Went to a swap meet hoping to find some cool TX stuff (didn't) but instead saw this – a dang wally-eye!

Turned out the gentleman is from MN and brought that mount all the way down for the flea market. Guess the next swap meet will have a mounted whitefish lol.

Hope you're getting your bassin' year off to a great start. Got some stuff in the works, both new and delayed. Stay tuned! And don't forget to sign up for the Target Crappie email if you feesh for slabosauruses!

If you don't know who Randy is, he's part of the Forrest Wood extended family, ran Ranger Boats for many years and now is CEO at Vexus Boats.

He's also designed many Ranger and now Vexus hulls, and is pretty much a geek about that stuff. So another way to describe Randy's run in the bassin' biz is a lot of guys running a bass boat are running one of his designs, or a derivative of one of his designs.

Had a few Qs about the future of bassin' tubs so I jumped on the phone with him – here we go:

1. Where are bass boats going design-wise? Faster, smoother – what's the trend?

> "From our part of the market, the biggest stuff we offer is what we sell the most of. So I'd have to say larger. Higher horsepower.

> "I don't necessarily believe people are concerned about speed – they were years ago – but there's so much equipment on the boats now that's required to catch a fish: a lot of electronics, extra batteries, shallow-water anchors, all those things. It takes a bigger boat to handle all of that.

> "The outboard people have really helped us. 300 and 400 hp is really common in this place now. ...300s on on bass boats and we put a lot of 400s on our [multi-species] boats.

> "We're selling these deep-sided boats in the South because people want to be more comfortable. They're intended for the big, rough water walleye-type thing, but is...creeping south."

2. With a bunch of graphs up front and more batteries and poles in the back, do you have to adjust hull design for that weight distribution change?

> "Yeah we sure do. We moved our center of gravity a little further forward so the boat doesn't sit as deep in the back. From the beginning, what we were doing at Vexus was trying to get in front of that.

> "We're trying to make things stronger and lighter. Anything we can do to make a bass boat lighter is helpful when you're adding on all these accessories. It's not just weight: When you put all these graphs up front, there's a lot of wind resistance."

Foller-up: Because of all that stuff, do we need to do something to our older boats to get the right performance now?

> "If you have older boats with a little more narrow beam and you're putting more batteries in them, you need to be conscious about moving some weight forward.

> "Some people go to lithium batteries, which obviously compensates for that extra [weight] gain. But your...shallow-water anchors are heavy enough that you have to compensate.

> "With an older boat, shifting weight forward will give up some speed, but you have to do that sometimes when you're tail-heavy to get a better hole shot."

3. Will we ever see 22+ foot bass boats?

> "Well we're really close. We're at 21 11 [for the VX21 and VXs21 models]. We might not call them 22-footers – we might call then 21 13s [laughs].

> "I would never say never. I'm so old I remember when a 350 Ranger – 17 10 or something with a 150 – we thought that was as far as probably anyone was going to go. It seems like a very small boat these days.

> "We're seeing in our aluminum boats – we make a 22' center console that people are using on lakes to catch bass and catfish. Bigger seems to be better there. In fact we don't make one under 20'."

Gotta mention 2 deals:

1. The Vexus VXs21 is a new boat. Good detailed YT vid breakdown of it here.

You know a boat's big when a couple big screens on the bow don't look that big!

2. Vexus is having a spring rebate promotion right now, deets here.

Gave you a peek at this at the end of last year, here are the finals from our "A I" that we call Brian: 😁

Key:

- This is just for 1 year: 2024.

- These are the baits used by top 10 finishers.

- Percents add up to over 100% because guys often use more than 1 bait/technique.

- Green = 20% or more, yellow = 10/teens, red = single digits.

Love to hear any thoughts you have, few deals from me:

1. Remember this is TOP LEVEL TOURNAMENT fishing (aka fishing the highest stakes with the least practice for a living), and thus does not reflect the vast majority of bass fishing.

2. I'm aware that a few folks tried to make something negative out of the stats I ran already. Such is the nature of stats, but I will say again: This is TOP LEVEL TOURNAMENT fishing (for 1 year only), and thus does not reflect the vast majority of bass fishing. If you read fishing reports from around the country like I do, you will see that guys are still fishing the kitchen sink, including crankbaits, spoons, etc.

3. Was last year finesse-dominated? Yes but not by much. Here's a quick breakdown of that chart, again bearing in mind that it adds up to over 100%:

• Finesse = 79%
• Power = 62%
• Other (jerkbait) = 11%

2024 vs 2019

Just for kicks, Brian the "A I" looked back 5 years, which was basically pre-FFS. Just for the BPT/Invitationals it looked like this:

Apples to oranges era-wise so hard to say much about the comparison, but for me the biggest thing that jumps out to me is how much close-quarters combat there used to be up shallow. Just 5 years ago!

