The Leader in Pro Bass Fishing News!
Facebook Twitter

Bassfan Feedback

All Topics   February 2012
  • Steve Miller of Albany, NY writes:

    RE: Humminbird goes full-circle – Great technology, but it should be banned in tournament fishing. This sport is going the way of video games and is allowing truly too much technology and too many "crutches" to be used.

  • Dennis Pentecost of Milford, IL writes:

    From all the interviews I have seen, Chris Lane is really excited and trilled about winning the Classic. I think that is something that has been missing from the last few Classics. There is no doubt KVD is the best, but way to go, Chris!

  • James Melvin of Greenville, PA writes:

    Congrats to Chris Lane. It is nice to see hard work, commitment, and a strong, yet controlled, passion result in such a significant accomplishment.

  • Jim Liner of Montgomery, AL writes:

    We just returned from my 25th Bassmaster Classic. It was one of the best ever. Everything went very smoothly and was well organized by the B.A.S.S. staff. The city of Shreveport did an excellent job once again. Congratulations to the Alabama boys – Chris Lane, Greg Vinson and Keith Poche, and their sponsors for doing so well in representing the state.

  • Jeff Lira of Roanoke, VA writes:

    Congratulations to Chris Lane, Greg Vinson, Timmy Horton and Keith Poche! Finally, a great Bassmaster Classic's been had with new guys and the great Timmy Horton. I would have really liked to see Hackney in the Top 10. Hack, get a move on, brother!

  • Martin D. Lamb of Clinton, IA writes:

    The Red River makes for the best Classic playing feild! The unpredictable nature of the fishery takes the local information out of the equation. The weather and water conditions do what B.A.S.S. can't – level the playing field and remove the advantage of prior information.

    Congrats to Chris Lane, and good job to Vinson, Jones, B Lane and Poche.

  • Jeff Sullivan of Frostproof, FL writes:

    RE: Lane's Classic win – Congratulations Chris. Great job, and it was good to see Bobby give you the hug on stage as you became the champion. You know you will have to return the favor one day, don't you? All us Central Florida boys wondered who would be first, and you are, Chris. Dreams do come true!

    They always say no one remembers 2nd place, but this year I will as Greg, you too did a great job and your time will come as you showed composure and have always shown you can fish. And more importantly, you treat people well. I know you did me. Keep plugging away.

  • Charles Bowman of Kernersville, NC writes:

    Congratulations to Ron and Spencer Shuffield on reaching all the way back to the BFL on Quachita and beating all the weekend anglers.

  • George Kramer of Lake Elsinore, CA writes:

    Aaron Martens is fully capable of making up 5 pounds – and finishing 2nd yet again in the Classic.

  • Jeff Lira of Roanoke, VA writes:

    It's really great to see that the majority of the Top 10 are newer-bloods. Keith Poche may have increasing company the next few days!

  • Mark Burgess of Norton, MA writes:

    RE: Classic day-1 coverage – This is great stuff. It really let's you know what the anglers are thinking and how that effects what they do on the water.

  • Jeffrey Malwitz of River Edge, NJ writes:

    I have to go with my home-state boy. The Giants did it earlier this year (by the way, they do play in New Jersey) and Ike can and will pull it off.

  • Steve Jones of Moss Point, MS writes:

    BassFan,

    Great coverage of the first day of the Classic. I read the report this morning and felt like I was at the launch site and knew where everyone fished and how they caught them.

  • Martin D. Lamb of Clinton, IA writes:

    RE: Classic launch order – Wow, use one criteria for KVD's blast-off position and another for the rest of the field. B.A.S.S. really looks out for their golden boy.

    Either do it all by random draw or by qualifying position.

  • Terry Metzger of Naples, FL writes:

    RE: Classic spectator etiquette – I'm glad somebody adressed this problem professionally. It's a shame the way some people fish contestants' holes after they leave for the day, or during hours of competiton. Good luck and safety to all.

  • Micah Simmons of Springville, AL writes:

    Why does FLW need to make money off its Fantasy Fishing? And why not two versions of the game – pay to win 100K after six tournaments and a free/fun game with smaller prizes, if any?

    Just disapponted in FLW's approach to what made me follow the sport more closely.

  • Dennis Pentecost of Milford, PA writes:

    Just wonder how much of a fit will be thrown over Busch becoming a sponsor of MLF. Remember back when they told the pros they had to wear their logo?

  • Walter Oppelt of Frankfort, IN writes:

    RE: Bassmaster Classic – Maybe, just maybe, this bad decision to once again pick the Red River at this time of year will be heeded in the future. I heard the groans way up here when this was announced. A common sense approach is needed. Please, somebody use it.

  • Jason Wells of Center, Texas writes:

    RE: Upshaw aims for success – This was a very informative article. As a personal friend and business associate of Mr. Uphaw and his father, Larry, I have confidence that Andrew will be prepared physically and mentally for this event. He will stay focused on the fish, not the competitors, nor the media. His father has taught him discipline and patience and Andrew knows how to handle it. Good Luck to him and his family, and I want to say thanks to his brother for serving our country.

