That sinker on your fishing line is much more important than you realize. The type sinker you choose, its weight, shape, and manner in which it’s rigged and used can make or break a day of fishing.

In the most basic sense, a sinker is simply a chunk of metal used to take baits and lures to depths where fish are found. In most cases, weights are made of lead. But in recent years some states have made use of small lead weights unlawful because of the potential for lead poisoning in wildlife that may ingest sinkers.

Anglers must check state fishing regulations on lead weight use. Note that California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York require lead-free weight substitutes, chiefly for small weights under one ounce, or lead weights that may be small enough to be eaten by fish or game.

Federal lands and waters also may require lead substitutes for fishing. Such alternative lead weights (made of steel, tin, tungsten, and alloys) are more expensive than lead. But they’ve come down in price in recent years and are not cost-prohibitive. They manufactured by many companies, including Eagle Claw and sold by large retailers such as Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops.

While lead weight substitutes such as spark plugs, lug nuts, and pieces of bricks have been used successfully to take baits deep to fish, there’s no question that sinkers designed specifically for situational angling are best for that purpose. For practical fishing purposes, treat all lead and non-lead sinkers the same, since physical shape, design, and weight of a sinker are the key issues in their proper use.

Choose Fishing Weights Wisely

For the majority of anglers, buying sinkers is simply a matter of necessity, and usually is done as an after-thought following long decisions over the purchase of more expensive tackle. That’s unfortunate, because often the type, size, and weight of a sinker may not be best suited for the fishing job at hand.

There is a wide variety of fishing sinkers available and even greater variation as to how they can be rigged and used. It bears remembering that the correct choice of weights for fishing can be as important to angling success as employing the right lure or bait. Having the wrong type or size weight is among the surest ways of turning off fish; whereas the right weight can bring instant angling success.

Here are some proven fishing weight designs and how they can be used.

1. Split-Shot

The simple little split-shot weight that can be crimped onto an angler’s line wherever desired is among the most versatile of all fishing weights. Split-shot weights with ears or wings—for quick opening and closing with pliers—are among the best type, because of the speed at which they can be rigged. They also can be reused with ease.

Split-shot weights should be in every angler’s tackle box because of their versatility. They can be crimped singly or in a series to a main fishing line or onto a “dropper line.” They can also be pinched onto a swivel, snap, or another sinker above a lure or bait to help get it deep. They even can be fastened to a lure itself, on a hook shank, spinner-blade arm, or wherever desired.

The Water Gremlin and Eagle Claw make a variety of good split-shot assortment boxes. They’re in round, easy-to-stow plastic containers measuring about 1-inch thick and several inches across. The containers have dozens of split-shots, of varying weights that are easy to get to and use.

2. Rubber-Core Sinkers

Rubber-core and clasp-on or dog-ear sinkers still are in wide use because they easily can be fitted onto fishing line to get baits and lures deep. Most are for use when weights larger than split shot are needed. But such rubber-core weights can cause monofilament line twist when retrieved fast or trolled, and because of their on-line bulk, they can jam easily in rocky bottoms and on shell bars.

Still, when extra weight is needed in a hurry to get a lure or bait deep, a rubber-core or dog-ear sinker is a good choice.

Savvy anglers carry a good assortment of such sinkers that can quickly be pressed into service when needed to get lures or baits down where fish may lurk.

3. Sliding Sinkers

Sliding sinkers having a hole through their centers and are another excellent and extremely versatile type weight for fishing. The egg or barrel sinker and the worm weight are the most common of this type. They are among the most popular sinkers sold in tackle shops today.

The standard rig for an egg or barrel sinker is to run the fishing line through the hole in a weight (size determined by current and depth to be fished), then tie the line to a barrel or barrel-snap swivel. Then tie a leader from the other end of the swivel to a lure or hook. Often a plastic bead is fitted on the line between the weight and swivel to prevent the sinker from fraying a knot during fishing.

Rigged this way, the sliding sinker becomes, in essence, a deadly and simple fish-finder or Carolina rig that resists line twist. Depending on weight used, it can be fished on the bottom in almost any depth of water or current.

Walleye and smallmouth bass anglers commonly use such rigs for slowly working live baits along bottom. When a fish hits, they give slack line, and the fish swims off pulling line through the sinker. After waiting a few seconds for a fish to take the bait well, they set the hook. The sliding sinker works better than any other weight because the sinker remains stationary on bottom while a fish swims off unencumbered pulling line through the weight, with the fish unaware of the danger.

Barrel and egg sinkers should be selected so they have just enough weight to get to the bottom, but not so much weight that they act like a heavy anchor. An egg sinker that tumbles and rolls along bottom can even be desirable for river and tidewater anglers who wish to “cover” a lot of water with a single cast.

However, if it is desired that a bait remain stationary, a slightly heavier egg or barrel sinker should be employed to “hold” more securely in one spot.

Read Next: How to Choose a Fishing Hook

4. Worm Weights

A worm-weight or bullet sinker is typically a cone-shaped piece of lead with a hole through its center. It’s used primarily for freshwater bass fishing with soft plastic lures. They’re available in a wide variety of weights, and are superb for working plastic worms, grubs, and even natural baits through weeds, as the cone-shape of the weight bores and slides well through obstructions without easily fouling.

They’re simple to rig and use, and they can be fished as a sliding weight similar to egg or barrel sinkers. They can also be pegged to one spot on a fishing line with a toothpick, which makes them work much like a jig.

Some styles of worm weights are made with a wire screw that bores into a soft plastic lure’s nose. This anchors the weight to the lure, which can help make it more weedless (especially in brush and stumps), and in detecting light strikes from fish.

5. Walking Sinkers

This style of sliding sinker was popularized many years ago in the upper Midwest by Al and Ron Linder with their innovative Lindy sinker for the Lindy Tackle Company. Shaped somewhat like a bank sinker, though bent near the line hole and more square sides, the sinker is made to walk along the bottom during slow trolling or drifting.

It can be used with lures, but it’s original use was for very slow, precise trolling with natural baits—for walleyes, bass, smallmouths, and other species. The weights are sold by a number of companies, including Northland, and often are called “Walleye Sinkers.”

In use, line is threaded through the sinker hole, a barrel swivel is tied on, and a leader is run from the swivel to a hook for bait or a lure.

Its practical use is much like an egg sinker in a Carolina rig, but it’s shape and design make it more suitable for slow, precise, deep trolling.

Stationary Sinkers

This type of sinker is designed to take a lure or bait deep, and anchor it in a chosen spot to draw fish. The shape of the sinker is important, because when used correctly, its design makes it stationary.

This is critical because the heavier the weight, the more difficult it is to detect strikes from fish. The balancing act of selecting a proper stationary weight that allows the lightest possible sinker, often increases the number of strikes and the quantity of fish caught.

6. Flat, Coin, Disk, No-Roll Sinkers

Flat, coin-shaped, disk or “no roll” sinkers are available with holes through them, and they are excellent for stationary fishing. They lay completely horizontal or flat on bottom, and thus resist rolling or tumbling in current. River and tidewater anglers especially like such sinkers for stationary fishing.

Most are rigged with a swivel and leader, like a Carolina egg-sinker rig or a walking sinker set up. But this style is best for stationary fishing, usually with natural baits.

7. Pyramid, Dipsey, Bank Sinkers

The old standby pyramid, Dipsey, and bank sinkers are useful for much of the same stationary bait-soaking purposes. Many of these are commonly used by shore-bound anglers chasing catfish, and also for holding live baits in proven fish areas for species such as bass, stripers, trout, pike, and walleye.

Pyramid sinkers are four-sided, shaped like a pyramid with a point at one end, and resist tumbling in current.

Dipsey sinkers are more rounded, with a wire inserted into the weight. It features a twisted wire loop at its end for attaching line. Some such sinkers have a rubber-type locking loop that can be used to attach the sinker to line quickly without having to cut and retie lures or baits. Water Gremlin “Snap Loc” Dispsey sinkers are one type. They allow for a quick change of weight when current or water depth change demands it.

A bank sinker is a simple piece of lead with a tapered end having a hole through it, for threading line or leader.

Many anglers employ these types of sinkers with a sinker slide, which fits on the fishing line with a small plastic sleeve that allows for quickly changing weight or shape of the sinker.

Trolling Sinkers

These weights are streamlined and designed for use while trolling baits or lures. Most are long and slender, and some have simple wire loops at each end for attaching to line and leader ahead of baits and lures.

Because trolling can lead to line twist, some sinkers are fitted with swivels or a chain of swivels at each end to prevent twist. Swivels of some type are wise for using these sinkers to prevent monofilament lines twisting into a tangled mess, which causes lost fish.

Trolling sinkers help to get lures and baits deep when downriggers or wire lines are unavailable.

9. No-Snag Flexi Weight

This innovative weight design by Billy Bay allows anglers to add a slender series of weights (1/2 to 2 ounces) covered in rubber shrink wrap that can be added to fishing line or leader to get baits or lures deep.

The Billy Bay “Flexi Draggin’ Weight” design is almost snagless, and has many applications from bass casting, trolling, and drift fishing for salmon, trout, and stripers.

Such weights can be attached to other sinkers in a rig, or used in series together to get lures and baits deep.

Read Next: How to Pick the Right Kind of Fishing Line

10. Pencil Sinker

Used mostly by salmon and steelhead anglers working current, this straight, pencil-shaped sinker is designed to avoid snags in rivers and streams. The Bass Pro Shops design (https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-pencil-sinker/) has a wire ring at one end for attaching line, leader, and other terminal rigging. They can be used two or more at a time for increased depth fishing.

Some pencil sinkers are rigged with a piece of surgical tubing that allows such weights to be pushed into open tubing to take baits and lures deep. If a different weight is desired, the pencil lead can be removed from the tubing, and a different size pushed tightly into the rubber tube.

11. No-Snagg Sinker

Hall of Fame angler Ron Linder devised this improved slip-sinker weight. Its slight bend and bottom-bumper-style wire probe at its end allow it glide over rocks, shells, and other obstructions when taking baits deep during drifting or slow-trolling. This sinker is a design improvement over the original Lindy Walking Sinker.

A similar design is the “VMC Switch-It Slip Sinker”, which offers a quick attachment wire for changing weights.

Northland also makes a Rock Runner Sinker (1/4 to 1 1/2 ounce) of similar design that has a quick change weight snap, which allows you to change the sinker weight when needed.

12. Drop-Shot Sinker

This is a simple ball-shaped sinker with a looped wire attachment at its top. The looped wire is used for snugly fitting fishing line in a drop shot rig to take it deep, without need for tying line to lead. This allows for quick change adjustments in the weight for different fishing depths. Most drop-shot sinkers are rounded in shape to resist bottom fouling, and many come in weights from 1/8- to 3/4-ounce.

One innovative drop-shot sinker is the Bakudan design offered by Lunker City. It has a wire line attachment at one end, but it is a long and slender pencil shape, designed to resist deep snags.

13. Insert Weights

Insert or nail weights are designed chiefly for soft plastic finesse bass fishing. But they can be used for many soft lure fishing purposes, and also inserted into natural baits (minnows, leeches, crawfish, etc.) to make them more desirable to gamefish.

Used as a hidden belly weight, these sinkers can give lifelike action to a soft-plastic jerk bait, and can give them a fish-appealing, suspended quality, too, without bulky add-on sinkers. This is especially beneficial in ultra clear-water fishing.

14. Hook Weights

These are small, slender, pinch-on style weights designed to fit hooks to get baits or lures deep. By weighting a hook, they also can give a lure more balance and offer a more natural action to tempt fish.

The Bass Pro Shops XPS Hook Weights are available in six sizes from 1/16- to 1/2-ounce and can be added to soft plastic worm or jerk bait hooks, spinner-baits, spoons, plugs, and hooks used with natural baits.

Finally, anglers should keep in mind that whenever rigging and employing weights for fishing, the best results are had when only just enough weight is used to get lures or baits in position to catch fish. Too much weight makes baits and lures appear unnatural to gamefish, and difficult for anglers to detect strikes and set hooks.

In this respect, sinkers are a lot like fishing rods. The best ones are tailor-made to the fishing at hand, allowing just enough influence to hook, fight, and land fish, but not so much that it impairs sport.

The post The Complete Guide To Using Fishing Sinkers appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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The kayak fishing space has grown by leaps and bounds over the last decade, and no topic has garnered more debate in that time than propulsion methods. Whether it’s paddle, pedal, or motor, everyone seems to have an opinion on which the best option is. And the debate about motor power versus manual power can get pretty divisive.

This dividing line has been one that many companies have struggled with over the years, with few having a solution that wasn’t some variation of “stick a motor on a kayak and call it a day”. Old Town has bridged that gap in a truly unique way with their new ePDL+ drive system. This new system essentially works like an electric bike. It utilizes a battery-powered motor that assists with your pedaling, but you can also cruise at five different speeds without pedaling at all. Putting your own leg power into the pedals extends battery life, of course.

I consider this the first advancement in the motorized kayak fishing space in years that can be deemed truly new and innovative.

Last winter, I was given the opportunity to test the new Old Town BigWater ePDL+ 132 in the backcountry around Tampa. Having several days to put the boat through the paces, I was able to really play around with its capabilities and dial in where it excelled and where it may need some work. I fished with both spinning gear and fly rods. I was on the kayak through multiple tide swings and weather conditions. Here’s what I found when using the new BigWater ePDL+ 132.

