Freshwater Fishing Tackle – Rods, Reels & Gear

Conquer the toughest fishing challenges with the Nichols Ben Parker 6" Mini Magnum Striper Spoons! Designed for ultimate durability, this lure features heavy-duty components that can handle the harshest environments and the biggest fish. With VMC treble hooks, Owner Hyper Wire rings, and a premium Power Swivel, it's ready to take on any monster fish!

• Weight: 2.5oz
• Length: 6" 
• Heavy Duty Saltwater Hardware

Conquer the toughest fishing challenges with the Nichols Ben Parker 8" Magnum Striper Spoons! Designed for ultimate durability, this lure features heavy-duty components that can handle the harshest environments and the biggest fish. With VMC treble hooks, Owner Hyper Wire rings, and a premium Power Swivel, it's ready to take on any monster fish!

• Weight: 3.5oz
• Length: 8" 
• Heavy Duty Saltwater Hardware

Conquer the toughest fishing challenges with the Nichols Ben Parker 9" Super Magnum Striper Spoons! Designed for ultimate durability, this lure features heavy-duty components that can handle the harshest environments and the biggest fish. With VMC treble hooks, Owner Hyper Wire rings, and a premium Power Swivel, it's ready to take on any monster fish!

• Weight: 4.5oz
• Length: 9" 
• Heavy Duty Saltwater Hardware

Designed with precision and cutting-edge technology, the Jackall TN 70 Lipless Crankbait stands out among its competitors. Its unique tungsten lip and revamped weight transfer system allow for unprecedented control, ensuring a smooth and accurate swim at any speed. Available in a variety of premium colors, this crankbait is truly in a league of its own.

Brent Ehrler calls the Gunfish 95 the perfect bait for schooling fish. It's a subtle bait — thin bodied, walking tight rather than wide — and that restraint is exactly why it gets bit when louder topwaters get followed and refused.

Short version: 4" walking topwater, 3/8 oz, floating, two trebles (#5, #6), no feather on the rear hook. The finesse end of the Gunfish family.

What NF Changes

NF is no feather — the standard 95 dresses the rear treble, this one leaves it bare. Without the feather the tail sits differently at rest, the walk is a touch freer, and there's no dressing to mat down and hold water after a few fish.

There's a second difference most people miss. Lucky Craft builds the 95NF with a tungsten resin tail weight system, where the standard 95 uses heavy metal. Same casting principle — mass in the tail for distance into wind — different material.

Why It Gets Bit

The 95 is thinner than most walking baits, but it walks as effortlessly as a classic Sammy. The cupped face adds a spitting action as the bait swings side to side, and a sound chamber inside makes a loud knocking noise that calls fish out of deep water.

Ehrler's own summary: it's a subtle bait that still creates a lot of commotion. Worked quickly it flicks water to each side and leaves a bubble trail behind it — three separate attractants on one retrieve.

Where It Earns Its Keep

• Schooling fish — the use case it was designed around.
• Clear water and pressured lakes, where a 115 is too much bait and a subtler profile is what gets eaten.
• Wind — the tail weight system was built for casting distance in exactly those conditions.
• Calling fish from depth without overwhelming them — the knocking chamber does the work the size doesn't.

How to Work It

Fast. Ehrler works it very quickly to get the walking and spitting going together. Rhythmic twitches into slack line — the bait needs slack to turn, and a tight line drives it straight.

Then pause. It floats, so it holds position when you stop it. After a blow-up and a miss, letting it sit beats snatching it away.

Which Gunfish?

Start here if you're deciding. The 95 is the size most people should own first — it fishes on tackle you already have and it's the one that gets bit on hard days.

Every Color Here Is a Limited Run

Lucky Craft lists the entire 95NF lineup under limited-run colors. When a colorway sells through it isn't automatically reproduced — if you find one that works on your water, buy the spare before you need it.

Fishing It Around Santa Clarita

The 95 is the Gunfish that shines when the lake has been beaten on all summer and fish stop committing to bigger baits. We publish Castaic Lake fishing reports with current conditions — worth reading before you decide it's a surface morning.

Recommended Gear

• Rod: medium power, moderate action, 6'8" to 7'2". A fast tip tears small trebles out on surface strikes.
• Line: braid to a fluorocarbon or mono leader. Straight mono works too and floats, which helps hold the nose up.
• Avoid heavy fluorocarbon straight through — it sinks and fights the float.

