New Baitfish Pattern Skirts for Bass Jigs, Spinnerbaits and Buzzbaits

Each strand on these skirts are sandwiched and glued between an inner and outer core hub. The inner hub has flanged edges that gives a permanent bloom or flare to both sides of the skirt where the strands come off the hub. Many anglers favor this flare of the Hole-In-One skirts. They feel it gives the skirt a plumper, livelier appearance than a standard flat-banded skirt.

The sandwiched and glued strands, locked in place between the two hubs helps preserve the baitfish-like color patterns perfectly in place even with hard use. The strands cannot shift out of place, jumble the colors up or all pile over onto one side or the other. You cannot end up with a lopsided skirt. It always maintains its coloration, symmetrical strand balance and bloom.

Hendrix ~ Hole-In-One Skirt. This skirt's called Hendrix because it's just a fine purple haze. Looks better in person than it does on the computer screen.

Herring Bone ~ Hole-In-One Skirt. This is a blue back herring pattern with a bone white belly. A great color for clear or lightly-stained water.

Solid Gold Shiner ~ Hole-In-One Skirt. Just a real solid gold shiner pattern. If you have not yet tried this color or our standard gold shiner skirt, you really should try them both. One is better than the other. Some say the solid gold shiner works better in darker water under cloudier skies whereas the standard gold shiner excels in clear water under sunny conditions. However, it's often the case that both may work quite well most any time you try them.

Power Fishing for Bass with Shakey Jigs

In early 2008, we've made it possible to power fish with shakey jigs using the heaviest rod. reels and line possible including up to 65 lb test braided line. As heavy braided line continues to become more popular with anglers and as deeper-dwelling big bass are increasingly targeted by anglers, it's only natural sense to offer a power fishing version of a shakey jig head that can hold up to the biggest bass on the heaviest tackle. Here it is.

The power fishing shakey jig is available in a 1/2 oz size with a 6/0 Gamakatsu heavy duty hook that's suited for heavy rods and up to 65 lb braided line is fine. It includes a Tru-Turn HitchHiker clip-on keeper coil. Simply clip the coil to the eye of the hook and screw the head of the bait onto it.

What you can't do with this power fishing shakey jig is you cannot fish it on tackle that is not heavy. The heavy nature of the hook would not always set solidly with less than a heavy or extra heavy rod with at least say 16-20 lb test mono or fluoro (at a minimum). For less than heavy tackle, there is the standard shakey jig version with a standard hook suitable for standard rods and line. Our standard shakey jigs are suited for as little as 6 pound test, 8, 10 or 12. For more information on our standard shakey jigs as well as our shakey swim jigs, please check out:

• The Book on Shakey Jigs Chapter and verse on shakey jigs by Bassdozer

Yes, you can use finesse worms with this power shakey jig - and fish finesse worms on this jig with heavy tackle. Or you can use a little beefier models of worms and soft baits as shown below:

Pay attention to how you insert the hook into the bait. It is not inserted at the same angle used when rigging an offset shank worm hook. With a shakey jig and wire clip, the hook point is inserted on more of a horizontal angle through the bait's body. Be aware of this difference as to how the hook lies within the worm, and more importantly, how the strike and hookset needs to unsheath the point and pin a bass.

4 Shakey Power Jigs ~ 1/2 oz ~ Black

The hook may not necessarily appear powerful in the photos but it is. The photos appear deceptive in that this 6/0 Gamakatsu is suited for the heaviest bass possible on heavy tackle.

4 Shakey Power Jigs ~ 1/2 oz ~ Green Pumpkin

New Thin Cut Skirts for Bass Fishing Lures

Give all your jigs, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits a fresh and exciting new look with these skirts!

Thin Cut Skirts. All dimensions - length, width, height - are proportionally less than standard skirts. It is made of the same silicone rubber as standard skirts but in terms of height (the thickness) of the material, it's made from a thinner or flatter sheet of rubber to begin with. Each stand is cut much thinner, and there are usually 60 thin cut strands per skirt. The length is shorter - only 4" compared to the 5-1/4" length of standard skirts.

Some anglers say the thinner strands have more action or movement. Whether that matters to fish, no one can prove. It's true these skirts are lighter and more airy than standard skirts. The main reason I use them at times is not because of any difference in action - but because of the dramatic difference in size.

