Actually, this weight doesn’t even take a minute to change, and there’s no re-tying needed, either! Carolina rigging just became much easier and quicker to gear up for. You can now dropshot with a rattle in the weight so you don’t have to distort the shape nor action of that delicate little worm by inserting rattles in it. And, of course, in dropshoting, the subtle action of the bait is everything. You can fine tune the weight of your presentation without retying – its super fast, convenient, easy – and it will help you catch more fish. Tournament fishing boils down to time management. The less time spent fooling with rigging, the more casts you can make in a day. The same clock limits the recreational angler also. You only have so much time to fish. Make the most of it. Let Magnum Weight Systems help you.
Developed by Greg Patterson, a bass angler from Texas, The Pod Series weights are actually little brass tubes which can be opened by unscrewing one end. Then, you can remove or add small round weights (which also serve as rattles) until you get the weight that works best for your current situation. Due to their elongated shape, they glide very well through cover – especially grass. The Pod Series replaces the short, fat, snag proned weights of the past. You don’t need that bead anymore (that was always aggravating for me to fumble with, as I have big hands). You can leave that swivel in the tackle box, too. The Pod Series weights come with a strong swivel (made by Spro Products) already attached. This streamlined aproach is the way to go in clear water situations where too much terminal tackle may spook fish. The fish will also hear these brass rattles better than anything you could insert into the worm, and way better than a bead and lead sinker. In clear water you sometimes don’t want the rattles to sound off, but you may still need the weight afforded by the internal brass bb’s. In that case, I’ve found it handy to tear off a little piece of a cotton ball and stuff it into the end of the cylinder to hold the bb’s in place, thereby preventing the rattles from making any noise in shallow, clear water. Most of the time, though, I like those rattles – even in clear water – especially around grass.
The Pod Series weights come in three sizes ranging from 1/8 to 1 oz. (depending on how many little bb’s you leave in). These weights are more sensitve and more versatile than anything you’ve ever used before. Also, they reduce line wear, as you won’t have that sinker sliding up and down the line evry time you cast, nor the sinker and bead bruising your line on the retrieve.
If this wasn’t a better way to fish, it wouldn’t be catching on so fast with touring pros and guides right now. It’s being used on the FLW and Bassmaster Tour. Guides are using it to teach clients how to feel a Carolina rig. It’s endorsed by legendary TV angler and touring pro, Roland Martin. Walt Reynolds, and two-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier, Lee Bailey, Jr. also recommend it. And B.A.S.S. pro, David Wharton said, "This system is awesome." He should know. He recently caught 23.55 lbs of bass on it in a tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, in heavy brush, seventeen feet deep.
I discovered the system at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo a couple of months ago. I met Greg Patterson and he told me his story: "I developed the system basically out of frustration," he told me. On a winter trip to Rayburn Reservoir, with bass 8-12 feet deep in heavy grass, Greg was having trouble diferentiating bites from snags with his conventional Carolina rig and ¾ oz. sinker and bead constantly hanging up. "I was getting skunked by my partner because I couldn’t feel the bites in that grass," he shares, "I thought, ‘there has got to be a better way to do this!’." He and partner, Jimmy Greer, also thought about how little sound a traditional Carolina rig actually makes with the sinker right against the bead during most of the retieve. They set out to rectify the sound/snag dilemma and ended up inventing a system which also allows them to control the weight of their rig in seconds without retying. And because of the versatility of the system, Greg and Jimmy now have fewer rods cluttering the deck of the boat – especially important for those who don’t have a deck the size of a night club dance floor on the bow of their boat. Greg’s confidence soared and he has enjoyed much better fishing. Believe me when I say the man is genuinely excited about the system – as well he should be – it was recently featured in Bassmaster Magazine, In-Fisherman, and many others. You will see it on Roland Martin’s fishing show this year as well. You’ll, no doubt, hear about it from the weigh-in stage this season, as pros start making more and more money on it.
I can personally attest to the system’s productivity. Not only has it worked well in fresh water, I’ve also used it to catch in-shore salt water species. It lays flat on the bottom and doesn’t get swept away in the current. The weights are rust proof and stand up well to the harsh marine environment. I put a soft jerkbait behind it and dragged it through and over oyster beds at high tide. After some initial hang-ups, I got the clue to remove the brass bb’s from inside the cylinder, making the Pod into ¼ oz. Weight. From that point on, it bounced and glided over the sharp oyster beds with ease, seldom snagging, and thus, allowing me to fish areas that had been off-limits for all practical purposes. That made a major difference because big redfish love to hang all over oyster beds anytime there’s water on them. The Pod Series was helpful in that situation and it will certainly handle any fishing conditions you can throw at it.