Not sure if I'm gonna be allowed to do a BB next week – the Irish gal is a little, let's say, tense...tensER. 😆 So if I don't get to do one, hope you and fams have a MERRY CHRISTMAS! And Happy Holidays!

Gonna be a Christmas-special Sea Foam/Kistler Top 5 of the Week this weekend or Monday (it's already done). So look out fer that on your fave social or Outdoor America streaming TV.

Every year we're supposed to take Christmas thru New Year's off. Kinda never works out that way exactly, but if that does happen – HNY!

Big thank YOU for enjoying this atomic redneck bassin' for another year!

Big thank you to the BB sponsors (who are real peeps!) who make it all possible – you are much appreciated!

And a big thank you to all the top pro and other tourney anglers out there for doing what you do, squeezing juice outta the fish, and giving us regular bass-heads some of it. Love 'n hugs!

Bless you and PEACE! Bassin' 2025 is gonna be lit as usual! 🔥🔥🧨🧨 Can't hardly wait! 😃

Kyle started on the Elites in 2020 and won the Elite AOY in 2023. Pretty darn fast to get to the one of the peaks of bassin'. (He also finished 2nd to Jason Christie in the '22 Classic by 5 oz, which is his highest B.A.S.S. finish so far.) He just got a 2nd AOY points title, on the NPFLs and this was hist first year fishing 'em.

So...see a pattern? Kinda? Had to check in with him so here we go:

1. What was the biggest key fishing-wise for you winning this AOY title?

> "Lots and lots of adjustments. You know we fished a lot of tournaments this year, Jan all the way to Dec, and it seems like in every tournament I never caught them the same way twice. From the morning to the evening, day to day, it seemed like adjustments were the key."

2. Can you somehow compare this one to the Elite AOY? Do they feel similar or...?

> "They felt similar while they were happening. They kind of felt the same as far as...every time you make a move it seemed to work out in your favor.

> "But the Elite AOY...I would say I had more anticipation. I really, really wanted to win it more because it was my first big trophy. I was in contention for the Classic and I didn't win it, and I was in contention for AOY and was like, I can't lose the trophy again.

> "This one, I'd already been there and had a win...."

3. Did you fish the NPFLs any different than the Elites? Did they help with the Elites somehow?

> "I don't fish them any differently. The only thing different is preparation. If I have an Elite series tournament and an NPFL tournament coming up, I will spend more time preparing for the Elite tournament. When I get there it's the same routine, the same work ethic level, everything is exactly the same.

> "I do think fishing more big tournaments helps you. There's only a certain number of big lakes that big tournaments go to, so the more times you visit them, you're gonna learn and get better and better...."

[He is fishing the NPFLs again next year.]

4. Any changes electronics-wise or otherwise for the '25 season?

> "I can have my exact same setup [from '24] that I fished every single tournament with. So I'm gonna have the exact same setup."

Foller-up: What's your feeling on the NPFLs and no FFS?

> "I like it. I think it's going to be different. It's going to kinda freshen up the tournament scene in my opinion.

> "That doesn't mean FFS is bad. It's just when you have 3 tours and every single day of live looks about the same, I think it'll be good for the industry and revitalize some of the techniques all of us grew up trying to learn and trying to master...to win tournaments.

> "Since I've been on the Bassmaster Elite Series, I think there's been only 2-3 tournaments won flipping. In years past it was 2-3 a year."

5. Changing gears – what do you like about the Mooch Minnow?

> "I would say 2 things. One is super-subtle action. That corkscrew tail barely wags in the water, just enough to make fish following it bite it.

> "The other thing is durability. I rig them up the night before and Super Glue them – usually I can fish for the entire tournament day. Catfish and striper make you change them, bass don't."

Here's what he fishes it with, and his fave Mooch color is "gizzard shad:"

> "My favorite is the Gamakatsu Horizon Head. 5/32 gives the bait the best action and gets the most bites."

> "16-lb Sunline Overwatch Braid to 12-lb Shooter [fluoro]. The trend in bass fishing is upsizing leader line because it doesn't matter. When they see a bait either they eat it or they don't. Line size has gone out the window – everybody's beefing it up some."

> 7' to 7' 3" MF spin rod and a reel with "the fastest gear ratio you can find."

Bassmaster.com outed his process of juicing and powdering up his soft-plastics – and to me it sounds like going after catfeesh! Couple examples:

1. First he soaks his baits in Nories Aging Bass Liquid in sealed containers – for 1 month to 2 years!?! 🤯

> Plastic sucks in the formula and increases in size, and the texture of the baits also changes.

That sound like what a catfish guy would do or what! Then:

2. He takes out his baits that are full of stank and ready to use, and here's how he puts his Nories Bite Powder on 'em:

He shakes it up like he's breading a filet!