When you need a spinnerbait, jig or buzz bait - just smaller - the overall smaller profile and miniature nature makes Thin Cut skirts ideal for downsizing situations.. And therein lies the major benefit of these Thin Cut skirts. All the proportions are balanced to be smaller. It's not a standard skirt clipped shorter - it's an overall smaller skirt in every proportion, and that makes it perfect for pressured fish, wary or cautious fish, clear water and for smaller waters like ponds, streams and tanks.

Sometimes you see spinnerbaits where the blades are made smaller, the wire arm is reduced size, and the head weight mass may be hidden beneath the skirt - all to give the illusion of a smaller spinnerbait. Little's been done to reduce the bulk of the skirt however, until now. The Thin Cut skirt truly let's you compact and condense down the key strike zone - the skirt - on spinnerbaits and buzzbaits.

Thin Cut skirts go great on finesse jigs too. They really show off the all-important jig trailer. On delicately-balanced swimming jigs, the perfect placement of each strand, plus the overall lighter, thinner skirt does not affect or influence the upright balance of a swimming jig as much as bulkier standard skirts that could make a swimming jig run lopsided.

Each strand is locked perfectly in place with a thin clear application of silicone adhesive sandwiched in between an inner core collar and outer band collar. It's hard to see there's any glue, but it's there, which is especially important to lock and keep the strands from getting pulled out of place. The inner collar is flanged on both ends to make the bloom-like flare you see where both sides of the strands flare off the collar. A lot of anglers favor this flared bloom to the skirt, feeling it gives more action as opposed to the traditional flat, straight banded skirt.

Thin cut skirt (top). Full size skirt (bottom).

Sexy Shad ~ Thin Cut Skirt. This skirt has well-defined, contrasting colors. The top half is smoke gray with black fish scales and pale blue glitter. The lower half is milky pearl blue. The belly is pale chartreuse with a pale blue sheen. This skirt is a great producer in stained water where the more defined contrast of this skirt helps bass zero in on it.

It's also a great color during the spring shad spawn when shad exhibit dark-striped, contrasting body colors in order to attract and signal other adult shad to mate.

Thin cut skirt (top). Full size skirt (bottom).

Chartreuse White Blend ~ Thin Cut Skirt. Who says you can't breath new life into the old standby colors? This pattern breaks up and blends your traditional chartreuse white skirt in a way you've probably not seen it before. Please enjoy!

Full size skirt (top). Thin cut skirt (bottom).

White Pearl ~ Thin Cut Skirt. Pure white pearl skirt has a highly reflective metallic pearl sheen and silver flake. Good in clear, stained or dirty water and at night too.

Blade Jigs for Bass Fishing

In January 2006, blade jigs burst onto the bass fishing scene big time due to winning catches on blade jigs during the first few FLW tournaments of the 2006 season. Blade jigs certainly became the hot new must-have lure for the rest of 2006.

In 2007, the hubbub over blade jigs simmered down. The novelty of blade jigs wore off. However, 2007 was the year that many hometown anglers hit paydirt on team trails with blade jigs, leading to validation and acceptance of blade jigs as another lure type that will work everywhere when conditions for it are right.

Blade jigs again stepped into the spotlight in a big way in February 2008 when bass pro Brett Hite won the FLW Tour season opener on Lake Toho, Florida. He then crossed the country to win the next FLW event on the California Delta two weeks later. Hite won both FLW events back-to-back with a blade jig, earning Hite $125,000 times two for a total of $250,000.

Every lure has its place and it seems that blade jigs are at their best early in the season. Like Brett Hite found, they work exceptionally well when fish are hunkered down in dense cover. Many other bait styles won't get bass to come out of  where they're holed up under thick cover, but blade jigs do.

These blade jigs use the finest components, including premium VMC hooks and productive skirt color patterns.

People say the blade makes it like a spinnerbait or the vibration makes it like a crankbait, but fish may see it differently. You can throw spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and catch nothing. Then come down the same bank again with a blade bait, and do well. So blade jigs are not quite like any other reaction baits, since spinnerbaits, crankbaits and other lures don't work at times when blade jigs do.

A blade jig has the appearance of a skirted jig, with the the flash of a spinnerbait blade, and as much or more vibration than any crankbait.