Old Town BigWater ePDL+ 132 Specs and Features

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• Length: 13 feet, 2 inches
• Width: 36 inches
• Weight (assembled): 143 pounds
• Capacity: 500 pounds
• Battery: 36V, 20Ah Lithium Ion
• Colors: Steel Camo, Ember Camo, Marsh Camo

ePDL+ Drive

Old Town’s ePDL+ drive is a legitimately impressive and functional innovation that performs well. It takes a minute to get used to the dynamics of having both pedals and a motor integrated, but once you settle in, you’ll get the hang of it quickly. Using the simple interface that’s stationed between the pedals, you can alternate between five speeds.

It would be easy to overcomplicate the motorized component (see: any trolling motor or fishfinder installation video on Youtube), but Old Town has done a great job keeping the ePDL+ interface clean. You navigate the settings through a polarized-sunglass-friendly control panel and a simple two-tone UI that more closely resembles an original Nintendo Game Boy than a modern touch screen. The five speeds allow you to jump from slow trolling to throttling down to get to a new location quickly.

Hull Design

Beyond the drive itself, Old Town made a smart move by basing the BigWater ePDL+ 132 on an already proven design. The original Old Town BigWater (and older Predator series) have been around for years and are a tried-and-true platform, which relieves many of the concerns about launching a totally new boat. The hull has been tested and tweaked many times over, allowing the ePDL+ drive functionality to be integrated without worrying about the overall functionality of the boat. Additionally, the existing hull design allows for backwards compatibility with older Old Town PDL drives, which is a nice feature for anglers fishing in “no motor” tournaments or who simply want a backup drive.

Safety

Safety can be a concern with any motorized craft, and the ePDL+ has several built-in safety mechanisms to ensure your boat doesn’t drive off without you. As with most motorboats, there is a magnetic kill switch on a key fob that the user wears while kayaking. Should the angler fall off the craft, ideally the fob will be yanked free and the motor will stop. Secondly, there’s another kill switch built into the motor mount itself. If the drive is lifted from its down position, this connection is severed and the motor will automatically turn off. Additionally, if you start pedaling in reverse the drive will automatically cut the motor, which is a critical feature to avoid being launched out of the boat on a whim.

Testing the Old Town BigWater ePDL+ 132 in the Field

Simply put, there is no perfect kayak for every situation. While that will probably always remain true, some are more well-rounded than others. The ability to do many things comfortably goes a long way in the world of kayak fishing, so I believe it’s important to evaluate how a boat handles a variety of situations.

As an avid kayak angler with years of experience across a wide range of styles and fisheries, I have a set of criteria that I’m always looking for when trying out a new boat. To accurately test the BigWater ePDL+, I tried to replicate the average experience of kayak fishing on a day-to-day basis as closely as possible. This means both pedaling and paddling, standing, poling, and casting from a variety of different positions. It also means fishing with both spinning gear and fly, as well as covering a lot of water searching and getting technical with casts. Basically, it means beating both myself and the boat up to find fish at all costs.

Cruise Control Mode

The drive system on the BigWater ePDL features a “cruise control” mode, which is really where it separates itself from traditional pedal or motor crafts. Essentially, once you start pedaling, you just pick a speed setting you want and hit the cruise control button. Then, once you stop pedaling, the boat will continue moving at that rate until you start pedaling again or stop. In practice, it’s pretty darn cool. It adds a whole new dynamic to the pedal kayak experience, while maintaining the same built-in muscle memory and functionality that many kayak anglers are used to.   

Versatile Speed

There are five speeds. Essentially, settings one through four are what I would deem “fishable,” while speed five, for lack of a better term, absolutely hauls ass. While the top-end speed will vary based on load, this boat can flat out move.

Weight and Bulk

While Old Town did base the BigWater 132 design on older models, they slightly tweaked some aspects, improving a few features that the original BigWater hull was lacking. The biggest improvement comes in the size of the stern tankwell, which has been significantly increased to accommodate a much wider variety of crates and coolers.

The new BigWater 132 hull design has its drawbacks, primarily bulk. The hull design is streamlined and tracks well, but it’s undeniably heavy at 143 pounds fully loaded. This hinders the maneuverability and also makes it a beast to manage solo. Additionally, while the craft is very stable, its center of gravity while seated is much higher than many other kayaks in the class, increasing its tipping ability. The inability to adjust the seat height beyond the basic settings doesn’t help this, and it somewhat limits the boat’s range of use.

Despite some of the drawbacks of the BigWater 132 hull, it’s certainly a great platform for the initial showcasing of the ePDL+ drive. It functions well for its intended use and provides excellent proof of concept for the drive itself, perhaps opening the door for a wider range of uses in different boat models in the near future. It would be exciting to see this drive implemented in a smaller craft, something lighter and nimbler that can really move.

What the Old Town BigWater ePDL+ 132 Does Best

Perhaps the biggest advantage of the ePDL+ drive is that it eliminates one of the most frustrating elements of adding a motor to a kayak: lack of intuitive control. One of the biggest drawbacks to any motorized kayak is the lack of fluidity between fishing, paddling, and controlling a motor. Typically, the motor is controlled by a small remote of some kind, usually worn by the angler or mounted on the craft. No matter how effective the motor is, this method of controlling the boat will always result in some level of distraction and can be downright annoying when you’re trying to focus on fishing.

The ePDL+ drive provides an exceptional workaround for this, allowing the user to preset the speeds and then control the motor solely by foot pedal. This cuts out the frustrating element of fumbling with a remote fob or screen and allows the angler to focus on fishing while also covering more water efficiently. Once you settle into the pedal rhythm, it doesn’t take long to forget that the kayak is motorized at all. I can see this functionality being particularly helpful in the tournament angling world, where every second spent messing with motor controls can cost you.

Unlike some other primarily pedal or motor driven craft, the BigWater ePDL+ paddles reasonably well when the drive isn’t in use. Being based on the older existing Old Town Predator series definitely helps from a design standpoint, as that series was fully intended and sold as a paddle boat originally. It’s streamlined hull shape and tracking ability allow for paddling without suffering should the drive go down. It certainly doesn’t have the same awkwardness that some more modern motor-based designs do when forced to paddle.

While a somewhat superficial benefit, one of my favorite parts of the ePDL+ drive is that it allows you to have the benefits of a motorized kayak while not looking like you have a motorized kayak. I’ll acknowledge that this is more of a personal preference, but I have always hated the appearance of motors on kayaks. The appeal of kayak fishing to me is simplicity, and the more external stuff added to the craft, the more you lose that connection to the water and the fish that makes kayak fishing special. However, the combining of the pedal and motor has advantages beyond cosmetic and ideological reasons. It eliminates bulk and cuts down on extraneous material on the craft. This simplicity helps keep the boat streamlined when not using the motor and removes potential snags and failure points that traditional motors add. 

Where the Old Town BigWater ePDL+ 132 Can Improve

The ability to stand and fish is critical. As a sight fishing junkie, I think this is an area the BigWater ePDL+ could improve. Now, before I get criticized for my lack of balance or inability to stand in a kayak, hear me out. My critique is actually unrelated to its stability. Yes, the BigWater ePDL+ is incredibly stable, making it very easy to simply stand and fish. No problem there. The issue arises if you want to change positions or angles while standing. While it’s very comfortable to stand and cast from the designated deck space within the console, it’s incredibly unwieldy to do so from literally any other position on the boat.

As someone who likes to change positions and sight fish, the limited range of comfortable standing spots became somewhat frustrating. Even the seat is limiting, having only the standard adjustments to allow for back angle and leg space. Most larger fishing kayaks generally have a high and low seat setting, some even offering a range of different angles and heights to make long days on the water more comfortable. The seat on the BigWater ePDL+ is comfortable enough, but it really needs to have more adjustability to accommodate a wider variety of angling styles. 

Another area of improvement would be adding some form of wearable remote control. To be clear, one of the boat’s best assets is its ability to be controlled without a remote. That said, there’s nothing wrong with giving the user both choices. It would be nice to at least have the option of a small remote removed from the actual drive, allowing the user to control the motor without the need to get into pedaling position.

The speed jumps between settings one through five are somewhat uneven. The first four settings provide a fairly clean increase, while five jumps significantly. It’s not the most pressing problem in the world, but it would be nice to see a wider range of speed settings that can be more finely tuned down the line.

Finally, it would be impossible to discuss the downsides to the BigWater 132 ePDL+ and not bring up cost. There’s no way to sugarcoat it, the $6,000 price tag is more than many people will be able to justify. It’s understandable that a totally new technology combined with an existing top-end fishing kayak will be pricey, but still there’s a threshold for what most anglers will be willing to pay for a kayak. The industry is getting packed with more and more expensive options, and it will be interesting to see when that threshold is reached.

Read Next: The Best Kayak Fishing Accessories of 2023

Final Thoughts

Regardless of your attitude on motorized kayaks, I would highly recommend all kayak anglers find somewhere to at least test out the ePDL+ drive. Honestly, it’s difficult to put into words, because the drive functions so differently than other pedal systems, while at the same time feeling no different at all. It’s a three-dimensional functioning oxymoron, a seamless marriage of proven technologies and entirely new ideas. It may not be perfect, but it is a rare and legitimately progressive innovation in the kayak fishing space, and one that opens the door to a host of new possibilities.

The all-new Old Town Sportsman BigWater ePDL+ 132 will begin shipping in January 2024

The post Old Town Sportsman BigWater ePDL 132: The Most Innovative Motorized Kayak to Hit the Market in Years appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Best Premium		Van Staal Pliers	SEE IT
Best Budget		Berkley Straight Nose Pliers	SEE IT
Most Ergonomic		Bubba Pistol Grip Stainless Steel Pliers	SEE IT

Fishing pliers can be an angler’s lifesaver—literally—and they can serve more common practical purposes like modifying lures, crimping wire, and enabling the quick release of sportfish. The best ones do their intended jobs well and stand at the ready, rust-free and willing to work. 

Many of us are inclined to spend as little as possible on these oft-forgotten tools, arguing that a pair of hardware store or discount pliers works almost as well and won’t be as painful if dropped overboard. When they fail at a specific task, however, and particularly if that results in a lost trophy fish or a lost day on the water, suddenly, the value of having a proper tool becomes evident. If you’re looking for a quality pair, here are some of the best fishing pliers I’ve tested.

• Best Premium: Van Staal Titanium Pliers
• Best Budget: Berkley Straight Nose Pliers
• Best Long Reach: Rapala 11-inch Long Reach Pliers
• Best Forceps: Cuda 7-inch Freshwater Forceps
• Most Ergonomic: Bubba Pistol Grip Stainless Steel Pliers
• Best Split Ring: Texas Tackle Split Ring Pliers

How We Chose the Best Fishing Pliers

I’m notoriously clumsy, which led me to drop more than one tool over the side of my bass boat, which initially convinced me that cheap pliers were the way to go. However, after nearly electrocuting myself by using long nose pliers to remove a wing nut from a battery terminal, I realized that having the right pliers is key to getting the job done. Same with trying to change out a treble hook in 3-foot waves with my fingers— it doesn’t work. There’s also nothing more frustrating than going to open your pliers to find they’re rusted shut. I still don’t spend foolishly, but now I realize that quality and specificity matter. Accordingly, throughout my boat and garage there are a number of quality implements ready to do key jobs to maintain my sanity and my safety.

Best Fishing Pliers: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Premium: Van Staal Titanium Pliers

Van Staal

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Key Features

• Sizes: 6 and 7 inches
• Titanium construction
• Spring loaded handles
• Included lanyard and leather sheath

Pros

• Won’t rust in even the worst saltwater conditions
• Extremely lightweight
• Cutter holds line in place for clean slices

Cons

• Expensive

Van Staal has long made premium gear, including reels and tools, meant to withstand harsh saltwater environments without missing a beat. These pliers, available in 6- and 7-inch sizes, live up to that legacy. In addition to being extremely lightweight, they’re full of features such as channel-cut jaws that hold line in place securely, and also make clean cuts on tough wire. The handles are spring-loaded, so they’ll always be ready to go, especially since the materials are guaranteed not to rust or corrode under any conditions. So whether you’re 100 miles offshore or deep in the Amazon, they won’t fail when safety or fish security is at hand. Just make sure that you attach them to the lanyard and anchor it securely, because dropping these overboard would be tragic.

Best Budget: Berkley Straight Nose Pliers

Berkley

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Key Features

• Sizes: 6 and 8 inches
• Carbon steel jaws
• Corrosion-resistant composite coasting
• Spring-assisted handles
• Included lanyard

Pros

• Lots of features for a low price
• Comfortable handles
• Corrosion-resistant

Cons

• Not quite as durable as more expensive models

Berkley’s basic pliers resemble what you might find at a hardware store at a similarly reasonable price, but upon closer inspection, they’re clearly made to be used by anglers. Several features, including the carbon steel jaws and crimping mechanism, will bail fishermen out in a pinch. Moreover, these are extremely comfortable to use, with paddle handles that allow for one-handed operation. They may not be quite as corrosion-resistant as some higher-priced models, nor as durable, but they’re more than up to the task for day-to-day freshwater use.

