Success. Huddleston Shad lure was the ticket.
Showing posts with label bass. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bass. Show all posts
Fall Bass Fishing in Riverside
Prado Reservoir Bass Fishing
Prado Reservoir County Park, near Chino Hills, offers a lot of shoreline for anglers. I recently got to fish this lake and found the myriad of reeds, trees and other structure very fun to fish. The bass weren't huge but we managed to land a few chunky ones throughout the day.
Product Review: Midland XTC 300 Wearable Action Camera HD for Fishing Video Fun!
Intro
While names like GoPro and Contour have dominated the action camera market, many companies have started offering much more affordable alternatives. Amongst these is the interesting Midland XTC series. Now, while Midland is often well-known for its line of radios, they also have released a solid line of action cameras aimed at fans of the great outdoors. I took the XTC300VP4 HD Wearable Action Camera out on a several fishing trips and really enjoyed it. Interested in a affordable action camera with a wide range of accessories and high quality video? Read on!
Features
The Midland XTC300 will film in three modes: 480 (low), 720 (med, 60FPS), 1080 (high, 30FPS), with wide angle lenses (127 in 1080p, 147 in 720p), and fits up to a 32gb micro SD card. Other features include:
- Single Slide Switch for easy operation - On/Off
- Includes Submersible Case (up to 100 ft)
(More after the jump) - Also Includes 4 mounts - Helmet, Helmet Strap, Handlebar and Goggle
- Can Switch between 1080p, 720p and 480p recording options
- Camera View - 127˚ wide angle lens
- Uses 1100mAH Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery (Included)
- Battery Life Indicator
- Low Memory Indicator
- USB 2.0 File Transfer
- Lens is a multi coated tempered glass
- Focus is 5" to infinity
- Aspect radio is 16:9
- Format is MPEG-4 with Compression of H:264
- Light Sensitivity is 1.4V/Lux. second
- AAC Audio
- Compatible systems: Win XP SP2+, Vista & 7, Mac OS X 10.4+
One of the neatest features is the inclusion of the underwater flat lenses. Now, if you have ever used a GoPro Hero2 underwater with the 'stock' case, you'll notice how blurry and unfocused the underwater video is. This is due to the annoying 'double bubble' lenses effect that occurs with wide-angle bubble lenses underwater. Midland solved that with the XTC by offering a super nice, interchangeable lenses. Just make sure you leave the rubber circle in place around the lenses opening when switching lenses, this is vital for preventing water leaks!
Design
The XTC 300 sports a super minimalist design. Unlike the GoPro, it has a more 'tube' or 'Contour' style design, so it will sit best alongside your forehead, not in the middle. The camera fits into the included waterproof case with ease. Recording is incredibly and refreshingly simple: just push the slider ontop of the case forward and recording starts; move it back and it stops. Also, there is a simple Low, Medium, High resolution switch inside the camera (near the battery) for you to adjust resolution. That's it! No annoying menus to scroll through or buttons for it to freeze up on. Granted, some people may wish for more features (photos, timer, etc), but the simplicity of the Midland XTC design allows you to concentrate on the key point of action cameras: filming! There isn't any zoom to speak of, or closeup macro focus, but this is fairly standard for most action cameras. The waterproof case is fairly tough, it took several tumbles during my fishing trips without scratches. Finally, the included accessories are fantastic-plenty of mounts to go around. However, it would be nice if they would include a baseball cap mount or headstrap mount as well, as these will definitely be needed by anglers. Midland does sell these and you can put one together for quite cheap, as I did, if needed.
Performance
The Midland XTC 300 action camera performed excellently, in a variety of fishing situations. I used it for moving shots, head-mounted shots, underwater footage, scenery, and more. The 60fps 720p resolution is nice, but I really prefer the impressive crispness of the 1080p (High res option). I didn't encounter any problems when using this on my hikes and fishing trips. No video encoding errors, distorted colors, or other annoyances. Sound quality is very limited when filming in an underwater case, as expected, so it really didn't bother me. Overall, the XTC 300 performed very well and you can see several of the videos I shot with it in this review. I tried both the stock lenses and the included flat lenses underwater, with a noticeable difference (definitely more clear with flat lenses, as you can see in portions of the Huge Trout video). The battery life seemed to be more than enough for my fishing trips (usually several hours of on/off use) and it recharged with ease through the USB port charger.
Summary
The Midland XTC300 action is a great option for those interested in a straight-forward, reliable and impressive action camera for the outdoors. It retails for $199, comes with a variety of accessories including a wonderful flat lenses, and performs admirably outside. I do wish they would include a hat mount or headmount by default with the camera, but these are easily obtainable through Midland and other sellers as well. Overall, if you are looking for an affordable alternative to expensive action cameras like the GoPro, please consider the Midland XTC300 Action Camera!
