For the first time in what feels like forever, we have a Washington State angler on the show! Mike joins us to talk about his entry into the swimbait scene and how he isn’t afraid to fall back on conventional tactics when the situation calls for it. He also shares the story of his crazy experience last season, landing a handful of truly memorable fish—all within a very short time window.
Mike's socials:
IG: wabass83
What do you call a 6.5-inch, 2.5oz mutant-looking crawfish? I call it the dweller.
Callum joins the show to share the story behind the dweller and dweller jr., diving deep into why these abnormally large crawfish profiles can trigger bites from otherwise tight-lipped fish. He also gives us an early look at what to expect from the tetre—a soft glide bait featuring a beast hook system that’s sure to turn heads once it drops.
Callums socials:
IG: Cavetownbaits
It’s been way too long since my good friend Kyle from Throwback Baits has been on SNT. Kyle was one of the first builders we interviewed back in 2022. Fast forward nearly three years, and his growth has been remarkable. We talk about the upcoming Wake Walker Lite bait, their new soft bait, and he even hints at a few other projects in the works! I hope to see you guys at the TB Event in June—it’s going to be an amazing time put on by some great folks.
Throwback's socials:
IG: ThrowbackBaits
Site: www.Throwbaitbaits.com
It's not often I get to talk with someone who got to experience the California crawfish fishing era along with the trout swimbait era. Jason had gotten to expect them both, while not at the peak of crawfish soaking it still was a crazy time. Jason also dives into the stories of his five biggest fish and his PB at 16.25 pounds.
Jason's socials:
IG: jay_saberon
YT: Fishing with Jay
It's always special when I have a guest who is just as passionate about capturing trips with their camera while also fishing big baits. It's a relationship many don’t dive into much, but when I have the chance to speak with someone who geeks out over media as much as I do, I take full advantage of the episode. Garritt has a different spin on filming than most, ditching the newest and clearest cameras for one your mom probably used to film your family vacations. Being heavily influenced by skate culture, it makes a lot of sense—and the fact that he found swimbait fishing makes it even cooler.
Garritts socials:
IG: thereeloffortune
YT: The Reel Of Fortune
Have you ever met a builder with a more fitting last name? Konnor Kraft is the man behind Hand Krafted Baits. Konnor and I talked about what it was like growing up in the Great White North, battling harsh winters while trying to become more familiar with bass fishing at a young age. We discussed how he got into carving and his journey as a painter. I also asked if we can ever expect resin baits from his company, and his response was pretty funny.
Konnor's socials:
IG: hand_krafted_baits
Site:www.handkraftedbaits.com
Join Caleb and me as he breaks down the entire lineup of baits York Cast Co offers. He shares recommendations on hooks, split rings, and line to use for each bait, along with stories about the R&D they've been doing. Caleb also discusses how his fishing style has evolved since getting into big baits and how being both a builder and an angler is a significant advantage in this scene. Be sure to watch or listen until the end, where Caleb unboxes the first-ever glide bait they made.
Caleb's socials:
IG: Yorkcasting_co
YT: York Casting TV
Site: yorkcasting.com
We dive into the crazy trips Grant has taken since the last time he was on the show. He dicusses his newest addiction of Peacock fishing and explains how quickly he was humbled by them on his first out of country trip. We also talk about his new found love for the still "lowkey" Flag 255 from Grow Design Works.
Grant's socials:
IG: grant_langmore7
Email: grantblangmore@gmail.com
There are a ton of painters in the scene now, many of whom you can identify just by their trout patterns. Garrett’s work is easily recognizable—and for good reason. With around six years of painting experience, he’s nearly perfected his process from start to finish. Garrett has tapped into a niche market that others haven’t explored: repainting soft baits for customers. This side project required a significant investment to become both proficient and safe, but it’s set him apart in the industry.
Garrett's socials:
IG: garrettscustoms
Website: https://www.garrettscustoms.com/
Ceasar is one of the most well-known builders in the scene, covering every base in the bait-building world—from soft baits like the Old Man River to resin baits and, most recently, the ABS line. Caesar shares his journey, starting with his introduction to building the XL Mink for the Delta, and we discuss the process of stepping into ABS production and what that transition has been like for him. He also mentioned the new chapter currently unfolding in Toxic’s story and expressed his excitement for some of his upcoming projects.
