CONTENTS PG.3
BAGLEY BAIT COMPANY: LEGENDS IN LURE MAKING
Your fathers and grandfathers probably had a ton of Bagley Baits in their tackle box. Now, with a new lure making process and a passion for quality, Bagley is still going strong.
PG.5
SHALLOW CRANKING FOR COLD WATER BASS
You don’t have to fish deep in the cold! Find out why you should be probing the shallows with a crankbait even when the temperatures drop.
PG.7
FISHHOUND BREAKDOWN:
BAGLEY PRO SUNNY B
Taking an in-depth look at the Bagley Pro Sunny B (Exclusive to LTB subscribers until January 2018)
PG.9
NEKO RIG 101
All you need to know about one of the fastest growing and effective finesse techniques. It’s simple and it catches tons of fish.
TEAM LUCKY PROFILES:
PG.11
SOCIAL FEEDS TO FOLLOW
Find out who LTB’s social media movers and shakers are this month and who you need to be following online.
FH | 3
BAGLEY BAIT COMPANY
LEGENDS IN LURE MAKING If you happened to be fishing between 1960 and 1980, there is a really good chance you had a Bagley product in your tackle box… And…If you did have a Bagley product in your tackle box, there’s a really good chance you caught A WHOLE BUNCH OF FISH ON IT.
Founded on Quality Founded by Jim Bagley, who is described as being an “inventive, fun-loving, passionate fisherman who became one of the most respected legends in the fishing tackle industry.” He was obsessed with making the highest quality lures on the market and it showed in the product he produced. Intrigued by the new balsa wood technology, Jim would focus his efforts on creating lures made out of this material because he felt it had the best action in the water of any material for hard baits.
The first balsa bait designed by Bagley, the Bang O Lure, was a huge success. A sleekly crafted “stickbait” or jerkbait that was able to cast farther and catch bigger fish. These heavier balsa plugs were extremely successful, accounting for 4 Bassmaster Classic wins, a fact that Jim was extremely proud of.
A Bump in the Road Jim eventually sold the company in the 1980’s. It changed hands multiple times and unfortunately, over the next 30 years the quality of Bagley’s product did not stay at the standard Jim had made famous. Even though the company wasn’t producing the best new product, the original lures were still in high demand. Anglers were spending top dollar to buy the balsa baits from the pre-1980’s era, in almost cult-like fashion. There was good reason. They worked. Really well.
Bagley ’s
first ba
lsa lure
- 1960
Anglers knew that there were times and places that an original Bagley balsa crankbait would outperform anything else on the market. Even to this day, you can find anglers seeking out these vintage balsa baits on ebay and they’re still fetching top dollar.
Back and Better Than Ever In 2010, Jarmo Rapala (of the famous Rapala family) bought what was left of Bagley and set his sights on creating new standards that were in keeping with Jim’s original vision. He instituted major shifts in operations, focusing on enhanced production processes and quality control. Rapala is leading the way in product innovation for the brand and have introduced over 200 new SKUs over the last 3 years. In addition, they’re leading the pack in manufacturing creating the HCM (Heat Compression Molding) Process that allows for the balsa products to be precisely weighted and balanced every time for uniformity that wasn’t achievable before. With new products launching every year and a whole new generation of anglers learning the benefits of balsa for their crankbait fishing, the sky is the limit for Bagley Bait Company.
See www.bagleybait.com/history for more information.
FH | 5
SHALLOW CRANKING FOR COLD WATER BASS Written by Andrew Schadegg
When the water temperature starts dipping down to the coldest of the year, many anglers put away their rods and think about spring. The ones that do get out on the water typically focus on fishing slow and deep, assuming it is their best bet to catch those chilly bass. However, not only can you catch bass in under 10 feet in cold water, but it might just be the best bite on the lake!
The November Lucky Tackle Box has a fantastic bait for fishing shallow in the coldest water of the year. The Bagley Pro Sunny B is an exclusive new product that is not available for sale until January 2018 and it is the perfect crankbait for cold conditions.
Why Should You Fish Shallow? Everyone knows that bass go deep in the cold, where drop shots, small worms, jigs and other finesse techniques are primary. What a lot of anglers don’t know, however, is that many bass live shallow year round. Particularly in areas like rock walls, points, ledges or riprap. If you can find darker rock that will hold heat during the warmer parts of the day, that’s even better. Also, think vertical. Bass like to move up and down to feed in the winter, so if they have an easy transition from deeper water to shallow with a bank that is steeper, it will be a bass magnet.
Choosing the Right Crankbait When you’re focusing your efforts on shallow water in the summertime, a traditional wider wobble squarebill or medium diving bait can do the trick. In the winter, when the metabolism of the bass is low and feeding is more intermittent, you need a crankbait with a different type of action. The Bagley Pro Sunny B has that action. It was deliberately designed with a tighter movement and tremendous buoyancy that only a balsa bait (Bagley’s signature) can have. The Pro Sunny B also runs in the perfect depth zone, 5-7 feet which allows you to work the bank in those heat holding, shallow areas mentioned above. In addition, because it’s made out of balsa, it deflects really well off of structure and will go through heavy cover with ease. Since bass tend to stay much tighter to cover in the cold, getting right in the middle of the thickest stuff is important to getting that reaction strike.
