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.
Recon: Mississippi River 4/30/2008 The Lacrosse, Wis. area experienced some winter-like conditions recently, and the portion of the Mississippi River that runs through that region is high and chilly. According to FLW pro Tom Monsoor, anglers fishing this weekend's Great Lakes BFL might be wise to focus on the backwaters to find better clarity and warmer temperatures. For more tips from Monsoor, click here for the newest Bass Recon report.
The General: Legacy 4/30/2008 BassFan Army General Al Smith recently had a fantastic experience in a Fishers of Men Legacy Series tournament. He writes about that, and what it means to take kids fishing, in a new General's Post. To read it, click here.
Open Water winner 4/30/2008 The BassFan Army would like to thank everyone who entered our Open Water Custom Baits contest. The lucky winner is Justin Wood of Sanford, Mich. Justin correctly identified that there are 10 fish-catching colors of the Huzzie Worm. Congratulations, Justin!
Look for another Army contest soon, and remember, in order to enter, you need to become a member.
Not a BassFan Army member yet? Click here to sign up for FREE lifetime membership, which makes you eligible for many free programs, including giveaways, contests and qualifying for the Weekend Warrior Championship.
When Sean Hoernke won last week's Norman FLW Tour, he became the first pro to achieve a unique benchmark: He's now won at each of the FLW Outdoors levels of bass competition.
He won a Cowboy BFL in 1998, a Central Stren in 2003, an FLW Series in 2006, and an FLW Tour this year.
Both David Dudley and Brett Hite have won at the Tour, Series and Stren levels, but each lacks a BFL win (although Dudley did win the Ranger M1, which was a specialty event).
Notable too is that Hoernke has also won a Bassmaster Central Open (Red River 2005).
Another little bit of Hoernke trivia: When he won the 2006 Lewis Smith FLW Series, Todd Faircloth had won the Bassmaster Elite Series event immediately prior, in that case the Table Rock Elite Series.
Who won the Bassmaster Elite Series event immediately prior to Hoernke's Norman win? Yep, it was Todd Faircloth, this time at Amistad.
Did any BassFans notice that Jim Moynagh's new mop? BassFan asked him if there was a story behind the new 'do.
"No story – just hair," he said. "When you get to a point where there's no hair in the middle of your head, to make up for the volume, you have to grow what's left a little longer."
T-Rock: How LaPoint caught 25 4/29/2008 Talk about a stout bag: Rick LaPoint caught 25 pounds to win the recent Table Rock Heartland Pro-Am. How did he do it? To find out, click here to visit BassFanArmy.com.
Norman's number: 27 4/29/2008 Sean Hoernke caught a 27-00 total during the final 2 days to win the Norman FLW Tour over the weekend. That's the exact weight Larry Nixon brought to the scale en route to victory in the same event a year earlier.
The numbers for their closest pursuers were also quite similar. In fact, if you compare the Top 6 places across the board from 1 year to the next, all are within a pound.
> Jim Moynagh was the runner-up this year with 22-09. Last year, it was Jay Yelas with 23-07.
> Scott Canterbury was 3rd this year with 22-05. In '07, Vic Vatalaro claimed that spot with 23-00.
> Greg Pugh was 4th this year with 22-00. Hank Cherry was 4th last year with 22-07.
> Glenn Browne was 5th this year with 20-06. That's 2 ounces more than Scott Suggs caught on his way to 5th a year ago.
> Brent Ehrler was 6th this year with 19-11. Moynagh was in that slot a year ago with 20-00.
Although their weekend weights were identical, Nixon and Hoernke were in polar opposite positions at the cut. Nixon was the last angler into the Top 10 last year, whereas Hoernke was on top of the heap this time around.
Abu FOAL: A vet's triumph 4/29/2008 Not many anglers win the first tournament they ever compete in and catch a personal-record bass to boot, but wounded veteran Ryan Haerer did just that recently. To read the story from Don Zaegel, his tournament partner that day, click over to the Abu Garcia Fish of a Lifetime section of the Berkley Catch More Fish page.
When you're fishing, remember to make sure you have a digital camera (or cell phone) with you because Abu Garcia is giving out a free new reel a month for the Fish of a Lifetime story it likes best. Click here to learn how to send in your Abu Garcia story.
And remember: Your fish of a lifetime doesn't have to be a bass, and can also be a tourney limit of a lifetime.
The Berkley Experience Trailer is headed to the Cabela’s store in Rogers, Minn. and will be there May 2-4 to offer demonstrations and interactive games for kids and adults.
The trailer gives the everyday angler the opportunity to view baits in the Berkley line and see them in action. Kids and adults alike will enjoy fishing games and competing in knot-tying contests.
“We want everyone young and old alike to enjoy the Berkley experience,” said Berkley marketing manager Andrew Marks. “In addition to our bait and line interactive displays, we will have Abu Garcia reel demonstrations, interactive touch screens to learn how to Catch More Fish and a showcase for our latest and most innovative fishing products.”
Special sales and promotions will be offered wherever the Berkley trailer stops. If you are unable to make it by the trailer and test the interactive components in Rogers (20200 Rogers Dr.), here are the upcoming stops:
> May 9-11: Scheels, Sioux Falls, S.D.
> May 16 -18: Scheels, St. Cloud, Minn.
> May 23-25: Sportsman’s Warehouse, Fargo, N.D.
> May 29-June 1: Gander Mountain, Eau Claire, Wis.
> June 7-8: Sportsman’s Warehouse, Round Rock, Texas
The TBF National Championship at Lake Wylie wrapped up tonight, and local Brian Travis smoked the field by almost 7 pounds. He gets his berth in the Forrest Wood Cup, as does the winning co-angler Craig Fredrychowsk. But Travis also receives the $100,000 Living The Dream package, which includes use of a Living the Dream-wrapped truck and boat, sponsor merchandise, entry fees into either the 2009 FLW Tour or Series (choice), plus spending money.
Below is a look at the final boater and non-boater divisional winners, who qualify for the BFL All-American. Boaters fish the All-American as pros – non-boaters as co-anglers.
Note that there was some confusion yesterday due to two ties. Tournament software incorrectly identified two anglers as advancing past the day-2 cut to fish the final day. However, according to a press release, the rules state that the heaviest 1-day catch breaks ties for the cut. On the boater side, Tom Belinda fished the final day (over Robert Williams), and on the co-angler side, Brian Belke fished today (over Jim Jones).
Also notable is that Terry McWilliams made the Cup. He qualified for the 2007 Bassmaster Classic at Lay Lake via the BASS Federation Nation, where he finished 4th.
Cup Qualifiers
Central
Don Owens -- Ponca City, OK (boater)
Hoyt Akins -- Mayflower, AR (co-angler)
Eastern
Robert Crino -- South Royalton, VT (boater)
Tim Austin -- Williston, VT (co-angler)
Mid-Atlantic
Tom Belinda -- Hollidaysburg, PA (boater)
Bill Roberts -- Fairfax, VA (co-angler)
Northern
Terry McWilliams -- Greenfield, IN (boater)
Brian Belke -- New Lenox, IL (co-angler)
Crestliner contingency 4/25/2008 Crestliner boat owners now have more incentive to do well on the tournament trails.
As part of the Crestliner Angler's Tour, the company is offering a $1,000 contingency bonus for winning a Crestliner-approved tournament that includes 50 or more boats.
Members of the Angler's Tour will accumulate points through the season based on performance — anglers can enter as many sanctioned tournaments as they wish — and the Crestliner owner with the highest point total at season's end will win the Crestliner Angler of the Year (AOY) award. He or she will also win a Crestliner Tournament Series 202 complete with a Mercury 225 Optimax and trailer.
The runner-up in the AOY standings will win a Crestliner 1850 Fish Hawk, with a Mercury 150 Optimax and trailer. Either winner may choose a substitute model of equal or lesser value with no option of cash value present.
For complete information about the Crestliner Angler's Tour, click here or visit your local Crestliner dealer.
Lane talks 'creatures' 4/25/2008 Florida pro Bobby Lane is fresh of a 2nd-place finish with his team at the PAA-sanctioned Toyota Texas Bass Classic at Lake Fork. Lane boated the biggest bass of that event - an 11-11 sow of a largemouth. He also brought a 9-plus-pounder to the scales.
Today on the Berkley Catch More Fish page, Lane talks about the finer points of targeting super-sized bass, or as he calls them, "creatures." Tidbit: There are three main times of the year when you can really catch 'em.
After day 1 of the TBF National Championship at Lake Wylie, N.C., local angler and Southern qualifier Brian Travis (pictured) leads by a 6-ounce margin. The second-shift freight supervisor from Conover often fishes Wylie or Norman in the mornings before he punches the time clock. His day-1 limit weighed 14-14.
"(Wylie's) my favorite lake," he said. "I know places that very few other anglers fish, and I never really did have to compete with other boats for the bass I was targeting today."
He estimated that he hit 200 different spots on the day and was sight-fishing. His only concern is that a limit of the fish he left behind won't add up to the weight he brought in today.
