Mike Giles with a lunker bass caught on a Hoot Gibson Custom made Jig and craw trailer.

Perhaps the most overlooked key to catching both quality bass and quantities of bass by the average angler is having quality equipment and tools that fit the application. Yes, rods, reels, tackle and gear are all tools of the fishing trade. And spending more money doesn’t always mean quality gear, or the best gear for the job.

    The south underwent a revolution back in the early 70’s as ABU Garcia came out with a line of affordable casting reels that revolutionized the sport of angling forever. Overnight serious anglers everywhere laid down their Zebco 33’s, spin casters and spinning combos in favor of the wildly successful and popular Garcia Ambassador 5000 reels and graphite rods. They were highly sought after for a couple of reasons, they were the best thing going as far as bass reels, and they were affordable for novice and serious bass anglers alike.

    Over a span of 20 years or so, however, while the Garcia reels were still dependable and affordable, they were passed over by the competition as other reel manufacturers experienced their own revolutions. Anglers traded in their Garcia’s for Shimano’s, Daiwa’s, and a few other major brands.

    I was one of those anglers that bought Lew’s Speed Spools for cranking and Shimano’s for their quality and ease of use.

    My how times have changed after all those years as Abu Garcia has come out with yet another line of affordable bass reels that is aptly named the Revo series. Until I picked up a Revo reel and began casting it at an outdoor show, I never seriously considered buying another Garcia reel, even though they meant so much to my formative bass fishing years.

    Recently I got to try the Garcia Revo Reel teamed with a Garcia Vendetta rod on a trip to Lake Ferguson with accomplished tournament angler and guide Terry Bates. That combo was very sturdy, strong and yet light as a feather. While pitching tubes into trees in 17 feet of water I was able to make pinpoint casts with the combo like I had used it all my life. And when the first bass struck my lure and began to move away I set the hook and jerked the bass out of the water and landed him very quickly.

    While Abu Garcia has a wide variety of reels and prices, the entry level Revos and Vendetta rod combinations are affordable and much better than even the most advanced rods from yesteryear. I am a firm believer that these relatively new Garcia rod and reel combos are the ticket to a lot of fun and will provide a quality fishing experience. I have also used the Garcia Revo S for over a year now and it is one of the smoothest reels I’ve ever used and rarely if ever backlashes!

Bill Dance Hook Remover

    Perhaps the most valuable tool in my tackle box today is the Bill Dance Hook Remover. While I didn’t give it much thought when I got it along with a tackle packet I put it in my tackle box and gave it a try back during February when the water was frigid and the crappie were biting good and swallowing the jigs deep. So I pulled hook remover out and began getting my deep set jigs out of their small mouths with ease. Of course I didn’t have to get my hand cold and slimy in the near freezing temperatures either.

    While the hook remover was nice for removing jig hooks, I still didn’t know what a valuable tool it would become for me. That all changed, however after I went on a recent trip to a lake full of big hungry lunker bass though. I’m partial to casting crankbaits and top water plugs that have multiple treble hooks which are very hard to remove and dangerous as well. When the bass swallow the trebles deep in their mouths and when they sink deep in the bone they are practically impossible to remove by hand and very hard to remove even with the help of needle nose pliers.

    After utilizing the Bill Dance Hook Remover one time on a lunker bass that had both crankbait hooks in its mouth I was sold and a believer. The hook remover is very easy to utilize and will save anglers from being impaled with their own hooks if the fish flounce while you’re trying to remove the hooks. They are also very good for the fish because you can pop that hook out in nothing flat and get the fish back in the water to live and grow up some more.

    While I’m not a salesman or representative for either the Garcia Rods and Reels or the Bill Dance Hook Remover, I’m a firm believer in them from my first hand knowledge and experience and I’d recommend every bass angler to try them. You just might be glad you did, I know I was!

    Contact  Mike Giles at 601-917-3898

or e-mail him at Giles1958@bellsouth.net