Best New Fishing
Gearcontinues to offer
for 2014
Industry
anglers problem-solving products
Award-winning fisherman/journalist,
creator of Knot Wars, formerly
with the North American Fishing
Club, Steve Pennaz has launched
Lake Commandos, a new brand
that includes Lake Commando
television/social media series on
Pursuit Network and TuffTV.
By Steve Pennaz
I
t wasn’t that long ago I figured the
fishing tackle industry had reached
what was likely the pinnacle of
potential innovation, at least in some
product categories. But to my pleasure,
the industry responded by unleashing
some of the most exciting new products
seen in years.
From remarkable new reel designs offering incredibly high gear ratios for more
line pick-up per turn to almost futuristic underwater camera viewing
technologies, to lures that flatout perform. The list below features products that should be in
your boat come 2014.
I know this because I’ve put
all of them through the rigors of
real-world, on-the-water testing, and
came to the conclusion for each:
my fellow Fishhounds will
appreciate this information.
experienced flipper who showed me
the advantages of speed…he hit more
targets per hour than I could fishing a
lower-geared reel and he caught more
fish because of it. Plus, I’ve learned that
putting the gas to presentations that
don’t normally call for speed (like jigs)
can yield some mind-bending results.
soft plastics is a
5.5-inch straight-tail
worm called the Rib
Snake. Part of what
makes the Rib Snake so
effective is its series of
thin ribs that run along the
bait body, which not only
provide maximum surface
The Rocket is fun area for PowerBait scent but
to fish, too. Spool allow the bait to move fluidly.
speed is con- Likewise, this design helps the
trolled
by bait collapse easily for solid hookboth
a ups.
magnetic
brake and I love the Rib Snake for drop-shots e a l e d ting, on a shaky head or mushroom
centrifuge head jig, or rigging Texas style. The tail
s y s t e m , rides u [