So I guess if you wanna stank up your baits like Taku, first of all have a shed WAAAY far from the house 😁 and then think like a catfish dude!

If you fish herring lakes you know a Fluke (or your fave soft jerkbait) is king. But...could there actually be something better...sometimes?

Dude named Joe Mitchell thought so, and worked with lifelong fishing bud Kollin Smith to design a HARD-bodied Fluke-style bait they now call the Flick (it was the Glitch). The Flick's been catching 'em, winning derbies and is carried on TW so you know some folks want it.

Joe recently sold the company – 100 Swimbait Co – to Kollin, who apparently ships these deals as fast as he can make 'em. What makes this bait so good? Here's Kollin talkin':

1. What were the soft-bodied Fluke baits lacking that made you want to design a hard-bodied version?

> "The #1 thing we were looking for was a better hookup ratio, especially on spotted bass. Having 2 trebles hanging below the bait is the main reason.... The original Fluke is an amazing bait, but you miss a lot of fish on that bait.

> "We also wanted better castability. Bass eat a Fluke like crazy on windy days, but you can hardly throw it in a stiff wind. Our baits throw way better in the wind.

> "And we wanted a true chrome bait since bass on herring lakes love chrome. You can get a Zoom Super Fluke in 'crazy chrome,' but it's a translucent plastic with chrome flake. Our bait is solid chrome. We offer different colors, but 'chrome' is the bestseller.

> "We were also tired of buying packs and packs of Flukes. At the end of a good day of fishing, we'd have torn-up Flukes all over the floor of the boat. You can put a tail off of a torn-up Fluke on our bait and throw it most of the day. You'll go through way less and save yourself some money."

2. Does your bait replace a Fluke?

> "No, I still throw Flukes. Our baits don't completely replace them – they just give the fish a different look. Bass will prefer one over the other.

> "The Fluke will usually excel in slick, calm conditions. But in every other condition you face on the water – especially wind – our bait is superior due to castability and action."

3. What's your favorite tail to attach to the screw-lock on the back of your bait?

> "My favorite is the tail off a Zoom Super Fluke. But I only fish herring lakes. People who don't fish herring lakes like to put a paddle tail – like off the back of a Keitech – on there, and wind it with a straight retrieve like a traditional swimbait. It works especially well above grass."

[He says the Flick comes with #5 VMC trebles.]

4. How do you work Flick with a Fluke tail on it?

> "On most days I make a long cast, let it hit the water and give it a 2-3 count. Then reel with a steady, moderate retrieve while bouncing the end of the rod. I'm not really twitching it, but giving it just enough rod movement to make it jump left to right.

> "I have a friend who works it the same way, but he catches deeper fish by letting it sink way down and then starts his retrieve. Others work it like a jerkbait: twitch, twitch, pause. Repeat."

> "...you can jerk it harder than a Fluke and it will stay under the water – unlike a Fluke."

5. The Bassmaster Elite Series is coming to your home lake [Hartwell] at the end of April. Will your bait play?

> "Absolutely. That will be right in the middle of the herring spawn. Anyone throwing a Flick in that event will smash 'em!"

His Flick gear deets: 12-lb Seaguar InvizX fluoro tied straight to the nose of the bait, Shimano Metanium MGL 150 XG Reel (8.1), 7' 2" M XF FX Xtreme Titanium Rod.

[The BB's Andy "neon" Greene did this one – good job man!]

Here we go with the Sea Foam/Kistler Top 5 of the Week in Bass Fishing, Episode 97!

1. MEGA Live 2 is good 💪

2. New XPLORE units 💯

3. The Wobbletron is back 🐸

4. The Mooch is out! 👀

5. Gotta shout out Gville 😍

Baits 'n stuff shown/mentioned in this one:

Sea Foam Marine PRO

Kistler rods, reels and line

Garmin LiveScope

PH Custom Lures Phront Runner

Lowrance ActiveTarget

Humminbird MEGA Live 2

Humminbird XPLORE

Snag Proof Zoo Kick: Not available yet

Rapala CrushCity Mooch Minnow

1. Tyler Williams spotted at a MO fruitjar

Looks like he finished 2nd to Dion Hibdon's team. If you're wondering what Tyler was doing there, gonna guess it's because ME is under like 6' of snow and ice right now?

Tx for the heads up Angry Pirate!

2. Jacob Wall will be running a Vexus

Dang who's next??

3. Here's Easton Fothergill's main Neko rig

6" Strike King Filler Worm (red bug) with a #2 Ryugi Talisman Hook. I think that black plastic deal is the Geecrack Neko Hack.

He told BM.com that was the most important bait in his '24 Opens season, which was pretty dang good!

4. Here's your 2025 Elitist roster

104 gents. Gonna take a little closer look soon....