Pro Tips from the Tackle Express Crew

• Twitch into slack, not into tension. The one thing that separates people who can walk this bait from people who can't.
• Speed it up. The spit, the knock, and the bubble trail all show up at pace. Slow retrieves waste most of what this bait does.
• Wait to feel weight before setting. Setting on the splash pulls it out of the fish's mouth.
• Downsize before you change lures. When the 115 gets followed and refused, this is the bait you switch to — not a different category.

Common Mistakes

• Working it on a tight line. The bait needs slack to turn.
• Fishing it slow. Wrong tool for a dead-slow presentation.
• Too stiff a rod. #5 and #6 trebles pull out of fish on stiff blanks.
• Setting on sight. Wait for the weight.

Specifications

Specs confirmed against Lucky Craft's published Gunfish 95NF chart. Colors offered vary by production run — the selector above is the live list.

What's Included

One Lucky Craft Gunfish 95NF in the color selected, factory rigged with two trebles and no rear feather. No spare hooks or split rings included.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does NF stand for?
No feather. The standard Gunfish 95 has a dressed rear treble; this version leaves it bare. It also uses a tungsten resin tail weight rather than the standard 95's heavy metal.

How big is it?
4 inches (95mm) and 3/8 oz (12 grams).

How many hooks?
Two trebles — one #5 and one #6.

95NF or 115NF?
The 95 is subtler and the better choice in clear or pressured water. The 115 is everything exaggerated — louder, wider action, longer reach. If you're buying one Gunfish, buy the 95.

95NF or 95 H3?
Same size. The H3 carries a third treble for more hooking surface when fish are slashing and missing; the 95NF has two, which is cleaner around cover.

How fast should I fish it?
Quickly. The walking, the spitting, the knock, and the bubble trail all come alive at speed.

Does it float?
Yes. It holds position on the pause — and the pause after a missed strike is worth using.

Will these colors come back?
Lucky Craft lists the whole 95NF lineup as limited run, so not necessarily. Call the shop and we'll tell you what's inbound.

Related Gear

• Lucky Craft Gunfish 95 H3 — same size, three trebles.
• Lucky Craft Gunfish 115NF — the 4-1/2" no-feather version.
• Lucky Craft Gunfish 117 — 4-1/2" pencil popper, three trebles.
• Topwater Fishing Lures — poppers, walking baits, and stickbaits.

Buy It From People Who Fish It

We're on Soledad Canyon Road in Santa Clarita, twenty minutes from Castaic, and we fish these lakes ourselves. If you're buying your first Gunfish, this is the one we'd hand you. Call the shop or come in and we'll talk through which size your water wants.

Enhance your tail spinner fishing with the Damiki Axe Blade Tail Spinners. Its unique design features a double hook just below the spinner blade, increasing your chances of landing short bites. Available in multiple colors, this bait is perfect for targeting suspended fish. Count it down, retrieve slowly, and let the Axe Blade do the work.

Damiki Axe Blade Tail Spinners:

The Damiki Back Drop Casting Spoons is designed for a vertical presentation and excels in cold water when fish are less active. Its unique fluttering action and keeled-shaped body keep it in the strike zone for longer, making it a deadly choice for deep, suspended fish. Increase your chances of success with this specialized spoon.

Enhance your chances of landing those elusive suspended fish with Damiki Back Drop Jigging Spoon. Equipped with two snag-reducing Owner Cultiva Single Hooks and mylar accents for added flash, this baitfish imitation comes in a range of color schemes to entice even the pickiest of fish. Upgrade your fishing game today.

The Damiki Vault Blade Baits are expertly designed for targeting bass and a variety of other fish species. Made for cold water conditions, it closely imitates forage species with its unique vibrating action and realistic color patterns.

Equipped with 3 line settings, you can easily adjust the pull point for different depths and vibrations. Its super sharp viper hooks ensure successful hook sets.

The VMC Tungsten B.E.T. Drop Shot Weight offers innovative features that reduce twists and provide improved bottom contact recognition, expertly designed for drop shot and free-rigging finesse techniques.

Made with premium high-density tungsten, it offers increased sensitivity for detecting subtle bites. The embossed weight size and matte black coating add convenience and durability.

Premium Performance at an Unbeatable Value

The Shimano SLX XT A Casting Reels deliver exceptional performance and advanced technology at a price point that makes tournament-grade features accessible to every angler. Built on Shimano's proven Hagane engineering platform and packed with premium technologies, these low-profile baitcasting reels provide the smooth operation, precise casting control, and rock-solid reliability that serious bass and freshwater anglers demand without breaking the bank.