"Everything can change on Saturday when the local anglers come out," he said. "I'm not the only one who knows about these fish, but if they don't get worked over real hard, I feel pretty confident. I just have to make it to the third day."
Second-place Jeff Erickson of Phoenix, Ariz., who leads the Western division, noted: "I'm used to sight-fishing for bass in real clear water, so I was very comfortable fishing on Wylie. I was able to fish to my strengths, but these fish were definitely harder to catch than the bass I sight-fish for back home."
Day 1 Boater Standings
Central
1. Brian Maloney -- Osage Beach, Mo -- 5, 13-14
2. Don Owens -- Ponca City, Ok -- 5, 13-11
3. Dean Alexander -- Florence, Tx -- 5, 9-08
4. Robert Garver -- Olathe, Ks -- 4, 9-04
5. Kevin Thompson -- Mablevale, Ar -- 5, 8-13
6. Eddie Armstrong -- West Point, Ms -- 5, 7-14
7. Ross Cagle -- Downsville, La -- 2, 4-11
Eastern
1. Jim Gildea -- Weston, Ma -- 5, 10-07
2. Robert Crino -- South Royalton, Vt -- 5, 10-04
3. Steve Bender -- Meriden, Ct -- 5, 9-00
4. Bryan Mooney -- Lewiston, Me -- 5, 8-01
5. Thomas Derocher -- Bridgewater, Ma -- 4, 7-10
6. Mark Anthony -- Wolfeboro Falls, Nh -- 2, 4-00
Mid-Atlantic
1. Robert Williams -- Washington, Dc -- 5, 13-03
2. Joseph Sancho -- New Windsor, Ny -- 5, 12-09
3. Tom Belinda -- Hollidaysburg, Pa -- 5, 11-07
4. Charlie Hanshaw -- Sissonville, Wv -- 5, 11-00
5. Fabian Rodriguez -- Ocean City, Md -- 5, 9-14
6. Peter O'Donnell -- Deale, Md -- 5, 9-08
7. Howard Mahan -- Oxford, Pa -- 5, 9-03
Northern
1. Terry McWilliams -- Greenfield, In -- 5, 11-14
2. Jim Severson -- Stillwater, Mn -- 5, 11-01
3. Brian Plank -- Mount Zion, Il -- 5, 10-02
4. Wayne Macklin -- Fowlerville, Mi -- 4, 9-01
5. Chris Johnson -- Appleton, Wi -- 5, 8-03
6. Gary Baker -- New Lebanon, Oh -- 3, 6-14
Southern
1. Brian Travis -- Conover, Nc -- 5, 14-14
2. Greg Hoskinson -- Louisville, Ky -- 5, 14-00
3. Robert Lee -- Deatville, Al -- 5, 11-13
4. Ron Klys -- Gainesville, Fl -- 5, 10-10
5. Wade Caperton -- Leoma, Tn -- 5, 10-06
6. Robert Rikard -- Lexington, Sc -- 5, 10-04
7. Randy Cnota -- Valdosta, Ga -- 5, 10-01
Western
1. Jeff Erickson -- Phoenix, Az -- 5, 14-08
2. Ronald Hobbs, Jr. -- Graham, Wa -- 5, 13-11
3. Samuel Russell -- Salt Lake City, Ut -- 5, 11-15
4. Michael Gibney -- Troutdale, Or -- 5, 10-09
5. Ryan Krost -- Murrieta, Ca -- 5, 9-11
6. Eric McFarland -- Meridian, Id -- 5, 8-09
7. Craig Hartline -- Lake Powell, Ut -- 2, 3-09
Shallow-water boaters will welcome the news today that Mercury Marine has launched two new outboard engines — the OptiMax Jet 80 and OptiMax Jet 110.
The key feature of these two-stroke engines is that they have no gear case or propeller extending below the hull, allowing boaters to pass over obstructions that could limit a conventional propeller-driven outboard engine.
The 1.5L OptiMax Jet 80 is based on the 115 hp OptiMax and has a three-star CARB rating. The 2.5L OptiMax Jet 110 is based on the 150 hp OptiMax and has a two-star CARB rating. Both engines are shipped “jet-ready” with no gear case or jet pump. Dealers and original equipment manufacturers will order the appropriate jet pump and install it on-site.
Both models, which will be manufactured at Mercury Marine’s headquarter facilities in Fond du Lac, Wis., are available for immediate order. To learn more about Mercury Marine's products, click here.
Rookie Bobby Myers has dropped out of the Bassmaster Elite Series for financial reasons.
"It's purely a business decision – I'm out of money," the 30-year-old Oklahoman said. "I wasn't going to go into major debt to do this. It was either make checks and keep going, or call it quits."
He failed to cash a check in any of the first four events. He opened with a 58th-place finish at the Harris Chain (just eight spots out of the money), but things only got worse from there.
He was 89th at Toho, 109th (last) at Falcon and 79th at Amistad. At Falcon, he missed his day-1 check-in time due to a dead battery and forfeited a 30-pound bag.
"I had a couple of opportunities to make big checks, but things just didn't go my way. The stick fell on the wrong side of the line this time.
"These were about the worst four tournaments I've ever had. Maybe it was the pressure of the money, but I didn't feel like I was under pressure. I had the dead battery, I had a 5/0 hook just break – stuff that had never happened before. It felt like I was battling some invisible force."
He gained his spot in the Elites by finishing 10th at the Wildcard Qualifier last December, but admits he wasn't in the proper financial position to fish the circuit, which requires $55,000 in entry fees for the 11-tournament season.
"I didn't have the sponsor backing I needed, and I spent my savings and got some help from family and friends. I tried to do it the hard way, and it just didn't work out."
He plans to return to Northeastern State University in Broken Arrow to obtain his bachelor's degree in marketing (he's about 2 years away). He said he'll fish the Bassmaster Opens again as soon as he's finished with school, with an eye toward getting back onto the Elite Series.
"I'm young enough that I'll be back – you can bet on that. It was a great experience and I'm glad I got to do it.
"I'd just like to thank everybody who followed me, supported me, stood behind me and gave me words of encouragement. This had nothing to do with me not wanting to fish – it just came down to dollars and cents."
Elton Luce, Jr. will continue his affiliation with the Armed Forces Foundation (AFF) this year via an AFF-wrapped boat and his own Anglers Do Care program. The AFF is an organization that provides rapid financial assistance to all branches of the military, including veterans and military families. Luce ran an AFF wrap last year, and donated $1 for every pound of bass he weighed to the AFF.
Three of his sponsors (Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Marine and Pure Fishing) have pledged to match his donations this year, and he challenges each Elite Series pro to pledge their support for the troops and help take care of multiple families that are in desperate need of financial assistance.
"My son served in Iraq and I feel a strong connection to these troops and their families," Luce said. "I feel at peace knowing there's an organization that takes care of our troops and their families who are facing a tremendous amount of pain and stress."
AFF president Patricia Driscoll noted: "We're extremely proud to be able to work with Elton to raise money and awareness for the foundation and its mission. It's as a result of the contributions of individuals like Elton that we're able to show full support for our nation's Armed Forces community."
> Anglers interested in contributing to the Anglers Do Care program can make donations at ArmedForcesFoundation.org. The site will highlight the grand total donated on behalf of the sport.
Buckmasters remembers Ann 4/24/2008 Former BASS communications official Ann Lewis, who passed away recently, also worked for Buckmasters. Her former colleagues there recently published this remembrance of her.
Clarks Hill hasn't been kind to its defending champions over the past couple of years. Mike Reynolds won there in 2005, and then finished 70th in 2006. Davy Hite was the '06 winner, and he finished 84th last year.
The reigning Clarks Hill champion is Mike McClelland, who's also leading the Angler of the Year race. He's not overly concerned about the trend of past winners not faring well the following year.
"There's always the chance that those things can happen, but I'm going to keep trying to ride the momentum," he said. "I go into every event trying to figure out a way to win, but you also need to be realistic and determine whether you're on a winning kind of bite or more of a survival bite."
So far this year, he has a win at the Harris Chain, a 19th at Toho, a 42nd at Falcon and a 4th at Amistad. As for Clarks Hill, he's finished no lower than 30th at the big Georgia reservoir on his last three visits.
"I've fished a lot of different places there the last few times – way upriver, on the lower end and in the mid-section. It's a very strong pattern lake, and I feel that I fish patterns better than I do specific areas.
"The lake may set up close to the way it did last year. Things have warmed up over the last week and a half and there should be a lot of spawning going on during this moon phase. By the time the tournament starts, there should be a fair number of them in the post-spawn."
Yelas: practice report 4/23/2008 Jay Yelas just filed his practice report from the Norman FLW Tour. He opted out of last week's Toyota Texas Bass Classic, so he got a full practice in at norman. The verdict? He thinks it'll play out a little like last year in terms of weight, but the fish are decidedly in a different stage. For his full report, click here to go On Tour With the BassFan Big Sticks.
The youngest Bassmaster Elite Series angler is having a good time fishing against the top anglers in the world, and he's also learning some valuable lessons that should help him in the future.