Best Long Reach: Rapala 11-inch Long Nose Pliers

Rapala

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Key Features

• Size: 11 inches
• Carbon steel construction
• Molded grips

Pros

• Rust resistant
• Long build allows for safety with toothy or deep-hooked fish
• Comfortable handles

Cons

• Not many extra features

Whether you’re trying to save your own knuckles or the life of a deeply-hooked trophy fish, sometimes a standard 6-inch or 8-inch set of pliers aren’t up to the task. They simply won’t go deep enough and still allow for maximum dexterity. Rapala has solved that problem with this 11-inch set, while still keeping the price point eminently affordable. They’re made of nickel-plated carbon steel for durability and rust resistance, along with comfortable grips that allow for one-hand operation under duress. The first time a musky or pike takes your prized lure to the back of its gullet you’ll be glad you have these. Even if you already have a standard-sized pair, they’re an excellent addition, and also help in a pinch for MacGyvered boat repairs in tight spaces. 

Best Forceps: Cuda Freshwater Forceps with Sharpener

Cuda

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Key Features

• Size: 7 inches 
• Stainless steel construction
• Serrated jaws
• Integrated sharpener to keep hooks in perfect shape

Pros

• Oversized, rubberized grips for easy handling
• Added sharpener combines multiple tools in one
• Also functions as a line cutter

Cons

• May not be stout enough for deeply-hooked extra-large fish

Sometimes a scalpel is a more valuable tool than a sword, and sometimes forceps are the best fishing pliers. That’s especially true when dealing with delicate fish and fine wire hooks. That’s why forceps have such a strong following in the trout fishing world, but their applications are wider than that—especially if you have the right ones. These are comfortable to grip and will help you safely dig into tight spaces to remove hooks, whether it’s a #18 dry fly, or the fine wire of a flat-sided crankbait. They also have a sharpener built in so you can get those hooks back to tip-top shape upon removal. They’re not at the bottom of the forceps price scale, but those extra features make the small bump worthwhile.

Most Ergonomic: Bubba Pistol Grip Stainless Steel Pliers

Bubba

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Key Features

• Pistol grip handle
• Stainless steel construction
• Spring-loaded non-slip grip
• Sheath with belt clip included

Pros

• Include several other functions made specifically for demanding anglers
• Comfortable handle provides lots of strength
• Carbide cutters 

Cons

• Mid- to upper-range price point 

Whether you’ve lost some function in your hands or just want to ensure maximum grip under all conditions, a pistol grip style set of pliers can help you hang on, and these Bubba’s are really a fantastic tool. They’re made of stainless steel with a titanium-nitride coating, allowing continued operation in saltwater. They also have multiple features such as a crimping tool and wicked sharp cutters. I find them easy to grab onto and easy to hold thanks to the non-slip grip, even when my hands are cold and wet. When my hands are at their worst, these fishing pliers may be at their best. 

Best Split Ring Pliers: Texas Tackle Split Ring Pliers

Texas Tackle

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Key Features

• Multiple sizes, including for large and extra-large hooks and split rings
• Top-grade surgical steel construction
• Plastic-coated handles
• Spring-loaded handles

Pros

• Made for one task and do it perfectly
• Retain “bite” for decades
• Can be operated with one hand to ensure that you don’t put a hook through a finger

Cons

• May need multiple pairs if you fish with wildly different hook sizes

I bought my first set of these pliers nearly two decades ago, and I still use them nearly every week to add or replace split rings and treble hooks. The only reason I added a second pair was that I needed some larger ones for my Amazon “choppers” and my big yellowfin tuna poppers. It’s a simple tool at a bargain price, and while others may be cheaper, none that I’ve tried have lasted as long. They open a split ring, no matter how stubborn, and hold it open as long as you want without degrading the tool or the hardware. In the long run, that means much more fish in the boat.

Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Fishing Pliers

Features

Simply put, what do you need your pliers to do, and what are you fishing for? Taking a tiny hook out of a bluegill is a far different task than preparing lures and rigs for marlin—no less specialized, but demanding different features and a different level of durability. In most cases, the simplest one-function tools are fine for that purpose, but if you want a single option that can accomplish multiple things, you’ll likely pay for that convenience.

Storage

Depending on whether you’ll keep them in a sheath, in a pocket, or in a dedicated place on your boat, the size and shape of your pliers may be beneficial, or it may be problematic. Just ask the guy who sat down and put them through his newly-upholstered seat. Similarly, if you’re hiking, lightweight construction is critical. No matter your budget, no one likes to lose a valuable tool, but it’s particularly painful at the upper end of the price spectrum, so proper storage is key.

Materials and Durability

Exposure to moisture and the elements takes a toll on tools, and it’s particularly pronounced in the salt. If you’ve ever gone to unhook a deeply-hooked fish, or crimp a wire, or a cut a line, and found your pliers seized up and corroded, you’re realized that sometimes it’s possible to be pennywise and pound foolish. Similarly, if you can’t make a needed cut because your tool is too cheap, you might as well have bought nothing at all.

Why Trust Outdoor Life

Since 1898, OL has been a leading authority in testing and reviewing hunting gear, fishing tackle, guns and shooting equipment, and much more. We have more than a century-long history of evaluating products, and we’re now bringing that expertise to online reviews. Our editors are experienced outdoorsmen and women, and most importantly, we’re trained journalists. We prioritize field testing and objective data when reviewing products. We conduct interviews with gear manufacturers and engineers as well as outdoor experts so that our readers have an understanding of how and why a product works—or doesn’t.

Advertising does not influence our gear reviews and it never will. While we always focus our coverage on standout products—because we want our readers to be aware of the latest and greatest gear—we also cover the flaws and quirks of any given product.

Final Thoughts 

Anglers need at least one pair of good pliers. They’ll allow you to modify tackle, remove hooks, and cut fishing line—all daily tasks on the water. The best fishing pliers for a lifetime of use are the Van Staal Pliers, but before you run out and spend $300, look over my other top picks and see which one best fits your specific needs.

• Best Premium: Van Staal Titanium Pliers
• Best Budget: Berkley Straight Nose Pliers
• Best Long Reach: Rapala 11-inch Long Reach Pliers
• Best Forceps: Cuda 7-inch Freshwater Forceps
• Most Ergonomic: Bubba Pistol Grip Stainless Steel Pliers
• Best Split Ring: Texas Tackle Split Ring Pliers

The post The Best Fishing Pliers of 2023 appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Best for Cold Smoking		Smokehouse All Natural Cherry Wood Smoking Chips	SEE IT
Best for Salmon		Bear Mountain Premium BBQ Pellets – Alder	SEE IT
Best for Mexican Recipes		Traeger Premium Hardwood Wood Pellets – Mesquite	SEE IT

Summer is a time for catching fish, filleting fish, and eating fish in any of its countless ways. Though if I’m honest, every season is a time for catching and eating fish. Even as the catch-and-release mantra holds tight with fly anglers in particular, plenty of biologists and fisheries managers are allowing, or even encouraging, anglers to just take home their limit of fish. And when you have that limit of trout, perch, walleye, salmon, or whatever species you were seeking, it’s time for the next best part after fishing: Cooking. While I certainly won’t criticize a good shore lunch, smoked fish has to be one of the best and most versatile ways to cook fish. And to achieve perfect smoked fish, you need the right wood. With the help of award-winning chef, Hank Shaw, I put together recommendations for the best wood for smoking fish. 

• Best for Cold Smoking: Smokehouse All Natural Cherry Wood Smoking Chips
• Best for Salmon: Bear Mountain Premium BBQ Pellets – Alder
• Best for Mexican Recipes: Traeger Premium Hardwood Wood Pellets – Mesquite
• Best for Mountain Whitefish: Western Premium BBQ Smoking Chips – Maple
• Best for White Fish: Jack Daniel’s Wood Smoking Chips – Oak

How to Choose the Right Kind of Wood

Instead of thinking about fish as individual species and wondering what woods to use with salmon, perch or trout, group them by the general color of their meat. 

Consider fish in three basic groups: orange fish, grey or blue fish and white fish. Orange fish are salmon and trout. Grey fish are species like yellowtail, tuna, sardines or herring, and white fish like halibut or catfish. The blue or grey fish can take much stronger wood smoke for much longer than the white or orange-colored fish. 

If you’re not sure, start with a more mild wood such as one of the fruit woods or oak, and err on the side of too little smoke versus too much. A piece of fish with less smoke than you want will still taste like a great piece of fish. A piece of fish with too much smoke can be downright inedible. 

You can also consider what woods have been culturally associated with different species of fish. Cedar, for example, is rarely if ever used with fish outside of the Pacific Northwest where it’s often used (carefully) to smoke salmon. Floridians will use hickory to smoke mullet and mix it with mayonnaise and cream cheese for a unique-tasting dip.

Best for Cold Smoking: Smokehouse All Natural Cherry Wood Smoking Chips

Luhr Jensen

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Key Features

• Only pure hardwood
• Blend of cherry and alder wood for easy flavor
• Small chips
• Works in any cold smoker

Why It Made the Cut

If you want a fully-cured fish that tastes like something you’d buy in a European meat shop, use a fruit wood such as cherry for your cold-smoked fish.

Pros

• Sweet
• Produces plenty of smoke

Cons

• Possible to overdue if you let it smoke too long

Product Description

Cold smoked fish, done properly, is essentially shelf stable, Shaw says. It’s traditionally dry soaked until the moisture is gone and then hung in a smokehouse for a certain number of hours each day over the course of a week. Cold smoking is never done over 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and it’s often as low as 50 degrees. 

“Salt or sugar is used as a cure,” Shaw says. “Both salt and sugar will pull moisture out of something, which is why you can have a jar of jelly for years and it’s still fine.”

That’s why the fish ends up firm enough to slice and place on crackers or a bagel. The brine also ends up making the fish quite salty, so plan to eat it cold. “When you eat something cold, your perception of its saltiness goes way down,” he says. “If you heat it up it will be too salty, but eat it cold or cool, and it will be quite nice.” You also won’t be chunking it up and eating it with a fork like you would a piece of grilled fish. Instead, slice it thin and use it with something else.

As for smoking, Shaw recommends cold smoking with something delicate like fruit woods. If you want to do it yourself, collect some downed fruit wood and make it into wood chips that can be used in your smoker. Why fruit? Because smoked fish, with the salty, flavorful brine needs no more than a kiss of smoke with some flavor in it. Something like mesquite or hickory can overpower the fish, especially when cold smoked for a long period of time. 

If you don’t have access to a smokehouse—and most of us don’t have access to smokehouses—you can also use a cold smoker like a Big Chief or Little Chief. Cure it for several days, then smoke it for three to four hours a day for five or six days, keeping it in the refrigerator when it’s not being smoked. It will ultimately get to a point where the color has changed and it’s sliceable. 

To be safe, store it in the refrigerator or freezer. The only exception to alder or willow that Shaw knows is a cold-smoked fish found in Scotland called Finnan Haddie. It’s haddock smoked over green wood and peat. The taste is distinct, and peat is not delicate, but it’s worth trying if you ever end up in Scotland.

Best for Salmon: Bear Mountain Premium BBQ Pellets – Alder

Bear Mountain

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Key Features

• Perfect amount of smokiness
• Pellets work in pellet smokers and other grills
• 100% hardwoods

Why It Made the Cut

There’s no better wood for smoking salmon than alder, and Bear Mountain makes some of the best wood pellets. 

Pros

• Perfect flavor
• Works on salmon and most other fish species
• Delicate so won’t overpower your fish

Cons

• Pricier than DIY harvesting

Product Description

This one isn’t tricky. If you’re smoking salmon, use alder. Now you may have used a different kind of wood, perhaps mesquite or hickory, and if you like it, there’s no judgment. But alder is universally the best wood for the fish. “Wood in general adds a layer of flavor to whatever is smoking,” Shaw says. “And that can be either delicate or a sledgehammer. Hickory is a sledgehammer. Alder is a paintbrush.”

With salmon, you want a paintbrush. 

Alder is also ideal because it’s widely available in nature – it actually grows across the globe from Alaska and California to Europe and Siberia. “Chances are there’s one near you.” Willow is also a good option if you want to harvest it yourself.  It’s also easy to buy as briquettes, pellets and chips. We like the Bear Mountain wood pellets for using in the best pellet smokers. They smoke and burn cleanly and provide the perfect flavor. But if you don’t have a pellet grill, go ahead and collect some alder for your smoker for the most affordable option.

Best for Mexican Recipes: Traeger Premium Hardwood Wood Pellets – Mesquite

Traeger

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Key Features

• 100% hardwood
• Created by Traeger for Traeger smokers
• Produces 8500 BTUs per pound of pellets

Why It Made the Cut

Big, dense pieces of ocean fish require a heavy smoke best offered by woods like mesquite or oak.

Pros

• Consistent mesquite flavor
• Reliable mix of hardwoods for the best smoke
• No filler or bark content

Cons

• More expensive than some counterparts

Product Description

You don’t have to be in Baja Mexico to taste the delicious flavors of smoked fish straight from the ocean. And seasoning then smoking fish like marlin, swordfish, yellowtail or tuna is a perfect addition to your seafood repertoire. The best woods are manzanita, oak or mesquite, though some come with caveats. Manzanita, if you can find it, will be the most mild but also burns “really hot.” “You have to be really careful,” he says. “If you get manzanita to a full burn, it will melt through a steel drum. It’s incredibly dense.”

It’s also one of the harder woods to find in a package from your local hardware store. Instead, try using mesquite, which burns cooler with more particulates so will ensure you have a good smoky flavor in your fish. The mesquite Premium Hardwood Pellets by Traeger are a great place to start for pellet and the best electric smokers. The pellets are made by Traeger out of 100% hardwood and offer just the level of smoke you want from a pellet smoker. Most major brands of pellets will work, realistically, but we’ve found that we keep returning to these because their clean burn and consistency make them one of the best wood for smoking fish.  

