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Dock Talk

Welcome to BassFan's Dock Talk section, where you will see brief, newsworthy items that for one reason or another can't be made into full-blown news articles. Despite the name, and in keeping with BassFan's editorial policy, every effort will be made to avoid publishing outright rumors.

More dock talk articles

Carpenter claims Delta EverStart
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Brian Carpenter caught 18-03 today to clinch the win at California Delta Western EverStart. His 3-day total of 67-06 was an ounce better than runner-up ...

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Table Rock: Yelas, Clausen check in
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Jay Yelas just couldn't figure out a big-bite pattern while Luke Clausen stuck around the bank too long at the Table Rock FLW Tour Major. To read their ...

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Michels leads at Cal Delta
Friday, March 30, 2012
Jeff Michels caught 23-04 today to take the lead at the California Delta Western EverStart with 1 day of competition remaining. He has 50-09 and leads ...

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Berkley trailer heading to Michigan
Friday, March 30, 2012
The Berkley Experience Trailer will be at the D&R Sports Center store in Kalamazoo, Mich., next Friday through Sunday (April 6-8). The 60-foot trailer ...

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Parra owns early lead at Delta
Friday, March 30, 2012
Eric Parra was the lone angler to crack the 30-pound mark yesterday as he weighed 31-08 to take the lead after day 1 of the California Delta Western EverStart. ...

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Rod-reel matching: help is here
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Have you ever purchased a new rod, wondering if it's the absolute best choice you could have made? Do you wonder if shaking, bending or comparing a rod's ...

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ShareLunker spawning process revealed
Thursday, March 29, 2012
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's ShareLunker program has posted an educational video on its Facebook ...

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Cooler deal for Tietje

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Louisiana Bassmaster Elite Series pro Dennis Tietje, who's sitting out this season on a medical exemption due to a back issue, recently signed a sponsorship ...

Cook catches a giant

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Alan McGuckin of Dynamic Sponsorships, who's involved with marketing and communications for several clients in the fishing industry, passed along the ...

Big Bite Lookback – Big O

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Gary Klein can hardly be faulted for going to the best area he'd found during practice to begin last week's Okeechobee Bassmaster Elite Series in Florida. ...

Sunline Strong Performer – Big O

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Shaw Grigsby was in 41st place at the midway point of last week's Okeechobee Bassmaster Elite Series in Florida and made the Top-50 cut by less than a ...

Optima promotion starts this weekend

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Optima Batteries recently announced its 2012 national retail promotion designed to reward automotive and marine enthusiasts as they gear up for an action-packed ...

Sonar at Bull Shoals

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

BassFan columnist Miles "Sonar" Burghoff is competing in the TBF National Championship this week at Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas. He qualified ...

Reese's info added

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

The patterns article for the 2nd- through 5th-place finishers from the Okeechobee Bassmaster Elite Series has been updated to include Skeet Reese's information. ...

Hearing set in Z-Man/Renosky case

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

A hearing is scheduled for Thursday in U.S. District Court in Greenville, S.C., in the ongoing patent infringement case filed by Z-Man Fishing Products, ...

Table Rock: Yelas checks in

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Jay Yelas has trailered his boat and is done with practice for the Table Rock FLW Tour Major this week. To check out his thoughts heading into the second ...

Fortuitous decision by McMillan

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The only reason Brandon McMillan entered last week's Seminole Southeastern EverStart in Georgia was because his younger brother, a college student on ...

Trick-caster Shahid dies

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Veteran industry PR man Gary Dollahon issued a press release today announcing that famed trick-caster Shag Shahid died last weekend in Florida. The 86-year-old ...

Yelas, Clausen stumped

Monday, March 26, 2012

Jay Yelas and Luke Clausen have filed their day-2 practice reports in preparation for the Table Rock FLW Tour Major this week. The early verdict: It's ...

MLF: Mind games revealed

Monday, March 26, 2012

The newest Major League Fishing webisode, Major League Lessons, invites viewers to “climb inside the minds” of MLF anglers during and after their quest ...

BU: First 50 kids free

Monday, March 26, 2012

Berkley and Abu ...