"It's a blast," said 20-year-old Texan Corey Waldrop, who fished the Central Opens in 2007 and gained his spot in the Elites via a 4th-place finish in the WildCard Qualifier last December at Florida's Lake Okeechobee." It's definitely enjoyable, but it's a little bit different than what I expected."
By different, he means tougher.
"In the Opens, if you make one or two mistakes, you can usually make up for it and get yourself back in it. That doesn't happen in the Elites."
Thus far, he's posted finishes of 94th (Harris Chain), 80th (Kissimmee), 43rd (Falcon) and 106th (Amistad). He's 99th in the Angler of the Year race.
"My biggest struggles have been with lost fish and not being efficient with my time. If you're fishing dead water, you're just slowly getting yourself behind.
"And another thing is it seems like there are no secrets. If you think you've found something special, you're probably going to see someone in there on the first day of the tournament."
He expects his finishes to improve as the circuit moves away from the reproductive period.
"My style is to fish fast and cover water, and at the tournaments we've had so far it's seemed like the fish have wanted slower presentations," he said. "I'm looking forward to getting away from the post-spawn and fishing some clearer water."
Recon: Rend Lake 4/23/2008 If you're fishing the Rend Lake BFL in Illinois this weekend, FLW pro Chad Morgenthaler has a few words of advice for you: Stay away from the backwaters. For more tips on how you might be able to catch the 12 pounds or so you'll need to win, click here for the newest Bass Recon report.
BoatU.S. photo contest update 4/23/2008 The BoatU.S. Angler Catch of the Month photo contest has been upgraded.
The contest will now include all freshwater and saltwater species and a winner will be chosen for Best Freshwater Catch and Best Saltwater Catch each month from April through October.
A $50 BoatU.S. Visa Gift Card will to go each winner along with a framed "Catch of the Month" certificate and other BoatU.S. Angler merchandise. Monthly winners will also have their photos and names published in BoatU.S. ANGLER Magazine.
To submit an entry, e-mail a high-resolution (300 DPI) .jpg- or .tif-format digital photo to info@BoatUSAngler.com or mail a print to BoatU.S. Angler, Catch of the Month Photo Contest, 880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304.
For contest rules and details, click here or call (866) 906-0013.
Open Water Army contest 4/22/2008 A new BassFan Army contest begins today. This time around one lucky BassFan Army member has a chance to win 10 bags of plastics and 10 jigs from Open Water Custom Baits.
Here's a few quotes from BassFan Army General Al Smith about the Open Water baits.
"I had a chance to try out some of the Open Water baits, and frankly, I was impressed. Everything from the packaging to the product is top notch. I even like the smell of the baits.
"I was especially impressed with two baits in paricular - the 5-inch Huzzie Worm and the Open Water Ultimate Casting jig. The jig has a great football head and is ideal for finesse applications.
"The Huzzie is a finesse worm that has a lively action in the water. The head of the worm has just the perfect amount of plastic to keep the bait on my shakey head, but the tail tapers off to a slim diameter before flattening into a paddle tail that really creates movement when twitched."
Here's how the contest will work. Go to the Open Water website at OpenWaterCustomBaits.com. Find the Huzzie Worm page and send us a note at memberservices@bassfanarmy.com and tell us how many colors they offer the Huzzie in.
The winner will be randomly drawn out of all the correct answers. The lucky winner will get a selection of Open Water Custom Baits products consisting of 10 bags of their plastics and 10 assorted jigs - a great tackle box filler for any angler.
The Open Water contest will end Monday, April 28 at 5 p.m. Central time.
Berkley trailer: Fargo 4/22/2008 The Berkley Experience trailer's headed to the Scheels store in Fargo, N.D., and will roll into town April 25-27 (this Friday through Sunday).
The Berkley Experience trailer, which offers demonstrations and interactive games for kids and adults, gives the everyday angler the opportunity to view baits in the Berkley lineup, and chances to see the baits in action.
Special sales and promotions will be offered wherever the Berkley trailer stops. Here are some other upcoming stops:
Nixon on memories 4/22/2008 Larry Nixon won last year's Norman FLW Tour, and he's back in North Carolina this week trying to make it two in a row. Conditions are a little bit different this time (last year's event was primarily a post-spawn affair), but even if they weren't, he wouldn't rely on memories from '07 to put him on the right fish.
To read how Nixon approaches a venue where he's had success the year before, click over to the Berkley Catch More Fish page.
Brauer talks TTBC 4/22/2008 Chad Brauer recently finished a close 2nd at the PAA-sanctioned Toyota Texas Bass Classic. His team, which included Ben Matsubu and Byron Velvick, was captained by Bobby Lane. Today on BassFan Radio, Brauer talks about the team's performance, and his overall thoughts on the event. To listen, click here.
Granted, there have only been two FLW Tour events so far this year, but that makes this week's Norman FLW Tour all the more critical for the FLW Tour Angler of the Year (AOY) race. The AOY Top 10's packed tightly right now, as it usually is after two events. But there should be some separation after this week's pivotal third event.
First, for reference, here's a look at the current AOY Top 10:
1. Koby Kreiger -- Okeechobee, FL -- 388 (pictured)
2. Michael Bennett -- Roseville, CA -- 379
3. Andy Morgan -- Dayton, TN -- 378
4. Luke Clausen -- Spokane, WA -- 371
5. Glenn Browne -- Ocala, FL -- 363
6. Clark Wendlandt -- Cedar Park, TX --362
7. Bryan Thrift -- Shelby, NC -- 346
8. Nate Wellman -- Jenison, MI -- 339
9. Craig Dowling -- Many, LA -- 338
10. Shinichi Fukae -- Osaka, JP –– 337
Anglers earn 1 AOY point, in reverse order, for their finish. So a 1st-place finish awards 200 points. Right now, only 51 points separate 10th from 1st, which is a comparatively small margin.
In terms of Norman, a few of the current Top 10 did miss some practice due to their participation in last week's PAA-sanctioned Toyota Texas Bass Classic. Those anglers are Morgan, Clausen and Dowling. However, only Dowling fished the final day in Texas, and thus missed more practice than either Morgan or Clausen.
Lastly, the FLW Tour fished Norman last year in exactly the same timeframe (last week of April). Here's a look at how the current Top 10 finished in last year's Norman event.
1. Koby Kreiger (149th)
2. Michael Bennett (7th)
3. Andy Morgan (12th)
4. Luke Clausen (22nd)
5. Glenn Browne (147th)
6. Clark Wendlandt (140th)
7. Bryan Thrift (10th)
8. Nate Wellman (110th)
9. Craig Dowling (173rd)
10. Shinichi Fukae (28th)
Ranger Boats' Spring Fever Promotion, which provides buyers of new Rangers an equipment and incentive package valued at up to $1,525, got under way today and will run through May 31.
"After a long winter inside, a lot of people are looking to get out and enjoy time on the water with their family or maybe step up to a newer, bigger boat,” said Ranger president Randy Hopper. “With the Spring Fever promotion, we’re making it easier for people to become a boating family or to enjoy fishing out of the finest boat on the water.”
The Spring Fever promotion applies to new, 2008 models in stock. Purchasers of freshwater models – including the Ranger 2250SS and Intracoastal models – will receive a free deluxe boat cover, a $500 Wal-Mart gift card and Ranger Owners Group membership valued at $125. Saltwater model buyers will receive a $1,000 Wal-Mart gift card and Ranger Owners Group membership.
For more information on the promotion, see your local authorized Ranger Boats dealer or click here to visit the Ranger website.
Abu FOAL: Beale nets a proposal 4/18/2008 BassFans know there's a lot of pressure that comes along with fishing high-stakes tournaments. After shelling out your paycheck on gas, entry fees and a hotel for the night, it stings when you don't fish well enough to make a check. But what if there was more than just money on the line? What if you were fishing for something that would impact the rest of your life?
Michelle Beale of Danville, Va. was in that situation.
Her boyfriend told her if she could catch a 5-plus-pound bass in a club tournament that he'd get down on one knee and marry her on the spot. How's that for pressure?
When you're fishing, remember to make sure you have a digital camera (or cell phone) with you because Abu Garcia is giving out a free new reel a month for the Fish of a Lifetime story it likes best. Click here to learn how to send in your Abu Garcia story.
And remember: Your fish of a lifetime doesn't have to be a bass, and can also be a tourney limit of a lifetime.
Clear Lake prep 4/18/2008 As many BassFans are aware, measures are being taken at California's Clear Lake (and other lakes in the state) to combat the spread of quagga and zebra mussels. Bob Rider of Lakeshore Bait and Tackle in Clearlake offered the following tips for visiting anglers in the weekly fishing report he distributes via email:
"The quagga and zebra mussels are getting the spotlight on Clear Lake this week as we embark on a county-wide program to keep our lakes and streams free from these invasive species. As of Tuesday, April 8, all boats launching in Lake County waters must undergo a permit process before launching. This permit is good for the remainder of the year.