Hagane Engineering Foundation

• Hagane Body: Rigid metal frame eliminates flex and maintains precise internal alignment for consistent performance and enhanced sensitivity
• MicroModule Gearing: Precision-machined gear teeth create an ultra-smooth mesh for incredibly refined cranking feel and enhanced durability
• X-Ship Technology: Optimized gear support system maintains perfect alignment under load, maximizing efficiency and cranking power
• S3D Spool Design: Computer-optimized spool profile reduces line friction and improves casting performance with all line types

Advanced Casting and Control Features

• SVS Infinity Brake System: Externally adjustable centrifugal brake provides precise cast control and virtually eliminates backlash with all lure weights
• Shielded A-RB Bearings: Corrosion-resistant ball bearings deliver smooth operation and extended service life in freshwater and light saltwater
• Cross Carbon Drag: Advanced carbon fiber drag washers deliver smooth, consistent pressure across the entire drag range with excellent heat dissipation
• Swept Handle: Ergonomic design reduces weight while providing comfortable, fatigue-free cranking all day long
• Compact Low-Profile Design: Lightweight, palm-friendly body provides all-day comfort and precise control

Built for Versatile Excellence

Whether you're pitching jigs to bass in heavy cover, working crankbaits along rocky points, burning spinnerbaits through grass, throwing topwater plugs at dawn, or finesse fishing with soft plastics, the SLX XT A adapts to your technique with precision and confidence. Multiple gear ratios provide options for power fishing applications and finesse techniques, while the smooth drag system handles everything from schoolie bass to trophy-class fish with ease.

Why Anglers Choose SLX XT

The SLX XT series has earned its reputation as one of the best values in baitcasting reels by consistently delivering performance that rivals reels costing significantly more. The combination of Hagane engineering, advanced technologies, and meticulous quality control creates a reel that feels exceptional in your hands and performs flawlessly cast after cast, season after season. Every component is engineered to exacting standards, from the precision-cut gears to the perfectly balanced spool, ensuring smooth, reliable operation that inspires confidence on the water.

Experience the difference that premium engineering makes without the premium price tag. The Shimano SLX XT A isn't just a baitcasting reel—it's proof that you don't have to compromise performance to stay within budget.

Upgrade your arsenal with Shimano SLX XT A Casting Reels—where premium performance meets exceptional value.

Premium Protection for Your Baitcasting Reels

The Phenix Low Profile Reel Covers deliver premium protection designed to keep your valuable baitcasting reels safe during transport and storage. Built with quality neoprene construction and thoughtful design, these covers provide excellent protection from scratches, dings, and the elements while maintaining easy access to your reels. The Low Profile Reel Covers represent Phenix's commitment to creating quality fishing accessories.

Quality Neoprene Construction

• Durable Neoprene Material: High-quality neoprene provides excellent protection and cushioning
• Water-Resistant: Neoprene construction protects reels from moisture and spray
• Scratch Protection: Soft interior prevents scratches and dings during transport
• Flexible Fit: Stretchy neoprene accommodates various low-profile reel sizes
• Long-Lasting: Durable materials withstand regular use and harsh conditions

Thoughtful Design Features

• Low Profile Design: Specifically designed to fit low-profile baitcasting reels
• Easy On/Off: Simple design allows quick installation and removal
• Secure Fit: Snug fit keeps cover in place during transport
• Compact Storage: Minimal bulk when stored in tackle bags or rod lockers
• Universal Compatibility: Fits most standard low-profile baitcasting reels

Comprehensive Reel Protection

The Phenix Low Profile Reel Covers excel at protecting your valuable baitcasting reels. Prevent scratches and dings during transport in tackle bags, protect reels from moisture and spray on the boat, keep reels clean during storage, prevent line tangles and snags, or provide protection in any situation where your reels need safeguarding. The quality neoprene construction provides excellent cushioning while the water-resistant properties keep moisture away from sensitive reel components.

Key Features

Phenix Quality and Value

Phenix has been creating quality fishing products for serious anglers, and the Low Profile Reel Covers continue this tradition with durable construction and thoughtful design. Every cover is made with quality materials to ensure reliable protection season after season. From weekend anglers to tournament professionals, the Phenix Low Profile Reel Covers provide the protection that valuable baitcasting reels deserve.

Experience the quality reel protection that serious anglers trust. The Phenix Low Profile Reel Covers aren't just accessories—they're essential protection for your valuable fishing investment.

Protect your reels with Phenix Low Profile Reel Covers—where quality construction meets essential protection.

The Megabass Shading-X R 55 is fueled by a patented balancer system that enables dizzyingly high-pitch action and improved cast performance, elevating the finesse shad to exquisite new heights. The upper balancer truly comes alive when twitches cause it to shift along its lateral axis, adding unpredictable dynamism to the Shading-X R's action.