Toxic's socials:
IG:toxicbaitssuck
Website: https://www.toxicbaits.com/
From one of the best states in the Great Lakes region to a southern state on the East Coast—can you imagine how much everything changed for Alex? We dive into the transformation his fishing had to undergo and the culture shock he experienced in the bass scene of a new region. Bigger lakes, deeper lakes, more fishing pressure, and different baitfish all created a steep learning curve for a kid from New York.
Alex's Socials:
IG: alexsanvillefishing
Check out the new official SNT tackle shop sponsor, Lake Pro Tackle! Use code "SCALES" at checkout for 10% off your order of any conventional or Swimbait-related products! https://lakeprotackle.com/ Pro Bass Adventures Mexico is the only company with lodges on both Lake El Salto and Lake Baccarac in western Mexico. More 10+ pound monster bass have consistently been caught from these two lakes than anywhere else on earth. If you are considering a Mexico bass fishing trip, look no further. https://www.mexicofishing.net/index.html Meat Crafters is now offering 20% off their site when you use code SCALESNSLICES at checkout! This is small batch meat made with immense quality and attention to detail. My favorite product of theirs so far is the Raging Brats! Made with real local brewed IPA and fresh ingredients to complement the whole Brat, it's no surprise why this is my favorite! https://www.meatcrafters.com/
What do a 250 and a DRT Ghost have in common? Our crazy guest Kyle Reigle uses them both regularly to target giant river smallmouth—with pretty impressive results. We dive into how he uses these baits, along with others, in fast-moving river currents. We also discuss how the big swimbait scene is slowly growing in river systems and how it has both positively and negatively impacted the community, from bait builders to anglers just starting to get into swimbaits.
Kyle's Socials:
IG: Lateralpainter
Check out the new official SNT tackle shop sponsor, Lake Pro Tackle! Use code "SCALES" at checkout for 10% off your order of any conventional or Swimbait-related products! https://lakeprotackle.com/ Pro Bass Adventures Mexico is the only company with lodges on both Lake El Salto and Lake Baccarac in western Mexico. More 10+ pound monster bass have consistently been caught from these two lakes than anywhere else on earth. If you are considering a Mexico bass fishing trip, look no further. https://www.mexicofishing.net/index.html Meat Crafters is now offering 20% off their site when you use code SCALESNSLICES at checkout! This is small batch meat made with immense quality and attention to detail. My favorite product of theirs so far is the Raging Brats! Made with real local brewed IPA and fresh ingredients to complement the whole Brat, it's no surprise why this is my favorite! https://www.meatcrafters.com/
Two of the most sought-after baits in the community, often selling for hundreds over retail on the second-hand market. I was lucky enough to sit down with Andrew and hear his story, from tournament fishing at the age of 10 to his experience growing up during the era when California was producing some of the biggest bass in history. He shares his introduction to bait building and how Hinkle Lures became an established name in the fishing world.
Andrews's socials:IG: Andrewhinkle
Check out the new official SNT tackle shop sponsor, Lake Pro Tackle! Use code "SCALES" at checkout for 10% off your order of any conventional or Swimbait-related products! https://lakeprotackle.com/
Pro Bass Adventures Mexico is the only company with lodges on both Lake El Salto and Lake Baccarac in western Mexico. More 10+ pound monster bass have consistently been caught from these two lakes than anywhere else on earth. If you are considering a Mexico bass fishing trip, look no further. https://www.mexicofishing.net/index.html
Meat Crafters is now offering 20% off their site when you use code SCALESNSLICES at checkout! This is small batch meat made with immense quality and attention to detail. My favorite product of theirs so far is the Raging Brats! Made with real local brewed IPA and fresh ingredients to complement the whole Brat, it's no surprise why this is my favorite! https://www.meatcrafters.com/
You might recognize Cody if you're familiar with Travis Pastrana—quite an attention-grabbing way to kick things off, right? Cody is a media brand owner and a passionate swimbait angler from Pennsylvania. In this episode, we dive into his media background, his expertise with cameras, and, of course, a conversation about big baits.
