Vision Oneten FX Jerkbait Tactics
Tune in as Megabass Pro, Chris Zaldain breaks down his Vision Oneten FX jerkbait tactics for highly pressured clear water smallmouth.
CHRIS ZALDAIN
Find stories, tips, and tournament finishes from professional angler Chris Zaldain. Chris fishes competitively in the Bassmaster Elite Tournament Series.
Chris has competed in 95 professional BASS tournaments earning two first place finishes and twenty top 10 finishes. He is one of the hottest anglers on the circuit today.
Chris shares with us how he uses Megabass products in different situations. One of our favorite videos from Chris is the one of him giving tips on how to fish the Megadog Topwater Lure.
Elevate Your Popper Game
Tune in with Elite series pro Chris Zaldain as he explains how poppers can be some of the most versatile weapons in your topwater arsenal when
Topwater Fishing with the DOG-X DIAMANTE
We were able to dig into our archives to find elite series pro, Chris Zaldain sharing how the DOG-X DIAMANTE excels even in wind-blown conditions thanks to its high buoyancy and face-up posture. Covered in the video: – Why the DIAMANTE excels in choppy water – Correct rod length/taper for optimal efficiency – Picking the …
Neko Rigging for Pressured Bass
When challenged with calm, sunny conditions, Elite Series pro Chris Zaldain’s first choice is to pick up a Neko Rigged soft plastic. Neko rigging for pressured bass is one of the most natural ways to present a soft plastic. His “go-to” Neko rig bait is the 4in bottle shrimp thanks to its subtle action and …
Dynamic Frog Fishing with the Big Gabot
Frog fishing can take many forms, especially when it comes to matching forage. Learn from Megabass Pro, Chris Zaldain, that matching a variety of surface based forage, a hollow bodied frog can be utilized in many different scenarios when the fish are looking to the surface for their next meal. Dynamic frog fishing with the …
Targeting Big Bass in 3 Different Areas Using the Magdraft Swimbait
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhJW2QP-Q34Chris Zaldain explains tips and tricks on targeting big bass in 3 different areas using Magdraft swimbaits. Tune in to get the scoop on these techniques, so you can increase your chances of putting a true trophy in the boat on your next outing. Often overlooked for smaller presentations such as spinnerbaits and bladed jigs, the …
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Breaking down Finesse Swim Baiting with The Megabass Spark Shad and Hazedong Shad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92FQBUNuFJ8 Chris Zaldain is breaking down finesse swim baiting with the Megabass Spark shad and Hazedong Shad. More specifically, he shares when to utilize a ball head method with a Spark Shad or the drop swimming method with the Hazedong. -Start with the ball headed Spark Shad, looking for more aggressive fish in an area …
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Fishing Main Lake Structure with the New Megabass Vision 110+1 Jr.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6LMOvLQnNg&t=320s Chris Zaldain breaks down the key details he looks for when fishing main lake structure with the new Megabass Vision 110+1 Jr. -Using the wind to dictate your starting areas can help dial in a lake quickly and effectively -How jerkbaits allow for more searching with your bait versus searching with electronics -The importance …
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Targeting Suspended Bass with The Megabass Deep-Six Crankbait
Chris Zaldain breaks down his approach to target suspended bass with the Megabass Deep-Six Crankbait. – Finding the correct depths are key. Pay attention to when you’re marking fish above the bottom! – Long casts are extremely important, as is matching the bait with the proper set up. – Fall and post spawn are ideal …
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Jig Fishing with the Dark Sleeper Swimbait
Chris Zaldain gives the scoop on the swimbait that quickly filled a needed spot in his arsenal. Here’s how Jig fishing with the Dark Sleeper Swimbait can help put more fish in the boat on your next outing. – What makes the Dark Sleeper unique? – Type of areas and structure it thrives in – …
How to Improve Your Frog Fishing with The Megabass Big Gabot Frog
Chris Zaldain takes to the topwater game with tips and tricks on how to improve your frog fishing with the Megabass Big Gabot. Whether you pop it or walk it, the Big Gabot’s Catamaran Mouth shatters expectations and attracts even the biggest predators.
