News/Blog

1/29/2024 12:55 PM: No Secrets Books 1&2 Now Available!!!! by WayneC

It's been a long wait but No Secrets Book 1&2 are now reprinted, and republished!

1/27/2024 3:39 PM: St Clair Goby Classic is back! In drop-shot tube too! by WayneC

The laminated bait that started the color revolution, St Clair Goby Classic is back! It has never before been available in a drop-shot tube, but now it is! Available in 4", 5" and 2.75" drop-shot tube.

1/25/2024 8:45 PM: XTREME CHANGES for 2024! by WayneC

NEW: A solid Ned bait line, an expanded swimbait line, first ever St. Clair Goby Classic in a drop-shot tube, and a chatterin' shad. Many of those are available in our custom colors!

9/5/2023 7:51 AM: Formula G3 X-Worms are Back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! by WayneC

It's been awhile but wait until you get a look at one of the best pours ever! This X-Worm is available in both 4" and 5" sizes. As a bonus, we were able to get some 4" Formula G3 swim baits in with the shipment. This is a popular color so get them while they last!

9/4/2023 6:34 PM: Vacation week. New orders will go out next week. by WayneC

Thanks for understanding everyone! Check out the NEW Canadian Mist Ghost...It's my dream color, and it's been working great!

7/22/2022 10:01 PM: Some 50 packs are back...for now by WayneC

Canadian Mist
Formula G3
St. Clair Crayfish
Mayfly
Great Lakes Craw
Sweet Green

7/5/2022 9:03 PM: Mustad Jigs Are In! July 2022 by WayneC

We have finally restocked with a good load of Mustad Tube Jigs in both the bronze, and black nickel 4/0 hooks!

6/4/2022 8:57 PM: MAYFLY is in!!!! June 2022 by WayneC

Right on time, Mayfly tubes have made their appearance, just before the hatches. Look for this bait to be the most effective when we see the third round of mayfly hatches where the insects are big, look golden, and have a chartreuse stripe on their wings. Don't forget...this bait is made to be fished "wings up," or "wings down."

7/4/2021 9:12 PM: No Secrets Books #3 & #4 Are In! by WayneC

The two most relevant books for the "high water" period that we are experiencing are back! Book #3 - St Clair Flats chapter is one of the best No Secrets chapters ever. Book #4 chapters: Bite Patterns, St Clair River Puzzle and Largemouth Tactics for Smallmouth are must have for summer fishing!

6/18/2021 12:51 AM: 6-18-2021 Mustad Tube Heads Are In: 1/8oz, 3/16oz, 1/4oz and 3/8oz by WayneC

The tube jigs have been slow to come in but they are here now, and in good supply.

6/18/2021 12:51 AM: Just In 2021 - FG3, SCG NFT, GLP by WayneC

Restocking is running on a different schedule this season but if you are looking for your favorite smallmouth tube, these just came in:

* Formula G3
* St. Clair Goby NFT
* Great Lakes Craw

Coming soon...
Muskegon Goby
St. Clair Crayfish

6/18/2021 12:50 AM: 2020 Great Lakes Perch 4" - Last of the season by WayneC

15 - 8ct packs left 7/27/2020

7/27/2020 8:02 AM: JIGS ARE IN!!!! 7-26-2020 by WayneC

1/8oz, 3/16oz, 1/4oz, and 3/8oz Mustad Ultrapoint Tube Heads

5/25/2018 5:12 AM: Mayfly coming just in time for June 2018 by WayneC

Arriving just in time for the hatch, expect the highly sought after Mayfly tube to come in at the 4", 5" and drop-shot sizes.

5/13/2017 8:44 PM: NEW FOR 2017 - Quad Dipped Tube, Froggy for Largemouth by WayneC

Largemouth, look out! This new quad dipped design has been in development for two years and we now have a green bass bait with a yellow color trigger. They have been hard to keep in stock, so get yours now and go hunting for bucketmouth bass!

2/17/2017 10:03 PM: X-Worms are In! by WayneC

We have a new supplier and new supply of 5", 4" and 3" X-worms in Formula G3, Slither and a modified Canadian Mist color we call Canadian Mist Ultra Gold.