Fish Fast, But Slow Your winter fishing doesn’t have to be spent scouring the deepest depths of the lake, but even when you’re fishing faster in the shallow water, think slow. Get yourself a lower gear ratio reel (something like a 5:1.1) to maximize that slow retrieve. You can even spool up with less line to get the ratio down even more. Creeping that bait along will allow your crank to be in the strike zone longer and make your chances of getting bit even that much better. You don’t have to labor away fishing ultra-deep this year. Think shallow with the Bagley Pro Sunny B and you’ll be having a lot more fun on the water, while other anglers are sitting at home.
FH | 7
FISHHOUND BREAKDOW
WN
FH | 9
NEKO RIG 101 Written by Andrew Schadegg
About 4 years ago, I was fishing a tournament as a co-angler on Lake Oroville in Northern California and was paired up with a well-known pro, who was tearing up the western circuits at the time. It was early in the year, water was cold and the bite was really tough. I had run through a whole series of typical deep finesse techniques. Tubes, drop shots, dartheads, senkos, jigs…all without much success. In stark contrast, my pro for the day was loading the boat in quick fashion and good ones too! Being a nice guy and assuming I wasn’t going to be much competition (which I wasn’t), he proceeded to breakdown his technique for me, a finesse setup that I had never seen before. He called it the Neko Rig. Needless to say, since that time it has become an absolute staple in my arsenal and has quickly grown in popularity from an obscure west coast, deep water technique to a standard rig used all over the country. Here’s the full details on this killer presentation.
What You Need: 1. Finesse Plastic – The sky is the limit with the Neko Rig. You can pair it up with senkos, finesse worms, even some creature style baits. 2. Hook – Though some use a drop shot or circle hook, the best option is a straight shank, thin wire finesse hook. The VMC Ike Approved Neko Hook for open water or the Weedless Neko Hook (in your November LTB Bass Box) around weeds or structure is a perfect choice for this technique. 3. O-Ring – Though some prefer to go directly into the plastic, an o-ring will really help you keep the hook in place. If you want to save some money and get a similar result, you can buy some shrink wrap at a hardware store. 4. Weight – This is where it gets a little different. The weight you use for the Neko Rig is a nail weight or a specific Neko Rig weight (which some companies, including VMC have available).
How to Rig It:
1
Step 1 – Insert your nail weight into the top or flat end of the worm. Step 2 – Run the o-ring up the worm anywhere from 1/2 way to 2/3 of the way up the worm (away from the weight). Step 3 – Slide your hook under the o-ring, facing down toward the weight, so that it is pointing up when you pull it through. Some will rig it wacky style without the o-ring or with a saddle-style o-ring as well.
2 3
When to Fish It: The Neko Rig is really versatile. It started by being primarily a deep water technique, focusing on rock piles, points, and ledges, but it can be used around docks, structure, along weedlines. With new weedless hooks, like VMC’s Weedless Neko Rig Hook, you can fish it almost anywhere! For clear water or deep areas, rig on a medium-light action spinning rod with 6-8 pound Seaguar InvisX. For heavier cover, you can up to the 8-12 pound range and possibly even heavier. Play with it and see what works best for your body of water.
FH | 11
SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT
6 SOCIAL FEEDS YOU NEED TO FOLLOW! by Fishhound Staff
Since it was founded, Lucky Tackle Box has been partnering with some of the biggest and best social media influencers in the fishing industry. The game is changing and anglers around the world are using their online platforms to post amazing pictures, talk about new products and discuss all things fishing. Whether it’s anglers catching giant bass in Florida, walleye in Wisconsin or a flycaught Rainbow from a river in Idaho, each month Fishhound Magazine will be introducing you to the best of the best Instagram pages and YouTube channels that you should already be following and if you’re not, you better start!
Zach Blair
Age: 16 From: Charlotte, NC Fishhound asks: If you could fish with any pro and on any lake, who and where would you choose? If I could fish with any pro fisherman I would fish with Scott Martin. The lake I would fish with him would be lake Okeechobee. Follow Zach on Social Media! @back.woods.fishing
Nicole Oliver
Age: 24 From: Orlando, FL Fishhound asks: If you could fish with any pro and on any lake, who and where would you choose? It would have to be Clay Dyer. He has inspired me to do whatever I put my mind to in all aspects of my life. We would fish Sam Rayburn because I always remember hearing stories from my grandpa about that lake, and how it was one of his favorite lakes to fish! Follow Nicole on Social Media! @nicolejoliver
Andrew Dale
Nicky Whitney
Follow Andrew on Social Media! @East_Coast_Anglers /East Coast Anglers
Follow Nicky on Social Media! @tennesseehuntress
Jonathan Nieto
Wyatt Clarke
Age: 17 From: Charlotte, NC Fishhound asks: If you could fish with any pro and on any lake, who and where would you choose? Gary YamamotoWith his age and experience, I think he could improve my fishing skills and techniques to catch larger bass! Fontana Lake, North Carolina - The smallmouth and largemouth bass fishing is phenomenal.
