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Are Nitro Bass Boats Any Good?

Times are getting tough. Regardless of the official numbers, we all know inflation is hitting us hard at the grocery, gas pump, and elsewhere. If you’re in the market for a new bass boat, you might be at the point where you are no longer dreaming of that fancy Ranger and instead trying to find one that fits the budget. As one of the main “budget brands” out there, Nitro bass boats are probably on your radar. However, you’ve probably heard some stories that have you wondering if Nitro bass boats are any good. Well, let’s figure it out.

Do Nitro Boats Have a Bad Reputation?

Nitro bass boats don’t have the best reputation, but this is likely explainable in a large extent by the fact that it’s usually someone’s first bass boat. As I mentioned in my post about Mercury Outboards (which also have the same issue), I’d wager a good number of the “problems” that give Nitro boats a poor reputation have more to do with user error than manufacturer defect. I know when I first bought my boat, I had very little idea what I was doing. There were many “issues” that were honestly easy fixes when I got a little experience under my belt.

As a “value bass boat brand,” Nitro is going to have a large number of people who are simply new to boat ownership, and this is going to cause issues. Batteries might not be tightened down enough. One might not understand trim, or how to effectively drive through rough water. With trailering, perhaps that boat isn’t secured properly, or had its transom adequately protected. Lots of issues can contribute.

For what it’s worth though, there is some anecdotal evidence that this brand did go through a bit of growing pains after Bass Pro bought it years ago. That makes sense. They were, after all, trying to make fishing more affordable for everyone, and that would have caused some corners to be cut. However, it does seem from reading various forums that this is a malus from the past, long since removed. Even so, it’s worth a chuckle at what folks are entitling their posts. Here’s one that asks, “Are the newer Nitro’s still trash?” (For what it’s worth, most had favorable things to say about them).

What About Issues with the Warranty?

Another reason that many Nitro boats get a bad reputation is that their warranty group does a good job of inciting the internet. It’s not very hard to find stories of folks relating their experience with Nitro / Tracker warranties and how they had a hard time getting them to pay up. Granted, this might not be the manufacturer’s fault always. I’ve been in insurance for well over a decade now and there are certainly people out there who can’t accept responsibility and won’t listen to reason. Surely some of the issues on the internet aren’t Nitro’s problem but user error. Nonetheless, there are enough stories out there, especially from the mid-2010s or so, that makes you wonder if perhaps the company needed a little training on “smiling through the phone.”

With that said, in fairness to the brand it should be stated that many of the complaints aren’t so much that an active warranty won’t pay so much as the warranty expires or changes for 2nd or 3rd owners. I’d argue this is the purchaser’s issue. One of the main things you need to do when buying anything used (and I don’t care if it’s a used fishing rod!) is to understand what warranty, if any, transfers. If you buy a boat that specifically won’t have a warranty any more because you’re the third owner, it’s hardly the manufacturer’s fault you didn’t call and ask.

Are Nitro Bass Boats Reliable?

To put it plainly, a bass boat hull is going to be reliable so long as it isn’t compromised. It’s all the electronics and motors that you put on it that have reliability issues. The issue with Nitro boats is that they are almost always going to be equipped with a Mercury outboard. These engines have gotten a lot of flak over the years for not being reliable, but that really isn’t fair. As stated above, it’s mostly going to come down to user error in many instances. For example, I had the hardest time getting my motor to fire up initially, but come to find out it’s due to my simply not tightening my batteries enough! Little things like this can cause big issues.

What Sorts of Problems Do They Have?

Many of the folks complaining about Nitro boats have to do with issues with the fiberglass. Some complaints are fairly minor, such as minor spider cracks and other chipping. There are, however, some scary stories out there of the hulls completely delaminating due to manufacturer defect. What this basically means is the hull is peeling off like layers of an onion as one drives. Definitely not ideal! Unfortunately, the warranty of various years doesn’t transfer as well as you might like, so there are some heartbreaking stories of guys out there buying boats that quickly are worthless.

Aside from those scary issues, Nitro’s are going to have similar problems as other boats. They’re a value brand and to get that price means they aren’t using the highest quality materials for everything. Is that really going to make a difference on a fishing boat that’s about to get covered in worm guts? Well, that’s for you to say. Cheaper latches will wear out quicker than higher quality ones. Less durable boat carpet will wear out before a better one. These are mostly cosmetic issues, but they might be important to you.

More important, I’d argue, are things like livewell pumps and such as a breach there can cause major flooding issues. I once named a boat “Sinky” because of this (no, it wasn’t a Nitro). Definitely something to consider looking at closely!

Are Nitro Bass Boats a Good Value?

The main thing driving folks to buy Nitro boats is their value. They are significantly less expensive than the major name brands, such as Ranger. For example, as of writing (January, 2024), a top of the line Nitro Z21 XL Pro had a “no haggle, no hassle” pricing of $74,815 USD. Compare that to the Ranger Z521R Ranger Cup’s $93,870, and you’re saving nearly $20,000.

Granted, if you’re looking at a Nitro you probably aren’t looking at a top tier one, so let’s compare an entry level price. To keep it apples to applies, let’s look at Nitro’s Z18 vs. the Ranger Z518. The Nitro will run you $42,815. The Ranger goes for $53,870, over $11,000 more. Nitro also has a small Z17 (Ranger has no equivalent) that runs $35,815, though in my mind, that is a ridiculous price to pay for a 17′ bass boat and I’d definitely encourage buying the Z18 instead as it has a better motor and tournament possibilities.

Now, value does go beyond the simple price of a boat. You have to consider what kind of boat you get for the money, and these “Pro” series come with a lot of extras for the price. Depending on the model, you might have very solid graphs and trolling motors included as well as other options like a hot foot and jack plate. This makes these boats even more enticing as you’re getting everything you might want in a boat, all for the sales price.

Do Nitro Boats Hold Their Value?

Nitro boats do not hold their value like some of the top tier brands. First, they’re a dime a dozen. Being the best selling bass boat means there’s plenty of them out there to purchase and supply vs. demand is going to decrease the price. Secondly, like it or not, they do have that reputation that is ever so hard to overcome. Not everyone is going to want to purchase a used one. If you’re buying a Nitro boat you’re buying it for a value to yourself but not necessarily with the intent of preserving resale value like a Ranger or Lund would.

Should I Buy a Used One?

Used Nitro boats can be a screaming deal, but you need to be very careful. While it’s always best practice to bring along a mechanic to check out a new boat you’re interested in, it’s all the more important with this brand. This is because many people who are new to boating and fishing are likely the original owner of these boats. Is that always an issue? No, of course not. But it does imply that there may be things that went wrong with the boat simply because they didn’t know any better. If you’re buying a used Nitro bass boat, make sure you give it a good look over.

Having said that, if you’re able to find someone who has had boats for some time and has kept it nice and clean, you’re probably going to get a better deal on a used Nitro bass boat than pretty much anything else you could find. These are less expensive to start and don’t hold their value very well which means you could find a good deal. These days, with the economy being what it is, this might really be your value. Just make sure you’re careful about things so you don’t get burned!

Can I Get Parts for Older Nitro Boats?

While there is a great website for older Nitro boat parts, bear in mind that there aren’t many parts for the extremely old boats from last century. The site is interesting in that you’re basically emailing a person who will do the sleuthing for you to find a part and will then let you know what they can offer. Of course, if you know the actual part number you can always do this yourself by putting it in Google, but you’ll be at the mercy of whatever is listed on the internet. With this website, you might have access to parts you otherwise wouldn’t be able to easily find.

If you need specific Nitro parts for a much older book, you’re going to need to check various auction sites or perhaps even Facebook groups to see if you can find something. However, once your boat is that old, wouldn’t you be OK with a generic replacement anyway? For example, you can find just about any color of boat seat you need if you want a replacement, and it’s not like restoring that Nitro to showroom condition is going to do much for its value!

Where Can I Buy a New Nitro Boat?

