Sight seduction 4/28/2006
This week on the Ranger Cup site, tour pro R.J. Bennett details little-known tricks for catching bed-fish. Also on the site is a new Winner's Circle story with Mississippi's Steve Jones. To read both stories, click here to go to the Ranger Cup site.

OLN becoming 'Versus' 4/28/2006
For some time, outdoor TV watchers have been wondering what the Comcast-owned Outdoor Life Network (OLN) was trying to be. It runs everything from fishing and hunting shows to the Tour de France, bull riding, the Iditarod, World Cup Skiing, the Arena Football League, NHL games and more.

At one point it was rumored in the mass media to be gearing itself up to take on the king of sports media, ESPN (remember Comcast's attempt to buy Disney in 2004?).

So what's OLN going to be? "Versus." OLN will change its name to Versus in September, when the new NHL season starts.

"Versus is a word that perfectly captures the essence of our brand," said OLN president Gavin Harvey. "It is immediate shorthand for competition, and has a range that can suit everything from stick-and-ball sports, to bull riding, to field sports. We felt it was a slam dunk, and sports fans we talked to all agreed."

OLN stated: "Versus will continue to acquire (multi-sport) tent-pole events that audiences can't find elsewhere." But when it comes to its bread and butter, the company added that it "has seen both ratings and revenue growth in the (outdoors, or what it calls 'field sports') genre for several years."

"Field sports is one of the most time-honored, sporting traditions in America," Harvey said. "Anyone who has been skunked on a hunting trip or told the story of 'the one that got away' can relate to that. Versus will continue to highlight the stories and traditions that make field sports so important to this network and to our fans."

Kentucky history lesson 4/28/2006
The fifth stop of the six-event FLW Tour season begins May 10th at Kentucky Lake. The venue has been a past stop on the FLW Tour – most recently in 2003 and 2004 – so here's an interesting question: How have the current Top 10 anglers in the FLW Tour points performed there in the past?

Below are current FLW points leaders, followed by their most recent Kentucky Lake performances. Note that the 2004 Kentucky Lake FLW took place May 12–15 and the 2003 event took place May 14–17. Both were pretty much in the identical timeframe as the upcoming event.

• 1. Darrel Robertson: 100th (2004), 90th (2003)

• 2. Anthony Gagliardi: 1st (2004), 76th (2003)

• 3. Ray Scheide: 77th (2004)

• 4. Gabe Bolivar: N/A (first year on FLW Tour)

• 5. Brennan Bosley: 7th (2004), 100th (2003)

• 6. Brent Chapman: 87th (2004), 20th (2003)

• 7. Cliff Pirch: N/A (second year on FLW Tour)

• 8. Jim Moynagh: 168th (2004), 72nd (2003)

• 9. Matt Herren: 98th (2004), 84th (2003)

• 10. Kim Stricker: 163rd (2004), 130th (2003)

The historic edge has to go to Gagliardi, who won 2 years ago. But Bosley was 7th that same year. Also note that Ray Scheide finished 2nd at the 2002 Kentucky Lake Central Stren, which took place the first week of May.

> No history lesson would be complete without a mention of Kentucky Lake resident Dan Morehead. Yes, he's back at 39th in the FLW points with no real shot at AOY, but he's fighting to stay in the Top 48 for an FLW Championship berth. How about this for Kentucky damage done: 6 BFL Top 10s and one win, one Stren win (2002) and one FLW Tour win (1998).

> Another history footnote: Steve Kennedy won the 2003 Kentucky Lake FLW. He's way back at 89th in the points. But BassFan yesterday received a number of letters from his fans wishing to prove that Kennedy is a strong offshore fisherman. He is, as he proved in 2003 and so many times before and after.

Cali okays BPL test 4/27/2006
Using electrical lines to access the Internet? It isn't a new idea. The theory has been there almost since the Internet began. The idea seemed to come of age in 2004, when Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. and Broadband LLC signed an agreement to jointly develop and market broadband-over-powerline (BPL) solutions.

The Mitsubishi/Broadband technology is currently being used in other countries – notably Australia – and in select sites in the U.S. (Manassas, Va. and portions of Cincinnati, Ohio for example). But today, the California Public Utilities Commission approved a statewide test of BPL, which delivered new momentum to the project.

What does this mean to BassFans? Simple. More Internet options might soon be on the way. If BPL is adopted, it could create a potentially free (or at least heavily discounted) mega-bandwidth connection for all areas that receive electric service. So if you're currently stranded in dial-up land, help might be on the way.

Listen to a legend 4/27/2006
Bass fishing legend Bill Dance talks about winning catfish tournaments, the tricks that anglers played in the "old days" and his 36-year association with Stren in a new BassFan Radio interview with Terry Brown. To listen, click here.

Swindle on season 4/27/2006

• Amistad: 13th
  
• Rayburn: 26th
  
• Santee Cooper: 28th
  
• Guntersville: 5th

After that run, he's 6th in the Elite Series points, and he's climbed from 27th to 10th in the BassFan World Rankings.

Pretty darn good, you'd think, but he's not exactly happy with the way his season's gone so far. "You know, I'm a little disappointed that I've had a few opportunities where I just hadn't gotten it done," he said. "I'm pretty hard on myself, and feel I should have had a little better season so far. I've had some key fish come off in big tournaments.

"I'm just trying to get that next break. If I can stay consistent, and get that break, I'll be a little more happy."

> The next Elite Series event is at Clarks Hill, Ga., where he finished 125th last year. But that event was in March, whereas this upcoming event occurs during the first week of May.

HardNose offer 4/27/2006

Send the envelope to: Mann's HardNose Sample, 1111 State Docks Road, Eufaula, AL 36027. You'll get a 6-inch jerkbait, 5-inch Swim Toad and 5-inch Freefall worm (pictured at right) in the most popular colors.

A regular, first-class stamp will do it – Mann's will pick up the cost of the additional postage.

Clarifications 4/27/2006
In his latest BassFan Opinion piece, founder and CEO Jay Kumar clears up a couple of issues: fishing for spawning bass, and a misconception that some have been under about BassFan coverage of the BASS Federation Nation.

To read the article, click here.

No Ike interview 4/26/2006
After thinking about it, Guntersville winner Mike Iaconelli doesn't want to do the BassFans interview of him. "Right now I'd just like my fishing to do the talking," he said. "I apologize to everyone who sent in questions. Save them: We'll do that interview another time."

Farley leads ROY 4/26/2006
It's no surprise that Georgia FLW Series rookie Tim Farley is leading the BassFan Rookie of the Year (ROY) Race (we finally were able to update it!). After all, he won the FLW Series opener on Lanier, which means he's batting 1.000.

But since there's only been one FLW Series event, BassFans might want to keep an eye on guys further down the ROY standings list, particularly Ohio Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Bill Lowen.

For more, and to see the full ROY standings, click here.

