Johnny McIntyre is an Inside Sales Coordinator at On The Water. He grew up fishing the shores of Cape Cod and the coast of Maine before relocating to the Midwest, where he spent time chasing big water species on southern Lake Michigan. His diverse experience in both costal and inland fishing grant him a unique perspective on gear performance and angling culture.
» Check out the rest of the OTW Staff’s Field Test Favorites from the 2025 Fishing Season
Van Staal VSX2 100
In the past year, I’ve rarely left for a fishing trip without the Van Staal VSX2 100. I opted for no backing, and fit close to 400 yards of 30-pound braid on the spool. With 30 pounds of drag, I can wrench big tautog and stripers away from structure, while still being able to cast a Rebel Jumpin’ Minnow without issue.
I rotate the reel between a 9-foot St. Croix Seage, the 8-foot Jigging World Onyx Surf, and a variety of inshore rods ranging from 7′-7’9″.
Like all the VSX2 series, its fully sealed, which is a must when surf fishing from the rocks or wading the backwaters in the spring. Eight ball bearings and a carbon fiber drag keep this reel working smooth when I’m tight to an albie on the Cape, and even big king salmon back on Lake Michigan when I visit family. Taking in 30 inches of line per crank, the reel can burn in epoxy jigs, or slow roll eels.
Coming in at $899, it’s certainly an investment—but considering how many different situations in which the reel has excelled, coupled with the proven durability of Van Staal, it’s been well worth the price tag.
Great Lakes Finesse Marabou Hair Jig
One of my favorite techniques I learned on Lake Michigan and brought back to the Northeast has been finesse smallmouth fishing. The Great Lakes Finesse (GLF) Marabou Hair Jig has been my go-to shallow water finesse presentation, not only for smallmouth but a variety of freshwater species.
Like most GLF baits, the Marabou hair jig is painted with a matte finish, which is chip resistant and lacks the unnatural shine that most baits have. The hand-tied marabou provides a very slow, undulating fall, and life like action on the retrieve. Molded and wrapped on a Gamakatsu 604 hook (I crush the barb for swift penetration), you’re getting a secure hookset every time.
Fished most effectively in clear, clean water anywhere from the bank to about 20 feet, a steady, slow roll will tempt even the wariest smallmouth, largemouth, and big trout.
Seaguar Gold Label Fluorocarbon Leader
What started as an “oh crap, I forgot my leader bag” purchase on a late fall brown trout trip has turned Seaguar Gold Label into a staple in my leader pouch. As the flagship in Seaguar’s lineup next to Blue Label, I was reluctant to spend the extra money at first, but after using different breaking strengths from 8- to 40-pound-test, I’m sold. Two things stand out the most, softness and strength.
Since my time at Tomo’s Tackle, I’ve become a bit of a knot nerd and usually tie an FG when connecting my leaders. Gold Label is easily the most pleasant leader material I’ve used for knots. It has very little memory, almost no friction when cinching, and lays beautifully, even with more complex knots.
It’s also Seaguar’s thinnest and strongest leader. I was skeptical at first that something so thin could be so tough, but the double-structure process of fusing two fluorocarbon strands together creates a thinner, stronger line. Even when frayed or kinked, it holds up to big fish and nasty structure. I can count on one hand the number of times it’s failed me in the last year.
Grundens Neptune Pants
A search for something cooler than traditional bibs, and with a belt, lead me to the Grundens Neptune Pants. At 100 bucks, these trousers are a solid bib replacement if you are looking for lighter bottoms with less torso coverage. Constructed with Grundens’ medium-weight material, they should hold up to just about any conditions in the Northeast. The single pocket, located on the right leg, housed a rag or an extra piece of tackle for most of my trips. With only two snap-on buttons, the pocket is not quite secure enough for a phone or wallet. My favorite feature has been the belt, which gave me easy access to pliers and a blade while fishing. I liked the belt so much, I bought a second one and set up with a small tackle box in a roll-top dry bag, and a pair of pliers. That setup lives in my trunk in case I drive past a beach and need to make a U-turn to catch a blitz in the surf. Simplicity, effectiveness, and the Grunden’s name should nudge this piece towards the top of your list the next time you’re in need of some weather-resistant gear.
Joe Baggs Resin Jig
It seems like every year there is one epoxy/resin jig that just flat out works better than others. For me, the 1-ounce Joe Baggs Resin Jig in olive was the juice this year. All but one of my Albies came on this jig, and probably 60 percent of my bonito. In the surf, I casted the jig right into rocks and jetties more times than I care to admit, but the resin held up. I found its super tight wobble—achieved on a straight, fast retrieve—to be the ticket on both my PB albie and bonito this year. My one knock would be the hook. Although I fished the same exact jig body from June to September (I’m not superstitious, just a little ‘stitious), the hook would rust or dull after just a few outings. But with a pair of split-ring pliers, that’s an easy fix. It’s anyone’s guess what the secret hardtail sauce will be next year, but I know what jig I will be throwing toward the first feed I see come summer 2026.
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