Cody's socials: IG: codystauder
IG:thisiscinegrade
Website: https://thisiscinegrade.com/ Check out Leviathan Rods, and use code scales20 at check out for 20% off all your rod purchases! https://www.leviathanrods.com Check out the new official SNT tackle shop sponsor, Lake Pro Tackle! Use code "SCALES" at checkout for 10% off your order of any conventional or Swimbait-related products! https://lakeprotackle.com/ Pro Bass Adventures Mexico is the only company with lodges on both Lake El Salto and Lake Baccarac in western Mexico. More 10+ pound monster bass have consistently been caught from these two lakes than anywhere else on earth. If you are considering a Mexico bass fishing trip, look no further. https://www.mexicofishing.net/index.html Meat Crafters is now offering 20% off their site when you use code SCALESNSLICES at checkout! This is small batch meat made with immense quality and attention to detail. My favorite product of theirs so far is the Raging Brats! Made with real local brewed IPA and fresh ingredients to complement the whole Brat, it's no surprise why this is my favorite! https://www.meatcrafters.com/
New to the swimbait world but learning quickly, Nole joins me for a show to share his experience getting familiar with fishing in Florida. We discuss the challenges of fishing from a paddleboard and what it's been like to fish with Marshall, gaining insights from his expertise on the water.
Nole's socials: IG: noles.fishing
TikTok: nole.fl
YT:NolesFishing
Check out Leviathan Rods, and use code scales20 at check out for 20% off all your rod purchases! https://www.leviathanrods.com Check out the new official SNT tackle shop sponsor, Lake Pro Tackle! Use code "SCALES" at checkout for 10% off your order of any conventional or Swimbait-related products! https://lakeprotackle.com/ Pro Bass Adventures Mexico is the only company with lodges on both Lake El Salto and Lake Baccarac in western Mexico. More 10+ pound monster bass have consistently been caught from these two lakes than anywhere else on earth. If you are considering a Mexico bass fishing trip, look no further. https://www.mexicofishing.net/index.html Meat Crafters is now offering 20% off their site when you use code SCALESNSLICES at checkout! This is small batch meat made with immense quality and attention to detail. My favorite product of theirs so far is the Raging Brats! Made with real local brewed IPA and fresh ingredients to complement the whole Brat, it's no surprise why this is my favorite! https://www.meatcrafters.com/
Joined by the king of sous vide, Andrew and I catch up since his last appearance on the show in August. We talk about his recent trip to the Amazon with Austin and what the adventure of chasing prehistoric fish was like, all while only being able to travel with 45 pounds of gear.
Andrew's socials: IG: man_brew
Check out Leviathan Rods, and use code scales20 at check out for 20% off all your rod purchases! https://www.leviathanrods.com Check out the new official SNT tackle shop sponsor, Lake Pro Tackle! Use code "SCALES" at checkout for 10% off your order of any conventional or Swimbait-related products! https://lakeprotackle.com/ Pro Bass Adventures Mexico is the only company with lodges on both Lake El Salto and Lake Baccarac in western Mexico. More 10+ pound monster bass have consistently been caught from these two lakes than anywhere else on earth. If you are considering a Mexico bass fishing trip, look no further. https://www.mexicofishing.net/index.html Meat Crafters is now offering 20% off their site when you use code SCALESNSLICES at checkout! This is small batch meat made with immense quality and attention to detail. My favorite product of theirs so far is the Raging Brats! Made with real local brewed IPA and fresh ingredients to complement the whole Brat, it's no surprise why this is my favorite! https://www.meatcrafters.com/
I bet you can confidently say you don’t know any other builder who’s colorblind. Well, after hearing this episode, you can say you do! Eric shares his solutions to this unique challenge, along with how he’s developed his baits into what we see today. Make sure you listen all the way through to get a little gift from Versatile Baits, too!