A blade jig is not like a standard flipping or swimming jig either, and especially earlier in the season while the water is still cold, a blade jig will do better than standard jig styles. A blade jig is a little like a lipless rattling crankbait in that it gives off heavy vibrations and therefore works in dirtier water than standard jig styles. If you are in a situation where you are hitting fish on standard jigs, and the water dirties up, you can switch to a blade jig and expect to continue to do well in the dirty water.

A blade jig has a tremendous vibration and frantic action like a startled critter hightailing it. It is a more intense - yet natural-looking - action than you (or bass) usually see in a lure. The intense vibrating action is due to water pressure pushing the blade rapidly back and forth several times per second. The action starts in the blade which is almost a blur. As the blade oscillates rapidly side-to-side, it causes every strand in the skirt whip to frantically.

As with any jig, success is going to ride heavily on the kind of soft plastic trailer you use to go with a jig. Keep in mind that any and all jigs including blade jigs are poor producers without soft plastic trailers. Don't hesitate to experiment with any kind of soft bait as a trailer. Shown above are 4-inch (top) and 5-inch sizes of GYB's Swim Senko.

Brett Hite used primariy the 5" Swim Senko and also a double tail grub as trailers to win $250,000 in back-to-back FLW events on blade jigs in February 2008.

Blade jigs shown above with GYB's 3-1/2 inch swimbait (top) and GYB's 5-3/4 inch Kut Tail Worm. You can add a single tail grub, a double tail grub, a hula grub, a swimbait, a worm or any other soft bait is worth a try. You may surprise yourself over what soft baits work good as trailers on blade jigs. The trailers that work well on standard jigs are not necessarily the same ones that work on blade jigs - and vice versa. But as is the same with any jig, changing the trailer will change the action and alter the fish-catching potential dramatically. Do experiment and identify a few different trailers that work for you on blade jigs.

1/2 oz Blade Jig ~ Green Pumpkin Watermelon

1/2 oz Blade Jig ~ Green Pumpkin Gold

1/2 oz Blade Jig ~ Green Pumpkin Gold

1/4 oz Blade Jig ~ White Pearl

1/2 oz Blade Jig ~ White Pearl

1/2 oz Blade Jig ~ White Pearl

1/2 oz Blade Jig ~ Triple Chartreuse

3/8 oz Blade Jig ~ Triple Chartreuse

1/4 oz Blade Jig ~ Triple Chartreuse

Shank Weight Hooks w/Stainless Clip-on Coil Keepers

New hook designs from every hook manufacturer get better every year, but no hook company has improved as much or as quickly as Mustad in recent years.

The major success Mustad has had in the bass fishing market revolves around its UltraPoint line of hooks. Mustad launched it's Ultra Point product line in the USA in 1997, and UltraPoint's reputation and market share is still growing strong today, over ten years later as Mustad continues to come out with better and better Ultra Point hooks.

One of Mustad's best-selling Ultra Point bass hooks in recent years has been the #91768 series which has proved to be an ideal hook for fishing soft plastic frogs and toads. Although popularity of the frog and toad frenzy has peaked, the #91768 hook model still ranks as one of Mustad's most popular bass hooks.

Although originally designed for frog and toad fishing, don't mind that. Instead, think of any soft bait you may otherwise rig on a 4/0 hook. Any soft bait that goes swell with a 4/0 - try it.

The shank-weighted version shown here is the most recent OEM implementation (by Cast Industries) of the Mustad #91768 that includes a fixed position shank weight (in 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4 ounce sizes) with a clip-on stainless coil keeper to hold soft baits securely in place.

The shape and position of the weight is the real beauty of it all. When allowed to fall on the drop, the weight will swagger and sway as it falls, causing the attached soft bait to wiggle and waver in a swimming motion as it falls. There's nothing too magical about the rig when you retrieve it steadily, it comes in straight. But pause and let it fall on a slack line, or let it pendulum swing in toward you on a semi-tight line - without reeling - and the shank weight starts swinging and swaying, thereby rocking the attached bait back and forth like a baby in a cradle.

Of course, baits that have tail action of their own - like GYB's Swim Senko - will swing the shank weight back and forth on a steady retrieve - and the shank weight will rock the bait back and forth when the retrieve is paused and the bait falls.