Best for Mountain Whitefish: Western Premium BBQ Smoking Chips – Maple

Western

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Key Features

• 1-inch dried kiln chips for consistent smoke
• All natural hardwoods
• Made in USA

Why It Made the Cut

Mountain whitefish is fatty enough to really absorb the light smoke of a wood like maple, making it an ideal fish for smoking.

Pros

• Consistent
• Affordable
• Comes in other flavors 

Product Description

There’s a big difference between whitefish the species and a fish with white flesh. We’ll get into what to do with white-colored fish soon. But for right now, we’re talking about mountain whitefish, the funny native fish with a funny mouth and a stiff body. “Whitefish the actual species is super fatty, which is why it’s amazing,” Shaw says. “I’ve seen everything from alder and applewood to maple. Since whitefish is a northern fish, you see a lot of maple with them.”

Shaw recognizes with some types of wood you may well not be able to distinguish between varieties. “Unless you really are a connoisseur, and smoke the hell out of a fish, you won’t get a lot of difference,” he says. “If I smoke a piece of salmon over alder and willow, you might tell the difference, but maybe not. If I smoked salmon with alder or mesquite, you can tell the difference.” Would you notice if a piece of fish was smoked with apple or cherry? Probably not. That being said, maple is still a great choice for mountain whitefish. It’s a mild smoke, and it’s universally available either as a wood in a forest potentially near you or in pellet or chip form. We recommend the Western maple wood chips for your smoker or in an aluminum pouch on your grill to provide that highly sought smoky flavor. 

Best for White Fish: Jack Daniel’s Wood Smoking Chips – Oak

Western

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Key Features

• Twist on regular oak chips
• Made from charred oak whiskey barrels

Why It Made the Cut

White fish like walleye, catfish or halibut is best lightly smoked with oak.

Pros

• Unique flavor
• Reusing charred oak barrels

Cons

• More expensive than regular oak chips

Product description

“The biggest problem with white-colored fish is that most of them are incredibly lean, and lean fish don’t smoke as well as fatty fish because smoke adheres to fat much better than lean muscle,” Shaw says. That doesn’t mean you should avoid smoking lean fish, however. That walleye or catfish can still make a delicious smoked meal, you just have to be a little more careful. Smoke it for too long, or with a wood that’s strong like mesquite, you could end up with a piece of chalky-tasting fish. 

Shaw recommends oak for this task, along with some specific directions. “Slow cook it over a smoky fire until it’s done,” he says. “You’re not going to smoke it for three hours. It will probably take an hour or so and then you will have a nice piece of fish that has a smoky flavor but isn’t technically smoked.” As with all the other woods, gather your own oak or buy chips or pellets. Most major companies make oak chips, so if you have a favorite, go with that. If you want to try something a little different, and you like a little hint of whiskey in your smoke, try the Jack Daniel’s chips. The smoke isn’t overpowering. You won’t drown your white fish in Jack Daniel’s, but it is a nice touch of something unique if you’re looking to expand your options. 

How We Tested

What’s better than smoked salmon? Cold smoke it and eat it on crackers with a bit of cheese. Mix it with cream cheese and sour cream in this smoked salmon dip recipe from Hank Shaw, the award-winning James Beard chef who literally wrote the book on cooking fish called “Hook, Line and Supper: New Techniques and Master Recipes for Everything Caught in Lakes, Rivers, Streams and Sea.”

Smoking fish isn’t a complicated endeavor, but it certainly has its own nuances. Use the wrong wood with the wrong kind of fish and you might get something that tastes, well, not quite right. Smoke it too long and it may well be inedible. Use a wood like lodgepole pine and you might end up with turpentine-filled fish that makes you sick. But don’t worry. I’ve spent years figuring out the best wood pairings with fish, and Shaw has spent even longer on trial and error as well as good, old-fashioned research. We’ve smoked trout, halibut, rockfish, salmon, perch and walleye to understand what woods pair best and what really don’t. Then add in the information from Shaw, and you can feel pretty confident in those filets you’re about to smoke. 

FAQs

Final Thoughts

If you haven’t yet, give smoked fish a try. You don’t need to invest in a Traeger to make it happen, or even a Little Chief cold smoker. If you’re just beginning, put wood chips in an aluminum foil packet and on your gas or charcoal barbecue and let the added smoke flavor your fish. Like most seasonings, start easy with shorter times and woods like alder or willow that won’t be quite as overpowering as hickory or mesquite. See what is the best wood for smoking fish for you and experiment from there. 

The post The Best Wood for Smoking Fish of 2023 appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Fly fishing is synonymous with trout. When most people think about fly fishing, they conjure images of mountain streams and fish sipping mayflies and caddisflies off the surface. It’s true that the origins of fly fishing are squarely rooted in the trout scene, but the sport has grown well beyond brooks, browns, and rainbows. These days, muskies, myriad saltwater species, bass, and even carp are pursued with fly rods. Panfish, however, don’t rank very high on the list of fly rod targets, which is a shame because they have a lot to offer. 

In particular, bluegills are loads of fun on the fly. They’re available in almost every nook and cranny of the U.S., and unlike other species, they require minimal fly fishing skills to pursue successfully. Many of us owe bluegills for sparking our love of fishing, considering how eager they are to snatch a worm under a bobber. But they’re also the perfect target for people looking to get into fly fishing, especially kids. They’re the first fish I caught on the fly, and even though I’ve caught countless other species—many of them far bigger and more powerful—I still enjoy getting back to my roots during the summer and chasing bluegills with the long rod.

What many folks don’t realize is that while it may not take a lot of skill to get a bluegill to eat, all the practice you get casting, retrieving, and presenting patterns to these willing takers only hones your fly skills for other species. Because of the time I’ve spent chasing bluegills, I’m more proficient at detecting subtle subsurface strikes from trout and I understand the benefit of working surface flies gently for species like smallmouth bass. No matter how long you’ve been fly fishing, I encourage you to make a dedicated bluegill mission or two this summer. To help get you on the right track, here’s a breakdown of my favorite gear, flies, and locations for fly fishing for bluegills—and big ones at that.

Gearing Up For Bluegills On The Fly

Bluegills are scrappy. Larger ones especially fight very hard, which makes bluegill fishing fun. It’s just that most of the time we target them with rods that are a bit overpowering. To maximize your enjoyment, it’s worth investing in an ultra-light fly rod. Though a standard 9-foot, 5-weight rod that you’d use for trout would certainly get the job done, my favorite rod for bluegills is a 6- to 7-foot 3-weight rod built on a fiberglass blank. Bluegills don’t usually require making long casts, so you can get away with a short rod. Likewise, if you target these fish on creeks with a lot of overhanging limbs, a shorter rod offers an advantage when casting to tight areas or when back cast room is limited. While a graphite rod in the same weight would work perfectly fine, a fiberglass rod does two useful things. 

First, fiberglass is softer than graphite. Put simply, it has more flex. Although some anglers believe this slower action is better for giant fish like tarpon and redfish, I disagree. I love it, however, when casting air-resistant flies like panfish poppers, because the flexibility of glass provides a little extra whip to turn them over. Meanwhile, when you hook into a nice bluegill, the softness of the fiberglass can make a 1/4-pound fish feel like a 5 pounder, and that’s just plain fun. 

READ NEXT: The Best Fly Fishing Rods for Beginners

You’ll want a standard weight-forward floating 3-weight line, and as for a reel, think “cheap.” A bluegill is never going to engage the drag, and most of the time you’re going to wind up stripping the fish in by hand and never actually using the reel. It’s essentially a line holder, so a no-frills classic click-and-pawl style fly reel is perfect. Grab a few tapered leaders and spools of tippet in sizes 5X and 4X and you’re ready to fish. 

Top Flies for Summer Bluegills

The beauty of fly fishing for bluegills is that fly selection isn’t very complicated. Considering that pretty much any bluegill will sip a cricket, slurp a bit of worm, or nip a tiny ball of white bread, you can get away with a handful of patterns regardless of where you’re fishing. From farm ponds to meandering country streams, you can’t go wrong with these six patterns during the dog days. 

Panfish Popper

K & E Stopper Lures

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Panfish poppers are not always the most effective pattern you can throw at bluegills, but if the fish are in the mood to eat poppers, they’re the most fun. These tiny foam and balsa wood versions of big bass poppers represent a wide variety of bugs, and when their hard bodies touch down, the plop they make gets the attention of any bluegills in the area quickly, especially in the dog days when there are lots of dragonflies buzzing about. Most of the time, if the fish are willing to eat off the surface, you won’t have to do anything after splashdown. The fish will race over and suck the fly under. But if they need a little coaxing, a slight shake of the line will make the popper look like a struggling insect, while a harder strip will make the tiny fly chug and spit a little water. 

Micro Wooly Bugger

White River Fly Shop

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Wooly Buggers are one of the most potent flies ever created for a wide variety of freshwater fish. This includes bluegills, but given their small mouths, you’ll want to use a size 12 or smaller Bugger. In black this fly can represent a leech or cricket. In brown it’s a tiny crayfish. Tie on a white Bugger and you’ve got a baitfish imitation. Buggers have weighted cores, so they’ll sink quickly. After they hit the water, impart short strips and pause for a few seconds between them. Bluegills often vacuum a Wooly Bugger as it’s falling but a Bugger in motion is what grabs their attention. 

Grasshopper

Rainy’s

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Grasshoppers are available in a wide range of colors and materials, and they also double nicely as crickets, which bluegills love. Whether they’re crafted with foam bodies, spun hair bodies, or wool bodies, all grasshopper flies are intended to float on the surface and bluegills are more than happy to eat them as they bob around. However, a sneaky trick when using these patterns is to add a small split shot about a foot up your leader from the fly. This will cause the hopper to sink very slowly, and a “drowned” hopper or cricket sometimes gets eaten faster than one on the surface. After the cast keep a sharp eye on the end of your fly line and if you see it tick or twitch, set the hook. 

Hare’s Ear

Cabela’s

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The Hare’s Ear is a nymph pattern designed to be fished below the surface. In the trout game these generic flies represent everything from emerging caddis to stoneflies. Theoretically they match all the same things in the bluegill game, though it’s fair to say bluegills are a lot less discerning than trout. To bluegills, a Hare’s Ear just looks like food. It could be a beetle, a micro crayfish, freshwater shrimp, or even a bit of garden worm; the bottom line is that they’ll eat them with gusto. You can cast a Hare’s Ear by itself and watch for ticks in your line, however, they are often more effective fished under a very light strike indicator. The indicator will draw the fishes’ attention when it hits the surface, and they’ll hammer the Hare’s Ear dangling below, If you’re not getting bites fast, drag the indicator a few feet and let the nymph settle back down. Sometimes this little burst of movement triggers noncommittal fish. 

Green Weenie

Feeder Creek Store

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Is it an inchworm? Is it a caddis pupa? Anglers have debated what the Green Weenie is supposed to represent for decades, largely because they don’t want to admit that it doesn’t have to represent anything in order for fish to crush it. This simple neon green wormlike pattern is a bluegill destroyer. You can fish it below a strike indicator or simply let it fall on a slack line, but it works especially well stripped at a faster pace. Perhaps the bluegills believe it’s a small baitfish, but regardless of what they think, their brain is telling them to kill, kill, kill.

San Juan Worm

White River Fly Shop

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The funny thing about San Juan Worms is that you’d think they’d be the best bluegill fly ever made considering how eager these fish are to gobble a nightcrawler. The truth, however, is that they’re best reserved for trophy bluegill missions. Whereas a trout with a larger mouth will inhale a San Juan in one shot, tiny bluegills will simply grab the ends, quickly realize that it’s not a real worm, and let go before ever getting near the hook. If, on the other hand, you cast a San Juan into a bluegill zone and it gets sucked down in its entirety, it’s likely to be a much larger bluegill. I prefer to fish my worms under a strike indicator, and what I’ll often do is tie one on after I’ve already caught a bunch of fish on other flies. Unless the indictor goes down and stays down, I won’t even set the hook. Every once in a while, this tactic results in a bluegill or two that are bigger than my hand.

Where to Target Bluegills on the Fly

If you’re used to chasing bluegills with a bobber and garden worms, it often seems like no matter where you cast, that bobber disappears in a jiffy. Given that flies don’t have the added element of scent to lure the fish, however, it’s important to be a bit more tactical about where you cast your flies. This is especially the case if you want to catch bigger-than-average bluegills. So, take note of these locations—as well as the times you should focus on fishing them.

Shallow Flats

Small bluegills will hang out in shallow water all day all summer, but the big fish are often more selective about when they slide up skinny. Barring bedding season in the early summer when large fish guard nests in the shallows, bigger fish will hang out in deeper, cooler water most of the time. But they know the prospects of finding bugs or baitfish are better on the flats. Focus on these areas at dawn and dusk, as the water will be slightly cooler, and the bigger fish will feel more comfortable in the low light conditions. 

Docks

In the heat of summer, large bluegills love to hang in the cool shade below docks. Ideally, you’ll be in a position to cast at the dock instead of from  the dock. This might mean wading near the dock or leaning on a canoe or kayak. The objective is to send a fly under the dock and into the shadow. A Wooly Bugger is particularly effective in this scenario, as it’ll sink quickly and flutter on the fall, often drawing an instant reaction strike from monster bluegills. 

