The Spotlight: Sasquatch Soft Plastics

This is the first of what I hope to be many posts that showcase and spotlight the companies and people who deserve some recognition.  I am going to focus on the people in the bass fishing community who are just like the rest of us, the ones who you'd like to spend a day on the water with.  First up is Sasquatch Soft Plastics!

Soft plastics baits are no doubt the best selling and in my opinion, the best producing, bass lures on the market.  Companies come and go and many seem to be exactly the same as the next one.  All you need to do is pour some watermelon/red flake and green pumpkin worms and you're in business.  That's not how Derek Kaalberg at Sasquatch does things.  To him, it's more than just making baits that everyone else can do.  He is about making unique and totally custom baits for each customer.  Sure, he will pour you 10 inch worms in Junebug, but the idea behind his company is that "color choices are COMPLETELY custom, meaning you have the power to choose what you want.  No exceptions!"  I ordered some of his Spooky Flukes in a secret color earlier this year and they have been awesome.  

I had the chance to talk with Derek recently and asked him a few questions about his company and how he got started.

TB: How did you start pouring soft plastic baits?

DK: Well, I used to make homemade spinnerbaits with my dad when I was younger, and I always loved it.  We even played around with fly tying, but when I started tournament fishing in 2009, it didn't take long to figure out that these guys are looking for something that is a little different to get a leg up on the competition.  So that Winter, I started looking for custom baits myself, and kept finding the same styles here and there from different custom plastic guys.  The wheels started turning and I remembered how much I loved making my own tackle.

TB: How long does it take it from thought to design to finished product?

DK: It is surprisingly fast. After I got my first set of custom molds made into aluminum injection molds, I kinda sat back and thought, "Wow, a couple months ago, these were just ideas scribbled on paper!"

Step by step, what my brother and I did was ultimately draw the designs on paper.  They were either compilations of different baits or just crazy ideas we had thought up.  

Next, we use some craft-grade modeling clay and make a scale version of the bait.  When we get it just right, we bake it in the oven to harden up the clay.

Now the work and waiting begins.  In order to get a copy of our idea into a plastic bait, we needed a simple yet effective molding process.  Simply put, Plaster of Paris.  Theres a lot more to it than that, but hey, I can't share EVERYTHING.

After the plaster molds are refined and plastics are poured and tank tested and everything seems to work and look alright, I send the clay models off to a mold maker.

TB: What are your best sellers?

DK: The best sellers would definitely have to be the 3.5" Baby Skunk Apes, the 5.25" Spooky Flukes, 4" E-Dah Craws and surprisingly to me...the 3.5" Jace Craw Jig Chunks.

TB: What are the coolest custom colors you have made?

DK: In starting this, I have had requests for so many cool colors and seeing them written on paper does it no justice at all.  It's awesome to see some of these colors come to life right in front of you and I must say, I do have some new favorites.

But the single most crazy color I have done was for Pro-Staffer Devon Gamboe who is on the Moline High School Tournament Bass Fishing Team.  Devon asked for a custom 6" Littlefoot finesse worm.  The body of the worm was watermelon/blue sapphire laminate with a blood red spade tail.  It was a very cool looking bait and kind of reminded me of a clown pattern.  Normally, I will not release a customer's custom color unless they don't mind.

The custom aspect of Sasquatch is the coolest thing for me.  To be able to provide anglers with that favorite color that had been discontinued or a color they thought up on their own is awfully rewarding.  Just the thought of anglers catching fish on baits I made is enough of a reward for me and I truly mean that!

TB: So what's next for Sasquatch?

DK: The sky is the limit.  We are still drawing up new designs and trying to get the name out there.  I think with the Pro-Staffers I have now, Sasquatch will be more recognized across the bass fishing community come next Summer.  I myself will be fishing the B.A.S.S. Weekend Series events to help promote the brand.  But as long as I love and enjoy making custom baits for myself and customers I don't really see Sasquatch Soft Plastics going anywhere but up.  The baits work for me, it's just convincing everyone else that they will work for them!

It was great talking with Derek and his enthusiasm showed.  He really cares about making great baits and making his customers happy.  If you have an idea for a color and nobody is making it, give him a call: (309)738-1322.  You will be impressed.  