Design
The XTC 300 sports a super minimalist design. Unlike the GoPro, it has a more 'tube' or 'Contour' style design, so it will sit best alongside your forehead, not in the middle. The camera fits into the included waterproof case with ease. Recording is incredibly and refreshingly simple: just push the slider ontop of the case forward and recording starts; move it back and it stops. Also, there is a simple Low, Medium, High resolution switch inside the camera (near the battery) for you to adjust resolution. That's it! No annoying menus to scroll through or buttons for it to freeze up on. Granted, some people may wish for more features (photos, timer, etc), but the simplicity of the Midland XTC design allows you to concentrate on the key point of action cameras: filming! There isn't any zoom to speak of, or closeup macro focus, but this is fairly standard for most action cameras. The waterproof case is fairly tough, it took several tumbles during my fishing trips without scratches. Finally, the included accessories are fantastic-plenty of mounts to go around. However, it would be nice if they would include a baseball cap mount or headstrap mount as well, as these will definitely be needed by anglers. Midland does sell these and you can put one together for quite cheap, as I did, if needed.
Performance
The Midland XTC 300 action camera performed excellently, in a variety of fishing situations. I used it for moving shots, head-mounted shots, underwater footage, scenery, and more. The 60fps 720p resolution is nice, but I really prefer the impressive crispness of the 1080p (High res option). I didn't encounter any problems when using this on my hikes and fishing trips. No video encoding errors, distorted colors, or other annoyances. Sound quality is very limited when filming in an underwater case, as expected, so it really didn't bother me. Overall, the XTC 300 performed very well and you can see several of the videos I shot with it in this review. I tried both the stock lenses and the included flat lenses underwater, with a noticeable difference (definitely more clear with flat lenses, as you can see in portions of the Huge Trout video). The battery life seemed to be more than enough for my fishing trips (usually several hours of on/off use) and it recharged with ease through the USB port charger.
Summary
The Midland XTC300 action is a great option for those interested in a straight-forward, reliable and impressive action camera for the outdoors. It retails for $199, comes with a variety of accessories including a wonderful flat lenses, and performs admirably outside. I do wish they would include a hat mount or headmount by default with the camera, but these are easily obtainable through Midland and other sellers as well. Overall, if you are looking for an affordable alternative to expensive action cameras like the GoPro, please consider the Midland XTC300 Action Camera!
How could fish live here?
Ever spot a tiny drainage channel and wonder if there could be fish in it? Wonder no more! Watch the below video for more, green sunfish action and bass!
Inland Empire Creek Exploration
Slow day for fishing in southern California. Cold snap overnight after a rainstorm. Fog rolling out at day break. Water was running high and fast. Fish didn't cooperate. However, the scenery was quite memorable. Enjoy!
Fishing the San Gabriel River in Azusa Canyon
Went hiking and exploring the San Gabriel River for new spots. The weather was a little chilly, by California standards, but the clear skies made up for the cold. We found plenty of interesting water, including deep pools and bends, but no fish. Perhaps in the coming months these spots will be worth returning to. Still, it wasn't a bad trip, as the fantastic scenery is a testament to! Check the video below as well for a better idea of the variety of locations we scouted.
Fishing the Santa Ana River for Bass and Sunfish
Found this little channel on the Santa Ana by accident. It's pretty easy to figure out where it is, but I'm warning any would-be-explorers: this spot is nasty with poison oak. Somehow, I managed to get it around my eye, in addition to arms, legs, and neck. Definitely not an experience I plan on repeating! Although, I wonder how many other tiny channels like this one exist, perhaps even with larger fish?
Bass and Trout Fishing in Vancouver Washington
This summer, I spent a few weeks in Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The fishing conditions were considerably different from my usual spots in SoCal. I could fish for rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and cutthroat trout all within a 10-15 minute drive. None of the fish I landed were huge, although I got my best cutthroat trout (14'') and a solid largemouth (2-3 pounds?) during the trip. Most of the fish were caught on soft plastics (Senkos, Yum Dingers and topwater frogs (Seizmic Toad)). It was a wonderful trip and I even landed a few odd species, like the ubiquitous freshwater sculpin, on a Yum Dinger.
Check out the following photos and watch the video for a better idea of the fishing trips I took during this time. Watch for the topwater frog strikes in broad daylight in the video! I also took a trip up to Seattle and visited the famous Pike's fish market, shown at the end of the video.
Diamond Valley Lake Microbass
Wow, these pics are almost a year old! I forgot to post them on the blog, after a fun trip to Diamond Valley Lake. The fish were all dinks, largest was maybe 14'', but they were really fun to catch. DVL is a tough lake to fish from the shore but at times it can be very rewarding!
