Man Santee was STINGY eh?? 🤯 Hope to get the top 5 guys in time for the next BB, after which I'll be headin' to the first MLF Redcrest Champeenship – not really the first, just the first one peeps can go to. If any of you Okies will be there, hope you say yo!
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Did it because it got loose I guess from all that vibration and possibly because of a) installer error (me) in the first place and b) the fact that you can't tighten it all the way (transducer to bracket) because if you do you can turn the transducer up or down for different "modes." That's why I used a little electrical tape to hopefully tighten it up on the screw a bit.
Also made sure to align it right (starboard side), which might have been part of my self-inflicted Live non-studliness last season:
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Really hit home that the first step to this whole forward-facing sonar deal is SETUP. If it ain't wired right, transducered right, settings right and possibly other stuff I still don't get, the "wow this is amazing" part ain't happenin'. This also was about my millionth confirmation in life that I like to learn the hard way...😁
Next BB this week MIGHT be Friday, Thursday bein' travel to OK. It'll be a surprise...
Reminder: If your email program cuts off the bottom of this email, click "View this email in your browser" up top to see the whole thing. Sorry bout that – email programs keep changing stuff.
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3 baits/rigs that have been en fuego this season.
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Not a data-type study, just stuff I've noticed and commented on – basically from the BFL level on up:
1. A-rig – This technique has been revived and enhanced by forward-facing sonar. Really showing out this time of year, will be interesting to see if it continues all year since so many guys at the higher levels of tourney fishing have Live sonar.
2. Carolina rigs – I think this is just a "forgotten" technique coming back, and it's interesting that most of the guys I've seen mention it so far are younger...so maybe it's a "new" technique to them. Guess in one way you could see this as a dropshot that you drag?
3. Strike King Hybrid Hunter crankbait – Strike King brought this top secret bait to the entire US and it's been hot for a "new" bait...which is interesting because I believe the big deal with this bait is fishing it over grass and the grass hasn't really started its thing in most of the country yet.
Runners up
4. Jerkbaits – Also revived or made more deadly thanks to forward-facing sonar.
5. JackHammer – Are there any other bladed jigs? 😁
Little ammo for the above
Plus:
More ammo in the next item too. 👇
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Top 10 baits breakdown from the Harris Chain MLF Pro Circuit.
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Some great quotes from Christian:
> "To get it done today – man, I've had a blessed week. All glory to God on this one." 👊
> "The money is great, don't get me wrong, but I'm not out here for the money. I do this because I love it, and to earn these trophies." 🤔
> "...I'm putting this money in the bank and saving it. It can get pretty expensive chasing around these bass." [Hahaha ya think??]
Carolina rig = 40%
Jerkbait = 20%
TX rig worm = 20%
Lipless crank = 20%
10% each = Flip plastics, Senko
Shout outs
1. Mark Rose (5th) targeted fish around schooling shad in canal mouths with a bunch o' baits, none of which were Strike King...kidding: 😁
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2. Michael Neal (10th) couldn't help but get another top finish. Amazing.
3. TX's Jason Reyes (6th) threw a 7-INCH Senko 🤯 – look at this deal, looks 10" long and 1" around!
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How 'bout a 36.02 bag!!! 👀
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This is a major issue for all of us.
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> "LA spends well over $1 mil per year fighting giant salvinia, a plant that has been found recently in AR. Millions more are spent on other aquatic invaders. That money is being taken away from habitat management, stocking and improving fisheries for anglers.
> "The AGFC has already shut down one of our hatchery facilities because the lake surrounding it became infested with zebra mussels, so it's already impacting AR anglers."
Okay 2 major issues there, but the biggest one for us regular fishermen isn't invasive species. It's that our DNRs are tasked with fighting the invasives using OUR MONEY – their budgets are mostly license fees and federal excise taxes on fishing tackle collected from stuff we buy. That $$$ is supposed be earmarked for the stuff he mentions: "habitat management, stocking and improving fisheries for anglers." ONLY.
Reminder: Pretty sure 100% of aquatic invasives have come from the aquarium, aquaculture and shipping industries – not us! But to my knowledge, none of those folks are paying a single dime to help manage all the literal hundreds of millions of $$$ damage they've done.
Big biz and their politicians vs the regular folks again. How does this one get fixed? No idea but bet it starts with:
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Hahaha weird dudes from NYC! Got a story about the lead singer of Twisted Sister getting mad at a bud and I in the middle of a concert – we were there to see the opening band, did not like Sister (the headliner), and I guess he saw us being unimpressed because we were sitting next to his girlfriend! That plus the guitar-slinger from Alice in Chains getting mad at me for kinda the same reason are 2 of my better rock 'n roll stories mang!
> "We have to confront the fact that agricultural runoff is really the leading cause of water pollution in the U.S. today," said Eric Schaeffer, Environmental Integrity Project executive director and former director of civil enforcement at the EPA.
> Some comes in the form of runoff of fertilizer from crop land but the larger sources are factory farms raising livestock.... "Those farms raise animals under contract to a handful of very large corporations. We need to make those corporations responsible for the problem. They need to assume some of the costs...."
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All you country fans – ever hear "Show Me Your Fish"?
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Quick backstory on this deal: I was intro'd to Clayton Anderson through a mutual bud and was like, "Man let's write a song about bassin'!" He was all into it and it went well for awhile but then got rocky when he had a line about bobbers – I was like, "Bobbers! We don't need no stinkin' bobbers man!" – and Ugly Stiks, which I told him we don't use either and he texted me a shot of On Em's boat (dang it Matt!).
