A few reviews:

Optimum Supsending:
http://www.calfishing.com/reviews/swimbaits/optimum_suspending.html

Generic Swimbait:
http://www.calfishing.com/reviews/swimbaits/generic_swimbait.html

Mattlures Bluegill:
http://www.calfishing.com/reviews/bluegill/mattlures_bluegill.html

Whatnot:

There's a main page update if you don't click in via the front page.

Tackle Warehouse has the Monster Jacks. Most sold on the first day but there's a few left. I saw the Mike Long bass at the shop and it looked pretty sweet. A very dark green pattern bass.

Some sunglasses reviews are cooking up. Just gotta do the photo work. And to everyone who has sent me baits that I haven't reviewed yet, I haven't forgotten them, it will all come in time :)

thx
-Rob

Rob: Thank you again for such a comprehensive post/reviews. I really appreciate them as I continue to learn just the basics of "Trophy Fishing".

Dan

No problem :) I really wish I could do this kind of thing full time. Maybe some day.

Rob, About 15 years ago or so a group of serious and honest anglers put together a monthly newsletter of reviews of field tested fishing tackle. I do not remember the name of this great publication. It accepted no ads and did not hesitate to knock products from even the biggest manufacturers. Apparently the manufacturers harassed the publisher (maybe threatening or starting lawsuits). The little guys involved could not cope with Goliath, so the next thing I knew apparently some tackle manufacturers organization took over the publication. At that point the credibility of the newsletter became laughable. I cancelled my subscription and I cannot imagine that this phoney publication survived.

It would be great if you started such a publication because you would do an honest and informative job, but if you do get good legal advice first.

Bob

The reviews were good as always and your main page article was great. Keep up the great work.

J/K Rob,
I liked the reviews and article. Although I don't agree with you that the guy who first throws that "perfect lure" will experience phenominal fishing, because you still need the skill to know where and when to use the lure and probably will need to know what settings or programs to run. Perhaps I'm dumb as a post, and I missed the tongue in your cheek but I don't think that you believe in the idea of a "Silver Bullet" lure. As the lures evolve so will the fishing. When the "perfect lure" comes out it will be only a small step up from every other lure that will be on the market. Skill will always determine who fights the most fish, so your Wooly Boogers will never be obsolete. Just don't try to pick any for sale to me. :+
Tight lines,
Wade

You are right, I misspelt it :) Maybe it's just more fun to write booger than bugger. har.

If I could ever get a lure like I am picturing in my mind, I can guarantee that I would slaughter the fish. You have to figure ... you can go down to the cell phone place and get a camera phone for $80. It has a battery that last up to 3 days and all sorts of features packed into it. The companies that make things like this, could easily make robotic fishing lures, they just never will because to pay back their manufacturing costs they need to sell tens of thousands of units. At some point though, the components to make a robotic lure will become available, maybe in some other unrelated area, and someone thinking outside the box will make a crawdad that hops, a bluegill that swims, a trout that kicks, a shad that darts around in a circle, and who knows what else. If I can toss a shad bait out that swims in a circle in one spot and looks exactly like a shad ... I hate to even think what would happen. It'd be all over.

Hey think about this also. You know that obnoxious big mouth billy bass thing that you hit the button and it sings to you? Think about how that thing moves internally. It has no visibile hinge, it's just loose rubber over some kind of frame or internal body. Why do fishing lures that have flex to them have to have a hinge in the body? Real fish don't have hinges in the body. Someone needs to make a lure with an internal body and a skin over the top of that. How many times have I watched a big bass look at a trout lure and not eat it and you just sit there and wonder what the heck could be different to get it to bite it. Getting rid of the hinges would be a big first step. Then get rid of the bill. Then hide the hooks inside the body. Not the same old type of hooks we use now. Custom hooks, manufactured to fit the body of specific baits and be hidden along features of the bait. It's all possible, it's just that the average fishing lure mfgr doesn't have the resources to do it, and the big fishing tackle mfgrs don't want to take the risk of making things that don't look NORMAL.

Thanks for the thoughts.
To let you know I feel
I've gain so much knowledge in so little time.
Sky is the limit if given the time.

Not only because of hearing it from a guy I consider in the short amount time
you have been honing your trophy skills to a outstanding level.
Most in a life time wouldn't be able to match.
Thank you Rob

I Have great ideas
So many lures so little time.
To little fund$

Looks like the kids are not going to eat again this month ;)

I think that I have the solution. Genetically alter trout so that they will naturally have hinges. LOL.

Great thoughts, Rob. The laughing bass is an interesting starting point. At some craft fair (Santa Barbara wharf area on Sundays I think), if I recall correctly I saw decorative fish that move their tails without hinges. I do not recall if power was battery, solar, or maybe each kind was available at different stalls. I think some were koi colored for ponds. I wonder if a robotic bluegill would turn in a relatively wide circle simply by putting a barely perceptible bend in it?

Bob

Rob:

Do you suggest using a snap with the Generic Trout or other swim baits (a Matt Lure trout for example) to allow the bait more head wobble on the retrive and a more natural sink? If so, what snap brand, type and size do you suggest? Thanks and keep those reviews coming - great stuff!

Dave
;)

Dave,

Usually you want to use a snap when the thing you are tying to is larger diameter. For example, the eye of an MS Slammer is very large, so you want to use a snap. If you tie directly to a big eyelet like that, it's hard to get the knot cinched up correctly.

I don't use a snap on the generic swimbait, or generic live trout softbait. The line ties are small, and for whatever reason it seems like I lose feel on the bait if I use a snap on those lures, even if it might make them swim more. I like to be able to feel the bait and feel what it's doing. Just a personal preference.

I've never compared the actions in the water with or without a snap on those baits to make a real conclusive comment about it.

I use a black snap, the ones that come stock on the Slammers. Something like this:

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=30043&hvarDept=151&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=5&hvarSubCode=9&hvarTarget=browse

Rob,
Thank you for the reveiws I will have to send you some more stuff
Matt

Rago Rat and Mouse Review:
http://www.calfishing.com/reviews/rats/rago_rat_and_mouse.html

Bettencourt Baits Rodent Pics:
http://www.calfishing.com/reviews/rats/bettencourt_baits_rodent.html

Optimum T-Refrex Pics:
http://www.calfishing.com/reviews/trout_plugs/optimum_t-refrex.html

Diawa Heartland HL-S SS791XHRB "Big Bait Special"
http://www.calfishing.com/reviews/rods/diawa_big_bait_special.html

There's more stuff cookin in the kitchen :) stand by, over.

Hey Rob,
the T-rex and rodent reviews arent coming up for me.
Did you just post the pictures or is something wrong?

just pics for those for now. I don't own a t-refrex, and I need to make some casts with the rodent bait. Sometimes I just throw up the pics so people can at least see the baits before it gets reviewed.

I've been looking at that rodent for a while. I want one bad, I have to just finally give in and buy one they just look sweet. I can't wait to read the review to see what you think. It looks like it would be a good bait for swimming around the delta.

Dammitboy! You have got to stop reviewing and showing those baits ;) ! (How's that for a reversal-post?) I just ordered a RAGO Mouse after reading your review :-) . Thanks again.

Dan