  • Jason Houchins of Clarksville, VA writes:

    RE: Upshaw aims for success – I think it is great for these college kids to get a chance at the Classic, and I wish Andrew well. I just do not think the competetion is as tough as the other routes to the Classic. I do understand the "buzz" to increase participation, but a Classic berth? I need to go back to college! Either way, I will be cheering for the kid to win.

  • Tom Baldwin of Cedar Hill, TN writes:

    I too fished the BFL on Feb. 12 on Guntersville and I netted a 9.6-pound fish for my boater, Mr. Nickels. His fish came on the A-Rig – biggest Bass I'd ever seen! Then he catches another on it, this one was a smaller 6-plus-pounder! I threw the Rig and never got a bite. Oh, and the conditions were the worst I've ever fished in ... 25-30 mph winds, temps below freezing, kept cleaning ice out of the eyes of the rod and reel most of the morning, 3- to 4-footers out in the channel.

    Our run back to Spring Creek when the day was about over was wet and cold! When we came off plane near the first bridge in Spring Creek we were covered in ice! When we got to the scales, the lines for getting a weigh-in bag were long! A lot of guys were throwing the A-Rig, but there were a lot of fish caught using 'Traps and crankbaits too. Over 80 co-anglers zeroed in that one and I was one of them.

  • Elliott Carroll of Seaford, DE writes:

    RE: Ex-Classic champs – Ike never gives up! He has all of the skills and savvy to take the win. Ike has always been my first choice in any tournament. Plus, he is due to win. Go Ike!

  • Harry Moore of Valley, AL writes:

    It's not the A-Rig, it's the lake. I just got through fishing two, tournaments – an EverStart and FLW Tour Open. Both tournaments had stringers of over 30 pounds. None, zero, not a fish was caught on the A-Rig. Yes, there was plenty of water to fish the A-Rig. It is not a fish magnet or magic bait. Level the playing field, buy and fish the A-Rig. Guntersville is one of the best lakes at this time. Don't blame it on the A-Rig.

  • Martin Deniston of Longmont, CO writes:

    RE; Boat Number 58 – Wow! Great writing. Really explains what a day on the lake feels like. Brings back lots of good memories. Loved it.

  • Will Hesch of Atascadero, CA writes:

    RE: Boat Number 58 – Awesome writing! I loved the piece – takes you right into the boat. You can feel the icy air blasting your face as you run down the lake and the first (and it's big, too) fish in the boat. What a feeling! Great writer, he has a great future!

  • Tami Curtis of Sacramento, CA writes:

    RE: Kramer honored – Very deserving. Congrats!

  • Peter Gardner of Los Angeles, CA writes:

    RE: Kramer honored – George is a true gentleman and a great writer. I have been enjoying his writing for over 30 years. He is like fine wine and just gets better with age.

  • Nathan Ranallo of La Crosse, WI writes:

    I understand the reasons why pros acquire new sponsors. Their job is to promote product for these companies, and in return they get paid. However, when one year "Crankbait A" is the best crankbait on the market and next year "Crankbait B" is the best on the market from the same guy, then I become skeptical of everything that guy says. He loses credibility and his effectiveness as a promoter goes down as well.

    The guys who are the most effective and have the most credibility in my book are the guys who have long-lasting relationships through thick and thin. The guys who could go elsewhere for more money or better perks, but don't because they believe in the products they endorse. Case in point, Aaron Martens and Roboworm.

  • Pete Maltese of Braithwaite, LA writes:

    RE: Boat Number 58 – Great piece of writing. Relived every word – my son and I have fished many tournaments in the Louisiana Delta. Hurricane Katrina has moved us apart, but the memories will alway be here.

    Thanks for the article.

  • Jeff Mitchell of Chicago, IL writes:

    To all these people complaining about pros switching sponsors. So, I work a job. It's a good job and I like it. If another company came along, with an equally good job, and offered me better benefits, better pay, more exposure for what I do, etc., I'd be a fool not to seriously consider it and take it if it works out for me. You would be too.

    The pros are pros. Just like when a football player takes more money to leave one team and go to another. Before they always say how much the love Team X, but when they go to Team Y they say how much they love Team Y now.

    Seriously, these guys are making a living like you and I. They have to look our for their families and careers.

  • Larry Holland of Nashville, TN writes:

    RE: Boat Number 58 – Loved it. Well done.

  • Wes Hood of Annandale, VA writes:

    RE: Rig shirts – In addition to the pro and con shirts, they need one for "Who Cares?" Far too much time has been spent on this issue. State laws apply, the tournament organizations will do whatever it is they do and the rest of us should just keep fishing.

  • Ed Walker of Pinson, AL writes:

    I fished a BFL on Feb. 12 at Lake Guntersville that probably had as miserable challenging weather that a fisherman could ever imagine. I survived, but after talking to many buddies and the eventual winner of the tournament, they all were throwing the A-Rig.

