Friday, May 30, 2014

Do NOT Buy From Treasure Coast Tackle If...

Do NOT buy from Treasure Coast Tackle if you don't like the following:

EXPERTISE AND WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRODUCTS WE SELL - Our motto is "We use what we sell so we KNOW it works!"  We don't just say that, we back it up with pictures.  A good friend used to always say "Pics or it didn't happen!"  So if you don't like buying from a company that has used the products they sell and can not just tell you but show you how they work, then we're not the company for you!  You can check out our "How To" videos on our YouTube Channel.

TOP-NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE - We take pride in providing the absolute best customer service possible!  All orders received by 4:00 p.m. EST will ship out the same day (most days, barring any unforseen circumstances or emergencies).  We offer FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $30!  All orders, whether $10.00 or $100.00 receive a personal handwritten note thanking you for your business and our customers LOVE the mints!  Don't like being treated like your business matters, then don't buy from Treasure Coast Tackle!

CHOICES - You get to decide how much you want to pay for shipping!  No minimum order required and pay only $3.29 for USPS First Class 3-7 Day Delivery (this is probably one of the cheapest shipping prices offered online, it's a great choice if you're not in a hurry to receive your order).  No minimum ordered required and pay $5.05 for USPS Priority 2-3 Day Delivery.  We offer FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $30!  If you don't like choices, continue buying from companies that charge $6.95 or more on your order.  They might charge you less for shipping if you spend $50.00 with them or maybe, just maybe if you spend $100 or more you'll get free shipping.

An added bonus is if we are shipping to a local address or an address within 100 miles south of Jensen Beach, FL most customers receive their order the next day!  Local and don't want to pay for shipping?  You can still buy from us, we offer a local pick up option.  Customers still place their order through the website and use coupon code Local at checkout to remove the shipping charge.  Orders placed before 2:30 p.m. EST can be picked up the same day in Stuart between 3:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or anytime the following day.  If you don't appreciate being given choices, take your business somewhere else!

FUN AND INTERACTION WITH CUSTOMERS AND FANS - We strive to have a fun and interactive relationship with our customers and fans.  If you "like" us on Facebook (Treasure Coast Tackle), you'll be the first to know about specials, new inventory and giveaways (we do a weekly "Almost Friday" Giveaway on Thursdays and other surprise giveaways periodically).  If you "follow" us on Instagram @treasurecoasttackle and Twitter @TCoastTackle you'll see lots of pictures of the fish we catch on the lures we sell!  Our top two sellers are Unfair Lures (hard baits) and Monster 3X (soft plastics) rigged on T&A "No Collar" Bullhead Jigs.  If you don't like fun pages on social media, do NOT type in the words Treasure Coast Tackle!

We love hearing from our customers and fans!  If you have any questions about the products we sell or suggestions on how to make TCT even better, contact us!

David & Erica
Treasure Coast Tackle







Monday, May 26, 2014

New to Wading? Joupdog's Top 5 Wading Tips

New to wading?  Keep reading to learn Joupdog's Top 5 Wading Tips:

  1. Be prepared - Too many times people show up with 10lb braid and 20lb leader which is fine in certain cases, but I use 20lb WonderBraid with 40lb Trik Fish fluorocarbon leader because you never know when a big fish, especially snook, is going to suck down your lure and with 40lb leader you have a much better chance of landing the fish.  It also will not decrease the amount of bites you get when redfish or trout fishing.
  2. Don't overlook the shallows - Many anglers walk out as far as they can when in reality the fish are way behind them.  Especially when targeting snook, try to focus on knee to waist deep water.
  3. Cover a lot of ground - Try to cover as much water as you can until you locate the fish.  I try to work 15-20 docks minimum in a trip.  By doing this, you will eliminate standing in one spot and put your lure in front of more fish.
  4. Topwater still works when the sun is up - Some people think you can only throw a topwater for the first hour of sunrise or the last hour before sunset. The fact is, I've caught some of my biggest fish on topwater from 9:00 a.m. to noon so don't be afraid to stick to topwater for longer than your buddies do.
  5. Skip way under the docks - Many times, it's going to take a very good cast way underneath a dock to get the bite.  Practice skipping your lure as far as you can under a dock to get it in the shade and get the bite.
EXTRA TIPS:

Wade fishing affords the angler the opportunity to get up close and personal with the fish they are pursuing. Keeping things simple is the key here.  We have been fortunate enough to stand in one place and catch fish for hours, but often there are times we have to walk up to 4 miles to find the fish!  You must always remember that safety is paramount when wading; NEVER wade alone and ALWAYS wear some sort of protection on your feet!



As you can see, when wading it is a very "reel" possibility to not just catch fish, but to catch trophy sized fish! Wading can be one of the most rewarding ways to fish.  You can visit Joupdog Wading Adventures on Facebook or get the details on how to schedule your Joupdog Wading Adventures trip here.

Ryan (a.k.a. Joupdog)






Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Never a "Bad Day of Fishing"

All anglers get excited about the thought of their upcoming trip to chase their favorite fish! Nothing can dampen that excitement more than making what seems like hundreds of casts with no action. Staying positive on the water is often times easier said than done. You can have the perfect lure in the perfect color with perfect weather conditions, but if your attitude turns negative your focus and attention to detail will suffer.

Picking up on seemingly minor things happening around you could be the difference between hooking up or going home early and dejected. Pay attention and keep your focus on making the perfect presentation, the perfect cast and believe that the fish of a lifetime is coming on that next cast! At the end of the day, you're still out doing something you love, whether it's with friends, family or by yourself enjoying the sounds of nature. Stay positive, stay focused, and I guarantee you'll catch more fish and enjoy yourself more while doing it! Remember above all, there is NEVER a "bad day of fishing".



