Product Review: Sufix 832 Braided Line

By: Tyler Brinks

Braided line is here to stay.  It is the perfect line for many situations and in my opinion it is a must for punchin' and frog fishing.  I have been using the same brand of braid for over ten years, the biggest reason was it worked well.  I never thought much about it, braid is braid right?  I have been using the new Sufix 832 for about a month now and have been really impressed.  It won the Best Fishing Line award at the 2010 ICAST show.  Some fisherman don't really pay much attention to the awards at ICAST because they always seems to go to the biggest companies, whether they deserved it or not, but this stuff is the real deal.  

Like I always say when I get something new "What makes this better than the rest?"  Sufix calls it "the next generation of technical fishing line".  It is braided line, but includes GORE Performance Fibers (think Goretex) to make it stronger and more durable.  My first experience with the line came while spooling it on my reels.  It was smooth, almost like it wasn't braid.  I checked my other spools of braid made by other brands and you could immediately feel the difference.  

Braid is great, but it always seems to get frayed and lose color after a few trips.  So far, so good with the 832.  It is still smooth and maintained most of it's color after some hard days of fishing thick cover.  It's also a very small diameter and has no problems with casting.

Sufix 832 is different for three major reasons:

• The first is Dyneema® fibers, which contribute to the small diameter, high strength and sensitivity of the fishing line. 
• The GORE Performance Fibers add improved abrasion resistance, noise and vibration reduction, along with improved casting length and accuracy. 
• Lastly, the R8 Precision Braiding and fiber technology add superior strength, roundness and line consistency.

These three reasons are very technical explanations for what makes the line different, but in actual testing while fishing, I can tell you this braid is in a different class.

BY: Tyler Brinks

Senco Worm Tactics

Gary Yamamoto really broke the mold when he invented the Senko Worm. It is brilliant bait and it is widely used. But are we using the Senko to its fullest ability?

There are fundamental tactics that, to me, are key when fishing the Senko Worm. Oh yes, there are many proven ways to fish the Worm, like ‘dead sticking’ or ‘wacky worming’ to name a few. All will work in fooling old Bucket and Smallmouth, but consider what a smaller hook and finessing the Senko worm can accomplish! I personally think that’s what it was meant to do. It works so well because it mesmerizes the Bass into submission with its unique patented action on its own, there is no need for jerking the rod to give it life. All the Senko Worm needs is for you to strategically place it out there and watch it work!

I rig my Senko Worm Texas with a 3/0 Owner wide gap ‘rigging’ hook with the point imbedded into the Worm. I think that “fussy” Bass will take their first bite and feel what they think is ‘fresh meat’, not steel and the next ‘chomp’ is the stinger! When they aren’t fussy though, the 3/0 Owner will hook them just the same. It has been proven over and over in my endeavors. The other advantage to a smaller hook is longer fall time, which is essential to Bass wanting to engulf the Senko Worm. The alluring fall of the Senko is what attracts the Bass’s attention. This is where Senko Worm tactics or the ABC’s, if you will, come in to play.

In order for the Senko to do its thing it requires slack line. That is the most important part of its ability to fool Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. When casting the Senko worm, I try to cast it over hand, giving it an arch shape of line so that when it hits the water it automatically has the slack it needs for the fall. If I am not able to cast over hand then I give it ample line as soon as it meets the water surface. By using Power Pro braided line with this combo one only has to watch their line for detection of Bass. When they take the bait, reel in the slack and set the hook hard!

When rigged this way your Senko Worm should fall slowly and move slightly front to back while quivering! I have taken the time to try many hook sizes and line combinations and I have found through trial and error that Owner 3/0 wide gap hook + Power Pro + Senko Worm = Bass! “Mr. Yamamoto, you are a genius”!
BY: Gordon Holman

Learning to stay positive

Its funny how things go hand and hand. You seem to learn a lot of things about yourself thru others actions or what someone says. I saw this first hand the other day as I loaded up my gear, and hit the water. I arrived to a cold afternoon with snow still on the ground and a water temp of 40. I know that I'm going to have to slow way down. My game plan was throwing suspending jerkbaits, big jigs, and even a grub on spinning gear. As the day progressed, I became rather negative, fighting wind, rough water in a small boat and what the fish were telling me, what seemed to be nothing. I got discouraged, frustrated with all that was going on and lost focus on the task at hand. Then after calling it a day, still feeling frustrated, I ran across some positive words that Gerald Swindle told students at a recent Bass University clinic. He simply put it as to stay positive, don't let the negative override what your doing. Then I caught an episode of FLW Outdoors, a replay from Lake Ouachita, where Ish Monroe made the final cut and he talked quite a bit about his performance last year and how he was 80 percent negative throughout the year. Coming into this year, he has turned himself around mentally for the better. All in all, this turned me around, made me realize why I love to fish, and can't wait for the next outing. Til next time, stay positive, learn from the bad and never give up!

By: CaleMilam

Peppergrass Tips

Peppergrass is similar to hydrilla in that your lures will get wrapped. My favorite all time lure for peppergrass is the spinnerbait in chartreuse and white (willow gold/Colorado silver). Use a good trailer to bulk up the bait.This is a deadly method for Florida bass.