    When I say miserable, I mean 28 to 30 degrees and 30 mph-plus winds all day! I am not exaggerating. It was all you could do to keep the ice out of the guides to make a cast.

    As it turned out, it took 32 pounds to win on an A-Rig. After that there were three 25-pound stringers, and then three over 24 pounds. I did not talk to every guy in the Top 10, but I did ask two of the guys with 25 pounds and they both threw the A-Rig. Several of the best local community holes where the A-Rig has been producing were unfishable due to the monster wind and waves, or there would have been even more 20-pound bags brought in.

    I really hope the powers that be are really watching these first few months of tournaments to evaluate the positives and negatives of this bait. I will say it one more time to anyone who will listen: It will get awful boring if all it takes is one rod with an A-Rig to fish tournaments. I am happy to say that I didn't throw the A-Rig in the tournament and actually tied for big fish with two other guys with a 9-06 monster! Who ever heard of three giants that big in the same tournament? It's just my luck.

  • Richard Lee of Topeka, KS writes:

    Recently, while watching Shaw Grigsby on television, I noticed that he had a bright yellow cap of some type on the butt end of his flipping rods. It looked like some kind of counter-balance device for his flipping sticks. Where can I obtain these or something like them?

    BassFan says: From Grigsby – "It's called a Cush-It and it's actually not a counter-balance – it's a cushion for hooksets for when you're flipping or pitching, or when you're setting the hook on spinnerbaits. Not only does it cushion the hookset, but that small amount of weight makes for extreme sensitivity and it also floats the rod if you drop it overboard, so it's a three-part deal. They're goofy-looking, but I'd like to have one on every rod I own – that's how much I like them."

    The product is made by a Michigan-based company called LunaSea. For more, go to www.LunaSeaSports.com.

  • Tim Cody of Benton, TN writes:

    Regarding Rick Pierce's comment on the one-rod, one-bait rule. B.A.S.S. did not have a rule like that. What about back when David Fritts used a jig that the line slid through for his weight on a Carolina rig? That was one rod, two baits.

  • Rene A. Gonzalez of Temecula, CA writes:

    RE: HydroWave – Why is it that this electronic device, which is designed to attract and stimulate the feeding instincts of bass, is readily accepted, when A-Rig is so controversial? The A-Rig does no more than that, and yet gets banned from use by the Bassmaster Elites.

  • Ronald Fithen Sr. of Rayland, OH writes:

    SpiderWire could not have picked a better person than Fletcher Shryock to sponsor. He is a great fisherman and an even better personality. I have fished some circuits in Ohio with him and I know he is a consistent angler.

  • Scott Groff of Omaha, NE writes:

    Has anyone noticed that Randall Tharp just won a big tournament and he wasn't using an Alabama Rig?

  • Wes Hood of Annandale, VA writes:

    Congrats to Brent Chapman for the Central Open win. He is one of the nicest guys on the tour.

  • Harry Moore of Valley, AL writes:

    B.A.S.S. banned the A-Rig to keep the playing field level at the Elite level, but an Elite angler who fishes 275 days a year can qualify for the Classic by fishing the Opens against fishermen that fish 75 days a year. Sounds like a level playing field to me ... well, with a little hill to climb.

  • John Barbaro of Leesburg, FL writes:

    Pro anglers must think weekend anglers are the stupidist people on earth. Today it's this line and tomarrow it's another. Today it's this reel and next year it's that reel. The one that ticked me off the most was Ray Scott, who lauded Ranger as the best boat in the world until Triton apparently gave him more money.

    I for one am done listening to anything that comes out of a pro's mouth when it comes to products. I would love to hear the real truth on why they switched.

  • Robert Allen of Calhoun, GA writes:

    I realize that these pros have to support themselves, but it also shows me the character of some guys who constantly "pimp" themselves out to the highest bidder. I have much more respect for pros like KVD and Denny Brauer who have been with basically the same sponsors for years because they actually believe in the products they endorse.

  • James Ogstad of Caldwell, ID writes:

    RE: Going Ike – We watched Ike in the past, but really got tired of his constant yelling. Man, it really gets old fast. Good luck without us.

  • Eugene C. Kruger of Pretoria, South Africa writes:

    I met Fred Roumbanis when co-hosting him on a bass and tigerfish safari to South Africa last December - great guy and will do his best to promote the products.

  • Bob Hale of Northport, AL writes:

    A-Rig question: If an Elite angler throws an A-Rig with four hookless baits and only the center wire with a hook in the bait, will this be legal? This would present the same bait-ball profile, but would be within the one bait, one line, one rod wording in the rule.

    BassFan says: No, that wouldn't be legal. The organization specifically stated that umbrella-style rigs are out for the Classic and the Elite Series, and the A-Rig would fall under that classification no matter how many hooks it carried.

  • Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:

    Regarding Rick Pierce's statement that: "It seems the original spirit of the rules from older B.A.S.S. tournament director(s) was indicated to only allow one rod in use with one bait, and multiple lures were not allowed. While the rule only allowed one rod, the directors were firm that one bait per rod was all that was allowed."

    As an older B.A.S.S. tournament director and the one who wrote the first rule, I can tell you that the rule never stated only one lure. In fact, BASS Rule C7, Tackle and Equipment, prior to 2 weeks ago did not state anything about only one lure.

    The first B.A.S.S. rule that stated "Only one casting, spin-casting or spinning rod and reel may be used at any one time" was written to keep anglers from casting a plastic worm out and letting it lay on the bottom until a bass picked it up while you had three or more rods lying in the boat with lures on the bottom. B.A.S.S. has never had a rule limiting any angler to fishing only one lure at a time until the recent change involving the Classic and Elites.

  • Ed Walker of Pinson, AL writes:

    Alabama Rig, Tennessee rig, its all the same to me. Whether it's three wires or five, they catch fish!

    My partner and I just spent 2 days on Lake Guntersville here in Alabama and without exaggeration, nine out of 10 boats that we encountered were throwing the Alabama Rig or a version of it. We decided to test the theory that you have to have an A-Rig to catch fish right now and the results are suprising to me.

    I decided to throw everything but an A-Rig and Erwin was going to throw the A-Rig exclusively. For a February day it was rather unusual weather, with temps in mid 60s. Needless to say, the fish were biting. Erwin had a five-fish limit of about 24 pounds and my limit weighed 18 pounds. In Erwin's bag he had three fish around 6 pounds and I only had one over 6. Erwin caught 18 fish on the Alabama Rig while I had only nine bites on crankbaits.

    On one particular stretch I fished behind two guys throwing A-Rigs and was able to catch two fish around 3 pounds behind them, to prove you can catch fish that won't necessarily bite the A-Rig. On the other hand, I did visit a well-known community hole to find 10 boats camping out throwing in some current-driven water and all of them were catching fish on the A-Rig. I tried my crankbait in that area and didn't catch a thing.

    The BFL is Saturday and several popular places I am sure are going to be crowded with guys all throwing A-Rigs. All the talk that the A-Rig would fade out after fall is a bunch of bunk. It's alive and well here and I am sure in most of the country.

    I wasn't against the bait initially because I was glad to see a guy like Andy Poss get recognized for his creation. The recreational fishermen will keep the dollars flowing in to support selling the rigs, but the tournament world is going to get awful boring when you can't get a check unless you're throwing that crazy thing. I was about a year late to the ChatterBait party several years ago and was resistant to all of the buzz, but this bait seems to be different. I believe it just might dominate the tournaments and maybe even the tackle business.

    If you were to survey some of the larger tackle distributors to see what the proportion of sales is now directed at these rigs and swimbaits I think it would be staggering. After this weekend's BFL we shall see. The one thing that could change things is it's going to be 28 degrees at blastoff. Who knows, this rig will probably work in the cold also!

  • Rick Pierce of Mountain Home, AR writes:

    Apparently there is an opinion that the Alabama Rig was desecrated by the recent rules committee for the B.A.S.S. Elites. This is not the case. It seems the original spirit of the rules, from older B.A.S.S. tournament director(s), was indicated to only allow one rod in use with one bait, and multiple lures were not allowed. While the rule only allowed one rod, the directors were firm that one bait per rod was all that was allowed. Somewhere in the change the twin Flukes came along and this started the move to dropshots and Carolina Rigs with a jig. This was a circumvention of the original spirit of the rules and the present rules committee's direction is only a return to that intent.

  • Carter Northcutt of Frankfort, KY writes:

    RE: Day aims for stability – Good luck this season, Bill. I'll be pulling for you.

  • Larry Holland of Nashville Tn writes:

    I highly respect KVD, but I have a suspicion that he had a lot of influence on the ban of the A-Rig in the Elite Series whether he's on the advisory panel or not. I could care less, either or banned or not. I'm still going to buy Strike King products, but I could see the Strike King sales taking a pretty good hit in the gut if the A-Rig were legal in the Elites.

  • Rene A. Gonzalez of Temecula, CA writes:

    What is it that separates this item (HydroWave) from the now-infamous A-Rig? It seems to me that both are designed to stimulate the natural predatory instincts of bass and make them easier to catch. One item (A-Rig) is banned while the other (HydroWave) is encouraged. Why is that?

  • Duane Rinkus of Denver, NC writes:

    If (B.A.S.S.) the industry/many pros are going to ban the A-Rig, then they might as well ban side/down imaging and the HydroWave because too many anglers are able to find bass and inadvertently make them active to put fish in their livewell that many anglers can't afford. Seriously, if the A-Rig is within code of the state fishing regs, then it should be legal. It's innovative! It should not be banned. It's just another technique/avenue to catch bass and other species without trolling.