• You can learn more about Sasquatch Soft Plastics by checking out their website: sasquatchsoftplastics.com

By: Tyler Brinks

Boat Lettering

I have taken the past few weeks to put together some ideas on how to promote sponsors and companies that stand behind me in my quest to achieve my fishing goals. I recently watched a short video on Wired2Fish about Denny Brauer and how he talks about the importance of a wrap and how it promotes his sponsors as a rolling advertisement. I thought this was a neat idea, did some research on a lower budget scale and got with Innecken Sign Works to do somy vinyl on my boat and truck. Now, comes the time to execute, which should be in the works very shortly. Applying sponsors or companies you truly stand behind as a source of advertisement is just one of the small things you can do for great companies you believe in, and I've had the pleasure so far with working with Sasquatch Soft Plastics, Xtreme Lure Creations, Innecken Sign Works and Inside Bass Fishing, as they will be represented on my boat and truck as it rolls down the road or is on the water. This is one of the few things I've learned to do in sponsor promotion, and in the end, you have a pretty sharp rig rolling down the road.

By: Cale Milam

New Strike King KVD 1.5/2.5 Square bill Crankbait

When you hear Strike King you might think crankbaits, Kevin Van Dam, Spinnerbaits or Denny Brauer or maybe all of the above.  Strike King is known for making the best crankbaits on the market.  They sponsor the best bass fisherman in B.A.S.S. or even the world, Kevin Van Dam.  So when the two have teamed up to make a new lure, you know it will be phenomenal.

The new KVD 1.5 and 2.5 square bill crankbaits live up to the name they have on them.  The baits come in two sizes the 1.5 is 3/8 OZ where the 2.5 is 5/8 OZ.  They both dive to 3-5 FT.  They are silent baits with no rattles in them for a stealth approach in shallow water.  Bass Pro Shops exclusively carries a rattling line of 1.5 and 2.5 baits when you want to fish dirty water with these baits.

The square bill allows the KVD 1.5 and 2.5 baits to deflect off of cover easily without fear of getting hung up.  Another great feature of the baits is that if floats.  You can real down the bait and pause it allowing the lure to float to the surface.  I used this technique with the KVD 1.5 fishing shallow rip rap, I would bounces the lure off the rocks and then pause it allowing it to float to the surface.  I would then reel it back down to the rocks and repeat the process.  The bass would devour the bait both well moving and during the pause.  The KVD 1.5 and 2.5 also work great around docks and bridge pilings.

The KVD 1.5 and 2.5 are a great in between bait for the Strike King Line up.  They fill the gap between the Series 4S and Series 4.  Yes Strike King has a crankbait for that in the Series1 but the KVD 1.5 and 2.5 are heavier baits and the profile is bigger.  This gives those larger bass something bigger to entice them.  Also the new lures have a truly square bill unlike the Series4s and Series1 that have more of a triangle bill on them.

The KVD 1.5 and 2.5 come with VMC #4 hooks on both the front and back of the baits.  This allows you to get good hook sets on those violent strikes that come from the bass you are catching.  They also both come with oval split shot rings on the nose of the bait which allows you to keep the bait running true without fear of your line causing any problems.

Over all the KVD 1.5 and 2.5 are great products.  They perform great out of the package without any modifications to them.  They come in a variety of colors and live up to the name KVD that daunts the package.  They cost $5.79 at Bass Pro Shop.  If you are looking for a little larger crankbait to fish those fallen trees, docks, rocks or bridge pilings make sure you pick some up before your next shallow water fishing trip. 

Fishing for Charities Tournament Trail

Bass fishing is more than just a hobby for me, it’s a way of life.  I love to fish bass tournaments.  I think those anglers who enjoy fishing tournaments enjoy the competition like I do.  I like matching my skill against someone else.  The money when you win makes it all the better.  With so many tournament trails it’s hard to know which to fish.    

                I wanted to tell you about a tournament trail that is only a year old.  I recently found out about this trail and I am sold.  Fishing For Charities is a bass fishing tournament trail that is devoted to raising money for various charities.  Dwayne puts it like this “was founded out of our love of fishing and our dedication to help charitable organizations that have personally touched lives.”  The money from entry fees is split.  40% of the money is donated to the charity of each event.  The other 60% goes back into the anglers hands.

The tournament trail was born after Dwayne Linkous’ son, Raiden, was diagnosed with Niemann Pick Disease.  Dwayne who has been a TBF director realized that bass fishing tournaments could be used for something more than just competition.  “Our tournament directors have over 53 years of tournament experience.”  With that much experience in running good quality tournaments you can count on a quality tournament when you sign up to Fish For Charities.