6/29/2016 9:29 PM: NEW ARRIVALS...Xtreme FORAGE GRUBS! by WayneC

For the first time the Xtreme Bass Tackle forage based colors are available in a 4 1/2" single tail grub. The bass haven't seen anything quite like this!

7/13/2015 5:14 PM: FRESH ARRIVALS! Sweet Green and Brown Craw by WayneC

Out stock is back up on two of the most important baits of the 2015 season.

6/24/2015 5:27 PM: June 24th, Formula G3 and Triple Threat are in! by WayneC

We've been out for a short time but these colors are back and in good supply for now.

6/12/2015 6:42 PM: Substitute Baby Bass Drop-Shot for Emerald Shiner Drop-Shot by WayneC

If you like the Emerald Shiner drop-shot tube you will love the Baby Bass version of it. You can substitute Baby Bass for Emerald Shiner with confidence!

5/30/2015 7:04 PM: New Arrivals 5-30-2015 by WayneC

Great Lakes Perch in
Emerald Shiner in
Swim-X Amber Shad in

5/29/2015 10:48 AM: New Stock Estimated Arrivals by WayneC

Triple Threat - Any day now
Emerald Shiner - End of May
Brown Craw - End of June

4/29/2014 7:52 PM: Muskegon Goby and Canadian Mist are in! by WayneC

If you've been looking for the newest, freshest batch of Muskegon Goby, it's in! Our numbers are back up on Canadian Mist too.

3/3/2014 12:25 AM: New for 2014! by WayneC

Alewife - Custom matched to alewife in the wild this bait is designed to take advantage of bass busting the surface or feeding off of the bottom. 5" Canadian Mist Lite (Our all time best seller) - First time this color has been available in a 5" tube. Fusion LE - Limited edition color excellent for sandy bottoms, Fire Goby LE - Limited edition "hot" version of our current goby tri-color baits.

8/21/2013 8:16 PM: Canadian Mist is in! by WayneC

That was close...we just got another custom batch of Canadian Mist in, and it is just in time. Things are hopping around here at Lake St. Clair and this bait is right in the middle of the action. This batch came in a little lighter in color than usual. If you like Canadian Mist, you should like this bait. It looks excellent and very much like it has been in the water a few minutes (that's about the time the bass really take to it). If you like Canadian Mist Hybrid (now called "Lite"), you should like it equally as well because it trends toward the lighter tone. I'm working on ironing this out so the color is more stable so please bear with me. It's the best bait in the inventory and deserves all the attention that I can give it to bring you a distinct difference between Canadian Mist and Canadian Mist Lite.

5/23/2013 9:35 PM: XBT GRAND OPENING AT JACK'S IN KALKASKA, MI! by WayneC

We welcome a new store to the family of stores that carry a full line of Xtreme Bass Tackle 4" tubes...Jack's Sport Shop in Kalkaska, MI. You can find them at 212 S. Cedar Street, Kalkaska, MI 49646 or give them a call at (231) 258-8892. You can get your favorite XBT 4" tubes such as St. Clair Crayfish, Muskegon Goby, Great Lakes Craw, Canadian Mist and more!

5/8/2012 8:15 PM: Formula G3 Back In Stock 5-08-2012 by WayneC

This tube has really been selling this spring and we experienced a brief period where it was sold out. You can order them now but this is just an emergency batch so supplies are limited. The main order has yet to arrive to resupply on this #2 All Time color.

4/24/2012 7:09 AM: Triple Threat™ Strikes First At Kentucky Lake by WayneC

The first report is in on the NEW Xtreme Bass Tackle™ Tri-Laminate tube color for 2012, Triple Threat™: The bass just couldn't leave it alone!

