We haven’t seen these new $130 bags from our supporter MAK Surfcasting in person yet. But they look like a darn winner at that price point.

The info below is copied from Saltwater Edge Website in RI.

 Here is the link to the product page

http://www.edgeangling.com/MAK-Surfcasting-Plug-Bag.html

like we said, we haven’t seen them in person yet but we though you should know about them

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Mak Surfcasting is pleased to announce the introduction of MAK ANGLER, a new line of plug bags for the serious surfcaster.

The Angler Bag is Made in America, with the same quality construction as all the bags in the MAK Surfcasting line. Their new innovative design however, allows MAK to offer this new bag through retail outlets at an affordable price.

They start with a single layer of 9oz Dacron fabric for strength, and hook resistance. The bag has 6 inches of Industrial Strength Velcro on the main flap, and convenient Velcro tips to hold your side flaps out of the way when accessing your plugs. The bottom of the bag is reinforced with 3 strips of 2″ belt webbing to protect against wear and tear. The seams and binding, as in all MAK bags, are double stitched, with an additional 4 rows of stitching on the corners, and additional backstitching at all stress points.

The thread is an important component of the bags. They use a bonded polyester thread known for its high strength, stability in sunlight, and resistance to heat, abrasion, salt water and mildew. The bottom of the bag has 5 solid brass grommets for quick drainage, with additional grommets in the side pockets. Two belt loops secure the bag in place on your belt, and of course, it also has an adjustable shoulder strap attached with double buckle loops and multiple layers of stitching at all attachment points.

On the inside, they have included bucktail slots, an closed pocket for leaders or other terminal tackle, an open pocket for soft plastics, along with four strong, but flexible tubes for your Continue reading →

I was going to ask this question beforew, but my buddy JohnR from www.striped-bass.com  (one of my  favorite internet fishing forums) beat me to it…you guys should visit and say hi

Anyway, with the risk of being redundant…what effect do you guys thing this oil price surge will have on your fishing this year if it stays this way? Will you fish less? Closer to home? No changes?

I just drove 1200 each way to Florida last week because I refused to get robbed by an airline….well, we did saved some money which we used to book a fishing charter BUT my kids insistence of taking my Suburban had a negative effect…I felt I was getting robber by gas stations. Every fill up between $90 and $100 and there were many…so i do feel your pain

Since I am still trying to unbury myself from avalanche of mail and emails from vacation, you will have to excuse me for maybe bringing “old” stuff.

I read with amusement Fred Golofaro’s article about spring, not fall, giving you a best chance to hook into a larger fish. Funny, some schmuck wrote an article “is spring new fall?” few years ago and they almost laughed him out of town. Very amusing stuff

I for one will keep my subscription to the Fisherman as long as Fred is around. I love that man. Honesty, integrity, compassion, reasonable..the dude is an epitome of a great man and a hell of a surfcaster. I also like that he can see through bullshit when he sees it. Like in recent letters to the editor reply. Glad Fred seen right trough it…and very diplomatic about it, skill I obviously lack

Back to big fish and spring….where will your best shot come?

Depends where you are. Jersey boys will be licking their chops and dreaming about big bass pushing  bunker into the jetties. Canal Rats will be dreaming about herring or mackerel being slapped around in the Big Ditch. And I am sure Montauk, Block or Cutty crews will get their share of slobs by swimming to outer rocks. But very of these few spots are a “sure thing”. Nothing is a sure thing in life other than a fact that your wife will spend at least twice as much as she “estimated”.

There is one spot that coughs up more cows with regularity than any other type of structure, every year, every decade, every generation. With consistency. But it’s not an easy place to fish or learn. But once you get a knock for it, you will keep coming back for more…

I am talking about inlets that dot Northeast barrier beaches and inland. River mouths, canals, anywhere were wicked currents are formed and baitfish travels to and from back bays to the ocean. But don’t take my word for it. I am just a dude behind a keyboard.

Here is the Master speaking of his craft

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYQ1p_7vWiA[/youtube]

Since now I am officially been christened with powers of moving plug sales across eastern seaboard (still one of the nuttiest things I’ve ever heard!) let’s see if I can do the same for the stick makers :-)…lmao

How important is to have “your own” rod builder?

