Is Your Bass Boat Actually Covered? Insurance Issues You Need To Know Before Its Too Late!

No one likes talking about insurance but are you sure you're covered during a tournament? Does being on a "pro staff" put your tow vehicle in jeopardy? Is all of your tackle covered if you have a major incident? These don't need to be grey areas, you deserve to know exactly when you are and are not covered. Today we're posing all the tough questions to Ben Green, a marine insurance specialist, so that we can all be more prepared in case we're involved in a crash.

Just a few days after Matt's accident the insurance issues were beginning to unfold and Matt vowed that when it was over he would do a video to help the entire TacticalBassin family better understand potential issues and how to avoid them. He is by no means an insurance expert but he learned some tough lessons and doesn't want you to experience the same. When we found out Ben Green was in town (an actual expert on the subject) for a big tournament on Clearlake, we knew we had to track him down and get real answers to educate the Tactical Family.

Ben was kind enough to take part of his pre-fishing day to answer our questions. This video isn't about getting you a new insurance guy (though we are including Ben’s information here and below because we trust him and appreciate that he took the time to do this for all of us) its about making sure you know the exact questions to ask your insurance agent. Too many anglers have "grey areas" in their policy and that shouldn't be the case. Take the time to watch this video to the end, understand the questions, and get yourself coverage that is going to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Matt thought he had all the coverage he needed, in fact he was confident that he'd "over-insured" himself, but there were still gaps and a lot of issues developed as a result. Don't wait until it happens to you to find out where the gaps might be. Take a few minutes out of your day and ask your agent the right questions. If you're not comfortable with the answers, there are only 3 (to my knowledge) marine specialists in the country. If you'd like to reach out to Ben we're including the link to his website and facebook page below.

Ben Green Insurance Website: http://bit.ly/2v4U1Qo

Been Green Insurance Facebook Page: http://bit.ly/2UyyLlj

________________________________________________________________

Need Apparel? Tacticalbassin Gear is in stock! Get your hats, hoodies, and sunshirts by emailing Tacticalbassinapparel@gmail.com

Tackle Storage And Bass Boat Organization

Spring has arrived and its time to get your boat ready for fishing! We're taking you on board Tim's boat to look at how he organizes his tackle, what tools and accessories he keeps on board, as well as some key tips and tricks to make your life easier on the water!

Boat organization isn't glamorous but its a critical part of every boat. From properly balancing equipment in order to maintain a level boat, to organizing tackle in a way that keeps it secure, yet easy to access, boat layout is an important part of every angler's plan.

Tim gives us a complete walk through of his compartments and explains why each item was chosen. Whether Tim is organizing his hooks in ziplocs or putting a paper funnel in a back compartment, he's thinking ahead and streamlining his equipment.

Below is a breakdown of the gear Tim discussed in the video. The items are in order of appearance to make it simple for you to find what you're searching for.

-Loc -R- Bar System - http://bit.ly/2CMF1NP

-Spoolin Buddy Jr. 5 Unit - http://bit.ly/2EAbynX

-The Rod Gove - http://bit.ly/2TJSF8X

-Plano KVD Speedbag Worm Files - http://bit.ly/2GYT4RC

-Bass Mafia Money Bag - http://bit.ly/2P059cO

-Plano WaterProof StowAway 3740 - http://bit.ly/2fvjcFB

-Eye Surrender Pocketed Bait Wraps - http://bit.ly/2h4IN6I

-Bass Mafia Bait Casket 3600 - http://bit.ly/2S90Zhl

-Bass Mafia Bait Coffin 3700 - http://bit.ly/2VBdFPe

-Plano Alabama Rig Stowaway - http://bit.ly/2DUvbJN

-The Red One A Rigger 4pk - http://bit.ly/2nymWrO

-Plano Custom Divider 3770 - http://bit.ly/2XCbMnb

-Plano Leader Spool Box 1087 - http://bit.ly/2wMPd4t

-Weego Jump Starters - http://bit.ly/2NNnze8

-Plano XXL Pro Latch Utility Box 7080 - http://bit.ly/2H3wWG2

________________________________________________________________

Need Apparel? Tacticalbassin Gear is in stock! Get your hats, hoodies, and sunshirts by emailing Tacticalbassinapparel@gmail.com

Tackle Prep Tips For Spring Bass Fishing

Quit waiting until the last minute! Get your tackle prepped early this year and you'll be ready for Spring. Don't wait until products are backordered in March and April to find out you're out of hooks, worms, or that favorite jerkbait. Spend a little time organizing your gear now and it will pay off in the long run.