PAA TV to Pursuit Channel

Monday, March 26, 2012

The Professional Anglers Association (PAA) announced recently that its FishPAA TV show will be shown on the Pursuit Channel beginning this week. Episodes ...

Record-breaker in Delaware, too

Monday, March 26, 2012

James D. Hitchens of Georgetown, Del., caught a 10-pound, 10-ounce largemouth last Thursday, breaking the state record that had stood since 1980.

He ...

OK state record broken

Monday, March 26, 2012

Benny Williams, Jr., of Poteau, Okla., caught a 14-pound, 12.3-ounce largemouth bass last Friday, breaking the previous Oklahoma state record of 14 pounds, ...

McMillan edges Beaver for Seminole title

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Brandon McMillan boxed a 17-04 limit today to win the Seminole Southeast EverStart with a 3-day total of 51-11, beating Rodger Beaver by one ounce.

Beaver’s ...

Kenney surges to Seminole lead

Friday, March 23, 2012

J.T. Kenney weighed a 17-13 limit today to take over the lead with a 2-day total of 36-06 at the Seminole Southeastern EverStart. The Palm Bay, Fla. resident ...

McMillan out front at Seminole

Friday, March 23, 2012

Brandon McMillan was the day-1 leader at the Seminole Southeast EverStart after weighing 21-15 on Thursday. The Clewiston, Fla., resident is looking to ...

Fox poll: Varsity or not?

Friday, March 23, 2012

FoxNews.com recently published an article (cleverly titled "Friday Night Bites") about a movement in South Carolina to get bass fishing recognized ...

Berkley trailer off to Illinois

Friday, March 23, 2012

The Berkley Experience Trailer will be the Scheels store in Springfield, Ill., next Friday through Sunday (March 30-April 1). The 60-foot trailer offers ...

Scotts aligns with MLF

Friday, March 23, 2012

Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today that lawn-care giant Scotts has joined the organization's sponsorship list.

Scotts is a fantastic addition ...

Mustad promo: still no winners

Friday, March 23, 2012

Mustad is still hoping its Hook a Million promotion will deliver $1.4 million in cash to anglers who set new world and state records. Since the promotion ...

Ledoux's zero: aid from marshal

Friday, March 23, 2012

B.A.S.S. reported that Oklahoma rookie Kevin Ledoux's day-1 weight at the Okeechobee Bassmaster Elite Series was disqualified because he accepted the ...

New spin on a classic fish-catcher

Friday, March 23, 2012

Planning to fish a new lake this spring? The folks at Sebile have developed a must-have for finding and targeting big fish – the Sebile Pro-Shad Trophy ...

Z-Man: Walker and the 'phantom' 7

Thursday, March 22, 2012

A couple of new videos have been added to the Z-Man Pros page, including one with David Walker discussing the 2012 Bassmaster Classic and the "phantom" ...

New column: Casts & Blasts

Thursday, March 22, 2012

BassFan introduces a new column today – Casts & Blasts, written by Senior Editor John Johnson. It consists of snippets – mostly opinion – from around ...

Solid bite still expected at rainy Table Rock

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Judging by early reports, spring has sprung at Table Rock Lake, site of next week’s FLW Tour Major.

The event will mark the third time in the last ...

TBF to crown champ at Bull Shoals

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Bull Shoals Lake in Bull Shoals, Ark., will be the venue for The Bass Federation (TBF) National Championship on March 29-31.

The 94-angler field will ...

Alan Report – Big O

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Former B.A.S.S. emcee Keith Alan has checked in with the second installment of the Alan Report for 2012, giving BassFans his perspective on what to expect ...

FLW partners with STP

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

FLW announced today it’s added STP to its list of sponsors. STP will become the official fuel and oil additive of FLW under the agreement.

“Sports ...

Wind whistling at Okeechobee

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

The first 2 days of practice for the Okeechobee Bassmaster Elite Series were dominated by wind, and that's had a big effect on how the competitors have ...

Texas trio not the first

Monday, March 19, 2012

You might've noticed that the Top 3 finishers at the St. Johns River Bassmaster Elite Series (Alton Jones, Todd Faircloth and Keith Combs) are all Texans. ...

