:46 pm
12:51 am
3:01 am 4:03 am 5:01 am 5:54 am 6:41 am
7:23 am 8:01 am 8:37 am 9:10 am 9:43 am
10:16 am 10:50 am 11:26 am
6:07 am - 7:23 am 6:56 am - 8:08 am 7:47 am - 8:55 am 8:36 am - 9:44 am 9:22 am - 10:38 am 10:10 am - 11:32 am 10:56 am - 12:28 pm
12:05 pm
11:40 am - 1:26 pm 12:25 pm - 2:23 pm 1:07 pm - 3:23 pm
6:23 pm
12:48 pm 1:35 pm 2:26 pm 3:21 pm 4:20 pm
5:21 pm
7:27 pm 8:32 pm
PRIMARY
MOON UNDERFOOT
2:52 am - 4:58 am 3:34 am - 5:56 am 4:18 am - 6:54 am 5:03 am - 7:53 am
5:51 am - 8:53 am 6:43 am - 9:55 am 7:39 am - 10:55 am 8:37 am - 11:53 am 9:37 am - 12:49 pm 10:36 am - 1:42 pm 11:35 am - 2:31 pm 12:32 pm - 3:14 pm 1:26 pm - 3:56 pm 2:21 pm - 4:33 pm 3:13 pm - 5:11 pm 4:03 pm - 5:49 pm 4:52 pm - 6:28 pm 5:42 pm - 7:08 pm 6:32 pm - 7:48 pm 7:21 pm - 8:33 pm 8:12 pm - 9:20 pm 9:01 pm - 10:09 pm 9:47 pm - 11:03 pm 10:35 pm - 11:57 pm 11:21 pm - Midnight Midnight - 12:53 am 12:05 am - 1:51 am 12:50 am - 2:48 am
10:28 pm ANY LUNAR PERIOD IS ENHANCED WHEN IT OVERLAPS A KEY SOLAR PERIOD. THE BEST OF THESE OVERLAPS ARE DESIGNATED BY THE SUN SYMBOLS: = HIGH NOON = DAWN = DUSK
WHILE THE LESSER MOONRISE AND -SET OVERLAPS (ABOUT 30 MIN. BEFORE AND AFTER THE LISTED TIME) ARE DESIGNATED BY BOLD BLACK TYPE.
For more information and samples of PrimeTimes products, visit www.primetimes2.com
HALF
Perigee HIGH
FULL
HALF & APOGEE
LOW
NEW
TYING THE KNOT Sponsored by
THE HOMER RHODE LOOP KNOT // You can use this knot to make a loop for connecting a fly, hook or lure. It offers several advantages over other loop knots in that it’s simple to tie, can be tied using heavier leader or line, and allows you to create a loop of any desired size in the line. The original version of this knot, which features two overhand knots, has evolved into an “improved” version, which we will describe here. This improved Homer Rhode Loop Knot is composed of an initial knot (a single overhand) and a second knot (a two-loop overhand). The improved version retains the simplicity of the original knot, while increasing the strength.
STEP 2
STEP 1
STEP 1
STEP 2
Tie an overhand knot toward the end of the leader or line, pass the tag end through the eye of the hook, fly or lure, and run the tag back through the loop the overhand knot created.
Pass the tag end around the standing line twice, making two side-by-side loops around the standing line.
STEP 3
STEP 3
Next, run the tag end back through the loops and tighten the second knot by pulling on the tag end. Be aware that the distance between the first and second knots will determine the size of your finished loop. With this in mind, it’s recommended that you make any desired adjustments to the location of your second knot at this point in the process.
STEP 4 Pull the standing line to bring the two knots together and set the knot. If you are dealing with heavier line, use pliers and gloves to achieve the pressure necessary to perform this step. Clip the tag end. STEP 4
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LIVETARGET “MATCHES THE HATCH” WITH THE
BAITBALL SERIES MAGNUM CRANK Written by Andrew Schadegg
Large crankbaits are smokin’ hot right now in the industry, as anglers have taken the “big baits, big fish” philosophy and applied it to their diving lures. LIVETARGET takes a more holistic concept with their popular BaitBall Series that mimics a small school of bait fish and quite literally matches the hatch, with ultra-realistic designs that look just like what bass eat. Without a doubt, LIVETARGET makes the most natural looking hardbaits in the industry and their Threadfin Shad Magnum Crankbait is no exception. We’re going to break this down real quickly into two advantages and two tips to get you started throwing this unique deep-diving crankbait:
Advantages Preying on Vibration - Bass sense their forage in multiple different ways and the more your lure can hone in on those senses, the better chance you have of getting them to attack your bait. The LIVETARGET Magnum Crank does this by attracting through sound or the bass’ sensation of vibration through their lateral lines. With a strong, one-knocker rattle, the bait is actually calling fish to it as it’s bumping and grinding on the bottom. Preying on Sight – Once you get their attention with the enticing sound and erratic action, the meticulously designed
BaitBall Series Crankbait does the rest of the work. It presents the bass with the visual look of the minnows or shad that they are already feasting on. When you live on instinct alone like a bass does, the more a lure can replicate something from your natural environment, the more interest you’ll have in eating it.
Tips Know the Right Gear – This is not your daddy’s crankbait! These big magnum baits range from 5/8oz. to a super heavy 1 3/8 oz. This allows for super-long casts to get that bait as deep as it can get. You have to have the right rod and reel setup to properly present this bait. It requires a stout 7’6 - 8’0 plus baitcasting reel with 12-17 pound test and the right parabolic bend to not rip the hooks out of the mouth of the fish. Most manufacturers have big crankbait specific rods to maximize results and not wear you down in the process. Know the Right Presentation – Crankbaits are highly effective, but you have to know how to use them correctly. If you’re throwing a 12 foot diving bait over 30 feet of water, you’re probably going to go home depressed. So line up in an area where you can toss that 12 foot diver into 6 feet of water and grind it on the bottom, bringing it out to the 12 foot zone or drop-off. It’s really important to keep bottom contact for as much of the cast as possible. Bass love to eat crankbaits that are bouncing off of structure, like stumps, rocks, dock pilings and anything else that will cause a deflection.
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