Some of my favorite baits to use with the shank-weighted Mustad #91768 4/0 include the Kinami 4-inch Swim Senko, the GYB 5-inch Swim Senko, GYB's 5-inch Senko, 5-inch and 5-3/4-inch GYB Kut Tail Worms, 5-inch GYB Hula Grubs, GYB Craws - or try anything you may have otherwise rigged with a 4/0 hook.

Shank Weight Hooks w/Stainless Clip-On Coil Keepers. All 4/0. L to R: 1/4, 3/16, 1/8 oz weights.

5 Shank Weight Hooks w/Stainless Clip-On Coil Keepers ~ 4/0 ~ 1/8 oz

5 Shank Weight Hooks w/Stainless Clip-On Coil Keepers ~ 4/0 ~ 3/16 oz

5 Shank Weight Hooks w/Stainless Clip-On Coil Keepers ~ 4/0 ~ 1/4 oz

GYB's 5-inch hula grub rigged on the 1/4 oz shank weight hook for swimming deep along the bottom.

With the 1/8 oz shank weight hook, GYB's 5-inch Hula Grub can be buzzed on top, leaving a rippling trail across the surface of thick grass mats - or open water. It's a deadly topwater presentation - with a GYB Hula Grub!

Even thicker, less active baits like GYB's Craw will flutter and shimmy on the fall. Thicker, less active baits require the heavier 1/4 oz weight in order to have the shimmying, shaking effect on them.

Slender, more supple baits like GYB Senkos, Kut Tail Worms and Swim Senkos will shake and shimmy even with the lighter 1/8 and 3/16oz  shank weight hooks.

Because the weight is positioned far back on the shank, the attached bait falls horizontally - as if it was wacky rigged or rigged on a wacky jig. Shown here are GYB's Swim Senko and world-famous Senko, both in 5-inch sizes.

New Mop Jig Skirts for BIG Jigs, Spinnerbaits and Buzzbaits

In spring 2006, bass pro Davey Hite bounced a big rubber jig, uniquely styled with extra long, super thick strands according to local custom, to win the Elite Series event at Clark Hill Lake on the border of South Carolina and Georgia near Augusta.

Now, the term "big rubber" jig may make you think Hite used a flipping jig, but not quite. You've surely seen flipping jigs before, but chances are, you've probably never seen jigs like Hite threw in that tournament.

One story reported that Kevin Van Dam (who was Hite's travel partner at that tournament) dubbed them "mop jigs" since the living rubber strands were thick enough to swab the deck with them. Other stories quoted Hite who called them "softballs" due their huge bulk and shape.

Big rubber is something that was so out of the ordinary for 99% of anglers back then. All that changed when Hite beat one hundred of the world's elite anglers with big rubber. Hite's success made it instantly of interest to every avid bass angler who suddenly wanted to know all about big rubber, and this article covers the topic nicely:

• Big Rubber Jigs Story by Russ Bassdozer

Big rubber just may have fallen off the radar screen again since then, except that Alton Jones recently won the Bassmaster Classic in February 2008, and Jones has been reported to be using big rubber mop skirts on his jig heads to win the Classic. This has created a renewed interest, and you can be sure to hear more mention of big rubber soon.

Especially with the Bassmaster Elite tour coming back to Clark Hill again real soon (which will be on May 1, 2008), you can bet some big rubber softballs are going to get batted around there by the top tour pros there.

The mop skirts below are of a similar style as the original living rubber skirts. They feature long, big, wide strands, bulky profiles - but are made of silicone rubber instead of latex rubber.

These silicone rubber mop skirts are seven inches long with forty-five "double wide cut" strands.

Mop Skirt ~ Black Blue

Mop Skirt ~ Green Pumpkin

Mop Skirt ~ Fire Tiger

Mop Skirt ~ Chartreuse White Bone

Mop Skirt ~ Rainbow Trout

Size Comparison to Standard 5" Skirts

Examples below of:

1. Full Look. All strands end evenly. A little shorter and bulkier.
2. Layered Look. A little longer body and tail effect. more like a big baitfish.

You may achieve either of these looks by rigging the skirt with the short hairs to front (layered look) or with long hairs to front (full look) when you put it on a jig, spinnerbait or buzzbait.

