There are dredges and there are umbrella rigs, but this combination really packs a one-two punch. The Mojo Fish Umbrella Dredge from Chaos is a heavy-duty wire frame rigged with 14 nine-inch soft-plastic herring, each with a highly reflective holographic core. Pull it as is to tease up tuna and marlin, or remove a few of the baits and add your favorite striper lures to troll right off the beach. Multiple rigs can also be hooked together to mimic a larger school of bait. The Mojo Fish Umbrella Dredge sells for $150. Chaos Rods and Lures; (877) 547-8066; www.chaosfishing.com
Shock Treatment
We’ve seen lures that rattle and lures that buzz, but here’s one that zaps. Well, not quite, but Mustad’s EChip Hoochie features an internal chip that emits an electrical pulse, purportedly mimicking the nerve activity of wounded baitfish. No batteries are required-the mechanism is activated when a steel ball moves with the motion of the lure and strikes the ceramic crystals at each end of the chip. Ideal for light trolling or tying into a bottom rig for fluke, Hoochies come in 20 colors to match local forage and sell for $6. Mustad; (315) 253-2793; www.mustad.no
Fish Preserver
Trouble sleeping? The Outdoor Channel can be good late-night company, but you could get stuck watching infomercials. Enter the vacuum sealer. Finally you can freeze fish to eat or even use as bait. But we wore out three machines before upgrading to the Ary VacMaster SVP-10, a commercial-grade unit that sells for $1,300-and is worth it. Unlike suction units, the VacMaster’s hydraulic motor produces negative force pressurization to remove the air from reusable bags in 55 seconds. It will not suck fluids, so it’s ideal for chowders, sauces and, of course, fillets. Ary, Inc.; (800) 821-7849; www.aryinc.com
Death Grip
A good gaff job can mean the difference between rerigging and eating sushi. Ease some of the strain with a new fiberglass gaff from Barefoot Rods & Tackle. Hook sizes range from two to four inches and handles from two to eight feet long and are slightly flexible. Double EVA molded grips create a strong hold on these lightweight gaffs, which float if dropped overboard. The line of Barefoot gaffs are custom wrapped and start at $50. Barefoot Rods & Tackle; (919) 596-5007; www.fishingbarefoot.com