- Yep could be no one else but Zona, in this case talkin' to and about his best bud KVD. I was expecting Kevin to zing him a little but it didn't happen in that clip. Expected it because KVD has a real good sense of humor, is quick and likes to hit back! (Or is it just me lol.)

Also, don't think for a second that KVD doesn't want to have a better TV show and higher ratings than Z. He's never said it out loud that I know if, but if he didn't he wouldn't be KVD!

A little update/different version of the Christmas special a couple years back – the Sea Foam/Kistler Top 5 of the Week in Bass Fishing, Ep 98:

1. Fishermen, fish and water in the Bible

2. We are dawg catchers!

3. Professional fishermen

4. Catch any?

5. Jesus made Peter fish for money!

Hope you dig it!

Posted by @hideoyoshida.hideup on IG. If Google translate is right, this is an unreleased (so far) Japanese prototype. Wonder if they're calling it the Pill Bug or Potato Bug...or Tater Bug...or Roly Poly. 🤣

The most astute fishermen will have noticed it's missing one key element: A few skirt strands. 😁

Did you know there's a new-ish song out about pill bugs. Believe it's a first in the history of the world, at least in the English language.

1. Dustin Connell says a crankbait will be in play

Posted this to his IG story:

How 'bout them apples? Check the Rocco 5 and Big Rocco on TW.

2. Lee Livesay now fishing 6th Sense rods and plastics

The way those dudes are going, pretty soon he'll be running a 6th Sense boat! 😁 Then maybe Lee will buy the Minnow Bucket on Fork? 🤔😁

3. Matt Becker gets FishUSA for title sponsor

A little disappointed the wrap isn't in the "Becker's grape juice" color Matt! 😁

4. Carl Jocumsen gets Rapala CrushCity

Danny Quinn at Rapala is pretty good with his pro staff picks! Except for, you know...Wheeler. 🤣

5. Good Bernie Schultz post on Jim Bitter

Sort of a confession too, always a good thing.

6. Here's MLF's new FFS trannie lock box

Actually it's a lock box for the cables, not the transducer itself. Here's a quick YT vid showing how it works.

7. Here's the '25 NPFL field

118 bass-crazy individuals. Some names you might recognize:

Justin Atkins

Todd Auten

Tommy Biffle 👀

Zack Birge

Scott Canterbury

Hank Cherry 👀

Jason Christie 👀

Brandon Cobb

Drew Cook

John Cox

David Fritts 👀

Buddy Gross

Greg Hackney 👀

Matt Herren

Koby Kreiger

Caleb Kuphall

Shane LeHew

Wes Logan

Bill Lowen

Kristopher "KJ" Queen

Scott Suggs

Gerald Swindle 👀

Patrick Walters

James Watson

Kyle Welcher

Tyler Williams

Jason Williamson

There's a bunch more sticks, hammers and former top pros in the field too. Above are just the current tour pros.

8. NE DNR is launching a FFS study

> Each of the 5 districts now has a FFS unit, and biologists are learning how to use them. Starting next spring, they will meet at 225-acre Flanagan Lake in Omaha. ...they will spend a half day fishing one side of the lake with FFS, and a half day fishing the other side without. The exercise will be repeated in the summer, fall and on the ice....

More:

> "FFS might just catch somebody a limit faster. It doesn't mean they can keep more fish by any means...."

Also:

> The technology is a regular topic in monthly Zoom meetings among the heads of fisheries managers nationwide. "When it's reaching that level of decision-makers, it is a pretty hot topic...."

There's a Zoom meeting with all state fish heads every month?? Could be good...IF those peeps actually fish!

9. TN DNR going with common sense for bass records

> "For TN state records, we will treat largemouth bass, FL bass and any hybrids of the two as a single unit," says Pat Black, the TWRA reservoir fisheries program coordinator. "Separating the species would create issues that could not be resolved."

> Black is aware that the IGFA's "new taxonomy" differentiates between pure largemouth and FL bass. But he says such genetic testing would be "prohibitively costly and time-consuming" for the agency.

> Also, he notes, there is no way to go back and genetically test the prior record largemouth....

Thank you. Hope the other states do the same thing. Do not let the IGFA be in charge of our records! 10 years from now they'll find new genetic stuff or whatever and it'll all be erased again.

10. Pastor survived F3 tornado in a bass boat! 🤯

Or technically he ended up under the bass boat due to the 138 mph winds. Says he and a bud headed out on Stanolind Rez in TX to get on a god pre-storm bite, but then it turned bad in a hurry. Pastor Brian Johnson of First Baptist Church in Winnie taslkin':

> "I shouldn't be here telling you this story. I made a terrible decision. All the warnings were there, and I didn't heed them. Yet somehow, God spared me. So, I got to believe He spared me for a purpose.

