What makes Always 80 and Sunny baits different?

Every bait is hand-painted and airbrushed in our shop — no two are identical. We work in custom species patterns (bluegill, rainbow trout, brown trout, gar, perch, shad), splatter and craw colorways, and one-of-a-kind designs across squarebill crankbaits, multi-jointed swimbaits, glide baits, jerkbaits, lipless crankbaits, deep crankbaits, stickbaits, and topwater poppers, walkers, and frogs.

Where are the fishing charters located?

Our charters operate out of Columbia, Illinois in Southern Illinois. We offer inshore, offshore, and sunset trips — every charter includes tackle, bait, and a Coast Guard certified captain.

What's included with an Angler Pro membership?

Angler Pro is $19.99/month and includes secret fishing spot access, monthly tackle breakdowns, priority charter booking, and everything in the free Explorer tier.

Do you ship custom baits nationally?

Yes — we ship custom baits, tackle, and apparel anywhere in the United States. Free shipping on orders over $100.

How are the custom baits priced?

Pricing reflects build complexity and size. Squarebill and lipless crankbaits start around $24-30, jerkbaits and topwaters $28-42, mid-size multi-jointed swimbaits $65-95, and large hand-painted glide baits $120-220+ for trophy-class builds.

March 2025 Opening Report: The Water Condition That Caught Us Completely Off Guard

March delivered outstanding spring fishing action as the season officially opened. Water temps have climbed from the winter freeze into the 50s. Ice has melted from all but the deepest northern lakes. Fish have moved out of winter basins toward spawning locations. The transformation from winter to spring is complete, and the fishing reflects that change dramatically.

Early March Highlights: Early month fishing focused on transitions. Fish were still relatively deep (15-20 feet) but beginning to move shallower. By mid-March, the migration accelerated noticeably. Late March found fish firmly in shallow-water pre-spawn positions. The predictable movement makes planning charter trips easy-client success rates improve daily through the month.

Species-Specific Success: Largemouth bass moved into 3-6 foot zones around spawning habitat. Smallmouth bass occupied slightly deeper (8-12 foot) structure with more current. Crappie concentrated in 8-15 foot brush-pile zones. Walleye suspended around mid-depth structure (12-18 feet). Catfish remained relatively deep but feeding increasingly aggressively.

What's Working: Jigs consistently outperformed other presentations this month. Soft plastic crawdads and smaller swimbaits are our top producers. Topwater presentations started working late March and will become even more effective in April. Live bait (shiners and minnows) consistently produces across species.

April Preview: Expect crappie spawn activity to peak in April. Bass will move even shallower. Water temps will continue warming. Topwater presentations will become the lure of choice for many anglers. The fishing window will expand as daylight increases and daytime warmth improves. Early April should rival late March fishing quality while offering more daytime opportunities.

Looking Ahead: We're fully booked for April charters. Availability is limited for May. Anyone interested in spring fishing should contact us immediately to secure dates. Spring is short and prime season approaches quickly.