Northland Tackle Deep Vee Spin Jig
Northland’s underspin jig, the Deep Vee Spin, is a catcher. Cast it or troll it and you’ll catch fish. This jig shines in crystal clear waters where its flashy willow blade makes all the difference in getting fish’s attention and getting bit. The jig has a keeled body shape to help it fall fast and track straight. Built into the design is a wire keeper that ensures plastics stay snug on the hook shank. Try the 1/8 or 1/16th ounce for crappies. MSRP $8 for a two pack.
Piscifun Alumix 1000 Spinning Reel
Piscifun’s reels pack in a lot of great features at an economic price. The Alumix is no different. A full aluminum frame keeps the weight down to just 6 ounces. With a 5.2 gear ratio, you can pick up line fairly fast (25 inches a turn). Ten ball bearings make for a smooth retrieve. The drag uses carbon fiber brakes and can be tightened down to 11 pounds of drag on the 1000 series and 26 pounds of drag on the larger models. With a lightweight carbon rotor on the outside doing the spinning and a no-slip arbor, you get plenty of features in this small package. Light and study, it comes boxed with a cloth pouch to keep it in when traveling. MSRP $65.
B’n’M Poles Leland’s TCB Spinning Rod
The B’n’M Leland’s TCB (Trout Crappie Bluegill) is an easy packing, two-piece ultralight spinning rod that is great for casting and pitching jigs. The split grip handle design lets you keep your hand on the blank to feel everything. You can cast jigs as light as 1/64 ounce on 2 pound line into tight corners. If a surprise lunker trout, or a big bass or catfish takes your bait, you still have enough backbone to work a big fish back to you slowly. At 6 foot, 6 inches, this rod has length for some long casts, compared to the more customary short ultralight rods. Comes with a one-year warranty for defects. You’ll want to keep a TCB rod handy for visits to farm ponds, creek crossings, and dock casting at the lake. MSRP $80.
Berkley Powerbait Power Switch
One of the neatest swim baits on the market is the Berkley Power Switch. With its weight forward design, you can fish this quickly to marks on live imaging sonar. It casts easily and sinks quickly. It can be fished just about any way you imagine, but shines as a cast and retrieve or jigging lure. The color options from Berkley on these baits are incredible – you can fish classic colors, high definition “Tru” colors, or holographic “Wizard” colors. For slabs, try rigging the 1.75 inch or 2.5 inch versions. Poured on high quality Fusion 19 hooks, the bodies are have a sharp profile, 3D eyes, and the tantalizing Powerbait formula that convince fish to bite and hold on. MSRP $9 for a pack of 3.
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