Fish attractant scare 4/26/2006
Various news outlets are reporting that a leaky bottle of J.J.'s Magic Dippin Dye fish attractant yesterday forced the closure of the Hueytown, Ala. post office. In addition, 20 workers were sent to hospitals in the Birmingham area.

Apparently, officials were at first unsure whether the concoction was lethal. The Associated Press reported that six workers had difficulty breathing and were rushed to hospitals as a decontamination measure. Others reported a burning sensation in their throats.

And as its name implies, J.J.'s Magic Dippin Dye also contains lure dye. Workers initially thought the substance was caustic and had burned the floor.

The threat of a terrorist attack is anything but funny, and BassFan, every day, thanks the men and women who put themselves in harm's way to keep up safe. But there is one line of an AP report on the event that we got a chuckle from, and you might too: "Many anglers are familiar with such concoctions and use it without any protection."

No more parking lots 4/26/2006
FLW Outdoors today announced that it will move its 2007 FLW Tour day-3 and day-4 4 weigh-ins (and Family Fun Zones) out of Wal-Mart parking lots and into larger-capacity public facilities. Weigh-ins for days 1 and 2 will remain lakeside.

The company noted that currently, the weigh-in tent and Fun Zone cover nearly 68,000 square feet. Next year, that footprint will grow to cover 100,000 to 150,000 square feet, depending on local facilities.

According to FLW Outdoors chairman Irwin Jacobs, the move will not only accommodate larger crowds, but will benefit area Wal-Marts, rather than select stores.

"Instead of one (Wal-Mart) store reaping all of the benefits from an FLW Tour stop, all stores in the markets we visit will benefit from hosting angler seminars and other promotional activities onsite while also participating in offsite Family Fun Zone activities designed to drive fishing fans back into the stores following our tournaments," Jacobs said.

He added: "This is a perfect opportunity for Wal-Mart and our other sponsors to reach out to new customers. It's also the perfect opportunity to take our sport to the next level."

Other events that will move their final weigh-ins to public facilities include the Stren Championship, BFL All-American and TBF National Championship, as well as the Walleye Tour Championship.

See the Beast 4/26/2006

OLN back to Dish 4/26/2006
EchoStar Communications, parent company of Dish Network, and the Outdoor Life Network (OLN) have announced a multi-year agreement that restores the channel to Dish Network customers.

“It was important that we negotiated a fair contract, enabling Dish Network to remain a tremendous value for our customers,” said Eric Sahl, senior VP of programming. “We understand that this has been a difficult period for our customers, and we thank them for all their patience. We look forward to a long relationship with OLN in which we can provide the network to our customers.”

Said OLN president Gavin Harvey: “We are very pleased that millions of Dish customers can once again enjoy OLN's terrific programming. Dish and OLN belong together, and I appreciate the spirit of partnership that reconnected us. We look forward to serving our very passionate – and extremely patient – fans of the NHL, Tour De France, Professional Bull Riding, and the best hunting and fishing on television.”

Bass-related OLN programs include Angling Edge (Al Lindner), Bill Dance Outdoors, Classic Patterns, Fishing University (Charlie Ingram), Fishing with Roland Martin, One More Cast with Shaw Grigsby, On the Water with Hank Parker and the Scott Martin Challenge.

Departure at Johnson 4/25/2006
Johnson Outdoors Inc. – parent company of Minn Kota, Humminbird, Bottomline and Cannon, among other brands – announced that president and COO Jervis Perkins resigned to pursue other interests. He'd served as COO since Jan. 2003, and president/COO since Dec. 2004.

Perkins will remain in his current role through May 5 to assist in transition. Johnson has no plans to fill the vacancy at this time.

> Johnson Outdoors, formerly known as Johnson Worldwide Associates, sold its Johnson, Mitchell and Spiderline brands to Pure Fishing in Jan. 2000. It acquired Technsonic (Humminbird) in May 2004, and Bottomline/Cannon in Oct. 2005.

TBF, colleges unite 4/25/2006
The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF) announced the formation of a new partnership and the charter of a new Federation affiliation with the national governing body of collegiate anglers – the Collegiate Bass Anglers Association (CBAA).

Incorporated in 2004 as a nonprofit organization, the CBAA seeks to promote collegiate bass fishing on a national scale by bringing it recognition as an organized sport. CBAA programs include new club development, consulting, competition (state, regional and national), scholarships, internships, conservation and youth programs.

“We are proud to be the newest member of the TBF/FLW Outdoors family and its first national Federation chapter, serving collegiate anglers from coast to coast,” said Troy Heckaman, CBAA commissioner and co-founder. “We researched the prevailing opinion of today’s collegiate anglers over the past 18 months, structuring our organization and program development around our findings.”

Said TBF president Robert Cartlidge: “TBF and our industry partners are truly excited about CBAA coming on board as a new official Federation chapter. CBAA fills a significant hole in amateur bass fishing – the federation has a long history of supporting youth programs, but generally those programs stop at age 18.

"Now with CBAA on board as a new Federation chapter, we can keep those youth we are growing in the sport of fishing at a young age active and occupied throughout their collegiate years by participating in something based on family values and that is constructive. We expect great things from this partnership.”

FLW Outdoors/TBF programs manager David Simmons said collegiate teams and anglers will have priority entry status as boaters and non-boaters for BFL tournaments, and as non-boaters for Stren Series, FLW Series and FLW Tour events.

“All of the participation and membership benefits available to the TBF will be provided to collegiate anglers who also become TBF/FLW Outdoors members," Simmons said. "We couldn’t be happier about the opportunity to work with the CBAA to develop new collegiate programs.”

Hometown wrap 4/25/2006

(Editor's note: If you're an angler with a wrap, please send BassFan a photo and we'll post it. To submit photos, send an email to: editorial@bassfan.com.)

Scroggins' worst in 2 4/25/2006

"There wasn't a whole lot I could do about that," he said. "I had a pretty bad practice. I caught them pretty good the first (practice) day, but then it dwindled down a little the second day. Local guys got on my spots the last day, plus the water wasn't moving."

During the tournament, "I kept trying to catch big fish," he said. "I didn't break down or anything. I just sucked.

"I always try to go out in practice and build something to be consistent with, but I don't know what happened here. I couldn't get it together for some reason.

"But I got a $10,000 check so that was kind of cool. And if 50th is my worst in 2 years, I'll take that."

La. access upheld 4/24/2006
A U.S. District Court judge in Louisiana ruled Friday that access to Mississippi River backwater areas should remain open for angling and other uses.

Judge James D. Kirk ruled in favor of Normal Palm Jr., Harold Watts, Roy Gammill, William Rogers and Robert Balch in a suit against Mark W. Shumate, sheriff of East Carroll Parish. In the report and recommendations, the court ruled that the plaintiffs "are entitled to reasonably use the waters of the Mississippi from the ordinary low-water mark to the high-water mark, as defined by federal and state law, which use includes at the least the purpose of navigation (including travel and transportation), commerce, boating, sailing, fishing and hunting from boats."