Matt carries 4 "go boxes" with him all Spring long. Those 4 boxes contain swimbaits, treble hooks, assorted terminal tackle, and assorted hardbaits. This time of year its important to keep your tackle in waterproof boxes to avoid rust. These are the boxes we use...

-Plano Deep Waterproof Undivided Box: http://bit.ly/2WWIrU9

-Plano Deep Waterproof Divided Box: http://bit.ly/2xjccls

-Plano Standard Waterproof Divided Box: http://bit.ly/2fvjcFB

As you sort your tackle and select a variety of hard baits to carry its important to check the hooks, split rings, boxes, etc for damage. Be sure that your baits are ready for battle because in the coming weeks and months you'll need them at a moment's notice. Below is a break down of the gear Matt is carrying on board.

Swimbaits...

-S-Waver 168 and 200: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

-Baitsanity Explorer: http://bit.ly/2DcI1yM

-Triple Trout 8": http://bit.ly/2E8Up5P

-Sneaky Pete: http://bit.ly/2RYCPFe

-Bull Shad 6" and 7": http://bit.ly/2eJ8gWM

Treble Hooks and Split Rings...

Standard Strength- Owner ST-36: http://bit.ly/2cWpeyw

Extra Strong- Owner ST-56: http://bit.ly/2cVg7xW

Angled In Points- Gamakatsu EWG: http://bit.ly/2cZrsbY

Jerkbait Trebles- Gamakatsu Finesse Nano: http://bit.ly/2dWWAut

Split Rings- Owner Hyper Wire: http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX

Assorted Hardbaits...

-Biggie Poppa Squarebill: http://bit.ly/2ahCzvo

-Jackall TN-70 Lipless: http://bit.ly/2lqAwjh

-LV-500 Lipless: http://bit.ly/2aAUUbd

-Lucky Craft 1.5 Squarebill: http://bit.ly/2BGxKPa

-Megabass Vision 110 Jerkbait: http://bit.ly/2j31TKb

-Jackall Rerange Jerkbait: http://bit.ly/2ge0qED

A-Rig Components and Storage...

-Bladed A-Rig- http://bit.ly/2bgDGNu

-Non-Bladed A-Rig: http://bit.ly/2nD76fw

-Matt Allen Swimbait Heads (in stock this week): http://bit.ly/29RrTYN

-Keitech 4.8" Fat Swimbaits: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

-Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper Swimbaits: http://bit.ly/2bf1uEn

-Owner CPS Springs (Medium): http://bit.ly/2b2YgDf

-Plano A-Rig Storage Box: http://bit.ly/2DUvbJN

________________________________________________________________

Need Apparel? Tacticalbassin Gear is in stock! Get your hats, hoodies, and sunshirts by emailing Tacticalbassinapparel@gmail.com

Try This Trick For Early Spring Bass

When the water temperature reaches 50 degrees its time to reach for red! Red crankbait, red spinnerbait, chatterbait... as long as its red! There are a lot of theories on why it works but all that really matters is that the fish love to eat it.

Early spring brings a lot of challenges. Between the unstable weather and water color you have enough to worry about without trying to figure out lure color. If you're looking for a reaction bite, start with red or orange. If the water is leaning toward the clear side, the ghost reds will be best and if its leaning to the muddy side, the day glow oranges are the best bet. The only exception is the orange-accented chartreuse/white spinnerbait. That bait almost defies logic but its wise to keep one close at hand in the early Spring.

Below is a break down of the baits by style, model, and color. They're in no particular order though we tended to list our favorites first.

Squarebill/Shallow Crankbaits...