Then he changed my line "community hole" to "honey hole" 🙄. Final straw was I wanted to call the tune "Show Me Your DANG Fish" but his management thought that was "too edgy" and "could turn some people off" – so I was like, "Take the dang song man I'm out!"
HAHAHA! Not really! But here's the tune – Clayton will be beltin' it out this Sunday at the Redcrest free concert, SageNet Center at Expo Square in Tulsa. Bring your besty or wear your best, either's good...🤠
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> One person is dead and two people were injured in a boating crash on Lake Seminole, which was hosting multiple fishing tournaments over the weekend, according to Bainbridge Public Safety (BPS).
> The fatal wreck was between two boats participating in two fishing tournaments: the Florida B.A.S.S Nation Junior/High School Anglers Tournament and a local fishing tournament. Both were competing at the Earle May Boat Basin Park around noon Saturday when the two boats collided, according to BPS.
> The boater who was killed has been identified as 43-year-old Jason Davis, of Bainbridge. He was boating in the local competition, not the anglers tournament.
Lord please bring peace to the Davis family, and please heal the other two folks. 🙏✝️
> Grand Lake is "not a place you're going to generate 20, 30, 40 bites in a day. It's a place where, typically, ten [bites] is a good day. So you're going to have to those better-than-average fish."
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Fort Loudoun Lake, TN, believe it's his first one:
> He caught the majority of his fish fishing docks with a 1/2-oz blue craw-colored Strike King Thunder Cricket with a Strike King Rage Bug trailer. "I used the Rage Bug because I was skipping so much – that bait skips really good – and I was also fishing wood, and it keeps it from hanging up."
If you see that brace on his right wrist, he's been struggling with it for a while – a tough injury for a fisherman no doubt.
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Kevin looks a lot shorter there for some reason...😂
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A day in the boat with a pro is worth every penny. Whether it's John or whoever, my suggestion would be to forget about catching fish and squeeze their brain for as much info as you can...seriously!
8. A couple of real nice Aaron tributes.
🙏✝️ #loveyoubro
9. Gitcha jerseys for St Jude.
For a couple things...Harris Chain BFL:
- Win was a tie between Joey Bloom and Devin Vandalen – VanDALEN...almost the mighty VH!
- Bloom used a 13 Fishing BUBBLE BUTT Worm – hahaha what a name! Like, "Hey, is that a bubble butt?" "Say what??" "Is that a cashew nut?" 😆
> 200 tagged fish will be released into Lake Martin on Apr 1, and participants have 3 months to catch a tagged bass for a prize of $1,500 each. 4 lucky tags will be drawn for additional prizes, including 2 new bass boats, a new truck or the jackpot, $1 mil cash. Anglers have just over 3 months, until July 4, to make their catch.
Both were fishing. 👊
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> ...Skip Gap bend that holds your bait securely to the hook...no oversize barbs that can tear apart a small finesse worm....
Get one while you can!
Who knew – or maybe I did know that. Here's the international site – I can't link it: en.favorite-fishing com
Sarah Parvin and Dennis Olive – here's one o' their coppernose bluegill:
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Fish looks like it might have some Golden Corral self-control issues! 😁
18. FL has the most-polluted lakes in the US?
Sounds crazy but maybe not because they imply it's from big Ag. Can't link it, it's at wgcu org.
Includes:
> Interior Dept: Grants $348 mil for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative [which includes] the prevention of aquatic invasive species.... Provides $43 mil for efforts to help prevent the spread of [invasive species] including invasive carp.
> Corps: ...including $350 mil for Everglades restoration, $21 mil for navigation maintenance, $34.5 mil for inland waterway modernization and $45 mil for projects at small or subsistence harbors.
> Directs the [Corps] to account for recreation-based benefits and costs when considering a project, recognizing the growth of the outdoor recreation industry across the US.
Q: These companies buying up marinas across the country – is it a good thing or a bad thing? Anyone know?
Headline of the Day
Yes they do! Such like: BBQs, gossip, methane 🙊, grouchiness, etc. Lol kiddin' but also not fellas! 🤣
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On BassBlaster.rocks right now...
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> Fish are still transitioning between offshore and the bank in a lot of lakes and that makes them harder to figure out. One of my go-to lures in early spring, especially when the water is still on the cool side, is a shakey head.
> What I do differently now...is make more casts and drag the shakey head a lot less. I'm covering a lot more water and looking for those fish that aren't real aggressive, but might go for a shakey head if it drops in right by them.
> I'll throw the shakey head out, maybe in water between 5' and 15' deep, let it go to the bottom, drag it about 5', then wind it in and cast again. Most fish are still suspended, and if you cast it by one, there's a good chance the fish will follow it down and grab it.
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"It is deliberate. I want to be affordable to the everyday fisherman and I want them to have something that is unique and affordable."
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Double on a Bandit! Those fish look like twins or what!
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Greg Hackney sent me this shot. What do you think? Is it a..."hopsquatch"?? 🤣
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Jay Kumar's BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best and funniest (sometimes worst) stuff in bassin', picked by me – Jay Kumar. I started BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a bunch more in bassin'. The Blaster is the #2 daily read on any given day in the wide world o' bass so thanks for readin'!
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