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.

Spring Crappie Patterns 2025: The Spawn Window Prediction That Changes Your Spring Fishing

The first warm days of spring trigger one of the best freshwater patterns of the year — crappie pushing shallow to spawn. In southern Illinois, this movement starts in late March and peaks through April, and if you know what to look for, you can find incredible numbers of quality fish.

Reading the Pre-Spawn Movement

Crappie stage on secondary structure before committing to spawning flats. Look for brush piles, stumps, and drop-offs in 8-12 feet of water adjacent to shallow bays. The fish hold here waiting for water temps to hit that magic 58-62 degree range. Once they commit, they push into 2-4 feet over hard bottom with scattered wood.

Bait Selection

Our custom 2-inch tube jigs in chartreuse and white have been absolutely crushing it during pre-spawn. Fish them on 1/16 oz heads with a slow vertical presentation. Let the jig fall on slack line — most bites happen on the drop. If you're fishing stained water, switch to a bright pink or orange pattern. We just restocked all our crappie colors in the shop.

For live bait anglers, small minnows under a slip bobber set at 6-8 feet is deadly over brush piles. Adjust depth as fish move shallower through the month. Don't be afraid to fish extremely shallow once water temps crack 60 degrees.