Doing voice to text today on my iPhone – which stinks for voice to text – and when I said "Tackle Warehouse" it came up..."taco warehouse." HAHAHA! I'd order from there all the time too! 🤣 Let's go!
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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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5 Qs with yer Elite AOY leader BMP.
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1. So the new baby deal – would you rather have a tournament win or an AOY win?
> "I would rather have AOY. Because it's the culmination of the entire season. There are 9 weeks instead of 1 week.
> "This one – every [AOY] is special and unique, but this one just seems like you can't slip up if you're gonna win."
2. If John Cox beats you fishing shallow without electronics, will you reevaluate your entire tournament fishing approach? 😁
> "No way because not everyone can do what John Cox does. I think everyone can do it in their own way, but what he does is incredibly special and I've been a fan of it since he started fishing professionally.
> "The thing I think is awesome – the most impressive thing – is that the way he lives his life translates onto the way he fishes on the water. He does it because he truly enjoys it. And I think that's what makes him so special."
3. The last 4 Elites your worst finish was 12th. What's going on?
> "I guess I perform better under pressure? We were talking about this the other day. I don't know why it's this way, but my entire life – whether it was fishing or wrestling or heck even writing a paper in college – I've felt like I always perform when my life is right on the edge of chaos. For whatever reason it seems like my brain clicks into a different focus.
> "I honestly don't have an explanation for it, but I've won tons of wrestling matches by coming back in the 3rd period and winning in the last few seconds. Whether it's fishing and balancing trying to have a baby and make top 10s, it seems like it always comes together."
4. Can we expect to see any more big baits from you this season, like swimbaits and spoons?
> "Uh possibly but it's a lot less likely, just because of the nature of the places we're going. Big swimbaits could still play, spoons probably not as much.
> "The way I've been fishing lately is it's not up to me, it's up to the fish. So I keep my options open, and if I see a situation and I think a certain bait gives me the best opportunity to get that bite, I might pull it out and make 5 casts with it and put it away and not pick it up the rest of the week."
Okay then I gotta ask – how many rods do you have rigged up?
> "On average during the course of the year I probably have 25 in the boat. I'm not a super-complex fisherman, I don't feel like. I feel like I have a core set of things I kind of lean on, then apply them to the situation.... I don't believe there's only one way to catch a bass.
> "But those decisions are based off 10s of thousands of hours on the water. You don't just read that in a book. And those situations are based on my experiences. Take John Cox for example – his experiences are completely different. So when he pulls up to a laydown, the way he approaches it might be different than I do just based on our experiences of how we might have gotten a bite in a similar situation."
5. Be honest: Is it possible to do all that media and also fish, or are you using Mike Iaconelli's clone machine? 😁
> [Laughs] "No it's definitely possible. I think the majority of people, myself included, oftentimes don't manage our time as wisely as we could. So we create busy work in our lives rather than meaningful work, and there's a vast different between the two – both might take up as much of your time but might not advance you...."
[Wow that was an almost Clunn-like answer!]
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Bonus Q: Has Jake Boomer at Alpha Angler ever once said he might be wrong about anything rod-related??
> [Laughs] "It usually takes me about 3 months of constant communication to get him to admit it."
HAHAHA that sounds about right!
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Top 10 James River Pro Circuit baits broken down.
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Whatever happened to blue ring worms man? What happened to little spinnerbaits 'n such? No idea but here's what the top 10 fished last weekend on the James:
Flip plastics = 50% – Gotta shout out Johnny Cox (10th) who fished that Berkley PowerBait Shape 108 again:
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Buzzbait = 30%
Frog = 30%
10% each = Stick worm, Jig, Finesse jig, Swimbait, Dropshot, Worm, Shakey head, Neko rig
Shout-outs
- MLF BPT rookie Dakota Ebare finished 2nd, Michael Neal (4th) couldn't finish out of the top 10 again, another BPT rookie Cole Floyd finished 6th.
1. Josh Butler
2. Michael Neal
3. Justin Lucas
4. Jacopo Gallelli
5. Mitch Crane
6. Spencer Shuffield
7. John Hunter
8. Josh Bragg
9. John Cox
10. Nick LeBrun
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Tripped over 'em, here we go!
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How to throttle back to save gas $$$.
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RPMs
> For years I did fuel consumption tests on powerboats from 18 to 45 feet long for a well-known boating publication....
> A 19' Ranger with a 225 4-stroke Mercury outboard typically gets around 4.2 mpg at 4500 rpm, where the boat is running a little under 47 mph – plenty fast to get you where you want to go most of the time.
> That 4500 rpm range is the sweet spot for most modern 4-stroke outboards, where they have the best combination of speed and fuel consumption.
> ...open the throttle wide and you'll pay a penalty. At 6350 rpm and 70 mph, the 19' Ranger gets 2.8 mpg – your fuel mileage is about 1/3 less, which means your fuel cost will be 1/3 more.