Eric's socials: IG: versatilebaitsllc
Site: https://www.versatilebaits.com Check out Leviathan Rods, and use code scales20 at check out for 20% off all your rod purchases! https://www.leviathanrods.com Check out the new official SNT tackle shop sponsor, Lake Pro Tackle! Use code "SCALES" at checkout for 10% off your order of any conventional or Swimbait-related products! https://lakeprotackle.com/ Pro Bass Adventures Mexico is the only company with lodges on both Lake El Salto and Lake Baccarac in western Mexico. More 10+ pound monster bass have consistently been caught from these two lakes than anywhere else on earth. If you are considering a Mexico bass fishing trip, look no further. https://www.mexicofishing.net/index.html Meat Crafters is now offering 20% off their site when you use code SCALESNSLICES at checkout! This is small batch meat made with immense quality and attention to detail. My favorite product of theirs so far is the Raging Brats! Made with real local brewed IPA and fresh ingredients to complement the whole Brat, it's no surprise why this is my favorite! https://www.meatcrafters.com/
Nate can do it all, from working a fly rod to throwing a swimbait. A local friend who has mastered some crazy bites and dialed in exactly what his local fish want year-round. From landing a 9-pound Michigan bass to catching coho and king salmon on the TK, and even hooking bowfin on glide baits—this was a great episode showcasing what Michigan has to offer for swimbait anglers.
Nate's socials: IG: anglingnorthernmi
Check out Leviathan Rods, and use code scales20 at check out for 20% off all your rod purchases! https://www.leviathanrods.com Check out the new official SNT tackle shop sponsor, Lake Pro Tackle! Use code "SCALES" at checkout for 10% off your order of any conventional or Swimbait-related products! https://lakeprotackle.com/ Pro Bass Adventures Mexico is the only company with lodges on both Lake El Salto and Lake Baccarac in western Mexico. More 10+ pound monster bass have consistently been caught from these two lakes than anywhere else on earth. If you are considering a Mexico bass fishing trip, look no further. https://www.mexicofishing.net/index.html Meat Crafters is now offering 20% off their site when you use code SCALESNSLICES at checkout! This is small batch meat made with immense quality and attention to detail. My favorite product of theirs so far is the Raging Brats! Made with real local brewed IPA and fresh ingredients to complement the whole Brat, it's no surprise why this is my favorite! https://www.meatcrafters.com/
What do a goose and Antoine have in common? Both speak French and shared some bonding time on Saturday night before the Swimbait Universe Gathering Tournament. It’s another chapter with one of our favorite French guests and his new American brother, Troy. This is Antoine’s third time in the States, and from the sound of it, it's his most American experience yet!
The Boy's socials: IG: afishingview
bigbassinohio Check out Leviathan Rods, and use code scales20 at check out for 20% off all your rod purchases! https://www.leviathanrods.com Check out the new official SNT tackle shop sponsor, Lake Pro Tackle! Use code "SCALES" at checkout for 10% off your order of any conventional or Swimbait-related products! https://lakeprotackle.com/ Pro Bass Adventures Mexico is the only company with lodges on both Lake El Salto and Lake Baccarac in western Mexico. More 10+ pound monster bass have consistently been caught from these two lakes than anywhere else on earth. If you are considering a Mexico bass fishing trip, look no further. https://www.mexicofishing.net/index.html Meat Crafters is now offering 20% off their site when you use code SCALESNSLICES at checkout! This is small batch meat made with immense quality and attention to detail. My favorite product of theirs so far is the Raging Brats! Made with real local brewed IPA and fresh ingredients to complement the whole Brat, it's no surprise why this is my favorite! https://www.meatcrafters.com/
Another young fella joins me for the second show we’ve recorded. He talks about losing a tackle box worth close to $800, the new baits he’s had luck with, and some new gear he’s been using. We also touched on how, nowadays, you have to sit on C2C for a while to avoid burning bites or spots, even if you want the social media clout.
Vances's socials: IG: Vance_fishing_freak Check out Leviathan Rods, and use code scales20 at check out for 20% off all your rod purchases! https://www.leviathanrods.com Check out the new official SNT tackle shop sponsor, Lake Pro Tackle! Use code "SCALES" at checkout for 10% off your order of any conventional or Swimbait-related products! https://lakeprotackle.com/ Pro Bass Adventures Mexico is the only company with lodges on both Lake El Salto and Lake Baccarac in western Mexico. More 10+ pound monster bass have consistently been caught from these two lakes than anywhere else on earth. If you are considering a Mexico bass fishing trip, look no further. https://www.mexicofishing.net/index.html Meat Crafters is now offering 20% off their site when you use code SCALESNSLICES at checkout! This is small batch meat made with immense quality and attention to detail. My favorite product of theirs so far is the Raging Brats! Made with real local brewed IPA and fresh ingredients to complement the whole Brat, it's no surprise why this is my favorite! https://www.meatcrafters.com/