Mid Depth Target Crankbait Fishing with the Megabass Deep-X 100 LBO
When fish are not in the shallows, but also are not in the depths, utilize mid-depth target crankbait fishing with the Megabass Deep-X 100 LBO. Learn from staffer, Chris Zaldain, the best way to deploy the Deep-X 100 LBO, and the tips and tricks that will help you crank more fish into the boat.
How to catch Big Bass on a MAGDRAFT Swimbait
With frontal conditions on the forecast, the rain will be falling, the boats will be running, and the bass will be hungry! Step onto the boat to fish with Megabass pro, Chris Zaldain, as he breaks down strategies for catching big bass on the Magdraft swimbait! Big fish hunting can make for some of the …
Zaldain’s Soft Spybait Secrets
The Japanese technique known as “spybaiting” has gained widespread acclaim for its ability to draw strikes from clear-water bass, particularly suspended smallmouths. However, according to veteran pro Chris Zaldain, “it’s a well-known fact that you’re going to lose a lot of fish on it. No matter what hooks you use, 30 to 40 percent of …
Megabass Megadog: Fishing Big Topwater Lures
Chris Zaldain breaks down how to fish big topwater lures in various conditions. Topics covered: Retrieve variances for different conditions – When to apply a hard chop or when a smooth glide is the best approach. Ideal locations to target with a big topwater What to look for when you’re on the water, ambush points, …
Flipping & Pitching Isolated Mats
Chris Zaldain always has a 1oz + flipping/pitching rig ready to go when working shorelines. – Target isolated mats and windblown grass patches– Don’t “texpose” your hook point– Make extra flips to the key points of each cover area– Hold your line for extra finesse, sensitivity, and old-school flipping! Bait: Bottle Shrimp 4″ Rod: Orochi …
Megabass Big-M 7.5 for Ultra Deep Cranking 24ft +
How is ultra-deep cranking different from normal deep cranking? What areas of the lake do you target? Why, when, and most importantly, how? Chris Zaldain shares his tips for summertime ultra-deep cranking success with the new BIG-M 7.5. The Megabass Big-M 7.5 takes your deep cranking to depths of 24+ ft and beyond on 16lb …
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Megabass I-Wing 135 | Chris Zaldain
Trophy bass anglers rely on plus-sized lures to attract and trigger the biggest bass in any given system — this mentality extends beyond the swimbait category and into the topwater arena as well. Chris Zaldain demonstrates how to fish big and aggressive topwater baits to trigger pressured bass on a popular Texas fishery. Product featured …
Magdraft Freestyle Rigging Techniques
How do you fish and rig a FREESTYLE swimbait? Professional Angler Chris Zaldain has been wildly successful with Megabass swimbaits on Bassmaster Elite tournament trail, notching multiple top-finishes and heavy bags. Take a seat in Chris’ boat as he breaks down the Magdraft 6” and its new sibling, the MAGDRAFT FREESTYLE. Chris shares two of …
Chris Zaldain Bass Master Classic 2019
ZALDAIN GOES AGAINST THE CURRENT FOR A CLASSIC-BEST LIMIT Faced with an 11-pound gap to make up after Day One of the Bassmaster Classic, Chris Zaldain was amazed by the 20 pounds that Ott DeFoe brought to the scales. He’d followed a “false clue” on Day One that led him down an errant path to …
How to Fish the Megabass ONETEN+2 Jerkbait
Megabass expands their jerkbait lineup with the VISION ONETEN+2, a new class of jerkbait that delivers the tournament-proven ONETEN action in the 12-foot depth range using 12lb fluorocarbon. Professional bass angler Chris Zaldain explains why getting deeper can mean more bass in a lot of situations. For one, bass often suspend off the edge of …
Zaldain Goes Deep for Swimbait Spots
As Chris Zaldain left Palatka, Florida for the seven-hour drive to Lake Lanier, he experienced a bit of déjà vu. The road took him through Atlanta, up into the Georgia foothills, and he felt himself being transported “back to Northern California.” That told him much of what he needed to know and informed the choices …
Target Fall Bass with the Spark Shad Swimbait
Professional bass angler Chris Zaldain nails it when he says new school grubbing is a finesse swimbait rigged on a ball head jig. Unlike grubs, anatomically accurate baits like the Megabass Spark Shad closely mirror baitfish in appearance and motion while allowing anglers to cover the water column with speed and efficiency. Although they work …
Targeting Deep Bass with the DEEP-SIX Crankbait
Large schools of bass move offshore during the Post-Spawn and Fall patterns. One of the most effective ways to target these fish is to throw a deep diving crankbait like the Deep-SIX. In this video, Bassmaster Elite Angler Chris Zaldain talks about boat positioning and approach when targeting offshore bass.
