All posts by hellabass

Bass Boat Buying Tips from the Pros

December 16, 2024 hellabass Leave a comment

If you’re in the market for a new or used bass boat, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed by all the options. What size boat is right for you? What features are important? And how much can you expect to spend? In this blog , we’ll share some tips from experienced bass anglers and boat salespeople to help you navigate the buying process and find the perfect boat for your needs.

Many decisions factor into a purchase before you can enjoy your boat on the water!

Determining Your Needs and Setting a Budget

First, it’s important to determine what you need in a bass boat. Do you need a boat for fishing in big water or small lakes? Will you be fishing tournaments or just for fun? How many people will be fishing with you? Once you know what you need, you can start to set a budget. Keep in mind that the price of a bass boat can vary widely depending on the size, age, features, and condition.

Here are some factors to consider when setting your budget:

New or Used: Used bass boats can be a great value, but it’s important to carefully inspect the hull, engine, and trailer for any signs of wear and tear.
Engine Size: The size of the engine will affect the boat’s speed and fuel efficiency. Also, sometimes there are size restrictions for certain tournaments you may fish.
Features: Features like livewells, trolling motors, and electronics can add to the cost of the boat.
Brand and Model: Some brands and models of bass boats are more expensive than others.

Researching and Choosing the Right Boat

Once you have a budget in mind, you can start to research different brands and models of bass boats. There are many great resources available online, such as Bass Boat Central and YouTube. You can also talk to other anglers, guides and boat salespeople to get their recommendations.

Example of Boat Video reviews available on YouTube

Here are some popular bass boat brands:

Phoenix
Caymus
Vexus
Skeeter
Champion
Bass Cat
Falcon
Blazer
Ranger
Triton
Express
Lund

When choosing a bass boat, it’s important to consider the following factors:

Hull Design: The hull design will affect the boat’s ride comfort, stability, speed and draft. Be sure to closely check the transom and the hull under the boat for any signs of cracking or damage to the gel coat or fiberglass.
Single or Dual Console: Many anglers appreciate the extra space of a single console, but if you fish with a spouse or a buddy a lot, sometimes a dual console makes more sense. Some newer boat models have a console that can be removed or put back in under 5 minutes.
Deck Size: The size of the front and back decks will affect how much space you have for fishing and storage for yourself and other people.
Storage: Make sure the boat has enough storage space for all your gear.
Electronics: Choose electronics that meet your needs and budget.
Trailer: The trailer should be in good condition and properly sized for the boat and don’t forget to check the axel, tires and hubs.
Contingencies: If you fish tournament, most brands have tournament contingency award bonuses for wins and high finishes. You should never solely make a decision based on this, but makes a good tie breaker.

Other Important Considerations

Wait times for new boats can be long, ranging from 12 to 20 weeks or more. So plan ahead if you want to have a new boat for spring.
Financing options are available, with loan terms up to 20 years.
Demo days like the In Tune Marine demo event are a great opportunity to test drive different boats and get a feel for what you like.

Buying a bass boat is a big investment. By taking the time to do your research and carefully consider your needs, you can find the perfect boat for years of enjoyment on the water.

For a deeper dive, check out this video live stream on buying bass boats with Aaron Teal

Video Podcast on Bass Boat Buying Tips

Uncategorized

Best Black Friday & Cyber Deals for Fishing 2024

November 27, 2024 hellabass

Bass Pro Shops & Cabelas have some pretty deep discounts on specific electronics like Humminbird Helix Units and some Garmin Combos, Check here for their Boating and Marine deals!

Omnia has 25% Off Select Z-man Chatterbaits plus a 17% off Gift Card deal, watch this page for all the deals and some Daily Door busters November 28 – Dec 1st! Plus through end of November you can use Code HBPRO to get $50 Gift Card back if you purchase Omnia Pro!

SPRO USA has some pretty deep discounts, many over 50% on select baits and accesories. Ranging from Bronzeye Frogs to Aruku Shads, RkCrawlers, McStick jerkbaits and much more. Check out their page to see all the deals.

Do not miss this opportunity to secure reliable power for all of your adventures with High-Performance PowerHouse Lithium Batteries. Enjoy 20% off our entire range of PHL batteries.

Whether you’re in need for any of the following…

* Marine: Boats, electric outboard motors
* Recreational Vehicles: RVs, ATVs, golf carts
* Outdoor: Ice fishing expeditions
* Home & Industrial: Solar power systems, custom projects

Use code PHL20 at checkout – Shop now at powerhouselithium.com.