Lure Review: Triggerfish Steerable Topwater Lure
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| Testing Ground |
ThinkTankLure’s announcement of a “steerable lure” back in 2011 at iCast was met with a great deal of enthusiasm and press coverage. Tackle Tour, InFisherman, Field and Stream, plus several other websites covered this unique topwater bait. However, since then, I haven’t heard much about the Triggerfish. Fortunately, I was able to get in touch with the folks at ThinkTankLures and I have a brand new review on this exciting topwater lure.
Design
ThinkTankLures has basically taken the Walk-the-Dog concept to a new level with the Triggerfish. The head swings from side to side, acting as a weight to change directions of the lure as needed. Line tie is on top of the lure, not by the lip, unlike many other hardbaits. The Triggerfish features two sets of treble hooks, like most poppers and topwaters, along with a prop at the rear for greater topwater action. Finally, the Triggerfish comes in a huge selection of excellent colors. One I prefer is the Ayu Shad color, but there are many others (20 total!) for anglers to choose from.
Action
Here’s where the real fun with the Triggerfish lies-in its unique, steerable action. I’m not going to go into super detail on how to best retrieve this lure (ThinkTankLures does a fine job on their website complete with instructional video), but I will assure you that it isn’t too hard to figure out. Don’t expect this to be a straight cast and crank lure. Rather, you’ll actually take near complete control of the various directions the lure heads, using short snaps of the line to change the weighted, swinging head direction. It may sound similar to the concept behind a Zara Spook and walking the dog, but it’s taking this to a whole new level. I thoroughly enjoyed the steerable aspect of the Triggerfish. As you can see in my YouTube video below, you can easily change directions and get the lure into some pretty tight spots, or just around various bits of interesting cover. There have been a few reviews online where people discussed having a hard time using the lure-this is simply not the case if you follow the instructions on the website! It’s important to note that this is definitely not a lure to fish in weedy, the duel treble hooks will make your life miserable fast! The lure doesn’t respond like a normal hardbait, instead, it lays on its side in the water, churning up a wake with its rear prop on retrieve.
Durability
With sharp VMC hooks a solid paint job, the Triggerfish is definitely not one lure that I was worried about in the durability department. Errant casts on my part occasionally sent the lure bouncing off hard cover, but with no noticeable effect on the lure’s performance or finish.
Price
At $12.99, it’s not the cheapest topwater bait on the market. However, the high quality components and unique design really make this price look like a bargain.
Summary
I can’t recall having as much control and fun while fishing a bass lure as with the Triggerfish. The ability to control a lures direction on a topwater bait is awesome. It may not be the best topwater bait for every condition, but when you need a topwater bait to work its way around cover, or in a style rarely seen by fish, the Triggerfish is a must-have. I hope other anglers out there will have as much fun as I’ve had with the Triggerfish. Next stop? Silverwood, for early morning striper boils with ThinkTankLure’s Triggerfish-photos to come soon hopefully!
Design
ThinkTankLures has basically taken the Walk-the-Dog concept to a new level with the Triggerfish. The head swings from side to side, acting as a weight to change directions of the lure as needed. Line tie is on top of the lure, not by the lip, unlike many other hardbaits. The Triggerfish features two sets of treble hooks, like most poppers and topwaters, along with a prop at the rear for greater topwater action. Finally, the Triggerfish comes in a huge selection of excellent colors. One I prefer is the Ayu Shad color, but there are many others (20 total!) for anglers to choose from.
Action
Here’s where the real fun with the Triggerfish lies-in its unique, steerable action. I’m not going to go into super detail on how to best retrieve this lure (ThinkTankLures does a fine job on their website complete with instructional video), but I will assure you that it isn’t too hard to figure out. Don’t expect this to be a straight cast and crank lure. Rather, you’ll actually take near complete control of the various directions the lure heads, using short snaps of the line to change the weighted, swinging head direction. It may sound similar to the concept behind a Zara Spook and walking the dog, but it’s taking this to a whole new level. I thoroughly enjoyed the steerable aspect of the Triggerfish. As you can see in my YouTube video below, you can easily change directions and get the lure into some pretty tight spots, or just around various bits of interesting cover. There have been a few reviews online where people discussed having a hard time using the lure-this is simply not the case if you follow the instructions on the website! It’s important to note that this is definitely not a lure to fish in weedy, the duel treble hooks will make your life miserable fast! The lure doesn’t respond like a normal hardbait, instead, it lays on its side in the water, churning up a wake with its rear prop on retrieve.
Durability
With sharp VMC hooks a solid paint job, the Triggerfish is definitely not one lure that I was worried about in the durability department. Errant casts on my part occasionally sent the lure bouncing off hard cover, but with no noticeable effect on the lure’s performance or finish.
Price
At $12.99, it’s not the cheapest topwater bait on the market. However, the high quality components and unique design really make this price look like a bargain.