Age: 24 From: Miami, FL Fishhound asks: If you could fish with any pro and on any lake, who and where would you choose? Definitely Blair Wiggins. We have plenty of lakes in Miami stocked with Peacock Bass but I would love to fish Lake Okeechobee for Largemouth Bass Follow Jonathan on Social Media! @Reelhooking /Reelhooking @Reelhooking
Age: 32 From: Signal Mountain, TN Fishhound asks: If you could fish with any pro and on any lake, who and where would you choose? I would really love to fish with Skye Bernhardt. I really admire her passion for our waters and all of the work she does with conservation. It would be awesome to fish Sharon Harris Lake or Mills Lace Lake with her!
Age: 17 From: Marietta, GA Fishhound asks: If you could fish with any pro and on any lake, who and where would you choose? I would fish with Jordan Lee or Gerald Swindle on Lake Guntersville Follow Wyatt on Social Media! @alloutbassin @alloutbassin
FOLLOW US: @LuckyTackleBox
BETTER FISHING TIMES 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.
VALUE
POOR FAIR GOOD EXCL
DEC 2017
LUNAR PERIODS
BEST DAYS
Fri 1 Sat 2
56 69
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
76 66 56 45 38 35 37
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
43 29 21 18 15 22 30
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
38 42 32 24 16 13 15
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
18 27 40 33 32 46 59 71
25 50 75
AVERAGE
For more, visit primetimes2.com
TIMES OCCURRING AT NIGHT ARE SHADED MOON RISE
3:54 pm
4:39 pm 5:31 pm 6:29 pm 7:32 pm 8:38 pm 9:45 pm
10:50 pm 11:53 pm
12:53 am 1:52 am 2:49 am 3:45 am 4:41 am 5:36 am 6:29 am 7:21 am 8:10 am 8:55 am 9:38 am
10:17 am 10:53 am 11:27 am
12:00 pm 12:34 pm 1:08 pm 1:45 pm 2:27 pm 3:14 pm
10:28 pm 4:07 pm
PRIMARY
MOON OVERHEAD
MOON SET
PRIMARY
MOON UNDERFOOT
9:13 pm - 12:092am 10:05 pm - 1:15 am
4:27 am
8:50 am - 11:32 am 9:38 am - 12:34 pm
11:04 pm - Midnight Midnight - 2:20 am 12:05 am - 3:25 am 1:07 am - 4:27 am 2:11 am - 5:23 am 3:13 am - 6:15 am 4:11 am - 7:01 am
6:47 am
10:30 am - 1:40 pm 11:29 am - 2:45 pm 12:30 pm - 3:50 pm 1:32 pm - 4:52 pm 2:36 pm - 5:48 pm 3:38 pm - 6:40 pm 4:36 pm - 7:26 pm
5:36 am
7:56 am 9:01 am
10:00 am 10:52 am 11:36 am
12:16 pm
5:10 am - 7:42 am 6:03 am - 8:21 am 6:57 am - 8:59 am 7:48 am - 9:36 am 8:39 am - 10:15 am 9:29 am - 10:55 am 10:20 am - 11:36 am
12:52 pm
11:11 am - 12:19 pm 11:59 am - 1:05 pm 12:47 pm - 1:53 pm 1:34 pm - 2:42 pm 2:17 pm - 3:33 pm 3:00 pm - 4:22 pm 3:41 pm - 5:13 pm
4:58 pm
4:20 pm - 6:06 pm 4:57 pm - 6:59 pm 5:37 pm - 7:53 pm 6:17 pm - 8:49 pm 7:00 pm - 9:50 pm 7:49 pm - 10:51 pm 8:43 pm - 11:55 pm 9:41 pm - 1:01 am
1:25 pm 1:57 pm 2:29 pm 3:03 pm 3:38 pm 4:16 pm
5:43 pm 6:31 pm 7:22 pm 8:15 pm 9:10 pm
10:06 pm 11:04 pm 12:02 am 1:03 am 2:06 am 3:12 am 4:20 am 5:29 am
5:35 pm - 8:07 pm 6:28 pm - 8:46 pm 7:22 pm - 9:24 pm 8:13 pm - 10:01 pm 9:04 pm - 10:40 pm 9:54 pm - 11:20 pm 10:45 pm - 12:01 am 11:36 pm - Midnight Midnight - 12:44 am 12:24 am - 1:30 am 1:12 am - 2:18 am 1:59 am - 3:07 am 2:42 am - 3:58 am 3:25 am - 4:47 am 4:06 am - 5:38 am 4:45 am - 6:31 am 5:22 am - 7:24 am 6:02 am - 8:18 am 6:42 am - 9:14 am 7:25 am - 10:15 am 8:14 am - 11:16 am 9:08 am - 12:20 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
FULL Perigee HIGH
HALF
NEW & APOGEE
LOW
Winter
HALF