No matter where you live, as the weather cools this fall, the surface bite should just get stronger. That’s especially true if you fish on lakes with large shad or blueback populations. The bait should gang up and expect the bass to gorge on them.

I don’t need to fish budget rods, but there are several that still get into my regular rotation. As a result of my gear testing for Outdoor Life and this website, I’ve tested dozens of bass spinning rods across all price ranges over the past 6 years. Here are five that punch above their price tag.

Join our exclusive hosted trip to Don Joaquin River Lodge in Corrientes, Argentina, Fall 2026. Experience explosive topwater action for trophy golden dorado using rat and mouse lures. Limited spots available—reserve your adventure today!

Discover the best new high-end fishing rods and reels at Tackle Warehouse in 2025. From premium baitcasting tackle to ultra-smooth spinning gear, explore the latest tackle designed for serious anglers who want cutting-edge performance, unmatched quality, and the ultimate fishing experience.

Bryan New certainly never forgot about the power of the shaky head, despite the fact that it’s kind of fallen out of favor. The difference is that in 2025 he has a version that’s light years ahead of what he threw a generation ago.

Pete caught me digging deep onto the garage wall pegs. I was checking out examples of a classic bass fishing lure, the spinnerbait. It really deserves a spot in every tackle box and we’re sharing stories, tips, and maybe even a couple of surprises that I found hiding in the garage. Let’s take a spin.

You don’t have to be a world-class crankbait artist to experience world-class Golden Dorado fishing in Argentina. Join guided trips with expert anglers, explore pristine rivers, and catch your dream trophy fish. Book your adventure today.

Mike McClelland has been customizing jerkbaits since before many of today’s bass pros were born. His SPRO McStick has become a staple among serious anglers but he recently realized that both the original and the deep diving version didn’t cover all of his needs so he developed the McDart.

Discover why longer spinning rods (7'9" to 8') can boost your bass fishing game with better casting distance and hook sets. Learn how to choose the perfect rod for big bass, plus top recommended models available now. Shop through Half Past First Cast for expert picks.

On our trips to Central America we’ve caught a wide range of fish on live, dead and artificial lures, but sometimes the biggest bites of all come on bonito. Whether you’re looking to target marlin, wahoo, tuna or greedy inshore species, it can pay to have a bonito imitator or two.

When I started bass fishing in the 1980s, a 6’6” baitcasting rod was considered the gold standard. Now I use relatively few baitcasters under 7’. There may be circumstances where a shorter rod is advantageous. This article lists a few really good ones.

We recently had fun listing some of the key wakasagi jerkbaits. That led us to seek out some topwaters in that same hue — many of them are JDM products. You don’t need to have Wakasagi or Delta Smelt in your home waters to make them work, because they’re a near-universal baitfish imitator.

Bryan New is a “neat freak,” and like many of us he’s always looking for a better way to keep his tackle safe and accessible. Lately he’s leaned heavily on SPRO’s new soft tackle boxes, which come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Until recently, we hadn’t considered that there was someone who wants to eat yellowfin tuna. Judging from some of the offshore tackle houses, though, it’s no secret. There are hard lures, skirted lures and dredges specifically meant to replicate one of our favorite gamefish.

Wakasagi is a popular jerkbait color, but most Americans probably don’t know what the word means. It’s actually a baitfish native to certain areas of Japan, as well as Korea and Russia. They’re also closely related to and closely resemble the Delta Smelt.

Anglers must be buying pink lursbecause the manufacturers keep on producing more. This isn’t an exhaustive list of the ones introduced at the 2025 ICAST show in Orlando, but 10 of the ones that stood out to me most.

Swimbaiting was historically an underground culture. Not everyone could get the hottest baits at any price. In fact, there were plenty of brands, baits and presentations that were strictly on the downlow. Here are signs from ICAST 2025 at how much more mainstream it has become.

We’ve spent the last couple of decades trying to walk the dog with various frog style lures. Most of us can do it reasonably well. But what if you want a more elongated body? There are numerous options for that — take ‘em to the nearest grass bed.

While Kyle Patrick utilizes a wide range of techniques, he’s most associated with finesse tactics. Surprisingly, he only uses two different spinning rods for the vast majority of his light line techniques.

Stoneage Custom Rods are new JDM travel rods tested in the harsh environment of the Amazon on big peacock bass. Here’s designer Reo Kodera talking about what makes them special and purpose-driven.