The picture below shows the big bass and another 5 pound plus largemouth bass, anchoring Bill’s 19.86 pound tournament weight.

Most of the fish, including the big girl (5.78lbs) were taken on a 1/2 ounce jig, PB&J, with a watermelon trailer in 10′ – 20′ of water.

From Bill, “The latest CCR flipping stick in my arsenal made feeling the bite, hook-setting and playing of the fish a breeze! The following day (29 April 2012), I fished another tourney at Mark Twain lake in N.E Missouri and the CCR flippin stick did the trick again!”

“A lot of the bass population are spawning, or attempting to do so right now all across Missouri. This makes for great flipping action with one of my favorite lures of choice, the magnum lizard. Colors are of course dictated by water clarity, however, it is hard to go wrong being armed with junebug and green pumpkin in your bag.

It is off to Harry Truman reservoir, in Western Missouri tomorrow morning, in preparation for the Annual Shriner’s tournament. Many of the same techniques should apply there making for some great fishing (hopefully!).”

Best wishes,

Bill Bostic

Design your next custom fishing rod with HD EVA Super Casting Split Grips!

At Cajun Custom Rods™, we bring to you yet another performance-enhanced fishing rod handle system for your next custom fishing rod design (Build A Rod™). Now offered, our High Density (HD) EVA Super Casting Split Grips are designed with performance in mind, and not at the expense of your comfort … or your wallet! Super soft and durable, you can grip these rod handles in any weather condition (wet or dry) because these performance rod grips just won’t let go. Made exclusively by Cajun Custom Rods™, these HD EVA Super Casting Split Grip fishing rod handles are designed to reduce weight, increase grip sensitivity, add leverage to the rod fulcrum, and provide pure fishing comfort all day (or night) long. The High Density (HD) rod grip ends are engineered to protect your rod at those “hot spots” … not to mention the HD EVA Super Grip looks fantastic! Your next custom fishing rod design leveraging the CCR™ HD EVA Super Casting Split Grip rod handle system is certain to provide casting performance you can trust for a lifetime – so hold on tight!

“Tight wraps, tight lines, and take a kid fishing!”

- Jaesen Yerger
Cajun Custom Rods™
Web: www.cajuncustomrods.com
Email: info@cajuncustomrods.com
Phone: (904)-738-0301 / (904)-419-RODS

Design your next custom fishing rod with HD EVA Super Spinning Split Grips!

At Cajun Custom Rods™, we bring to you yet another performance-enhanced fishing rod handle system for your next custom fishing rod design (Build A Rod™). Now offered, our High Density (HD) EVA Super Spinning Split Grips are designed with performance in mind, and not at the expense of your comfort … or your wallet! Super soft and durable, you can grip these rod handles in any weather condition (wet or dry) because these performance rod grips just won’t let go. Made exclusively by Cajun Custom Rods™, these HD EVA Super Spinning Split Grip fishing rod handles are designed to reduce weight, increase grip sensitivity, add leverage to the rod fulcrum, and provide pure fishing comfort all day (or night) long. The High Density (HD) rod grip ends are engineered to protect your rod at those “hot spots” … not to mention the HD EVA Super Grip looks fantastic! Your next custom fishing rod design leveraging the CCR™ HD EVA Super Spinning Split Grip rod handle system is certain to provide casting performance you can trust for a lifetime – so hold on tight!

“Tight wraps, tight lines, and take a kid fishing!”

- Jaesen Yerger
Cajun Custom Rods™
Web: www.cajuncustomrods.com
Email: info@cajuncustomrods.com
Phone: (904)-738-0301 / (904)-419-RODS

This report just received from Mr. Bill Bostic, one of Cajun Custom Rod’s Pro Staff Team members – “Thanks for the update Bill – awesome catch and those bass look healthy!”:

Saturday, 4/7/12, fishing on Mark Twain Lake in NE Missouri.

Lake conditions – advanced for early April, 58 – 60 degrees surface temps, water clear to slightly stained, bass in pre-spawn mode with early signs of spawning activity.