One of the best things about Nitro bass boats is how prevalent their dealers are. They seem to be everywhere, which means you’ll never be far from one. Go check out their “find a dealer” section on their website to find one near you.

In Conclusion

If you want to get a lot of boat for your money and aren’t that concerned about “trim” or “status,” then a Nitro bass boat might be great for you. Just remember that if you buy a used one you might want to get an idea of how much experience the person has with boating as many of the issues Nitro has could have been caused by inexperienced boaters.

Hopefully this article was helpful to you!

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


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Is a Baitcaster Worth It?

I’d imagine that many of you started fishing on either spinning gear or an old spincast setup. If you’re anything like me, the thought of using a baitcaster was alluring but almost scary when you were first starting. After all, baitcasters have a well-earned reputation for being difficult to use and prone to backlash. I certainly wouldn’t blame you if you asked the question, “is a baitcaster worth it?”

A baitcaster is worth it to purchase and learn to use if you are actually interested in fishing to the extent that you’re going to buy several combos and devote considerable time to the sport. If you’re just a weekend angler or want to have some fun with your kids, you’re not really missing out on much by sticking with spinning gear. While baitcasters do have some advantages in terms of the size of lures they can throw, their casting accuracy, and their winching power, none of these are so great over spinning gear to make the headaches worth it unless you are an avid angler.

Let’s look at some of the reasons a baitcaster can be worth it (and also why spinning gear is probably just fine for most people).

Some Advantages of Baitcasters That May Make Them “Worth It”

Baitcasters have some advantages over spinning reels. They are able to accommodate larger line that spinning reels, with all that implies. A baitcaster can toss heavier lures. They are probably the better choice for several fishing techniques, such as frogging. Finally, they offer more precise casting than most spinning gear, at least to the average angler.

While I’ll go into each of these, don’t worry – I’m not going to try and sell you on a baitcaster. I’ll also explain exactly why that old spinning rod you have in your garage can also do a passable job just fine.

Baitcasters (left) are more popular among professional anglers than spinning gear (right), but are they really worth the trouble?

Ability to Accommodate Larger Line

Most spinning reels can only accommodate a narrow range of line sizes before you need to upgrade to something bigger. This isn’t even a question on most baitcasters as you can just put on whatever will fit, for the most part. This allows you to get used to the same reel but use copies of it for many different tasks. You might throw spinnerbaits on some 17lb fluorocarbon on one while using 65lb braid frogging on another. This range and adaptability simply isn’t something most spinning reels can do. In fact, to use the heavier line on a spinning reel, the reel itself is going to be a monster.

With that said, you’re still going to be limited by what size line the rod can throw, so it’s not like this is the be all end all. Still, you do have a wider range than spinning gear, if matters to you.

Why Spinning Gear is Fine: If you’re a weekend angler, its very doubtful you’re going to use enough techniques to need the kind of reel that can handle multiple line sizes. Unless you have a very specific need, a size 30-35 spinning reel will be just fine. Go to a 40-50 if you’re targeting large species like catfish.

Baitcasters Can Toss Heavier Lures Easier

With the ability to use larger line comes the ability to toss heavier lures. This can really make a baitcaster worth it if you’re after fish like musky. You’d be hard-pressed to find spinning gear large enough to throw the largest musky lures. If you’re trying to throw something truly ungainly and intend to do it for any length of time, a baitcaster is going to be your best bet.

Why Spinning Gear is Fine: While it’s true that you’d need a giant spinning reel to toss most musky lures or other giants, do you really need to toss those to catch most fish? No. Most fish are perfectly catchable on lures in the 1/2 to 1 oz. size that reasonably beefy spinning reels and rods can handle. While they can’t do it as well as a baitcaster and wouldn’t be my top choice, you shouldn’t feel like you can’t be successful if all you have is spinning gear.

The Preferred Choice for Techniques like Frogging

If you’re heavy into techniques like frogging, or punching through thick weedy mats, a baitcaster is worth its weight in gold. All of the benefits of stronger line are going to come to the forefront here, and the baitcasters winching action is going to allow you drag monsters out from the thickest cover. Most professional bass fishermen use 65lb braid on beefy frog baitcasting rods for these techniques. To use spinning gear in this situation would put one more variable in the fishes favor on with a technique that’s already stacked their way.

Why Spinning Gear is Fine: To be honest, it is and it isn’t here. There are some brands of spinning rods (like the St. Croix premier) that come in heavy power/fast action and can handle decently sized braided line and frogs. My son used one of these for his frogs for a few years and, yes, he caught fish. On the other hand, we never really tested it in the thickest weeds possible. I think he’d have had a hard time reeling in any fish of size in true slop with one of these. Honestly, we enjoy frogging so much that this is one technique where I’ll tell you, yes, you can “get by” with spinning gear, but a baitcaster is definitely worth it.

Casting Accuracy

Whenever the topic of “is a baitcaster worth it” comes up on a fishing forum, one of the go to responses is “yes, because they’re better for casting accurately.” Well, this is probably going to be true for most of us. Baitcasters make it very easy to cut a cast as short as you need it to, just by thumbing the spool. It’s possible to be very precise using one, and what’s more, there are techniques like flipping and pitching that allow your lure to enter the water with pinpoint accuracy quietly. If I had money riding on my ability to put a lure in a particular spot, I’d want to use a baitcast reel all day long.

Why Spinning Gear is Fine: All of the above comes with one big caveat: there ARE people out there who have practiced so much with spinning reels that they too can put lures pretty much anywhere they’d like. It’s certainly possible to pitch and flip with a spinning reel and also quite possible to have a quiet entry into the water with your lure. It’s just going to take more practice and isn’t as easy to pull off.

Should You Buy An Expensive Baitcaster?

Many of a baitcasters disadvantages can be mitigated somewhat when you purchase a quality reel. I once wrote an entire article on why expensive fishing reels are worth it, and there’s a lot of information about baitcasters there. In short, pricier baitcasters tend to come with options that are going to reduce the number of backlashes, or at least how bad they are. They tend to have better braking systems, often of a dual design, and are able to be tuned better. I would definitely splurge a bit on a baitcasting reel and not go for the cheapest one out there. Luckily, my favorite reel, the Bass Pro Pro Qualifier, is often on sale for far less than $100.

Conclusion: Yes, a Baitcaster is Worth it, to an Extent

As with any other hobby, you get out of fishing what you put into it. If you’re really in love with the sport, you’re going to love your baitcaster once you get used to it. However, if you’re just someone who wants to take the kids out now and then, a baitcaster is totally unnecessary. You can do anything you can do with a baitcaster with spinning gear, just not quite as well. Don’t feel like you need to keep up with your neighbors and buy one of these unless you really see the benefit.

I hope this article was helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email.

Thanks,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


Can You Use Braid on a Baitcaster With No Backing?

If you’ve ever fished with braid without any kind of backing, it probably didn’t take too long before you started having trouble. Braid is quite slick and without backing it tends to slip on a reel which can cause it to cut deeply into itself. On a spinning reel, this is a pain and usually results in needing to cut off your spool and start over. But what about baitcasters? Can you use braid on a baitcaster with no backing? Well, I certainly wouldn’t recommend it.

Using some sort of backing for your braided line, even on a baitcaster reel, is recommended. For one, this will prevent braid from slipping and cutting into itself. Even if that wasn’t an issue, the backing itself (usually monofilament) is going to tend to be less expensive than braid. This cuts down your costs, allowing you to get more reels out of your spool of braid. All you need to do in exchange is tie one knot, which makes this a great exchange in my book.

Why Your Braid Needs Backing

Braided fishing line has many wonderful qualities but it does have two vices: it can slip easily and it is expensive. These are two great reasons to use backing, as it addresses each of them.

Braid Will Slip Without Backing

The slippage is caused by the slick braid sliding around on the spool. Unless you use some sort of backing, the braid can’t cut into the metal at all. What ends up happening is it slides around from the moment you start spooling it. This caused tangles on spinning gear and makes baitcasters prone to backlash. Obviously, this is a problem.

