3/26/2023 – WEEKLY SPECIALS

We’ve already seen reports of the yellowtail biting well at the Coronado’s, the weather has really churned things up so it has been hard to tell how this season will go. Bluefin are already being caught in small quantities which is a good sign but with all of the storms we’ll have to wait for some consistency before we can figure out what to gear up for first.

If you’ve got pictures of some of your catches with our gear feel free to send us some pictures either to me at sergey@charkbait.com or Mark at information-1@charkbait.com

If you have any suggestions, complaints, questions or comments about the website please feel free to email me at: sergey@charkbait.com or give me a call at the shop.

As always, thank you for visiting our Weekly Specials and hope to see you at the shop!

Sincerely,
Sergey Smith

OKUMA SOLTERRA 30% OFF

We’ve got a nice deal on some of the leftover last gen Solterra 10CS and 20 2-Speeds. The smaller 10 is a great local bottom fishing and bait reel, while the 20 is a great 60-80lb trolling reel and for $165 you won’t find any better two speed reels capable of fishing up to 80lb.

Well, here’s another series of reels from Okuma that offer folks a very nice alternative, good quality at a very good price point. The Solterra line of lever drag reels are nothing less than a great value, coupled to a very strong performing reel. There are single speed and Two Speed reels in this line. Okuma introduced an update to these popular reels at ICAST 2015, which became available in 2016. The cosmetic upgrade was significant, the reels are much better looking. But, that’s on the outside, inside they have done some updating as well. All in all, these are very nice reels, especially for the private boater who typically doubles up on the gear. Solterra models offer a one year parts and labor warranty.

TAIPAN US MADE RAIL RODS

Taipan rods have been around for a while as an OEM of blanks for other manufacturers and builders but in the last few years they’ve started making their own production rods based on their own designs, start to finish. They are one of the few companies that builds blanks and rods in-house instead of outsourcing blank manufacturing to another company, this lets them have a tight grip over quality control and makes it much easier to make adjustments and improvements. Their first rods were oriented towards freshwater bass fishing and they’ve found some success but they have turned towards the saltwater segment of SoCal fishing as the next place for expansion. The new rail rods from them have been designed in house and have gone through several iterations of testing which let them adjust action and bend to make sure they are well received. Captain Rene of Shogun Sportfishing has been testing and helping with the development process for the last year and they’ve made a lot of improvements that have resulted in many big bluefin landed without hiccups.

These rail rods feature a heavy duty rail grip that is abrasion resistant and should last a long time, it is similar to other products on the market made of a durable hose material that has metal lining. In practice these grips hold up well, although they give you a bit less grip on the rail than the cold shrink tubing used by custom rod builders and companies like UC, this in general shouldn’t be an issue but it is something to keep in mind since the surface isn’t as soft it will not stick to the rail as easily. They use Alps CAH23 aluminum reel seats which should every class of reel you would be putting on the rail rod and they’ve also chosen to use Fuji HB SiN insert guides which are durable, corrosion resistant and have a great ring that is more than braid ready.

They’re manufactured start to finish in Yuma Arizona and come in at a smoking price point considering they are one of only 3 US rail rod manufacturers that make their own blanks, the other being United Composites and Calstar which come in at a more premium price point. The rods feel light overall and the diameters are very thin despite the strength you get from them. They have softer tips which give you a bit more action, I would fish the XXH model at 80lb and XXXH at 100lb respectively although you could certainly go down one line class if you’re a hard puller. Since the rods are made of a fiberglass and carbon fiber composite you get the extra durability of glass along with the extra bit of tip bend while still retaining the pulling and lifting power of graphite.

NEW MUSTAD JAW LOK 5X TREBLE HOOKS

The new Jaw Lok hooks from Mustad are a great way to upgrade some of your casting lures or jigs, they’re a 5X design without being too heavy while still quoting 500 hours of corrosion resistance in saltwater so they’ll probably last longer than most lures. They’ve got sharp polished points and a good barb without being excessive. The gap on these is a bit smaller than on some competing hooks like the Owner ST-66/76 and BKK, but the overall shape is more suited as an all around hook that can work well on anything from a yoyo iron to a jerkbait or trolling lure. And unlike some of the Owner trebles, they’re actually readily available.

Here in California we’ve definitely seen more guys replacing hooks and paying attention to their rigging which has helped land more fish. The larger sizes up to the 5/0 will work on the 8-10″ trolling or casting lures as well as some of the bigger knife jigs that have been used at night for bluefin.

New Jaw Lok 5X Strong In-Line Trebles feature a forged hybrid shape design for maximize strength! A true Big Game saltwater treble that is a must for any big lures when chasing that fish of a lifetime. Designed to for maximum gap and to lock big fish in for long battles with Mustad’s straight UltraPoint for sharpness and extreme durability of the point.