The report also stated that "the arrests of the plaintiffs were without probable cause" and recommended that "further proceedings be held to ascertain the extent of plaintiffs' damages resulting from their illegal arrests."

The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF) and BASS Federation Nation both issued Action Alerts recently to notify anglers of an impending decision in the case and urging members to send letters supporting continued access.

"It just goes to show what the power of the group can do when we all pull together as one," said TBF president Robert Cartlidge.

Smith joins BassFan 4/24/2006

"BassFan is a place where angler-fans can come to have a politics-free, fun experience, and I believe that fact and our relationship with the Bass Federation are big reasons we're seeing our membership rolls grow so dramatically," Kumar said. "With his experience and vision for the future, Al is the perfect person to shepherd our membership programs into their next phase."

Smith has successfully shepherded other fishing membership programs, most lately as president of Brentwood, Calif.-based U.S. Anglers Choice. There he grew participation, started new trails and developed a national championship for that organization's 50-plus team trails across the country, while also being responsible for sponsorships and other key business areas.

Prior to that he was the national Federation director for ESPN-owned BASS for three years, a position he took after being president of the Maine Bass Federation, a voluntary post.

"I'm extremely excited about the opportunity to develop the BassFan membership and the relationships between the industry and weekend anglers," Smith said. "With the Skeeter BassFan Army and the Skeeter Weekend Warrior Championship, BassFan has provided a way for all weekend fishermen and everyone in the fishing industry to participate.

"Companies that can't afford BASS and FLW now can reach weekend fishermen through us, whereas before they couldn't," he explained. "In the same way, our programs provide a politics-free venue for weekend guys to get national exposure and come into the industry."

He added: "I'm very excited about working with the Federation (TBF) again, as well as everyone at BassFan – because of the direction the company is moving in and the things it has done. It's kind of like a mini-dream come true. BassFan is breaking new ground all the time, and that's exciting."

Richardson wins WBT 4/22/2006

The Top 6 who fished the final day weighed in on the Guntersville Bassmaster Elite Series stage, where the Elite Series event is still underway.

"I didn't expect my weight to hold while I was sitting there," Richardson said. "When it got closer and I realized I could win, I just got more nervous."

Details of her winning pattern will be posted soon. Final results appear below.

Final Standings

1. Tammy Richardson -- Amity, Ark. -- 13, 33-03 -- 305 -- $50,000
Day 1: 5, 11-15 -- Day 2: 3, 7-01 -- Day 3: 5, 14-03

2. Sheri Glasgow -- Muskogee, Okla. -- 15, 30-01 -- 295 -- $5,200
Day 1: 5, 11-08 -- Day 2: 5, 9-05 -- Day 3: 5, 9-04

3. Linda Sands -- Cullman, Ala. -- 15, 29-10 -- 290 -- $3,680
Day 1: 5, 13-03 -- Day 2: 5, 6-13 -- Day 3: 5, 9-10

4. Penny Berryman -- Hot Springs, Ark. -- 13, 29-01 -- 290 -- $3,180
Day 1: 5, 12-01 -- Day 2: 5, 9-06 -- Day 3: 3, 7-10

5. Kathi Hurst -- Ripley, Miss. -- 10, 24-05 -- 285 -- $1,930
Day 1: 4, 10-06 -- Day 2: 5, 11-01 -- Day 3: 1, 2-14

6. Deanie Tate -- Arkadelphia, Ark. -- 12, 23-09 -- 276 -- $2,700
Day 1: 4, 7-02 -- Day 2: 5, 11-13 -- Day 3: 3, 4-10

Big Bass

> Day 1 -- Rhonda Pope -- Waco, Ga. -- 5-08 -- $1,000
> Day 2 -- Deanie Tate -- Arkadelphia, Ark. -- 5-11 -- $1,000
> Day 3 -- Penny Berryman -- Hot Springs, Ark. -- 3-12 -- $1,000

Chatterbait update 4/21/2006
BassFan received a communication from Rad Lures president Ron Davis that corrected a previous BassFan Dock Talk item. In that item, BassFan speculated that the Rad Lures Chatterbait had been sold to Renosky Lures Inc. Not so, wrote Davis.

Here's the written communication from Davis in its entirety:

"Rad Lures Fishing Products Inc. has not been sold to, or transferred any rights concerning the intellectual property revolving around the Chatterbait, to Renosky Lures. Renosky Lures is, however, being utilized to aid in manufacturing and distribution of the Chatterbait product line.

"Mr. Renosky has been a great asset in not only improving the cosmetics of the Chatterbait, but to help bridge the gap to many large retailers. For the past 3 months, the major goal for Rad Lures has been to secure the needed relationships to efficiently supply the extreme demand for this product line.

"In addition, we're striving for improvement in form as well as function of the Chatterbait in order to supply the serious bass fishermen with new 'tools' designed to perform at the highest levels of competitive bass fishing."

Hamilton misses G-ville 4/21/2006
BassFan recently published a story about Robert Hamilton losing his Triton sponsorship and sitting out the Guntersville Bassmaster Elite Series. In case you missed it, click here to read it.

TBF supports access 4/21/2006
The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF) has weighed in on a Louisiana lawsuit in which public access to Mississippi River backwater areas is at stake.

Normal Palm Jr., et. al., vs. Mark W. Shumate, Sheriff of East Carroll Parish, is a pending case in U.S. District Court, Western District of Louisiana, Monroe Division. TBF asserts in an Action Alert that a ruling in favor of Shumate "would make fishing backwaters illegal, even when access to such waters is readily available with river stages between the ordinary low- and high-water marks.

"Such a ruling is clearly unacceptable. Now is the time to take a stand, before the courts set a precedent for denying access to navigable waters throughout the entire United States."

Historically, anglers have had access to all navigable waters along the Mississippi, including its tributaries.

Along with the Action Alert, TBF sent a form letter to each of its state Federations that can be signed and sent to an attorney who's preparing a brief on behalf of anglers and angling organizations to "better inform the court of the potential impacts of its decision." TBF is requesting to review the brief and would become a signatory "if it argues to protect the public's right to access navigable waters."

The court is expected to issue its ruling soon. The case number is 3:01-CV2624.

Topwater transitions 4/21/2006
Topwater baits can be effective during all phases of the spawn, but many anglers don't take full advantage because they fail to make the necessary subtle adjustments. According to FLW Tour pro Ken Wick of Idaho, finding the right retrieve cadence is often critical. For more topwater tips from Wick, as well as a new Winner's Circle story on Patrick Tierney (Denver, N.C.), click here to visit the Ranger Cup site.

Scheide runs the show 4/21/2006
FLW Tour pro Ray Scheide will serve as master of ceremonies for the inaugural Arkansas Tech University Bass Tournament this weekend on Lake Dardanelle in Russellville, Ark.

The event gets under way with a banquet tonight. Saturday will be a practice day, and the one-day tournament will be held Sunday. Twelve universities will send representatives, including Purdue, Wisconsin, Oregon and Illinois.