"When you come into the county, stop by one of the tackle shops, fill out the form, attach your sticker to the boat, and go fishing. The process is a simple risk factor assessment, NOT a rigorous inspection of every boat. If your boat doesn’t flag the risk factors, you get a sticker and you’re good to go. If your boat IS at risk, then we’ll be looking at it to ensure you’re not inadvertently carrying these pests into our waterways. This falls under the 'ounce of prevention' category with minimal inconvenience to the boating public.
"The key is this: Clean, drain and dry your boat when you come out of ANY body of water. Our sticker program is temporary until the inbound check stations are open on the four major routes into the county. Once they are open, then all boats coming into the county will swing through for a quick check (like the agriculture stations are doing at the state line). Until then, one sticker is all you need.
"If you take the boat home and use it elsewhere, then the hope is that you’ve learned about the evils of bringing bad stuff our way and you’ll do the right thing by cleaning, draining, and drying your boat. If you’ve got questions about the program, give us a quick call at (707) 994-3474."
Mercury Marine is kicking off the 2008 boat and engine selling season by extending its ‘Best Built. Mercury Backed.’ sales event through June 28. Consumers who have purchased or will purchase qualifying Mercury outboard engines between Aug. 15, 2007, and June 28, 2008, and who register their engine warranty by July 15, 2008, will receive extended warranties at no additional cost.
Consumers who purchase four-stroke engines ranging from 25 to 300 hp, including Verado and Jet engines, will receive an additional 2-year warranty for a total 5-year limited factory-backed, non-declining warranty. Consumers who purchase OptiMax engines, including OptiMax ProXS models, will receive an additional 2-year warranty for a total 5-year limited factory-backed, non-declining warranty.
Consumers who purchase two-stroke engines will receive an additional two-year warranty for a total 3-year limited factory-backed, non-declining warranty for the 50- and 9- hp two-stroke and a total 4-year limited factory-backed, non-declining warranty for the 150-hp two-stroke.
Consumers who purchase Jet Drive OptiMax engines will receive an additional 4-year warranty for total 5-year limited factory-backed, non-declining warranty.
This offer is available through participating U.S. dealers. Complete details are available by clicking here.
Mike McClelland's team won the Toyota Texas Bass Classic Pro-Am at Lake Fork today. He and amateur partners Andy Benson and Scott Burns combined to catch a 28-03 bag to top a field of 69 teams.
Mark Rose's team, which included amateurs Wilfrid Gravel and David Byrnes, was 2nd with 25-10. Chad Brauer's team, which also included Brandon Scarpato and Mark Scarpato, was 3rd with 22-11.
Dave Wolak took big-bass honors for the pros with a 10-07 brute. On the amateur side, the winner was 9-year-old Miles Bivins (son of Texas Parks and Wildlife Commissioner Mark Bivins) with an 8-06.
Pairings for tomorrow's first day of TTBC competition were announced. They are as follows:
Team 1 – Luke Clausen and Randy Blaukat (morning), Dean Rojas and Kenneth Chapman (afternoon).
Team 2 – Ray Sedgwick and Trevor Knight (morning), Ray Scheide and Matt Herren (afternoon).
Team 3 – Charlie Hartley and Jami Fralick (morning), John Crews and Mark Tyler (afternoon).
Team 4 – Paul Elias and Dave Lefebre (morning), Kevin VanDam and Jimmy Mason (afternoon).
Team 5 – Gary Klein and Bernie Schultz (morning), Dave Parsons and Ken Cook (afternoon).
Team 6 – Pete Gluszek and Lee Bailey Jr. (morning), Mike Wurm and Ray Hanselman Jr. (afternoon).
Team 7 – Jason Quinn and Yusuke Miyazaki (morning), Ish Monroe and Curt Lytle (afternoon).
Team 8 – Terry Scroggins and Shaw Grigsby (morning), Russ Lane and Craig Dowling (afternoon).
Team 9 – Ben Matsubu and Chad Brauer (morning), Bobby Lane and Byron Velvick (afternoon).
Team 10 – Dave Wolak and Mike McClelland (morning), Terry Segraves and Travis Rulle (afternoon).
Team 11 – Mark Rose and James Niggemeyer (morning), Jeff Kriet and Kevin Short (afternoon).
Team 12 – Brian Snowden and Terry Butcher (morning), Brent Chapman and Scott Campbell (afternoon).
Team 13 – Denny Brauer and Art Ferguson (morning), David Curtis and John Gray (afternoon).
Team 14 – Mark Menendez and Kurt Dove (morning), Jeff Reynolds and Edwin Evers (afternoon).
Team 15 – Mark Tucker and Bud Pruitt (morning), Alton Jones and Stephen Browning (afternoon).
Team 16 – Stacey King and Brian Penso (morning), Chad Morgenthaler and Matt Reed (afternoon).
Team 17 – Randy Howell and Cliff Pace (morning), Mike Iaconelli and Danny Correia (afternoon).
Team 18 – Terry Baksay and Derek Remitz (morning), Todd Faircloth and Johnny Grice (afternoon).
Team 19 – Andy Morgan and Mike Hawkes (morning), Wes Thomas and Peter Thliveros (afternoon).
Team 20 – Lance Vick and David Smith (morning), David Walker and Kelly Jordon (afternoon).
Team 21 – Takahiro Omori and David Dudley (morning), Mark Davis and Jerry Green (afternoon).
Team 22 – Tim Horton and Jim Dillard (morning), Todd Auten and Tommy Martin (afternoon).
Team 23 – Trent Huckaby and Randy Dearman (morning), Steve Kennedy and Kevin Wirth (afternoon).
Team 24 – Guy Eaker and Jason Reyes (morning), Tommy Biffle and Zell Rowland (afternoon).
Team 25 – Larry Nixon and Rick Morris (morning), Aaron Martens and Patrick Pierce (afternoon).
Team 26 – Jimmy Mize and Pete Ponds (morning), Sean Hoernke and Chris Daves (afternoon).
Morning weigh-ins begin at 11:30 a.m. Afternoon weigh-ins start at 4 p.m.
Recon: Kissimmee River 4/17/2008 Fishing the Kissimmee River BFL This weekend? If so, take note: According to Preston Clark, the post-spawn fish should be set up and chomping. For his lowdown on tournament strategy, click here for the newest Bass Recon report. Tidbit: Look for current, then find the indentations that break it.
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Casey Ashley has been named the newest member of the Lucky Craft pro staff. The 24-year-old South Carolinian has been hooked up with Lucky Craft since early April, but the official announcement just dropped today. He joins Skeet Reese, Takahiro Omori, Gerald Swindle, Kelly Jordon and Marty Stone as part of the Lucky Craft national team.
"I'm very excited about this sponsorship," Ashley said. "This is big for me. Lucky Craft is one of the top names in the fishing industry, and I'm honored to be a part of the team - especially because of the big names who are already a part it."
About the new addition, Lucky Craft President Minoru Segawa said: "I am very excited about Ashley's decision to join the Lucky Craft pro staff. I am looking forward to watching him grow as a person and an angler, and I can't wait to see what 2008 brings."
> Ashley's off to a solid start in the 2008 Elite Series. He stubbed his with a 107 finish at Amistad, but he's finished no less than 28th in the other four events. He also scored a 17th-place finish in the Bassmaster Classic.
Mercury Marine announced that it's partnering with Massachusetts angler Eli Delany in support of his national autism awareness campaign.
Autism is the fastest growing disability in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention autism prevalence report. Over the past 25 years, the incidence of autism has risen dramatically, now affecting one in every 150 children.
Delany, a regional angler in New England, is on a personal crusade to raise awareness about autism. He is spearheading the campaign in support of his son Luke, 7, who was diagnosed with autism shortly after he turned 2. He believes an educated public will significantly advance the cause, resulting in earlier diagnoses, more effective treatments and increased research dollars targeted at finding a cure for autism.
His autism awareness-wrapped 21-foot Stroker boat, powered by a Mercury 250 XS engine, won Bass & Walleye Boats magazine's 2007 Hottest Rig of the Year award. This year, he intends to host a weekly radio podcast, spearhead a tour of sport shows with his Autism Awareness promotional booth, and distribute brochures, posters, information and resources about autism.
Autism awareness materials will be distributed throughout the Bassmaster Elite Series and Eastern and Central Open tournament trails and will be available at Mercury Marine dealerships.
For more information about Delany’s autism awareness campaign, click here. To read a BassFan Army piece from November 2006 on Delany, his son and his boat, click here.
Ex-BASS official passes 4/16/2008 BASS announced today that Ann Lewis, the organization's former media relations manager, died Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala., after a lengthy illness.
She managed publicity and media services for BASS and the Bassmaster Tournament Trail from 1983 through 1999 and was directly responsible for gaining coverage of professional bass fishing in major news outlets throughout the United States. After leaving BASS in 1999, she handled publicity and media relations for Ray Scott Outdoors, and later, the Buckmasters, based in Montgomery, Ala.
"What really impressed me was her grace under pressure," said senior director of BASS publications Dave Precht. "She never complained – even in the midst of her recent illness – and she never lost her trademark smile.