While some spinning reels (such as the Pflueger President) are now designed with little rubber strips on them to give braid something to cut into, your favorite baitcaster probably doesn’t have this feature. This means you’re going to need to use some sort of dedicated backing.

Braid is EXPENSIVE!

While you’ll always want to check Amazon for the best prices, what you’re going to find is that braided fishing line is considerably more expensive than monofilament. It takes way more money to fill up a spool with braid, and for what benefit? You’re going to want to add more line to your spool once it starts getting too low and gives you casting trouble. There is absolutely no sense whatsoever in spooling your reel with “the good stuff” all the way down to the spool. This is even more apparent when we’re talking about a line that slips as much as braid!

What Backing Line for Braid on a Baitcaster?

Your best bet for backing your braid is going to be a layer monofilament. It really doesn’t matter what kind–you can just use whatever you have lying around. Heavier monofilament will get the job done with less line than lighter test, but there’s no need to make a special trip to the store. Further, you can use old monofilament for this, at least if you’re going to have enough braid on your rod that you’re confident you’ll never get to the backing. I’m a bit paranoid, so I do like to use “fresh” line for everything, but really, if a fish pulls all the way to my backing, I’m in trouble.

baitcaster with braided line backed by monofilament
This baitcaster is spooled with braid backed by monofilament.

Why Monofilament Line is the Best Backing for Braid

Monofilament is the best line to use as backing for braid for two reasons. One, it’s probably already in your tackle box, and two, it’s cheaply available if it isn’t.

You Already Have It

There’s an extremely good chance that you already have plenty of monofilament fishing line lying around that you can use as backing for your braid on a baitcaster. It doesn’t matter if it is old, or what type it is. All it’s doing is filling a spool and giving the braid something to bite into. Go to town with it.

Monofilament is Inexpensive

Monofilament is, by far, the least expensive of the three main types of fishing line you can buy. This makes it far and away the best backing for braid on a baitcaster if your intention is to try and save money by using it. Again, you can use pretty much anything you can find, no matter how old it is. The only time this would be a problem is if you get a fish that pulls enough drag to expose it. This is pretty darned unlikely if you’re using braid, as one of its benefits is you can horse fish in. All the same, know your target and keep this in consideration.

How Much Backing Do You Need for Braid on a Baitcaster?

You don’t need too much backing at all, just enough to cover the spool. After all, you’re just trying to give the braid something to bite into rather than the slick metal reel spool. I like to get the full benefit of backing which means also saving on braid, so I tend to fill mine up a bit. I want to have enough braid on that I can cover maybe two or three cast lengths just in case I run into a large fish that pulls drag.

Can You Use Electrical Tape as Backing for Braid?

While researching this article I found a handy one by the guys over at Castaic Fishing that claims you can use electrical tape as backing for braid, sort of. See, they aren’t actually using it as backing. What they’re doing is taping down the initial loop that one makes with braid to the spool. The theory is if you do this, you’re preventing the braid from slipping, thus removing the need for monofilament backing.

While you can read the article here, I’d point out that this probably isn’t as helpful as it might seem. Sure, it might prevent your line from slipping, and that’s good. But now you have all that extra spool you need to fill with expensive braid! One of the biggest benefits to backing your baitcaster with monofilament is that you cut down on the amount of braid you need on a spool. If you use electrical tape instead of monofilament as backing for braid, you lose this benefit.

While I wouldn’t recommend using electrical tape as a backing for braid, I suppose it’s good to know that if you’re off on some fishing trip and it’s all you have, it’ll do the trick.

Can You Use Fluorocarbon as Backing for Braid?

While most folks will use monofilament to back their braid on a baitcaster, there’s nothing wrong with using fluorocarbon. It too will accomplish the goal of preventing your braid from slipping on the spool. However, fluorocarbon (or at least the good stuff, like this Seaguar InvizX) tends to be much more expensive than monofilament. This surrenders the advantage of using less expensive line as backing to cut back on costs. Rather, you’re basically doubling them. If it’s all you have, it will do the trick, but I’d stick to the monofilament if it’s an option.

Conclusions: Use Backing to Save Trouble

In conclusion, I’d make the argument that you should always use backing with braid on your baitcaster. It will save you trouble and line in the long run and helps reduce your costs. While you could get tricky and use some electrical tape in a jam, that’s not going to save you much money so I wouldn’t recommend it as normal operating procedure.

I hope this article was helpful to you. Feel free to leave a comment or drop me an email with any questions.

Thanks,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


The Quest for the Best Kids Fishing Hat

When I was a kid, my Dad told me that “You can’t catch a fish if you don’t wear a hat!” I’m pretty sure this was his way of saying “I don’t want your mother yelling at me because I missed a spot of sunscreen.” I often repeat the line to my children, mostly with the same motive. Over the years, I’ve gone through a few different fishing hats for my kids, and figured I’d write up a quick article with some thoughts on what worked and why.

Why Your Kid Needs a Fishing Hat

I’d argue that right after lifejackets, your kid’s fishing hat is the most important piece of equipment they’ll wear. The right hat will shield them from the sun (and errant hooks), allow them to see better while fishing, and, well, look cool.

Sun (and Hook) Protection

The main reason you’ll want your kids in a fishing hat is to protect them from the sun. There’s few places to hide from the sun while fishing, especially if you’re on a boat. Most of the dedicated kids fishing hats are going to come rated for UPF protection, usually 50+. While you still want to use sunscreen, this can help if your kid squirms and you miss a spot, or they rub some off.

A lesser considered protection is that against hooks. While we all do our best to stay safe, casting does involve swinging hooks back and forth. Knots fail, fish spit lures, and all sorts of other things can happen where a hook can go where you don’t want it to. A fishing hat provides at least some measure of protection to your children from being struck by one.

Ability to See Better

A good kids fishing hat will cut down on the sun’s glare a bit. While it’s not going to reduce the glare on the water itself like a good pair of polarized fishing glasses, it will keep your kids from squinting and help them see things better out there. It’s hard to fish while you’re squinting and dealing with glare, so this is a big plus. If you match a good kids fishing hat up with some polarized glasses, they can be just like dad (or mom).

Looking Cool

A kid’s fishing hat is only any good if the child will wear it. Luckily, most brands of kids sun hats come in a wide variety of colors and even themes (Yes, even unicorns). This should help you get your child to wear it and enjoy all of the benefits above. If your child thinks they look cool wearing the hat, they’ll put it on their head without a fuss. This could easily be worth spending an extra dollar or two to get your kid a fishing hat that just screams “them.”

The Best Kids Fishing Hats

The best kids fishing hat is one your child will actually wear. When they are little, they tend to forget what’s going on in the world, so you just need to plunk one on them and then distract them. They’ll forget it’s on there and wear it until play or wind knocks it off. When they get a little older, they’re going to have more of a sense of self and might not wear just anything. It’s therefore important to match the hat to your child’s taste.

Dedicated Toddler Sun Hat

What my kids started out wearing on the boat was a dedicated toddler sun hat like this one on Amazon. It provides a good deal more shade than a baseball cap as it has 360° protection. Further, they often come with SPF ratings of 50+ which is perfect for kids. They’re also great in that they have a neck strap which helps keep the fishing hat on your kids’ head. If you can convince your children to wear them, these are great.

toddler wearing dedicated kids fishing hat

Baseball Caps

If you’re reading this in America, the most common hat around is a simple baseball cap. It’s what I tend to fish in as it’s stylish, easy, and I have several. It keeps the sun out of my eyes and just makes me look like a fisherman, if you ask me. This is what Tristan is wearing these days too as he isn’t crazy about the larger hats of his youth. The only downside is that aside from the face, they don’t provide much sun protection. I find myself having to wear a neck gaiter of some sort. Not the end of the world, but a consideration.

kid fishing in baseball hat

The Ultimate Kids Fishing Hat

While I will admit I haven’t used these, if I had to do it all over again (or if I could convince my son to wear one) I’d definitely go for one of these safari hats I found on Amazon while researching this article. It has all the benefits of the sun hat with an added plus of a long neck flap. This is definitely a style of fishing hat that would keep your kids from burning up out on the lake.