"It's an exciting time for bass fishing," said Scheide, a Russellville resident. "To see the sport coming very close to being recognized as a legitimate college sport is a very positive thing."

Universities can enter an unlimited number of two-person teams. As in other collegiate sports, the participants will not be competing for prize money.

"The winners will get plaques and that type of thing," Scheide said.

Arkansas Tech offers a bass fishing class, and Scheide is a frequent guest speaker. He also gives presentations on sponsorships to marketing classes.

Offsite Memorial course 4/20/2006
Like the former Elite 50s, the Bassmaster Majors will feature a hole-course format for the final days. But unlike the Elite 50s, the first Major – the Bassmaster Memorial at Eagle Mountain Lake, Texas – will move anglers to a new lake for the hole course. Those anglers who make the cut at the Memorial will travel to nearby Lake Worth to fish the hole course.

Denny Brauer said he likes the idea. "It really doesn't matter, because every time we've had a hole course, it had been off-limits anyway. I think it's kind of neat. I like that idea."

> BASS has not yet released official information about the Memorial hole course, or potential hole-course sites for other Majors.

Chatterbait to Renosky? 4/20/2006
Indications point to Renosky Lure Inc. as the new owner of the Chatterbait. BassFans may know Renosky through its Bionic Minnow and Boomerang Fishing Pro infomercials, as well as its line of "hybird" baits that combine metal and soft-plastic.

BassFans may also remember that owner Joe Renosky was a former member of the Banjo Buddies Inc. (BBI) board of directors. BBI marketed the Banjo Minnow, and later brought a trademark-infringement suit against Joe Renosky for his marketing of the Bionic Minnow. That suit was successful.

G-ville weigh-in delay 4/20/2006
Storm conditions forced a temporary halt to the Guntersville Bassmaster Elite Series weigh-in, which began at 3:00 CST. The weigh-in resumed at approximately 4:30 CST.

Chatterbait sold? 4/20/2006

The same source indicated that the new Chatterbait owner plans to market the Chatterbait through an infomercial, and the bait will be exclusive to two large retailers, one of which is believed to be Wal-Mart.

BassFan will continue to report new news as it becomes available.

Beaver bites Hoernke again 4/20/2006
For the second time in 3 years, Texas' Sean Hoernke took a big tumble in the FLW Tour points with a bomb at the Wal-Mart Open (Beaver FLW). Now he hopes to pull off a repeat of the latter part of the 2004 season.

Hoernke was 17th in the Angler of the Year (AOY) standings before going to Beaver earlier this month. He finished 148th and is now 49th in the points – one spot out of the cutoff for the Forrest L. Wood Championship.

In 2004, he was 8th when he went to Beaver, but left in 34th after a 158th-place finish. He rebounded to finish 33rd and 49th in the final two tournaments of the regular season, which left him 16th in the points and gained him his first FLW Championship berth.

"When it comes to Beaver, I've got a bone to pick with pre-spawn events," he said. "This time I had the bites, but it just didn't work out. I was finesse-fishing, and I broke a few off and just didn't get the fish into the boat."

The final two events are at Kentucky and Champlain, and he's confident that he'll get back into the Top 48. The points standings won't be foremost in his mind though.

"I'm just going to be really aggressive," he said. "Kentucky is the type of lake that suits my strengths (shallow-water techniques), and at Champlain it's going to be so tight that there's no way you can fish conservatively. You could have 13 pounds and be down at the bottom, and have 14 and be in good shape. That's the one that's scaring everybody because it's so finite.

"I've caught myself playing the points game in the past and I promised myself that I wasn't going to do it this year. If I have a chance to make the cut, but I have to take a risk to do it, then I'm going to go for it. Making cuts and winning are what you're remembered for, and that's what I'm going to have to do to build my career."

Country fun 4/20/2006
If you enjoy old-fashioned, country-style outdoor pursuits, then you're going to wish you were hanging out with George Cochran and Larry Nixon these days in their native Arkansas.

They spent all of Wednesday night (and into the wee hours of Thursday morning) collecting frogs for a big frog-leg fry. A spring turkey hunt is next on their agenda, and then they'll go after crappie and bream with ultra-light spinning and fly gear.

Cochran made it clear that the panfish excursion will not be a catch-and-release affair. "Down here in Arkansas, we're all about meat," he said.

He said the frog trip netted about 100 croakers. They weren't bound by state regulations for limits and method-of-take because it took place on a fish farm. Such operations are permitted to remove as many amphibians as they deem necessary.

"Once the frogs start having tadpoles, the tadpoles get mixed in with the fingerling fish and they end up having to take them out by hand," Cochran explained.

The farm produces bream, crappie and several species of carp. "Most of them are only about 2 inches long when they sell them," he said.

They took some frogs via the conventional method – a three-pronged gig. Others they shot with a .22-caliber rifle. They also shot a few fish-eating cottonmouths.

"Larry and I and both of our wives love to eat (frog legs)," he said. "They're just like chicken legs – all white meat."

He didn't hesitate when asked who was the better frog hunter. "Larry gets a lot more intense about it than I do."

Post DQ standings 4/19/2006
BASS has reissued its Santee Cooper Bassmaster Elite Series and Angler of the Year standings to reflect the recent DQ of Randy Howell. Howell was previously 17th in the points, but fell to 71st. The DQ moved Jeff Kriet up to 50th place at Santee, which awarded him $10,000.

> To see the new points standings, click here.

> To see the revised day 2 standings from Santee Cooper, click here.

> To see the revised day 3 standings, click here.

Women of Tru Tungsten 4/19/2006
The inaugural Women's Bassmaster Tour event begins tomorrow at Alabama's Lake Neely Henry, and Tru Tungsten has put together a six-member pro team. The team consists of Pam Martin-Wells, Laura Gober, Carol Martens, Robin Babb, Mary Hencken and Cheryl LaLumandier.

"Our purpose in sponsoring these outstanding women is to show the fishing industry that Tru Tungsten is supporting the whole family in different kinds of fishing tournaments," said pro staff manager Tom Branch Jr. "The Women of Tru Tungsten are going to prove that if you fish harder with Tru Tungsten weights and lures, you will have an advantage on the competition."

The tournament, which has 104 entrants in both the pro and co-angler divisions, runs through Saturday.

Rapala on TV 4/19/2006
Rapala is always an innovator. The company's pro staff is top-notch and its advertising is cutting-edge as well. Check out the new X-Rap video by clicking here.

What about those DQs? 4/19/2006
Here's your chance to weigh in on the disqualifications of Kevin VanDam, Alton Jones and Randy Howell at the recent Santee Cooper Bassmaster Elite Series. Were the penalties appropriate for the alleged infractions? To vote, visit the homepage and scroll down the left side.

Casting on campus 4/19/2006
Talk of collegiate sports in Kentucky usually begins and ends with men's basketball. But several universities in the state have formed competitive bass-fishing clubs, and the Louisville Courier-Journal recently took notice.

Since few college students own boats, they rely on members of local bass clubs to help them conduct their tournaments, and Louisville's club has come up with a clever way to get boat-owners to participate. To read the article, click here.