"Her contributions to the growth of the sport of bass fishing were significant. We are devastated by this loss."
Stratos' 2X contingency 4/16/2008 Statos Boats today announced its new 2X Double Your Winnings contingency program. Designed with 2-man team formats in mind, the 2X Double Your Winnings program will award tournament winners fishing out of Stratos boats double their prize money up to $10,000.
The program requires no memberships or signup fees. In order to be eligible for the program, tournament competitors who own model year 2007-2009 Stratos boats must fill out an affidavit within 30 days of their win.
A list of frequently asked questions and the answers to those questions appears below. For full details on the 2X Double Your Winnings program, visit StratosBoats.com.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Is this contingency program boat/model specific?
A: No, any Stratos model within the 2007, 2008 or 2009 model year will qualify.
Q: Does the angler have to compete in the boat to qualify?
A: Yes, the winning angler must sign an affidavit signifying that they competed out of the qualifying boat.
Q: Can an angler borrow a qualifying boat for competitions?
A: No, the owner of the boat must compete and win in their respective boat to receive contingencies.
Q: Does the angler have to be the first purchaser to qualify?
A: No, an angler can purchase a used boat and receive the same incentives, so long as the used boat fits into model-year parameters.
Q: Does the angler have to sign up or pay dues to participate?
A: No, the only paperwork needed to receive the program benefits is a submitted claim form found at www.stratosboats.com and provide proof of boat ownership (warranty and/or state registration).
Q: What tournaments are included in the Stratos Boats 2X contingency program?
A: Any qualifying tournament listed at www.stratosboats.com.
Q: Does any model year Stratos qualify for this contingency?
A: No, only boats with a 2007, 2008 or 2009 serial number can qualify.
Q: How does a tournament get added to the qualifying list?
A: Stratos’ dealer base helps determine the events within their geographic region. Their influence weighs heavily in this decision and recommendations will be taken on a regular basis.
Q: Is this contingency program outboard-motor specific?
A: No, any brand or model of outboard will qualify if rigged on a 2007, 2008 or 2009 Stratos Boat.
Q: Can an angler receive benefits for winning a tournament prior to the event being on the qualified tournaments list?
A: No, each event must be listed prior to the angler participating in the event.
Q: Who should be contacted for additional information on the 2X contingency program?
A: Your local Stratos dealer will have details on the program or inquire via e-mail to info@stratosboats.com.
Falcon mortality 4/16/2008 BassFans might have noticed that the co-angler limits were cut at the recent Amistad Elite Series – that was to help cut fish mortality. Apparently nobody – BASS, Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept., or the pros – was ready for the masses of bass hauled to the scales the week before at Falcon. The result was reportedly an 11% fish-mortality rate at Falcon – an unacceptably high rate by anyone's measure. Included among the dead was the 13-pound big-fish of the event.
Ron Henry Strait of the San Antonio Express-News does a good job of examining the factors behind the story. To read his column, click here.
Navico promotes from within 4/16/2008 Gordon Sprouse has been promoted to Director of Marketing for all Navico brands, the company announced recently.
He will head up the Americas marketing organization for B&G, Eagle, Lowrance, MX Marine, Northstar and Simrad, all Navico brands. The Americas marketing organization includes all Western hemisphere promotional initiatives.
"I am pleased to congratulate Gordon on this well-deserved promotion," said John Bay, Navico's senior vice president of sales and marketing. "Gordon brings a wealth of experience and an impressive record of results to the position. We are confident that his sales and marketing expertise coupled with his dedication and leadership abilities will benefit the entire Navico organization."
Sprouse joined Lowrance Electronics in August 2004 as the North American sales manager and brings more than 15 years of experience in the outdoors industry to his new position.
Al Smith wrote a General's Post today about the recent BassFan Army Weekend Warrior Championship. Prize giveaways, camaraderie, competition – the event was all that and more. To read all about it, click here.
Qualifying for next year's WWC has already begun.
Not a BassFan Army member yet? Click here to sign up for FREE lifetime membership, which makes you eligible for many free programs, including giveaways, contests and qualifying for the Weekend Warrior Championship.
Ehrler's tidal tips 4/15/2008 Tidal waters can play tricks on even the most savvy green-fish chasers. That's why BassFan looked up California stud and tidal water wizard Brent Ehrler to share some of his tips for tricking bass when the water's flowing. Ehrler cut his teeth on tidal waters like the California Delta, and he recently notched a 2nd-place finish on that same body of water in a Western Stren Series event.
To read how Ehrler attacks tidal fisheries, click over to the Berkley Catch More Fish page. Tidbit: Be sure to visit an area multiple times during the tidal range. You could be surprised.
FLW Tour and Series angler Luke Clausen passed along a photo of a deer he took during the offseason near his home in Spokane, Wash.. The buck was a non-typical seven-by-seven with a 23-inch inside spread. It would've scored approximately 160 points on the Pope & Young scale.
"I killed him with my bow out of a treestand at dusk," he said. "The bow was cranked down to 50 pounds (of pull) because of my elbow surgery, so I used a 100-grain fixed-blade broadhead."
Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year (AOY) leader Mike McClelland likes the makeup of his squad for this week's Professional Anglers Association-sponsored Toyota Texas Bass Classic at Lake Fork. He's on team No. 10, which is captained by Dave Wolak and also includes Terry Segraves and Travis Rulle.
"I think we have a fairly decent team," he said. "We can cover a pretty broad spectrum. Dave and Terry should be able to do a little bit of sight-fishing unless the water's too colored up, and I'll get out and look for the structure bite.
"I don't know much about Travis (an Alabamian who's fishing the Bassmaster Southern Opens this year), but I'm sure he's a solid angler. We should mesh well together."
Todd Faircloth, winner of the recent Amistad Bassmaster Elite Series and captain of team No. 18, will have the previous champion of that event on his squad – Derek Remitz. Terry Baksay and Johnny Grice are also on board.
"I feel good about our team and it's a fun event," he said. "I really enjoy the format."
The tournament runs Friday through Sunday. For more information about the competition and spectator attractions, click here.
Gags & TTBC: family 4/14/2008 BassFan noted last week that several FLW Tour heavy hitters had pulled out of this week's PAA-sanctioned Toyota Texas Bass Classic. Anthony Gagliardi was one of them, and it turns out he didn't bail because of the Norman practice. His wife Kristen had gall-bladder surgery. She's doing fine – in fact, she'll make the trip next week to Norman with Gags. But she couldn't have the surgery and look after their 8-week old baby girl Laken.
"I'm disappointed," Gags said of missing the event. "I'd planned on going. I had such a good time there last year. But I need to be (home) this week. As much as I'm gone, Kristen needed me this week."
Evinrude offers extended warranty 4/14/2008 Consumers who purchase a new boat package equipped with an Evinrude E-TEC engine or re-power their boat with an E-TEC will receive a 5-year limited warranty. The offer is valid on purchases made from April 15 through June 30.
Re-power buyers can also choose between no-interest, no-payment financing for 12 months or take a rigging rebate worth up to $800.
The offers apply to all new, unused 2008 model year and earlier 40 horsepower and above E-TEC engines.
To learn more about the offers, visit a participating Evinrude dealer or click here.
Mercury strike looming? 4/14/2008 Union workers at Mercury Marine gave themselves the option to strike if a new labor agreement can't be worked out, according to a story in Sunday's edition of the Fond du Lac Reporter.
The union, which has 1,600 members, voted almost unanimously (99.8%) this past Saturday that a strike may occur in the event both sides can't come to terms. The union recently suspended negotiations with Mercury Marine. The current labor contract expires June 21, the article said.
FLW pros drop from TTBC 4/11/2008 Six big-name FLW Tour pros have dropped out of the PAA-sanctioned Toyota Texas Bass Classic field, presumably because of the Norman FLW Tour. The Norman practice begins Sat., April 19, which is also day 1 of competition at the TTBC. The distance between the two event sites is about 15 hours, so the FLW pros would have missed a few days of Norman practice.
What isn't clear is why the late decision.
The pros who dropped out of competition are Anthony Gagliardi, Chris Baumgardner, Dan Morehead, Clark Wendlandt, Scott Suggs, and Cody Bird.
Art Ferguson III and Kevin Wirth have been named team captains for teams 13 and 23, respectively. Ferguson replaces former team captain Gagliardi, while David Curtis becomes the fourth member of team 13. Wirth replaces former captain Baumgardner. Wirth will be joined by new team members Randy Dearman and Steve Kennedy. Dan Morehead also withdrew from team 23.
Wendlandt has been replaced by Ray Sedgwick on team 2. In addition, Ken Cook has replaced Suggs on team 5. The final swap-in is that of Ben Matsubu for Cody Bird on team 9.
What's at least a little curious is that several FLW Tour heavy hitters will still fish the TTBC – names like Ray Scheide, Luke Clausen, Dave Lefebre, Andy Morgan, Mark Rose, and more.
One might assume the FLW Tour Angler of the Year (AOY) race had something to do with the dropout. But at first blush, that doesn't appear to be the case. Here's a look at the dropouts, along with their respective standing in the AOY race. Note the disparity in position.