    I do believe in one rod, one line and one lure/rig if it's legal according to state regs for bass tournaments. If you can cast it and it's within state law, then it should be legal and not banned. To me, it's that easy. Obviously, I don't agree with the premature banning of the A-Rig that B.A.S.S. has adopted.

  • Reid Winsjansen of DeLand, FL writes:

    It was with great pleasure that I was able to meet Jason Quinn. He is a really down-home kind of guy. Thanks for the tips,the lures and taking time just to talk. With the level of respect this man gives to everyone around him, he has a fan for life.

    I will definitely follow your career. Hope to see you this year on the St. Johns River.

  • Eric Michael of Baton Rouge, LA writes:

    RE: A-Rig – I just watched the FLW show of the Guntersville event. It was a joke watching that action. No skill required catching 2 3/4-pounders just casting and winding. It definitely is not an indication of an angler's skill set. It has a place in weekend warriors' tackle boxes because many of them struggle to catch fish, but I agree with B.A.S.S. – the pros should be held to a higher standard to make their living fishing.

  • Marty Robinson of Rochester, NY writes:

    I agree with Marty Stone that you need to have played the game to talk about it as a color analyst. With a few exceptions, virtually every sport broadcast on TV/radio uses analysts who are former players or coaches.

    As to BassFans's comments on Howard Cosell as a color analyst, I didn't view him as a color analyst, at least on Monday Night Football. He was the third man in the booth and I'd call him a "commentator." Love him or hate him, he was a major contributor to the ratings.

    At any rate, sports are a subset of show business and, as such, I view announcers, analysts and others in the booth as entertainers, even when they're talking X's and O's.

  • Bill Williams of Central Florida writes:

    So, an A-Rig uses 5 lures to catch multiple fish. I've caught 3 bass on a Rat-L-Trap multiple times over the years. Should you ban Rat-L-Traps or spinnerbaits with more than one hook (yes, I 've caught 2 bass on a spinnerbait before, too).

    The A-Rig can catch more than one fish at the same time, just as other lures. The HydroWave is an electronic lure placed in the water to help you catch more fish – without it. only the lure (worm, spinnerbait, etc.) you put in the water has a chance to catch a fish without electronic stimulation.

  • Nathan Ranallo of La Crosse, WI writes:

    RE: Swindle's Sunline deal – While I understand the sponsorship aspect of professional fishing, I feel like these anglers are killing their credibility by simply signing with companies that are willing to pay them the most. Gerald has been the face of Vicious Fishing for the last few years and has touted the quality of their products. Now he will flip sides and tell us the same stories about Sunline. It's not just Swindle, but it's an industry-wide problem that I feel is alienating not only viewers of the sport, but fishing-industry consumers in general.

  • Rick McKlemurry of Brandon, MS. writes:

    So what's the difference between the A-Rig and the HydroWave users? I don't see any. Why would there be a negetive impact on professional tournaments? You still have to locate and catch them in a short time. Sounds like a bunch of hoodoo to me – trying to ban something no one hardly knows anything about yet.

    I like both products and don't think they need to be banned unless there is already a state or federal law in place.

  • Carter Northcutt of Frankfort, KY writes:

    RE: Tracker layoffs – I'm surprised more boat manufacturers aren't laying people off. The inflated prices they put on their boats have most likely kept a lot of people from buying. I would love to hear a serious answer or reason as to why they think any bass boat is worth the astronomical prices they put on them today.

    And as mentioned on here before, it is the same with tackle manufacturers – ridiculously high prices. I always thought horse racing was the sport of kings, but it seems like you practically need a king's ransom for this sport.

  • Miles "Sonar" Burghoff of Orlando, FL writes:

    It is great to see Marty Stone back! He has always been one of the great personalities of the sport in my eyes. I saw his rig parked at a local launch ramp around here yesterday and figured he had caught the bass bug again. I wish you the best, Marty!

  • Scott Putnam of Brainard, NY writes:

    So if I buy a side-imaging depthfinder, a HydroWave and a couple of A-Rigs, I can clean a lake out and devastate a fishery?

  • Charles Bowman of Kernersville, NC writes:

    Marty Stone stated, "I'm going to say this as nicely as I can, but until you've played the game, you can't really talk about it as a color analyst."

    While I respect his self-confidence, he might want to go back and listen to what Howard Cosell said about former players being analysts.

    BassFan says: Yeah, but a lot of us who were around during the heyday of the late "Humble Howard" would seriously question his own capabilities as a color analyst. Remember, there were weekly lotteries held around the country to determine who would get to throw a brick through a TV set while his image was on the screen.

  • Steve Kirby of Columbus, OH writes:

    B.A.S.S. ruled that the umbrella rig had no place at their top-tier event, the Elites. However, they left it intact at the lower rungs of the sport. True, there's plenty of Elite pros who'll dip down into the Opens, etc., to pick up some easy cash and they'll gladly throw it there, and that's fine. The point remains that amongst their peers, they prefer a higher level of competition, one which is more attuned to the one-rod, one-line, on- lure premise we've all seemed to forget so much about.

