Ep. 89: Nick Trujillo of VikingHeads on Swim Jig Design & the CastNCrank Pivot

Guest: Nick Trujillo (VikingHeads Bait Co)

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

Nick Trujillo of VikingHeads joined Episode 89, recorded live on June 17, 2025, to break down the bait lineup he built for SoCal structure fishing, how the scranger head came together, and why he walked away from a podcast that was pulling 92,000 monthly listens to focus on his family and making baits full time.

In This Episode

• Weed-guarded swim jig head for calico: built because nobody made one designed for fishing kelp and structure. Without the guard, you’re constantly fouling in the spots calico actually live
• The scranger head: fixed blade design that lets you slow the retrieve way down and still get vibration. Joe Gaeta helped design it, and Simon was the first to start nailing fish on it consistently
• How to fish the scranger: find where it starts vibrating and go as slow as possible while keeping that vibration. Fluke and slug are the go-to pairings
• New lead A-rig head replacing the old resin: Caesar’s take is that lead noses the rig down better, plus resin requires washing, drying, and prep before paint, which adds too much production time
• Blacktail hook switch on the swing head: Luke’s recommendation, field-tested at the wall. If there’s anyone who’s run those hooks through hell, it’s Luke
• Bing Bong colorway: Caesar’s color, green with yellow belly, confirmed working and now the name of Caesar’s signature color for the lineup
• Tail spins coming: 2 oz and 3 oz, swivel inside the belly so the hook doesn’t spit. Built for sandbass
• Where to find VikingHeads: Eric’s Tackle, Martin’s Tackle, Performance Tackle, Anglers Choice San Diego, Longfin, Johnny’s Tackle, Melton’s Newport, Fisherman’s Access, Tackle Warehouse online

Why the Weed Guard Changes Calico Fishing

The weed-guarded swim jig head came about because Nick needed it and nobody had made one specifically for calico fishing in kelp and structure. A standard swim jig head without protection is a liability in the spots calico actually live. You need the guard to fish in kelp and rocks where they’re holding. Without it, you’re constantly fouling, constantly losing the cast. So he made it himself, and it’s the same head Daniel runs for calico on structure-heavy fisheries.

That design philosophy runs through everything in the VikingHeads lineup. Nick doesn’t start with a bait and find a use for it. He starts with a fishing problem and builds around it. The scranger head came out of wanting to fish a blade-style presentation as slow as possible without losing the thump. A fixed blade changes everything because you don’t have to keep the blade chattering to get action. You can drop the retrieve down to almost nothing and it still works. For more on how structure and cover fishing works in SoCal, the calico bass guide and SoCal structure fishing guide both connect to what Nick’s building around.

Why He Walked Away from 92,000 Monthly Listens

Nick ran CastNCrank long enough to hit number one in outdoors, pulling 92,000 listens in a month. Then he walked away. The reason was simple: he lost the curiosity. When you’ve interviewed everyone worth interviewing and you know what they’re going to say before they say it, the honesty goes out of the questions. “I don’t feel truthful anymore when I’m asking these questions,” he said. “I know what you’re going to say.” That’s when he knew it was time.

Now it’s baits, his wife handling the Viking production, his oldest son helping, and his youngest at the basketball games he used to miss. The VikingHeads name came from Bobby Martinez telling him “Bullet Tooth Baits” was stupid and to call it Viking because Nick’s wife is Norwegian. She’s the actual Viking. The brand makes more sense the more you know about it.

Why This Episode Matters

This episode matters because it shows what effective gear development actually looks like. The best baits are not built around trends. They’re built to solve specific problems anglers run into on the water. The weed guard existed because Nick needed it. The scranger exists because he wanted a blade presentation he could fish at walking pace. The lead A-rig head exists because resin prep was eating production time.

If you fish calico bass, kelp, or heavy structure, the lesson is straightforward: your setup should make those areas fishable, not force you to avoid them. For broader application, the spotted bay bass guide and SoCal structure fishing guide expand on how to approach those environments.

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