Clark Wendlandt: 6th
Anthony Gagliardi: 11th
Dan Morehead: 42nd
Chris Baumgardner: 59th
Scott Suggs: 118th
Cody Bird: 160th
Any BassFan would probably leap 10 feet in the air if he or she roped a 6-pounder at Lake Havasu. But what would you do if you caught a 9-pounder there? David Mehalechko did. It all happened just a few weeks ago at a charity tournament, and he describes the catch today in the Abu Garcia Fish of a Lifetime section of the Berkley Catch More Fish page.
When you're fishing, remember to make sure you have a digital camera (or cell phone) with you because Abu Garcia is giving out a free new reel a month for the Fish of a Lifetime story it likes best. Click here to learn how to send in your Abu Garcia story.
And remember: Your fish of a lifetime doesn't have to be a bass, and can also be a tourney limit of a lifetime.
FLWOutdoors.com recently published the winning picks of Reginald Pickett (pictured), who pocketed $100,000 in FLW fantasy cash after Lewis Smith, and boy, the name "Pick-It" says it all. Shown below are Pickett's picks, and check out how the exacta bonus was the ticket to $100K.
Clearly, the Top 10 and exacta bonuses are everything. Pickett got 189 points for putting 12th-place Ehrler on his team. But by putting Glenn Browne in the 9th position, he got 192 points, plus 500 points for a Top 10, plus 750 points for an exacta.
If anyone's got a crystal ball like Pickett's, we're buying.
Day 1 nixed at Amistad 4/10/2008 Day 1 of the Bassmaster Elite Series event on Lake Amistad has been canceled due to "unsafe weather conditions" according to a BASS press release.
"The wind isn't too bad right now, but there's some predictions saying that we could get gusts up to 40 mph down here so Trip (Weldon, tournament director) didn't want to deal with it," said Elite Series pro and Del Rio resident Byron Velvick.
High winds pounded anglers during the first 2 days of competition at Lake Falcon last week, and blustery conditions are a trademark of southwest Texas this time of year. The tournament will carry on as scheduled tomorrow. There will be no Top 50 cut. The full 109-angler field will fish Friday and Saturday with the usual Top 12 cut being made for Sunday.
Look for angler response to the cancellation and their thoughts on how it will affect their strategies coming up soon on BassFan.
Here's the weather forecast for the remaining tournament days. For more weather information, including satellite and radar imagery, visit OutdoorsFanWeather.com.
> Fri., April 11 - Sunny - 90°/56°
- Wind: From the N/NW at 16 mph
> Sat., April 12 - Sunny - 81°/52°
- Wind: From the N/NE at 9 mph
> Sun., April 13 - Sunny - 84°/52°
- Wind: From the NE at 10 mph
Mustang Survival, Lake strike a deal 4/10/2008 Mustang Survival, the maker of marine safety and survival equipment, announced this week it has signed Women’s BassMaster Tour Professional Angler JoDee Lake to a sponsorship agreement.
The former competitive swimmer and lifeguard from Sanford, Fla. has two career Top-10 finishes, the most recent coming last year at Red River in Shreveport, La.
“JoDee’s enthusiasm for fishing and her passion for boating safety is extremely contagious,” said Rob McMahon, Marketing Communications Specialist at Mustang Survival. “From teaching kids about wearing lifejackets to educating anglers about Mustang’s comfortable and functional personal flotation devices she will be a great addition to our team.”
Portable ladder tips 4/10/2008 BoatU.S. Foundation recently tested 11 boarding ladders for small boats and developed five tips to assist boaters in the selection and use of the ladder.
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 275 fatalities resulted from 721 boating accidents that began with or involved a fall overboard in 2006.
"A fall into the water can turn into a life-threatening situation very quickly," said BoatU.S. Foundation President Ruth Wood, "It doesn't take long for exhaustion or hypothermia to drain the life out of you. Boaters and anglers need to be prepared, especially if you are alone. It can happen to you."
The foundation tested portable models on a 17-foot Boston Whaler, 14-foot Jon boat, and 12-foot rigid-hull inflatable. Below are some important tips that will help ensure a fall overboard doesn't become tragic.
> Wear your life jacket. All of the BoatU.S. volunteers participating in the testing program wore a life jacket - before they voluntarily went over the side. All agreed that a fully clothed adult with no buoyancy would have difficulties attempting to get back aboard using any type of ladder.
> You don't need to spend lots of money for a functional boarding ladder. Testers found an affordable model fashioned from 4-inch wide yellow webbing proved best. Simplicity also ruled the day as the highest-ranked ladders all had fewer than three steps. The ideal ladder length, measured from the water's surface to the bottom rung, averaged 20 inches.
> Some ladders work better with certain types of boats. Depending on a boat's construction or deck layout, most ladders performed well with one particular kind of vessel, and did poorly with others. It's important to match the ladder to the boat.
> Before you head out, your boarding ladder needs to be positioned so it can be reached from the water. Also, attaching the ladder to the wrong spot on a narrow, lightweight boat can increase the chance of capsizing, especially if there is wave action.
> Practice is a must. Many ladders were difficult to use on the first try. Take the time on a warm, sunny day to fine tune any adjustments, get in the water and use the ladder. Some ladders threw testers off-balance when weight was placed on them, causing the device to swing underneath the boat. Only practice solved this problem.
To see a complete report on the tests as well as video of the ladders in action, click here.
Contest: Zipper winner 4/10/2008 The BassFan Army would like to thank everyone for participating in the Zipper contest. We apologize for the late announcement – a little tournament called the Weekend Warrior Championship temporarily consumed us.
The winners of the Examine Your Zipper contest are:
> Gregg Sanders from Jackson, Tenn.
> Derek Chance from Rolla, Mo.
> Art Simms of Coon Rapids, Minn.
Lintner on 'the lip' 4/9/2008 There's been a lot of talk lately about how lipless cranks fall. And for good reason – usually, that's the key to triggering a bite. Kevin VanDam recently talked about how the Strike King RedEye Shad "shimmies" as it falls. Pretty cool. But BassFans should also check out what Jared Lintner has to say about the Jackall TN/70's tungsten lip, and what that does to the fall. For the full story, click here for the latest BassFan Pro Fishing Tip.
Border customs: clarification 4/9/2008 WalleyeFan.com may have determined the source for that massive wind gust that just swept across the Great Lakes.
It appears that it was the sighs of relief coming from the charter fishing boat captains after learning that a series of new regulations put in place by the Department of Homeland Security won't necessarily disrupt their business as many originally thought.
According to a report in the Detroit Free Press last weekend, several key issues that were under review by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials, have been clarified.
The article cited Michael Balero, a CBP spokesman, who stated that anglers crossing the U.S.-Canada border on a fishing trip won't need to report to U.S. authorities if the vessel they're on doesn't land in Canada or tie to up to shore.
Balero also clarified that anchoring in Canadian waters doesn't equate to going ashore and that passports are not required upon return from a fishing trip into Canadian waters.
Brett Sturgeon, another CBP spokesman based in Chicago, confirmed Balero's statements Tuesday.
"That information is accurate," he told WalleyeFan. "It was said pretty clearly and concise. Before you know it, it'll be May and now the fisherman can breath a sigh of relief knowing that fishing in Canadian waters won't be a hassle."
He also confirmed that a passport won't be required to simply fish in Canadian waters after June 1, 2009. That's when a rule requiring a passport or other government-approved document to gain entry into the U.S. via land or sea goes into effect.
To read WalleyeFan's previous story on the issue, click here.
To read the entire Detroit Free Press article, click here.
Recon: Greers Ferry 4/9/2008 The Ozarks continue to get water, and Greers Ferry is about 6 feet below flood pool. The water's dirty, and the smallmouth and spot bites aren't working. That should all make for a very difficult Fishers of Men event there this weekend
Help's on the way, though, and it comes in the form of Larry Nixon, who reports to the BassFan Army today directly from Greers Ferry. For his lowdown on the bite and his recommendations for tournament strategy, click here for the newest Bass Recon report. Tidbit: Look for clear water, and target largemouths.
Clear tactics: how Vida spots beds 4/9/2008 Kevin Vida spent several hours last Sunday morning on Lewis Smith Lake in Alabama, in order to demonstrate how he searches for beds in deep, clear water. His thorough approach is detailed today on the Berkley Catch More Fish page. Tidbit: A wakebait can clue you in to hot, but subtle, bedding areas.
Indiana's Brad Moser worked a solid pattern for 2 days at Lake Pickwick to narrowly win the BassFan Army Weekend Warrior championship. His macro pattern wasn't a secret – a lot of competitors threw to cypress trees – but he developed a few micro subtleties that made all the difference. For the full scoop on his winning pattern, click here to visit BassFanArmy.com.
Comment on this item.