Other Kids Fishing Hats

Truth be told, I didn’t even know what to call some of these, but I found this ultimate hat guide online, and want to give some credit where it’s due. There’s a few hats on there, like the lifeguard hat that I don’t have personal experience with but figure it would work very well. Go take a look at the website and see if there’s a style that you think would work well for your children.

Thanks for reading,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


What is the Best Fishing Line for a Baitcaster?

My son started using a baitcaster this summer, and while rigging it up for him, I found myself asking, “What is the best fishing line for a baitcaster?” I quickly came to the conclusion that it has to be braided fishing line. I’d argue that braid is the best fishing line for a baitcaster because it reduces a lot of the learning curve that baitcasters come with, while maximizing all the advantages of a baitcast reel.

This might surprise you a little bit as I typically don’t recommend braid when fishing with kids just for safety reasons (it can cut them), but by the time someone is old enough to cast a baitcaster, they’re old enough to handle braided fishing line. In my opinion, braided line in 20-30lb test is about the best fishing line for a baitcaster money can buy, regardless of your age or skill level.

Why Braid is the Best Fishing Line for a Baitcaster

I’d argue braid is the best line for a baitcaster because it’s the type of line that pairs well with the techniques baitcasters use in the first place. Further, it is generally easier to use because it has less memory which translates to being easier to cast. Given that baitcasters have a large learning curve, anything that you can use to help you get over that is going to be a plus. Braid takes away many of the headaches that are common to using baitcasters, especially if you’re new to it.

braided fishing line on a baitcaster reel.
Braid is the bests fishing line for a baitcaster if you ask me.

Better Line for What You’re Using a Baitcaster For in the First Place

If you’re using a baitcasting reel, chances are you’re using it for techniques that braid is well suited for. Baitcasters really are the workhorses of fishing reels. While spinning reels are preferred for more finesse movements with smaller lures and lines, a baitcaster is for hauling big bass out of heavy cover. Frogs, spinnerbaits, jigs, plastic worms and creatures all are better utilized with a baitcaster, and braided line is usually the fishing line of choice for these techniques.

Basically, any lure that relies on one or two large, thick hooks is going to do very well with a braid. These hooks generally require a solid hook set, and braid’s low tension is going to be the best fishing line for that. These lures also tend to attract very large fish, and having a strong fishing line is going to help in that situation too.

Accordingly, it just makes sense to load up braided fishing line on your baitcaster reels. If you happen to be fishing clear water or near toothy critters or other things likely to slice your line, you can simply tie on a fluorocarbon leader. In fact, I have a whole article about when you should use a leader with braided line that you might check out.

Less Memory = Less Backlashes

Backlashes are the bane of any angler using a baitcaster. They’re caused by the spool running faster than the line that is leaving the reel. Usually, this happens because someone forgets to thumb their lure as it heads towards, and connects with, the water. However, a little coil in the line due to memory can also cause this if it results in the line getting hung up after it leaves the spool. A prime reason braided fishing line is the best stuff you can use on a baitcaster is it has no memory and thus avoids this issue.

Better Cast Control

The lower memory of braid also allows for better cast control, especially when using a baitcaster. The same coiling or memory that can lead to backlashes also leads to shorter casts with less accuracy. This is because the line will leave the reel and through the guides much easier if it is limp and straight rather than coiled into a mess.

A smaller diameter also means less friction to contend with as there is less surface area to impact the line. When coupled with the smaller line guides on a baitcasting rod, you’ll find that braid is a very easy line to cast your lures where and how wanted. This is important because one of the main ways to fish a baitcaster, the pitch and flip technique, works very well with braid.

Less Headaches in General

Braid is the best fishing line for baitcasters simply because it reduces the headaches common with the reels. Braid is a strong line that holds up well to the types of lures you want to throw while minimizing backlashes and maximizing accuracy. So long as you use a pound test appropriate for the reel, you’ll avoid situations where it digs in, loops, or causes issues. If you’re new to using a baitcaster, braid is definitely the line to try. The only caveat I’d put on that is to use the tape trick so you don’t cut off more braid than necessary while learning.

Some Watch Outs when Using Braided Fishing Line on a Baitcaster

While I maintain that, in general, braid is the best fishing line for a baitcaster, there can be too much of a good thing. For example, you might look at the relatively lower diameter of braid compared to monofilament and fluorocarbon and be tempted to string up a very small pound test on your baitcaster. I’d argue that’s a mistake. While I’m sure some of you do it just fine, I think using too thin of a fishing line on a baitcaster is really asking for problems. For example, it will cut into the spool much easier than thicker line and create a greater chance of backlashes.

For this reason, I really prefer sticking with 20lb – 30lb test braided fishing line when using a baitcaster. I think the 30lb is the perfect sweet spot where I feel like I can throw just about anything, from a spinnerbait to a frog, and while it might not be “perfect” it will probably get the job done.

There’s an absolutely outstanding article over at Mel’s Place that breaks down the exact diameter of pretty much any fishing line you’d ever want. You can see just how much smaller braided fishing line is in diameter compared to monofilament and fluorocarbon. It shows that my favorite braided fishing line, Berkley PowerPro Braided Spectra Line has a .28mm diameter in 30lb test. That’s almost half as thin as Berkley Trilene Big Game nylon monofilament in 30lb test which has a .55mm diameter. More to the point, it’s even thinner than Berkley Big Game in 10 pound test which means a line three times as strong is also thinner!

Accordingly, there is absolutely no reason to use a very small pound test braided line on your baitcaster. You’ll just be asking for trouble without reaping any benefit.

What About Mono or Fluorocarbon?

There are plenty of people who use monofilament and fluorocarbon for baitcasters, but unless you have a specific application for them, they aren’t the best fishing line for the job.

So what are those applications exactly? Mainly when fishing topwater lures or lures with tiny treble hooks. Braid isn’t the best fishing line for either of those applications, baitcaster or not. This is because monofilament floats, which is really what you want with a topwater lure, and fluorocarbon tends to sink, which is great for crankbaits and such. Further, both have considerably more stretch than braided fishing line and this helps when using a treble hook as you don’t want to pull too hard or you might pull the hook right out of a fish’s mouth.

My Favorite Braided Fishing LIne for Baitcasters

One thing I pride myself with at FishingFather is that I tend to recommend the same stuff for years. Why? Simply put, because it works. I think there’s too much marketing in fishing and that a lot of the game is to get you to buy products you don’t necessarily need.

To that end, while there may be “better” braided fishing line out there, but I wouldn’t know, because I’ve been using Berkley PowerPro Spectra for years now. It does everything I need for a reasonable price. It holds up year after year and I only swap it out when I run low on the spool due to retying. It’s strong, it’s a good color (green) for the waters I fish, it casts very well and is manageable. I’ve been a big fan and until a super compelling reason comes along to abandon it, it’s my ride or die. You can pick some up at Amazon today. Note that I prefer the Spectra line over the Super Slick. I suppose you could get a bit of extra casting length with Super Slick, but I found it less manageable and more likely to fray.

All Things Considered, Braid is the Best Fishing Line for Baitcasters

Unless you have a very specific need for a different type of fishing line, braid is the best for baitcasters. You’re probably going to want it for the techniques you’d use a baitcaster for in the first place. Further, it has less memory which will cause less pesky backlashes, and its small diameter allows for enhanced precision when casting with a baitcaster. For these reasons, it’s what you should reach for first.

If you found this article helpful, here are a few others regarding braided fishing line you might enjoy.

Thank you all for reading!