The 4" Triple Threat™ came through for a customer who called me after making a long weekend trip to Kentucky Lake recently. "They wouldn't let the bait sit there, they got on it right away," is how he described the bite. Throughout the course of the trip...
SEE MORE TRIPLE THREAT AT KENTUCKY LAKE AT:
http://basstothefuture.wordpress.com/2012/04/23/triple-threat-strikes-first-at-kentucky-lake/

9/21/2010 12:22 PM: Shop now on XBT by WayneC

You can now shop on the Xtreme Bass Tackle website. I've already processed several orders and am ready for more. Thank you so much for choosing Xtreme Bass Tackle! Capt. Wayne

4/5/2010 8:37 AM: Daily blogs about Xtreme Bass Tackle and more at... by WayneC

www.basstothefuture.com

12/31/2009 9:02 PM: 2010 bait names to be released on Monday, January 4 by WayneC

Every year my new bait designs get rolled out at the first show of the season, The Ultimate Fishing Show-Detroit. Over the years customers have seen the advent of the first 5" laminated tube with St. Clair Goby followed up by Great Lakes Craw and Firetiger. The success these baits have had for the serious bass angler can be measured by their continued popularity and also the tournament dollars they bring in.

The research done to develop these baits has resulted in a core philosophy of bait development called, Natural Forage TechnologyT. The latest tube designs to incorporate this are the 2008 release of St. Clair CrayfishT and the 2009 release of the first tri-color laminate, Great Lakes PerchT. Both have distinguished themselves as cross-over baits which are strong for both smallmouth and largemouth bass.

This year there are two new tubes, one a laminate and the other a tri-color laminate. Both are the result of research done on forage species for bass and incorporates "what works" color priorities instead of the less effective "exact match" method. Both baits fill out the XBT lineup of color selection by filling gaps in shading , regional choice and forage type.

An XBT first, a creature bait has crawled its way into the lineup and the color choice might surprise you.

Look for the names and images to be released on Monday, January 4 at:
www.basstothefuture.com, www.xtremebasstackle.com

or the Ultimate Fishing Show forum on
www.greatlakesbass.com

12/19/2009 7:41 PM: New baits discussed at Bass to the Future seminar by WayneC

Hang on for a great ride though the latest in bass fishing information technology plus the inside scoop on the new XBT baits for 2010 during the Bass to the Future seminar, exclusively at the Ultimate Fishing Show.

More info at: www.basstothefuture.com

12/19/2009 7:37 PM: New baits for 2010 on the way by WayneC

The tradition at Xtreme Bass Tackle is to roll out the new colors at the first big fishing show of the season for us, the Ultimate Fishing Show - Detroit. The show goes from January 7 - 10 and is held at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, Michigan. We've got two new tube baits plus an XBT first, a creature bait in one of my top colors. Stay tuned for a product release announcement to be made just before the show.

8/20/2009 7:58 PM: If I had to choose from only 4 XBT colors, which would I use? by WayneC

This question came from a post on www.greatlakesbass.com:

St. Clair - Consistency
5" Canadian Mist
DST Canadian Mist
4" Formula G3
(any sized) St. Clair Crayfish

St. Clair - Big fish
5" St. Clair Goby
5" Formula G3
DST Great Lakes Craw
4" Firetiger

St. Clair - Tough bite
5" Canadian Mist
DST Canadian Mist
4" Avocado Copper (Lt. melon orange)
4" Erie Goby

St. Clair River
5" Formula G3
5" St. Clair Goby
4" Dark Melon orange (copper)
4" Skirted twin tail Canadian Mist (not a tube)

St. Clair - Schooling bass
4" Firetiger
4" Canadian Mist w/white tube trailer
4" Erie Goby
4" or 5" Lt. Erie Green

St. Clair - Mayfly bite
4" or 5" Formula G3

St. Clair - Hot in 2009
(Any sized) St. Clair Crayfish
4" Sand Craw
4" Avocado copper (Lt. melon orange)
(Any sized) Great Lakes Perch

Lake Erie
DST or 4" Great Lakes Craw (long time producer)
4" Slither (strong early season)
4" Formula G3
DST Canadian Mist

Lake Erie - Fall
5" St. Clair Goby

Inland - Smallmouth
4" Erie Goby
4" Canadian Mist
DST Great Lakes Craw
4" Slither

Inland - Largemouth
4" or 5" St. Clair Crayfish
4" or 5" Great Lakes Perch
4" Skirted twin tail Canadian Mist
4" Formula G3
add dark colored tube trailers to 4" tubes for different bite

Best 4 colors all time (based on research and sales)
Canadian Mist
Formula G3
Slither
Great Lakes Craw

NOTE: You'll only see Great Lakes Perch a couple of times here. This is a new bait with reports and numbers just coming in. This info above is based on long-term sales and catch rates. GLP has already shown itself to be strong on both smallmouth and largemouth and looks to be a new "big fish" bait in the arsenal. Also, the "All Time" list will most likely be revised next year because it looks like St. Clair Crayfish (released in 2008) will surpass Great Lakes Craw (released in 2004).