> "It is my desire that my experience would give hope to people who not only face extreme weather conditions, but also the many storms of life. I want them to know that Jesus guided me through my storm, and He can do the same for everyone who calls on His name."

Amen! Vid is at that link.

11. AR: Tourney exemptions for Brewer and Barnett...

...are available, needed because of new bass regs:

> ...previously required anglers to pitch back any largemouth bass from 13" to 16" long. Now anglers can keep up to 10 largemouth, but only one of those may exceed 16".

> "As long as bass tournament anglers release all the fish after the weigh-in, tournament directors will be able to apply for a waiver to this new regulation through the Black Bass Program at blackbassprogram@agfc.ar.gov," Jeremy Risley, Black Bass Program Coordinator for the AGFC, said.

12. FL: New 174-slip marina coming to Toho

Can accommodate up to 45' boats – so Johnny Cox is all good with his new center console. 😁

13. MS: New Rankin Ramp being built at Ross Barnett

Existing ramp there will remain open.

14. MS: Greeson dam releases increasing due to heavy rain

15. KY: Dewey Lake down an additional 2'

Beyond normal winter drawdown to kill off more hydrilla. Sounds like only the Goble Branch ramp is open.

16. VA: More aquatic veggies are in Smith Mntn Lake

Good news.

17. GA: Corps wants your Christmas trees for West Point

18. NV: No plan yet to reopen ramps at Scotts Flat and Rollins

Due to golden mussel concerns.

19. ID: 2 Snake River ramps are open again

At C.J. Strike and the North Park campground. Both now have floating docks, not sure if they were there before....

20. KY HSer signs with Montevallo

Congrats! 💪

21. ASA head says mom/pop stores have been hurting

Glenn Hughes, prez of the American Sportfishing Association (and keyboardist for Deep Purple – lol I love that!), which is the fishing tackle trade assn in DC:

> "Data shows us that big box retailers maintained solid sales in 2024 while independent retailers struggled due to high interest rates and inflation. It also tells us that new anglers are visiting big box stores while seasoned anglers tighten their budgets more than usual."

Wonder how much of that is ecomm-related too.

Headlines of the Day

Showcasing Elite Talent: The 2025 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions

You might think it's a new bassin' tourney but nope – it's HS hoops.

OR's first amphibian underpass: Northern red-legged frogs get safe passage under Hwy 30

Cost just $3.6 mil. Good news is it sounds like hardly any $$, if any, was from the DNR.

One quarter of freshwater animals at risk of extinction

Maybe? But I'm going with...nah. I say that because I've seen this stuff over and over through the years. If it matters, does not sound like the US of A is a focus.

Line of the Day

To prevent an altercation, the above items should not be attempted while backed down the ramp with a line of boaters waiting to launch.

Hahaha you can say that again! But apparently only 50% of boaters (at best) know this.

PSA

For all you frozen Buffalo Bills fans, tripped over this T-shirt at teepublic.com – kinda cool!

Moving it without moving it

What is deadsticking really? I always thought it was not moving the rod at all, but I assumed the bait was moving down there a little. Here's a slight twist on that, posted by Great Lakes Finesse on IG:

> This works on super finicky fish! We often deadstick our baits by simply adding and releasing tension on our lines without moving the bait forward. You can make your bait come alive, and this is a technique they rarely see so they fall for it. It’s hard to be patient, but oftentimes less is more.

Crazy how much those antennae shake! That's a 2.5" GLF Juvy Craw (gp) with a GLF Mini Pro Tube Jighead.

"If they're not causing population-level harm, we wouldn't want to overreact and restrict that technology too soon."

- MN DNR official talkin' rational 'bout FFS. Good to see especially in that state, which at times can be "behind" (the DNR). Full quote:

> "The tough thing is always, how much is too much?. If they're not causing population-level harm, we wouldn't want to overreact and restrict that technology too soon. That's the tricky thing that we're working on sorting out."

Btw it was about ice fishing, which is the OG of "video game fishing" starting with flashers, which are still used. Any ice fishermen complaining about FFS must have been born yesterday or just gotten back from the Bermuda Triangle.

Would you ever fish a crankbait named Raul? I guess it's pretty close to Paul so...😆 Guess I would! Posted by backlash_official on IG:

If you're a music nerd or just like good stuff, tripped over Eric Johnson covering Jimi Hendrix's tune "Are you experienced?" Insane not just because Eric is amazing, but because he plays the recorded-backwards guitar parts and solo...which I would have said is borderline impossible.

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