Laydowns

Bluegills inhabit moving waters all over the country. However, they gravitate to areas where the current is minimal. On streams and creeks, wood laydowns are prime locations to find oversized ’gills, as the branches attract baitfish and other forage, and the structure creates a soft spot on the downstream side of the laydown. 

Grass Edges

Any time there is a flooded bank edge on a lake, pond, or stream, it’s often a bluegill magnet. The fish know that the flooded grass provides cover for baitfish and tadpoles, and that it’s a likely place to find an ant or beetle that fell into the drink. If the water just off the bank is deeper, these flooded edges can produce all day; if it’s shallow, fish these areas during low light periods. If possible, make a longer cast parallel to the grass and work your fly back as tight to the edge as possible. 

READ NEXT: Sunfish vs Bluegill

Deep Weed Beds

Nothing is more attractive to summertime bluegills than deeper water—approximately 3 to 8 feet—loaded with aquatic vegetation. If you’re fishing on foot, you can find this in slower sections of moving water, or potentially within casting distance in a lake cove or pond, however, having a small watercraft is beneficial here. Depth and cover provide bluegills with everything they need all summer long, so at any time of day, you’ll find fish willing to bite in these areas. The trick is gauging just how much distance there is between the tops of the weeds and the surface so you can suspend your fly in that zone without getting hung up. Once you dial it in, you’ll be tight to a gill on practically every cast. 

The post Fly Fishing for Bluegills: A Guide to the Easiest Bite of Summer appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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It’s mid-July, and as tournament trails start their northern swing, the majority of fishing brands and hundreds of anglers make their way to the fishing industry’s largest show, ICAST.  

Media outlets and fishing enthusiasts, both professional and recreational, fill the Orange County convention center to see the latest and greatest from their favorite brands. And as forward facing sonar continues to catch fire, we see companies making products that revolve around the technology as a result. 

As we sift through the commotion, determining whether or not new designs are “gimmicky” or groundbreaking, original or copy-cats, we’re left with a boatload of new products that we can’t wait to get our hands on.  

We’ll take you through eight noteworthy baits and some cool new fishing gear that stood out at this year’s show.  

Best New Lures from ICAST 2023

Berkley Nessie: Best of Show Freshwater Soft Bait

Berkley

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Key Features

• Lengths: 5, 7, and 9 inches
• Weights: 0.4, 1, and 2 ounces 
• Slow sinking
• Infused with PowerBait scent
• S swimming action 
• Price: $8 to $13 

The Berkley Nessie is a soft glide bait that you can skip, burn, or twitch.

Z-MAN Chatterbait Elite EVO: Best of Show Hard Bait

Z-Man

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Key Features

• New head design for a hunting action
• Includes both a molded and a wire trailer keeper
• Wire-tied skirt
• 5/0 heavy-duty, black nickel hook
• 12 color options
• ⅜ and ½ ounce weights
• Price: $10

The Z-Man Chatterbait Elite Evo has a new head design and line tie position to create a chatterbait with a unique hunting action. Z-Man also created a custom hook with a larger barb, stronger hook point, and improved trailer keeper.

Spro KGB Chad Shad

Spro

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Key Features

• Length: 180 mm (7 inches)
• Weight: 2.4 ounces
• ROF: 3-4 feet 
• Hook: Gamakatsu #1 (47410) Round Bend Treble
• Swivel: Power Swivel (SPSB-02)
• Five colors
• Price: $59.50

This new shad profile glide bait from Spro is an affordable way to get into swimbaiting. It’s a versatile bait that can make wide, slow glides or be burned in fast. Best of all it’s available right now for purchase.

Read Next: Best Swimbait Rods

Bill Lewis Hammer Trap 

Bill Lewis

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Key Features

• 16 color options
• Mustad Triple Grip hooks
• Aggressive vibration 
• Tri-tone sound chambers create distinct sounds
• Weights: ⅜ and ⅝ ounce

The Bill Lewis Hammer Trap feels more like a chatterbait than a traditional lipless crankbait, which creates a lot of vibration and sound. The tri-tone sound chambers creates three unique sounds as the bait move through the water.

Bass Mafia Daingerous Loaded Swimbait 

Line-through swimbaits are usually outfitted with a treble hook, but the new Daingerous Loaded swimbait is a top hook line through, which combines the best attributes of a jig-hook bait and a line-through. It’ll be available late fall 2023.

Berkley Power Switch 

Berkley

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Key Features

• Built for use with forward-facing sonar
• Weight-forward design for precision casts and fast drop-ins
• PowerBait scent
• Lengths: 1.75, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4.25, and 5 inches
• Weights: 3/16 to 1 ⅝ ounces
• Price: $8 to $10

This bait is especially made for scoping fish. Everything from its ability to cast and get in front of fish’s face quickly to its wide-range of presentations, contribute to its ability to catch fish with forward facing sonar.

Read Next: Garmin Echomap and Livescope Review

G-Ratt Thin Swim 

G-Ratt

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Key Features 

• Length: 4 inches
• Seven colors
• Can run fast or slow
• Price: $7

The new G-Ratt Thin Swim is a low-profile swimbait that swims straight with very little wobble. It’s ideal for an A-rigg or it can be rigged on a Beast-style hook or jig head for a finesse presentation.

Xorus Patchinko

Xorus

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Key Features

• Length: 85, 100, 125, 140 mm
• Pops and walks
• Can be fished slow for finicky fish or fast for actively feeding fish
• Price: $20 to $26

The Patchinko is a pencil popper that can be walked in place, popped, or walked with a wide side-to-side action.

Cool New Fishing Gear from ICAST 2023

Shimano Poison Ultima

Shimano

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Key Feautes

• Two casting and two spinning rods available
• Actions designed for the North American market
• Casting Rods: 6-foot, 10-inch medium, 7-foot medium-heavy
• Spinning Rods: 7 -foot medium, 7-foot medium light
• Price: $880
• Available: Pre-order available now; arrival expected fall 2023

The Poison Ultima represents Shimano’s best rod technology. I fished all four models ahead of ICAST and they were exceptionally light, crisp, and sensitive. Some notable features include a carbon monocoque grip, which Shimano says transfers bites better to your hands. The grip’s butt section is flat on top for resting on your forearm, which is comfortable and adds a second point of contact for feeling bites. The spinning rods feature new, proprietary guides.

There are two casting models available: a 6-foot, 10-inch medium and 7-foot medium heavy. The 6-foot, 10-inch rod is going to be a fantastic jerkbait rod. The medium heavy is going to be a versatile rod—I fished it with chatterbaits and plastics. Here’s the bad news. These rods cost $880 and there will only be about 1,000 initially available. If you are the type of angler that loves high-end JDM tackle, I recommend pre-ordering one from your favorite Shimano dealer. —S.E.

Read Next: Best Bass Fishing Rods

KastKing iReel One

KastKing

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Key Features

• Gear Ration: 7.2:1
• Right or left retrieve
• Price: $350
• Available: Pre-order available now; arrival expected fall 2023

Technology creeped and then steam rolled its way into fishing. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that we’re now seeing reels that pair with your smartphone and Bluetooth devices. The KastKing iReel One sends data like cast distance, number of casts, and retrieval speed to an app on your phone. It will also pair with KastKing’s upcoming Bluetooth sunglasses that have a speaker in the frame that announces your casting stats. The reel also utilizes a digital control breaking system, which reduces the need for thumbing your spool. —S.E.

Old Town Sportsman Bigwater ePDL+

E-bikes have exploded in popularity for their ability to assist with tough climbs or to motor you along without peddling at all. The new Bigwater ePDL+ works on a similar concept in that you can peddle it manually, use a peddle assist, or use the motor. Best of all, you no longer need to rig an expensive and heavy motor system, or worry about your battery quickly dying. —S.E.

The post ICAST 2023: New Lures and Fishing Gear appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Best All-Around Mono		Stren Original	SEE IT	LEARN MORE	Summary The Stren Original is an inexpensive and reliable mono line.
Best for Saltwater		Berkley Big Game	SEE IT	LEARN MORE	Summary Big Game is built with high shock strength, loved by fishers from dedicated saltwater anglers to ardent bass swim baiters.
Best for High Visibility		Sunline Super Natural	SEE IT	LEARN MORE	Summary Line watchers can see even their most subtle strikes clearly and easily.

The best monofilament fishing lines have come a long way since their introduction in the 1950s. Today’s offerings produce fewer tangles and are nearly invisible — not to mention how many specialty lines exist. The choices can be overwhelming, but I’ll help you decide if mono is right for you, and how to choose the best monofilament fishing line. 

• Best All-Around: Stren Original
• Best for Saltwater and Big Swimbaits: Berkley Big Game
• Best for High Visibility: Sunline Super Natural
• Best for Heavy Cover: Suffix Siege Camo
• Best for Eco-Conscious Anglers: TUF Line Biodegradable Monofilament
• Best for Tournament Anglers: Strike King Tour Grade Monofilament 

What Are the Advantages of Monofilament?

Monofilament is readily available at just about every sporting goods or big box store from coast to coast, typically in a wide range of line sizes and spool sizes and at a very reasonable price. Beyond its accessibility, mono has several other advantages: First, it tends to be the most manageable option, helping it excel in novices’ hands or in extreme weather situations. Second, it has a lot of stretch, which means it absorbs shock easily. When setting the hook on a short line (into a fish or into a log) you’re less likely to break it, and it’s forgiving when a big fish surges at the side of the boat. Third, while it doesn’t float like braided line, it doesn’t sink like fluorocarbon, either, which means that it’s often the best choice for topwater lures. Finally, it’s so manageable that it makes tying knots easy and reliable.

What Are the Disadvantages of Monofilament?

Remember that stretch that was touted as an advantage above? Well, that was accurate, but its benefits are situational. If you’re trying to set a hook at a distance with mono, you’re going to have to pull extra-hard to drive home the steel. Also, that presumes you feel the strike in the first place. Denser lines like braid and fluorocarbon tend to be much more sensitive. Finally, when fish are line-shy, then fluoro may be a better choice because it’s harder for them to see, but we can still help you find the best fishing line for landing any kind of fish.

Best Monofilament Fishing Lines: Reviews & Recommendations

Best All-Around Monofilament Fishing Line: Stren Original

Stren

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Stren has been the standard-bearer for monofilament fishing lines for decades, and while it’s now produced under the same roof as some of its past competitors like Berkley Trilene, it still commands a large share of this market sector. Those of you who’ve been around since the 70s may remember its blue and high-visibility gold versions, and they’re still available, as is clear Stren and low-visibility green. The blue is still especially good for fishing at night with a black light. It glows above the water and allows you to see your line jump even on a subtle strike. It comes in sizes from 4-pound test up to 30-pound test, in spools of 100, 300, 330, 1000, and 2400 yards, and remains very inexpensive.

Best Mono for Saltwater and Big Swimbaits: Berkley Big Game

Berkley

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Big Game may come in strengths as low as 8-pound test (and as high as 130), but make no doubt, it’s aimed at the intense quest for big fish. In order to achieve that goal, it’s built with high shock strength prioritized, so whether you’re after monster catfish or toothy muskies, you can set the hook hard. That’s also made this Berkley fishing line a popular choice not only for dedicated saltwater anglers, but also for ardent bass swim baiters, who may spend hundreds on a lure but won’t have to spend nearly that much for their line of choice. Big Game is available in both clear and green versions for most presentations, as well as blaze orange, coastal brown, pink coral, solar collector, and steel blue hues for specialized uses.

Best Monofilament for High Visibility: Sunline Super Natural

Sunline

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Sunline has gained the admiration of serious anglers for their high quality and varied fluorocarbon options, as well as braid, but they offer distinctive monofilaments, too. One of them is their “Natural Metered” option, which has alternative sections of 12 inches of bright chartreuse line and 48 inches of clear line. That means that line watchers, particularly those with declining eyesight, can see even their most subtle strikes clearly and easily. It comes in strengths from 4-pound test up to 20-pound test, and while it’s slightly more costly than some of the other options, it’s by no means expensive.

Best Monofilament for Heavy Cover: Suffix Siege Camo

Sufix

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Sufix claims that their “XV2 Technology” provides greater strength in the same diameter as competing monofilaments, and is also more abrasion-resistant than the competition. That means if you want a mono for heavy cover, particularly if you’re in heavy vegetation or green-tinged water, this may be your best call. Despite its strength, it retains more than adequate manageability in strengths from 4-pound test up to 20-pound test, in affordable 330-yard spools.

Best for Eco-Conscious Anglers: TUF Line Biodegradable Monofilament

Tuf Line

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Key Features

• 25 or 200 yard spools
• 4 to 12 pound test
• UV resistant
• Low-visibility

Pros

• Great stretch for shock absorption
• Unique long-lasting but biodegradable formula
• Reasonably inexpensive

Cons

• Does not come in heavy strengths.

If you’ve ever come across a wad of fishing line on the bank of your favorite fishery, or snagged it with your lure, you know that modern monofilament lasts nearly forever. That’s a good thing when you’re attached to a fish, but not so good when it’s left to pollute the natural environment and possibly harm wildlife. TUF Line found a solution—mono that retains a hundred percent of its strength on the reel for a year and has a shelf life of five years, but then degrades to harmless biomass at about the seven year mark.