5. Meet your '25 Bass Pro Tour rookies

TN's Jake "St" Lawrence, LA's Colby "Jack" Miller and TX's Marshall "Super Lead" Hughes. Congrats to 'em!

6. Check all the new MEGA Live 2 color palettes...

...real quick in this vid:

Believe that one is called PB&J! ML2 is available for pre-order on TW and it says the ETA is Jan 30.

7. Bill Lewis Zig Zag now on sale on TW

It's a Frontrunner, comes in 6 colors including "bone":

8. 3" Lunkerhunt Fillet comes in 3/8-oz or 1-oz

Lipless with 1 size and 2 weights – interesting:

9. How different is a Spearpoint hook really?

Here you go:

Check all Spearpoints on TW here.

10. Russel Marine has a new 19" screen...

...called the Flex 19 that's compatible with some Garmin units and can mirror Humminbird Apex units. Costs $3,700. Thanks to Josh Jones for the heads up.

11. MT DNR want all smallmouth killed outta Placid Lake

12. ID: Turner Gulch ramp open again at Lucky Peak

13. New Rapala CEO coming in March

The parent Rapala company, not Rapala USA.

14. Yamaha prez is into the carbon footprint thing

Pretty obvious from the stuff Yamaha has been doing, but he says it in that video. Wonder if that emphasis will affect Skeeter at some point?

15. MN: Comments wanted on draft aquaculture plan

May or may not have relevance to recreational fisheries, have to peruse it to find out.

Headline of the Day

Fisherman Casts a Line Into the Ocean, Hooks Drowning Woman

She was swimming off the beach...in South Africa...at night. Not saying she had a death wish but dang that's big-time great white territory.

Lines of the Day

"It is possible for genetic material to be introduced into the water by boats or fishing equipment used in another area where invasive carp are present, or even by other animals such as fish-eating birds."

- KY fisheries director Dave Dreves talkin' sense about e-DNA tests. That's where they "test" (sorta but not really) the water for the DNA of whatever, like Asian carp. I think the whole deal's sketchy at best. Either way, that's the most rational statement I've seen on it. Thank you Dave!

Pain is the first sign of life. A dead seashell sitting on the shore can't feel the pain but a green-tinted shellfish can.

- Part of a nonsensical post on msn.com about crayfish. Wait – seashells sitting on the beach are dead?? 🤣

How Greg Hackney flips mats in the winter

From the Bassin'masters and worth a full read – here's an excerpt:

> ...my wintertime flippin' tactics are a bit different from how I flip in the summer months. ...I typically use a lighter weight...rather than a 1-oz or 1.5-oz sinker, I'll opt for the lightest I can use and yet still penetrate the cover.

> ...I'm trying to trigger a reaction bite, but when the water is cold I don't want to overly surprise the fish. I want more of a natural presentation.

> I will use my rod for a controlled fall rather than my summertime tactic of allowing the bait to fall on a slack line. The lighter sinker helps with that, but so does a bigger braid that drags more and slows the fall.

> I prefer the Strike King Rodent [Beaver-style bait] because it penetrates well and doesn't have a lot of unnecessary action. When the water is cold, I don't want a lot of flappy parts on my lure, but I do want a bait with a profile.

> ...keep in mind how cold weather makes soft-plastic lures less pliable. I use Strike King Tour Grade plastics...but even they get harder in cold weather. Therefore a hook adjustment is necessary. ...I will scale down to a Gamakatsu Aaron Martens G-Finesse Heavy Cover Flipping Hook. It has a smaller-diameter wire so it slides through the plastic easier, but is rigid enough to not flex.

"This is the thing that excites me most – 2/3 of the day will be spent going back to how I've fished my whole life."

- Jacob Wheeler talkin' 'bout being able to use FFS for 1 period of 3 each day on the Bass Pro Tour. Says in that MLF post that he might not even turn it on every day...😱🤔 And – he might be sandbaggin'...😁

Not sure whether this is up to code or not, but either way it's hilarious – and epic! 🤣 Yep that's On Em "Matt" Robertson's pontoon deck!

PSA gift idea in case you need one: a NOCO Boost Plus. My bud Brian is getting them for everybody in his family. Says if you need to jump a truck, car or boat, this is all you need – no other battery or jumper cables required. Says the 1,000-amp version is what you need which is $99 right now – I'm getting at least one.

I know zip about this stuff but he does, and I believe NOCO makes a lithium battery charger some folks use for their boats...?

Fishers of Men Tournament Trail

Bass Chaplain podcasts

Contact Chris Wells the Bass Chaplain

CullGear.com - Versaweb

Advanced Angler

StrayCasts crazy web show!

BassEdge Radio

Champion Jigs

Trophy Bass Co.

National Professional Anglers Assoc.