New Spinnerbait / Jig Skirt Colors

The strike concept underlying several of these new colors is similar in that the White Bone, Chartreuse White Bone, Plemmons, Dark Alewife and Chartreuse White Blend skirts below are being used to deliver strike color accents or "flags" of color intended to incite strikes. It is not unlike a matador going into the bull ring carrying a red cape he flags to entice the bull to charge. That's a similar premise behind the flags of color carried on some of the skirts below.

White Bone ~ Standard Skirt. Take your classic 100% pure snow white skirt. Then splash the tail tips with a fish-attracting rusty orange dye that incites more strikes. Throw the white bone to bag the big dawgs.

Chartreuse White Bone ~ Hole-In-One Skirt. Take your classic chartreuse white skirt and splash the tail tips with a fish-attracting rusty orange dye to entice more strikes. That's chartreuse white bone. Bass bang it.

Plemmons ~ Hole-In-One Skirt. This skirt color is styled after a balsa crankbait color called Plemmons. It is most popular on crankbaits used in the mid-Atlanitc region of the USA, say from South Carolina and Tennessee and on up toward DC or so. Now Plemmons is available in a spinnerbait, buzzbait and jig skirt that's every bit as fancy and effective as the original balsa crankbait color pattern..

Black Red Flash ~ Standard Skirt. To see this in person, the metallic red foil is far more reflective and flashier than the picture shows it. Sure to be a favorite with bass anglers across Europe or anywhere there's a delta, brackish water or estuarine bass fishery in the USA.

Dark Alewife ~ Hole-In-One Skirt. This is one in a series of alewife skirt colors that are regional favorites of anglers from the Potomac River or Washington DC on down through the Virginia states, Kentucky, the Carolina states and Tennessee. It's also a universal baitfish color that will work swell anywhere you try it. There currently is or has been standard Alewife, Pale Alewife, Olive Alewife and now this Dark Alewife in the series so far. They are all basically the same productive pattern, with slight variations in the green back color. All produce as handsomely as they look.

Chartreuse White Blend ~ Hole-In-One Skirt. Who says you can't breath new life into the old standby colors? This pattern breaks up and blends your traditional chartreuse white skirt in a way you've probably not seen it before. Please enjoy!

Bluegill #2 ~ Hole-In-One Skirt. The one that everyone's been asking for! This Hole-In-One skirt is patterned after our #1 selling EZ Skirt color - bluegill. Now in the Hole-In-One version everyone's been waiting for.

Customers Rave Over Bassdozer's Black Blue Jigs & Spinnerbaits

"Hey Russ, Once again, your black blue skirts kicked some serious butt on the spring time largemouth. I managed to make it out on Sunday afternoon right as a weather system was moving through. Throwing a spinnerbait and a jig, both featuring your black blue skirt, I managed these 5 fish for a total of 34-1/2 pounds. Not too shabby for Western Washington state. Here are a couple of pics from Sunday afternoon. Thanks for checking them out!" - Tag Watson, Washington state

"Hi Russ, I love your lures and have become a huge fan of your spinnerbaits. I caught the biggest bass of the year so far yesterday - a 5.8 lb Largemouth on one of your spinnerbaits. I caught it on the 1/2 oz Style B Black Blue with rattles (pictured below).  Here in western Kentucky, we are at double normal rainfall for the year so all the lakes are high and murky at best, often muddy. The water temp was 58 degrees. I had tipped it with a blue Uncle Josh Jumbo Pork Frog. Fishing in 8 to 10 ft of water over coontail beds that are about 5 ft from the surface. Like I said I love your spinner baits. Thanks again for a great product, fairly priced and the awesome service! " - Mike Young, Henderson, Kentucky

1/2 oz Spinnerbait ~ Style B ~ Black Blue

Jackall 180 Jr. ~ S Ji Kei Lure

Leading Japanese tackle manufacturers like Jackall have taken big swimbaits and they've added a new twist that no fish anywhere has ever seen. They've created a whole new category of big surface-swimming hard baits that flex and move in an S-shape crawling across the top of the water.

This is one of the latest and hottest styles of big baits in Japan, called "S Ji Kei" lures.

Following is some info about "S Ji Kei" lures. The original version of this information was published in :Lure Magazine" by its editor, Hideyuki Nomura.

From 2001 through 2004 there was a major craze over big bait fishing throughout Japan. Soft plastic, hard plastic and wood type lures were used by everyone. Because these big lures of all known styles were used so much, many believed that their effectiveness also lost some impact over time.