Arsenal Fishing has a Banger 35% off all non kit and none sale items using code OUTTIMETOSHINE all one word at checkout. Not sure what to get, check out the Arsenal Sun Gloves, Excalibur Pliers, Battle Braid scissors or new Swim Jigs! If you mention HellaBass sent you in the comments, you will likely get a FREE Bonus Gift. SHOP HERE!

Rakuten formerly ebates.com, has some killer deals. They always have 1-5% rebate deals for major retailers, this time of the year, they have special 10-12% rebate deals that stack with any sale. Plus if you are new to signing up, using this LINK you can get a bonus instant $40 back. Outdoor retailers, like Cabelas, Bass Pro, Academy, Dicks Sporting Goods, Walmart and several more to get digital rebates at!

Dicks Sporting Goods has some good deals on lures, and other fishing stuff, but the biggest deal that caught my eye was this Lews Custom Speed Spool, reg $180 for $60!

ChaddyBoys,com has some unique sales on specialized Garmin Units and trolling motors that are not on sale at other Big Box Retailers. If you are looking for a specific Garmin product, check out their Black Friday Page!

Tackle Trap has some pretty unique deals on some specialty bass baits and items worth checking out, Shimano Reels, Maxscent, and more, 8 full pages, here is where you can check out their deals.

Tackle Warehouse is in Round 3 of their 20% of Black Friday Deals, see the full page here.

Academy has some pretty solid deals on Electronics as well, like Humminbird, Lowrance and Garmin. Plus deals on Costa and Lews and Bubba. See their full fishing deals here.

Advanced Bass Tactics, Bass Boat Corner, Uncategorized

Setting up Garmin LiveScope doesn’t have to be Scary

November 19, 2024 hellabass

Here are a few of my favorite videos and quick settings updates so you can get the most out of your new Garmin Live Scope unit.

Setup Garmin Livesope in 10 mins or less!

10 Most Important Garmin Livescope LVS 34 Settings you NEED to Know!

This is a step most anglers miss when setting up a new Live Scope Unit

Looking to get a Garmin Livescope Bundle…. Check out the bundle deals at ChaddyBoys.com.

General, Top Lists

Top Bass Fishing Black Friday & Cyber Week Deals

November 22, 2023 hellabass

Sharing the top Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Small Biz Saturday, Cyber Week deals for bass fishing. Feel free to comment with your own suggestions.

As new Fishing Cyber Deals Pop Up, I will keep updating this post.

Omnia Fishing’s 5 Days of Big Sales with super deep discounts on specific items or categories. It starts on Nov 23 on Thanksgiving and runs through Monday with special deals each day while supplies last. On top of that, they have $60 Gift Cards for $50 which make great stocking stuffers, or you can buy digital gift cards and put those towards future deals for stacked savings! So check the Omnia Deal Page each day!

Looking for a quality $200 Baitcaster reel for less than $200? Lew’s Pro BB1 and Team Lew’s Pro SP SLP Skipping & Pitching reels are $112 when you add them to your cart at Academy. Currently, Academy has a 15% rebate through Rakuten. So with the rebate, you are getting this reel for about $96 with free shipping. Need a Rakuten account? Sign up here and you can also earn a $40 bonus on top of that $96 reel!

Need a super affordable quality spinning rod combo as a gift for an angler? Check out this Jordan Lee signature combo from Abu Garcia that can be found at Walmart. It is 60% off, so you can grab this bass combo for $39.99!

Bass Pro Shops & Cabelas usually have some solid deals this week. The one that jumps out at me is the $40 off a Pflueger President XT spinning reel. You can check out all the Bass Pro fishing deals on this page.

If you grab a deal on one of these fishing reels, you are going to need new fishing line. The very best deals on fishing line I found for 2023 is from Dicks Sporting Goods. They have many line specials that are more than 50% off

Bass Pro also has some Deep Discounts on Lowrance & Humminbird Units, see the full list here.

If you are looking to make some upgrades on your boat, check out some of the great deals on PowerHouse Lithium, Minn Kota Talons & Ultrex Trolling Motors, Jack Plates, Trolling Motors and so much More at ChaddyBoys.com

Good polarized sunglasses are imperative for fishing, check out these deals on Costa Del Mar, Oakley, and more up to $85 off per pair.

Amazon also has some sneaky good deals on Lowrance HDS, up to 52% off on these units from HDS-7 all the way up to HDS-16 units.

Every use Rakuten???? Great way to save money on most online retailers. You shop and basically get free digital rebates. Right now they are running a great promo where you can get $40 for signing up and making a qualifying purchase.