Fishing For Charities helps raise money for NPD Raidens Hope, Wounded Warrior Project, Make-A-Wish of Greater VA, Autism Society of East TN, Relay For Life of Hamblen CO and Victory Junction Camp.  Fishing For Charities currently has 6 tournaments scheduled for 2011, in North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.  You can see the full tournament schedule here.  

With the tournament trail starting its second year there are many things still to come.  Dwayne told me that they hope to be able to have a classic of sorts for the top anglers each year.  The tournaments are a team format but you can fish alone.  It is the top five fish per boat that is weighed in.  The tournaments themselves are 100 dollars per boat.  You can become a member of Fishing For Charities for 15 dollars which entitles you to some bonus pay outs.  Membership in Fishing For Charities is not required to fish the tournaments.  The pay back scale is based on the number of boats in the field.  

So this year help out some local charities and go fish with Fishing for Charities. If you would like information for a charity close to your heart contact Dwayne Linkous.

Down Time

I’ve been spending the last few days pondering if I want to man up, load the boat, and head out and battle the cold weather in the hunt for a few green fish. Here in the south, we don’t see ice so thick you can drive a full size truck over it. We see some teen and above temps, but pretty much you can dump your boat at any accessible ramp anytime, considering you can bare the elements. Around this time I take a look at all my inventory, rods, reels, tackle and so on and develop a plan to restock, clean and organize everything I have, gearing up for next spring, well really February when the johnboat trail begins. I like to make these things a regular thing, therefore it will become second nature and it really helps your equipment in the long run. I keep a pretty good selection of line, keep it out of intense heat/cold and it’ll last for quite some time. I also strip my reels of the old line, take them about halfway down, clean them thoroughly and oil and re grease where needed. I am a Quantum PT guy for the most part, so a dab of Quantum Hot Sauce on specific places will keep me firing smooth casts all year long. I will also clean my rods with a cleaner wax on the blank, wipe the cork with lacquer thinner to clean the “black” we all put on the handles from use and check the guides for burrs and blemishes with a Q-tip. These are just a few minor tips you can all do to protect your investment, and make it last.  From there I’ll go through my tackle, every aspect and add to what I’m low on, replace new hooks and add what I think I’m going to try the next year that I may not have in my boxes. 

This is also a good time to get your game plan together, whether planning vacation days to fish a club tournament or just to plan to take the family or friends out. This time for me is where I enter my learning curve to deal with sponsors. I’ve landed a great deal with Sasquatch Soft Plastics and I cannot wait to try out some of their new products in the coming year. I am also excited to meet and talk some with some great companies and people over time and perhaps put together a plan to catch some quality fish and cash a few checks as well. That is the most important part, you have to know how to fish, sounds cliché, but you have to be able to figure them out on any given day and circumstance. Simply, putting your head down and fishing is what you have to do…period! These are some key things to make your fishing trip better, make your year run smoother, the will to prepare, cover your bases and be ready. Now is the time, set your goals, go after them, but for now, enjoy the cold and have a little down time! 

By: 
Cale Milam

Tis the Season

 It is that time of year again; the smells of warm grass and dead leaves are behind us.  Gone are the days of shorts and flip flops and dangling your toes in the water. It is time for that very special season we know as bass fisherman to be winter.  That’s right; most of the northern states are in the beginning stages of a deep freeze that will last for months.  Most of the casual anglers have long since put their boats in storage and stored their gear until spring, but some are already biting their nails in anticipation of the season to come.  If that nail biting, manic depressive is you, silently wandering the fishing aisle at Meijer on a cold winter night, here are a few things that might ease the winter chill.

January generally starts off the consumer fishing show season.  This corresponds with the public release of all the great tackle and gear we have read about in the latest issues of fishing magazines.  These shows are a great way to soothe your need to battle those beasts of the deep.  Most of the dedicated fishing shows, such as the Showspan Ultimate Fishing Shows, have good selections of new products to get your hands on.  This may also be the best time to find that new piece of equipment you need.  Showspan consumer shows also have multiple vendors on hand allowing you to compare prices or combine purchases.  Many will even offer discounts for multiple items, include free lures or will have combo prices on rods and reels not available in stores.  Fishing line manufacturers will often match purchases with complimentary product.  However, this is not even the best reason to attend.  Generally, a good customer based company will be well represented with pro-staff or factory reps to explain and highlight product features and other information that most salesman and big box chain stores may not be familiar with.  These factory set-ups are the real gem at a consumer fishing show.  Most of them offer extensive knowledge and customer support, product demonstrations and new product displays.  To a consumer, this is the best place to get the most value for your hard earned dollar.  Don’t be afraid to compare and inspect products thoroughly.  Ask questions about what you are looking at and take advantage of the opportunity to talk to your peers; knowledge is buying power.