Starting around  2005, a new style of big bait called "S Ji Kei" lures, took Japan by storm. Today, they are considered an everyday type lure in Japan.

"S Ji Kei" embodies a new lure concept. They swim with an action that traces the letter S through the water throughout the retrieve.

Translated into English, "S Ji Kei Lures" could be called "S Action Lures" if they were on the market in the USA, but they are not here yet.

The lure produces an action that traces the letter S throughout the water with just a simple steady retrieve. The action is very similar to a jerkbait that requires twitching and rod action but produces an irregular zigzag back and forth. The bait moves with a natural slide side to side. It doesn't produce the typical wiggling and wobbling like a crankbait or lipped hard bait.

In order to produce this type of action the lure has to be jointed. This is so that when the lure’s slide comes to a halt the line can be reeled tight which causes the lure to be pulled in the opposite direction. Fish haven’t seen this type of action before.

The difference in action and thus the difference in application of S Ji Kei lures comes about through the construction of these lures. The S Ji Kei lures do not feature plastic lips like other big swimming lures. However, simply taking the lips off of baits won't make them swim in an S motion on the water. The S Ji Kei lures are balanced differently. They are made with balancers in the head portion of the lures, which are usually tungsten or stainless steel weights. These strategically balanced lures will then swim in an S motion through the water. Since they are weighted, they are categorized as slow sinking, but they can ride on or close to the surface when retrieved.

Another key difference is the physical action these lures produce. The big baits used in the USA that feature a lip produce a body rolling and kicking action that leaves more of a wake and displaces much more water. On the other hand, the S Ji Kei lures will slide through the water in a swooshing type motion.

This type of lure is designed predominately for steady retrieve use. While winding, the rod tip should be facing downwards and with a slow retrieve the lure tracks in a wide S configuration. When retrieved faster, the lure produces a narrower shaped S configuration. When fishing for deeper fish you should slow down the retrieve.

The stop and go retrieve is also a productive method. When paused, the bait slowly sinks and while it sinks the jointed part of the bait bends in a manner of an injured bait fish. This technique will work well for followers because the angler can add a twitch to trigger the strike from the chasing fish.

Also use a "Twitch and Flash" technique when fishing these S style lures. Because these lures produce an action that resemble that of a jerk bait, throwing in a twitch will also produce good results for the angler. The flat side will add a flashing appeal when twitched which also causes the chasing fish to strike.

Kamakazee 6" Hollow Tubular Swimbait

6" Hollow Tubular Swimbait Body. The 6" size is the largest of the three Kamakazee swimbait sizes. In addition, there is the mid-sized 5-1/2" and smaller 4" sizes of Kamakazee swimbaits. All have a similar hollow tubular body. There's no material inside. It is completely hollow from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail. However, there is a little extra thickness of plastic in the nose so that the nose can be rigged on a hook or jig securely, and the side walls of the body are thick and durable to resist tearing.

There are a couple of key advantages to being hollow inside:

1. Rigging Straight. First, there is less plastic that the hook needs to be rigged through. With a solid-bodied swimbait, rigging the hook through solid plastic can lead to crooked rigging or misaligned hook position. When the hook or jig head is rigged incorrectly in a swimbait (or any soft plastic bait), your chances to attract fish plummet dramatically. Believe it or not, fish can be extremely fussy as to whether a swimbait or any soft bait is rigged straight or crooked. Fish will not bite crooked or incorrectly rigged soft baits nearly as much as they will strike properly-rigged ones. So, the first advantage to a hollow-bodied swimbait like the Kamakazee is that it is much easier to rig it straight correctly. Reason is, the hook is mostly centered in hollow, empty space, and this helps the hook to self-align itself properly within the empty chamber inside. The hook only has to pierce the thin walls of the bait, and it is easier to hit the walls perfectly. The more perfectly straight a swimbait (or any soft bait) is rigged, the more attractive strikes it will attract.
    
2. Easier, Surer Hooksets. Second, that completely empty, hollow body inside will collapse when fish bite it, resulting in easier and more solid hooksets. When a fish bites, there are only the fairly easy walls of the swimbait body that the hook has to push through.