If you have a hankering for the Big Swimbaits?? DC Swimbaits is having s Black Friday Special drop, prices will be reflected as 30% off, no code is needed. Great time to try a custom hand-poured Big Swimbait!

Perch Colored 6.5″ Weedless Shad in Perch

Arsenal Fishing is known for its baits, fishing tools, accessories, and stylish fishing clothing. They have an awesome straight-up 35% off Sitewide with code BLACKFRIDAY23 – Follow this link to access ArsenalFishing.com

Keep checking back for more great fishing deals.

Product Reviews

Reviewing the Trick Shad Glide Bait from Bull Shad Baits

April 6, 2023 hellabass

Have you ever seen a tournament-sized Glide bait that looks too good to resist? If you’re a bass angler, you probably have, especially if you follow professional anglers and their gear choices. One of the latest baits that caught everyone’s attention at the Red Crest tournament was the Trick Shad Glide bait from Bull Shad Baits. Edwin Evers used it for several big fish catches and his third-place finish, but what is it, and why is it so popular?

After some research on message boards and social media, I found out that the Trick Shad is a prototype small tournament Glide bait designed by Mike Bucca, the founder of Bull Shad Baits. It weighs about 2.5 ounces, measures just over 7 inches with the full tail, and has a tight and erratic choppy Glide motion that mimics a Shad’s movement. The Trick Shad is fully customizable from a sink rate standpoint, thanks to a removable pin that allows you to adjust the weight and achieve the desired sink speed. The removable pin also allows you to adjust the screws in the joint to change its glide action.

The Trick Shad differs from the existing Bull Shad Shad Glide. The Bucca Shad glide has a wider more traditional glide, as opposed to the tighter action of the Trick Shad glide. Shop more readily available Bull Shad swimbaits here.

I attended the Bassmaster Classic at Knoxville and immediately visited the Bull Shad Booth to see the Trick Shad up close. The regular paint job and the custom paint job were already selling out fast, so I grabbed two, one of each. The regular one looks stunning, with a deep Shad profile and a realistic finish that would appeal to any predator fish. The custom paint job has a holographic Shad color that shines in the water and could trigger more strikes, especially in low-light conditions.

The Trick Shad Glide bait is not a cheap bait, and it sold out quickly at the tournament. However, I felt compelled to buy two, given the scarcity and the potential for a big bite. Comparing it to other baits, such as the River2Sea 168 and the Arashi Glide, the Trick Shad has a similar length and profile but weighs more than the River2Sea and less than the Arashi. The Trick Shad does have rotating hook hangers, and it comes with split rings and hooks or you can add your own if you prefer.

In conclusion, the Trick Shad Glide bait from Bull Shad Baits is a tournament-grade bait that looks, feels, and performs exceptionally well. Its tight and choppy Glide motion, combined with its realistic finish and customizable sink rate, make it an ideal bait for targeting big bass or other predator fish. The Trick Shad may not be widely available yet, but keep an eye on Bull Shad Baits’ website or social media pages for updates on its release. Your best bet is to visit the Bull Shad website and sign up for their newsletter to get in on their next bait drops. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one, you won’t regret it.

Bass Boat Corner

Introducing the New Player in the Bass Boat Market: iKON Boats

April 6, 2023 hellabass

Jacob Wheeler, a well-known professional bass angler, recently announced on his YouTube channel that he’s building his own bass boat. As we dug deeper into this, we discovered that he’s actually working with a new boat brand called Icon Boats, a subsidiary of HCB Yachts, which is rooted in Hydra Sports Heritage.

But the question is, do we really need a new bass boat brand? And what makes Ikon Boats so special that it’s being touted as the best new bass boat out there? Let’s dive in and find out.

Jacob Wheeler’s New Bass Boat

First, it’s important to note that Ikon Boats is not your budget-friendly, everyman’s boat. This is a high-end bass boat that’s likely to exceed $100,000 when fully loaded. But what sets it apart from other luxury boats in the market?

For starters, Ikon Boats has a unique shape and design, with a distinctive “wishbone” in the top cap that makes it stand out from the crowd. The seats are also unlike anything you’ve seen before in a bass boat, resembling modified gamer chairs. And the compartments have unique edges and angles, setting it apart from the simple geometry found in most boats.

One interesting thing to note is that the company is releasing an LX20 and LX21 edition right away, which is typical for major bass boat brands to have a 20 and 21-foot option. However, it doesn’t look like there will be any 18 or 19-foot starter-sized boats initially.

But what about the company’s heritage? Icon Boats is linked to Hydra Sports, a popular bass boat brand from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. However, the company stopped producing bass boats in 1998 and went into yacht making. Ikon Boats, therefore, represents a new era of bass boats, with little expectation that it will resemble its predecessor in any significant way.

