Mystery Tacklebox Review: December 2012 Edition

Yall may recall that I discovered (well, my wife did) Mystery Tacklebox. I reviewed them last month and you can find the review here.

In case you missed it, for a small monthly payment, they will assemble and ship a small box of lures to you. Some from big companies like Strike King and Stanley and some from small up-and-coming companies.

Well, I saw a great opportunity here to do a few things:

1. Promote a really cool and unique service that Mystery Tackle Box provides
2. Review and use baits I wouldn't normally use or find
3. Promote bait companies (big and small)

This would be great for those of you that read the blog, the companies needing free promotion, but best for me. Why? Because these boxes come with baits and tackle that I may never use otherwise. So, I talked with MTB(I'm a NASA engineer and MUST use acronyms), and we all thought this was a great thing to do. Again, we got their name out there, the bait companies names out, but it will force me to use these different baits....and inevitably make me a better fishermen....well....at least a more rounded one!

Ok. On with it.

Now, I admit that this months is a little late. Why? Because my wife INSISTED that it be a Christmas present...so it sat under the tree until Christmas. Now I can review it!

This month had a theme to it...and I LOVE that! You aren't getting random stuff you can't immediately use. Apparently MTB read this months Bassmasters and the articles done on dropshotting.

1. Quickdrops Sinkers-2 drop shot hooks and a quarter ounce dropshot weight came in the package. Even had the placard with a link to show rigging instructions! Again, I love doing these reviews because dropshotting is something I MUST add to my arsenal. The sinker has a decent finish and the terminal is unique.
2. Z-MAN FattyZ-I had heard of Z-Man baits, but really never saw them in the big chain stores that I use. The FattyZ will make a great finesse bait for me. It has a think to thick tail area and is a very soft bait. It is comparable to the stick baits I use like the Yum dinger, but feels a little softer. The overall action is unique...which is important in high pressure areas. The fatter tail gives it a flitter in the water when you give it action. I plan on using this on Shakey Heads and Dropshot rigs.

3. Whiskey River 6'' Whiptail-A bait company I had never heard of, but immediately put it on my new Quickdrops dropshot rig. The whiptail is a leech-looking bait. It has great action with little rod input. It appears to be a fairly tough bait that should put up with some abuse. Has a flat belly, which will control its fall if you throw it weightless. It's heavier on the head end, obviously, which gives the tail section a lot of freedom to float.

4. Power Team Lures Finicky Tickler-A slim finesse bait that will work great on the dropshot or shakey head. Comes with "Hog Tonic" which is there flavor enhancer....a very cool addition. The bait is very light and really comes to life in the water.

5. Castaic Baby Jerky J-This is a soft jerkbait and a great addition to my arsenal, which had been very small on this type. All that you ever find in the big chain stores is the Fluke. The fluke is a great bait, don't get me wrong, but the fish see a lot of it. This bait has a lot of detail that the fluke lacks. The mold is obviously complex and realistic. The bait flits in the water with just a twitch, though it is easy to over motion. I will use it on the drop shot, believe it or not, as well as weightless.

6. River2Sea Fetch Minnow-Again, another weapon I need to add is jerkbaiting. I have used it a little with mixed success. This little guy is a great length, which I sometimes think the ones I have are either too small or too large. This bait is affordable, fitting right in the middle of the expensive Pointer series from LuckyCraft and the other cheaper competitors. It dives really deep, which I really like. Many of the competitors are limited to the 5 foot depth, which I believe really limits you in winter fishing on deep lakes.

So, there you have it. A cold weather month and a cold weather MTB theme. I've already played with many of the baits and I look to get out this weekend to catch some fish on them. Check back soon!