That’s a winning combination if you’re environmentally-conscious but also averse to losing fish. The 25-yard spools make great leader dispensers, and the larger ones will fill at least one, if not two of your reels. It’s quite clear, so it won’t scare away pressured or otherwise line-shy fish, and while it doesn’t have the non-stretch characteristics, sometimes that’s an advantage, particularly with faster moving lures or those with treble hooks.

Best for Tournament Anglers: Strike King Tour Grade Monofilament

Strike King

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Key Features

• 200 and 600 yard spools
• 8 to 25 pound test
• Specialized spool design to help you put it on your reel perfectly
• Minimal memory

Pros

• Unique spool helps apply tension as you put it on your reel
• All of the popular tournament sizes
• Super-clear

Cons

• No super light line options

Strike King has long been a leading lure manufacturer for bass anglers everywhere, with a top grade pro staff and development team, so it should not be a surprise that when they got into the line business they did it in a big way. The monofilament itself is premium, with a super-clear appearance and the perfect amount of stretch to cover a wide variety of techniques. Where they really set themselves apart is with the little extra. First, the spool has a “Sidewinder” spooling tool and tensioner, so you’ll spool up perfectly every time. They also include a pre-paid envelope to send back fishing line (this mono or any other), which they then recycle. It’s a nice touch that shows that the company is in it for the long haul.

Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Monofilament Fishing Line

A Note on Copolymers

As described above, monofilament fishing lines denotes a single strand of material, but there are also copolymer (multi-strand) lines that offer many of the same characteristics at a similar price point, sometimes with even greater manageability. In fact, sometimes they’re lumped together, or the terms are used interchangeably. Some of the most popular copolymers include:

• Gamma Copolymer
• Izorline Copolymer
• Hi-Seas Copolymer
• McCoy Xtra Clear Copolymer
• P-Line C21 Copolymer

Brief History of Monofilament Fishing Lines

“Monofilament,” as the name suggests, consists of a single strand of material — usually nylon. Prior to its introduction, most anglers used opaque, braided lines that required substantial care to maintain. When mono came along, not only was it comparatively inexpensive, but its translucent nature arguably made fish more likely to bite. Not entirely coincidentally, the introduction of manageable single-strand nylon lines was roughly contemporaneous with the increased distribution of open-faced spinning reels, which demanded a flexible line to avoid line twists. Over time, monofilament has lost market share to other specialized options. Still, it remains a solid choice for a wide variety of presentations for expert anglers, as well as a solid choice for those just entering the sport. 

What Other Options Are Available?

It’s important to know all the options to determine which line is best for your application. In the mid-1990s, when many freshwater anglers saw monofilament to be the only game in town, braided line made a comeback. Specifically, synthetic fibers like Kevlar and Spectra were woven together, typically in four-, eight-, or 16-strand configurations, to produce a line that is opaque (although it has far less stretch and far less memory than monofilament). It typically has a far smaller diameter than mono in a line of equal strength, and cuts through vegetation much more cleanly, making it ideal for flipping into grass mats and frogging over heavy cover.

Over the next decade, fluorocarbon, typically a single strand of polyvinylidene difluoride gained traction with many serious anglers. While it’s typically less manageable and far more expensive than monofilament, it also has far less stretch, less visibility, and greater abrasion resistance. It has gained traction for a wide variety of presentations, but excels in clear, deep water, especially with finesse techniques like dropshotting. Not only is the low-visibility product less likely to spook reluctant bites, but the lack of stretch also ensures better hookups with light line.

There are also “combination” products which combine elements of multiple types of fishing line. Many anglers gain this same advantage by using a braided line as a main line and then adding a fluorocarbon or monofilament leader.

FAQs

Final Tips for Finding the Best Monofilament Fishing Lines

No matter which of the best monofilament fishing lines you choose, proper spooling and storage will go a long way towards maximizing its effectiveness and longevity. Particularly with spinning reels, improper spooling techniques will result in line twist and weakening. No matter what type of line you use, store it in a cool, dark place — preferably not in direct sunlight or a musty shed. You can also treat your lines with a variety of widely available lubricants and conditioners to keep them in tip-top shape. 

Finally, one huge advantage of monofilament is it’s typically the least costly of all varieties of line. When in doubt, change it out. Fresh line can save you hours of aggravation and it may be your one direct link to the fish of a lifetime. Once you find some that you like, buy it in bulk spools to save even further and to ensure that you don’t run out at an inopportune time.

• Best All-Around: Stren Original
• Best for Saltwater and Big Swimbaits: Berkley Big Game
• Best for High Visibility: Sunline Super Natural
• Best for Heavy Cover: Suffix Siege Camo
• Best for Eco-Conscious Anglers: TUF Line Biodegradable Monofilament
• Best for Tournament Anglers: Strike King Tour Grade Monofilament 

The post The Best Monofilament Fishing Lines of 2023 appeared first on Outdoor Life.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best Overall		Garmin ECHOMAP UHD with Panoptix LiveScope	Check the Latest Price
Best Side Imaging		Humminbird SOLIX 10 CHIRP MEGA SI G3	SEE IT
Best Budget		Humminbird Helix 7 CHIRP MEGA SI	SEE IT

When I purchased my first bass boat in 1996, I had the best fish finder at the console and the bow—two 5-inch black and white screens that produced pixelated two-dimensional images in black and white, plus a flasher unit in the dash.

Today, such technology can still be useful and appropriate for some anglers, but it’s primitive to what’s available. Now there are living color screens as big as your television, complete with touch-screens. Depending on what you want or need to do, they have not only GPS with enhanced mapping and two-dimensional sonar, but also down-imaging, side-imaging and front-facing sonar capabilities. 

I along with Outdoor Life editors and writers, tested the best fish finders for bass boats, kayaks, jon boats, and ice fishing. Here are our final picks.

• Best Overall: Garmin ECHOMAP with LiveScope Plus
• Best Side Imaging: Humminbird SOLIX 10 CHIRP MEGA SI G3
• Best Budget: Humminbird Helix 7 CHIRP MEGA SI
• Best for Kayaks: Lowrance Elite FS 7
• Best Portable: Humminbird Ice Helix 7 CHIRP GPS G4 All Season

Best Fish Finders: Reviews and Recommendations

While there are multiple brands in this space, through consolidation and marketing efforts three dominate usage by freshwater anglers. In recent years they’ve engaged in an arms race to develop and improve features at a rapid pace, often in conjunction with their sister brands of trolling motors. Here’s how they compare.

Best Overall: Garmin ECHOMAP with LiveScope Plus

Garmin

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Key Features

• Touchscreen
• Built-in Wi-Fi
• Quick-release bail mount
• NMEA 2000 and NMEA 0183 network support
• Preloaded LakeVü g3 inland maps with integrated Navionics

Pros

• Amazing fish finding capabilities, especially in deep water

Cons

• LiveScope is not allowed in some tournaments

Garmin has long been a leader in the automotive and aviation space, but their full-tilt plunge into the marine world upped the ante for everyone, particularly with their release of Panoptix and LiveScope forward-facing technology. 

“Obviously, LiveScope makes a huge difference for most of us,” said Missouri bass pro Chad Morgenthaler. “From panfish on up, it makes me a more efficient bass angler.” Ten- and twelve-inch screens have long represented the outer limits for most freshwater anglers, but Garmin also offers models in 16-, 17-, 22- and 24-inch sizes. 

“One thing I really like about them is that the menus are really easy to navigate,” Morgenthaler said. “Once you’ve done it a couple of times, it just comes naturally. The other thing that makes this company special is that they’re constantly updating the software and the various transducers. The staff is large and educated, so in the case that you have a question there’s always someone who can set you on the right path.”

While the larger screens with massive computing power understandably cost thousands of dollars, there are also more budget-minded options to fit your particular needs.

Read the full Garmin Echomap and LiveScope review to learn more.

Best Side Imaging: Humminbird SOLIX 10 CHIRP MEGA SI G3

Humminbird

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Key Features

• Touchscreen
• Internal GPS
• HD screen
• Enhanced Humminbird basemap
• AutoChart Live real-time mapping
• One-Boat Network compatibility
• High-speed Ethernet
• Bluetooth
• Humminbird FishSmart App
• NMEA 2000 networking
• Support for MEGA Side Imaging+, MEGA Down Imaging+, and Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar
• Two SD cards
• Compatbile with Lakemaster and Coastmaster charts

Pros

• Excellent side imaging detail
• Low noise

Cons

• Some users might prefer the non-touchscreen Helix units

The Solix has a touchscreen with a bright display that’s easy to read. With the touch screen you can zoom in and out on maps, just like your phone. You can also use the buttons on the side of the screen to do anything you can with touch. Jumping from a split screen view to just side imaging, is done with a touch of a button. You can also adjust sensitivity, brightness, or chart speed, with the tap of a button. Basically, using the Solix is very user friendly and fast.

Best Budget: Humminbird Helix 7 CHIRP MEGA SI

Humminbird

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Key Features

• 7-inch display
• MEGA Side Imaging
• MEGA Down Imaging
• Dual Spectrum CHIRP
• Low Q CHIRP transducer
• SwitchFire Sonar dual display modes
• Built-in Humminbird Basemap of charts and maps of more than 10,000 lakes
• NMEA 2000 networking
• Bluetooth
• Includes transducer, mounting hardware, power cable, and gimbal mounting bracket

Pros

• Easy to use
• Durable

Cons

• Must buy Lakemaster separately

The Apex and Solix electronics are at the top of the lineup, but Texas offshore wizard Keith Combs says he likes the Helix because it’s very user friendly. “It does everything I need it to do and it’s very simple and user-friendly, while remaining crystal clear. I have great down-imaging, side-imaging, and now front-looking with Mega Live. That’s something that no other company can offer me,” he says.

The Helix units are available in screens sizes from 5 inches up to 15 inches, the Solix comes in 10-, 12- and 15-inch models, and the Apex comes in 13-, 16- and 19-inch models.

Read our Humminbird Helix 7 review to learn more.

Best for Kayaks: Lowrance Elite FS 7

Lowrance

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Key Features

• Transducer Options: ActiveTarget Live Sonar, Active Imaging 3 in 1, HDI Transducer, All Season Pack
• Mapping: High resolution, bathymetric 1-foot contours on more than 15,000 lakes in the USA and more than 9,400 lakes in Canada
• Touchscreen
• Integrated wireless, NMEA 2000, and Ethernet connectivity
• Full touchscreen control of Power-Pole anchors and Ghost Trolling Motor

Pros

• Easy mounting to Hobie Kayaks
• Compatible with Live Sonar transducers
• Nice touchscreen

Cons

• Transfer waypoints via Ethernet only 

I don’t always use a fish finder while kayak fishing, especially when I’m fishing shallow water, but the times I do need one, they’re absolutely critical to my success. I’ve been using my Elite FS 7 for summer crappie fishing, which is difficult because the fish move constantly, chasing schools of baitfish. So the hard part is finding them and staying with the school. I have the 3-in-1 Transducer and primarily use the down scan for summer crappie. I’ll peddle my Old Town Sportsman Big Water PDL around likely areas like submerged brush piles until I find a school. Then I’ll drop my jig down until it hangs in their face. 

Schools of crappie and the cover they hang around to show up plain as day on the screen. I’m no video game fisherman, but I have no trouble finding fish with the down scan. 

I also use my electronics heavily while fishing for saltwater species like striped bass, flounder, sea bass, and sheepshead that hang around structure. I’m not necessarily marking fish while targeting those species, instead, I’m using electronics to find slight changes in depth and key pieces of structure. When I’m cruising around, I like to use the side-scan feature to cover the most area, and then I’ll switch to down scan once I see something I like. I recommend taking advantage of trying different color palates for the side scan until you find one that you like best. I personally like the yellow and black contrast. 

I used the YakAttack Rectangular Fish Finder Mount to attach the Elite FS 7 to the forward gear tracks on my kayak. The transducer mounting took some minor modifications because my Old Town is most compatible with Humminbirds. But, it was nothing that a little time with a power drill and a quick trip to the hardware store for stainless bolts couldn’t fix. Running the transducer cable was easy in my yak, and wiring the power source was also easy. 

The mapping on the Lowrance is excellent, and the touchscreen makes it easy to scroll around the map to find ledges, drop-offs, or map your route. If you’re scouting an area at home, you can view your fish finder’s map on an iPad by connecting it via WiFi. -Scott Einsmann

Read our full kayak fish finder review to see more options.

Best Portable: Humminbird Ice Helix 7 CHIRP GPS G4 All Season

Humminbird

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Key Features

• 7-inch display
• Two rod holders
• Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar
• Interference Rejection
• Adjustable Sonar Zoom
• GPS
• Humminbird Basemap with over 10,000 lakes
• Autochart LIVE user-mapping
• Includes Lithium battery

Pros

• Easy-to-use menu system
• Will read fish and structure to 400 feet
• Long battery life 
• High-resolution 
• Versatile 

Cons

• Price
• Only one year limited warranty
• Does not come with LakeMaster or Navionics card (must be purchased separately)

Humminbird is renowned for its clear 2D Sonar, ultra-precise Side Imaging, LakeMaster mapping, and more. From coast-to-coast—and even along the coast—both freshwater and saltwater anglers have turned to Humminbird for their sophisticated fish-finding capabilities. Built for use throughout the calendar year, from open water through ice season, the Humminbird Ice Helix 7 CHIRP GPS G4 All Season pack offers anglers everything but the kitchen sink. For starters, it features crystal-clear Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar with ¾-inch target separation so you can clearly see fish and structure. The unit also features CHIRP Interference Rejection, which has six settings to keep competing sonar signals from cluttering the screen when you’re in a fish house full of anglers.

