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All Ditch Melon Derby prize winners: Jun winners, you should have already received your stuff. Pls lmk if not. Jul and Aug was either shipped this week or will be in the next 2 weeks. It is coming straight from Abu Garcia, a big company, so pls give them some time and a few weeks to get it to you – thank you. Any issues after that, pls let me know.
Big thanks to Abu for partnering on this deal and all of you for participating. If you want a shot to do it again this year – whether you fished or not – pls lmk. If we do it, we will go bigger in prizes/payout, not keep it the same.
Related Q: What would you have to have or really want to do one of these online derby deals?
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Gitcha Blaster social fix here:
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If your email program cuts off the bottom of the 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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Some braid learnin's, part 1
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Pretty much every time I do something or watch something about braid, I see comments from frustrated folks – because they're using the wrong braid for what they are doing. Or they don't understand that all braids are not the same, won't act the same on and off the reel, etc.
I totally get it because like many things in bassin', there's a lot to know – to make sure a guy doesn't have a frustrating experience on the water. So I got the phone with Berkley line honcho Chris Pitsilos to talk about their braids. I'll be talking about other brands soon.
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If I get anything wrong in what follows, that's on me.
Berkley has 2 kinds of braids
Berkley has conventional braids – which are literal braids, like braiding hair – and thermally-fused braids: FireLine and Forward. FireLine is a braid that is sort of "merged" through that thermal fusion process, and Forward is not a braid – it is basically a twisted fiber bundle that is then fused.
Fused braids – which Berkley calls "super lines" – are smoother, more abrasion-resistant and take on/in way less water (more water = reduced casting distance and maybe some "sticking"/wrapping around guides). This less drag means they also sink better, particularly over the course of a fishing day.
Fused braids also can be or feel a little "stiffer" til they're broken in.
More about braid in general
1. Color
> "Braid comes in white or off-white. Then you put on a color and coat it to keep it on there. The color doesn't get in the fiber itself. So as you wear braid, you can see the color coming off [which is] the color and the coating being removed from the braided product itself."
2. Carriers
The term "carrier" means a bundle or "clump" of fibers. So a 5-carrier braid, like Berkley X5, looks like this:
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For Berkley anyhow, for any given lb rating, 9-carrier braid is the same diameter as 5-carrier. Which means that the bundles (carriers) of fibers are different sizes.
3. Best braid knot
> "We test with the Palomar in the lab. Typically for braid, Palomar is the way to go. Is there a better knot for braid? Probably. But that's the knot we use in the lab and people know...."
Chris also likes the Trilene knot for braids.
> "Anything 8 carrier or more, or fused, should be wrapped more. ...25% more wraps as a general guideline, or at least 3-5 times more [wraps]. Lick it and wrap it."
4. Braid to fluoro knots
Berkley recommends 3 knots:
> FG: "The strongest braid to fluoro knot is an FG Knot. It's the hardest to tie, the strongest and also the lowest-profile. It 'digs into' your fluoro pretty well."
> Crazy Alberto: "...middle profile. Not as hard to tie as the FG, the profile is a little smaller than the uni to uni, and it's in the middle in strength too.
> Uni to uni – "...the easiest knot to tie, but it's your weakest and your biggest profile...a little bit larger knot as you go through the guides."
When it comes to their thermally-fused braids (Forward and FireLine):
> "...comes down to slickness...you have to take more care because it's more slick [some non-Berkley braids are slick too]. The reason you have a teflon-coated pan is so the egg doesn't stick. There are things we add that make them smoother...that's great.
> "...goes through guides smooth, it makes no noise, casts farther. The problem is that you might pull a knot out [if you don't] wrap it more. Anglers love slick braid, but they might not always take the care in [knot-tying] that they should."
Does the fluoro matter?
> "I would say yes it does. There are softer fluoros and harder fluoros. We found out that not all fluoros make great leaders. I think a lot of anglers think they can pick any fluoro and...can use it as a leader.
> "If they're using an FG knot specifically, they need to really look at the knot. You need to care for it, and lick it well because fluoro does not like friction. Take the time to tie that knot, and put enough pressure and force on it to ensure it will hold.
> "I'm not sure which fluoros may or may not be more 'grabbable' by braid. Some are more sensitive to certain knots than others."
A Berkley braided line guide
Product name: Berkley Big Game Braid
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Type: 4-carrier
What it's for: Vegetation because fewer carriers = more abrasion resistance = cuts through veggies better. Also a general-purpose braid for "less-serious" anglers.
More: 4-carrier braid doesn't cast as well as braids with a higher number of carriers because the carriers on the outside of the line are bigger. Spiderwire DuraBraid, which Berkley makes, also is a 4-carrier braid and is made for close-quarters combat – which is why Bobby Lane is all about it.