ShareLunker head will retire

Monday, March 19, 2012

David L. Campbell, coordinator of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s ShareLunker program, will retire at the end of March. Campbell has worked for ...

Big Bite Lookback – St. Johns

Monday, March 19, 2012

When Matt Herren reflects on his 13th-place finish at the St. Johns River Bassmaster Elite Series, he’ll remember the fish that came off on day 2 and ...

Sunline Strong Performer – St. Johns

Sunday, March 18, 2012

It’s a rare occurrence when Shaw Grigsby fails to entice a bedding bass to take a bait. However, that was the case on day 1 of the St. Johns River Bassmaster ...

Martens ‘mad’ about St. Johns result

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Aaron Martens is one of the top sight-fishermen on the Bassmaster Elite Series so it’s understandable why he’s irritated about his 84th-place finish at ...

A do-anything worm

Friday, March 16, 2012

The Juice Worm, one of several new Berkley HAVOC baits introduced at the Bassmaster Classic, was designed by Boyd Duckett to be an extremely versatile ...

Sonar: A Classic vacation

Friday, March 16, 2012

In his latest Sonar Sound-Off column, Miles Burghoff recounts his experiences at the Bassmaster Classic. For him, the annual event is like a vacation ...

B&W backing MLF

Friday, March 16, 2012

B&W Trailer Hitches today announced its sponsorship of Major League Fishing.

“We have been extremely impressed with the aggressive and creative approach ...

Hollowell's rig at Bristol

Friday, March 16, 2012

Fans can meet FLW Tour pro Todd Hollowell and see his colorful Red Gold-wrapped boat from 4 to 9 p.m. today during Food City Race Night at Bristol Motor ...

First umbrella-rig state record?

Thursday, March 15, 2012

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) State Record Fish Committee has certified a new state-record spotted bass weighing 4-07 and ...

Lowrance announces StructureScan HD

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Lowrance announced today the development of the LSS-2 StructureScan HD, which the company says will raise the bar in fish- and structure-finding technology. ...

Upshaw swept up by Wave

Thursday, March 15, 2012

FLW Tour pro and 2012 Bassmaster Classic qualifier Andrew Upshaw has signed a sponsorship agreement with Wave Fishing.

“I’m proud to be with Wave,” ...

Bass Cat's 25th: Norfork

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Bass Cat will hold its 25th annual Owners Invitational tournament April 13-14 at Lake Norfork near the company's headquarters in Mountain Home, Ark. Yar-Craft ...

Yamaha launches handy new app

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Yamaha now has an app available for the iPhone and iPod Touch that's a must-have for current and future Yamaha outboard owners. It provides instant access ...

Sunline Strong Performer – Hartwell

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Troy Morrow lives adjacent to Lake Hartwell in Eastonollee, Ga. and has been busting big sacks there all winter. There's no way he should've weighed an ...

Stone joins iRod

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Veteran pro Marty Stone, the 3rd-place finisher at the recent Hartwell FLW Tour Major, has signed a sponsorship agreement with California-based iRod. ...

Big Bite Lookback – Hartwell

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Dave Lefebre, the 11th-place finisher at the recent Hartwell FLW Tour Major, said that from a strategic standpoint, there's little he could have done ...

Alan Report filed

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Former B.A.S.S. emcee Keith Alan has checked in with his first Alan Report of 2012, giving BassFans his perspective on what to expect at this week's Elite ...

Sonny Reynolds dies

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

FLW reported today that Sonny Reynolds, a longtime tournament director with the organization, died recently after a battle with cancer. He was 69.

To ...

Classic: Red River pools

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

For his BassGold.com pattern service, Jay Kumar broke down patterns for the 1st- through 11th-place finishers from this year's Bassmaster Classic on the ...

Royal Purple deal for Vinson

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

High-performance synthetic lubricant manufacturer Royal Purple has signed Bassmaster Elite Series runner-up Greg Vinson to a sponsorship deal.

“We’re ...

MLF: Size vs. numbers

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Size versus numbers is the name of the game in Major League Fishing’s fifth Challenge Cup webisode. Two anglers leap from early frustration to the top ...