If you are into custom rods? Extremely. And even if you are buying a store rod they can help. How? They know their stuff and the rod builders I deal with will be able to tell you good, bad or ugly about any rod, not only the ones they build.

Take Lou Caruso, aka redhawk (http://louscustomrods.com/ )        as he is known on many websites. Not only is he our rod guru Continue reading →

you know what they say, you can lead a horse to the water but you can make them drink….

Many people feel that polarized glasses are unnecessary .

I don’t understand why all sunglasses are not polarized. Really, this puzzles me. I not only use a polarizing shades but I also screw a polarizing filter on my Nikon dslr and another on my Panasonic hd camera too.

Polarizing filters and sunglasses cut on the glare and allow you to see under the surface.They protect your eyes from the sun. I have been in love with my WileyX since I took them to Europe two years ago. I have two pairs, just got one for my son and now after visiting FL, my wife wants a pair too. The difference in wearing a polarized shads and not when looking at the Florida flats can only be described as heaven and earth. I’d be yelling , “redfish at 2 o’clock” or “manatee to the right” while my wife and daughter would helplessly stare in the water, the suns glare precluding them to see what I was seeing.

I could see the fish race towards my wife’s jigs and would tell her to slow down her retrieve….until she took my shades away and used them…such is life 🙂

What about looking for deep holes on the beaches you fish with your shades? The polarized pair will make a world of difference,. Sight casting on the flats for bass? Yup, tremendous help there too. Looking atop the cliffs at Montauk for fish gathering under surface before exploding or for sign of bait? Check….

I am going to make one lucky Surfcaster’s Journal Magazine Easter week a little more festive by awarding them this brand spanking new Flare  WileyX shades Continue reading →

I would like to wish all our readers and friends Happy Easter.

I hope you guys and dolls have a great day with your families. I just returned from a family trip, will fill you in during the week.

Catching small fish got me thinking.

 I forgot how much fun was to catch a small fish on light tackle.

 I never considered myself a big fish hunter. I’ve caught my share although not nearly as many as some other people that targeted big fish exclusively. And I am ok with that. Watching my son catch a three pound fish is much more satisfying then some forty plus pound stripers I caught  last year. Don’t get me wrong, there is no way to equate them but I guess I always felt that I have a whole life to do what I want to do, but time with kids is a wasting asset, getting shorter and shorter by a minute.

How big of an importance do you put on a size of the fish you catch….

This is some interesting stuff.

http://afewlinesaboutline.blogspot.com/

Specifically the bootfoot category:

What do you wear? What do you like?

I have personally gone through 5 pairs of orvis tailwaters xt’s. Great fit and great boots but they were not designed for rough saltwater use. So I was on the quest for a rugged pair of bootfoots . I had a pair of sno-bee breatheables and they lasted a few seasons but I can find them anywhere. Recently I plunked down $60 bucks on the cabelas waders. I have a feeling come summer they will be a sweat pool.

What do you like?

-Tommy

It made me think though. Admittedly, I am a late comer when it comes to bullet myself. I always owned a few but will admit that I sparingly used them. Just like many of you who carry lures that are tucked in the corner of your bags. They do come out in play but if fish does not respond immediately they quickly get replaced by “go-to” lure.

I had a good success with them over the years, but again, I never used them enough to become a “mojo” lure. Then few years ago, during my one and only year of guiding, I found myself at Montauk more times then I wish I would be, casting the lures of its legendary rocks…and catching nothing.

The sand behind the town was hot. Very hot. Everyone and their mother was there throwing tins during the day and needles at night. But my customers wanted to fish rocks and nothing else.

 Some nights were better then others but it was really difficult to catch few fish here and there while you knew that bass were stacked up on sand like cordwood and rocks were giving up few fish.

 I plodded ahead and tossed same lures that have been good to me over the years looking for bigger fish. Lordship A40, Super Strike Darters, Danny metal lips, rigged eels, all were mostly ignored. Continue reading →