The Adjustable Sonar Zoom hones in on fish, whether tight to the bottom or suspended high in the water column. This feature provides 2x zoom on the flasher screen and up to 16x zoom on the 2D sonar view. The unit features a built-in GPS with Humminbird Basemap (more than 10,000 water bodies) and is compatible with both LakeMaster and Navionics maps. Additional features designed specifically for the ice angler include AutoChart Live ICE while allowing anglers to create real-time 1-foot contour maps.

The Humminbird pack also includes everything you need to use it on one of the best jon boats, canoe, kayak, or in other portable applications during the open-water season, including a transom mount CHIRP transducer, suction cup transducer mount, fish finder gimbal mount, and power cord. All fish-finding information is featured on a full-color, 7-inch HD LCD display with tons of adjustable brightness for day and night use.

Also, know that the Humminbird Ice Helix 7 CHIRP GPS G4 All Season pack is compatible with MEGA Side Imaging and MEGA Live with the purchase of separate transducer systems.

My father-in-law and I tested the Humminbird Ice Helix 7 CHIRP GPS G4 All Season pack from a 14-foot aluminum boat powered by a Minn Kota Endura transom-mount trolling motor, exactly the kind of setup many purchasers of a portable fish finder will be outfitting.

We fished an abandoned rock quarry in central Iowa that is populated with largemouth bass, sunfish, crappies, and pike and where we had never used electronics before. Although both of us had intuited depths and structures in the quarry over 20 years of fishing it—the Humminbird unit supplanted many of our guesses as to where drop-offs, ledges, breaks, and flats were located.

For example, the Humminbird’s crisp CHIRP 2D Sonar revealed a break in the southwest end of the quarry where the depth plummeted from 12- to 30 feet a good distance away from shore. We had never fished this area prior to what the Humminbird revealed. Did we catch fish? Yes, half-a-dozen good-sized largemouth bass, all on football-head jig and plastic combos worked down the break. Good find.

Speaking to the unit itself, it’s relatively quick to start up, and its menu system is easy to understand. While the quarry wasn’t featured in the built-in base maps, we were able to utilize its 2D Sonar and Down Imaging to great success to learn more about the quarry’s depths and fish-holding spots. —Jim Edlund

Why Do You Need Electronics?

Electronics on a boat serve a variety of purposes, related to both fish location and safety. Sonar in its varied forms allows a boater to know how deep the water is and what lies beneath the surface. Is there a point or hump underneath you? Is the bottom hard or soft? Are there baitfish or gamefish in the vicinity? A simple depth finder can also prevent you from running aground.

Mapping technology in the form of GPS allows newcomers to a body of water to break things down more quickly. You see where it’s safe to run, and where there are obstructions or obstacles. Furthermore, if you locate or catch fish in a particular type of area—say a long-tapering point or a 5-foot deep flat—you can quickly identify similar spots and see if a pattern emerges. Some models even tell you the tidal phase for your precise location, further enhancing both safety and fish-finding capabilities.

How Should Electronics Be Mounted?

Traditionally, most serious and best anglers have placed one electronics unit on the console of their boat and one on the bow, often with different features. For example, side-imaging may be more useful while driving, and front-facing may be more useful while operating the trolling motor. Often both units are networked to share GPS waypoints and other information.

If two units stretches your budget too far, it’s possible to put a single graph on the console on a swivel, and then rotate it depending on where in the boat you stand or sit.

Among top guides and professional anglers, the recent trend has been to run a total of four or five units, with varying functions on each screen, but this effort can quickly get up into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Things to Consider Before Buying the Best Fish Finder

As noted above, most of the earliest sonar models simply provided two-dimensional readouts. “Flashers” sent a “ping” to the bottom which bounced back to the unit. The amount of time that it took for the signal to return indicated the depth, and the length of the light on the unit indicated bottom hardness. Fish or other items that got in between the surface and the bottom in the unit’s cone-shaped signal were represented as “blips” and it took practice to decipher what they were. Eventually, these signals were replaced by two-dimensional drawings, either on paper or in pixels, that showed a more distinct picture of what was under the boat, although not precisely in real time.

Next came mapping, first through LORAN technology and then through GPS. Through either an internal or external “puck” the electronics units receive a location signal and then draw a picture of the map on the screen in front of you.

Subsequently, other sonar technologies were added. Side-scanning sonar allows a boater to idle along and shoot a beam out up to 150 feet off either or both sides of the boat to locate schools of fish, cover and structure. Down-imaging sonar provides a different version of the traditional two-dimensional picture, allowing boaters to use them separately or in concert to gain a complete picture of what’s under the boat. And front-imaging sonar, usually mounted trolling motor, allows you to see fish within casting range and them present a lure or bait to them. It also allows you to gauge their reaction to your offering in real time.

Read Next: How to Read a Fish Finder

Why Trust Outdoor Life?

Since 1898, OL has been a leading authority in testing and reviewing hunting gear, fishing tackle, guns and shooting equipment, and much more. We have more than a century-long history of evaluating products, and we’re now bringing that expertise to online reviews. Our editors are experienced outdoorsmen and women, and most importantly, we’re trained journalists. We prioritize field testing and objective data when reviewing products. We conduct interviews with gear manufacturers and engineers as well as outdoor experts so that our readers have an understanding of how and why a product works—or doesn’t.

Advertising does not influence our gear reviews and it never will. While we always focus our coverage on standout products—because we want our readers to be aware of the latest and greatest gear—we also cover the flaws and quirks of any given product.

Final Thoughts

No matter which brand, model or size of sonar you purchase, you’ll need to make sure that your best fish finder is rigged properly to get the most out of it. That starts with having sufficient battery power. Modern units will drain subpar batteries in a heartbeat, potentially stranding you on the water and rendering your expensive “computers” into costly paperweights. 

You’ll also need to use the appropriate transducer, rigged straight and at the proper depth, to get true pictures at all speeds. Depending on where it’s mounted, you may want to buy some sort of shield or protector to prevent it from getting knocked off by the next stump you hit.

Heavy gauge wiring will also limit the degradation of information and prevent interference. In fact, some anglers have gone to dedicated high-tech wiring systems to ensure that they have a crisp and uninterrupted picture at all times.

Additionally, while many high-end units come with mapping software pre-loaded, there are a variety of aftermarket chips that can enhance the experience. Some are even built by local guides to include unmarked boat lanes and hazards.

Remember, you don’t need to have the biggest screen or the most powerful models to use electronics correctly or efficiently. Get what you can afford and what suits your needs, but remember—no one every complained about having too much computing power or a screen that’s too big. When in doubt, get the best that you can.

• Best Overall: Garmin ECHOMAP with LiveScope Plus
• Best Side Imaging: Humminbird SOLIX 10 CHIRP MEGA SI G3
• Best Budget: Humminbird Helix 7 CHIRP MEGA SI
• Best for Kayaks: Lowrance Elite FS 7
• Best Portable: Humminbird Ice Helix 7 CHIRP GPS G4 All Season

The post Best Fish Finders of 2023 appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Best Budget		Falcon BuCoo	SEE IT	LEARN MORE	Summary A high quality rod under $100.
Best for Small Swimbaits		Shimano Curado	SEE IT	LEARN MORE	Summary The perfect rod for flukes and finesse swimbaits.
Best Overall		St. Croix Victory	SEE IT	LEARN MORE	Summary A well-balanced and versatile rod.

Savvy anglers know that spinning rods can handle the biggest fish around and throw the lightest lures while being both exceptionally sensitive and extremely powerful. They’re versatile tools with options for everything from pond bluegills to popping for giant trevally in the South Pacific. Of course one rod can’t do it all and there isn’t one best rod, there are rods that are the best for specific purposes. As I’ve started to consider my spinning tackle choices more carefully, I’ve not only caught more fish, but I’ve also had more fun doing it. 

Obviously, there’s a near-endless selection of spinning rods to choose from, and I can’t test them all. Since bass are America’s most popular gamefish, I focused this review on rods that were developed with bass in mind. While they’re bass leaning rods and targeted at the recovering bubba set, they can be applied to trout, walleye, crappie, inshore species, and even big game under the right circumstances. To prove their versatility I also tested the best spinning rods with the help of gear editor, Scott Einsmann, on a striped bass trip. 

• Best Overall: St. Croix Victory VTS73MXF
• Best Budget: Falcon BuCoo SRS BRS-4-17
• Best for Skipping Docks: Douglas XMatrix DXS 704F
• Best for Shaky Heads and Grubs: Dobyns Champion XP DC 702SF
• Best for Dropshotting: Abu Garcia Zenon ZENS-610-4
• Best for Flukes and Small Swimbaits: Shimano Curado CDS70MA
• Best for Panfish: Lew’s Wally Marshall Speed Shooter
• Best Travel Rod: Megabass Valkyrie World Expedition Travel Spinning Rods
• Best for Small Crankbaits: St. Croix Legend Glass Crankbait Spinning Rod 6’10” M

How We Tested the Best Spinning Rods

The great thing about most spinning rods aimed at the bass market is that they can be used for a wide range of fishing applications outside of the bass world. That extends from panfish to walleye to stripers to light saltwater use. It doesn’t mean that certain ones aren’t better for specific applications, but rather that you can get a sense of how light and how heavy they can go. Therefore, in addition to using some of these rods for Michigan smallmouth and others for heavy cover largemouth on home waters like the Potomac, Outdoor Life gear editor, Scott Einsmann, and I took them to the Roanoke River in North Carolina to tussle with some hefty stripers, too. Each rod was evaluated for its intended purpose and specialty with a wide range of lure types and weights.

On those fishing trips I evaluated each rod for the following characteristics:

• Hook setting power
• Sensitivity
• Casting distance and accuracy
• Balance and weight
• Handle comfort

The Best Spinning Rods: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Overall: St. Croix Victory VTS73MXF

St. Croix

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Key Features

• Length: 7 feet 3 inches 
• Power: Medium 
• Action: Extra fast
• Lure Weight: 3/16 to 1/2 ounce 
• Split grip cork and EVA handle

Pros

• “In-between” length operates well in close quarters and open water 
• Remarkably sensitive
• Made in the USA

Cons

• Action may be too fast for some anglers using fast-moving lures

Despite having similar lure weight recommendations as many of the other rods I tested, the St. Croix Victory seemed noticeably bulkier, so to be honest, I didn’t expect much. That’s why I was so surprised at how light it felt—demonstrating the importance of balance over just absolute weight. Everything about it is refined and purpose-driven, from the comfortable reel seat and handle components to the premium cork itself. I even liked the fact that it was neither 7 feet nor 7 foot 6 inches, but rather smack dab in the middle.

If you’re only going to own one spinning rod (a reality that I caution against but nevertheless know is quite possible), this USA-made option is a great choice, capable of doing a lot of different things extremely well. I’d highly recommend it if you want to buy one really nice spinning rod or are limited to how many rods you can carry, like kayak anglers. Beyond being a do-all rod, the Victory is fantastic at my primary uses for a spinning rod, light plastic and finesse swimbaits. Furthermore, it comes at a mid range price for a top-of-the-line product, meaning that you get a lot of bang for your buck.

Buy This for Other Species If: You want to be able to cast aggressive lures all day without getting tired.

Best Budget: Falcon BuCoo SR BRS-4-17

Falcon

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Key Features

• Length: 7 feet
• Power: Medium 
• Action: Moderate 
• Lure Weight: ¼ to 1/2 ounce 
• Split grip EVA handle

Pros

• Weight eliminated wherever possible
• Fuji exposed blank reel seat for sensitivity
• Budget-priced

Cons

• Some anglers might not like moderate action for super-light line techniques

Other than the distinctive gray handles, nothing cosmetic sets the Falcon BuCoo apart from its competitors, but I found myself seeking it out on multiple trips for bass and stripers. It was as sensitive as rods costing three and four times as much, and just “felt right” in hand. At times I paired it with a top-of-the-line spinning reel, and while they may have been mismatched in terms of price tags (this rod clocks in at under a hundred bucks), they nevertheless felt like they belonged together. Frankly, while other rods may handle a specific niche slightly better, I felt like this one could go toe-to-toe with the best of them. It could feel a tiny bait 30 feet down but also held up to big rampaging fish with an attitude.

Einsmann fished this rod as well and had this to say. “Being surprised is a good thing when you think a rod is a fantastic performer in the $200 price range and come to find out it costs under $100. The Falcon was a feather weight and sensitive enough that I could feel my jig tick the bottom. I caught my largest fish of the day on it and that eight pounder was tamed easily. It did help that we had a $400 Abu Zenon reel on the rod. I get it if you’re not willing to shell out that cash for a reel, I’m not either. I would suggest a Daiwa Fuego LT as an alternative.” 

Buy This for Other Species If: You want a rod that you won’t hesitate to test its mettle, but which still has to perform like one costing two or three times as much.