Martens: St. Johns a struggle

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Aaron Martens will continue his search for bed-fish on the final day of practice at the St. Johns River Elite Series. For his practice report from day ...

Biobor deals expanded for Roy, Crochet

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Hammonds Fuel Additives has announced an expanded sponsorship of Bassmaster Elite Series anglers Bradley Roy and Cliff Crochet to promote Biobor EB, the ...

Central EverStart rescheduled

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The EverStart Series Central Division season opener originally scheduled for Table Rock March 1-3 but postponed due to a tornado has been moved to Bull ...

St. Johns: Chapman checks in

Monday, March 12, 2012

Today’s wind slowed down Brent Chapman’s sight-fishing plans as practice got underway at the St. Johns River Elite Series. For his initial practice report, ...

Berkley trailer off to Missouri

Monday, March 12, 2012

The Berkley Experience Trailer is headed to the Rogers Sporting Goods store in Liberty, Mo., this Friday through Sunday (March 16-18). The 60-foot trailer ...

Honda rolls out BF250

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Honda Marine has introduced the BF250 four-stroke engine, the most powerful outboard in the company's lineup and now its flagship model. The styling concept, ...

BogaGrip inks MLF deal

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Major League Fishing (MLF) announced that BogaGrip has joined the organization's sponsorship ranks.

“The BogaGrip is the perfect tool for Major League ...

'Little Alton' wins at Falcon

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Alton Jones Jr., a student at Baylor University, teamed with fellow Waco, Texas resident David Ridley to win the 200-team Bass Champs South Region event ...

Smash 'em with Ike's new tube

Friday, March 9, 2012

The HAVOC Smash Tube is one of several new baits that Berkley introduced at the recent Bassmaster Classic. Mike Iaconelli designed the Smash Tube so that ...

Ex-Tracker employee pleads guilty

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Boating industry news source Trade Only Today reported that one of three people indicted in a fraud case involving Tracker Marine has plead guilty and ...

Wheeler gets Fed Nation Championship

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Wheeler Lake near Decatur, Ala., has been chosen as the site of the 2012 B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship, which will take place Oct 25-27. The ...

Alabama launches bass initiative

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Gov. Robert Bentley today announced the launch of the Alabama Bass Trail, a new statewide tourism, conservation, and education initiative. The program, ...

Berkley trailer is Indiana-bound

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

The Berkley Experience Trailer is headed to the Bass Pro Shops store in Clarksville, Ind. this Friday through Sunday (March 9-11). The 60-foot trailer ...

Meyer sporting Jackall wrap

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Here's a picture of the Jackall boat and truck wraps that California's ...

Card dealt to Jethro

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Florida-based Jethro Bait Company announced that it will sponsor Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Brandon Card, the first angler to qualify for the circuit ...

Phoenix spreading its wings

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Phoenix Boats announced today that it has purchased a new facility and will be expanding it in order to increase production.

“Sales have continued ...

Election 2012: Where do you stand?

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

With sportsman's issues becoming more prevalent in today’s elections, InterMedia Outdoors has launched SportsmenVote.com ...

Missile on target

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

A media observer got some high-quality video of John Crews catching fish on his new Missile ...

Hartwell: A-Rig no secret

Monday, March 5, 2012

This week's Hartwell FLW Tour major will be the first tour-level event in history in which the Alabama Rig was a player from the get-go – there's likely ...

Jerseys for St. Jude – Western Week

Monday, March 5, 2012

Western Week in the Jerseys for St. Jude program is under way and runs through this Sunday (March 11). Featured anglers include Mike Folkestad, Gary Dobyns, ...

'Gathering of Eagles' goes online

Monday, March 5, 2012

"A Gathering of Eagles: The History of Competitive Bass Fishing in the West" is now available for viewing online. The commemorative magazine ...

ProPatterns offers trivia contest

Monday, March 5, 2012

ProPatterns.com will conduct a trivia contest based on its Exposed video series beginning Wednesday (March 7) and running through March 14. Members and ...

MLF: A 'crushing' performance

Monday, March 5, 2012

A “performance for the ages” is what viewers of the Major League Fishing Challenge Cup fourth webisode will see. That’s the assessment of MLF commissioner ...