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


Fishing after the Floods: A Lake Champlain Fishing Report

I’m not sure if my children’s school district is run by Communists or not but given that school starts before Labor Day I have to assume so. This is unfortunate but made the last “summer” trip to Lake Champlain take place a few days ago in late August. We drove up Tuesday night, fished all day Wednesday on our own and then Thursday with Captain Mick Maynard and his first mate Magnus of Lake Champlain Angler. It started pouring Thursday night and I wanted to get Tristan back in time to have a full weekend at home to decompress and do what he wants prior to school, so it was a short trip, but we had fun!

The Lake Conditions

As most are aware, VT had significant flooding a few weeks back and much of that water has made its way into the lake. A good resource is this water level chart maintained for Lake Champlain. The water level was about 97.70 feet which is quite high for August (really, it’s more like spring levels). This is great for me because it allows me to launch my boat at my house (our boat launch is usually unusable by this time of year) but it did present a challenge in that the water is murkier than usual, probably a little cooler than usual, and much higher than usual for this time of year. Finding fish was a challenge.

Wednesday, the 23rd of August

We woke up to an extremely foggy morning. I didn’t want to venture too far because there had been many reports of large debris in the lake due to all the flooding. It had only been a few weeks since this happened and I didn’t want to risk running into something. Thus, we stayed pretty close to the house, mostly messing around the VT shoreline. We didn’t have a whole lot of luck, even throwing nightcrawlers. I managed a small northern just south of the Crown Point bridge on a spinnerbait, but the fishing was hard and we had to work for them.

Foggy morning on Lake Champlain
It was a foggy morning on Lake Champlain.

If you’re not going to catch numbers, you sure hope you’ll catch something of size. We would have taken just about anything, but this MONSTER channel catfish Tristan caught takes the cake. It tipped the scales at 17.36lb and took him several minutes to reel in on 6lb test Seaguar Inviz-X line. How’s that for an endorsement of the product!

Honestly, I’m so proud of this kid. I feel like I (most of us really) could have easily lost this fish. Though I might have been derelict as a parent not getting him into baseball since he was two, I got him into fishing, and it has paid off! I had to joke with him that the only time I can get him to listen is when a fish is on, but he did a good job or responding to my coaching, keeping his rod bent, and letting it take drag when it had to as well as keeping the line out of the trolling motor.

Channel catfish caught on Lake Champlain
I’m beyond proud of this kid!!!
Channel catfish caught on Lake Champlain
Another look at this giant!

Thursday, August 24: Fishing out of Point Au Roche

On Thursday it was time to meet up with my old friend Captain Mick for another charter. The south winds had picked up badly so we scrapped our initial plan of jigging for lake trout and instead decided to do a bass and pike trip. We launched out of Point Au Roche and headed toward the Gut to see what we could find.

Sunrise over Lake Champlain
Don’t let this picture deceive you – it was very windy out there!

Mickey has acquired a new first mate since I last saw him, a very friendly pooch named Magnus. We appreciated having him sit with us on the ride out to help keep us warm, and it was also great just to have the company.

Dog on boat
Magnus the First Mate.

The fishing was rough, to put it mildly. The water conditions have messed the fish up, but also we weren’t doing Mick any favors with our set up. We took Dad expecting a jigging trip, which works well for him as he isn’t that mobile. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate so we were stuck casting and that meant we had to give him a wide berth up front. It made targeting high percentage water tough, but we stuck it out and got a few good fish, including this nice pickerel by Tristan.

chain pickerel caught on Lake Champlain in the gut.
All’s well that ends well!

Later That Evening

When we got home, Tristan and I went out and fished some more. Dad stayed behind as he was pretty wiped from the charter. We fished the bay south of the house a bit with frogs and got a few bites, landing a couple of small bass. Then, Tristan had an absolute monster pike SMASH a spinnerbait of his, but unfortunately it cut the line. We both got a great look at it and it was huge, so this is too bad. I think it’s time to start investing in some fluorocarbon leaders just so that doesn’t happen again.

All in all we had a good trip. It was a short. Too short. But with school starting, I brought him back when I did. I’m already looking forward to trying to get out there more in September given the high water and see if my memories back of the flood over a decade ago prove true again.

Thanks for reading,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


The 10 Most Useful Pieces of Fishing Gear I’ve Ever Bought

Fishing is one of those sports where we tend to spend a ton on our gear, and unfortunately a lot of that can stay tucked away in the bottom of a tackle box unused for years.  There’s always a few items, however, that we find we simply can’t live without.  I thought it would be fun to write an article about the most useful fishing gear I’ve ever bought.  Everything here is fishing gear that has saved me money, time, or had such an incredible impact on my fishing that I can’t live without it.

Without further ado, here’s a countdown of the 10 most useful pieces of fishing gear I’ve ever bought.  Read on to find out what I think is the most important piece of fishing gear ever!

10. Hook Sharpener

A quality hook sharpener is important as you’re only a few snags away from having dull hooks that are going to reduce your chances of hooking and landing fish.  You don’t need to go too crazy with this but I do recommend having one in your tackle box.  A few strokes on the file will give you considerable confidence which is almost as important as having a sharp hook in the first place.


These will also help you keep your lures longer and save money when buying used ones.  Many used lures come with dull hooks, especially if they’re somewhat “vintage” (and it’s getting scary how something from the 90’s might even qualify as that now)! Even some of the newer crankbaits out there have hooks that leave something to be desired.  A hook sharpener can turn a “so so” lure into dynamite.

A good hook sharpener that is inexpensive but also works well is the .  This is the one I keep around and while it isn’t really much for bells and whistles it does the job.

9. Split Ring Pliers

Split ring pliers are a must-have tool when you’re fishing crankbaits, jerkbaits, or other plugs with thin wire hooks.  For example, the Rapala Shadow Rap has got to be one of my favorite jerkbaits, yet the hooks on it are so thin it doesn’t stand up very well to large fish.  While you can bend the hooks back a bit from time to time, they aren’t invincible and will eventually shatter.  Having a pair of split ring pliers means the difference between tossing the plug away (or at least aside) and contining to fish it a few moments later.

I wrote an entire article about what split ring pliers I prefer, but the bottom line is I really prefer a dedicated tool rather than pliers that happen to have a beak.  I think the dedicated tools really make life easier as they’re built for that purpose exclusively and I find I have a much easier time getting tiny split rings opened up with them. 

My personal favorite split ring plier is the Rapala Mini Split Ring plier. I wrote an entire review of them you can find here.

8. Lure Retriever

Fishing lures are expensive and fish like to hide near cover that tends to snag said expensive fishing lures.  Having some way (or at least hope) of retrieving your lures is going to come in handy if you’re casting where the fish are.  I personally have a Frabill telescoping lure retriever on my boat and it paid for itself not long after purchase.  Though this isn’t the most practical item to lug around with you on foot, it fits well into many storage compartments on a boat and really isn’t any more out of the way than a paddle if you have to leave it on the floor.

If you’re interested in other ways to reduce snags, you might want to check out my article where I discuss just that which you can find here. 

7. Hook Removal Kit: Surprisingly Useful Fishing Gear!

OK, so this probably won’t make most folks Top 10 list of most useful fishing gear, but then again, most folks don’t have a father who keeps his crankbaits in his pocket in plastic bags.  I have found that a tool that provides an easy and painless way to remove hooks from flesh is an indispensable part of my tackle box. 

Don’t believe me?  Go look up the costs of the average emergency room these days in the United States.  When you get there, odds are all they’ll do is what this tool can do for free!

If you need some help in learning how to take a hook out on your own, check out this video of a very brave man who selflessly hooks himself and then removes it in an altruistic effort to help you learn the technique.  This is one video I hope I never have to replicate!

6. Line Conditioner

If you throw a lot of fluorocarbon, you owe it to yourself to try out some line conditioner.  What this does it make your fishing line much more supple and easy to manage.  This is going to reduce the number of tangles you get and also extend the life of your line because it won’t knick and kink as much due to your just fishing with it rather than picking out tangles. 