Summary
I can’t recall having as much control and fun while fishing a bass lure as with the Triggerfish. The ability to control a lures direction on a topwater bait is awesome. It may not be the best topwater bait for every condition, but when you need a topwater bait to work its way around cover, or in a style rarely seen by fish, the Triggerfish is a must-have. I hope other anglers out there will have as much fun as I’ve had with the Triggerfish. Next stop? Silverwood, for early morning striper boils with ThinkTankLure’s Triggerfish-photos to come soon hopefully!
Dynamic Lures HD Trout Jerkbait Review
Dynamic Lures Fishing in Action
Dynamic Lures is a new company on the proverbial fishing lure block. They offer an impressive range of affordable jerkbaits and swimbaits. Based in Colorado, their products have been heavily advertised online and recently picked up by several large fishing tackle retailers, namely Bass Pro Shops, Sportsman's Wharehouse, and Cabelas. I was particularly interested in their HD Trout series of hardbait lures. After getting in touch with the company, I have several of these fine jerkbaits to show you along with them in action on video.
Design
These HD Trout jerkbaits are 2.25'' long and weigh in at 0.10 oz. I was most impressed with the unique patterns these lures come in. With 12 different patterns, ranging from Glimmer Trout to Fire Craw, you can be sure they have something for every water type. One of my favorite patterns they offer is the Ghost Perch, a semi-translucent brown baitfish pattern. Bass readily hit this and the Trout patterns that I threw while fishing.
Action
HD Trout jerkbaits feature a tantalizing wobble in the water on medium retrieve. I was still able to coax decent action out of them on slow retrieves, and a fast "burner" retrieve also worked to draw strikes. However, most of my hits came on a medium retrieve, often near weedlines with the HD Trout. These lures look great in the water, with a slow-sinking fall when not reeling.
Durability
Of the four jerkbaits from Dynamic Lures, one did lose an eye after a particularly bumpy retrieve near rocks. However, on the whole, I found these lures to be fairly durable. The finish held up great, even after repeated catches and some rough snags. None of the hooks bent out or left me with any problems. Retrieves continued to be consistently good even after multiple hookups (no re-alignment was needed during my use). Lures ran great out of the box too!
Price
Dynamic Lures HD Trout jerkbaits are priced fairly reasonably. They sell for $4.95 each online, although the Gold Natural pattern is listed as $2.95 at the time of this review. I think most people will be comparing these to Rapala's and the $4.95 price of t he Dynanmic Lures definitely gives them an edge on the market. I haven't spotted the prices on them at Bass Pro Shops or Cabelas, it'll be interesting to see what they sell for at those stores.
Dynamic Lures HD Trout jerkbaits are priced fairly reasonably. They sell for $4.95 each online, although the Gold Natural pattern is listed as $2.95 at the time of this review. I think most people will be comparing these to Rapala's and the $4.95 price of t he Dynanmic Lures definitely gives them an edge on the market. I haven't spotted the prices on them at Bass Pro Shops or Cabelas, it'll be interesting to see what they sell for at those stores.
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| Great packaging too! |
Summary
I'm really happy with the Dynamic Lures range of HD Trout jerkbaits. It's tough to come out with a solid line of new lures in the cutthroat fishing lure industry, but I think these guys have a winner on their hands with this set of jerkbaits. While the company has received rave reviews on their lures for trout fishing (a must in Colorada), I found the HD Trout to work great on bass at my urban creek and pond locations. They are the perfect size to throw on the light tackle that I use. Plus, the great lure patterns and decent prices will keep me throwing the HD Trout jerkbaits in my hunt for urban largemouth for sure!
I'm really happy with the Dynamic Lures range of HD Trout jerkbaits. It's tough to come out with a solid line of new lures in the cutthroat fishing lure industry, but I think these guys have a winner on their hands with this set of jerkbaits. While the company has received rave reviews on their lures for trout fishing (a must in Colorada), I found the HD Trout to work great on bass at my urban creek and pond locations. They are the perfect size to throw on the light tackle that I use. Plus, the great lure patterns and decent prices will keep me throwing the HD Trout jerkbaits in my hunt for urban largemouth for sure!
Other Lures from Dynamic Lures
Also, I'd like to note that Dynamic Lures carries several other interesting lures. The Dynamo series is a set of unique big swimbaits for big fish. Coming in 7'' and 2oz, the slow sinking Dynamo LP looked great when I threw it at Lake Perris. I haven't' been able to fish it extensively, but I'll definitely be posting more shots of it when I do. It's a jointed hardbait swimbait with a nice array of patterns available. One of the really neat unique features of it is the sweet "embedded" hook on the front treble, helping prevent tangles on casting
Also from Dynamic is the Travado DP, a 4'' deep-diving jerkbait. Lots of great colors available for this hardbait too (seeign a pattern here?) I'm hoping to throw this when fishing the salt at the local jetties this summer, look for more reports on this soon!