Product name: Berkley X5 and Berkley X9 braid
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Type: 4 carrier plus 1 in the middle, and 8-carrier plus 1 in the middle
> "We added in a core...for manageability. Braids typically are not round...and the higher the carrier count, the flatter it becomes. For the average angler that means you get a lot of dig-ins.
> "...we wanted to make sure they were more round than other braids, so it improves your manageability. It'll stack better on your reel, it's not gonna flatten out as much...."
What it's for: Either can be used as an all-purpose braid but:
> "X5 is designed for maximum strength and abrasion resistance. It's a vegetation braid...[but] dropshot all the way up to pitching and frogs.
> "X9 [is more for] casting, smoother, throwing a crankbait.... Do people throw topwater with it? Yes. It's fantastic for open water.
> "Some throw it in heavy vegetation, but the one with the most abrasion resistance is X5. And every condition is different. You might say you're fishing in lilypads – well is it sparse lilypads, is it shallow water, is there vegetation underneath...."
More:
> "Some pros like the 8-carrier version [X9] because it's smoother and has less sound...they think that might be an issue.
> "Justin Lucas likes X5 because when he's tying a knot he says it feels more secure because it has that zipper effect [rougher feel from fewer carriers].
> "As you get to smoother braids, you have to be very careful when tying knots...."
Product name: Berkley FireLine
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Type: Thermally-fused 8-carrier
What it's for: "...predominantly spinning reel [techniques]. ...[it has] a little more body [sort of stiffness]." That is why Berkley does not make it in higher lb ratings.
More:
> "FireLine is a conventional 8-carrier braid, then we thermally fuse it.
> "It is 5 times tougher [meaning] abrasion resistant."
Product name: Berkley Forward
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Type: Thermally-fused twisted single strand (sorta – best way I can explain it)
What it's for: FFS techniques with spin reels, or anytime you need long casts all day long and want the bait to get to the fish as fast as possible.
More:
> "After a day of use, Forward braid will cast 30% farther than a conventional braid. Our pros say it is the easiest, smoothest, and farthest-casting braid they have.
> "With the advent of FFS, [Forward] makes total sense when you're throwing something small and casting it far. ...Forward outperforms everything....
> "Forward is the Maserati...finesse braid. We wanted to be able to optimize throwing a small jighead all day every day. FireLine is more of an all-purpose product."
Few more things
1. Wind knots:
> "If you over-spool your spinning reel and you're not paying attention to the tension...the next cast you throw out a loop.
> "When you get into very limp braids...more of a propensity to twist over themselves if the angler is not careful. [When some of these braids get wet] you basically have a wet noodle...."
2. Rods:
> "...you need to adjust your equipment [for braid]. If you're fishing MH, go to M or ML."
3. Can't spool or fish the same: For those of us who grew up with straight mono or even fluoro on spin reels, we can't spool or fish braid the same way. It's a totally different animal.
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Say yo to some new minnows
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Well how 'bout that for an idea? A hand-poured minnow. Has a split tail and little side "nubs" (not really wings) – I assume both help the bait roll.
Only in 4", $7.99 gets you 8 baits.
Makes me wonder if Roboworm will really up their minnow game.
Megabass Sling Shad
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Yep Megabass has a Fluke:
> ...dual-density, 2-layer construction delivers exceptional swimming balance and a natural horizontal posture, while the flat-sided body enhances subtle rolling action. Two short tails emit fine vibrations.... Precision body slits allow it to collapse on strikes....
> Finished with FLAVOR-X, a...shrimp-powder attractant.
Only in 5", $9.99 for 6.
Megabass Haze-ST
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> ...engineered to elevate strike responses from cruising, mid-column neutral fish...designed for tournament pressure zones....
> From a natural, near-motionless stick pose, it can erupt into vivid, pulsing vibrations and subtle micro-waves...instantaneous lifelike movement with even the lightest input.
Only comes in 3.4", $9.99 get you 8 baits.
Atelier Loop Kemuri
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Reminder that Hideup is known best in the US for the Coike, a fuzzy/dice bait. About the Judy:
> Tested and proven in the highly pressured waters of Lake Biwa, Japan...a unique 8-tail construction that creates natural movement in the slightest water current. Built with an air hole structure that keeps the bait swimming in a horizontal posture....
> ...easy-insert belly slit for jig heads and offset hooks to enable flawless rigging and an excellent hookup performance. ...molded eye slots allowing anglers to attach custom eyes if desired....
5.2" only, you get 4 for $15.
NetBait BaitFuel Finiki Sonix Glide
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> ...a split tail that kicks even on a slow retrieve...HexTek scent dispersion technology that utilizes numerous dimples on the body to increase the bait's surface area and amplify the release of BaitFuel.
3" only, 10-pack is $6.