Productive partnership 4/19/2006
Gabe Bolivar and Brent Ehrler both grew up in southern California and fished against each other in Western tournaments for years. Now they're roommates on the FLW Tour, and their partnership has paid dividends for both.

Bolivar, who now lives in Arizona, is 4th in the Angler of the Year (AOY) race in his first year on the tour. Ehrler, who's 15th in the points, is in the midst of a strong sophomore campaign.

"We've been friends a long time, and I think we're both doing good because we're very focused," said Bolivar, who was 130th in the Bassmaster points in his only other tour-level season in 2003. "On practice days, we're the first guys at the ramp and the last guys to leave, and we feed off each other's emotions.

"If one of us is feeling lazy one day, the other one will kick him into gear. It's a good combination and it's good motivation for both of us."

Said Ehrler: "It really works good to have two guys like that. I can't tell you what a difference it makes to have a good roommate. We just keep motivating each other and pushing each other along."

At this time a year ago, Ehrler was languishing below 80th place in the points (he finished 73rd). Now he stands an excellent chance to gain his first berth in the Forrest L. Wood Championship.

"There's no question that things have gone better this year," he said. "I've had opportunities both years to do better than I've done, but this year I've ended up finishing higher."

Likewise, Bolivar is enjoying himself much more than he did during the 2003 Bassmaster season.

"I think I got out there before I was quite ready and I was over my head a little bit," he said. "But I did learn a lot – I soaked up everything like a sponge. Everything I did wrong that year, I've made sure not to do this year."

Xtools to Shakespeare 4/18/2006
Shakespeare Fishing Tackle acquired Xtools and announced the news on April 4. Xtools, known for its fishing accessories that float, joins other Shakespeare-owned brands Pflueger reels, All-Star rods and Cajun line.

Shakespeare president Scott Hogsett said, "The acquisition of Xtools gives us a foothold in the fishing accessories market. One of the best things about this acquisition is that we can sell Xtools products to our traditional sporting goods retailers, plus the broad base of marine dealers that carry our Shakespeare antennas."

Thrust and convenience 4/18/2006
If you've never tried Minn Kota's gas-charged Lift-Assist, you're missing out. The BassFan staff loves it, and there's a lot of other things we like about the whole Maxxum Pro 101 trolling motor. We put it through a solid workout at Lake Guntersville. To read the full product review based on that test, click here.

BASS vs. FLW (again) 4/18/2006
The arms race between BASS and FLW Outdoors continues to escalate. Both leagues have printed supporting publications for years, but Bassmaster magazine is still the clear leader between the two.

While Bassmaster was a bass-specific publication, FLW Outdoors magazine sought to cover multispecies fishing to support growth in the walleye and saltwater markets. But FLW Outdoors recently promised to deliver species-specific editions of its magazine for bass, walleye and saltwater anglers.

BassFan received its copy of the Bass Edition of FLW Outdoors magazine and the first impression almost anyone would have is that it's meant to directly compete with Bassmaster magazine.

Here are a few items of note about the new Bass Edition of FLW Outdoors:

Elder Murray ailing 4/18/2006
Bill Murray, the father of two-time Bassmaster Classic winner Bobby Murrary and former BASS competitor Billy Murray, is in St. Joseph Hospital in Hot Springs Ark., convalescing after several health issues.

"He is a very sick man," Bobby said of his 83-year-old father.

Bobby said Bill instilled a love of the outdoors in each of his four sons. "Billy and I stole every lure my dad ever bought. He'd buy something and we had it in our tackle boxes within a couple of days. He never said a word about it."

Howell DQd from Santee 4/17/2006
Bass just announced a few moments ago that Randy Howell has been DQd from the Santee Cooper Bassmaster Elite Series, which ended April 2. BASS stated he'd been disqualified for a violation of BASS Rules 3(ii) and 12. These were the same rules under which Kevin VanDam and Alton Jones had been DQd from the event.

BASS also stated that "Howell will return the prize money, receive no points and the tournament results will be adjusted accordingly."

Howell had taken a polygraph at the event, and it's not known why a ruling was made more than 2 weeks after the event concluded.

This is a breaking news story and BassFan will continue to report.

> For an interview with Howell about the incident in question, and his subsequent polygraph examination, click here.

The life of Lane 4/17/2006

The Prattville, Ala. pro is off to a good start. He's 21st in the Elite Series points after the following finishes: 24th (Amistad), 51st (Rayburn) and 17th (Santee Cooper). For BassFans who don't know much about him, here's a few items of interest.

Former Hurler

Lane played AAA-level ball, but never got his shot at the bigs. "I graduated from Huntington University in '94 and I played 3 years in the Frontier League," he said. "I was a pitcher. I could throw into the low 90s. I had a major-league arm, but I didn't know where it was going. That's what kept me out."

The closest look he ever got was from the Yankees. "I had a cross-checker from the Yankees come down one time and look at me, and I signed some paperwork from him. Nothing ever developed out of that. I was definitely an overachiever. If half the guys had the drive and work ethic I had, with the talent they had, they really would have been something.

"I didn't have the talent most of the guys had. I just got a whole lot out of what I was given. I think I'm the same way in fishing, but I'm twice as passionate about fishing as I am about baseball."

Wheeler-Dealer

His only real job before fishing was his baseball stint. Other than that he buys and sells just about everything. And he's made some dough from, you guessed it, baseball cards. "I've done well on some baseball cards over the years – old stuff like Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle."

Other Stuff

> He fished the 2004 Classic – he got there through the Federation.

> His 51st at Rayburn stung – he missed the cut (and $10,000) by 1 ounce.

> He's a homer at next week's Guntersville event, but tanked there last year with a 129th. "I really like Guntersville – I've always done really well there in local tournaments with my team partner. But last year – that was the tournament that kept me out of the (Bassmaster) Classic. I'd never been to the hospital before, but the night before practice I got a weird stomach virus and never got to practice. This year I'm out for revenge."

Another over 100? 4/17/2006

"There's no question Guntersville could be another blow-out. Me and a few fishing buddies just got back from there. We saw some initial waves of spawners that came in with the new moon, but the pros will be there perfectly positioned on a full moon. They should smoke 'em. I'm predicting another run at 100 pounds for this event."

He noted that when he was there, the water was clear with water temps in the '60s. He caught his fish on Cavitron buzzbaits, Strike King Zeros (a Senko-like bait), spinnerbaits and Dean Rojas white lizards.

Thanks to you 4/16/2006
From the BassFan staff to those overseas and in harm's way: Our thoughts are with you this Easter. It's through your sacrifice that we can all continue to do as we do, and live as we live. A thank you could never be enough, but today, we offer that, and prayers that with Godspeed you will all return safely home.

Floating-worm frenzy 4/14/2006
FLW Tour pro Tracy Adams of North Carolina loves to fish a floating worm around docks. He uses spinning tackle to get the bait as far under the platform as possible – back where the big ones live. To read more about his technique, as well as a new Winner's Circle story on Scott Brummett (Brentwood, Tenn.), click here to visit the Ranger Cup site.