On drop-shot tubes...

* If I want an inexperienced angler to catch a lot of fish easy, it's Canadian Mist all the way.

* For big fish the Great Lakes Craw DST usually averages 2 1/2" pounds and up.

* Mark Frickman won $30,000 in the FLW event with St. Clair Crayfish DST

* Most of the custom colors available in the other tube colors are in drop-shot tubes too. When I want to check the bite out on an area I know has smallies I'll plop my Plano box on the deck loaded with about 10 different colors then nose hook and fish one at a time to see what color they prefer.

8/20/2009 7:53 PM: Late season bait selection by WayneC

There can some seasonal baits choices that are stronger than others on Lake St. Clair. Bait profile can be a key element when making on-the-water adjustments when things aren't going exactly as planned. 4" tubes cover the mid-ranges of the bite while the drop-shot and 5" tubes are both strong choices which can even replace the 4" bite or expand it to bass the 4" can't reach. The 5" tube bite is strong all season but we see the best bite on fives from here on out.

Starting recommendations (for consistent production):

5" Canadian Mist
4" Formula G3
4" St. Clair Crayfish
DST - Great Lakes Craw

Expanded selection:

5" St. Clair Goby
DST & 4" Great Lakes Perch
4" Erie Goby
4" Brown Craw

Personal choices - If you like skirted twin tail grubs, both Canadian Mist and Formula G3 are effective and can be used to whip-saw the bite. If they aren't strong on one of those colors, they usually like the other.

Two colors that can be impact baits:

4" Sand Craw
4" Avocado copper

5/10/2009 9:53 AM: New Arrivals May 10 by WayneC

These baits are just in and to be in most stores soon:
Great Lakes Perch - We were within 150 pieces of selling out for the second time and are now fully stocked
Canadian Mist 4" and 5" - Both of these sold out in the last couple of weeks and we are filled up with them again
The New Emerald Shiner by Reaper Products with Natural Forage Technology built in - It was time to update this classic bait with what we now know about top producing elements in tubes. This bait is more life-like and has the look and feel of a live emerald shiner minnow just pulled from the minnow bucket.
Sand Craw Ghost drop-shot tube - This is a new addition to the line-up in a color/size combination that has not been made before
Slither DST & 4" - This #3 all-time color is blazing hot at the early stages of the season. It can rival Canadian Mist for the best bite on any given day.
Reaper Products Spring Craw - This is a Reaper Products classic bait brought back in a limited edition. Look for this in bulk at KD Outdoors and Nautical Mile BP

5/10/2009 9:34 AM: The Spring Bite by WayneC

Aggressive pre-spawn bass are roaming all over the northern United States and they are waking up out of their winter slumber to find the new Xtreme Bass Tackletm Great Lakes Perchtm lying in wait for them. This bait has already established itself in Michigan, the deep south and out west as a strong new addition to the XBT line for both smallmouth and largemouth bass. It's not the sales that tell the story but the reorders, and reorders have started to roll in already. GLP was in development for 2 years and rolled out at the Ultimate Fishing Show in January of 2009.

The new rollout for 2008, St. Clair Crayfish is flying off the shelves at the Nautical Mile BP gas station in St. Clair Shores. The initial stocking of it sold strong then was replenished a little over a week ago. In five days all of that sold out to a bare hook on the wall and we restocked it again. This bait was used by Mark Frickman of Grand Ledge, MI to win $30,000 in the 2008 FLW event last season and it is still fishing strong.

This is a killer time of year for drop-shot tubes and our stores have a supply of them as well.

Good luck everyone and I'll see you on the water! Capt. Wayne