Fluorocarbon can be very difficult to manage without it so I definitely would encourage you to pick up a bottle.  It’s another one of those pieces of fishing gear that can definitely save you money.

5. Waterproof Boots

A good pair of waterproof boots is going to make everything you do in fishing easier and better.  They’re one piece of fishing equipment I constantly mutter to myself that I’ve got my money out of them and then some.

If you’re a shore fisherman, these are going to allow you to take a few steps out so you can get your cast where you want it instead of in a tree.  You also don’t have to worry about mud, and, if you buy ones that are also snakeproof, you can walk around with more confidence even on wild shorelines.

If you’re on a boat these will make launching and retrieving it significantly easier.  Half the reason you see people struggling on the holidays is because they’re trying not to get their feet wet.  Being able to just walk in a bit to get everything going makes a world of difference, especially if you don’t launch or retrieve boats all that often.

The boots I personally wear are these waterproof ones by LaCrosse. I love them!

4. Trailer Load Guides

Most trailers these days come with some form of load guides.  What these do is help you load a boat correctly on a trailer, especially in times of heavy cross wind.  While they aren’t completely necessary they’re an invention that is incredibly helpful and can save you much time, frustration, and embarrassment. 

These are also important because while most trailers have a “sweet spot” where if it’s parked at just the right angle and depth, the boat will load on center, if you trailer your boat around a lot to new ramps, it can be hard to achieve this.  The load guides at least can give you a visual reference as to how things are going and you can make adjustments as necessary.

3. Wacky Rig O-Ring Tool

For a blogger who writes about these wacky rig o-ring tools as much as I do, you’d think this would be the #1 most useful piece of fishing gear I’d recommend.  Believe me, I considered it.  But while this is an extremely useful tool, it’s only really useful for one particular situation – putting an o-ring on a wacky worm! Still, I consider this very inexpensive tool indispensable because it can often be found for about the price of a package of Senkos yet can make that package last three or four times as long as it normally would!

After just one fishing trip (heck, just one hour somtimes), this fishing tool is already paying for itself.  I’d certainly encourage anyone who fishes Senkos or other worms “wacky style” to pick up one of these o-ring tools today.  Here’s a link to where you can buy a great one I have several copies of on Amazon.

2. Braid Scissors

I fish a ton of braided fishing line, and the time between when I accidentally dropped my pair of specialty scissors for cutting it and the time when I replaced them was one of the more trying experiences of my life. 

“Yes,” you “can” cut braid with pliers…  But…  No.  No, you really can’t.  It’s a pain in the butt to put it plainly and doesn’t work anywhere near as well as scissors.  Also, I’ve found the cutting edge on the pliers tends to wear down much faster than on the scissors.  It’s another one of those situations where a tool that is dedicated to the job is going to outperform a tool that can also do that job.

I personally use these braid-cutting fishing scissors from Rapala and find them to be perfect though you can also head into any hobby store and get some good fabric scissors (just don’t steal them from your wife or you’ll be the next thing tossed in the lake).

1. Minn Kota Terrova – the Most Useful Piece of Fishing Gear Money Can Buy

The #1 most important fishing tool you could ever buy that will save you time and frustration and pay for itself is a Minn Kota Terrova trolling motor.  OK, so unless you’re fishing tournaments or monetizing fishing somehow, it won’t technically “pay” for itself, but you’ll catch so many more fish that it’ll feel like it.

I’ve been fishing these trolling motors for well over a decade and absolutely love them.  Their spot lock feature is worth the price of admission itself, but there’s so much more.  You can teach it to move along certain structure lines.  You can easily change speeds from whatever you’re doing to max at the push of a button.  Nowadays, you can move the boat 5 feet in any direction one button press at a time.

I wrote an extensive review of the latest Terrova I bought (which did make some welcome changes over older models.  I’d check it out and then rush over to Amazon to buy one of these today as it really will change your fishing experience like nothing before.  The Minn Kota Terrova is hands down the most important piece of fishing gear I’ve ever bought.

Minn Kota Terrova
The Minn Kota Terrova is the best, most useful piece of fishing gear you could ever buy.

Conclusions

Well, that’s a pretty good line up of useful fishing gear right there.  If you’ve tried other stuff that you just can’t live without, I’d love to hear all about it! Feel free to drop me an email or just post a comment below!

I hope this article helped! Thank you for reading!

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


How to Save Money While Fishing

Fishing is one of the few hobbies that can save (or even earn) you money while you enjoy it.  While I suppose in the age of YouTube, any hobby out there ostensibly could do this for a select few content creators, fishing actually offers financial savings to the average joe.

The most apparent way anyone can save money while fishing is to eat the fish you catch.  Fish are expensive in grocery stores and restaurants, yet are “free” in the wild.  Yes, there are start up and licensing costs to the sport, but gear can last years and years and put many a fish on the table before it breaks.

There are also a number of inexpensive fishing tools you can invest in that will help you save money, and even some side gigs you can run to actively earn money while you’re out there on the water.  Let’s get cracking on all the ways you can save or even earn money while fishing!

Eating Fish You Catch vs. Buying them in the Grocery Store

Fish is very expensive at the grocery store.  My local Stop & Shop sells a variety of salmon products that range anywhere from $10.49 – $31.96/lb.  Clearly, if you’re in a location where you can catch this fish, you can do far better getting it at sea, even after you factor in your start up costs.

You’ll also have a much more diverse platter available to you if you catch your own fish.  For example, in Connecticut you’re really hard-pressed to find walleye for sale in many stores or restaurants like you would out in the midwest.  If you want to eat a specific sort of fish, you may need to catch it yourself!

Eating wild-caught fish is also desirable in that you’ll never have a fresher meal than something that was breathing a few moments earlier.  Shore lunch is delicious as is fish that you prepare for the table the day you’ve caught it.  So, keeping fish where it makes sense is not only great for your wallet but also for your taste buds.

Fishing Side Gigs

If you’re really interested in making money with fishing, a side gig can be a huge help.  I have plans to write a more indepth article about all the ways you can fishing your career soon, but in the meanwhile, here is a sneak peak at a few side gigs that can really help you make this a productive hobby.

Selling Fish

Some places will buy fresh fish.  For example, for years Norms’ Bait and Tackle up in Crown Point would buy perch and other panfish.  No idea if they still do or not, but back in the day, Dad and his friend George would limit out by the bridge and go sell them to Norm.  George didn’t have much money at the time and it really helped him out.  If you’re out there catching them anyway and you have this option, it can be a way to get a few bucks.

Making Lures

Many people make fishing lures or sinkers and then sell them.  You can buy molds for soft plastics or sinkers and then mass produce them.  If you’re handy with an airbrush or crafty with tying, you can also paint plugs or tie flies and either sell them online or to a local bait shop.

Writing About Fishing

Not that I’m all about competition, but this blog has been a rewarding way to earn some extra coin while fishing.  You might consider writing a blog of your own! It took me a long time to see results but when they come you’ll be all the more inspired to continue!

How to Reduce the Cost of Fishing

As the old maxim goes, “a penny saved is a penny earned.”  Even if you don’t want to eat the fish you catch, or to start up a side gig, you can still “save” money while fishing by not wasiting it.  You do this in a few was.  Buying gear that will last, buying fishing tools that make gear last longer, and by buying lifetime fishing licenses in states you frequent.

Buy Gear that Lasts

I am a huge advocate of buying appropriate gear of decent quality.  Every time I try to cheap out on something, in fishing or really anything else, I find myself buying something better later that I should have just started with.

This doesn’t mean that you need to buy the most expensive gear out there. Indeed, there’s a point of diminishing returns when you start talking about price vs. Relative quality.  All I’m saying is that if you buy a decent rod or reel, it’s more likely to hold up over time (and you’re more likely to take care of it) than whatever the cheapest option is.

