Welcome to the BassBlaster, your daily email about all things bassin’. Hey – take a sec to forward this Blaster to a bassin’ bud! Click here to forward to a bud(s)

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Today’s Top 3

1. Check this 15 from CA’s Lake Camanche!

15.2 lbs (28″ long, 25″ girth), caught by Lonnie Owen with a Toad Thrasher swimbait (pictured, not sure of the color). That is a bass-hemoth fo sho!

2. High school hard-water derbies now?

> “The neat thing about this team is most of the kids aren’t in any other sport,” coach Schrooten noted.

> “During the tournaments, the coaches aren’t allowed to drill holes, bait hooks or remove fish from hooks. But we can coach them as far as trying a new location or a different fishing set-up.”

> All the coaches had measuring boards, would measure the fish and put them back in the water.

Hard water fishin’ sure looks relaxing…lol!

3. WTH is up with the PA DEP and the Susquehanna?!

Check this craziness:

> The Susquehanna River with its spotted and deformed bass is not a candidate for the state’s list of impaired waterways.

> “Based on the science and law, we do not believe that the main stem of Susquehanna River should be proposed as impaired under the Clean Water Act,” DEP aecretary Mike Krancer said.

> Scientists have not determined the cause of inter-sexed bass, lesions on adult bass or die-offs of young, he said. [Doubt it could all be caused by nothing there, Mike.]

> “The science is clear – smallmouth bass are diseased and dying in the river, and time is of the essence if we are to turn things around,” said Harry Campbell of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. “Some experts and anglers speculate the possibility of a collapse of this once world-renowned fishery.”

Sounds like someone in the DEP, or the governor, has a bro-in-law that’s polluting the river?

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News

1. Chapman signs with Livingston Lures.

First Jeff Kriet, then Randy Howell, then Howell’s roommate Brent Chapman. Livingston is being aggressive, always interesting to see.

2. Marty Stone exits fishing again.

Marty gave it up for a steadier paycheck, then jumped back in with Major League Fishing, and is now out again “when four of his major sponsorship contracts were halved following the November election.” Tough road. Good dude, passionate, wish him well.

3. Freedom Tackle sponsors collegiate fishing.

> Freedom Tackle offers an innovative line of jigs, which feature an exclusive interchangeable hook design.

4. Megabass putting hammer down in U.S.

5. The Bass U sells out Chicago.

Lesson is: Don’t wait too long to sign up guys/gals!

6. TX proposing reg changes on 2 lakes.

> Lake Jacksonville, the proposed change would remove the 18-inch minimum length limit for largemouth bass. The five fish daily bag for bass would be retained, but anglers would be allowed to retain two largemouth bass less than 18 inches in length as part of that five fish bag.

> Lake Kurth, the proposed change would establish a 16-inch maximum length limit on largemouth bass, with a temporary retention of bass 24 inches or greater for weighing purposes and/or submission to the ShareLunker program. Anglers would be allowed to harvest five largemouth bass less than 16 inches in length.

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Tip of the Day

Davy Hite: Soft jerkbait for cool water.

I’m not the savviest bass fishermen ever (I’m serious…lol), so mebbe that’s why I fish a soft jerk in warmer water, not cooler. I’ll put the following in the ol’ computer:

> In colder prespawn conditions, Hite uses a Trigger X Drop Dead Minnow to target the same cruising bass he would normally fool with a jerkbait. This slow-falling soft jerkbait perfectly imitates a dying shad, often prevalent in the very beginning of spring.

> “I fish this bait very slow in the prespawn,” Hite said. “It has a unique, quivering fall to it and it shakes side to side as it falls in a big circle. If you give it a few soft twitches and let it settle, you’ll notice that it’s not your average soft jerkbait.”

> While many anglers watch the bait to detect strikes, Hite keeps a close eye on his line when looking for bites. If he notices even the slightest movement or twitch, he immediately sets the hook.

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Quote of the Day

Bitter ranks as the Bill Buckner of fishing, a great competitor best known for one unfortunate moment.

– B.A.S.S. writer Ken Duke talking about Jim Bitter bouncing his woulda-been Classic-winning dink off the side of his boat in 1989.

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Shot of the Day

Chris Lane at the Harris Chain Open last year, before he won the Classic. This small pic in no way does justice to James Overstreet’s photo talents. Click over to his Facebook page to see it in its deserved glory. This is why my nickname for JO is “Awesome.” Gotta come up with one for Seigo, he’s awesome too.

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