    For those organizatons and circuits that wish to strive to be at the top of their game and maintain a higher level of competition by banning the umbrella rig, so be it. Quit the bellyaching, folks. If you want to throw the umbrella rig, then fine – fish a circuit that doesn't care how their anglers view the road to the top!

  • Dave Dickherber of Lake St. Louis, MO writes:

    The A-Rig is using five lures at once, people. Get over it. Next thing you know guys will be putting five or more hooks on a dropshot. In most tournaments you are not allowed to fish with a second rod if you are hung up, so why should you be allowed to throw five baits at one time? For fun-fishing I have no problem with the A-Rig, but for tournaments it goes against everything I like about the sport, just like live-bait fishing.

    As for the HydroWave, where was all of the complaining about it years ago when it first came out? Does anyone know if it actually works? Did you ever think it could just be a marketing ploy to get people to use it? If it was so good all of the pros would have one, and they don't.

  • Chris Stolz of Lancaster, PA writes:

    RE: HydroWave – While I can see that this is an intriguing peice of equipment, I fail to see how it can be "legal" in an Elite Series tournament while an A-Rig is not. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea, but they do the same thing. They work on a predatory instinct. One seems to "make" or does make a school of prey active while the other acts like a school of active prey. What's the difference? At least one looks like the prey.

  • Eric Marsh of Conneaut Lake, PA writes:

    So this contraption, the HydroWave, is allowed and the A-Rig is not? What gives?

  • Bill Williams of Orlando, FL writes:

    Could someone explain why the A-Rig was banned by B.A.S.S., but they will allow the HydroWave to be part of the sport? The A-Rig is a lure with multiple baits that will catch more than one fish at a time. The HydroWave is an electronic lure that excites more than one fish to feed at a time. So, is the HydroWave allowed because of the pro tournament ownership by VanDam and Kriet?

    I don't use either application, but there seems to be some favortism in what is and is not allowed. I wonder how the old-timers would fair in today's tournaments if they had these to help them stimulate fish.

  • Mark Allard of Sioux City, Iowa writes:

    HydroWave, Color C-Lector, PH meter, snake oil – all the same stuff. What happened to the Sportsman's Society?

  • Archie Wilson of Maynardville, TN writes:

    I hear that sales of the A-Rig, plus its knock-offs, are through the roof. So are swimbait-type lures and lead-heads. Seems nearly all other lures are just sitting on tackle dealers' shelves, although they expect rod and reel sales to go up as most are not made to handle the A-Rig's weight.

    I cannot verify any of this – as I said, it's just what I have been hearing.

  • Mark Richards of Houston, Texas writes:

    I've got a great idea to improve the HydroWave. Just clip the transducer wires, change the fuse to 50-amp, shoot the juice right into the water and net the fish as they float up! Just make sure you keep the front of the boat oriented correctly in relation to the current and wind so your non-boater does not catch them behind you!

    Good luck. Hope this helps.

  • Terry Banks of Lexington, SC writes:

    Don't believe for a second that the HydroWave will be banned. Who is using it? Is it being used by the bottom 25 of the Elite anglers or the Top 10? Once the top anglers put it in their boat, banning was not an option. Does anyone actually believe B.A.S.S. is going to tell KVD to take it out of his boat?

  • Tim Cody of Charleston, TN writes:

    After reading the article about the HydroWave, I'm wondering how something like this is allowed in B.A.S.S. and a group of lures fished together are banned. KVD claims to have won a Classic on this in its prototype days, and then in the FLW show where Elias did so well on the A-Rig there was a point in the show where he wasn't catching anything and he leaned down and switched sounds on the HydroWave and the bass started biting again.

    But the A-Rig is banned and not the Hydowave? Hmmm. There seems to be something very strange about all this. Oh, by the way, read up on the history of the plastic worm. Did you know the state of Texas put a ban on them at one time?

  • Harold Sharp of Hixson, TN writes:

    Has the Elite Rules Committee approved or disapproved of the HydroWave? What about a petition to ban it, has that been started? There's still time to change the rules before the Classic – remember B.A.S.S. Rule C1 (These rules may be changed by B.A.S.S. immediately upon notice by B.A.S.S. to its membership).

  • Paul Zuest of Klamath Falls, OR writes:

    Gee B.A.S.S., the HydroWave is okay, but no A-Rig. I wonder how this came to be? Wouldn't have anything to do do with special interests from certain anglers who also might be on the Rules Committee, would it? Just wondering.

  • Mark Aaron of Gastonia, NC writes:

    If everybody's throwing the A-Rig, who's got the advantage? As far as prototype lures, bring 'em on! That's how the market expands. I don't know what all the crying's about. The rig's got a time and place ... so does everything else you drag along in your boat.

