Interesting Products

Pro-Strap Rod Fasteners

Tournament anglers have long been looking for an effective tool for securing your rods when running on plane. Products (most using nylon straps and velcro) have been on the market for many years. While they work OK, they have a tendency to snag hooks and/or fishermen. When racing the clock in a tournament situation, that can be a disaster.

Tournament Angler Products has come up with a product called the Pro-Strap that's a vast improvement in solving the rod tie-down problem. Fabricated using a continuous liquid injection process, the Pro-Strap is made out of PROFLEX 1289 and is not affected by sunlight, salt water and most chemicals. Its hook/eye design installs easily with just a couple of stainless steel screws (included) and enables the angler to quickly, simply, and effectively secure one or more rods. Pro-Strap comes in 12-inch, 16-inch, or custom lengths. Check with your local tackle retailer or boat dealer for the Pro-Strap from Tournament Angler Products. If they don't carry the Pro-Strap, have your retailer call Tournament Angler Products at 1 (800) 351-8627 or write to P.O. Box 10103, Huntsville, Alabama 35801. For the price of less than your next spool of fishing line, you can get a Pro-Strap and never lose another rod. I use the Pro-Strap on my boat and I love 'em.

Stryker Spinner Baits

I was talking to the owner of my favorite tackle store the other day about new products to review. When he handed me a Stryker spinner bait, I knew immediately that he had a hit. These baits are absolute works of art! The willow leaf blades are beautifully fluted with chrome plating on one side and copper on the other. The baits look so good, I had to include a picture of one.

The dual blade coloration coupled with the extra vibration produced by the fluted blades is designed to give bass a look they haven't seen before. The baits are hand crafted in Birmingham, Alabama, and are available in numerous color and blade combinations in sizes from 1/4 ounce to 3/4 ounce. Other quality components include Sampo swivels and Mustad needle point wide-gap hooks and silicone skirts.

For more information about the availability of Stryker spinnerbaits, write to Wormy's Baits, 1105 Kiser Road, Birmingham, AL 35235.

Tournament Angler Products - Pro-Cull Balance Scales

When you've got your limit, and it's time to cull, how do you determine the smallest of your catch? Some guys use digital scales, some use a fancy balance beam with all sorts of gadgetry, and some guys just guess. To eliminate the guesswork, Pro-Cull balance scales are as effective as any that I've seen, at a fraction of the cost of fancier models. The manufacturer recommends carrying the pro-cull in you livewell for instant access. Its lightweight high-impact ABS plastic construction won't rust, freeze, or melt. You can leave it attached to your smallest fish right in the well for immediate identification (without harm to the fish). Fast access means less fiddling and more fishing!

The Pro-Cull is available in four different colors (yellow, green, blue, black) and has a suggested retail price of $6.99. Check with your local tackle retailer for Tournament Angler Products. If they don't carry the Pro-Cull, have your retailer call Tournament Angler Products at 1 (800) 351-8627 or write to P.O. Box 10103, Huntsville, Alabama 35801.

Hoppy's Spinner Baits

It's a verifiable fact that using baits constructed with quality components will enhance your fishing success. For me, there are not many better spinner baits produced than the ones made by Hoppy's Lures in Old Hickory, Tennessee. Ball bearing swivels, Emerald blades, silicone skirts, extremely sharp hooks, and an uncanny ability to catch fish distinguish these baits. E-mail me, or ask your retailer to contact Hoppy's at P.O Box 265, Old Hickory, TN 37138.

Round-A-Mount

The Round-A-Mount (also called R-A-M) is a relatively new product from a small company in Seattle, Washington called National Products Incorporated. I got mine as part of a mounting bracket system for my Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The R-A-M is extremely versatile and is suited to a variety of applications in a marine environment like the mounting of graphs, radios, lights, and phones. The product features a ball and socket concept for multiple degrees of freedom in adjustment. The ball is made of injection molded rubber over an aluminum base with the socket made of high grade aluminum. The Round-A-Mount can support a significant weight and is tough enough to use in even heavy waves. Truly an impressive product.

Stump Master ® Lure Retriever

If you ever fish using crankbaits, a lure retriever is one of the most cost effective accessories that you can own. There are a variety on the market, but the best one that I have found is the Stump Master Lure Retriever from Ezy-Glide, Inc. This product is a telescoping aluminum pole that extends to nearly 16 feet with a tip that is designed to feed down your line to your bait. My Stump Master has already paid for itself many times over by enabling me to free a significant number of deep diving crankbaits. The Stump Master works well in current unlike many retrievers that use a weight on a rope. For more information, see your local tackle retailer or write Ezy-Glide at 203 South 7th Street, Chipley, FL 32428.

Lake Hawk Incorporated Color-Rite Dipping Dye

Sometimes color seems to make all the difference between catching and just casting. The folks at Lake Hawk have a super selection of dyes (see colors below) for soft plastic baits, spinner bait blades, and for plugs. You can dip your bait into these dyes and get a permanent, no smudge coloration that dries in seconds. They even have dyes that are scent impregnated. For more information, send me an E-mail or have your tackle retailer write to Lake Hawk directly at 1116 S. Wall St., Calhoun, GA 30701.

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