Brushpile brush-up 4/14/2006
Thanks to the BassFans who wrote in about Jay Kumar's recent BassFan Opinion to note that the planting of brushpiles is legal in BASS competition too. The applicable part of Rule 13 states: "Competitors wishing to change fish habitat by placing any object in the tournament waters may do so if such action does not violate state or federal regulations."

Kumar said: "I apologize to everybody for the error. I was sure that it had been illegal for a while, and I'm actually shocked it's legal in BASS events. It doesn't seem like something BASS would allow." (Editor's note: The Top Gun/Weekend Warrior rules do not allow planting of brushpiles.)

It might be that fans hear less about BASS brushpiles because of the limited practice. With only 2 1/2 days to prefish an Elite Series event, there's not much time to plant brush.

And the brush would have to come from somewhere, so it's conceivable that an angler who receives brush from a local landowner could be protested under BASS rule 3(ii) that states: "During both the official practice and the tournament, a competitor may not have the assistance or advice of anyone for the purposes of locating or catching bass." That, of course, would be open to intepretation.

Original BASS tournament director Harold Sharp noted: "This rule was added years ago after many anglers started adding brushpiles and other anglers weren't sure if it was legal. We added the rule to allow this because it is a very effective method of fishing and BASS (wanted) to encourage new fishing methods. The rule was very carefully worded so it did not violate any state laws."

Another tidbit from Sharp: "Part or most of the problems with BASS rules are caused by allowing the anglers to make or suggest rules. We learned long ago that anglers should not be allowed to run tournaments, and the rule changes most will suggest are to curtail some other angler. For as long as I was tournament director for BASS, we looked very closely at the BASS rules at the end of each tournament year and made changes before new rules were printed.

"These changes were made by the BASS staff and always made as to what was best for the BASS Tournament Trail, not what was best for any particular angler or group of anglers. We never changed a rule because tournament anglers suggested it. BASS and FLW both need their rules examined and refined, but they should not allow the anglers to do it."

Test drive a 'Tec 4/14/2006

BRP VP and GM Roch Lambert said, "Giving consumers the opportunity to run our product is so important. Explaining the technology is one thing, but being able to feel the power and hear the quiet-running engine tells the whole performance story. Everyone is impressed when they step off the boat."

Each test-drive event is open to the public and hosted by a local Evinrude and Ranger dealer. And there's a bonus for those who test-drive. Consumers who purchase a Ranger powered by an Evinrude E-Tec within 60 days of attending a test-drive event receive 5 years of engine protection and a Ranger boat cover. (Official rules available at test-drive events).

For the current 2006 test-drive event schedule, click here.

Strother's winning pattern 4/13/2006
Chris Koester's work schedule has prohibited him from regular Complete Co-Angler updates this season, but he was able to track down Wal-Mart Open (Beaver FLW) winner Richard Strother for his winning pattern details. To read how Strother dusted his day-3 competition, click here.

What's shakin'? 4/13/2006
Mark Rose, runner-up at the recent Wal-Mart Open (Beaver FLW), talks about his decision to key on smallmouths and using a shaky-head worm to catch pre-spawn fish in the latest BassFan Radio interview with Terry Brown. To listen, click here.

Violation and punishment 4/13/2006
The DQs of Kevin VanDam and Alton Jones from the Santee Cooper Bassmaster Elite Series was a hot topic among BassFans. After BassFan founder and CEO Jay Kumar read all the feedback, he penned a new opinion about the DQs and what he thinks is wrong (and right) with all pro-fishing rules as they're written now.

To read his BassFan Opinion, click here.

Safety and comfort 4/13/2006
Let's face it: A lot of anglers don't wear lifejackets as often as they should, simply because the safety devices are too often bulky or restrictive. But with Sospenders, that's not an issue. They're comfortable enough to be worn all day and their lightweight design doesn't impede casting.

To read a BassFan product review, click here.

Gills and greens 4/13/2006

In addition to the wrap, O'Shea's contract includes appearances in Bass & Birdie events – 2-day schools and tournaments held at renowned courses such as Greenbrier in West Virginia and PGA National in Florida.

He said the wrap has elicited many comments from fans and other anglers. "Most people are saying it's about time somebody got the golf industry and the fishing industry in bed together. A lot of golfers love to fish, and vice versa."

(Editor's note: If you're an angler with a wrap, please send BassFan a photo and we'll post it. To submit photos, send an email to: editorial@bassfan.com.)

Angler in USA Today 4/12/2006
Tour pro Clay Dyer, a BassFan-sponsored angler, was profiled in today's issue of USA Today, and was also highlighted in a brief piece on CNN. To read the USA Today piece, click here.

Fukae's worms 4/12/2006
According to Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Shinichi Fukae used two different styles of Yamamoto finesse-type worms on a shakey-head jig in his recent victory at the Wal-Mart Open (Beaver FLW) in Rogers, Ark.

His primary bait was a 4-inch Shad-Shaped Worm, which has been on the market in Japan for about a year. It's scheduled to become available to North American anglers later this year. The other bait was a 5-inch Kut Tail Worm, which is currently available in North America. He used two colors of each – green-pumpkin and cinnamon.

> To read the BassFan Winning Pattern story, click here.

Vinyl meets metal 4/12/2006

(Editor's note: If you're an angler with a wrap, please send BassFan a photo and we'll post it. To submit photos, send an email to: editorial@bassfan.com.)

Skeeter owners: Clarks Hill 4/11/2006

Strom Thurmond Reservoir (aka Clarks Hill) was the site of a Bassmaster Tour event last season, and will host a Bassmaster Elite Series event later this month. It will become only the third lake ever to host a Skeeter Owner's Tournament.

Skeeter said it chose the lake "due to its southeast location, welcoming citizens, bass-rich waters, and the highly regarded six-mega-ramp boating facility, which earned the area a strong reputation as one of the country's premier fishing tournament destinations."

Skeeter senior VP and GM Jeff Stone said: "This area is one of our fastest-growing regions, and the Skeeter brand name is becoming a top choice among anglers seeking a bass-boat company that fulfills their needs on the water, but supports them off the water as well."

Stone added: "As we're dedicated to the production of high-quality and versatile boats, the word continues to spread. Anglers want to be more than just owners – the Skeeter Owner's Tournament Series is just the vehicle to welcome our owners into the Skeeter family. This event will prove how hard our company will work keep a relationship with our customer."

The tournament will award over $150,000 in cash and prizes, including a new SX200 Skeeter boat package and Yamaha ATV. A festival of exhibits, music and activities will accompany the event.

> Skeeter said more details about the event will be released over the next 2 months. To visit the Skeeter Owner's Tournament information page, click here.

MAG update 4/11/2006
Thanks to all the BassFans who've emailed us about the inaugural BassFan MAG. Glad you like it – and once again, there are no plans right now to make it subscriber-based.

