GEAR
FIRST LOOK
NEW GEAR: GOING BIG FOR BASS
F
By Colin Moore
rom humongous baits to big-screen electronics, the fishing tackle industry is
upsizing various equipment to help tournament anglers find fish easier and
catch the toads among them. And why not? Every tournament angler wants
to return to the weigh-in with five keepers, but also having a hefty kicker or two in
the daily haul is essential to winning or at least getting to fish on the last day.
Here are a few examples of new oversize tackle being offered these days to
anglers going after the good ol’ big ’uns.
Lowrance HDs carbon 16
The advantage of the newest – and at 16 inches, the
largest – addition to Lowrance’s HDS Carbon series isn’t so
much to help aging anglers’ fading eyesight as it is to pro-
vide more perspective on what’s going on under the boat.
In fact, the screen can be subdivided into four panels that
simultaneously show various combinations of maps and
Lowrance sonar views, including StructureScan, DownScan,
CHIRP, StructureMap and StructureScan 3D. SolarMAX HD
displays allow for easy viewing even in intense sunlight,
while 1920x1080 HD resolution ensures a clear picture.
$4,999 to $5,799, depending on transducer selection
lowrance.com
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LOWRaNCE HDS CaRbON 16
Optimum Thumper Tail
Swimbaits don’t get much bigger than the Thumper Tail,
which is 9 inches long and weighs a tad more than 5
ounces. A VMC No. 1 treble hook is mounted in the bait at
the head, and a weight section toward the middle of the
body keeps the lure horizontal in the water as it’s being
cranked along. The lure ends in a paddle tail designed to
emit maximum vibration at even slow retrieve speeds, while
3-D eyes add to the Thumper Tail’s realistic look. Seven col-
ors are available, including trout, brown hitch and ghost
minnow. $30
optimumbaits.com
FLWFISHING.COM I AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2017