The Savior to Rubber Jig fishermen everywhere.

If you are a fan of fishing with Fine Rubber bass jigs, an accessory that is an absolute must have is the new Zappu Special Rubber Conditioner. Living Rubber jigs are becoming very popular in the US, but in Japan they have been fishing with Fine Rubber jigs for a long time. The major problem with this Fine rubber material is that it is super soft and will melt easily. The Living Rubber will sometimes have a chemical reaction with the contact of other harsher materials (lead, plastic worms, ect.), or if you leave these jigs in the sun to long they will molt together. This creates a giant mess, not to mention the fact that these hand tied jigs cost over 6 dollars. To prevent this problem, one of the leading Japanese fishing companies ZAPPU, created a liquid that protects the jig and prevents this mess from happening. Personally, I have not noticed that using the Zappu Special Rubber conditioner repels the fish from holding onto the bait. Short strikes are not an issue, being as the rubber absorbs the product right away. So if you have invested money in these fancy Japanese Fine Rubber Jigs I would suggest making the small purchase of the special rubber conditioner. You can find it at Lees Global Tackle under the Fishing Accessories category.

Imakatsu Hairy Chunk

Hello Fishermen,

Everyone has heard about the recent tragedy and crisis in Japan, and since all of our tackle comes direct from Japan we haven’t been able to obtain any new stock.  That is until now, just this week we got our big spring order.  Some of the baits we got are new to the site, and some of those baits are the: Megabass Bottle Shrimp, Ja-Do Jaco Bee, Imakatsu Action Gala, and Bait Breath BYU Chunk.  We also restocked on a bunch of baits we were out of like the: Evergreen Buzzer Beater, OSP Do Live Stick, OSP Do Live Craw, and Imakatsu Hairy Chunks.

Our connections in Japan were hit hard with the earthquake’s and the Japanese Manufactures are dealing with rolling blackouts which hurts productivity.  This is why stock is going to be hard to come by over the next year, so please be patient with us when we run out of baits.

Also for the fans of Nories, we were able to get a ton of stock from Nories and hopefully I will have this up this week.  I hope all of you “Warriors of the fin” are having great success in your fishing this year.  I know we are.

Tight Lines,

Pete

Just put a few new items up on the site.  By popular demand we brought in all the new size Zappu Sasuteki Weights.  We now have 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/4, and 1 1/2 oz sasuteki weights.  We were also able to get the Zappu Choverig Fish scent, its hard to find and I kind of hid it on the site, because its a hot commodity so good luck trying to find it.  Some things we have worked out is an easier checkout process so you don’t have to leave the product page every time you enter a product in the cart.  What I did is make a window pop up and you will have the choice of continuing shopping or checking out.  Make sure your pop up blocker is off.  I also want to let everyone know that we offer free shipping on orders over $99, which means if your order is around $90 just add a couple more items instead of paying for $12 worth of shipping costs.  We are trying to work with Fed Ex to lower the Shipping cost for the summer, but with almost 4 bucks a gallon around the corner we might be out of luck.  Well there will be more products to come soon so Please Check back often and feel free to subscribe to the blog to get the latest updates.

Fish On,

Weestraw Sagartz

After a recent Blizzard we are finally having a nice melt off in northern Illinois, and I don’t know about you, but I am definitely in the mood for some open water bass fishing.  All of our lakes are still frozen, but hopefully it won’t be long before we get a nice thaw and spring will finally show up.  Here at Lee’s we have been trying to get stocked up for the spring and the spring fishing show at the shop.  Last week we got a couple of our big import orders that I will share with you.