We just put a couple of housekeeping items on the official MAG page, including some new places to get the MAG (Legend Boats dealers) and a thank you to the folks who made the MAG possible: not us, MAG advertisers. They include:

> Cabela's
> Calcutta
> Champion Boats
> Charles County (Maryland) Tourism
> Evan Williams
> Evinrude
> Gemini Sport Marketing
> Legend Boats
> Mann's Bait Co.
> Ranger Boats
> State Farm Insurance
> Stratos Boats

Scott on Cobb 4/11/2006

FOX/FLW up for Emmy 4/11/2006
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced that the FLW Outdoors TV show (produced by FOX Sports) has been nominated for a Sports Emmy award. The show was nominated in the Outstanding Innovative Technical Achievement category on the strength of its creative camera work. Other nominees include CBS' professional golf coverage and FOX Sports' Major League Baseball coverage.

The winner will be presented the award on Mon., May 1 at the Time Warner Center in New York City.

Harrison gets Sirius 4/11/2006

Harrison has competed on the FLW Tour since its beginnings in 1996. His best finish so far this season was 2nd at the Okeechobee opener.

Sirius president of operations and sales Jim Meyer said: "We're confident that our professional-angling team will be successful both on the water and with bringing brand awareness to Sirius. We're also eager to begin our contingency program, which will reward anglers who sport Sirius on their jerseys. Through this exposure, we hope to further tap into the growing boating segment of satellite-radio users."

Moody time of year 4/11/2006
The spawn is happening in some areas of the country. In other parts, it's still to come. Scales and Tales cartoonist Bill McElroy drew up a new panel about the annual event. To see it, click here.

BBZ the bait 4/10/2006

The new swimbait was designed by Big Bass Zone co-author Bill Siemantel, who's had a strong hand in many past big-bait designs. Spro will release the bait sometime later this year – maybe toward summer – and it's called the BBZ1-Floater. Here are some other key facts:

• This is the first bait in Siemantel's new Spro signature series.

• Word is the thing is "freaky" in how realistic it looks and swims.

• Three colors will be available to start. But a central teaching of the BBZ is that big baits aren't restricted to trout-stocked waters, so expect a strong variety of colors in the future.

• It measures 8 inches and weighs approximately 5 ounces.

• This model will be showcased this summer at ICAST, with more models to come.

• It was designed by Siemantel, tested by Siemantel and approved by Siemantel.

• It's made by a fisherman, for a fisherman, so it'll retail at "fair market value" – not "collector's price."

Siemantel told BassFan: "This bait would have never happened if it wasn't for Spro and (Spro national sales manager) Tim Norman. Tim came to me and asked if I could make the best big baits in the world, and gave me full say from start to finish."

> BassFan will post a color photo as soon as one becomes available.

Beaver repeaters 4/10/2006
The recent Wal-Mart Open (Beaver FLW) was a different type of tournament than it was in 2005, but two of last year's Top 10 made it to the final 2 days again. Darrel Robertson, the runner-up in '05, was 5th this time, and Clifford Pirch, 4th a year ago, was 7th.

The tournament took place a week later on the calendar last year and most of the fish were on the beds, so sight-fishing was the predominant pattern. It was primarily a pre-spawn affair this year.

Andre Moore, who won last year, had little confidence this time because of the lack of spawners. He finished 117th. That was the second-worst finish among the '05 Top 10 – Mark Pack, 10th last year, was 143rd.

Here's the rest of the '05 Top 10 and their finishes this year: 3. Alton Jones (59th); 5. Kevin Vida (46th); 6. Cody Bird (14th); 7. Alvin Shaw (31st); 8. Jason Kilpatrick (113th); 9. Jeremiah Kindy (57th).

This year's winner, Shinichi Fukae, was 19th last year. That was his best finish in a lackluster sophomore campaign. He was Angler of the Year (AOY) as a rookie the previous year with three Top 10s, including a 6th at Beaver.

Chapman's GE deal 4/7/2006

The company said in a press release that it was drawn to professional bass fishing because of the sport’s growing profile and demographics. Silicone is commonly used in the construction of boats, and professional bass fishing offers GE a new platform to reach out to consumers and builders with information about home sealing.

“We saw a lot of similarities and crossover in the demographics for NASCAR and bass fishing,” said Stephan Nelson, field marketing manager for GE Sealants & Adhesives. “The model for professional bass fishing sponsorships seems to be following the same path as NASCAR. We’re very excited to be a part of it.”

Nelson said Chapman's two-tour status was a big factor in the deal. “Being new to professional bass fishing, we were reluctant to choose one professional tour to sponsor," he said. "Both the FLW Tour and Bassmaster Elite Series are fantastic. We decided early on that we wanted to sponsor an angler who would fish both tours."

Said Chapman: "I'm very excited to be associated with GE, and they're excited to be involved with the sport of fishing. Hopefully I can bring some value to them, and hopefully they'll have a long association with the fishing industry. It makes great sense for them because their customers are the do-it-yourself types, and that's what most fishermen are."

Chapman running Triton 4/7/2006

But he's in a Triton now, and the initial switch wasn't accompanied by much fanfare – although a short press release was issued today by Triton Boats.

Chapman told BassFan: "It was just one of those things where it was time for a change. It's a great opportunity for me, and it made sense because they make a great product. I'm looking forward to a long relationship with Triton/Mercury."

On the one hand, Triton/Mercury is a better alignment for the Elite Series. But he's a two-tour pro who fishes the FLW Tour, and Yamaha (his old engine sponsor) is an FLW Outdoors sponsor. Skeeter's known to be apprehensive about non-endemic wraps – it heavily favors Skeeter or Yamaha branding – so perhaps Chapman made the switch to facilitate his wrap deal with GE Sealants. Then again, maybe not.

But it must have made for some dizzying logistics, because he actually had two boats wrapped. In the image above, the top photo shows his wrapped Skeeter, and the one below shows his wrapped Triton.

> GE's sponsorship of Chapman represents its first foray into professional fishing. More news on that to come.

The big four 4/7/2006
If you tend to get caught up in the technical aspects of fishing, you might occasionally forget about the simple things. After all, if your bases aren't covered, the technicalities don't matter. Ranger pro Shad Schenck knows that, and this week on the Ranger Cup site, he provides his very simple "rules to live by." For his advice, plus a new Winner's Circle story on Mississippi's Matt Ferguson, click here.

Szuba slams 'em 4/7/2006
More than half of the competitors in the 121-angler field at a recent BFL tournament at North Carolina's Jordan Lake failed to weigh in a keeper. Wally Szuba, on the other hand, brought in a limit that weighed more than 25 pounds and won by 8 1/2 pounds. To read about his runaway victory, click here to visit the BassFan Army site.

Yelas' Big Stick report 4/7/2006
BassFan Big Stick Jay Yelas finished 76th (one spot out of the money) at the Wal-Mart Open (Beaver FLW) with five fish for 14-06 over 2 days. He couldn't be reached by cell phone after the day 2 weigh-in, but submitted his report this morning. To read it, click here.