Beast Coast Seduce Minnow
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Gotta shout out that color name – 'generic forage' lol love it:
> ...proprietary plastic formulation...extra softness, and is loaded with a forage oil blend and light salt. ...body shape of the bait was designed to help encourage rolling and darting....
> ...unnecessary material along the middle of its back removed, and a deep slot...allowing the bait to flex and move more freely on a minnow head, and allowing anglers to use smaller hooks....
Interesting. Comes in 3.8, 5.25 and 6.75, clamshelled, $7-$9/pack.
_____
6th Sense has a bunch of new minnows on TW too. All new minnows TW carries are here.
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Country star John Rich just exposed TVA to the world
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You see that YT vid yet? ^ It's about TVA forcibly taking people's land, land which they apparently don't even need. Not a new thing by any means, but John got fed up, went on the offensive on behalf of regular peeps, and got it stopped with help from the President.
Love the part where he talks about getting a visit with one of TVA's smooth "fixers." Yeesh.
Part of me still can't believe that stuff happens here in the US of A – meaning how many corrupt, money-hungry folks are in power.
It's not about TVA fisheries, but it gives you a peek at what you might already have suspected or know already about the TVA.
Big props to John, who also talks about God in that deal. 💪 His dad is a preacher.
Related deal in WV
Justin Rackley, aka Lake Fork Guy, outed something similar happening in WV. Not the TVA in that case, but local gov't supposedly trying to take someone's land.
Stuff like this gets me fired up! Makes me wonder what other stuff these agencies and gov'ts are doing that has not seen the light of day (yet?).
I was a news reporter in a former life – from what I saw, we don't even know 25% of what's really going on. And they're not hiding the good stuff, if you know what I mean.
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Here's the rundown for this month's Abu Garcia REVO/Humminbird Minn Kota Top 5 Tips, Techniques and Trends of the Month in Bass Fishing – Episode 19! 😃 All baits are linked below!👇
1. Soft Bronzeyes 🐸
2. Canada wins again/Northern trend 🥶
3. A low-FFS AOY win 🏆
4. More FFS wins than not? 🤔
5. Make any bait roll 👀
Baits 'n stuff in this episode: 👇
Abu Garcia REVO Reels: https://bit.ly/AbuREVO
Humminbird depthfinders: https://bit.ly/AllHumminbird
Minn Kota trollers and anchors: https://bit.ly/AllMinnKota
Z-Man JackHammer: https://bit.ly/EGJackHam
Big Bite Baits Kamikaze Swimon: https://bit.ly/BBBKamSwimon
Big Bite Baits Jerk Minnow: https://bit.ly/BBBJerkMinnow
SPRO Bronzeye 65 Frog: https://bit.ly/SPROBrEye65
FishCo Radar Shad: https://fishcofishing.com/
FishCo Wingman: https://fishcofishing.com/
Rapala CrushCity Mooch Minnow: https://bit.ly/RapCCMoochMinnow
Yamamoto Senko: https://bit.ly/YammySenko
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For the 25th Anniversary of the Bass Feeshn Hall of Fame, Frank "E" Scalish created 5 exclusive colors of legacy lures from Heddon, Norman and Cotton Cordell.
Gotta say they all look good, but from a purely practical fishing standpoint this one wins for me – the Ricky Clunn Heddon One Knocker Spook in 'green back gizzard':
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Justin Lucas says use a slower ChatterBait reel
Says in that YT vid ^ he learned from a mistake he made on day 1 of the Potomac MLF BPT. The mistake was fishing a bladed jig too fast – in an area he knew had
So he says to use slower reels – nothing faster than a 6.4 or 6.6. He likes those spendy Abu Garcia Zenon MG-X Reels but obviously you don't need that exact reel. Also slow down on the troller and make long casts.
He was fishing in about 1' of water and was letting the bait hit the bottom before he retrieved it.
The rest of his bladed jig gear:
> 1/2-oz (even in that shallow water) Berkley Slobberknocker with a 4" Berkley Pit Boss, 17-lb fluoro (15 is he's fishing deeper, 20-lb for heavier cover and bigger fish), 7' 5" MH Abu Garcia Veritas Winch Rod.
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"The first day I tried to minnow-fish and I am a bad LiveScoper – so I abandoned that and started fishing a point with shad."
- WA's Ron "Jon" Mace talkin', who won the BAM Super 60 at the Columbia River bombing a TX-rigged 4" Senko (gp) on 10-lb braid to "weedy areas" in a foot or less. I assume that was or green fish?
Gotta mention: 3rd was partly with a 2.5" (smaller size) Storm Chug Bug in "clown." Name the last time you fished that bait!
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Interesting how Karl kinda disappears into the clouds with that shirt.
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Jay Kumar's BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best (sometimes worst) and funniest stuff in bassin', hand-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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