Berkley Drip Swimmer
Berkley has your trailer of choice with their Drip Swimmer. The 3-inch version is perfect for crappie anglers who go drop shotting, swim shotting, strolling, casting on jig heads or who use them as a trailer on other baits. Leave the minnows behind and grab these ultra-realistic plastic minnows in 14 fish-catching color combinations. The micro-boot tail moves in small and tight actions, provoking strikes from pressured fish. The scale, belly and gut, and fin details, are among the sharpest designs on the market. MSRP $11 for a pack of 6.
Clam Slim Backpack
The original Clam Backpack was a fantastic product that let anglers bring a flasher, a ton of tackle and a couple ice-fishing rods on their back to anywhere they wanted to fish. The new Slim Backpack is based on a similar idea. Let anglers cram whatever they need and be portable, summer or winter. The Slim Backpack has adjustable pockets, two zippered holding locations, two pouches to carry rods and comfortable adjustable straps that make it fit your body easily. Need snacks? Toss them in. Need a place for your must-have, consolidated tackle? Add it to the pack. What about rods and water bottle? There’s room, plus if you have more things, there are plenty of locations to lash things to. When it’s filled with all your gear, you’ll be ready to hit the water and do so feeling light and mobile. MSRP $100.
Pro Guide Lithium Batteries
There’s no denying that batteries are critically important to anglers who rely on them for powering electronics, starting boats, running trolling motors and even getting you to the lake in utility vehicles, trucks or campers. Everything takes battery power. If you’re still making the change from sealed lead acid to lithium batteries, here is your opportunity to dive in and make the switch with a fisherman-friendly company. Your replacement cycles will change from three to five years to longer than a decade. You won’t deal with too little power to run your equipment or damage it; lithium is an all or nothing power proposition. The days of having to offset the weight of a heavy bank of sealed lead acid batteries on your boat is over; lithium is half the weight. These batteries have multiple terminals to make rigging easier. They also are Bluetooth capable, meaning when you install the Pro Guide Batteries app, you can see how much percentage of charge your battery has. If you go on trips where charging every day is not possible, you’re sick of plugging into motel parking lot outlets and leaving your boat uncovered or unlocked, or tired of running a generator to a charger, buy a heavy-duty Pro Guide lithium battery that will last through three or four days of all-day fishing use before it needs a charge. MSRP starting at $300.
Huk Women’s Sandbar Dress
Women anglers, here’s a product built just for you. The Huk Women’s Sandbar Dress is stretchy to move with you, whether on the beach with family or in the boat fighting a fish. Includes an integrated shorts liner. Breathable to handle those warm summer days without you breaking out into a sweat, it also features a 50 UPF rating to protect your body from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation. Includes hip pockets for your phone, keys or that slim box of jigs through which you’re toggling. Available in Indigo and Fuchsia solid colors. Huk continues to build apparel that is useful and appeals to the avid angler, for use on and off the water. MSRP $90.
CrappieNOW columnist Scott Mackenthun has been writing about fishing since 2005. He is a fisheries professional, father, and avid angler when he’s not writing about his time on the water. He can be reached at scott.mackenthun@gmail.com
