Didn’t want to out it til it was official: B.A.S.S.’s Dave Precht is retiring. NO WAY could I possibly do justice to Dave here, professionally and personally. Will just say this:

1. Dave has influenced, guided and contributed as much to B.A.S.S., the bassin’ biz, bassin’ media and bassin’ folks (including me) as much or more than anyone in the history of bassin’. At B.A.S.S. he started with Ray Scott so he’s seen it all.

2. He’s a gem of a human being and a rock solid Christian man. I’ve always wanted to be Dave when I grow up.

3. The wide but small bassin’ world literally won’t be the same without him in it.

I’m grateful, joyful, sad (a little choked up) and hopeful…somehow. Thank you Dave, and much love.

Check this quote from a TPWD biologist — believe it’s about bass since the whole post is about TX bass lakes:

!!!! Few reactions:

1. That sound high to you too? I mean, obviously the lakes can handle it but dang.

2. Maybe that’s one reason the avg bass size is so big? More space/forage per bass?

3. And people complain about tournaments?? How ’bout a study of delayed mortality vs harvest?? Dang man…fired up….

Seems like if you fished that tourney with a bobber and crappie grub — or a buzzbait with a 10″ worm on it — you woulda caught ’em. Bryan Thrift won it cuz he was sick of just finishing in the top 5 (been there man…okay not), here’s what the baits of the top 10 finishers looked like:

Jerkbait = 40% — 20% Megabass Vision 110 (Fishin’ biz challenge: Can anyone make a jerkbait that’s as a good or better??)

Flip plastic = 40%

Dropshot = 30%

Hard topwater = 30%

20% each = Stickworm, Tube, Spinbait (both Duo Realis Spinbait 80), Jig, Neddy Flanders

10% each = A-rig (YUMbrella Flash Mob Jr of course), Frog, Crankbait, Bladed jig (EverBrett Hite Hammer), Punch/Slither rig, Swim-jig, Swimbait

Shout-outs:

> Thrift said he went through at least 115 Damiki Stingers. That’s like 11 bags. Those things made outta 90% salt or what?

> Ron Nelson (10th) said he fished a jerkbait “he got from a guy in a hotel parking lot.” Let’s hope nothing was exchanged in said parking lot…lol kiddin’! Send in a pic of that jerkbait dude!

More stuff I wanted to mention, no particular order:

1. 10,000 Fish Sukoshi Bug

Good shape, good colors, made outta that plastic that stretches like Spider Man’s boogers — what’s not to like?

Looked it up — in Japanese “sukoshi” means “upsidedown flounder.” Not sure what the deal is there since I thought flounder already were upside down? Sounds cool tho….

2. SIMMS stuff = reeeealllly dang good.

Love me some AFTCO shorts n tees, but man I have yet to find anything that can beat SIMMS stuff in any other apparel category. Here’s some of my fave stuff right now — which I do own and wear (so much that my kids make fun of me) so not just theoretical:

1. Downshore Flops — Look good, comfy, solid and my foot doesn’t slip in ’em — don’t seem to slip much on wet surfaces either. I wear ’em every dang day mang!

2. Tech tee — Look at it! ^^ Comfy too man….

3. Challenger Hoody — Great. Period. My kids steal mine so must look cool too….

Shout-out for the BUFF (not SIMMS) new CoolNet UV+ BUFF. It really is better and more comfortable…just ask Ott if you don’t believe me….

Be cool, look cool, fish coo’.

3. More ICAST nibblin’s

Swimmin’ through, findin’ new stuff, hearin’ factoids, stuff like that:

> Like many pros, Cliff Prince prefers Seaguar Tatsu fluoro. Have always heard Tatsu is the deal, so asked him why. He said: “Better knot strength.” Okay then.

> Yo-Zuri Rattl’N Vibe — Now in 3/4-oz. ‘Bout time yo!

> YUM Craw Chunk in the “tin foil” color — Shweet alternative to white for mimicking shad:

> Reaction Innovations Spicy Beaver — If I remember my convo with Matt Herren right (#sketchy), Matty said he pushed for a Beaver with more action, and after this bait was developed kinda didn’t want it outed….

> Berkley Flute Worm — Designed by Ike “Mike” Anelli, has molded-in O-ring spots. Ike’s a bait geek (like all the pros) so might want to check it….

> Jack Hammer now comes in red, “fire craw.” Asked Brett Hite if he wanted that color or what, he said: “Yes it was a JDM color that I have been using. We needed a bright red/orange for pre-spawn and muddy water:”

JDM = “Just Dang Money” (heehee!).

> Z-Man TRD BugZ — Ned-sized Beaver-type bait = smart. Z-Man’s having a smart year…yearZ or whatever….

> Fish Lab Rattle Toad — New company, integrated rattle, looks like a different frog shape. Also check their Bio Minnow…looks familiar, in a good way:

> Westin Hypo Teez — Had a guy who’s been in the bait biz a long time swear to me that Westin makes some of the best swimbaits/glide baits period — and he works for a different (and major) bait co. I THINK this is the Hypo Teez we were watchin’ get demo’ed when he said it.

> Storm Arashi Glide Bait — Believe Brandon Palaniuk had a hand in it partly because he has a swimbait/glide bait obsession issue. Been thru therapy once for it, might have to go again….

> Lucky Craft Sammy 108 — Has the hot dog Spook-like shape. Also, the new Pointer H3 has 3 trebles on it instead of 2.

> Feathered Spooks — The Super Spook and Super Spook Jr now come with feathered rear trebles.

> Z-Man Chatterbait Freedom CFL — Has a zinc head because the blade bangs so hard it would deform a lead head. Freedom also has a cool new head-weighted blade bait, not on TW yet.

> Fish Head V3 Balance Force Jighead — Now in 1/8- and 3/16-oz. 2/0 Gammy hook on that deal (and other Fish Head heads) supposed to be eggzellent. All Fish Head stuff still USA-made:

> Strike King Mark Rose Lil Ledge Spoon — Way smaller than your typical flutter spoon, different/shape action. Just bear in mind Mark’s only been fishing ledges for like 30 years so…. Btw learned that “KVD Perfect Plastic” means that every plastic has a different formula so it suits the properties of a particular bait.

> Big Bite Baits 3.5″ Tour Tube — “…developed with the softest plastic available to ensure the hook can pass thru the plastic easily…. Jeff [Kriet] used this tube across the country in the past year to get bites, having nearly a 100% hookup ratio.” Well, Kriet doesn’t get that many bites so…hahaha Kriet gotcha mang!

> LiveTarget ICT Slow-Roll Shiner — Cool-lookin’, hope it works as good as it looks:

> Terry Scroggins’ Big Show Kicker Tail Worm — Scroggy poured ’em himself, now Standford is makin’ em…now on TW.

> Mustad is making baits now? New bladed jig.

> Hayabusa DSR132HD Hook (vid link) — New “Heavy Duty” dropshot hook, “medium wire diameter, short U-Bend shank and Hayabusa’s Original Point,” in #2, #1, 1/0, 2/0. Not on TW yet….

> Sunline Power2C FC fluoro — Designed by Jason Christie for flippin’ cover. Innerestin’ has repeatin’ 12″ of high-viz orange then 48″ section of clear.

> Plano Edge — Finally a Plano box for your boat with a clear lid. Hope it’s durable since all the experience I’ve had with clear-lid boxes is they crack….

> MotorGuide Tour troller — Has 5 (maybe more) settings for a tighter to looser feel of your foot to the motor, pretty cool. I liked it tighter….

> Not ICAST (for me) but TW now has 1 of those Japanese fat grubs.