Cheap products are, well, cheap.  Lousy reels will have less ball bearings and poorer engineering that makes them break down sooner.  Inexpensive fishing line will be more prone to break costing you lures and fish (as well as the line).  A “bargain” boat or motor may either fail to perform as you need it to, or even worse, could have a hidden history of neglect that you’ll pay for in spades shortly.

If you really want to save money while fishing, a good way to do that is to buy stuff that will last more than a season.  The great news is that you can even buy a lot of fishing gear used, which can increase those savings substantially.  Check out this article I wrote about how to buy used fishing rods with confidence to get you started.

Consider Using Braided Fishing Line

While I’d recommend swapping out old monofilament or fluorocarbon line after each season, you can get away with a spool full of braid for as long as you have enough line to cast well.

Fishing Gear That Helps Save You Money

Aside from licensing, your biggest overhead cost is going to be your lures and gear.  If you’re interested in saving money while fishing, you will want to purchase gear that pays for itself.  There are a few fishing tools that are designed to reduce the number of lures you lose, which is a great place to start shaving away the costs of this hobby.  Here are some of my favorites.

O-Ring Tool for Senkos

A fishing tool I’ve referenced frequently over the years is the O-Ring tool for rigging Senko worms up wacky style.  This is a piece of fishing gear that will save you so much money that it can pay for itself in a couple of hours. It’s extremely inexpensive, very light to cary in your pocket, and very useful for helping your lures last longer.

Senko worms are notoriously soft.  This gives them a great action and probably convinces wary bass to hold onto them just a bit longer than usual, but it also means that you will lose a ton of them on a fishing trip “out the box,” especially if you wacky rig them.  The problem is they’re so soft that they just pull right off the hook when something (like a fish) gives them a tug. 

The solution is to use an o-ring, which is just a piece of rubber in the shape of an o that slides over the Senko.  This almost acts like a safety belt for the hook, so when a fish or snag gives it a tug, it’s less likely to pull the hook out of the worm.  Given the price of Senkos these days, anything you can do to help them last longer is going to be key. (Honestly, check the best price at Amazon and do the math on them per worm and take a cold shower after).

The o-ring tool is a must-buy.  You can pick one up at Amazon today.

Hook Retriever

There are many underwater hazards that you can’t necessarily see that will steel your crankbaits, jigs, and other lures.  Rocks are the main culprits though you’ll also snag on your share of laydowns, debris, and junk in your life.  When you consider that most crankbaits these days are going to start at $7.00 or so, a quality hook retriever can quickly pay for itself.

I purchased a telescoping hook retriever by Frabill to keep on my boat.  It only took a few trips out with it to recoup my investment.  While these aren’t too practical when fishing from shore, if you have a boat, one certainly belongs in your locker.

Wire Leaders

Sometimes a wire leader can save you a lot of money while fishing, especially if you’re in pike-infested waters.  These toothy critters can make short work of fishing line and can take some expensive lures with them.  I’d never throw a lure I wasn’t willing to lose forever without a wire leader in Lake Champlain.  Even a large enough chain pickerely could spell the end.

Split Ring Pliers

Split ring pliers save you money in the sense that whereas some folks will break hooks on a crankbait and toss the lure, smart anglers will buy replacement hooks for a fraction of that cost and keep that lure in their tackle box.  “Waste not, want not” after all.  I once wrote an article about my favorite split ring pliers that you can check out here.

Another Great Way to Save Money While Fishing: Buy a Lifetime License!

Many states offer a lifetime fishing license that can be purchased.  While this is an expensive investment (usually several hundred dollars) they tend to pay for themselves after 10-15 years or so, especially if the cost of fishing licenses goes up over time (and what doesn’t).   Most will only offer this to residents, though a few allow non-residents to also purchase one for a premium. 

Some states will even allow you to buy your children one of these lifetime licenses, and believe it or not, this can be less expensive than buying one as an adult.  For example, in VT a resident fishing license for a child less than one years old costs $224.  The instant that kid reaches one year of age, it doubles to $448.  Even this only constitutes a price 16x greater than the current cost of a fishing license.  If you’re a granparent and you have a grandchild who loves fishing, you really might want to look into one of these for them.

Conclusion: Fishing Is One of the Few Hobbies That Can Save You Money

While there are certainly start up costs, fishing is the only hobby I have where I actually make money.  Yes, the way I do it is from this blog, but even if I just wanted to keep some fish to eat, I’d at least be able to break even each year. 

A big part of the reason for this is that years ago I invested in decent equipment, often bought used, that  has held up over time.  I also have invested in useful fishing tools like o-ring pliers and hook retrievers that save me many lures each season. While I’m kicking myself in the head for not buying my kids VT fishing licenses (since they reciprocate for most of Lake Champlain) when they were younger, I might try and grab them one of those in the next few years as well. 

Hopefully this article helped you figure out a few different ways you can save and even make money while fishing.  If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

Thanks,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


Exploring Dunning Lake: Fishing at Winding Trails, Farmington, CT

Pretty much as soon as Tristan was born, my then wife and I signed up for a membership at Winding Trails in Farmington, Connecticut. About seven years later, we finally were accepted and got to enjoy it!

While I was quite familiar with the place from my own childhood, I’d never really fished there. Instead, I spent most of my summers on the beach or swimming in the clear water while begging Mom for some cash for the candy machine. That was all well and good for my childhood, but it wasn’t going to cut it for Tristan’s, so we quickly took our Gheenoe out to explore the place!

What Species are in Winding Trails?

So far Tristan and I have caught sunfish, bluegill, yellow perch, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass in Dunning Lake at Winding Trails in Farmington, CT. It is known that the lake is stocked with some sort of trout (probably browns or rainbow) but we have yet to catch one.

There are more largemouth bass in this lake than I’ve seen in my entire life. However, they’re almost all small. I don’t mean “keeper small” either. I mean 6-8″. Sunfish on the other hand can get huge. There’s clearly something going on with the bass management in this lake. I’m not sure it’s the way I’d do things, but on the other hand, this is probably the most outstanding place you can take a kid fishing in Connecticut just because they can catch fish after fish after fish. Looks like I’ll have to update that post soon!

Not all the bass are small. We tied into this whopper fishing from shore near where all the canoes are tied up. However, this is pretty much the only fish we’ve encountered over a few trips that was greater than 12″!

There ARE big bass like this at Winding Trails, but you’ll need to sift through hundreds of dinks to get to them.

Where to Fish at Winding Trails?

Granted I haven’t explored the lake in its entirety yet, but here’s an overview of some spots I’ve tried out. Note that the boat launch is in the corner of the peninsula by point 1.

Courtesy of Google Maps
  • In point 1 you’ll find the water is fairly deep and there’s a submerged weed bed that is fine to fish around (there is no section of this lake that is matted over – they do a great job of controlling that). Many smaller largemouth bass are in this area.
  • The shoreline of Box 2 has more bass than you can count but they’re all very small.
  • There is a cut in the corner of Box 3. This is where we caught a tiny smallmouth bass.
  • Point 4 is where we caught the bass up at the beginning of this blog that was fairly large.

Is There a Boat Launch at Winding Trails?

There is a small boat launch right across from the main office at Winding Trails. It is wide enough to accommodate a bass boat. The road it is on gets quite busy during the day and it is angled as such that you’re going to want to drive a bit past it and then turn around as though you’re leaving the park to launch your boat. Unfortunately the water here is very shallow. While it has been consistent all summer, it can be difficult to launch even the Gheenoe! You might need to get your feet wet to launch something much larger if you don’t have roller trailers.

Also note that there is no courtesy dock at the launch site, and parking can get taken up quickly during the day. This is definitely a place you want to hit up early before all the members show up.

What is the Water Like at Winding Trails?

The water is extremely clean and clear. You can easily see straight to the bottom in water I’d estimate at 10′ deep. They do a good job of treating the lake to make sure they don’t get algae blooms or other issues. This does create an issue though where on occasion, you’ll pull up and the lake will be closed, so it’s good to call ahead a few days early and just see what their plans are for treatment.

