Different weights and sizes of hooks can have different effects on lure action.

This helps you choose the BEST possible hook option depending on the situation.

Find out more here!!

How Paddletail Action Compares Based On Hook Weight [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle in our shop, and much more.

Mentioned Gear:

• Slam Shady 2.0 Paddletail
• 3/0 Hoss Helix Hook 1/8 oz.
• 3/0 Hoss Helix Hook 1/16 oz.

Hook choice is critical.

Depending on the situation, weather, and other conditions, you’ll want to use the BEST possible weight and size of hook to maximize your results.

You’ll notice how the Slam Shady 2.0 on the 1/8th oz. hook has more lively action to it on the descent.

While the same lure on the 1/16th oz. hook has much less kick to it.

Why is this important?

Most of the time, fish will strike your lures on the descent as it falls to the bottom.

So more action on the fall will lead to more strikes.

There are situations when you don’t want as much action if the fish are spooky.

This is why lure and hook choice is so critical.

If you want to see the rest of the comparison video, you’ve got to be an Insider Member.

Not only will you be able to view the full video, but you’ll unlock all of our exclusive content and more.

Insider Mastery Courses, the Insider Community, as well as Smart Fishing Spots are all at your fingertips to instantly boost your inshore saltwater fishing knowledge so you can up your game and impress your buddies.

Oh, and you get 20% OFF or more on just about everything in our online tackle shop.

FINDING THE FISH HELP

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. WEEKEND GAME PLANS (UPDATED WEEKLY)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. SMART FISHING SPOTS PLATFORM (UPDATED EVERY 15 MINUTES)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. COMMUNITY REPORTS (LIVE FEED)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform 

90/10 ZONE INSHORE FISHING NEWSLETTER

Oh, and be sure to sign up for FREE Access to Salt Strong’s 90/10 Zone Newsletter!

It’s the Ultimate Inshore Fishing Blast with the MOST RECENT on-the-water updates, weekly trends, hot lures, catches of the week, fish tales, conservation news, and everything else for Inshore Fishing…

Sent to your inbox free 2x per week!

90/10 Newsletter

The post How Paddletail Action Compares Based On Hook Weight appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

Without even knowing it, you’re probably not casting as far as you should.

That could be the difference between a skunk trip and the fish of a lifetime.

Take a closer look!!

#1 Most Common Mistake Cutting Down Your Casting Distance [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle in our shop, and much more.

Access the Salt Strong Fishing Curriculum HERE!

The #1 mistake anglers overlook is not having enough line on their spinning reel.

This severely cuts into your ability to cast as far as possible.

We’re talking about the gap between the line on your spool and the edge of the spool itself.

If that gap becomes larger than 1/8th of an inch, you’re losing casting distance.

In my studies and tests, I’ve lost right around 10% of my casting distance on reels with not enough line.

The reason for this is the bigger the gap, the more friction on the line as it peels off the spool which reduces how far you’re able to cast.

Why is this important?

If you’re a land-based angler, the amount of water accessible to you is already limited.

If you’re casting distance is cut down by a line gap issue, then you’re really at a disadvantage.

When it comes to fishing off of a kayak or vessel, the easiest fish to catch are the ones that don’t know you’re there.

These are the fish furthest away from you.

So being able to reach these fish accurately is critical to your success.

For most inshore saltwater fishing reels, we recommend between a 1/16th and 1/8th of an inch line gap.

This gives you the maximum casting distance with the least amount of headaches.

FINDING THE FISH HELP

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. WEEKEND GAME PLANS (UPDATED WEEKLY)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. SMART FISHING SPOTS PLATFORM (UPDATED EVERY 15 MINUTES)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. COMMUNITY REPORTS (LIVE FEED)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform 

90/10 ZONE INSHORE FISHING NEWSLETTER

Oh, and be sure to sign up for FREE Access to Salt Strong’s 90/10 Zone Newsletter!

It’s the Ultimate Inshore Fishing Blast with the MOST RECENT on-the-water updates, weekly trends, hot lures, catches of the week, fish tales, conservation news, and everything else for Inshore Fishing…

Sent to your inbox free 2x per week!

90/10 Newsletter

The post #1 Most Common Mistake Cutting Down Your Casting Distance appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

Is there a specific time you should be using rattles in your soft plastic lures?

Or, a time when you should completely avoid rattles altogether?

Let’s find out!!

Rattles VS. No Rattles [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle in our shop, and much more.

FEATURED GEAR:

• Alabama Leprechaun Jerk Shad
• Prawn USA Junior Original
• Battle Rattles

Every fishing scenario is not the same.

There is not a one-size-fits-all lure for all situations either.

Lately, I’ve been having success sight fishing heavily pressured fish in clear, shallow water.

I used two different lures both with and without rattles.

This test featured the Alabama Leprechaun and the Prawn USA Junior.

Again, I fished both lure styles with and without a rattle.

The leader and line were the same for both and I used two near identical rod setups for the experiment.

I fished two days with the Alabam Leprechaun and one day with the Prawn USA Junior.

I alternated rattles to no rattles for each fish I saw and sight casted to.

These fish definitely had a favorite.

Using both lures with a rattle embedded inside the lure either spooked the fish off or the fish was not interested.

Every fish I caught while sight casting over these three days DID NOT have a rattle in it.

