Can’t find that perfect gift for the angler in your household? Well, this year Flats Class is going to help you out with some fantastic suggestions that will put a smile on any angler’s face Christmas morning! Now it’s common knowledge that Santa has a Hell’s Bay Boatworks decal on his sleigh and has an E-tec on his pontoon boat that he keeps at Lake Powell for the off-season but below are a few gifts that just might fit into your holiday budget.
Smart Casting is a term that I utilize in my Flats Class V2.0 seminar series to describe where the presentation has to be placed to increase the odds of a fish striking the lure. Often what is considered a well placed cast by many anglers is occasionally too close to the targeted fish and frequently results in a negative response to the angler’s presentation.
Over my career I have had the opportunity to use dozens of brands of fishing line; some I like, some I dislike, but finally I have found one fishing line that I love… it’s Ohero Braid made from 100% Dyneema! The Ohero Braid has several user-friendly qualities that I have found to be ultra beneficial to my style of inshore fishing.
My Test Drive Experience Recently I had the opportunity to jump aboard the brand new Hell’s Bay Biscayne for a quick sea trial with Capt. Todd Fuller (HB General Manager) and well known outdoor writer Rusty Chinnis along the Manatee River and south shore of Tampa Bay. I was thoroughly impressed with the new Biscayne and can honestly say it deserves all of the “buzz” it has created over the past few months since its debut at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show.
Dropping water temperatures often force light tackle anglers to reach for a good crustacean imitator from their tackle bag. Colder water also dictates slower presentations that appeal to game fish not willing to expend the energy to chase down the faster paced lures utilized during the warmer months. For this reason, a good shrimp or crab imitation is generally well received by snook, redfish, and sea trout when there is a good chill in the air.