Best for Skipping Docks: Douglas XMatrix DXS 704F

Douglas

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Key Features

• Length: 7 feet
• Power: Medium
• Action: Fast
• Lure Weight: ⅓ to 1 ounce 
• Split grip EVA handle

Pros

• Easily handles heavier lures than much of the competition
• Tangle-free tip top
• Fuji Alconite guides with ceramic inserts to handle braid

Cons

• May not be ideal for the lightest finesse lures

Unless you’re magical with a baitcasting rod and reel, you’ll need spinning gear to skip lures under docks and then extract the big bass that lives there. Therein lies the conundrum—sometimes you’ll be skipping little lures, and you need the rod to load properly yet still be able to muscle a fish away from steel cables or barnacles. The Douglas XMatrix splits that difference easily and comfortably. It’s still good for many other techniques, but as a committed and half-decent dock skipper, this is one rod I’ll plan to dedicate to that technique as much as possible. It comes with lots of smart innovations, like tip-top frames that are front welded to avoid wrapping with braid, which otherwise could cost you a fish or lead to a broken rod.

Buy This for Other Species If: You tend to fish around heavy cover and need muscle to extract fish that know exactly where to break you off.

Best for Shaky Heads and Grubs: Dobyns Champion XP DC 702SF

Dobyns

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Key Features

• Length: 7 feet
• Action: Medium light action
• Power: Fast 
• Lure Weight: ⅛ to 1/2 ounce 
• Split grip cork handle

Pros

• Tangle-free Fuji K-Guides with Alconite inserts
• Ultra-premium cork handles 
• Covers multiple techniques with no drop off in quality

Cons

• Anglers who prefer EVA may not like the cork handles

Rodmaker Gary Dobyns may have left the spinning rod nirvana of California for the bubba country of Texas, but he’s true to his roots with the Champion XP spinning rod, a fast action, cork-handle rod. Even if a shakey head is your last resort, it’s necessary to have one in your “panic box,” and as VanDam found out at Lewisville it doesn’t discriminate against big fish. The west was the breeding ground not only for the hula grub, but also for darter heads and other fresh-from-Japan techniques, and the exceptional balance makes it feel lighter than its actual weight. 

Buy This for Other Species If: You need to feel the slightest breath of a fish against your lure in vertical presentations.

Best for Dropshotting: Abu Garcia Zenon ZENS-610-4

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Key Features

• Length: 6 feet 10 inches
• Power: Medium light 
• Action: Extra fast 
• Carbon split-grip handle

Pros

• Super-lightweight yet durable
• Comfortable Fuji reel seat
• Strong titanium alloy guides with nitride silicon inserts

Cons

• Carbon rod handle may be slippery or feel odd in some hands

If you’re not dropshotting, you’re missing out on fish. It’s that simple. Regardless of whether the depth requires a 1/16 ounce weight or a ½ ounce model, any spinning rod may do well at times, but few excel across the board. The Zenon spinning rod allowed me to keep a lure in place on shallow largemouths and mid-range smallmouths alike while simultaneously providing lifelike action. I’d also consider it a good choice for shakey heads. Some anglers may consider it too short at 6 feet 10 inches for techniques where you’re making long casts or need to pick up a lot of line in a hurry, but I found it to perform no differently than any of the seven-footers, and it was well-balanced in a manner that should appeal to fishermen and women of different heights.

Buy This for Other Species If: You never know what you’re going to target in a multi-species fishery, from walleye to pike to bass to crappie.

Best for Flukes and Small Swimbaits: Shimano Curado CDS70MA

Shimano

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Key Features

• Length: 7 feet
• Lure Weight: 3/16 to 1/2 ounce 
• Power: Medium 
• Action: Moderate 
• Split grip EVA and carbon handles

Pros

• Proprietary CI4+ reel seat
• Diagonally-wrapped carbon tape increases blank strength
• Fuji tangle-free K guides with Fazlite inserts

Cons

• Dense EVA handle may feel odd at first

Every time I get in one of the Bassmaster Elite Series pro’s boats in a clear water situation, and especially in smallmouth country, they seem to have a small jig head with a Keitech or Rage Swimmer on the back. It’s a limit-getting technique that also produced my personal best smallmouth last fall while fishing in Michigan with Shimano pro Keith Combs. The 7 foot, medium power, Curado is perfect for that technique. 

This rod gives you the ability to make long casts with light lures in windy conditions, but also just enough give so the bass can swallow the lure. That’s when the fun begins, as an airborne smallmouth can easily disgorge that hook, and this rod seems to keep them pegged. The specific form of EVA they use took some getting used to, but their proprietary reel seat is comfortable to fish all day. 

Buy This for Other Species If: You want just the right action to let a fish inhale a moving lure and then drive the hooks home.

Best Travel Rod: Megabass Valkyrie World Expedition Travel Spinning Rods

Megabass

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Key Features

• Length: 7 feet 6 inches
• Medium-Fast
• Lures up to 1.4 ounces
• Four pieces

Pros

• Handles heavy lures
• Comes with a travel case
• Extra length allows for long casts

Cons

• Not inexpensive

Usually, travel spinning rods provide light to medium actions and low-level components. Megabass flipped that paradigm with the Valkyrie World Expedition rods. There are two spinning rods, a 6 foot 10 inch, med-fast and a 7 foot 6 inch, med-fast. The model I recommend is the heavier and longer of the two—it can flip heavy weights or cast big swimbaits. 

It’s made with artistic and functional touches native to the Japanese market. Thanks to a custom molded reel seat, superior foam split grip handle, and bespoke guides, it doesn’t feel like a typical four-piece rod. In fact, it’s so smooth and refined that you’ll probably use it at home, too, even though it packs up easily into the provided case.

Buy This for Other Species If: You don’t know what you’ll be catching. If you need a travel spinning rod for Amazonian peacock bass, pike, and muskies, or even some saltwater use, this has the refinement and brute strength to tame the beasts.

Best for Small Crankbaits: St. Croix Legend Glass Crankbait Spinning Rod 6’10” M

St. Croix

SEE IT

Key Features

• Length: 6 feet 10 inches
• ¼-5/8 ounce lures
• Fiberglass construction
• Split grip cork handle

Pros

• Moderate action prevents fish losses
• Handles light line better than baitcasting gear
• Fuji K Series tangle-free guides

Cons

• For anglers used to graphite, softer action may take some getting used to

Whether you’re throwing a Shad Rap, a small balsa square bill, or some other diminutive crankbait, it’s easy to overpower them with baitcasting gear. This rod, with its fiberglass construction, creates no such disadvantages. Fish that surge at boatside or slash at a lure at the last minute, won’t get off. Furthermore, the Legend Glass casts those smaller baits long distances, yet at the same time, is short enough to make pinpoint casts in close quarters. For those who find the 6-foot 10-inch length too short, there’s a 7-foot 2-inch version that’s slightly heavier but handles a vast range of moving baits. The cork grips are super-comfortable to fish all day, and the tangle-free guides allow for either fluorocarbon or a braid-to-fluoro combination that flows freely.

Buy This for Other Species If: You’re fishing for light biters or paper-mouthed fish that prevent you from staying hooked up. It’s light enough to employ for panfish or trout, but also heavy enough for everything from pike to light saltwater use.

Best for Panfish: Lew’s Wally Marshall Speed Shooter

Lew’s

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Key Features

• Length: 7 feet
• Power: Medium light
• Action: Fast
• Line Weight: 4 to 10 pounds
• Lure Weight: 1/16 to 1/4 ounces

Pros

• Affordable
• Well balanced
• Accurate caster

Cons

• Not the best for crankbaits

Panfish rods are just as technique specific as bass rods, but the Wally Marshall Speed Shooter covers the gamut of the most popular ways to target panfish. The seven footer is perfect for casting jigs or float rigs, which is a favorite spring technique. The shorter lengths are better suited for dock shooting and casting around tight cover. But one thing all the rods have in common is that they are super sensitive for detecting light bites on slack line. The medium light power is also great for pulling fish away from the dock or wood cover. —Scott Einsmann

Things to Consider Before Buying One of the Best Spinning Rods

I’m a hardcore bass guy, but like many of my brethren, for a long time, I was heavily biased in favor of using baitcasting gear whenever possible. I’d buy budget spinning combos, expect them to handle all of their finesse applications, and then be disappointed when it somehow didn’t meet my lofty expectations. 

The first inkling that m.o. was counterproductive occurred when all-world angler Kevin VanDam caught a Lake Lewisville (Texas) record 11-pound largemouth on a shakey head. Subsequently, I started fishing for salmon, sailfish, and tuna and managed to subdue some true giants with silky smooth spinning reels and rods that matched them. Some of the best anglers in the world, in the most trying situations, use spinning tackle not because they have to, but rather because it’s the best option. 

There’s always been a great selection of spinning rods for inshore, panfish, and trout, but the bass rod market has just started to explode. The array has grown due to several factors:

1. Widespread adoption of a continually-growing array of finesse tactics like dropshotting, shakey heads, and Neko rigging.
2. The fact that most of our best fisheries are becoming increasingly pressured.
3. Advanced braids (often used with a fluorocarbon leader) reduced line twist and increased the power inherent in presentations that still remained stealthy.

Whether you’re targeting shellcracker or yellowfin tuna here are a few things to keep in mind when you’re picking your next stick. 

Overall Length

Rod length is a distinctly personal choice, but in recent years the average length of bass spinning rods moved from the 6 foot 6 six inch range to 7 foot and above. A longer rod, built properly, will often provide greater casting distance and leverage on open water fish, but it may not do as well in tight spaces. Shorter rods are also usually better for making short, accurate casts around structure. 

Handle Length and Composition 

All of the rods I tested had split grip handles, some with no foregrips, which is a trend in spinning rods. It’s still possible to find some solid handles, but they don’t add much value while adding substantial weight. Just as important is finding a handle that provides the right amount of leverage and the perfect length for your hands. That may not always be the same thing. For example, when dropshotting, you may prefer something long to grab onto with two hands, while using the same handle to skip docks may end up tangling the rod butt in your shirt. The choice between EVA, cork, and various non-slip grips is also a matter of personal preference.

Rod Power, Action, and Taper

Remember that power and action are two very different things. Power is how much force it takes to bend the rod. Action is how the rod bends. For example a light power and fast action rod is very easy to bend, but it will mostly bend at the tip.  And as I learned from the Seth Feider Daiwa Tatula rod, not every medium-light or medium flexes in the same way. 

Also, consider the best fishing lines for bass you’ll be using with your set-up. Braid-to-fluorocarbon has less stretch than straight fluoro, which has less stretch than mono, and of course, braid alone has the least of all. That means that a rod that has the perfect hook setting power with mono might need to be replaced with something with more flex if you’re using braid—even if everything else remains constant.

FAQs

Why Trust Outdoor Life

Since 1898, OL has been a leading authority in testing and reviewing hunting gear, fishing tackle, guns and shooting equipment, and much more. We have more than a century-long history of evaluating products, and we’re now bringing that expertise to online reviews. Our editors are experienced outdoorsmen and women, and most importantly, we’re trained journalists. We prioritize field testing and objective data when reviewing products. We conduct interviews with gear manufacturers and engineers as well as outdoor experts so that our readers have an understanding of how and why a product works—or doesn’t.

Advertising does not influence our gear reviews and it never will. While we always focus our coverage on standout products—because we want our readers to be aware of the latest and greatest gear—we also cover the flaws and quirks of any given product.

Final Thoughts

For years, whenever I’ve needed or craved a new spinning rod, I’ve invested in a mid-range stick semi-indiscriminately and hoped for the best. That’s led to a reasonable success rate, but the occasional preventable heartbreak, too. The rod you need to hook and land open water dropshot fish is often different from one made to extract a bruiser from under a gnarly dock.

Oddly enough, it was chasing big fish like yellowfin tuna with spinning gear that caused me to reevaluate my bass tackle choices. I saw how a properly-functioning drag and an ideally-tapered blank can improve lure presentations and maximize landings. That invigorated my spinning tackle choices, and led me to overhaul some of my tool kit.

• Best Overall: St. Croix Victory VTS73MXF
• Best Budget: Falcon BuCoo SRS BRS-4-17
• Best for Skipping Docks: Douglas XMatrix DXS 704F
• Best for Neko Rigs and Wacky Rigs: Daiwa Tatula Elite AGS Seth Feider Signature Series Rod
• Best for Shaky Heads and Grubs: Dobyns Champion XP DC 702SF
• Best for Dropshotting: Abu Garcia Zenon ZENS-610-4
• Best for Flukes and Small Swimbaits: Shimano Curado CDS70MA
• Best Inshore: Shimano Teramar Southeast
• Best for Panfish: Lew’s Wally Marshall Speed Shooter

The post The Best Spinning Rods of 2023, Tested and Reviewed appeared first on Outdoor Life.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Electronics are a powerful tool for anglers, but they’re also one of the most expensive. But, you can save on a new chart plotter and fish finder combo with these great deals from Garmin, Lowrance, and Simrad.

Prime Day Deals on Fish Finders

Get 37 percent of the Garmin ECHOMAP Plus 44cv, 4.3-inch. It’s now under $250 and makes a great fish finder for a small boat or kayak.

Get 15 percent off the 9-inch Simrad GO Chartplotter and Fish Finder, with transducer and preloaded maps. It’s now under $1,000.

Get 25 percent off the Simrad Cruise 7-7-inch GPS Chartplotter with 83/200 Transducer, Preloaded C-MAP US Coastal Maps. It’s now under $500.

Get 54 percent off the 7-inch Lowrance HDS-Live Fish Finder with Active Imaging transducer. It’s now under $600. Larger screens are on sale too.

Read Next: Best Fish Finders

The post Fish Finder Prime Day Deals: Up to 54% Off appeared first on Outdoor Life.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.