on

i got some new toy’s to play with from d&m custom baits so i had some fun and took a few pics before i could get on the water – looking forward to mixing these things up with the fish.

punching jig
impact factor:  targeting sparse reeds to thicker reed heads as well as blind flipping hard grass bases (maidencane, cattails, bulrushes, etc.) as well as holes/pockets for bedding fish – the mat rat.
d&m custom baits flip n spin
impact factor: a bi-winning swim and pitch jig to cover the flats between reed heads as well as the tossing to cover, no need to switch rods – the flip’n spin.
d&m custom baits punch craw
little need be said about this classic, a mat machine that provides a streamlined body to slip thru the roof   without any hold-up. the punch craw delivers a hefty body in comparison to your average beaver-style baits however the cylindrical shape syncs perfectly with 1-2oz tungsten allowing for an ease of punching thru that is nothing but pleasantly surprising.
d&m custom baits mat rat
features/tweaks: line tie at the nose makes it more workable in grass. comes with a punch skirt style skirt however i like to experiement a bit with banded skirts as well. it seems the punch skirt is ideal in bang bang heavy cover flipping. for a little more subtlety and overall “flaring”, the banded skirts seem to hold the throne – the mat rat.
d&m custom baits flip 'n spin
doppelganger: try fishing the flip’n spin just as you would rip a trap around grass/wood.  the blade allows you to keep contact with the bait  and gives it a drag and vibration very comparable to a 3/4 oz lipless crank.  thread it up with a booted swimbait  or a grub and string-up with 30-50# braid.  make sure to rip it off the grass – treat it like a hard bait.

check out the whole line of d&m products at their website:
www.dmcustombaits.com

on
the world is tiny – which is cool – and most people like to fish.

 

my best friend came down from Wisconsin for what’s becoming an annual 3 day peacock fishing trip in the mixed bag junkyards of the Miami airport canals.  among one of the evenings of crown and coke mixed with peacock footage we found it necessary to re-up on pop-r’s and rapala x-raps which the fish had simply been shredding.  made the trip down to my local dick’s sporting goods and grabbed what we needed.  as we were about to check out a guy comes up to me and asks “hey are you mikeybalzz….” – i was sort of shocked; in a metropolitan county of nearly 2 million people a dude recognized me from the vids on youtube ahhahahahah!

pieter's big bass on lake okeechobee
big toad special – “fish was just there…” (got it in on vid too, look for it on youtube in next month)

chance has a funny way of shaping things.  we ended up talking a bit and I told Pieter  – who fished a lot of the canals down here in south florida that we’d hit The Lake one weekend.  well, we hit The Lake a few weeks later – and things couldn’t have worked out more perfectly, got a taste of a monsoon and a drink of this 7+lbs truck on a buzzin toad!

on

Not all of the best quality – but I think they get their point across!  Below you’ll find a vid collection of the “slounches”  from the past 3 years:

10 pounder caught flipping punch skirts pre-front on Lake Okeechobee – popped among 3 guide boats.  D&M Punch Skirt and Flippin’ Craw paired with a 1oz tungsten weight.

Probably one of the 2 biggest fish I’ve ever  caught – only bite that day on Rodman Res., water temp never broke 55 degrees.  3/4oz Red Eye Shad.

A better look at the above fish.

Lucky to have gotten this girl to the boat – instant anti-reverse went out on the reel but she stayed buttoned after a flopped hook set.  Flipping mats with a 1 1/2oz tungsten weight in North Central, FL.

No doubt the most audiologically pronounced giant to ever make contact with me – this fish made the boat shake and probably ingested 2 full gallons of water to take the bait in.  Rage Tail Shad – weightless.

First pure giant on Lake Okeechobee after the move south.  Pre-spawn staging fish tucked in the mats – post-front and she still thunked it on the way down.  1 1/2oz  D&M Custom Baits Big Mama

Among some of the oldest vids I have – never saw her but I assume this girl was on a bed and I simply placed the bait in the right hole in the grass.  1/2oz lead and a Zoom Ultra-Vibe Craw.

Another oldy but goody – caught 3 in the 8-10lbs class in 2 consecutive days.  Flipping a 1/2oz lead weight and Zoom Ultra-Vibe Craw.

Sadly the I ran out of juice for the catch on this fish but was able to at least get a vid image of her – absolutely dogged me.  Pulled a 15′ jon boat straight into the grass like it was nothing.  1/2oz lead Gambler Lil’ Otter.

on

Mixtape, Mix Bait, Lake Okeechobee Big Bass

   

      Bait Array

flipping jig, bass fishing, jackpot flippin jig, beaver bait, d&m custom baits
The vid highlights the 3/4oz version paired with a 5.5″ D&M Custom Baits Flippin Craw – but depending on winds/cover I’ll go all the way up to a 1oz or down to a 1/2oz. Trailer size varies depending on the fish – but for the most part fishing in FL you want to go big. I got the blues (grin).
topwater dawg, topwater fishing, owner twist lock hook, bobber stopper, bass fishing
Bobber stoppers to peg the 1/8oz bullet weight on the nose of the Topwater Dog – helps the bait to ride a bit lower when burning it creating a pretty little bubble that almost reminds you of a buzzbait. In super skinny slick water go down to a 1/16oz or even run it weightless. Hook choice is an Owner XXX 5/0 Twistlock.
topwater dawg, d&m custom baits, bass fishing, topwater lures
Use a pulsed retrieve much like you’d fish a crankbait. Even in the grass I keep the rod tip almost pointing at the bait allowing it to slink thru the grass with direct tension being placed on the nose – it’s not being dragged thru by a high rod tip causing the hook to pop out.
reaction innovations, tube, flipping, bass fishing, 1/2oz tungsten, boom boom tube, owner wide gap plus hook
A subtle jig alternative pairing a 1/2oz tungsten weight (double-bobber stoppers to peg), an Owner 7/0 Wide Gap Plus hook, and a big tube (4″ or larger) makes for a subtle midday/clear water flipping presentation