Lure of choice, spinner baits and soft plastic drop baits, Texas rigged.

Crankbaits would have been on the lure list, however with the lake recently rising, the flooded grass (mostly the dead variety) crankbaits were too cumbersome to fish effectively.

Side note – with the enormous amount of spinnerbait fishing, it had me designing my next rod in my mind!

Bill

Fishing Rod Performance that is "Out of This World!"

Introducing the Cajun Custom Rods™ 2012 premier custom fishing rod line-up … the AlienRod™!  Our 2012 AlienRod™ series, selectable in your very own custom fishing rod design, provides you the opportunity to experience the absolute most sensitive, performance-enhanced fishing rod you’ve ever fished.  Leveraging the engineering, physics, and dynamic energy transfer embedded into these custom fishing rods, the exacting combination of these premium American Tackle and REC Recoil rod components is unlike any rod hardware combination you’ve ever fished!

CCRs’ AlienRod™ guide sets perform like no other – in this or any world! American Tackle quad-leg traditional guides taper into Artus HD™ micro guides, then further taper into standard micros. Your AlienRod™ guide set is topped off with the addition of an REC Recoil titanium rod tip (with “spring-back technology”).  All guides are forged in solid Atlas 316™ stainless steel and leverage the friction-free and durable properties of ATC’s Nanolite™ guide rings. A matching Pacific Bay “wide-mouth,” double-foot, stainless steel Hook Keeper is included with your AlienRod™ guide set. Leveraging time-tested physics to provide you elegant rod performance unlike any you’ve ever fished, the Cajun Custom Rods™ 2012 premier AlienRod™ series certainly isn’t your “grandaddy’s rod!”

Fishing Rod Performance that is "Out of This World!"

A few design and performance enhancements that our AlienRod™ series provides:

• Can handle any braid, mono, or fluorocarbon line that you can cast
• Reduces the overall fishing rod weight up to 40% (reduces moment, or twist, at rod tip and enhances every aspect of rod action and performance)
• Super-enhanced rod sensitivity (by focusing longitudinal energy and vibrations from tip to your hand) – so sensitive you’ll feel “the future”
• Improved speed of rod guide loading (“right-sized” rod guides that are individually tuned for optimum “static and dynamic load performance”)
• Increased rod balance (weight is shifted aft to the rod fulcrum, increasing your “leverage” for hook set and “control” when landing your catch)
• Optimizes and lowers your rod’s center of gravity (which improves overall rod action to include angler ergonomics or casting)
• Smoother, longer, and deadly accurate casts (minimizes line slap via our “Bullseye” Guide Taper System which reduces casting friction)
• Reduces rod & line tangles (due to optimum guide placement and individual rod system alignment)
• Increased durability (double-foot casting guides and heavy duty micros where load supports is needed the most, low profile micro guides towards the  rod tip, and a rod tip that can shifts to accommodate the direction of rod load … i.e., REC Recoil “spring-back technology”)

Anglers, you are now armed with the AlienRod™ design selection for your next casting full or split grip custom fishing rod.  Warp on over to Cajun Custom Rods™ and launch your fishing game to another world … “AlienRod™, performance enhanced, fish-catching sensitivity that is “out of this world!” … only from Cajun Custom Rods™.

"They're here ... Just Believe ..."

“Tight Wraps, Tight Lines, and Take A Kid Fishing!”

- Jaesen Yerger
Web: Cajun Custom Rods
Email: info@cajuncustomrods.com
Phone: (904)-738-0301 / (904)-419-RODS

Anglers, stay tuned for updates … be ready to design your performance enhanced,  2012 premier … AlienRod™ … only from Cajun Custom Rods™.

“They’re coming … Just Believe …”

- Jaesen Yerger
Cajun Custom Rods™
Email: info@cajuncustomrods.com
Phone: (904)-738-0301 / (904)-419-RODS

Recently, this new fishing lure has stormed not only the fishing scene, ranging from the avid recreational angler to bass fishing tournament pro circuits, but the fishing industry as well. So what is this “magic” fishing lure and how has it changed the way we think about fishing?  The now infamous “Alabama Rig”- a simple spinner-bait-like fishing rig that presents multiple lures simultaneously to would-be game-fish.  Some will argue that the Alabama Rig is just a modification of an old, very well know saltwater tool, the Umbrella Rig. Though, for the most part, true, however, the application is new to most freshwater anglers.