A new hit lure has been the Jackall Bros. I Shad, which has been a Japan Only lure until 2011.  Jackall US introduced the 4.8 in version for the 2011 fishing season, but for you lucky few we have been able to obtain the 3.8 inch and 5.8 inch versions.  If you are not familiar with the I Shad it is part of the I Motion line of baits, and you really need to check out this new technique.  How many times have you reeled in a drop shot or Texas rig worm for a new cast, and found several bass chasing the bait to the boat or shore?  Well basically, the I motion retrieve is pretty much a cast out the bait and retrieve at a super slow pace.  Now I am talking about a super slow retrieve, you almost have to put one finger on the handle to push it at a slower pace.  The I shad and Sierra Minnow will give off tiny vibrations during this retrieve that make it look like a non threatened minnow just out for a Sunday morning swim.  Jackall specially made a series of Nose Jigs, that perfectly balance the I shad.  I try to get away with the lightest weight possible, but there are heavier weights for those windier days.  I will also use 5 lb test Toray super finesse fluorocarbon line for the I shad, and as far as rods go you will want a 6 ft. fast tip spinning rod.   This is a great new way to fish when the conditions are tough and the pressure is high.

Another new bait that we were able to bring in from Jackall Japan is the 3 in. Ammonite shad.  I have been fishing this small swim grub for a couple years now and have found it great in stained water and small river conditions.  I will usually pair it up with a Zappu Mustang Head 1/8oz. and fish it on 6lb. line.  The unique swimming action that the ammonite shad has is that the tail will make a complete circular motion while the bait does not roll.  Jackall US is also introducing this bait to the US in 2011, but like the I shad they are only bring over the 4.8 in. and not the 3 in.  Something that most people don’t know is that the Japan Only versions have been packed with natural shrimp flavor which in my opinion is a huge advantage over the normal Jackall soft plastic baits.

As the summer goes, we are going to try to bring you “on the water” video of these newer techniques and lures that are being produced in Japan.  As much as I try to update the Blog, Facebook has been a great way to keep all of our fans up to date on everything that is going on.  Also anyone that is going to be in the Chicago land area in early April we are going to have our fishing show at the shop in Elk Grove, dates will be posted on the site soon.  Well I hope to see most of you soon at the shop, and for everyone else stay tuned for more great baits and information.

Tight Lines,

Pete Sagartz

Click Here for a list of our newest lures.

Jackall Seira Minnow 80 S

Jackall Bling 55

Jackall TN50 Lipless JAPAN ONLY  (great for pond fishermen)

Deps Deathadder Twin-Tail Grub 4.5 in.

Deps BM-Hog 5 in.

Zappu P.D. Chopper Jig (SICK AS HECK)

And Many More Click Here.

Stay Tuned fans,

Pete

Jeff Miller with a nice Chicago Smallmouth

This is a bait that I call the fish finder. Rather than just catching fish it does one of the most important things in fishing and that is it finds them!

A jerkbait is my number 1 bait in the early spring(pre-spawn) to early summer(post-spawn) to find either a solo fish or better yet WAD’S of fish. For this time of the year I believe a hard jerkbait is the best search tool in the tacklebox as long as the water clarity is clear or semi clear meaning at least 3 foot of visibility. There are hundreds of different sizes, colors, and styles of hard jerkbaits to choose from but I believe the best thing you can do is try the old saying “match the hatch”. What I mean is to know the forage that the bass is eating rather it be a largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass you might be targeting on the body of water that you are fishing.  For example in the Great Lakes I would be trying to match in size and color of a perch, spot-tail minnow or alewive pending on what time of the year it is. On inland reservoirs I would try to throw a jerkbait that might resemble a bluegill/sunfish, gizzard shad or a blue herring.

