Ep. 115: Caesar Chavez of Toxic Baits on Hook Sets, Knots & SoCal Bait Fish

Guest: Caesar Chavez (Toxic Baits) | Hosts: Daniel Dahlin ([FISH]rx), Luke Dean (Bait Slingers / Artemis Charters)

Caesar Chavez of Toxic Baits came through for Episode 115, recorded live on January 20, 2026 — and within the first half hour had broken down why you should never swing hard on a hook set in saltwater, why the RP knot slips on dissimilar line sizes, and what bait fish are actually living at the wall (hint: it’s not just senorita fish).

In This Episode

• Wind-in hook sets for SoCal saltwater — why a big swing gets you out of position and how steady pressure drives the hook home instead
• RP knot slipping on dissimilar line sizes — when to switch to a uni-to-uni and why thinner braid to heavier leader is the problem
• What actually lives at the wall — mussels, gobies, baby sheephead, baby garibaldi — and how matching the hatch changes results
• Upside-down tail orientation for bottom fishing swimbaits — why the action is the same and how it keeps the bait closer to the bottom
• Toxic spinner baits — why Caesar built them specifically for eelgrass and how the belly-forward weight balance makes them different
• iRod Coastal Series deep dive — which models Caesar runs for saltwater and why the Kimana Toxic Swim with double-footed guides came about

Beyond the Rod & Reel with Toxic Baits

The hook set conversation was the standout of the episode. Caesar’s version — built from 30 years fishing the Delta — came down to mechanics: the moment you swing hard and get out of position, you stop being able to reel. And if you can’t reel, you can’t take up line. And if you can’t take up line, you’re not driving the hook home. “With braid, it’s like once you start coming tight, you’re putting pressure on that fish,” he explained. The wind-in approach keeps you connected and keeps the hook moving in one direction. It sounds counterintuitive coming from freshwater bass fishing on TV, but the bite in saltwater is so fast that a big swing often just pops the bait out.

His bait fish survey method was equally practical. Instead of taking other anglers’ word for what lives at the wall, he went out with mussels and two-pound test and caught whatever showed up. The results didn’t match what people told him. Baby sheephead are pink and white — which explains why pink and white baits had a hot stretch. Baby garibaldi are orange — which explains the sudden impact gill runs. The lesson: when a color is working, there’s usually something real in the water that it matches.

Watch the full episode on the Time On The Water YouTube channel. New episodes every Tuesday at 6 PM.