Some may scoff at this next suggestion while others may wretch and moan like the undead, but all should at least consider it.  Without argument, the best way to keep your game sharp this winter is to keep fishing, and for a great deal of people it means “Ice Fishing”.  Though it sounds contradictory to bass fisherman, there is much merit in this cold and blustery activity.  The seasoned fisherman will agree that the toils and troubles associated with drilling holes and fishing with tiny gear in the dead of winter is beneficial to an angler’s skill set.  Fishing for bluegill and other panfish through the ice helps to develop and extend abilities in key areas; locating fish, reading sonar, relating to depth, adjusting for weather conditions, and feeling light bites to name a few.  All of these are big players to a bass fisherman and can help bridge a gap in knowledge from September to April.  By knowing the location of the panfish (bass forage), a fisherman can narrow down a starting location in spring.  Information about forage can help with lure selection and presentation when the ice comes off.  Being able to make subtle adjustments to presentation due to sun, clouds, wind or pressure helps to create logical reasoning patterns.  Using electronics to locate, target and entice finicky fish through the ice gives a better understanding of how to read and use sonar when in the boat.  Most importantly, what better opportunity will a serious angler have to examine the lake and plot an attack than when standing on it?  Someone new to ice fishing can get involved for as little as $100.  All one really needs is an appropriate rod ($15-19), a small reel (which some already own), and a way to make a hole (augers can be purchased for as little as $50).  Truly, ice fishing can be an asset to a serious fisherman offering multiple avenues to increase knowledge and skills.

Finally, the most obvious way to keep your wits about you is to hook up and head south for better conditions.  Depending on your relative location to the “freeze line” there may not be much travel involved.  One can quickly determine how far to go by using satellite imagery or simply calling some tackle shops in the selected area to be sure the water is clear of ice.  It will still be winter bass fishing, but most tackle shops in the area should be able to give you a fishing report, and will likely point you in the right direction.  Winter trips can be fun, and it can even be a good way to get in some pre-practice for an upcoming championship or summertime trip.  Impoundments will often be drawn down during winter months allowing you to see cover and structure that is normally submerged during the prime fishing season.  This is a great time of year to burn up some of last years boat fuel using a tool like the Lowrance Structure Scan Imaging (LSSI) to see details that will attract and hold fish in months to come.  These trips may not always be the most productive for catching fish, but sometimes reconnaissance is a better reward.  Any information gleaned during the “off season” is priceless if it puts you ahead of the crowd when the ice is gone. 

So you can put together a car load of your best fishing buddies and head to the Bassmaster Classic in February, where you will find enough bass fishing stimulation to keep you going long into spring. You can head out and see all the new products at the consumer shows or hit the ice for some bluegills, but don’t waste away thinking about what is to come.  Get out and enjoy yourself, learn as much as you can, and get prepared for the season to come.  After all, it will be here before you know it.

By:

Kendall Ulsh

A New Kind of Scent

Bass fishermen all seem to have an opinion on what scent is best for bass fishing.  Maybe you like a garlic scent like JJ's magic, a crawfish scent, or maybe it's a homemade mix.  Berkley has built an empire on the Power Bait scent and has the science to back it up.  All of those scents are fine and work, but they are also focused on one thing; the scent of prey.

So when I first heard about Trigger X and their line of baits that are infused with Pheromones, I had to do my research.  Basically pheromones are a "secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a response".  All living things have them, and until now it hasn't hit mainstream in the bass fishing world.  Trigger X combines "aggression" and "fear", which mimic the natural predator vs. prey response.  Sounds interesting, huh?

In addition to the added attraction of the baits, the full line-up of plastics is also Phthalate free.  Again, I had to do my research to see what the heck they were talking about.  Basically this has to do with the type of plastic.  Phtalates have been found to have some health effects.  This isn't the only reason I would buy these baits, but it can't hurt.  You can see more about the problems with phtalates by clicking here.  

The baits themselves come in all of your favorite styles; worms, tubes, frogs, creatures, lizards and more.  The color selection is also pretty good and covers all of the favorites you need.  I haven't had a chance to use these yet, but they are on my list of things to try for the new year.  You can learn more about them by checking out their site.

By:
Tyler Brinks