The thin, tapered body generates a high-pitched vibration that practically bursts at the seams, supercharging the kind of tight action that is often required in finesse situations. Upon retrieve, the balancers roll into the forward position for an optimal head-down posture, enabling a hair-trigger responsiveness that will even bring the Shading-X R to life with ultra-slow pulls or extra-sensitive angler input. With a fast retrieve, the high-pitch vibration compels targets into decisive reaction bites. The engineering of the Shading-X R 55 series brings disparate parts together in perfect harmony, leveraging dynamic weight triangulation to deliver a new high-pitch predator for the toughest angling conditions.

Key Features:

• Patented Balancer System: High-pitch action and improved casting
• Upper Balancer: Shifts along lateral axis for dynamism
• Thin Tapered Body: High-pitched vibration
• Head-Down Posture: Optimal retrieve position
• Hair-Trigger Responsiveness: Ultra-slow to fast retrieves
• Dynamic Weight Triangulation: Perfect harmony engineering
• 2.2" - 1/8oz: Finesse size and weight

Performance Advantages:

• High-Pitch Action: Dizzyingly tight vibration
• Improved Casting: Patented balancer system
• Unpredictable Dynamism: Upper balancer shifts on twitches
• Finesse Specialist: Tight action for tough conditions
• Versatile Retrieves: Ultra-slow to fast speeds
• Reaction Bites: High-pitch vibration compels strikes

Ideal Applications:

• Finesse fishing
• Tough angling conditions
• Bass fishing
• Freshwater fishing
• Clear water
• Pressured fish
• Any finesse jerkbait application

Recommended Techniques:

• Twitching
• Ultra-slow retrieve
• Fast retrieve
• Stop and go
• Finesse presentations

Specifications:

• Length: 2.2 inch
• Weight: 1/8 oz
• Type: Finesse Jerkbait
• Action: High-pitch vibration

When you need a finesse jerkbait with patented balancer system for dizzyingly high-pitch action, improved cast performance, unpredictable dynamism from upper balancer, thin tapered body with high-pitched vibration, hair-trigger responsiveness, and dynamic weight triangulation for the toughest angling conditions and pressured fish, the Megabass Shading-X R 55 is the choice of serious finesse anglers.

Note: Patented balancer system enables high-pitch action and improved casting. Upper balancer shifts along lateral axis for unpredictable dynamism. Engineered for toughest angling conditions.

Experience the secret sauce that will drive trout wild! Developed and tested by 14-year-old expert angler Talan Richardson, Richardson's Bass Sauce Mystery Sauce  adds an irresistible flavor to lures, baits, and jigs. Enhance your fishing game and reel in the catch with this must-have formula. Great for Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, & Striped bass.

• 100% Biodegradable
  
• 4oz Squeeze Bottle
  

Delivering Japanese-made performance, the Spro Essential Series Gouken Fluorocarbon Line 656 Yard Spool is a premium fluorocarbon line that provides exceptional sensitivity and durability. Made for power fishing techniques, the Spro Essential Series Gouken Fluorocarbon Fishing Line is super small in diameter when compared to other fluorocarbons on the market and has minimal stretch, which helps anglers maintain contact with their lure to detect very light bites and subtle changes in bottom composition. 

It also provides tough-as-nails abrasion resistance for anglers fishing over rocks, logs, weeds, and jagged pieces of structure. Perfectly level wound onto the spool to reduce line twisting or kinks, the Spro Essential Series Gouken Fluorocarbon Fishing Line is a high-performance fishing line at an affordable price point.

Specifications:

Experience the secret sauce that will drive Catfish wild! Developed and tested by 14-year-old expert angler Talan Richardson, Richardson's Catfish Sauce Stinky Blood adds an irresistible flavor to lures, baits, and jigs. Enhance your fishing game and reel in the catch with this must-have formula.

• Catfish Cannot resist!
• 100% Biodegradable
  
• 4oz Squeeze Bottle
  

The Core Tackle Wacky Shot Hook is designed to enhance the movement of your favorite soft plastic. The strategic placement of weight increases the fall rate, elevating vibration levels and enticing finicky fish to bite. Additionally, a custom-made hitchhiker secures the wacky worm in place, allowing for extra hook gap and increased hooking percentage, while keeping the wacky worm securely locked under the hook itself. With the Core Tackle Wacky Shot, you no longer need any O-rings, tubing, or other special wacky rig hooking equipment.