Colors and Styles

With so many different manufactures and different colors on the market where do you start? First and foremost I want a jerkbait that I can cast a long distance even with wind in my face. What I mean by this is a want a jerkbait that has a internal weight system on the interior of the bait. Small lead, steel, or brass beads that slide in the bait from the tail of the bait during the cast and then slide back to the center of the bait for level buoyancy when working it in the water. Almost all of the JDM jerkbaits on the market today have this weight system. The jerkbait that I chose for early in the season when water temps are in the mid 40’s would be a Lucky Craft Staysee 90. This jerkbait has a long bill and dives anywhere from 6 to 10 foot depending the line size you might be using. When working this jerkbait I will be pulling then pausing for at least 6 seconds with the rod rather than jerking it violently like I would when the water warms up. The colors that I try to stick with at this time of the year and this bait are nishiki, chartreuse shad, and wakasagi pending on water clarity. When the water warms up in the mid 50 degree mark I reach for a Megabass x-80 trick darter and a Lucky Craft pointer 78 (BFreeze 70). These little 3 and 4 inch baits have a ton of action and really match’s the hatch when bass are defending their territory for the spawn. The retrieve for these baits I like to use is a snap, snap, pause for 3 seconds than snap again. Not only do these baits catch them but it really shows you where they are! With all the colors for these baits I try to stick with a few that I have confidence in.  For the Megabass x-80 Trick Darter I like Cosmic shad, Ayu and Hachiro Reaction which is a crazy color but it just seems to work at this time of the year. For the pointer 78 or BFreeze 70 I prefer Bluegill, Aurora Black, and Perch. After the spawn is complete there are two jerkbaits that I rely on very heavy. These two baits are a Lucky Craft pt. 100 and a Megabass Vision 110. The way I work these baits is usually very fast. I am trying to draw a reaction strike from the fish or more or less piss them off! With the Megabass vision 110 there is a whole lot of snapping and jerkn’ going on during the retrieve and with the LC pt. 100 there will be a snap, snap, snap, then pause for 3 seconds before starting the snapping process again. The colors I like on the LC pt. 100 are Ghost Minnow and Chartreuse Shad. For the Megabass vision 110 it hard to beat French Pearl and Pro Blue.

Equipment

The action of rod that I prefer to use on these jerkbaits is a medium for the larger jerkbaits and a medium light for the smaller jerkbaits. Both of these rods I want a soft and forgiving tip. The reason for this is so I do not lose fish. I might work a little more snapping the jerkbaits but it is worth it when you don’t lose fish. It does not matter on spinning or baitcasting rods which ever you are more comfortable with. The line I chose for jerkbaiting is usually Seaguar fluorocarbon in 10lb. I will throw 8lb. test with the Luckycraft Staysee 90 just to get it a little deeper if necessary. The reason for using a fluorocarbon line instead of monofilament is the sensitivity, very little stretch and a little more depth.

A jerkbait is a tool that is used not only to catch them but also to find them which sometimes is the hardest thing to do in fishing!      – Jeff Miller

 

Limited Edition Griffon 6cc Hi Pitch

Here at Lee’s Global Tackle we have the pleasure of bringing you the angler some of the finest in High Quality fishing tackle from around the world.  The sport of Bass fishing seems to be growing by the day, and with the increased popularity the same old tackle doesn’t cut it anymore for most innovative bass fisherman.  This is why Lee’s Global Tackle has gone out to find the latest and greatest in the fishing world.  There are many domestic shops where you can find Lucky Craft lures and Jackall Bros. baits, but only here can you find a source for hard to find colors and sizes.  The special hard to find colors and sizes are usually found in Japan and are called Japanese Domestic Market baits (JDM), because this is where they originated.  By taking lures that American anglers have been using for years and totally reworking them until they are perfect, the Japanese have revolutionized the bass fishing world.  One of the unique features of the JDM lures is that they are of extremely high quality.  This quality tackle gives fishermen the confidence that they need to not just compete against the other fishermen, but the elements. 

 

New Japanese fishing techniques are being developed weekly.  Some of these specialized techniques require special tackle to throw them.  Finesse fishing is a huge Japanese technique however most American bass fishermen are used to fishing heavy line with heavy baits in heavy cover.  Anglers that are unfamiliar with finesse fishing would freak out about using 3-4 lb. test fluorocarbon line for smallmouth fishing.  On the other hand for those open mined anglers who try lighter quality line, you will notice a huge difference in the amount of bites you will get.  Now for those open minded fishermen that are switching to the light high quality fluorocarbon lines they will notice that those lines only come in small 110 m. or less size spools.  The problem they will run into is cast ability and spool depth.  What the JDM reels feature is the option for a shallow spool, different drag weights, and handle length.  I could talk about the features that JDM reels have over American market reels all day, but you really need to experience them for yourselves.