• 4.3 UltraPoint® Technology
• Opti-Angle Needle Point
• 5X Strong
• Forged
• Ringed eye

NEW DURAN DECKHAND CLAMPS

Our new DFP Mega Clamp is here! More than 200% wider than stock clamps and the most secure clamp on the market! This clamp is designed to be used with stock hardware and protect your expensive blanks from being crushed. Deep serrations on the inside and rounded edges on the outside equal a comfortable grip and maximum holding power for those long battles. This clamp is CNC Machined out of aircraft grade 6061 aluminum and anodized to prevent corrosion. Custom laser cut stainless steel inserts and washers are provided so it will work for a wide variety of reels. Another cool add on feature is an adjustable trigger that can be taken on or off depending on your fishing style. Custom engraving is always an option to add a personalized touch to your reel clamp.

BOZLES JDM ZINC SLOW PITCH JIGS

Bozles is a Japanese company specializing in tungsten and zinc jigs, while tungsten jigs are great for avoiding the current and getting down quick the zinc jigs are less dense than lead and can potentially give you a lot more action when jigged. You’ll have more time in the strike zone when jigging or letting the jig fall which is what the Chacha excels at. These jigs are quite a bit longer than the lead alternatives so a set of longer assist hooks is a must, we mainly recommend rigging them with a single top hook which will be great for targeting bigger game like yellowtail, yellowfin and bluefin. The angled shape creates a unique falling action and when jigged you’ll have the lure darting back and forth mimicking live bait. Even when fished like a traditional yoyo iron with a fast retrieve they will have a swimming kick and not a lazy spin like a lot of the irons we use.

We have them available in a small variety of the most popular colors and the 230g size is perfect for the local bite whether you’re fishing rockfish or yellowtail. The jigs are about 8.5 inches long so there’s plenty of space for doubles when targeting rockfish, so don’t be afraid to put hooks on both sides.

Falling Action

Jigging Action

Fast Retrieve

ULTRA THIN JDM CASTING BRAID

Varivas is a leading Japanese line manufacturer and the Casting SMP braid has been a go-to for big GT and tuna anglers across the world. The Super Max Power PE is an evolution in material design and coating technology which allows for a stronger and more durable braided line while maintaining a super thin diameter. Most line in the US is conservative meaning it breaks heavier than rated, this is great for longevity and use but it also decreases the peak performance of your setup. Varivas line gives you better capacity than even the supposed thin lines in the US while also maintaining a reputation for consistency, reliability and longevity.

Casting SMP comes in a gray color to be a bit more stealthy and gives you solid color marks at every 25 meter increment so you can gauge your casting distance or depth.

VARIVAS MONO CASTING & JIGGING LEADER

Varivas Ocean Record leader is the perfect leader for casting and jigging, it is a bit stiffer than most mono while still not picking up too much memory giving it great casting performance and abrasion resistance. It comes in a light purple color which disappears well in the water and has been used by many of the best tuna, GT and yellowtail anglers in the world. It ties knots better than the equivalent fluoro and is about 20% thinner than most mono like Momoi and Izorline.

If you’re looking for a good leader material for your tuna jigs or your large stickbaits & poppers then you’ve found the perfect line for both applications.

VARIVAS SMP ASSIST CORD

Ideal for making your own assist hooks. Varivas Avani Ocean Works Assist Leader is designed for high abrasion resistance and shock strength. Double structure design. Made with UV-resistant, durable VARIVAS Super Max Power (SMP) PE braid wrapped around a removable DuPont Dacron core. In the heavier tests this is the perfect assist cord material for the big bluefin jigging we have in SoCal, SMP PE is much more durable and UV resistant than kevlar. It is also perfect for slow pitch jigging hooks, you can leave the dacron core and make the perfect double hook rigs to a welded ring. Slow jigs come in many different shapes and sizes so being able to customize length is a must and making your own assist hooks is a great way to save money.

• Dacron core can be removed to create a loop for securing the knot
• After creating a knot, the remaining line with the core intact provides a moderately stiffer assist leader that helps alleviate line trouble with the shock leader.
• The part of the line without the core allows free hook movement for easier fish bite.

TEMPLE REEF GRAVITATE SPJ RODS 25% OFF + FREE SHIPPING

There’s never been a better time to up your SPJ game, the Gravitate series is more traditional and has a higher skill ceiling than some of the other rods on the market. You’ll get a more sensitive rod that will work a jig exceptionally well, one that is built for the more advanced angler.

The Gravitate 3.0 series deviates a bit from the rest of the slow pitch lineup that Temple Reef offers. While it retains the high quality components, 2 piece blank design and overall light weight of the Levitate it offers a different bend for a different subset of fishing. These rods have a softer bend, putting a bit more leverage on your side when fishing. They are especially good for shallower applications which will let you impart more of an action to your jigs. This is the perfect all around series for the SoCal market, we don’t fish as deep making it a lot easier to control your jig and keep it in front of you. They are great for private boating in the local waters and fishing sport boats on anchor, so if you end up doing any bottom fishing trips I would highly recommend looking at these as the first choice. The lighter G1’s will be nice for our sand bass, calico bass and rockfishing while the heavier ones will be great for the bigger reds, sheephead, ling cod, seabass and yellowtail fishing. All of the Gravitate rods come with a soft but durable rod cover. The Gravitate series features a traditional guide layout, which may be preferable for some if they are not used to spiral wrapped rods.