In the simplest of descriptions, the Alabama Rig (or sometimes referred to as the “A-Rig”) is the bass-fisherman’s means to present an artificial school of baitfish to their prey.  The A-Rig has four wire arms extending from a central post, with each arm and central post designed to mount separate lures.  The center of the four arms is a plastic head and a straight wire extends back from it and holds a fifth lure.  Each arm (or wire) may be bent to varying angles and each has a simple swivel to attach the lure.  When properly assembled, the Alabama Rig resembles a school of baitfish and let me tell you, so far has proven a sure-fire weapon in the tackle arsenal of serious anglers.

Whether fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, stripers, wipers, or other game-fish, the resemblance of shad or a school of baitfish has placed the A-Rig in a class of lures that stands all by themselves.  Before this innovation, species such as bass, have always received lure presentations of single lures: top water tackle, spinner-baits, crank-baits, swim baits, etc.  For the first time in the freshwater angling world, multiple lure presentations are now available due to the simple, yet effective design of the American ingenuity provided in the Alabama Rig.

So what type of fishing rod is required to cast one of these new contraptions and how do you fish an A-Rig?  For starters, you’re going to need a heavier outfit to cast the Alabama Rig.  It’s not the weight of the rig (approximately 3/8 ounces with no lures), but depending on the size and weight of the individual lures, can weigh in upwards of 3+ ounces (or the equivalent of a large, West Coast swim bait or muskie lure).  So if you’re accustomed to fishing a lighter rod, better hit the gym and bulk up those casting muscles, or better yet, just be sure your armed with a fishing rod designed for casting (and retrieving) this particular lure.  So again, what type of rod will I need?  Well, it depends on the lures your throwing, the water you are covering, and the technique your using, but a good place to find the right rod for you is to stop in to Cajun Custom Rods™ and design the perfect Alabama Rig custom fishing rod.  There, you’ll have the opportunity to design your perfect fishing rod and leverage the world-class rod-building experience of their certified team.

In general terms, you’re going to need a 7-8 foot fishing rod that is at least medium heavy power and with rod action in the moderate to fast action.  Your rod blank and rod hardware should be capable of handling anywhere between 20-65 pound braided line and you’re going to require a fishing reel that can support the additional torque and load of the retrieve (at least a 6:4:1 ratio).  Choose a higher ratio reel for faster retrieves (like a 7:1:1) and be sure to select a reel that is nice and smooth so as not to tangle you’re the individual baits in mid-air.  Braided line is better designed to handle the intricacies of the Alabama Rig to include: casting, retrieval, hook set, as well as fighting and landing your fish.  Braid has less stretch, is more durable, and overall more responsive to the conditions you will encounter when using this particular fishing lure.  Additionally, using a heavier braided line will allow you to retrieve you’re A-Rig in the event that you get hung up (because they are not cheap and the lure itself starts out in the $25 range and go up in price depending on the price of the lures your place on your rig).

It is important when rigging the bait to keep the baits as close together as possible without getting them tangled, unless of course you intend to “spread out” your particular presentation of schooling bait-fish or shad.  Some anglers use the Alabama Rig as their “search” bait much like a spinner-bait is used to seek out schooling or suspended fish in open water while other anglers prefer to aim their rig at precise targets.  They will fan-cast to points, piles, humps, and other aquatic cover in a technique similar to that of using a crank-bait.  Still, other anglers will cast shallow, varying depth with their rig to where they believe the fish are hunkered down.  A common presentation technique for this innovative tackle design is to cast out, count the amount of time it takes to reach bottom, and then retrieve.  If a fish doesn’t strike the baits, then subtract a second from your count on the next drop-down to depth and retrieve.  Repeat until either you catch a fish or conclude that you have covered that particular column and area of water.  This tactic works particularly well on deep drop-off points and submerged mounds or humps.  Also, when fishing swim baits or jigs on you’re A-Rig, you can vary the weight of the jig heads to make it sink faster or slower as well as vary the retrieve speed to either sustain or descend your school of baitfish in the water column.  Ultimately, your presentation will depend on the where you believe the fish to be located and thus, how deep, shallow, slow, or fast you want to fish.