How to Fish Swimbaits on the Bottom
A good portion of bass feeding activity takes place on or near the bottom; crawfish and all sorts of baitfish make use of the lower water column for cover, shade, cool water and feeding opportunities. A jig and swimbait are two lure categories that produce big-time results in this zone. California native Chris Zaldain has …
How to Fish the Magdraft Swimbait
Professional angler Chris Zaldain has turned to the Magdraft swimbait in 6″ and even 8″ sizes to bring some serious weight to the scales throughout his tournament career. Find out why–and how–Chris fishes this unique swimbait for key bites in various situations, including the areas and cast angles he targets to elicit bites in community …
Drop-Swimming: Use Swimbaits to Elevate Your Drop Shot Game!
If all else fails, you’ve always got the drop-shot…but sometimes they just don’t want that traditional vertical presentation. In those cases, the Hazedong Shad in 3″ and 4.2″ is a limit-saver. Not only can you work the spot with a traditional vertical line-shake, you can also employ a slow, dragging approach to swim through the …
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Swimbait Tips for Big Smallmouth Bass
Chris Zaldain shares his finesse jighead approach on Minnesota’s Mille Lacs, where his Spark Shad 3″ and Orochi XX Shaky Head powered him to a five-fish limit of 26lbs of smallmouth bass!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dprZXYYcbaQ
A Swimbait Solution to Dropshotting
Thin, wiggly worms, soft stickbaits and little goby imitators are the workhorses of the dropshotting world, but when California pro Chris Zaldain heads north in the summertime to chase big brown bass, his number one tool on the end of his spinning rod is a small swimbait. There are times when he’ll fish them horizontally …
WALKING THE DOG WITH STYLE
Ever since bass anglers first learned to “walk the dog” with a cigar-shaped topwater, it has been the Holy Grail of bass bites, a way to call larger-than-average fish from a distance and force them to strike out of hunger, curiosity, territoriality or anger. While the early versions of these lures still work, seasoned pros …
DEEP CRANKING WITH PRECISION
Once the bass move out to their deep water summertime haunts, some anglers are lost. They flail around, fishing the same crankbaits as everyone else, and then wonder why their catches don’t add up at weigh-in time. Three-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier Chris Zaldain has watched some of them deep cranking, and he knows why they …
ROLL WALKING POPPERS WITH ZALDAIN AND EVERS
Now that bass in many parts of the country have completed their spawning duties, it’s time to fatten up before they head offshore for the summer. That means they’re feasting on a diet of shad and bluegills, pinning their prey into confined spawning areas, and there’s often nothing better than fishing a roll walking popper …
SQUAREBILLS IN LATE SPRING
While square billed crankbaits are deadly in the pre-spawn, and again in the fall when voracious bass are herding shad to the backs of creeks, that doesn’t mean that there’s no role for them in between those two time periods. Most savvy pros keep one or more tied on 12 months out of the year, …
Targeting Grass Flats & Points with Swimbaits
Chris Zaldain shares a few key tips to maximize your productivity with the Magdraft swimbait! Head-thumping action (in addition to tail kick) is key 15lb Fluorocarbon line Realism is key, especially in clearer waters Target windblown banks and points Pair with F7-72XX Perfect Pitch or Levante F7-72C To see how Zaldain used the Magdraft 6″ to …
HOW TO CHOOSE JERKBAIT COLORS
Cold weather jerkbaiting is an effective way to catch lethargic and non-committal bass, but it also sits on a fragile precipice – any failure to dial in the correct size, cadence or suspending attitude of your chosen lure can mean the difference between a full livewell and a goose egg. Color is equally important, …
A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GLIDEBAIT FISHING
Bassmaster Elite Pro Chris Zaldain shares his approach to glide bait fishing. From his background in California to bodies of water across the country, Chris shares a few key tips to help you get the most out of your glide bait setup. Good luck and good fishing, and be sure to tag @megabassamerica in your fish catches …