I’ve previously listed some of my favorite Rico colors but now veteran Arizona pro offers up a few of his – including one new option that turns the category on its side.

For years, many bassers figured little hair jigs were better left to walleye anglers and perch jerkers. Meanwhile, a group of northern smallmouth hammers used them quietly to win major events. If you’re curious about them, check out these videos from a bunch of top northern pros.

Until Taku Ito won a 2024 Elite Series event at Alabama’s Smith Lake, few of us had ever seen Norie’s Wrapping Minnow. It’sa fantastic spotted bass lure, especially when used with forward-facing sonar. Bryan New filled us in on what it’s all.

I never stop scheming for our next Mexico bass trip Picachos. While I could probably have great trips South of the Border with established lures, sometimes showing the bass something different makes for some unreal days. Here are a few new offerings from ICAST that caught my attention for my southbound travel bag.

When I first started fishing in Virginia around 1995, all of the old-time Buggs Island sticks talked about the springtime trick worm bite. In particular, they liked two colors – bubble gum and Merthiolate. You may be surprised at the wide range of Merthiolate lures on the market today.

Matty Wong excels at a number of different presentations, but consistent with his western fishing education he has a particular sweet spot for big glide baits. It’s an addiction that can quickly get costly, so he offered up a “starter set.”

Division Rebel Tackle has come out with a crankbait that promises to hit 40’ on a long cast with the right gear — but here are a few warnings before you invest in a plug or two.

Bryan New has competed throughout the southeast on lakes where bass feast on blueback herring. If you want to attract your quarry’s attention, get them to bite, and put them in the boat, you have to be crafty and pretty quick on the draw.

This year one of Lee Livesay’s best Bassmaster Classic lures was a pink Jack Hammer bladed jig with 6th Sense Flush 5.2 trailer. 6th Sense rushed the Bubble Gum Pink Flush 5.2 to market shortly therafter. It also comes in 17 other colors. Here are other pink and pink-like options.

I remain fascinated by big bait techniques and Chris Zaldain has always been forthcoming with me about which baits he relies upon. His Bass Mafia Daingerous quickly became a staple for many serious anglers, and now he’s introducing a gizzard shad style lure – the Warden.

When Clifford Pirch leaves home in Arizona to compete on the Elite Series, he needs to pack everything he might need into his truck and boat. He relies on Phenix rods, and while he has a ton of them, there are four that he may use more than any others.

Alabama pro Wes Logan has worked diligently with Ark Rods to develop tools that meet his specific needs – in terms of actions, components and handle lengths. I caught up with him at Lake Hartwell to find out the ones he can’t live without.

If you’re a certified big fish hunter, detest finesse gear, or just like slinging baits that’ll tear your rotator cuff, Tackle Warehouse continues to offer tons of options. Here are some new “oversized” baits that you might want to try.

I’m pretty sure that I’ve never seen our targets chasing orange and white baitfish. I’m certainly willing to believe that some species do in some parts of the world, but we’ve yet to experience that. However, this is a popular pattern in the world of saltwater poppers.

Gerald Swindle has won more money on a buzzbait than most of us will win in a lifetime. He’s done it by being an exceptional caster and keeping his buzzbait system remarkably simple. You don’t need a lot of gear, you just need the right stuff.

Bryan New introduced us to the Hideup Coike at the Bassmaster Classic, but since then it’s been cashing checks on the Elite Series Here are some of New’s favorite rigging techniques.

When Megabass builds rods they’re purpose-driven tools aimed at particular technique techniques. Elite Series pro Matty Wong uses the company’s Destroyer P5 sticks on tour, and here are five of his recommendations to get you started.

Oxblood is one of the hot colors for interior designers in 2025. It’s always been a popular shade for western bass anglers. It generally resembles burgundy but has less purple and more dark brown and dates back to the 17th century, when the blood of an ox was used to make dyes.

The fishing industry is full of double-entendres. If you’ve ever chuckled at someone saying “throw up on the bank,” or “my partner has a big sack,” you know what I mean. Lure designers come up with plenty of great lure colors for the immature members of our group. Here are a few favorites.

Drew Benton agreed to show us some of the tools he uses when he locks in on a giant on a bed. Each lure has a purpose in the rotation to gauge a fish’s interest and get her to bite.