If you need a starting point to hone your individual equipment for your new tackle and fishing skills, here are a few fishing rod ideas to begin design your next performance Alabama Rig rod on our Build Your Rod palette:

Shallow Water:

- 7’3″ (SC) 4C73MHF-SC IV (NSi) / Medium Heavy, Fast / 12-25 lb / 3/8-1 1/4 oz

- 7’4″ (SC) 4C74HF-SC IV (NSi) / Heavy, Fast / 14-25 lb / 3/8-1 1/2 oz

- 7’3″ (NFC) MB739-1(IM) / Magnum Heavy, Fast / 14-30 lb / 3/8-2 oz

Deep Water / Light Lure:

- 7’6″ (NFC) SW768-1(IM) / Magnum Medium, Moderate / 12-25 lb / 1/2 – 3 oz

- 7’6″ (SC) 4C76MHMF-SC IV (NSi) / Medium Heavy, Moderate Fast / 12-25 lb / 3/8-1 1/4 oz

- 7’6″ (NFC) SW765-1(HM) / Medium Heavy, Moderate / 12-25 lb / 1/2-3 oz

Deep Water / Heavy Lure:

- 7’10″ (SC) 4C710HF-SC IV (NSi) / Heavy, Fast / 14-30 lb / 1-4 oz

- 7’11″ (MH) SWB956-MHX / Heavy, Moderate Fast / 12-25 lb / 1/2-2 oz

- 7’11″ (SC) 4C711HMF-SC IV (NSi) / Heavy, Moderate Fast / 14-30 lb / 1/2-2 oz

Note: these are but a few recommendations, we carry over 1000 rod blanks – so perfection is only a few clicks away at: (http://www.cajuncustomrods.com/)

A few additional points to consider when selecting the right rod for your Alabama Rig fishing rod:

• Choose a fishing rod that is “right-sized” for you – too heavy and you’ll be miserable on the water and sore the next day … too light and you’ll never get the results you’re seeking (casting distance, accuracy, hook set leverage, control for fighting and landing the fish, etc.).
• Be prepared to have several Alabama Rig fishing rods on the deck of your boat – there is no panacea rig or A-rig rod that will work in every situation.  A good rule of thumb is to plan for a heavier rig and rod set-up for deeper water/heavier lure presentations and one that is downsized for shallow water presentations.
• Invest in the “right-sized, right-performance” fishing equipment and tackle … you’re fishing a fishing lure that costs upwards of $30 dollars, with braided line that will cost $30-40 dollars a spool, using an expensive spinning or bait-casting reel (maybe hundreds of dollars?) … so invest in the best performance fishing rod possible … and that will most likely be the fishing rod option that provides you the most confidence (read more: “Custom vs. Production Rods” and “Why Choose a Custom Fishing Rod?”).
• This lure is new.  The techniques are new to freshwater anglers.  There is no “perfect” presentation.  So find “what” works for you.  Practice your style and become an expert at your technique.  Grow confidence in your Alabama Rig and how you fish your rig.
• Begin fishing your new A-Rig on water you know routinely produces good “numbers of fish.”  After a few successes, begin testing your presentation and honing your skill.  Once you gain some comfort and confidence, you’ll be landing those “lunker” largemouth bass in no time!

Whether casting or spinning, match your rod blank of choice to the guide set of your choice.  Again, select a guide set that is designed for heavier loads and shock forces because when you find those fish you’re going to need gear that can withstand the strike, hook set, fight, and landing of your catch.  One more thing, “Hold on tight because you’re in for the ride of your life!”

