1. Elitist Matt Herren likes the new Elites.
> …with 2 tournaments in the rearview mirror I believe the shakeup was good for us all. Professional fishing is no different than any other profession or career in that things become status quo and stagnant. Most of the time it takes a big event or shakeup to bring about change, and change it has.
2. Elitist Micah Frazier is fishing by the seat of his pants now.
> I’ve kind of learned that I just need to show up and try to get on the pattern that’s current that week, and not rely on scouting and pre-practicing, or how I’d like to catch them, or what they were doing 2 months ago.
> I’ve really gotten confident in my ability to just show up and get on a pattern or something that’s happening currently, rather than visiting the lakes before the off-limits.
> “It’s one thing to visit to learn how to navigate, and I’ll sometimes still do that, but just showing up and not really thinking too much ahead of time has really helped me. I’m taking a similar approach for this Classic.”
3. How Alton Jones says the BPT format is different.
> …you just need to adapt to the conditions at hand quicker than in other events. I’m always looking for new fish now. …It’s like practicing everyday.
Also said:
> My 2 basic baits over the first event were a 6″
YUM Dinger with a lightweight Texas rig or the same bait wacky-rigged. That was on Toho. On Conroe, I flipped and pitched a 4.25″
YUM Bad Mamma. It’s a very skippable bait.
Here’s Alton talkin ’bout skippin’ that bait:
4. On the other hand, Brandon Tharp is fishing the same.
Because:
> “Looking at the history of it, the guys who seem to have the most success — Greg Hackney, Kevin VanDam, and Bobby Lane — they just do their own thing. They have not changed their style to fit MLF and that’s why they are the most successful.”
5. Elitist Clent Davis threw a jerkbait around docks?
Ever do that?? Maybe a spotted bass deal? DUEL Hardcore Flat Minnow 110 (ghost pro blue) on 12-lb Yo-Zuri TopKnot Mainline 100% Fluorocarbon.
#sexy (that bait, not Clent)
6. Elitist Brandon Card on BassEdge Radio.
7. FLWer Brian Latimer gets Fell Marine.
Never heard of ’em but Brian’s endorsing their MOB+ — “a wireless ignition-shutoff system.”
Release noted that he’s got 35K YouTube subscribers — pretty stout man!
8. Watch me stump Zona on StrayCasts.
Cracks me up — can’t believe the sasquatch question didn’t give me away. Crackin’ me up way more was the next prank caller — named “Ron Martens.” HAHAHA great disguise there A-Mart!
Prank caller before me was from Gonzales, LA — hmmm….
9. New FLW HS contingency program…
…with Abu Garcia and the Boy Scouts of America.
10. New BOOYAH ToadRunner Jr is available!
Here’s the diff:
Word is:
> Sounds real similar to full-size.
> Still has adjustable tail but the Jr has a new 1-piece screw-lock system inside the tail — helps with fish biting off tail or maybe losing a tail from a braid backlash. [The full-size ToadRunner is transitioning to the screw-lock.]
Of course, smaller frog = more bites. BOOYAH guys have told me the sound makes the bait sound bigger than what it really is, which is interesting.
The full-size ToadRunner was specifically designed by Jason Christie and BOOYAH to catch the biggest fish around.
Head BOOYAH feeshn nut Chad “C-Dawg” Warner says to fish the TR Jr on a 7′ to 7′ 6″ H rod with a fast tip, and braid maybe as low as 30-lb, whatever you’re comfortable with.
Bait’s on TW right now yo!
11. Lunkerhunt Combat Combo now available.
Dick’s only, sounds like:
> …silky smooth 2500-size Lunkerhunt Assault spinning reel that cleanly flows into the 6′ 8″ M-action Combat Rod that is the backbone of this combo.
12. Lovin’ this T-H Marine post.
Funny and good:
Bunch of those products are at Tackle Warehouse.
13. Z-Man goes Nedko…or Neked?
HAHAHA! I’d call it the “Neked Rig” but…. It’s a Ned Neko deal such like:
Also on the TW. Gotta hand it to Z-Man for really hammerin’ the whole Ned Flanders deal, congrats to ’em.
14. TN: Here’s you a “new” crayfish species.
> The screaming Eagle crayfish is…found at only three streams at Fort Campbell and one stream in Clarksville.
Bizarre name for a little ‘ol craw, but:
> …named…in honor of the troops of the 101st Airborne Division.
#stout — check the white claw tips….
15. This how our weather’s changing?
Long-term weather forecasts are always so spot on so add a few lbs of salt to this:
> Because the planet’s poles are warming faster than the tropics, the difference in temperature between these 2 climate zones is becoming smaller. This leads to an expanding subtropical, arid region. This subtropical zone is pushing into Mediterranean climates…causing total precipitation in these places to decrease.
Some Cali-specific stuff — and right now it sounds like CA’s snow pack is good:
> CA is defying this trend — it’s annual average precipitation is expected to remain about the same…. But the intensity of rain is expected to increase, meaning more will fall in less time.
> As temperatures warm, the atmosphere holds more water. So while CA’s overall dry season will lengthen…its winter atmospheric rivers will dump more water than before.
16. EUR: Bullfrog and crayfish threatening native species.
I will propose a solution that actually generates $$: stock bass.
17. EUR: Guess people cheat in fishing derbies there too?
Anglers fishing for bass are having luck while fishing with bright-colored lures in chartreuse, black or red.
So…BLACK is a bright color in CA? Would explain things like…Brent Ehrler…(heeheehee!).