> On that boat's 43-gallon tank you'll pay over $200 to fill up these days, so there's a notable penalty if you have to refill more often.
Props
> The best prop for your boat and typical loading will be one that pops the boat on plane quickly and pushes it rapidly to the best cruise, typically that 4500-rpm sweet spot where your fuel dollar stretches farthest.
> The number of blades on the prop is not a big factor in fuel economy unless you have a heavy boat that is hard to get on plane and tends to plow – a 4-blade will generally plane these boats more quickly and keep them on top better, so will give some fuel efficiency advantage at low and mid-ranges over most 3-blade props.
> ...make sure your prop is clean and undamaged. Bent blades or chunks out of the edges cut efficiency, and that reduces the distance your boat travels on a fillup....
Or you could just Ryan Salzman it and run straight to the dam and stay there all day...😁
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Should folks be able to rent a boat without a safety course??
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Hahaha yep it's kinda funny bot not really the equivalent of Patrick Star could rent a boat and be tearin' down the lake!
Anyhow, renting a boat without knowing basic boat safety sounds nuts but it could and I guess it already does happen. LA is wrestling with it right now, with all the boat rental services popping up:
> Under current [LA] law, anyone born after Jan 1, 1984 who wants to operate a motorboat (more than 10 hp) must successfully complete a boating safety class approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators. The legislation, which the governor will either veto or allow to become law, would do away with that requirement for rentals only, including jet skis, boats and everything in between and beyond.
> Sen. Eddie Lambert of Gonzales, a commercial fisherman, voted against the legislation following its first hearing. During that initial debate, he marveled at the proposed law's applications.
> "So if I wanted to go and rent one of these boats I see flying down the Diversion Canal that's 40' long and has 3 engines in it that goes 100 mph, I could rent that boat from an establishment in LA?" asked Lambert.
> "You find an establishment to rent you that vessel, I believe this law would allow you to do that without the boater safety course," answered Cole Garrett, the general counsel for the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
How scary is that deal? Another thing sportsmen and women need to weigh in on for sure.
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Whoa! Sounds like he is doing okay, hope so:
> The plan all along was for this to be my final season. Due to rapidly changing times, I'm starting another new chapter a few months earlier than planned and retiring from the Bassmaster Elite Series, effective immediately.
> So, what's next? In an effort to fill a much-needed void, and with the help of some very talented anglers and friends, we are starting FutureCast Academy. This is a skill development, coaching, mentoring and hands-on program designed for anglers of all ages. Classes will be available to benefit anglers hoping to climb the bass fishing ladder or just have fun catching more fish.
Starting with swimbaits anyhow:
> It's something I've been longing to do. I've been in this game long enough to know that very few pros can have whatever changes they desire made to a prototype before the lure is introduced to the fishing public.
> It's why I teamed up with Bass Mafia Outdoors this year. They promised that I would have full control over designing my own baits. If you've followed my career at all, it should come as no surprise that my first lures are swimbaits. I would rather catch a bass on a swimbait than anything else.
> One of the things that make my swimbaits so irresistible to bass is that the head wiggles with precisely the right action. Every swimbait's tail wags, but their heads don't move. I don't want to give away any secrets, but it takes the exact weight and balance to get that head action just right. [👀]
This comment on the post confused me:
> Gussy, does the HydroWave have settings that work up here in Canada? I've looked into it but I don't know anyone up here with to ask how well it works.
Are bass different in Canada? Are baitfish different in Canada?? Are bass FISHERMEN different in Canada??? Gonna say yes to the last one...but not much! 😁
From back in March, tidbits:
- He's not a fan of the Red River.
- He is a fan of Caddo Lake.
- He confesses a common male addiction.
- He talks about ruining his marriage and Jesus saving it.
> "You cannot out-sin the blood of Jesus Christ. The lie the enemy would tell you is that you're no good and too far gone, but that's a lie. That's what the enemy does, he lies to us."
Great interview no matter where you're at. There's also a miracle: Chris Wells actually doesn't talk much! 🤣 brother!
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Pro Circuiter with a great, practical tip to wear ear muffs or something else to protect your ears. Several longer-time pros have hearing aids because of this, which is not this:
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😆 Those of age might recall that's when the metal guys all got together on a tune to raise $$ for famine relief in Africa. For all olde-skool metal-heads, here's the tune "Stars" on YT. Kinda hilarious now!
Outta Mitchell's Bay Marine Park, July 8-9.
I love this. Love and miss Helen, who in my experience was tough, fair and very sharp:
> B.A.S.S. and Shimano are partnering to award the first Helen Sevier Pioneer Scholarships to deserving female high school anglers who want to pursue competitive fishing at the college level. The two $2,500 scholarships honor Sevier's leadership and long-term vision for the growth of sportfishing.
Maybe only for Europe? Looks cool fo sho:
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> Drew Reese...[who] finished 7th at the first-ever Bassmaster Classic: "A major motivation behind the design of the Midwest Finesse Swim Jig was to give anglers another tool in their finesse arsenal that fishes faster and shines in heavier cover where standard mushroom jigs aren't so efficient."