My initial hypothesis before the experiment was in favor of the rattles helping call those fish in to bite.

But that was not the case.

However, I did catch bigger trout on the lures with rattles.

This was mainly while blind-casting deeper cuts, mangrove lines, or open-flats.

If I were to sightcast again under similar conditions with spooky fish around, I would lean against using rattles.

But if I am blind-casting an open flat trying to locate fish, rattles might be a good play.

Please go ahead and let me know what you think of this test.

I’ll continue to conduct similar experiments in different situations and conditions.

What works best for you in your area – rattles or no rattles?

FINDING THE FISH HELP

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. WEEKEND GAME PLANS (UPDATED WEEKLY)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. SMART FISHING SPOTS PLATFORM (UPDATED EVERY 15 MINUTES)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. COMMUNITY REPORTS (LIVE FEED)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform 

90/10 ZONE INSHORE FISHING NEWSLETTER

Oh, and be sure to sign up for FREE Access to Salt Strong’s 90/10 Zone Newsletter!

It’s the Ultimate Inshore Fishing Blast with the MOST RECENT on-the-water updates, weekly trends, hot lures, catches of the week, fish tales, conservation news, and everything else for Inshore Fishing…

Sent to your inbox free 2x per week!

90/10 Newsletter

The post Rattles VS. No Rattles [When Is ONE Better Than The Other?] appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

Popular thinking is topwater lures won’t work in winter because the fish are lethargic and want to save energy due to the colder temperatures.

Now that we’ve added NEW Moonwalker colors to our lineup, I wanted to put that theory to the test.

Get a closer look at the action below!!

Debunking Winter Topwater Fishing Myths [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle in our shop, and much more.

Get the Greenback Moonwalker Topwater Lure

I was out working an oyster bar on a calm winter morning tossing the Greenback Moonwalker Topwater lure for bites.

After a few casts, the redfish were fired up to crash the surface along with a SOLID trout.

Cast after cast, redfish and speckled trout could not get enough of the topwater action.

The topwater bite does NOT die in between cold fronts or even in the middle of a temperature drop.

The post Debunking Winter Topwater Fishing Myths appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

This video will explain the pros and cons of the two rod, reel, and line combos that are offered in our online tackle store.

So if you have a goal of catching more fish with lures this year, you’ll want to listen to this comparison video because both of these rods are excellent options for catching inshore slams with lures.

Slot Machine VS. TFO Pro S Combo [VIDEO]

Links To These Combos:

• Slot Machine Combo
• TFO Pro S Combo

Fuego Upgrade

As mentioned in this video, the new Fuego is extremely impressive given that they did a big upgrade to it without moving its price up.

So if you need a new reel for medium power inshore fishing, then I highly recommend getting one of these new Fuego reels.

Click here to see the new Fuego LT reels

Conclusion

For those of us who strive to catch as many inshore slams as possible with lures, rod and reel selection is crucial.

The rod is by far the most important of all since it’s the primary factor in casting, feeling strikes, and setting the hook… all of which are critical to get right.

These two combos are both great options, so it just comes down to budget as well as how rough we are on our gear knowing that the higher modulus rods require more care.

Please use the comments section below if you have any questions.

Tight Lines!

The post The Slot Machine vs. TFO Pro S Combo [Pros & Cons] appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.

When switching from one jighead to another, we often don’t think twice.

But that got us thinking, do all jigheads sink at the same rate?

I was curious to find out more.

You don’t want to miss this!

Jighead Experiment Leads To Surprising Discovery! [VIDEO]

Not a member? Then click here to join the Insider Club today so you can get access to Smart Fishing Spots, discounts on the tackle in our online shop, and much more.

I took 5 popular jigheads weighing 1/8th of an ounce and put them on a scale.

The reason I did this is to get an accurate reading on the weight of these jigheads so I can make adjustments where it’s needed.

The results were astonishing!

After doing some math, the difference between the highest weight and the lowest weight was 60%.

That is a HUGE difference!

This impacts where your lure swims in the water column and how fast it sinks.

The heavier a jighead is, the faster it will fall to the bottom.

But, if you are switching from 1/8 oz. to another jighead style of the same weight, your lures will all fall at the same rate.

Another discovery was the rigging of the lure can be just as important as the selected weight.

FINDING THE FISH HELP

In order to help make sure that you are targeting the right areas based on the latest feeding trends and upcoming weather forecasts, make sure to use the following 3 resources because they will save you a ton of time.

1. WEEKEND GAME PLANS (UPDATED WEEKLY)

These regional game plans will show you exactly what types of spots to target in under 10 minutes… just click the video to start, and you’ll be informed on what to do on your next trip.

Weekend Game Plan Lessons

2. SMART FISHING SPOTS PLATFORM (UPDATED EVERY 15 MINUTES)

This exclusive software literally shows you where the most fish are likely to be feeding based on exactly when you’ll be fishing. It factors in the tides, wind, and weather to help you quickly see which areas to target throughout the day.

Smart Fishing Spots App

3. COMMUNITY REPORTS (LIVE FEED)

The Insider Community platform is what you can use to see what is biting near you, and you can get to know other members who fish in your area. Plus, you can use it to keep a log of your catches so you can use past trips to help predict future catches.

Community Platform 

The post Jighead Experiment Leads To Surprising Discovery! appeared first on Salt Strong Fishing Club.