Salamander Sinkers unique design uses steal weights to counter balance the natural buoyancy of the rubber body, which is snag-free and absorb vibrations to give increased sensitivity. We’ll see if they live up to the hype by putting them to the test this year.

Stay tuned for the full review and continue reading for a close-up!

Well this is entirely different, and there’s no punchline. This is to let you know that I’ve posted the review of RedRam’s pure merino wool thermal undergarments. You can check out the first impressions from several weeks ago, or just dive right in to the full review.

Continue Reading “RedRam Merino Wool Thermal Undergarments” Review

We received several Snap Shot Rulers from the manufacturer, Shoreland Outdoors, and decided to take one for this review and give the rest away to our visitors*. The Snap Shot Ruler seemed to be perfectly adapted to the type of fishing I was planning on doing this year, mostly river fishing and fishing on multi-day portages in Algonquin Park. Having a tool that is lightweight, easy to roll/pack up, and very quick to deploy is invaluable in these situations. So did the Snap Shot Ruler live up to my expectations? Keep reading to find out!

* There is still one way to win a FREE Snap Shot Ruler at the time of this publication, and you can win it by following us on Twitter and re-tweeting our post about this review.

Continue Reading Our Review of “The Snap Shot Ruler”

I received my small collections of jigs in the mail last week, all individually wrapped in small ziplock bags. Though they came packed nearly flat in the bubble envelope they were shipped in they puffed up very nicely with only a little shake. So far, I’m very impressed with the quality of Big Smallie Tackle’s jigs and I have a feeling these are going to make those Toronto Island spring pike go crazy!

More photos after the break!

It’s been a while since we had a post as mouth-watering as this one, that’s normally Adam Guy’s arena these days. But despite the fact that I’m a good cook and a fisherman it’s not all that often that I’m eating fish at home. In fact, the last time I had a diet where I was eating fish consistently was in La Paz, where we ate Dorado, Snapper, and even Marlin and Tuna. Even then I left most of the cooking to friend and chef Micheal Leary. Still, I think I came up with a few really nice dishes made with Pure Alaska Salmon’s wild-caught canned salmon, like these fish cakes.

Continue Reading “Pure Alaska Salmon Review”

Phantom Lures are high quality glide baits that are made in the good ole U.S.A. They feel like they are made of wood but are made of a solid, high impact polymer. The moment you lay eyes on these lures you can tell they are built to endure. Each lures is hand painted, covered with thick epoxy and assembled with heavy duty triple split rings.

The good folks at Phantom Lures have expended upon their great lineup of lures recently and offer several sizes ranging from a bite size 4 inches to a legendary 14 inches. As far as I know all size are available in each of the 15 patterns and with or without a soft tail.

*14 inch Phantom not pictured here.

Of all the glide baits I have used over the years, the Phantom Lure is one of the easiest and most fun to use. I’ve spent a lot of hours casting these beauties and they have earned a spot as one of my all time favorite lures!

Phantom patterns

My first Phantom Lure muskie!

I received both the long sleeve and short sleeve top, as well as the companion shorts and long johns. Upon pulling them out of the package and feeling the material I was quite pleased, they’re not itchy at all, the seams all flat-lock stitching so you hardly feel them, the waistband is stretchy but comfortable even the tag looks nice. They really do look and feel nice on your skin. After trying them on my girlfriend pointed out that they’re slightly see through, and that she now understands why guys are so fond of girls that wear “tights as pants.” Don’t worry, I have no plans on leaving the house without real pants on.

I will be testing these over the next few weeks with some fall fishing, and maybe even some camping. Most of all, I’m going to put this ‘everyday’ moniker to the test. Going from the cold streets of Toronto to a stuffed and humid TTC streetcar for an hour and then back in to the cold should test both its warmth and wicking powers in a very real world scenario.

The Van Staal VM150 is the latest and greatest addition to my reel collection and will have a primary task of landing big striped bass here on the east coast. Its secondary, but most urgent task, is to join me on my upcoming trip to the British Virgin Islands to chase tarpon and several other species. I’m sure I’ll have a lot to say about this reel when I return in mid November, but for now, enjoy the unboxing!

“Never before has the strength and power of a Van Staal machined reel been offered in such a versatile and affordable option. The new VM150 features a changeable left- or right-hand retrieve, holds 350 yards of 30-pound braided line and can handle up to 30 pounds of drag stopping power. At $399 it’s the strongest, most affordable reel in its class. The fully machined aluminum and stainless steel construction of the VM150 create more than enough strength to tackle big and exotic fish and the precision gears and smooth drag performance make it the perfect go-to reel from boat or from shore.”

The Super Cisco really sets itself apart in the details. It has 3D holographic eyes, a built in rattle, can be trolled over 10mph and comes in a ridiculous amount of colors and patterns with fresh and saltwater variations! How many patterns? Try 42. Which as many of you know is the “Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything“. How many patterns does Rapala offer? 12.

Super Cisco RSC-16 SW-26

And in case you need another reason to try out one of these lures, here it is – they are only $9.99 USD each.

Here are a few of the available Super Cisco patterns.

See more at TackleIndustries.com

I wasn’t able to get out this weekend because it was Thanksgiving here in Canada, but I’m working on a trip to Mystery Lake in late October and I cannot wait to give these frogs a go, even if it might be a bit too cold for topwater.

More photos of both the Original Species Frog and Original Pulse Frog after the break.