Kamakazee swimbait is completely hollow inside. Plastic only forms the walls of the swimbait body. The very back and belly (where the hook goes in or out) is relatively thinner and almost like a seam joining the two side walls. As can also be seen, a deep clear coat finish encases the entire swimbait, results in additional lifelike depth and dimension - and also magnifies the paint, scale and sparkle glitter.

Whether you use a Texas rig hook or a jig head, you need to rig a swimbait straight, the hook needs to go in or out of the nose, the belly or the back of the bait perfectly straight and dead-center at all times. If you miss hitting the the nose exactly, or if the hook exits the back or belly of the bait even a little bit off-center, your chances that the swimbait will swim straight or attract strikes are dramatically reduced. This not only applies for the Kamakazee but for every swimbait or any other soft bait.

The oversized paddle tail creates the perfect, natural swimbait action that imitates the swimming movement and vibration of baitfish.

Realistic 3D eyes and lifelike colors include scale pattern backs.

Clear Coat Magnification. A deep, lustrous clear coat of plastic encases the entire Kamakazee swimbait. it adds lifelike depth and an additional dimension of realism. Furthermore, the clear coat magnifies the colors, especially the scale finish and any glitter flake in the finish is magnified due to the clear coat finish over the entire bait.

Rigging a Swimbait with a Jig Head. Different jig heads when paired with Kamakazee's 6" swimbait (or any other swimbait) will cause different swimming actions. No two jig heads will cause the same swimming movement in the body. Some jigs cause the swimbait to swim good. Some not so good. They are all different.

Some jig heads cause a tighter movement with less body roll and more tail wiggle. Other jig heads may cause a very wide rolling body movement. Some cause a more staccato flutter. Some heads cause a more sinuous S-shaped action. Some jig heads cause a careening roll. Some heads cause both body and tail action, or one or the other. No two jig heads impart the same action, and some may look good or not so good to you or to the fish.

With that being said, the 1/2 oz swimbait jig shown below creates a very cool action much like a naturally-swimming baitfish. It is currently available in one size only (1/2 oz with heavy duty 5/0 hook) in Bassdozer's Store. It is the ideal match that fits perfectly and swims incredibly with Kamakazee's 6" swimbait.

1/2 oz swimbait jig head (sold separately in Bassdozer's Store) matches perfectly with Kamakazee's 6" swimbait.

The swimbait jig head (sold separately in Bassdozer's Store) has a two-pronged keeper collar so it fits securely and tightly. The super heavy duty Mustad Ultra-Point Black Nickel Round Bend Hook is size 5/0. It can be used with heavy line up to 65 lb braid.

Kamakazee 6" swimbaits are sold in 3-packs with 3 swimbaits all the same color in a clamshell.

Photo Note: In the photos below, all three swimbaits are the same 6" size. The camera angle makes the swimbait closer to the camera seem relatively larger while the swimbait furthest from the camera looks relatively smaller. This is an optical illusion. In actuality, all three swimbaits in the photos below are absolutely the same 6" size and shape.

6" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 3 Pack ~ Ayu

6" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 3 Pack ~ Perch

6" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 3 Pack ~ Clear Lake Hitch

6" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 3 Pack ~ Tennessee Shad

6" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 3 Pack ~ Shad

6" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 3 Pack ~ Watermelon Green Pumpkin

6" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 3 Pack ~ Rainbow Trout

6" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 3 Pack ~ Blueback Herring

6" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 3 Pack ~ Hologram Shad

6" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 3 Pack ~ Chartreuse Shad

Kamakazee Treats Hollow Tubular Swimbait

Hollow Tubular Body. The Kamakazee Treats swimbait has a hollow tubular body. There's no material inside. It is completely hollow from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail. There are a couple of key advantages to being hollow inside:

1. Rigging Straight. First, there is less plastic that the hook needs to be rigged through. With a solid-bodied swimbait, rigging the hook through solid plastic can lead to crooked rigging or misaligned hook position. When the hook or jig head is rigged incorrectly in a swimbait (or any soft plastic bait), your chances to attract fish plummet dramatically. Believe it or not, fish can be extremely fussy as to whether a swimbait or any soft bait is rigged straight or crooked. Fish will not bite crooked or incorrectly rigged soft baits nearly as much as they will strike properly-rigged ones. So, the first advantage to a hollow-bodied swimbait like the Kamakazee is that it is much easier to rig it straight correctly. Reason is, the hook is mostly centered in hollow, empty space, and this helps the hook to self-align itself properly within the empty chamber inside. The hook only has to pierce the thin walls of the bait, and it is easier to hit the walls perfectly. The more perfectly straight a swimbait (or any soft bait) is rigged, the more attractive strikes it will attract.
    