Also, be sure that your Alabama Rig fishing rod has hardware that can handle the meanest of braided fishing lines.  We recommend American Tackle NanoPlasma or NanoLite guide rings on either casting or spinning guides.  Why?  Simply stated, the American Tackle hardware is second to none in as much the quad-leg design of their casting guides, the A-Frame design of their spinning guides, and the heavy duty design of their micro guides engineered to sustain incredible forces (both static and dynamic shock loads).  Additionally, we recommend the American Tackle guides because they leverage a United States patent in their Ring-Lock design which is a double press of their guide rings into a solid fame rod guide (read as: that ring is never coming out).

Be wary of the number of guides, the guide set-up, and the guide spacing on you’re A-Rig rod; pay attention to the guide ring material (hardloy, alconite, and other light ceramics will groove under line tension while other inferior materials and ring design fail under dynamic loads created on this heavier tackle set-up); know how your fishing rod is designed, balanced, and tuned because every detail counts when working your Alabama Rig.  Sure, there’s certain to be a rush of rod manufacturers that will readily hand you over an “over-powered, over-priced, and under-performance” fishing rod which they claim will be just “perfect” for you and how you fish your Alabama Rig, but if you’re spending the time and money to learn this new fishing technique then we ask the simple question, “Why wouldn’t you want to use a fishing rod designed specifically for your individual technique, style, and is custom-fit to you?”  At Cajun Custom Rods™, we guarantee your rod design will meet your individual specifications … and we go the next step and guarantee your performance custom fishing rod for life!

Regardless of your intended use, your decision will be based on your personal experience, as there is no “perfect” location to fish your Alabama Rig or tackle-specific set-up; there are just too many applications for the A-Rig to name them all, many of which have yet to be discovered by you.  Just remember, no one fishes the way you fish, where you fish, has your technique, style, or knows your specific angling requirements.  At Cajun Custom Rods™, we provide you the “freedom of choice” with over 5000 fishing rod components available for your next Alabama Rig custom fishing rod design.   At Cajun Custom Rods™, we’re serious about fishing and especially about fishing with the right performance custom fishing rod.

Check us out at: http://www.cajuncustomrods.com/ where we assist anglers to design the fishing rod of their dreams, for their specific fishing style and per their specifications.  Once designed via our Build Your Rod webpage (you visually design your own performance, custom fishing rod), you can purchase your design and then we get to work, leveraging our rod-building experience to handcraft your customized, performance Alabama Rig fishing rod.

“Experience the Cajun Custom Rod™ difference … one custom rod at a time.”

Jaesen Yerger

Cajun Custom Rods™

Web: www.cajuncustomrods.com

Email: info@cajuncustomrods.com

Phone: (904)-738-0301

Cajun Custom Rods™

Cajun Custom Rods™ will be donating one (1) handcrafted Cajun Custom Rod™ which will be a U.S. Armed Forces / POW-MIA themed custom rod design, created specifically for this event. Additionally, we’re providing a CCR™ promotional discount code/gift certificate to each of the HOW anglers in the HEROES Division.

This is a full day of Kayak Fishing and Awards/Prizes for anglers in four divisions: Men’s, Women’s, Kid’s, and a special HERO Division for our Veterans. Be sure to mark your calendars as there will be plenty for everyone at this event … fun guaranteed for the whole family!

With local chapters across the country, Heroes On the Water has teams of volunteers that arrange first-rate, absolutely FREE KAYAK FISHING TRIPS for the men and women. Over the past three years of taking a few thousand men and women of all branches of the armed services out kayak fishing, they’ve learned firsthand the ‘triple therapy’ of kayak fishing: 1) physical with paddling and fishing, 2) occupational in learning new skills (a sport they can do for life), and 3) mental in the relaxation and freedom out on the water.

Cajun Custom Rods™ will be present and is supporting the “Annual Heartland HOW Kayak-A-Palooza & Fundraising Event” on 11 August 2012, at Holmes Lake in Lincoln, Nebraska. This will be the third year of this awesome August fundraising event!!