David Jouppi
Treasure Coast Tackle

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Tuesday, May 13, 2014

How to Choose the Size of Jig Head to Throw

How do you choose the size of jig head to use on your Monster 3X or any soft plastic? Is it based on knowledge or do you just pick the one that your buddy is throwing or the one that there is the least amount of left in stock, because if there's not very many left that must be the best one, right?  Not necessarily.

We throw 1/8 oz jigs most of the time and that decision is based on the depth of the water and the wind. If the water is over 4 feet deep or if it's windy then we throw 1/4 oz jigs  Sometimes you may even need 3/8 oz; the times I would choose 3/8 oz would be in 10 feet of water or more. Jig head size is a lot of personal preference but keep in mind what you are trying to accomplish, if you are swimming a soft plastic through the dock lights you are not trying to get the lure on the bottom so even if the water is 10 feet deep we stick to 1/8 oz jig heads for this application no matter the depth. We try to use the lightest jig head possible to begin with, and work up in weight.

Bullhead Jig
Bullhead Jig








Poison Tail Jig
Uppity Jig









These are the general guidelines we use to determine what size of jig head to start with. This has been a very common question we recieve and while the answer is not very complex, hopefully it helps you determine what size of jig head to use on your next  trip!

David Jouppi
Treasure Coast Tackle







Sunday, May 11, 2014

Tips to Catch More Fish with Monster 3X and Unfair Lures!

Here at Treasure Coast Tackle our motto has always been "We use what we sell so we KNOW it works!" As a result the most popular question we get almost daily is "how do you work (insert your favorite Unfair Lure here)" or how do you work the Monster 3X? Our goal in this article is to answer that question and give some insight as to how we approach our fishing trips. These four tips below will apply to both the Unfair Lures and Monster 3X baits and they will increase your success with these two outstanding products!

  • Change Speeds - This is critical to determine the mood of the fish on any given day. I will start with a faster retrieve or more aggressive snaps of the rod tip. I'll usually give a retrieve about 20 minutes and if there's no interest then I'll change to a more subtle action all the way down to a very slow retrieve. Sometimes just barely moving the lure along the bottom. The main point here is to not get locked in on one retrieve style. Use short twitches, hard twitches, work quick and try to see how slow you can work it. Change up until you find out what the fish want, there is NO wrong way and every day is different.
  • Focus on Casting - Practice casting your lures as close to the structure as you can without hitting it. If it's docks, you MUST learn to skip or cast your lures under the dock or mangroves. The biggest fish will usually be hanging in the shadows waiting for an easy meal to drop in their face. If you're two feet from them, they won't chase it and you're left thinking there are no fish there or they just aren't biting, when it's your presentation that's the problem. Learn to do this and you WILL catch many more fish!
  • Lure Size - "Do I use an Unfair Lures Mullet 70? 90? 120?" "Should I throw the Monster 3X 3 1/2" or 4 3/4" X-Move Shrimp? What about the 2 3/4" Slimshad?" Options for anglers can be overwhelming to say the least. If you know what size bait the fish are feeding on this will help your decision tremendously. Winter though late Spring (here in Florida) we will tend to use smaller lures and during Summer through Fall, when the water is warm and the fish's metabolism is high, we like bigger lures to target the big fish looking for the biggest meal they can get! Having said that, we will downsize if we find them being spooky or not feeding heavily.
  • Be Decisive - All the tips in the world are not going to help if you don't master this one. Pick a lure and presentation and commit to it, don't second guess yourself. If you think you should change lures, then DO IT! If you think you should change spots, DO IT! I first heard Kevin VanDam talk about this and it has been one of the best tips I have ever heard. His theory is that if you are thinking about other lures or spots then you are not focusing on the lure you're using or the spot you're fishing!
Hopefully this insight into how we approach our fishing trips will help you on your next outing!


David Jouppi

Friday, May 2, 2014

Ride the Tides to More Fish

If you have ever said "man, there are NO fish here today!" this article is for you. A few years ago when we were newbies to the saltwater fishing game, my son and I were out hitting dock lights hoping to find some snook. We fished for an hour and a half with no sign of a fish and were quite discouraged with the area we had chosen to fish. On our way back past the docks, we began to see some activity. It was like someone had rung the dinner bell! We began catching fish at every dock we stopped at from that point on and had a blast!

What changed? The tide! We unknowingly started the trip near the end of the incoming tide, fished through the slack portion and were about to move locations when the outgoing tide started ripping. That night was the best learning experience I have ever had on the water, we started to plan our trips around the tides and "hoping" to catch was replaced with confidence that we would definitely catch fish.

Over the years, we have made a point to scout areas during dead low tide to see any low spots, holes or channels that may be exposed. The big snook and trout will move to these areas and wait for disoriented baitfish to come by so they can ambush them. Docks are our favorite structure to fish and finding good ones that will most likely hold fish is easy to do at low tide. Look for any change in depth close by and focus on the area as the tide comes in. You will find some areas produce better on incoming than outgoing and vice versa. Since seeing first hand the difference the tide made in the activity level of the fish, I have made it my number one priority when planning my fishing trips.


There are a lot of good tide charts online, but we prefer Tides4Fishing.  You can put in your specific area and get an accurate chart for the whole month. Pay attention to the tides, pay attention to the details and "hoping" to catch fish will become a thing of the past!

David
Treasure Coast Tackle