Ep. 119: Matt Newman of iRod on the Coastal Series, PCS Preview & In Memory of Tom Troop

Guest: Matt Newman (iRod)

Hosts: Daniel Dahlin ([FISH]rx), El Charly, Luke Dean (Bait Slingers / Artemis Charters)

Episode 119, recorded live on February 17, 2026, opened with the crew paying tribute to Tom Troop before shifting into a detailed conversation with Matt Newman of iRod. The episode covers inshore rod selection, PCS booth plans, and a first look at new Dragon Tail sizes designed to cover more finesse and mid-column situations in SoCal fishing.

In This Episode

  • A tribute to Tom Troop and the crew’s plans to share an unreleased video in his honor
  • iRod Coastal Series breakdown — which models fit spotted bay bass fishing and why shorter rods still matter in tight structure
  • The 5.25″ Dragon Tail and 3″ Dragon Tail shown side by side for the first time on the show
  • PCS booth preview — [FISH]rx and Bait Slingers at booth 932, with iRod rods available at the booth
  • Tackle Meet plans and community updates leading into the next event
  • Matt Newman’s preferred lake setup — 40 lb braid to 20 lb leader — and how pressure changes how people fish places like Castaic
  • Genesis rod models coming to the booth specifically dialed for spotted bay bass

What the New Dragon Tail Sizes Actually Change

The Dragon Tail side-by-side is one of the most useful moments in the episode because it shows how much size alone changes application. The 5.25″ version covers bigger presentations and more water, while the 3″ version opens up finesse situations where matching smaller bait or slowing down matters more.

That smaller 3″ Dragon Tail fits naturally into presentations like the Firecracker Ned and the drop shot, where you still want profile and action but need to stay compact. That kind of adjustment matters in pressured harbor water, especially when fish are keyed in on smaller forage.

What makes this section useful is that it’s not just a product preview — it’s really about coverage. Different sizes let the same bait concept work across more of the water column and more fishing situations.

Why This Episode Matters

This episode is useful because it combines gear selection with actual application. Rods, leader setups, and bait sizes only matter if they help you fish the conditions in front of you more effectively, and that’s really what this conversation is about.

It also works as a bridge between tackle and technique. If you fish SoCal inshore water, the ideas here connect directly to the spotted bay bass guide, the drop shot guide, and the SoCal structure fishing guide.

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

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