    I'll agree with the guy who said, "If B.A.S.S. is going to outlaw the rig, bed-fishing should be outlawed as well." How is that ethical? At least a guy throwing the rig isn't looking at them.

    Remember a few years ago when David Dudley fished "defensively" at a Top 150 event and jacked a bunch of bed fish the day before the tournament started because he knew a late flight would make them easy pickings for those in the first flight? Everyone raised more hell than a bunch of outlaw bikers, saying it was unethical. I thought is was smart! If I paid what these guys do for entry fees, there's no way in you-know-what I'm going to leave free money on the table. I wouldn't expect someone to do it for me.

    Quit whining and start winding!

  • Chad Keogh of Black Creek, BC writes:

    RE: HydroWave – Like chumming with live bait, but you are doing it electronically via audio sounds. If anything should be banned from "Elite" competition, it is this, not the A-Rig.

  • Jim Harris of Lenoir City, TN writes:

    RE: MLF pay-per-view – Getting fans to finance a new venture that benefits the anglers only is ludicrous. It'd be like if BassFan charged you a fee to see the website.

  • Taylor Odom of Meridian, MS writes:

    RE: Alabama Rig – I will start off acknowledging the fact that 99% of everyone who reads/posts and keeps updated with BassFan is obviously some sort of competitive tournament fisherman/conservationist. Most of us, as tournament fishermen, enjoy competing and obviously want to be the best we can be. The Alabama Rig is not needed to achieve our goals. This ridiculous contraption is the absolute death of bass fishing.

    The supporters are obviously fisherman who could not keep up and compete before this came out. I will give credit where it is due and say this: Yes, the A-Rig is an absolute blast to fish with. However, in the tournament aspect ,it is ridiculous. You can say what you want about how hard it is to use and how it doesn't work all the time. That's all nonsense because this thing has completely leveled the playing field in bass fishing.

    I'm sure most of you have been fishing a long time and have little secrets and tricks or whatnot that in certain situations that help you catch hard fish. You should be proud of those and guard them. Supporting this A-Rig buffoonery just throws that bag of tricks out the window. I am not saying it throws them out the window all the time, however, a great amount of the time the A-Rig outshines anything you can throw in the water.

    The people who made this are genius and have came up with a way to catch hard-to-catch fish. Yes, we know this. However, ask yourself if it's the right way to catch them (at least in a competitive tournament situation). There is entirely too much controversy over this harness of five lures (remember, this is not one lure, it's five).

    I believe I am done venting on this. All of you who support this thing to death need to go learn to catch fish the conventional way.

  • James Abildgaard of Nashville, TN writes:

    RE: 'Cat Hunt a success – Wow! This is why I just became a Bass Cat owner. You would not find a company owned by stockholders that would care enough to do anything like this. I'm proud to be a family member at Bass Cat.

  • Tim Brown of Ridge Top, Tn writes:

    RE: MLF pay-per-view – Are you kidding me? Really? Pay-per-view bass fishing? Good grief! All these traveling boat/rod/lure salesmen on TV, so we can pay for them to fish?

    Go away, MLF!

  • Dennis Pentecost of Milford, IL writes:

    RE: MLF pay-per-view – I am in a bass club with 50 membbers and and I have been told by all of them that they will not pay to watch.

  • Miles "Sonar" Burghoff of Orlando, FL writes:

    RE: BoatUS Collegiate Championship – Signed up this morning! Cannot wait for Casey and I to get back and absolutely look forward to fishing Pickwick for the first time. What a great event!

  • Carter Northcutt of Frankfort, KY writes:

    RE: MLF – This might be a good program, but I won't be paying to watch it on pay-per-view.

  • Gus Dowdy of Leeds, AL writes:

    I wonder how long it'll take for Chevy, Kellogg and other major sponsors of FLW to complain about the A-Rig once half the tournaments are won by no-name journeymen using it?

  • Shane Burns of Durham, NC writes:

    Where is the petition to keep the A-Rig?

    I have been fishing the A-Rig since 2 weeks after Elias won with it. Since then, I have probably caught between 400 and 500 fish on it on Sharon Harris Lake, N.C. Of those 400 or 500 fish, I only doubled five times and tripled once. Most of those fish came in the first couple of weeks when no one else had one on the lake. I have tried it on Jordan Lake and Falls Lake and still have yet to boat a fish on either lake with it. I am sure there is a time and location to catch them on those lakes, but I have not found it yet.

    The first tournament I fished on Sharon Harris Lake I dominated it with 21 pounds – 2nd place was 16 pounds. But I knew I was the only one with the A-Rig at the time and I could catch fish in all the fall haunts where I normally catch them. My buddies were chucking 'Traps and worms, catching a few, while I dominated all around them. But the word spread fast after that tournament that I caught them on the A-Rig. Three weeks later, same lake, different tournament, every boat in the field was throwing the A-Rig in my area. I am sure they had beat it to death in practice leading up to the tournament, but I could not get a bite back in areas where I had been thrashing them.