The Santee six 4/6/2006
Six two-tour pros made the final Top 12 cut at last week's Santee Cooper Bassmaster Elite Series: Aaron Martens, Steve Kennedy, Kelly Jordon, Dean Rojas, John Crews and Mike Wurm. That meant they fished last Sunday, then drove from South Carolina to Rogers, Ark. to compete in the Wal-Mart Open (Beaver FLW), which started yesterday. It also meant they had little or no practice at Beaver.

So how did they do on day 1 at Beaver? Here's a look at their current standing, from best to worst:

Martens: 7th
Rojas: 14th
Wurm: 25th
Crews: 169th
Kennedy: 184th
Jordon: 192nd

Obviously, there's a tight grouping near the very top, and the very bottom. Martens has done well at Beaver before. His last four FLW Tour finishes there were: 83rd, 27th, 5th and 12th.

When Martens carved out his 5th in 2003, the tournament was held the same week as this one. And Rojas finished 5th at Beaver in 2002, which was held a week later (April 14–17), and Wurm finished 11th in that same event. Maybe there's something to be said for fishing memories.

Beaver co report 4/6/2006
BassFan co-angler Big Stick Chris Koester is currently in 8th place at the Wal-Mart Open (Beaver FLW). How bad does he want to make the Top 10 cut? Real bad. To read his day 1 report, click here.

Charity follows Beaver 4/6/2006

Last year, Will Fish For Kids raised over $100,000 for the dental clinic at Arkansas Children's Hospital.

The registration, dinner and silent auction will be held Sunday at 5:30 p.m. The tournament occurs Monday at the Prairie Marina in Rogers, Ark. For more information, click here.

Army details coming 4/6/2006

The 2006 Army program details will be posted here soon. Note that all of the details currently described on the Army site specifically reference the 2005 program. If you joined in 2006, you probably haven't heard from us yet, but hang in there – we have you in our data bank and you're good to go.

Changes in store include a few new Army-sanctioned trails, some great news about Army membership fees courtesy of Skeeter boats, and an overhauled and improved Army contingency program. We'll also announce details about the 2006 Skeeter BassFan Army Weekend Warrior Championship coming to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area September 15-18, 2006. Which lake? We know but we're not telling quite yet.

Keep in mind that all of these great perks and benefits are made possible by the Skeeter BassFan Army sponsors and partners.

> To learn more about the Skeeter BassFan Army, click here.

Testing a new 'Bird 4/6/2006
Johnson Outdoors (parent company of Minn Kota) purchased Humminbird 2 years ago, and it shows. The new Humminbird units are rock-solid, with all the features you'd need at affordable price. The BassFan staff recently tested the new Humminbird 787c2 combo chartplotter and fishfinder. For the results of those tests, click here.

New cartoon 4/5/2006
After a brief hiatus, Scales and Tales cartoonist Bill McElroy is back in action. His latest creation spoofs a well-known fishing personality. Can you guess who? To see the new cartoon, click here.

More time in the zone 4/4/2006
Woo Daves is excited about the new Bagley baits, based on the Kill'r B1 series, that hit the shelves at major retailers recently. He said they stay in the strike zone longer and entice fish into biting. For more, click here to go On Tour With Bagley Baits.

Laney goes off topic 4/4/2006
BassFan columnist Scot Laney resisted the temptation to write about the Santee Cooper Bassmaster disqualifications in his latest piece. Instead, he opted to opine on the merits of a recent Harvard study that somehow scientifically concluded – get this – that prayer doesn't work. For more, click here.

A BassFan's ballad 4/4/2006
BassFan Alex Battles was moved by the story of Mac Weakley's catch and release of the potential new world-record bass. So moved, that he wrote a ballad about the catch.

To listen to the mp3 version of The Ballad of Mac Weakley by Alex Battles' Whisky Rebellion, click here.

Houston's Heinz 57 wrap 4/4/2006

(Editor's note: If you're an angler with a wrap, please send BassFan a photo and we'll post it. To submit photos, send an email to: editorial@bassfan.com.)

Setyr's big stick 4/3/2006
Setyr Rods, a year-old company based in Oregon, has produced its first flipping stick, and it's a winner. It has plenty of backbone without being unwieldy and features several characteristics that make it stand apart from the crowd. To read a BassFan Product Review, click here.

Okla. mark falls again 4/3/2006
When Steve McLarty caught an 8-03 smallmouth during a recent Fishers of Men, Legend Boats tournament at Lake Eufaula, it marked the third time in 4 years that the Oklahoma bronzeback record had been broken. He stopped at the spot that produced the record fish purely on a gut feeling. To read more, click here to visit the BassFan Army site.

The new standard-bearer 4/3/2006
In a new BassFan Radio interview, Preston Clark discusses his sight-fishing techniques in detail and talks about what it's like to be the BASS all-time record-holder for 4-day weight following his victory at the Santee Cooper Bassmaster Elite Series. To listen, click here.

Eager to reach Beaver 4/3/2006
Once again, an FLW Tour event follows the Bassmaster Elite Series. And once again, a number of two-tour pros made the Top 12 Bassmaster cut and are under the gun to reach their next destination. In this case, they're faced with the long drive from Santee Cooper, S.C. to Beaver Lake, Ark. At best, they can hope for a few hours of practice Tuesday afternoon.

Two-tour pros who made the Top 12 cut at Santee Cooper include: Aaron Martens, Steve Kennedy, Kelly Jordon, Dean Rojas, John Crews and Mike Wurm. Kennedy started driving toward Beaver last night. So did Aaron Martens. Jordon left for Beaver this morning. BassFan did not speak with the other anglers.

Western bedding 4/2/2006

He threw a Texas-rigged Basstrix Bait Fry (shown in photo). Never heard of Basstrix? It's the company owned by Bruce Porter – one of the West Coast's great bait minds. When Byron Velvick set the all-time BASS 3-day weight record at Clear Lake, Calif. in 2000, he was throwing a Basstrix swimbait.

Basstrix Loca Motion worms are one-of-a-kind, and the Flash Trix is a semi-secret bait that's ultra-hot in Japan and within certain circles in the West. About a year after Porter designed the Flash Trix, he unleashed the Bait Minnow and its cousin, the Fat Minnow.

Now that you've discovered the Chatterbait, maybe it's time to throw some Basstrix stuff.

> Basstrix doesn't have a website, but the baits can be ordered at BackwatersOnline.com. We like their wording on the Basstrix page: "I'm not sure if these belong in my tackle box or a minnow bucket!"

> Full pattern details for Martens and Reese will be posted soon.

Howell's poly details (updated) 4/1/2006
(Editor's note: Howell contacted BassFan to clarify details surrounding the protest. Those comments can be found in the updated story.)

Randy Howell was one of three anglers who took a polygraph test after day 2 of the Santee Cooper Bassmaster Elite Series. Why did he have to take it? What was the experience like? To find out, click here.