Says he fishes it on 4- and 6-lb line! 🤯 Debuting at ICAST, 1/4, 3/16 and 5/32, 6 colors, $4.99.
Pic to me looks like a normal treble but:
> ...each treble hook that adorns a lure today is made individually, typically by brazing a double hook to a single hook.
> At ICAST 2022, Mustad...will unveil Jaw Lok: The first and only inline treble hook manufactured by a completely automated process, eliminating the hook-to-hook variability....
> Jaw Lok features an inline design with the hook eye aligned perfectly with one tine. When rigged on lures, Jaw Lok belly hooks tuck against the lure's body with one tine pointed straight down, while tail hooks trail the lure precisely with one tine pointed straight up.
> The lightest trebles in their class, Jaw Lok hooks allow baits to track truer and deliver improved hookup ratios.
Is all that overblown? We'll find out!
> ...made its crowd-sourced mapping data called "Genesis" available on the C-Map navigation app this month, as well as across Lowrance....
Never heard of it, makes sense – and gives new perspective on some dock owners getting ticked about fishermen...not that they're right! 😁
For milfoil.
Sounds like it includes Star Brite:
> OneWater Marine Inc. (NASDAQ: ONEW) announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ocean Bio-Chem Inc. (NASDAQ: OBCI), a leading supplier and distributor of appearance, cleaning and maintenance products for the marine industry and the automotive, powersports, recreational vehicles, and outdoor power equipment markets...in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $125 million.
> As part of the transaction, OneWater will also acquire OBCI's affiliate, Star Brite Europe Inc. Upon closing of the transaction, both OBCI and Star Brite Europe, Inc. will be integrated into T-H Marine Supplies LLC, OneWater's subsidiary and strategic growth platform for parts and accessories businesses.
Sounds like Kirk Johnson sold it to folks he knows.
Very cool.
17. Asian carp updatin's.
To try to make them more acceptable for peeps to try/eat – along the lines of "Chilean sea bass" which is really Patagonian toothfish:
> "This could be a tremendous breakthrough," said John Goss, who led the Obama administration's effort to halt the carp invasion and worked on the renaming project. "The next couple of years are very critical for building confidence and acceptance."
> Span, a Chicago communications design company, came up with "copi." It's an abbreviated wordplay on "copious" – a reference to the booming populations of bighead, silver, grass and black carp in the US heartland.
Not sure about a "tremendous breakthrough" or whatever, but if it helps get an eatin' demand going then great – bottom line is it has to taste good!
Dang!
> ...took advantage of high water in May to slip around locks and dams as the river swelled and spillways opened.
...that were found all over the ground in Texarkana in Dec? That's what 2 scientists said:
> Last week, Sharon Hill, a geologist and independent researcher based in PA, and Paul Cropper, an author in Australia, shared their findings that a flock of birds may have regurgitated the fish while flying over the east TX town.
They said some cormorants were seen in the area. Guess it's possible, but is it likely – or more likely than bigfoot, chupacabras, aliens or...wind??
Headlines of the Day
Hahaha that's the glass half empty perspective!
> The New York Times in its December 2019 article "Even Hermit Crabs Have Wealth Inequality"....
> "Does a monkey with access to larger nut-cracking rocks go on to have more children and grandchildren?"
Don't know whether to crack up or cry over that deal! Hasn't come to fishing yet but don't doubt that it's comin'...🙄
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On BassBlaster.rocks right now...
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That's right, he fishes scat but not just any scat. First he has to dry it, then put it in a mold, infuse it with plastic, dye it and then he's ready to roll! 😆
Okay it's the Deps Cover Scat which I gotta say I was curious about because it actually looks like a lump o' scat! Does that mean a bass will bite it? Of course! Our fish'll bite anything, but the bigger question is – why fish it? In this BB YT vid, Matty gives you that info and what he fishes it with:
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"...most boats heading offshore or to remote fishing locations have no shortage of firearms on board. They do have more rods and reels than firearms, but plenty nonetheless."
> ...a sportboat running from the west coast of FL to TX that received gunfire in the middle of the night from a boat that was following them. There was an exchange of gunfire, but fortunately, the crew was able to outrun the threat, and luckily no one was injured, although the boat did arrive at its final destination with numerous bullet holes.
> According to governmental reports and statistics, piracy does still exist. The majority of attacks...are typically carried out on targets of opportunity. Vessels are most vulnerable when they appear to be unprotected or situationally unaware – during or immediately following a crisis or natural disaster, when...people are desperate....
👆 And that's why you're reading this. If the economy plows into the ground, some folks might get desperate even on lakes and rivers so be careful – and maybe prepared too – peeps....
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That would sound weird but Ott DeFoe has all kinda secret stuff under his garage so...😁
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Jay Kumar's BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best (sometimes worst) and funniest 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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