2. Easier, Surer Hooksets. Second, that completely empty, hollow body inside will collapse when fish bite it, resulting in easier and more solid hooksets. When a fish bites, there are only the fairly easy walls of the swimbait body that the hook has to push through.

Body is shown split open to reveal it is completely hollow inside. Plastic only forms the walls of the swimbait body. As can also be seen, a deep clear coat finish encases the entire swimbait, results in additional lifelike depth and dimension - and also magnifies the paint, scale and sparkle glitter.

The swimbait body is completely hollow from nose to tail.

The belly seam is a little thinner than the side walls and therefore the seam is visible to the eye. It serves as a visual guide that needs to be hit exactly dead-center every time you rig the swimbait on a hook. If you miss hitting the the belly seam exactly, or if the hook exits the top back of the bait off-center, your chances that the swimbait will swim straight or attract strikes are dramatically reduced. This not only applies for the Kamakazee but for every swimbait or any other soft bait.

The oversized paddle tail creates the perfect, natural swimbait action that imitates the swimming movement and vibration of baitfish.

Realistic 3D eyes and lifelike colors include scale pattern backs.

Clear Coat Magnification. A deep, lustrous clear coat of plastic encases the entire Kamakazee swimbait. it adds lifelike depth and an additional dimension of realism. Furthermore, the clear coat magnifies the colors, especially the scale finish and any glitter flake in the finish is magnified due to the clear coat finish over the entire bait.

4" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 5 Pack ~ Clear Lake Hitch

4" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 5 Pack ~ Tennessee Shad

4" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 5 Pack ~ Shad

4" Kamakazee Swimbait ~ 5 Pack ~ Black Shad

The Kamakazee Treats swimbait is available in three sizes: 4 inch, 5-1/2 inch and 6 inch.

All shown above are the 4-inch size only. Please enjoy!

New Book About Bass Fishing in Mexico

It is author Russ Bassdozer here. I am happy to introduce you to my new book on Mexican bass fishing:

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO Por El Bassdozer y Los Amigos

The book, called Once Upon a Time in Mexico, is written about how Mexican anglers currently fish, and that is a little different from tourist anglers.

With approx. 80 illustrated pages, and tips from leading Mexican experts, the book is better than anything you may have ever read about Mexican bass fishing before.

Here is one expert Mexican angler's opinion:

"I have no doubt that this online book will be the reference worldwide to any angler interested in fishing for Mexican bass. Your work deserves great admiration from all Mexican anglers. Saludos de tu amigo." - Rogelio Villarreal of Monterrey, Mexico.

THE WORLD'S BEST BOOK ON MEXICAN BASS FISHING

Click here to read it today at:

ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO Por El Bassdozer y Los Amigos

¡Buena Suerte! means Good Luck!

Thank you.

New Tilapia and Machete Shad Spinnerbaits
for Mexico and Texas Border Waters

These new color skirts were developed for Mexico and Texas border lakes. Don't get too hung up on the names though. Any of these new colors imitate both shad and tilapia as well as a host of other baitfish in Mexico, Texas or anywhere worldwide. They are universal baitfish patterns in that regard.

Also note these spinnerbait may look deceptively small in the photos, but don't let these photos fool you. These are all heavy duty with 6/0 hooks. I think these are the biggest and longest stock spinnerbait hooks on the planet. All have .040 or .045 wire arms. They all have extra large blades, but especially the single-bladed baits shown here have the biggest stock Willow blades made. They are all ideal for the biggest bass anywhere.

Machete Shad ~ Skirt

1 oz Spinnerbait ~ Style B ~ Machete Shad

1 oz Spinnerbait ~ Style B ~ Tilapia El Salto

Tilapia El Cuchillo ~ Skirt

3/4 oz Spinnerbait ~ Style B ~ Tilapia El Cuchillo

Tilapia Baccarac ~ Skirt

1 oz Spinnerbait ~ Style N ~ Tilapia Baccarac