So why should you consider Ikon Boats over other top-tier bass boat brands like Phoenix, Caymas, Triton, or Skeeter? While it’s hard to say definitively without trying the boat out for yourself, the unique design, luxury feel, and promise of high performance make it a compelling option.

In conclusion, Ikon Boats is an exciting new addition to the bass boat market, offering a fresh take on luxury and performance. While it may not be for everyone due to its high price point, for those looking for the best of the best, Icon Boats is definitely worth checking out.

Fantasy Bass Fishing Corner, Multimedia, Uncategorized

Fantasy Fishing Insider: BPT Stage 3

March 1, 2022 hellabass

MLF Fantasy Fishing is here or the old FLW Fantasy Fishing is back, well, kind of. This week smack on top of the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell, the Bass Pro Tour is fishing their Stage 3 event on Lewis Smith Lake.

Lewis Smith is a spotted bass mecca, but water is up and in the bushes, so largies may play. But I still think that in an every fish counts format where all bass over 1lbs 8oz count, Spots will probably carry most top anglers.

Below is a recap of my picks for both the BPT traditional game where you pick 10 best anglers out of 80 and also the predictor game, which is like Prop bets for Bass Fishing.

Hopefully, MLF makes improvements to their fantasy fishing game and this is just a jumping-off point.

Gifts for Bass Fishing Rubes, Top Lists

BEST FISHING GIFT IDEAS FOR ANGLERS 2021

December 10, 2021 hellabass

What are the best gifts for the fisherman who has everything?

Fishermen and fisher gals are arguably some of the most difficult people to shop for out of anyone. So today, I am sharing 10+ Can’t-Miss Ideas for you to add to your list or if you are looking for ideas for the special fisherman in your life!

Best Gift Ideas for Anglers

If you don’t’ want to watch the gift ideas, check out my video above if you prefer to read the ideas, scroll down! Gonna start with a few items that come in for less than $10 and work our way up from there.

Fishing glue is super handy to have in a tackle bag or boat. You can repair lures, frogs, glue soft plastics in place and do on the fly temporary rod repairs. The best stuff I have found that doesn’t constantly dry out is the Carlson Tackle Fishing Glue.
Many of us have invested quite a bit in our rods & reels. That being said, we don’t always do the best job of protecting those investments. The Rod Glove makes a whole series of products for less than $10 to protect rods, reels and our baits. Check them all out here.
A good pair of fishing scissors that cuts braid like butter is worth its weight in gold. The best scissors I have used are made by Arsenal Fishing. Check out their Battle Braid Scissors and there many other fine tools.
If you are like me, you probably hate slathering on sun screen while fishing. Yet at the same time, taking care of your skin is no joke. Too many fine anglers have had serious battles with skin cancer to ignore the effects of fishing all day in the sun withouth protection. I have went the way of hooded sun shirts to cover my skin. If you watch any of my fishing videos, I rocked Arsenal lightweigh long sleeve hoodies all year and they were awesome!
This one may seem strange but trust me. While you will never likely catch a fish on a portable charging bank, they can be a life save for your electornics in the outdoors. Never have a dead phone on the water again with a 10,000 mah bank, plus you can run GoPros, tablets, etc. I use them to run my GoPros for days at a time and never worry about the internal GoPro batteries.
As your rod & reel arsenal grows, storage of rods can start to be a challenge. Check out these great rod racks that require no tools to assemble. Should keep your rods organized, safe and don’t take up much space.
Digital Handheld Scales – Having a scale is the difference between a fishing tale & a legit story & proof a true trophy catch. All anglers should have a quality scale for their fishing trips. If your angler owns a boat & primarily fishes from that, I recommend this Rapala scale, if they tend to fish from shore, other people’s boats or ice fishing, then check out this smaller more compact version.
Whether you are a bank angler, kayak angler or fish out of other boats, a dedicated fishing back pack can be a great asset for any angler. There are some great budget backpack options around $30. If you want to step it up, check out his Piscifun pack as well.
If you want to really suprise them with a new fishing rod, I suggest checking out the Dobyns Fury lineup. Hard to go wrong with a 7′ M/MH action rod whether it be spinning or casting.
Then if you want to put a giant Cherry on that Sunday, go ahead and make those rods a combo with a Daiwa Fuego Spinning reel or Shimano SLX casting reel.
BONUS TIP: GIFT CARDS ARE AWESOME GIFTS. Here are some of my fav stores to get Gift Cards for: Omnia Fishing

If you are not sure that some of these ideas will be home run for you. Here is another great TIP. Omnia Fishing has a Wish List feature, have your favorite angler create a list here where they can pick out the exact items, sizes, colors and send it to you and anyone else via email. Also, you anglers that are watching this video to get ideas that you want to add to your list, head on over, fill out your own wish list, and use that to inform your loved ones so they don’t buy you another Singing Billy Bass again this year.