I start by casting to the outside of the peppergrass line and work it right inot the peppergrass. You can also throw the spinnerbait into pockets and use a steady retrieve. Most of the hits will come as you 1st enter the peppergrass line with the spinnerbait or as you work it over a pocket.

Another method I have been successful with is flippin or pitching the stalks with a worm. I don't use a heavy weight, usually just a 1/4 ounce. Work the worm into pockets and in the heavier stalks. See my technique on flippin to get a better understanding of what the bite will feel like.

BY: Gordon Holman

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A Look At the InvisaSwivel

The InvisaSwivel by Aquateko; “what is an InvisaSwivel?” you may be asking.  It is the newest swivel to hit the fishing market.  From the moment you see one up close you can tell there is something different about this swivel.  It’s made of plastic a Fluro-Clear material instead of metal.  The design of the swivel is completely different as well.  The InvisaSwivel is almost invisible in the water, unlike those metal ones we all use.

One of the most important aspects of the InvisaSwivel in my opinion is it is neutrally buoyant.  What does this translate into? More action in your Carolina rig.  When I tested the InvisaSwivel, I started throwing my Carolina rig in shallow water so I could watch the action of the lure.  With the InvisaSwivel tied on you could plainly see the soft plastic fluke I was using dancing back to the boat with more action than I have ever seen with a regular metal swivel.

Not only does the InvisaSwivel give your soft plastics more action on a Carolina Rig but it helps get rid of those horrible line twists we all get.  I used the InvisaSwivel on a spinning rod with 6 pound test fluorocarbon line, for drop-shoting.  It seems like most of the time when I fish a drop shot I fight the line twist more than I fight the bass.  In four hours of drop shoting with my spinning rod I never had a problem with line twist. 

The InvisaSwivel is as a great choice for those fishermen who like to fish braid with a fluorocarbon leader.  With the InvisaSwivel being clear under the water you can use the InvisaSwivel to connect the two lines together.  Your swivel and fluorocarbon leader will be clear under the water.

Tying the InvisaSwivel is easy as well.  You only need to know how to tie one knot for it.  A standard clinch knot works great, and the InvisaSwivel even helps straighten the knot itself.  On each end of the swivel you have a hole to run your line through and a notch underneath it.  The notch in the bottom of the swivel helps to straighten the knot when you cinch it into place.

The InvisaSwivel comes in many different line sizes from 12lbs to 200lbs.  A pack runs about 5 dollars for 5 swivels.  When compared to other swivels it is only a dollar or so more.  When you weigh in all that the InvisaSwivel offers like it’s neutrally buoyancy, and the fact that it all but disappears in the water the extra dollar doesn’t seem like a big deal.  Go get some today.

BY: Chris McDonald

Hydrilla Tips

Bass fishing in hydrilla can be a pain or it can be some of the best fishing you have ever had while fishing in Florida! The biggest pain with hydrilla are the gnats. I am unsure of the name of these critters, but they are very small and swarm the boat in the summer. They are so thick that eventually you get them in your nose and ears. When you get close to the topped out stuff, these gnats will cover your boat, motor and clothes. Sounds bad doesn't it! Just because the gnats are there doesn't mean the fish are not! Hydrilla can be loaded with fish, so be patient and put up with those critters. You can also take a break once in awhile and get up on plane to drive 'em off you!

So now that we're over the hydrilla gnat discussion, the other issue is that trolling motor props tend to get wrapped up with the thick hydrilla. It's not bad until you start to flip the stuff and you are real close. The best way to battle this is to buy a high powered trolling motor, 80 lb thrust and up.

Finally, the last pain is that crankbaits, hard jerkbaits and even spinnerbaits will get wrapped up in the stuff. After some experience, you will know how to retrieve these lures to minimize the wrap-ups, and yet maintain contact with the weeds. If you do get wrapped up bad, don't just try to jerk it lose otherwise you may break your line. It is best to go to the opposite side of the hydrilla bed you're stuck in and do a steady pull with an occasional jerk.

OK, after all that are you still willing to bass fish hydrilla. You better, or you will be missing some of the best bass fishing you ever had.

My favorite method of fishing the stuff is to look for the deep water side of the hydrilla bed and fish maybe 25-50 yards from the topped out stuff, give or take a few yards. In this scattered stuff you can use the hard jerkbait of your choice, a Zara Spook topwater, a Rattletrap, a spinnerbait or a Texas rigged worm. Use the methods I discuss in each of the technique sections for all these lures.

If the going gets tough, I'll try two other methods. The 1st one is to go to where the underwater hydrilla stops with only a few scattered clumps every 10-20 yards. I will use a Diving crankbait in this area.

If that doesn't work I'll resort to flippin the topped out stuff. Of course you'll have to deal with the gnats, but the number of big fish I have caught doing this far outways the negatives associated with the gnats. Just look for the thickets stuff you can find a wiggle your lure on top of the stalks until it penetrates. If the lures doesn't go through, go to a little less dense stuff or look for small holes in the mat.

If there is hydrilla in the Florida lake you are fishing and you are not trying it, you'll miss a great opportunity!

BY: Gordon Holman