-River2Sea Biggie Poppa: http://bit.ly/2ahCzvo

This squarebill is mid-sized, has a deep knocking sound and is a proven fish catcher. Comes with size 2 trebles. Recommended colors- Cold Blooded, Delta Craw

-Spro Little John: http://bit.ly/2dDfuqt

This bait features an extremely tight action. It excels as a fast-burning shallow cover bait. Comes stock with small hooks that should be replaced with appropriate size 4's. Recommended colors- Blood Craw, Western Craw

-Luhr Jensen Speed Trap: http://bit.ly/2fyC098

This bait features a mid-wobble and high-pitched sound. It excels around grass and other cover where it can be ripped or banged along. Size 4 trebles. Recommended color- Crystal Crawdad, Orange Crawfish

-Strike King 4.0: http://bit.ly/2dzeCUk

This is an oversized squarebill. Perfect for banging through shallow cover and targeting larger fish. Upgrade to stronger size 1 trebles. Recommended colors- Chili Craw, Delta Red.

Mid and Deep Diving Crankbaits...

-Strike King 3XD: http://bit.ly/2oSMj8s

This miniaturized "XD" bait is everything you'd expect. hard pulling, great rattle, and excellent cover deflection in a small package. Recommend upgrading to size 4 short shank trebles. Recommended Colors- Chili Craw, Delta Red

-Spro RockCrawler: http://bit.ly/2NFPA5t

This crank is a hard pulling bait in a smaller package. Think "finesse cranking" but be prepared for big bites! Great hooks but replace with size 4 short shanks when the time comes. Recommended colors- Red Bug, Red Crawfish.

-Lucky Craft Classical Leader: http://bit.ly/2zKkhlV

This tight running bait is great at deflecting and fast movements. Comes equipped with thin size 6 trebles that should be upgraded. Recommended Colors- Craw

-Megabass Deep Six: http://bit.ly/2A3clKP

This tight action crankbait shines in the early spring. When you need to reach deeper but maintain a refined look, this is the bait. Size 2 hooks can be upgraded to stronger options. Recommended colors- Fire Craw, Stealth Craw.

Lipless Crankbaits...

-Lucky Craft LV-500: http://bit.ly/2aAUUbd

This bait has a tight action, loud rattle, and fast sink rate. Upgrade stock hooks with size 4's. Recommended Colors- Aurora Craw, Spring Craw, Wakin.

-Cotton Cordell Super Spot: http://bit.ly/2y3K210

This high-pitched, slow sinking bait excels around grass. Upgraded size 4 hooks are a must! Recommended colors- Rayburn Red, Royal Red.

-Jackall TN -70: http://bit.ly/2lqAwjh

This is a very refined bait with great action, sound, and profile. Upgrading hooks to size 4 is wise. Recommended colors- Crawfish, RT Escape Craw.

-Red Eye Shad: http://bit.ly/2fqX1RT

This is a great all-around/ Do-everything bait. Rip grass, burn open water, or slow roll deep. Size 4 hooks for 1/2 oz or size 2 hooks for 3/4 oz. Recommended Colors- Royal Red, Delta Red.

Spinnerbaits...

-River2Sea 1/2 oz Bling Spinnerbait: http://bit.ly/2diSwqq

The Bling is a light wire spinnerbait great for covering water. Recommended colors- Cold Blooded.

-Revenge Double Willow: http://bit.ly/2bwYnaP

Another amazing spinnerbait. Great hook, great components, very refined. Recommended colors- Habanero, Orange Crush.

-Blade Runner Double Willow: http://bit.ly/2ShreWf

This bait is designed with heavy components for big fish. Recommended colors- Delta Craw

-Bling w/ Colorado and Indiana Blades: http://bit.ly/2t5jecE

This is the bait with a small orange Colorado blade. Give it a try and you might be surprised! Recommended colors: Lemonade Twist.

Chatterbaits...

-Evergreen JackHammer: http://bit.ly/2popvj6

The most refined chatterbait on the market! Perfect balance and excellent start up speed. Recommended colors- Hite's Hot Craw

-Picasso Tungsten Shock Blade: http://bit.ly/2Tt2tne

This shock blade has been a deadly bait for years. The addition of the tungsten offering takes it to a different level in a smaller package. Recommended colors- Dark Red Craw RT.

Crankbait Hooks/Split Ring Upgrades...

-Direct Replacement- Gamakatsu EWG: http://bit.ly/2DCOlmV

-Short Shank Replacement- Owner ST-35: http://bit.ly/2g8uCMj

-Strong Replacement- Owner ST-56: http://bit.ly/2cVg7xW

-Owner Hyperwire Split Rings Size 3: http://bit.ly/2v8ArBX