BASS Tour, Fantasy Bass Fishing Corner

Lake Neely henry BASSMASTER FANTASY FISHING: HELLABASS PUNDIT PICKS BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES

April 29, 2021 hellabass

This week we break down LAKE NEELY HENRY Bassmaster Elite Series event out of Gadsden, AL. This is the 6th fantasy fishing event of 2021. Be interesting to see if an Alabama angler like Gerald Swindle, Steve Kennedy, or Scott Canterbury can bring home the Victory this week.

Be sure to tune into BASS Live, cause Coosa River spots are super mean and big, they should be a blast to watch. I expect spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, topwaters, swim jigs and so much more power fishing to be strong players this week.

See Full Pundit Picks here – http://bassmasterfantasy.com

Audio only Podcast – https://anchor.fm/hellabass/episodes/65—NEELY-HENRY-Bassmaster-Fantasy-Fishing-HellaBass-Pundit-Picks-Bassmaster-Elite-Series-evub9s

For the Neely Henry video version of the picks, watch the video below:

Traditional Bucket Picks:
Bucket A – Josh Stracner
Bucket B – Wes Logan
Bucket C – Luke Palmer
Bucket D – Jake Whitaker
Bucket E – Bill Weidler

Drain the Lake Picks:
Scott Canterbury
Greg Hackney
Justin Hamner
Steve Kennedy
Wes Logan
Bill Lowen
Josh Stracner
Bill Weidler

Tips and Techniques

How to wacky rig a Senko (A Better way)

April 28, 2021 hellabass

How to Wacky Rig Senko?
Wacky Rigging in its simplest form is taking a Senko or soft plastic stick worm and hooking right in the middle with a wacky style hook. Normally fished weightless or with a very small wacky jig head. While that will catch fish, there is a whole lot more to wacky rigging & being efficient in how you fish a wacky rig.

What size hook for wacky rigs?
There are a ton of great hooks for wacky rigging, my two go-to hooks are VMC Neko Hooks in sizes #1 & 1/0. I find that octopus-style wacky hooks often skin hook fish in the mouth & I lose more fish with those hooks.

Best weedless wacky hook style for bass — ***Best style wacky hook for catching more bass!***

How to Fish a Wacky Rig?
The beauty of a wacky rigged soft plastic worm is that it pretty much creates its own action. Cast it around likely areas that hold bass, like docks, trees, laydowns, stumps, pads, weed clumps, etc., and let the rig slowly sink to the bottom. More often than not, bass will eat the bait on the initial fall, if not give the bait small pulls and lifts, letting the bait fall on semi slack line on the way back to the boat. Rinse and repeat and be ready to get bit. Still not sure how to fish a wacky rig? Watch the video below to see its effectiveness for catching bass.

Better ways to Wacky Rig Worms
One of the downfalls of wacky rigging is that you burn through a lot of baits. Because you are just hooking the bait in the center, baits often easily rip in half or fly off when landing a fish. The most common way to improve this is by using a simple O-ring tool make help keep the baits on your hook. While the O-ring helps immensely, there is an even better solution. For the ultimate in bait preservation, the Arsenal Wacky Bands and Tool take the cake.

***Best tool for wacky rigging senkos & neko style worms***

If you are more into visual learning, watch this How to Wacky Rig Video Below.

Best Way to Wacky Rig

Why should you use Arsenal Wacky bands?
Soft plastic worms and stick baits may seem relatively inexpensive, but if you are on a hot bite, you could easily go through a couple of bags of worms per day and that can add up if you are just wacky rigging with just a simple wacky hook through the worm.

What do popular Senkos & Stick worms cost?
Here is a quick chart for the cost of popular wacky worms:

This chart quickly shows you why investing in a good wacky system, like the Arsenal Wacky tool will quickly pay for itself and save you a ton of cash! When most bags of soft plastics cost over $5 each if you can an extra fish or three per worm, the savings add up fast and we end up with less lost worms falling in the water as litter.

If you like to fish Wacky Worms in deeper water or current, think about making your own wacky jigs as I show in the video below. This video will help you simplify your gear & reduce the amount of tackle you need to carry, which is great especially if you fish from the bank or a smaller boat like a kayak.