Our most recent trip to Lake El Salto spanned May and June 2023, and the lake was on fire, with ridiculous numbers of 4- to 6-pound fish. Despite all of that, our lure choices were very simple. You couldn’t throw any lure in any color and expect to get bit. There was a narrow selection that seemed to work consistently.

Just about every major rod manufacturer makes swimbait rods —-many of them are quite good. At the same time, part of the allure of swimbait culture is supporting niche manufacturers. Fortunately, several of these companies don’t make you wait on “a drop” or know a secret handshake or password to spend your hard-earned money.

Culling is the greatest feeling in tournament fishing – you’ve already got a limit, and now you’re trading out a smaller fish for a bigger one, but the title above doesn’t refer to cull tags or cull floats. I’m talking about the soon-to-be-released Berkley Cull Shad.

At the 2023 Bassmaster Classic Expo I met up with James Niggemeyer. He knows big bass, having lived in Texas for much of his adult life, so I asked him which new bait we should take to Mexico. Without hesitation he grabbed for the new Yamamoto 3.5” Yamatanuki.

Lin Bell has been a Megabass dealer for 30 years and is deeply connected to the brand. He gets two shipments a month, so the best producers tend to stay in stock. Full pegs mean that it’s not always easy to tell what is working best – but Lin is an open book. I asked him to talk about some sleeper baits and new colors.

A craw tube remains a solid catcher, especially in heavy cover. The Arkansas mafia led by Megabass Champ Doug Garrett tried to keep the tube secret, but Brauer’s Classic victory made them a staple. The addition of craw appendages sometimes made them even better – for example, Texan Kelly Jordon won hundreds of thousands of dollars with the version made by Lake Fork Trophy Lures.

We’ve spent plenty of time trying to learn about high-end big baits and we’ve also discussed some of the mid-priced models. If even that latter category doesn’t fit your budget, don’t despair. You can still get into the glide bait game for not much more than you’d spend on conventional lures.

We’re looking for shirts to represent our brand — the tough thing is finding something that’s reasonable and represents the breadth of our content and the trips that we offer. Help needed!

After 20 fishing trips to Mexico, I’ve learned that packing an adequate supply of the right reels can make for a more productive trip. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for choosing, but make sure they’re in tiptop shape. I’ve had the opportunity to utilize an incredibly wide range of reels — here’s my selection for May/June 2023.

We’ve messed around with the Deps Cover Scat a fair amount. Most of our efforts have involved basic colors including black (with and without flake), various shades of green pumpkin and watermelon. If you’re looking to differentiate yourself from the crowd, consider checking out one of the following lesser-known options.

I recently published a blog about how I store my fishing rod collection above my boat in the garage. I’ve relied upon the Piranha rod racks for over a decade and they’ve yet to let me down, but if you’re looking for a different option, Tackle Warehouse recently added more.

We’re headed back to El Salto for a week at the end of this month. We’ve been going multiple times a year for a decade-plus, and we’ve narrowed down the lures that we’re most likely to use, but I still reserve some time each trip to work in new possibilities. Here are four new lures that are already packed and ready to go.

Samantha Sukupcak and I headed to Table Rock Lake to fish for bass with Chad Morgenthaler — but he also taught us how to “shoot” for crappie under docks and into marina slips. It’s a great technique that’s easy to learn.

You may have your favorites, and even some double-secret-probation killers, but I truly believe that the "Keep it Simple, Stupid" methodology is best. Build around proven winners and go from there. If you have an ample supply of the following six plastics, I guarantee you that you'll be able to catch big bass just about every day of the year.

Spinnerbaits may not get as much love or as much press as they used to, but they never stopped working. We always pack a handful (or a binder) any time we’re traveling to fish for bass.

Megabass makes premium fishing products that have become staples in nearly every bass angler’s boat. Here are some that we like in Mexico at El Salto and Picachos.

The aroma of garlic gets the salivary glands flowing. You may have experienced this unmistakable smell when walking into a restaurant or mom’s kitchen. It gets stuck in your mind and prevents you from thinking about anything else. But it’s not just about food. Spike-It products will help you catch more and bigger fish.

If you cannot live without either fishing or desserts, fortunately they’re two great tastes that taste great together. The Floating Worm has been recreated to resemble the nostalgia of the old school Bomb Pop popsicle. The swimbait-obsessed team at Lateral Vision has gone down that same route in partnership with Basstrix. The list of sweet bait names and colors doesn’t stop there.

Back in March I posted a video about the ¾ ounce tandem willow spinnerbait that produced my personal best 12 pound largemouth at Camelot Bell. Some of you have requested my thoughts on why I used “hammered” blades on that day. If you think that the bass on your lake have become too accustomed to smooth spinnerbait blades, add some of these into your arsenal.

I’ll never get tired of writing about my personal best 6.40 pound smallmouth – at least until I catch one 6.41 pounds or heavier, at which point it will become a quaint and semi-passé memory. Unfortunately, I may eventually forget my tackle so I’m putting it all here for posterity.