FLW fantasy winner revealed 4/8/2008 FLW Outdoors today announced the fantasy winner of its Lewis Smith FLW Tour stop. Reginald Pickett of Greensboro, N.C., an 18-year U.S. Postal Service employee, banked $100,000 by amassing 5,939 points in the event. His picks are not yet published, but he did say: "It's still hard to believe that I won. My wife Sandra's still in shock. It's easy to enter, and it's fun to play. It makes following the FLW pro bass anglers even that more exciting."
TTBC: half-price tix 4/8/2008 If you plan to attend next week's PAA-sanctioned Toyota Texas Bass Classic, note that those who hold a Texas hunting or fishing license can receive discounted admission.
Onsite tickets cost $25, but all Texas fishing and hunting license-holders can purchase 3-day ticket books for $10 by calling (866) 907-0143. All license-holders must reference their valid identification number in order to receive the discount. The 3-day ticket book includes one ticket to each day of the competition and also includes access to the musical concerts, expo area and family fun zone. This offer isn't available via the website. Proceeds from ticket sales go towards a $250,000 donation to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.
> Despite an uncharacteristic 45th-place finish at Falcon, Kevin VanDam retains his dominating lead in the World Rankings. His prior lead was 22 points, which has lessened somewhat to around 18 points, but that's still a massive lead.
> Skeet Reese, who remains ranked 2nd, has been more consistent that VanDam so far this season, but note that VanDam won a few weeks ago at Toho, whereas Reese has yet to finish better than 17th.
> Andy Morgan makes a huge five-spot jump in this edition to 3rd. Remember that it's more difficult to move up inside the Top 10, so Morgan's feat shouldn't be overlooked. In fact, he's likely the hottest angler on either tour right now. He opened the FLW Tour with a 4th at Toho, then finished 20th at Lewis Smith. A win last year, plus back-to-back 6ths in 2006 still influence his rank. And although the current FLW Series isn't factored in the Rankings, Morgan finished 8th and 5th in the first two Series events this season. Wow.
> A 4th at Falcon helps Aaron Martens move back up two spots to 4th.
> Mark Davis finished 5th at Falcon to follow up on BASS finishes of 18th and 11th this season. That helps buoy him up two spots to 5th in the world. Notable is that Davis has returned to BASS this year after 2 years of FLW Tour competition.
> A 51st at Falcon is one of a few reasons Steve Kennedy drops three spots. He's now ranked 7th.
> Shinichi Fukae drops a big six spots to 9th after Lewis Smith. He finished 60th there, but there's a much bigger influence on his rank. The World Rankings are based on a 2-year rolling slate, so anglers continually replace finishes from 2 calendar years prior. In this edition, Fukae drops a 3rd-place finish from Lanier in 2006. The next finish he'll drop is a win at Beaver from 2006. In other words, he needs to pick up the pace.
> Lewis Smith winner Michael Bennett leaps a giant 28 spots to 16th.
> Koby Kreiger, who finished 3rd at Lewis Smith and leads the FLW Tour Angler of the Year race, improves eight spots to 24th.
> Both Jacob Powroznik and Luke Clausen climb after strong Lewis Smith outings. Powroznik improves 14 spots to 28th, and Clausen climbs 18 spots to 29th.
> Greg Hackney continues to tumble. The former No. 1 ranked pro hasn't finished better than 62nd this year, and falls 13 spots to 39th in this edition.
> A 12th at Lewis Smith helps Brent Ehrler leap 57 spots to 51st.
> Falcon winner Paul Elias jumps up 49 spots to 55th.
Abu Garcia has announced Richard Bates of Fredericksburg, Va. as the March winner of its Fish of a Lifetime contest. March was a particularly tough month to judge, Abu Garcia noted, with several strong entries that deserved recognition. But it was the unique nature of Bates' story – how he shared the boat with his wife Barbie, who'd never caught a bass – that was the clincher.
The Bates family will soon receive their new Abu Garcia reel in the mail.
When you're fishing, remember to make sure you have a digital camera (or cell phone) with you because Abu Garcia is giving out a free new reel a month for the Fish of a Lifetime story it likes best. Click here to learn how to send in your Abu Garcia story.
And remember: Your fish of a lifetime doesn't have to be a bass, and can also be a tourney limit of a lifetime.
The Berkley Experience trailer's headed to the Cabela's store in Omaha, Neb., and will roll into town April 11-13 (this Friday through Sunday).
The Berkley Experience trailer, which offers demonstrations and interactive games for kids and adults, gives the everyday angler the opportunity to view baits in the Berkley lineup, and chances to see the baits in action.
Special sales and promotions will be offered wherever the Berkley trailer stops. Here are some other upcoming stops:
April 17-19: Scheels, Bismark, N.D.
April 25–27: Scheels, Fargo, N.D.
May 2-4: Cabela's, Rogers, Minn.
May 9–11: Scheels, Sioux Falls, Iowa
May 19: Scheels, St. Cloud, Minn.
AOY: status update 4/7/2008 Two events this past weekend – the Falcon Bassmaster Elite Series and Smith Lake FLW Tour – created quite a shakeup in both Angler of the Year (AOY) races.
Mark Davis, who returned to BASS competition this year, now leads the BASS AOY race. He finished 11th and 18th in the Florida swing, then 5th at Falcon. Davis noted many times that his love of power-fishing, and the post-spawn, was one of the primary reasons he returned to BASS. Looks like it's paying off, for now.
Kreiger opened the FLW Tour with an 11th at Toho, then finished 3rd at Smith. Since the FLW Tour is a six-event season (vs. 11 for the Elite Series), each FLW Tour event is doubly important in terms of the AOY race.
Aside from Davis and Krieger, here are some other important AOY movements after the two events, starting with the FLW Tour.
> Smith winner Michael Bennett rockets up 20 spots to 2nd. He trails Kreiger by 9 points. Last year, Bennett was 5th in the AOY race after two events.
> Andy Morgan, who finished 20th at Smith, improves a spot to 3rd.
> Luke Clausen (4th at Smith) improves 23 spots to 4th, and Glenn Browne (9th at Smith) moves up 25 places to 5th.
Over in BASS, here are a few notable movements:
> A 14th at Falcon moves Dean Rojas up 5 spots to 2nd, where he trails Davis by 9 points.
> Scott Rook scored his second consecutive Top 6 and moves up nine spots to 3rd.
> Rick Morris, who finished no worse than 18th in the first three events, improves nine spots to 3rd.
For the full FLW Tour and Elite Series AOY Standings, click here.
Bennett biggest again 4/6/2008 Michael Bennett went into the final day of the Lewis Smith FLW Tour in Jasper, Ala. with a little of a little more than 2 pounds, and he ended up winning by more than 3. For the full story, click here.
Abu FOAL: Linnman's biggin 4/6/2008 Good thing Mark Linman brought bass tackle on his annual walleye trip. He spotted some good bass on a drift and wound up catching the fish of a lifetime. He tells the full story today in the Abu Garcia Fish of a Lifetime section of the Berkley Catch More Fish page.
When you're fishing, remember to make sure you have a digital camera (or cell phone) with you because Abu Garcia is giving out a free new reel a month for the Fish of a Lifetime story it likes best. Click here to learn how to send in your Abu Garcia story.
And remember: Your fish of a lifetime doesn't have to be a bass, and can also be a tourney limit of a lifetime.
Brad Moser: 2008 WWC champion 4/5/2008 Indiana's Brad Moser defended his lead today and narrowly won the BassFan Army Weekend Warrior Championship. For the full story, click here.
Moser leads WWC 4/4/2008 Indiana's Brad Moser earned his ticket to the BassFan Army Weekend Warrior championship through the Hoosier Opens. He caught a whopping 19-03 today at Lake Pickwick and leads the event over 2nd-place Toby Shafer by a slim 3 ounces. Jamie Horton's currently 3rd. For the full story plus official standings, click here.
What happened to Myers? 4/4/2008 All but two pros in the 109-man Bassmaster Elite Series field managed to weigh in limits yesterday at Lake Falcon.
The first was Bradley Hallman. Hallman said he didn't have any issues that held him back, he just flat-out had a terrible day. "To only catch four fish on a lake like this seems crazy, but that's just all I found today," he said at the day 1 weigh-in. "I just couldn't put them in the boat."
The other big question mark was Elite Series rookie Bobby Myers. He shows up as a zero in the standings, but that's not because he didn't catch any fish. While the details of exactly what happened still aren't known, a BASS official told BassFan that Myers had mechanical problems towards the end of the day that caused him to miss his check-in time.
What would Myers have weighed in if he'd made it back on time? Supposedly right around 30 pounds.
Following are some highlights from the recent Bass Cat Owners Invitational at Lake Norfork in Arkansas.
Despite flooding concerns, the lake was stable and held at 571 feet. Power generation continued despite downstream flooding.
The winning team of Don Drumright and Marty Fox from West Plains, Mo. represent an Ozarks family that makes its living cutting timber and sawmilling.
The runner-up team of Randall James of Springdale, Ark. and Glenn Rhodes of Hindsville, Ark. were "pretty shocked to have won a boat," Bass Cat said.