What are the Fishing Rules and Boating Rules at Winding Trails?

Winding Trails has fair fishing and boating regulations. Summarized, they are as follows:

Boating Rules

  • Electric motors only (but you can bring in a bass boat with a gas motor – you just can’t use it).
  • Any boat powered by an electric motor needs to be registered with the State of Connecticut and you must possess a Safe Boater’s Certificate.
  • You can only launch at the boat launch across from the Main Office building.
  • You can’t bring your boat into the swimming areas.
  • Care must be taken to ensure you don’t bring invasive species into these pristine waters. Make sure to wash your boat if you’ve used it elsewhere before bringing it to Dunning Lake.

Fishing Rules

  • Members 16 or older need to have a valid fishing license. Kids younger than that don’t.
  • Posted fishing limits (3 trout or bass per day) must be respected.
  • Bass have a protective slot limit of 12″ – 16″ long and must be released. You can only keep on bass over 16″ each day.
  • You cannot fish from the beach.

How do I Become a Member at Winding Trails?

In short, drop whatever you’re doing at this very moment and go apply. Then, wait seven years (hey, they’ll let you keep track in real time!). Honestly, if you have any intentions whatsoever of having children, you should sign up for a membership the instant you move into Farmington.

As I explore the lake more, I’ll add to this journal, but at least this should give you some idea of the basics.

Thanks all,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!


What Color Worms are Best For Bass Fishing?

Plastic worms are some of the most versatile and useful fishing lures for bass fishing. Whether you’re a pro or an amateur, a plastic worm such as a Senko is a great choice to catch fish. Because of their immense popularity, plastic worms come in hundreds of colors, and it can be tough to figure out just which ones you need for certain conditions. If you wondered which color worms are best for bass fishing, this article is for you.

Does Worm Color Matter for Bass?

While you will occasionally have one of those blessed days where the fish hit anything, most of the time they’re going to be more selective. Choosing the right colored plastic worm can make a big difference in putting some bass in the boat or going home empty handed.

While most plastic worms come in dozens of color combos, you don’t need to overly complicate things most of the time. As with all lures, what you really want to do is make sure that your worm can be seen by bass in the given conditions, and color is going to play a big role in that. For example, worm color is going to matter quite a bit if it means the fish can actually see the target. Just as with spinnerbaits, darker colors like red and black are doing to do well on overcast days or darker water. Bright colors like chartreuse or white (or at least a worm tipped with such) will be good choices in stained water. In clearer water, something that reasonably matches the hatch, such as green pumpkin is probably going to be your best bet.

Do Bass Have a Favorite Color

As you might imagine, there have been a few different studies regarding largemouth bass and if they have a favorite color. One 1937 study found that bass could very easily distinguish the color red, “Red appears to be the outstanding color, as such, in the responses of the bass. This color is easily and readily selected from everything else, with the exception of violet” (source). Another study in 2019 confirmed this, essentially reaching the conclusion that bass are most likely to see red and green (source). This isn’t to say that they can’t see other colors, but that they’ll have difficult distinguishing between them. Accordingly, the giant array of colors in most tackle shops is more likely to catch fishermen than fish!

What’s the Best Plastic Worm Color for Bass Fishing?

If you ask certain anglers they will tell you that the color of your worms is a crucial factor in if a bass bites or not. I’m not all that convinced. While I do think there’s something to be said about the difference dramatic color variations can make (example, red vs. white), I really don’t think the variation of say two shades of red is going to matter. Your best best when choosing a plastic worm color for bass fishing is to keep things simple. There’s no need to have dozens of colors on your boat. Instead, approach it based on what situations you plan on encountering. Here are four plastic worm colors that work great for bass fishing in different situations.

Black/Purple/June Bug/Grape

Darker colored plastic worms such as black, purple, june bug and grape have been mainstays as long as plastic worms have been used for bass fishing. These are great in dark or stained water and on overcast days because they are more visible in such conditions than lighter colored lures. In addition to reds, bass do distinguish violet quite well per the studies cited above, so anything with a black or purple hue is going to work well.

Many anglers like using purple or black worms with a tail that’s tipped either bright chartreuse or red. This little color variation seems to help bass hone in on their target and can occasionally produce more strikes. For example, these Berkley PowerBait Power Worms that have a black body and bright chartreuse tail are phenomenal producers on southern Lake Champlain. They stand out very well in the generally stained water that you’re going to find south of the Crown Point bridge.

black is a good color for bass fishing with plastic worms
A darker colored worm can be the ticket on an overcast day.

Green Pumpkin/Watermelon

Plastic worms on the green/brown spectrum also work very well for bass in a variety of conditions. Green pumpkin is dark enough that it shows up well enough in stained water but also looks realistic enough that it makes sense in clear water too. You’ll find most of these come with different colored flakes. As you’ll see below, I don’t know that it really matters too much what you go with. Bear in mind that bass see reds and violets well so anything with that sort of hue is going to do well.

Chartreuse/White/Anything Bright

The third solid color variation when choosing a plastic worm for bass is choosing something bright. After all, you wouldn’t think twice about using a chartreuse or white fluke, or other soft plastic, so why not use it for a worm too? These colors are going to work well in stained water conditions as well as clear conditions assuming it isn’t too gaudy.

Do the Tiny Little Flakes Really Matter?

So you have probably noticed that many bass worms that are “green pumpkin” come with different flakes. There’s watermelon flakes, red flakes, black flakes, purple flakes. You name it. The question is if any of the tiny variations really matter. My best guess? Probably not. Let’s look at it this way – if a fish is really going to see the miniscule flakes and distinguish them from the base color (a tall order, per the research cited above), how are they going to notice that and not the hook, or sinker, or fishing line? Honestly, the fact that these flakes reflect is probably all you really need. Thinking that one color or another is going to make the huge difference that day? Likely placebo.

Do Bright Colored Worms Attract Bass?

So there’s two types of bass, OK? Those that have seen what you’re tossing before and know it’s a lure, and those that can still be fooled. While a bright colored lure like white, chartreuse, or even bubblegum pink might look awfully unnatural, they do catch fish. I’m just not so certain they’re going to catch the same fish as often throughout their lives as something that fits in better.

Having said that, bass attack lures for a number of reasons. The first is hunger. Another is anger (trying to kill the lure). The third is curiosity. How many years have we seen scientists explain on “Shark Week” that most shark attacks on humans are borne out of curiosity as the fish don’t have hands to figure out what things are – only their mouths. Well, a bass that hasn’t seen the bright colored worm you’re throwing might just be biting it to figure things out.

What is the Best Color Wacky Worm?

What about the ubiquitous wacky worm? Is there a best color for these? Honestly these might be the worms where you get the best bang for your buck by tossing an unusual color. Wacky worms just have so much going for them as I discussed in this post. They’re so unique and have a wonderful action on the fall that seems to perplex, entice, and annoy bass all in one. If you throw in a little wackier color to boot, you can really get them interested. Because of this I’m not afraid to throw a pink senko now and then when nothing else is working. You never know!

Conclusions: Most Worm Colors are for Show & Sales

Given the scientific research into just how well bass can differentiate color (read: not that well at all), you don’t need to mortgage your home to buy every color plastic worm out there. Stick with a few tried and true color variations. Have some darker plastic worms for overcast days or dingy water. Keep a good staple of green pumpkin or watermelon worms for every day use. Perhaps toss a few crazy bright colors in as well when you’re just looking to catch fish who are curious and taking a shot at seeing what this interesting object is exactly.

As with many lures, much of the perceived difference from using slight color variations is going to be placebo effect. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The power of positive thinking translates to fishing so to the extent you believe you’re going to catch a fish, you just might. If you find a particular color you have confidence in, load up the boat!

Thanks,

John Paxton

Want to learn how to take your kids out fishing? Do you have a friend who might need a hand? Click the pictures below to purchase my helpful books!