Today’s Top 4
That’s like peanut butter with no jelly:
That’s a 10.1 from Lake Kissimmee, FL ketched by Mr. Fitz-someone? Can’t remember…lol. Anyhow, I asked about the trailer and Fitzy Jr. said:
> No trailer. We flip jigs this time of the year with no trailers for a smaller profile and it penetrates the thick cover better that way.
Huh. Anyone else ever do that? Guess it could work but…honestly I ain’t gonna try it….
That’s a 7′ 6″ Fitzy Okeechobee rod (heavy), with the “more blacker than black” Fitzy Vursa braid.
> Clean the factory grease from your baitcasting reel, replace it with light oil (except for the gears, which need light grease), and pay special attention to the ball bearings on which the spool revolves. Those should be cleaned in solvent, allowed to dry, then lubricated with no more than two small drops of low-viscosity oil. The freely spinning line spool will now require more thumb-control finesse but will also cast a lot farther.
> Instead of the short-stroke snap cast…reach back farther with the rod. Use both arms and shoulders to put some muscle in the forward stroke, and use your left hand (if you’re right-handed) to pull the rod butt sharply toward your body as your right hand pushes the rod forward. This bends the rod more deeply and moves the lure faster. [That’s pretty interesting because my boy plays lacrosse and that’s how you increase your shot speed in that game.]
> Finish with an abrupt stop to transfer maximum energy to the lure…. Many anglers make an indefinite forward swipe when casting, with no defined end to the stroke. This just kills a cast. Start thinking “Hard stop!” to radically improve your distance.
> Lengthening your overhang…can also add distance to a cast. A normal overhang is usually about 4 to 8 inches. Try letting the lure hang down about 2 feet instead. During the cast, the lure will travel through a longer casting arc at greater speed.
Butch Brown is “the man” when it comes to swimbaits…or at least he’s one of ’em cuz Cali has a few folks who’ve contributed to that scene. Anyhow, that means his signature Optimum Thumper Tail is a big deal:
> The story of how the Thumper Tail came to be dates back to 1995. Butch Brown was given prototypes of an unreleased 9″ version of the Original Optimum Swimbait…given Butch’s desire to do things “my way,” this [new] bait has about 20 years of careful tweaking and development behind it.
> …you can see that this bait comes pre-rigged BB style. Equipped with a VMC #1 round bend treble hook, the rigging harness is hand-crimped with 60-lb wire and rests within a small ridge on the head for ensured alignment.
> What really gives this bait its signature thumping action is a combination of two key things: A cleaned-up version of the original optimum boot tail, and Butch’s offset weight system.
> The difference with his weight system is that it is set a lot further back in the body than most traditional boot tail style swimbaits. This allows the bait to swim more level on the retrieve in comparison to the weight being in the head.
Love shots like this-here:
News
1. Help a CT basser with kidney transplant expenses.
Know it’s an expensive time of year, but also know the hears of bassers are big. Donny barone scribbled about the operastion here, GoFundMe is here.2. A-Mart uses word ‘bass-head’…
…in his Bassin’master column. The BB is inflitratin’ yer brains mang!
3. KVD shouts out the YOLOTek AquaStickPOWER.
It is all that, git one on TW.
4. B Card runs down the Yo-Zuri 3DB Prop.
Clear prop is pretty cool. The vid shows how it sprays really well. Different fo sho:
6. FLWer Randy Blaukat guiding this winter.
> I’m offering trips on Rock/Grand/Stockton and Lake of the Ozarks this winter to help anglers master the art of jerkbait fishing. [Plus he’ll dish on Vision 110 mods.]
Didja know Tackle Warehouse has a limited supply of Japan-only Vision 110s tuned to suspend in water temps when the regular 110 would float. Only:
Rows of filing cabinets with photos, having to develop film on site…Overstreet you got it easy man!
8. FLWer Billy Mac gets Bob’s Machine Shop.
9. I’m a-gonna be on Ike Live this Sunday eve.
6-9 pm EST — unless Mike is all weirded out like this in which I case I’ll jump right back in my truck:
11. Pure Fishing/Berkley parent gutting Pure Fishing?
Pros, including some slam dunks, are gone, staffers are being let go, and possibly bye-bye to the B.A.S.S. sponsorship deal. That’s what happens when money guys are in charge…but may be a good thing if it gets sold to someone who gets fishing.
One reason it might be axed: the parent company just bought plastic food storage container and…candle businesses. [eyeroll emjoi]
12. NC: First gal on Nation state team.
Cool. #girlpower
13. PA: Susquehanna smallie #s up but river still sick.
14. CA: Quagga mussels found in Pyramid.
15. MN: Zebras mussels now in Leech Lake.
16. DC: President Obama signs new outdoor REC law.
> The Rec Act forces the BEA to analyze the economics of our industry (at no additional cost to taxpayers, by the way). Once that initial analysis is complete, we could become the sixth economic sector tracked by the Department of Commerce.
> So when our elected officials see the importance of outdoor recreation in their district…you can bet those numbers will get their attention. Imagine someone trying to close public water to fishing because they don’t the sound of boat engines. The decision-makers are going look at those economic numbers and think twice.
Sounds good, but logic has never stopped any politician from doing anything….
17. Bagley releases new rattle bait.
Guess it’s not balsa? Interesting shape:
Good rain gear….
Story of the Day
> This is Part 4 of a five-part series on Elite Series anglers and their relationship with hats.
5-parter on Elites’ “relationship” with………..hats. 5-parter. Hats.
Told my neighbor’s dog and he was like:
Well….
Several folks emailed that Ike was let go from Ranger after his Classic win because he kicked a light pole on his boat with an American flag on it. I’m not Ranger so can’t speak for them, but will say this: my 2c is yes and no.
As someone who was all over that Classic, can tell you that most of the anti-Ike buzz at the time was about him yelling/being demonstrative. The light pole was part of that and was something folks focused on because it was easy. I’m just one bass-head, but I was in the middle of it back when I was Mr. BassFan and that’s what I came out with.
If it was all about the flag, does that mean the sponsors who stuck with Ike were anti-American? Of course not. Don’t want to judge anyone, and not defending Ike cuz I don’t do that. Also not saying I’m “right” — just call ’em like I see ’em, all I can do. Get mad at me if you have to, otherwise:
Tip of the Day
…who learned it from the guy who invented it, Dee Thomas. This is mostly about real flipping — with the slack in your non-rod hand. He does get into pitching, which is what most people call flipping, me included…because most of us pitch. Longer vid but dang good info, recommend you watch it all:
Quote of the Day
Be glad you’re not a professional angler looking for sponsors because that water is getting skinnier by the minute.
– Quote from the article about the Pure Fishing changes. The whole sponsor deal isn’t easy, but I don’t believe the sponsor landscape is changing big-time. Pure Fishing a big company, but only one of many.
Not sure if this guy was the one quoted?
Shot of the Day
Nice shot of Alton Jones boat-flippin’ Sir Large-a-lot on a YUM Wooly Bug — is that the new Skeeter ZX? lol
Random
Marine worms as live bait a $7.5 bil industry??
This dude knows marine worms personally and is like:
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