 

Jigs-  How many times have you noticed that your jig skirt is slipping down the hook shank on a hook set or fish catch?  Well if you are like me, you can appreciate how a Hand-Tied skirt that stays on the jig like white on rice.  Companies like Jackall Lake Police, Megabass, and O.S.P. have also innovated the Jig world by designing new jig heads and eye placements, to make sure that bait has irresistible action and hook ups.

 

Crank baits-  JDM manufactured crank baits are almost like small pieces of art.  The leaders in the Japanese Hard Bait world are Lucky Craft, Megabass, and Jackall Lake police.  They have developed crank baits for any condition.  For example Megabass has a crank bait called the “Griffon” and this bait comes in seven different models, some have rattles, some dive to different depths, and some have different actions.  Now this is just one of eleven model crank baits that Megabass makes.  Lucky Craft makes seventeen different Trout and Salmon color patterns for a BASS BAIT.  One could go mad trying to choose a color in a JDM hard bait, but personally I love it (my wife says am clinically insane).

 

Soft Plastics-  The JDM soft baits are something you really need to check out if you are a worm fisherman.  For years I have been destroying giant smallmouth bass on the great lakes with the Jackall Cross Tail Shad on light line.  I have not kept this a secret and shared the information with many others who have all done the same, now I am talking about the US version of the Cross Tail.  If you thought these worms were super soft and high quality you haven’t even seen the Super Cross Tail Shad baits, they have eyes, scales and a profile of small baitfish.  I personally love the hand poured baits that have come from Japan, another example of a high quality soft plastic bait is the O.S.P. Do Live Craw (most popular bait in Japan).  The Do Live Craw is a crawfish bait that comes in four different sizes, they feature a “spot on” crawfish scent, reverse legs that vibrate during the fall, and two giant claws that flap back and forth during the fall.  Never have I seen such a well developed crawfish imitator, and it works like a charm, that’s why we can’t keep them in stock.

 

Whether it’s Spinning reel that looks like it came from the year 2050, a precision wound spool of Finesse Fluorocarbon line that you could read the newspaper through, or a Jerk bait that shifts its weight to cast like a missile I would like to invite all open minded anglers to experience the world of the Japanese Domestic Market.

]]> http://leesglobaltackle.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/welcome-to-the-world-of-high-quality-bass-fishing-tackle/feed/ 0 leesglobaltackle Mr Griffon Crankbait Megabass Alien Head Jig Lucky Craft Real Vib 77 Reins Cross Swamp http://leesglobaltackle.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/so-you-want-to-be-a-better-bass-fisherman/ http://leesglobaltackle.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/so-you-want-to-be-a-better-bass-fisherman/#comments Thu, 30 Sep 2010 01:33:00 +0000 leesglobaltackle http://leesglobaltackle.wordpress.com/?p=125 ]]> Well if you are tired of the commercialized bass fishing world and feel a need for the real 411, not the bull.  Check out the Bass University.  Pro Anglers like Mike Iaconelli, Pete Gluzek, Mark Zona, Brent Erhler, Ish Monroe, Byron Velvick, Hack Attack, and so many other Stud Fishermen will be Teaching a Two Day Course desinged to get you the real information about fishing techniques that are real and can be applied to day to day fishing.  The Bass University is not just a big “Advertisment” so they charge a nice fee to get in, but believe me after attending in years past, they deal with the real situations, not just talk about their sponsors and how they can catch fish on their sponsors baits across the country from where you are at.

Pete Gluzek is the man behind the Bass University, and he will be bringing this great program to a city near you.  I would highly suggest you check out their site and find one near you.  After all these classes will be held during the winter months, so the lakes are rock hard anyways.

Enjoy,

Pete