•  Made in the USA
• No more need for O-rings or other Wacky Rig tools
• Custom oversized Hitchhiker to secure soft plastics in place
• Weight placement allows for deeper presentation of Wacky rig techniques, with a natural wacky rig fall

The XL Jig Built for Trophy Fish

When you're targeting the big ones — White Seabass, Yellowtail, Halibut, Lingcod, and Tuna — you need a bait that matches their appetite. The Hookup Baits XL 6" Long Jig is handcrafted in San Diego specifically for Southern California's most prized sportfish, and it fishes just as well in freshwater for big bass and trout.

Why Anglers Reach for the XL

Most soft baits are built for average fish. The XL Long Jig is built for the fish you're actually chasing. At 6" long with a premium lead head and an Owner hook, it drops fast, swims naturally, and holds up through multiple fish. The built-in garlic scent keeps fish holding on longer — giving you the extra second you need to set the hook.

The Problem With Undersized Baits

Smaller jigs get ignored by trophy-class fish, especially in deeper water where big White Seabass and Yellowtail are holding. The XL's 6" profile and weighted head get you down to the strike zone quickly without needing extra sinkers — no rigging hassle, just drop and fish.

What Sets It Apart

• Handmade in San Diego — not mass-produced overseas
• Premium Owner hooks for superior hookup ratios
• Garlic-scented body that fish hold longer
• Comes with a replacement body in the same color — built-in backup
• No extra weights needed — fishes right out of the package
• Effective in both saltwater and freshwater

The Right Pick If...

• You're targeting White Seabass, Yellowtail, or Lingcod in SoCal waters
• You need a jig that gets deep fast without extra rigging
• You want a bait with a proven scent advantage
• You're fishing kelp beds, rocky structure, or deep water columns

Best Fishing Techniques

• Slow roll: Steady retrieve near the bottom for Halibut and Lingcod
• Yo-yo jigging: Drop to depth, rip up, let it flutter — deadly on Yellowtail and White Seabass
• Drift fishing: Let the current work the bait through structure for Rockfish and Grouper
• Cast and retrieve: Works in freshwater for big bass and trout

Best Conditions

• Deep water: 40–200+ feet for Yellowtail, White Seabass, and Lingcod
• Kelp beds and rocky structure
• Current-driven drift fishing
• Clear to moderate visibility — the natural color profiles shine in both

Best For

• Species: White Seabass, Yellowtail, Halibut, Lingcod, Rockfish, Tuna, Grouper, Bass, Trout
• Techniques: Yo-yo jigging, slow roll, drift fishing, cast and retrieve
• Environments: Offshore, nearshore, kelp beds, rocky reefs, deep structure, freshwater lakes

Key Features

• 6" profile — XL size for trophy-class fish
• Premium lead head — fast sink, natural swim action
• Owner hook — industry-leading sharpness and strength
• Garlic-scented soft body
• Each package includes (1) jig + (1) replacement body in matching color
• Available in 2oz and 3oz weights
• Colors: Red Crab, Chovy, Mint, Sardine Green, Ice
• Saltwater and freshwater ready

Models & Specs

Tackle Express Tips

• Match the weight to the depth: Use 2oz in shallower nearshore water (under 60 ft) and 3oz when you need to get down fast in deeper offshore zones.
• Color by clarity: Red Crab and Chovy shine in clear water; Ice and Mint are go-to choices in low-light or murky conditions.
• Let it flutter: On the yo-yo retrieve, pause at the top of your rip and let the jig flutter down — that's when most strikes happen.

FAQ

What's included in each package?
Each package includes one 6" jig (in your selected weight and color) plus one replacement soft body in the same color — so you're covered when the body gets torn up by fish.

Can I use this jig in freshwater?
Yes. While it's designed for SoCal saltwater species, the XL Long Jig is equally effective for large freshwater bass, trout, and other predatory fish in lakes and reservoirs.

Which weight should I choose — 2oz or 3oz?
Choose 2oz for shallower water and lighter current. Go with 3oz when fishing deeper structure, stronger current, or when you need a faster drop to keep fish from losing interest.

The Bottom Dweller Swimbait Painted Shiner6 is a 6" custom hand painted slotted swimbait  your local bait-fish. An extremely soft but durable plastic with a memorizing action triggering giant bites and lasting through each fight. The Shiner6 is a soft bait with everything you're looking for in one from the head wobble, to the body roll, the hard thumping tail and tracking abilities at all speeds.

This bait is RIG & THROW.

We recommend 15-20lb fluorocarbon line & Owner's 6/0 - 8/0 Beast Hook for best results.

The bait weighs approximately 2oz, and requires stout hooks and line. Please throw on an appropriate 7'+ H-XH rod.

1 bait per pack.