Pass the Dutchie Baits

I stumbled across these videos on youtube while searching for something other than videos about lures to break up today’s posts. While this is a lure post, it has some mystery behind it. “Dutchbaits” are handmade wooden lures with some pretty awesome paint jobs, the music and camera work are great too. And that’s all I know! I’ve contacted the original poster on youtube for some background information.

NEW SPRO BBZ1 “Junior” 6-inch Swimbait

2010 may go down as the year of the swimbait. Several manufacturers have lined up their best engineers and designed some of the most beautiful lures I’ve ever seen, and many have started scaling them down to the key 4″-6″ range as well. One such lure that I’m looking forward to trying this season is the SPRO BBZ1 Jr. a 6″ version of the SPRO BBZ1.

Abu Garcia is Out For Young Blood

It was pretty clear to me before watching the video below that Abu Garcia is looking to attract a much younger crowd than before. Their magazine ads are beautiful, I could easily imagine a Mercedes or BMW ad with the same flare and design. It’s a mix of luxury and prestige with an aggressive attitude undertone. Personally, I think it’s working- at least on me! These two new 2010 rods are nothing to laugh at, they might slap you across the face if you try.

Vendetta

The Vendetta promises to be a perfectly balanced and aggressively designed rod built for performance. The counterbalance system built into the handle is designed to the weight and specifications of Abu’s own Revo and Soron reels, but should prove almost perfect for any aggressively styled low profile baitcasters. Abu spared no expense in the details combining a Fuji Soft-Touch Reel seat with 30-Ton graphite blank, stocked with Pac Ba zirconium frame guides, and even the little details like the anodized aluminum reel screw and the laser etched Abu Garcia crest on the butt cap. The Vendetta should set you back about $70-80 bucks.

Vengeance

The Vengeance is designed on the same platform as the Vendetta, with just as much attention to detail, value, and performance, but at a better price point in todays market. Many of the parts are down grades from the Vendetta, but are still quality parts. Even at the lower price point of $50-60 bucks you’ll still enjoy the laser etched Abu Garcia crest on the butt cap.

World Ice Fishing Championships: Day 1

I wasn’t even aware of the World Ice Fishing Championship until recently, but this year it’s being hosted in Wisconsin and the rules are quite interesting. For instance competitors are not allowed to use electronics such as cameras, GPS, even powered augers. 11 countries are competing with some of the strongest being- Russia, Ukraine, Poland and Latvia. The US hasn’t ranked so well in the previous years, but this year on Day 1 of the tournament the US is in first place!

Technique, skill and equipment play big roles, as well as a bit of luck. “Out stuff is excellent, but their equipment is extremely sensitive,” says Michalak, NAIFC media rep and long-time Rhinelander area resident and businessman. “Our strike indicators typically are spring bobbers. They use a piece of X-ray film which is slivered and extremely sensitive. This is truly a science. They use half-pound or quarter-pound test line, special little rods, jigs up to 1/80th of an ounce, 24 karat, poles that are, no pun intended, completely foreign to us. It’s tremendous the way it works. We have technology on this side of the pond and the expertise with power augers, GPS, depth finders and fish finders. But you can’t use any of them here.”

I’m sure home ice advantage is a big factor too.

via News of the North

Stay tuned for updates!

Kopper’s Live Target Lures Look Real!

The 2010 season is slowly beginning here in Ontario and other parts of North America and the new lures and equipment are starting to hit the shelves. One of the things you may have noticed over the last few years is that fishing lures are getting more and more realistic, not just in looks but some companies are now accurately producing the swimming dynamics of fish with high-end swimbaits. We’ll be covering the new 2010 gear through out the spring and hopefully carry some of them in our OpenSky store.

One of the new lures, and companies, that I’m most excited about this year is based right here in Ontario. Koppers Fishing was created by Grant Kopper who has been making his own lures since the age of eight, and now thirty years later his company is now selling in Canada and the United States. Koppers lures spare no expense in detail, these are some of the most realistic crankbaits I’ve ever seen and their Live Target System makes it easy to find the lure that fits your applications. The new Blueback Herring is one lure I will definitely be picking up this year, this bait looks like a solid contenterd for monster bass and big pike. Lures sell for between 10-12 dollars each.

Check out this video from WFN featuring Grant Kopper and one of his Live Target Crawfish crankbaits.