    It was 10 a.m. and I had just three keepers in the boat and put down the A-rig and went jigging – what I typically catch them on that time of year. I caught a 6 1/2-pound kicker and another 7-pound kicker on a Hopkins. Now I knew I was in good shape, so I went to check a different area that I fished earlier with no luck on a A-Rig and caught back to back 7 1/2-pounders and a couple of slots on a A-Rig. At the end of the day, when the entire field was throwing the A-Rig, I had 29 pounds and 2nd place was 16 pounds.

    If you take away the jig fish, I would have been right there with 2nd-place guy. The next tournament 2 weeks later I never boated a keeper with the A-Rig all day and ended up weighing in only three small fish I caught on a Hopkins. Go figure.

    If the A-Rig were so dominant, I would have weighed in another 30-pound bag. Fish aren’t stupid. I don’t know if it’s the time of the year, water temps, or the sheer number of A-Rigs being thrown on my lakes, but the catch rate is down to the same or less as my spoons, Rat-L-Traps and other baits – probably less if you count the time I waste throwing it, hoping for those glory days when I caught one on every other cast.

    It’s a lure I am excited about using in the future, just like when you go to the lake now in the spring and fall you are going to test the Rat-L-Trap bite, then crankbait, jig, spoon, C-rig, and the A-Rig. There are times when the one technique dominates, but it doesn’t last forever. I have been reading the debate in the blogs and on BassFan. I see a lot of the naysayers speaking out against the A-Rig. I don’t understand their agenda. I would assume that it will change ledge-fishing as we know it today, but I don’t see it changing spring tournaments such as the PAA team tournament and the EverStart just held in Florida. Where was the A-Rig down there? You mean someone couldn't find staging females and throw the A-Rig in front of them? According to some B.A.S.S. pros, the fish shouldn't be able to help themselves. They should have loaded the boat for someone.

    Ledge-fishing or fall fishing will likely see the A-Rig at the top of the list of lures that dominate. Just like the crankbait dominates now. There will still be the situation where you cannot throw an A-Rig (brushpiles and other structure that won't allow the A-Rig come through).

    The moral dilemma surrounding the A-Rig is a bit of a joke. The pros who are speaking out about the A-Rig use the HydroWave and other electronic simulators to call fish to their boats and trick them into feeding. I hope people know that electronic calls are illegal in most of the country for game animals. You can use electronic calls on non-game animals only (varmints, coyotes, etc). The wildlife commissions in most states didn’t think it was sporting to use electronic calls. But it is sporting in the eyes of the B.A.S.S. fisherman.

    Second, the GPS and side-imager – is that the coolest thing or what? Now you can look 200 feet to either side of the boat to see if there are any fish in the area to fish for, plus you can find all of the structure where they use to hide. The GPS will allow you to get right back on it or pass it to your buddies to wear out those poor fish. There have been more sweet spots (community holes) worn out since GPS than any lure damage that could be done.

    Third, what about bed-fishing? Power-Poles help the B.A.S.S. pros sit on top of a bedding, non-hungry bass until, out of protection of its babies or just becoming angry, it bites the lure. At that point it's taken away from the nest so that the bluegills and other scavengers can eat up all of its eggs and babies that it was protecting while the fisherman hauls the parent fish to the scales. What about morals there?

    We could go on and on about lures that have a high mortality rate (i.e. Texas rigs, C-rigs, crankbaits in the gills, etc.). But lets let our wildlife officials determine what is best for our natural resources. Artificial lures are artificial lures. You will have people fishing with spinnerbaits with three to five grubs and only one has a hook. Watch and see. It's here – figure a why to adapt to it and use it. The fish certainly will.

    At some point the fish will become accustomed to seeing it and opt for a different length leader or trailer bait or angle, or maybe be a just a single 10-inche worm. But until then, if you make your living cranking and you are good at figuring out the angles or the sweet spot, you don’t want this lure coming over it. It could be devastating. But don’t worry – your sweet spot is someone else’s now.

All Topics   February 2012

Latest News

  • Hamner's Hot Streak Culminated At Grand

    Hamner's Hot Streak Culminated At Grand

    By John Johnson BassFan Senior Editor

    Justin Hamner, the newly crowned Bassmaster Classic champion, has been on quite a roll for the past 11 months.

  • Hamner Goes Wire To Wire At Classic

    Hamner Goes Wire To Wire At Classic

    By B.A.S.S. Communications Staff

    TULSA, Okla. — When most anglers win the Bassmaster Classic, they at least pretend like it came as the biggest surprise

  • Hamner Tops 20 Pounds Again, Leads By 5 1/2

    Hamner Tops 20 Pounds Again, Leads By 5 1/2

    By B.A.S.S. Communications Staff

    TULSA, Okla. — Since practice began last week, Alabama pro Justin Hamner says he hasn’t been able to duplicate two patterns

-->

Video You May Like