Heartland HOW Kayak-A-Palooza III     -     August 11, 2012     -     Holmes Lake Lincoln, Nebraska

For more information on how your donation will help make a difference, we invite you to visit the HOW National website at: http://www.HeroesOnTheWater.org

Visit the Kayak-A-Palooza II Registration Site to find out details and get registered now:

Kayak-A-Palooza Registration

“We’ll see y’all there and always ‘Support Our Troops!’”

- Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods™

New Mexico fishing

Over the next two days the fishing bug got the better of me. I decided to make the best of the situation and see if I could drag a few trout through a hole in the ice. I had heard great things about the lake’s current fishing conditions from the locals … the only thing they had failed to mention was that the fish were happily chilling below thirteen inches of ice. I went down to the local K-Mart, the only place in town to get any sort of fishing supplies, and picked up a can of Berkley Gulp Corn and headed up the mountain. I had heard from one of the locals that I could borrow an ice auger from the ranger station halfway up the road. I stopped in and got a little more information along with the ice auger.

When I arrived at the lake I picked a spot near two other fishermen that were enjoying the afternoon sun and upon closer examination had definitely caught a few fish already. I drilled easily through the soft thirteen inches of ice and rigged up a short Cajun Custom Rods™ spinning rod. I was using 4lb mono with a small red hook and a 1/8 ounce split shot about 18 inches above it. The water was about ten feet deep below me and I let my bait down to the bottom and cranked up until I was just above it. Almost immediately I felt a bite, I set the hook and reeled up a tiny perch … lame. I dropped the bait back down and waited…and waited…and waited. To make matters worse the older gentleman next to me was reeling in a nice trout every two minutes. I decided to swallow my pride and ask for help … he obviously knew what he was doing.

He let me in on a local secret … when the trout are not biting the only way to get their attention is with dough bait. “What the heck is dough bait and where can I get some?” I asked. He gave me a big chunk of it and told me that is nothing but tortilla shell dough with some garlic mixed in. I smashed some around the hook still skeptical that it would attract anything but the dumbest trout in the lake. I let the rig down through the hole and waited … about 3 seconds. There was nothing subtle about the bite. A trout attacked the bait and seconds later I was holding my first Lake Maloya Rainbow Trout. It was a scrawny little trout that was only about ten inches long but it was the first of twenty seven trout that I was to catch in the next two hours the biggest of which measured sixteen inches.

I never thought that ice fishing could be as fun and relaxing as open water fishing but it doesn’t get more relaxing than sitting in the 65 degree sun on top of thirteen inches of ice in jeans and a t-shirt catching trout that seem all too eager to eat garlic laced tortilla shell dough.

Stay warm, be safe, and tight lines!
- Jonathan Vroom, Cajun Custom Rods™

The process of developing Bushido blanks continues. It was a collaboration of fishermen, rod builders and blank engineers beginning the quest for the Bushido freshwater and inshore blanks. Combining the desired specifications to new materials and practical manufacturing takes time to perfect. Each round of samples produced must graduate an exacting series of evaluations. Their weights, tip/butt target sizes, as well as applicable action deflections are critiqued and refined every step of the way. Most of the process is done in-house however, once prototyped, many models are built and fished for final approval and we seem to have a lot of volunteers for that part of the process! Look for the Freshwater & Inshore Bushido’s to arrive in Mid-2012.

Here’s a close-up of one of the Bushido Nano Super Composite Offshore Jigging & Popping blanks:

Bushido Offshore Jigging / Popping Blank

And here’s the info we’ve been waiting to see … from the American Tackle website:

COMING IN MID 2012 … Bushido Inshore & Freshwater blanks. Focusing on extreme durability and performance by matching advanced technology in material and design to newly refined actions and lengths in spinning and casting models. Born for perfect bait presentations, instant reaction timing and the strength to get the job done.

• High Strain Japanese carbon fibers
• Increased material recovery
• Increased sensitivity
• Advanced resin systems
• Multi-pattern material designs rolled under high pressure
• Refined-Purpose actions & lengths
• Comprehensive application specific model selection
• Stealthy durable “Black Satin” finish

Tight lines!

- Jaesen Yerger, Cajun Custom Rods™