The floating duck contest, which delivered a Mercury OptiMax 150, was found by the father-son team of Doug and John Glenn of Springdale, Ark. Son John is still a youth and the two have fished the Owners Invitational for several years.
Winner of the draw boat (a Bass Cat Sabre) was Lee Boyd, who's fished many Owners Invitationals and this year competed alone. Not all has gone well in the past though. One year he blew an engine and fished day 2 on his electric, just to stay in the competition and "duck-hunt." He sat on the bank that year as the duck drifted within about 75 feet of him, behind his boat. Bass Cat is moving him up to a Pantera II.
Comment on this item.
Tru-Tungsten announced today that Mike Iaconelli signed a 5-year deal to represent the company's soft-plastics. Ike was already associated with the company via jigs – specifically, his signature series Ikey Heads. This deal appears to extend that relationship into soft plastics.
Tru-Tungsten's Stinger and Dart worms are impregnated with tungsten, which influences their action and style of fall.
About the deal, Tru-Tungsten's Larry Thornhill said: "Our new weighted plastics are the most innovative soft-plastic fishing lures on the market and we're pleased to have an angler with Ike's skills to represent them to the fishing public. Signing Ike is a big step. He's a fierce competitor and highly skilled angler. Having him use our products will help give them the credibility they deserve."
WWC: What's up? 4/3/2008 Practice for the 2008 BassFan Army Weekend Warrior Championship concluded today at Lake Pickwick in Florence, Ala. What do competitors like Rick LaPoint, Chris Rutland and Jamie Horton have to say about the bite? To find out, click here to read the just-published Weekend Warrior Scouting Report.
Merc layoffs reported 4/3/2008 Two news outlets have reported that Mercury Marine yesterday laid off 50 salaried employees to compensate for a decrease in market demand. To read reporting by the Osh Kosh Northwestern, click here. For the story in Soundings Trade Only, click here.
Recon: McClure 4/3/2008 The Future Pro Tour (FPT) makes a stop at central California's Lake McClure this weekend. A good number of McClure's spotted and largemouth bass are making themselves cozy on beds, and according to FLW co-angler Justin Lucas, that'll play a big role in this weekend's event.
Today in the Bass Recon section of BassFanArmy.com, Lucas gives up the inside scoop on what it'll take to come out on top at McClure. Tidbit: There's some big bass locked onto beds, but as tempting as it may be, don't spend all your time sight-fishing.
BassFans looking to get their hands on the new Chubby frog from Secret Lures may want to know that's it's now available at the BassFan Store (click here for the order page).
Remember, the "secret" behind the Chubby frog is the clear legs, which the company says encourages fish to bite more toward the body of the bait, where the hook is.
Also new from the company is the Meat hook, meant for frogs and swimbaits. The screw-lock hook features an extra-wide-gap Mustad hook, comes with or without weights, and is available in 4/0 and 5/0 sizes.
About the hook, the company noted: "At Secret Lures we understand the hook you use is as important as the bait you dress it up with. The Meat hook is designed to stick the biggest of fish with little flex, plus an extra wide gap to hold those big ones. Our weighted hooks have lead that's tapered close to the hook and placed near the rear, which produces unrivaled action."
Bassfan Army members will get the first look at the new Meat hook, along with a chance to win some before they ever hit stores. To be the first to "stick it to 'em" on your local lake, keep checking back. Details of the promotion, along with photos of the hook, will be published soon.
Seven anglers who finished among the Top 10 at the November 2006 FLW Series tournament at Lewis Smith Lake will compete this week in the FLW Tour event at the Alabama impoundment. Texan Sean Hoernke (right) won in '06 with an average of less than 9 1/2 pounds a day.
Others from the '06 Top 10 who are back are David Fritts (4th), Gary Yamamoto (6th), Craig Powers (7th), Jim Moynagh (8th), Matt Herren (9th) and Keith Monson (10th). Jeff Shelton, the runner-up in '06, was a late local entrant, 3rd-place finisher Gerald Swindle is a Bassmaster Elite Series angler who jackpotted that event, and 5th-place finisher Rusty Salewske now fishes only the Western FLW Series.
Most of the returnees are in need of a bounce-back outing – Hoernke was the only one of the seven who cashed a four-figure check at the Tour's season opener at Toho, and that was for $2,000 (74th place). Fritts was 156th at Toho, Yamamoto 163rd, Powers 174th, Moynagh 168th, Herren 125th and Monson 99th (good for $100).
Mussels in CA (update) 4/2/2008 A mandatory boat inspection sticker program designed to thwart the spread of invasive quagga and zebra mussels will get under way next week at Clear Lake, the renowned trophy bass lake in Northern California. Obtaining a sticker will initially be free of charge to boat owners, but a fee will be charged after June 30. The stickers are good through the end of the year.
To read the story in the Lake County Record-Bee, click here.
Here are some links to previous articles on the issue:
> Last week, the Lake County (Calif.) board of supervisors approved four motions to combat mussels, including the purchase of four washing stations at a cost of $21,646 apiece. To read the report in the Lake County Record-Bee, click here.
> In early March, Southern California trophy-bass fishery Lake Casitas was closed to outside boats in an effort to combat the spread of ithe mussels. The 1-year-ban took effect immediately. To read a report from the Ventura County Star, click here.
> On Feb. 8, the San Jose Mercury News reported that divers scoured Calero Reservoir, located south of that city, in search of mussels, but came up empty. To read that story, click here.
> The San Francisco Chronicle also published an article based on the Calero expedition on Feb. 8. For that article, click here.
> The Salem (Ore.) Statesman-Journal reported Oregon officials are concerned about the possibility that the mussels could show up in their state, which borders California. For that story, click here.
> The Las Vegas Review-Journal published a story on the rapid reproduction of quagga mussels at Lake Havasu. To read it, click here.
> In mid-January, the San Diego Union-Tribune published an editorial by three UC Davis researchers who claim that California failed to heed loud and clear warnings that the invasive species were on the way. To read it, click here.
Also, the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has created a page on its website devoted to the mussels. To visit that page, click here.
Stratos Boats is conducting its 2008 Spring Sales Promotion through May 15. Customers who purchase any new eligible Stratos boat powered by a Yamaha, Mercury or Evinrude engine from a participating Stratos dealer inventory will receive up to a $1,000 down payment credit.
The $1,000 credit is offered on the Stratos 200XL and 201XL. All other models – including the 176XT and 186XT – will receive a $500 credit. Delivery must be taken prior to June 1.
For more information on the Stratos line or to find an authorized dealer near you, call 1-877-978-7286 or go to www.StratosBoats.com.
WWC: Johnson's 2nd showing 4/2/2008 One of the better-known sticks fishing this week's BassFan Army Weekend Warrior Championship is Craig Johnson of Martinez, Ga. He's been on the water at Pickwick and Wilson since early yesterday morning, and is stoked for his second shot at the WWC crown. For more on Johnson and his WWC ambitions, click here.
Morgan on the mic 4/2/2008 There's hot, there's sizzling, and then there's Andy Morgan, who could only be described as plasma-hot. He started the year with three Top 10s in 200-boat events and is currently ranked 8th in the world. He talks about that, and more, today on BassFan Radio. To listen, click here.
Poll: gas and fishing 4/2/2008 The oil execs are at Capitol Hill this week, and gas prices continue to soar. A new BassFan Poll asks how gas prices have affected your fishing. To participate in the poll, click here to visit the homepage, then scroll down the right-hand side of the page.
Champlain 'monster' vid 4/2/2008 As anglers, we all wonder what lurks in the deep. For nearly 400 years, some folks have believed that a strange species inhabits the 400-foot depths of Lake Champlain. Nicknamed "Champ," it's basically the American version of the Loch Ness monster.
Several years ago, two anglers fishing Lake Champlain shot what they said was footage of a plesiosaur-type creature that had surfaced near their boat. The pair was Dick Affolter, a local trial lawyer and avid fisherman, and his son-in-law Pete Bodette. That's not new news, but notable is that the original ABC News report on the sighting, aired in 2006, is now available on YouTube. Here it is.
Sudha joins Edge 4/2/2008 Bass Edge TV announced that Sudha Kamath has joined the company as director of media relations. Although her background previously focused on news assignments, she was most recently media relations manager and film liaison for a convention and visitors bureau outside Washington D.C.
"We're thrilled to have Sudha onboard," said Bass Edge host Aaron Martin. "She has everything it takes to help us get the Bass Edge message out."
Kamath noted: "I'm looking forward to using a combination of my skills in press and media relations to promote all Bass Edge venues and their first-class brand to media outlets, destination-marketing organizations, potential sponsors and the public."
How Browne maxed his practice 4/1/2008 Sponsor obligations limited Glenn Browne to just 2 days of practice at the recent Eufaula Southeastern Stren. That turned into a blessing. He's struggled there in the past, but turned in a 4th-place finish in this go-round. He talks about that today on the Berkley Catch More Fish page. Tidbit: With limited time, he focused on quick discoveries and made two key decisions almost right away.
Previous Month 
Top of Page
© OutdoorsFan Media and InterMedia Outdoors, Inc. All rights reserved