Hope you and yours had a good weekend! Gitcha Blaster social fix here:

The team of Alton Jones Sr and Jr won the MLF Fishing Clash team tourney this weekend on the St Clair River, MI – in other words, the Joneses could not be kept up with. 😁 Got with 'em both to talk about it a little, here's Alton Sr first – because he's older.

1. Other than the bait, what did Alton Jr bring to the table on this win?

> "I think he brings a level of intentionality in every decision. What I mean is, there's no 'Well maybe we should try this or that.' It's calculated. He's a master strategist. He has a reason for everything he does.

> "He also brought a lot of versatility...knowing when we should maybe try to make adjustments. He caught 1 fish on a ChatterBait in a place where I wouldn't pick it up and throw it...very calculated.

> "He also brings a level of energy I don't have anymore. And dexterity. Everybody knows how rough the St Clair River is when you get that Sunday afternoon boat traffic.... There were times when I literally could not have stood on the front deck and run the trolling motor. To let him just take it over and all have to do is fish...."

[He mentioned 80' yachts throwing 5 ' wakes on seawalls. 😳]

2. How many more wins do you have in you?

> "I hope I've got more in me, but I know I got one last week. And to be able to do that alongside my son was more special than I can even describe.

> "A little background on that – my father was literally on his deathbed while we were at that event. He passed away Mon morning after we got home.... So I had 2 father-son relationships going on. On the one side was my father and the sorrow and pain we feel for him, and on the other side the joy of me being the father with my son and winning the event.

> "It just amazes me how God knows how to give us just the right balance in our lives between grief and joy. I'm so thankful for that.

> "And to win the tournament that week – that's only God. I haven't won a tournament ...in 4 years. And I win this tournament that week with my son. So look at God, that's all I can say."

3. Any bait learnings from this year? [Reminder that Alton Sr has no bait sponsors so he fishes whatever he wants and can talk about it.]

> "Yeah I got better at shaking a minnow. And probably the best one for me was the [Zoom] Winged Fluke. It made it easier for me to actually get the proper action out of the bait. That body roll, and still keeping the bait slow and high. That made it easier for an old guy to do what the young guys can do with every bait.

> "A 5" Senko fished wacky style – something did different on it this year was I started gluing my nail weight into the bait so every fish you catch doesn't [throw'] the weight. I'm using a VMC Crossover Ring to hold it on my hook. ...I'm catching 20 fish on a Senko....

> "I'm throwing a Chatterbait more. Whenever something new comes along, sometimes I just want to resist it. I found myself...throwing it a bunch more this year. For a lot of guys it's a staple...and now that I'm throwing it, you know it's not gonna be a deal anymore [laughs]."

Got with Alton Jr to ask him about the winning Geecrack bait he designed – the Bellows Shad. He was fishing it in the brand spankin' new 2.8 size.

1. Why were the fish responding to that bait better?

> "We both started the event with a [Berkley MaxScent] Flat Worm. That's probably the most smallmouth-catching bait that's ever been created, no doubt about that.

> "I actually broke off the Flat Worm that I was fishing and had a Bellows Shad rigged up. They're brand new – I had not smallmouth-tested them yet. ...I picked it up and fished it, and my 2nd cast I caught my biggest fish of the week...a 4-13.

> "From there I'm like, I'm gonna give this more time. And it began to clearly outfish the Flat Worm. I don't want to say a bad thing about one or the other. Just in this situation the Flat Worm was being outfished by the Bellows Shad.

> "After about 2.5 hours of us fishing different baits, he was like, 'Give me one of those.'

> "I think maybe the reason they were biting it so good is just the ribs...it has a ton of movement. It is very soft, so it takes very little to make that thing swim and shimmy. There were a lot of baitfish about that size...and the gobies they were spitting up were about the same length.

> "I think it was the right size, right profile and the right movement. On top of it all, we know how big smallmouth are on scent. That [Geecrack SAF Scent]...did not hurt."

2. What's the deal with that bait – is it the ribs?

> "It's a combination of...it being so soft and the ribs. Like the whole Bellows lineup, it just shimmies really good in the water.

> "If you look at [any of the Bellows baits], you're gonna be like, 'It's not gonna move. It doesn't have any appendages and tails. But the way the water moves across the body of those ribs, all of them swim like crazy. It's a right, natural shimmy, and I think it looks more likle a baitfish than any boot-tail swimbait or flappin' worm that you can throw.

> "Those ribs create a ton of surface of the bait, and the more surface of the bait, the more scent is able to release. The way a bait releases scent is with movements. And even though it's a 2.8-inch bait, with all those ribs it's got the surface area of a large bait."

Follow-up: How is it different than the other Bellows baits?

> "It's just a little different profile. The Bellows is the ribs, and when I first got on with Geecrak, they just had the Bellows Gill and the Bellows Stick. While the Bellows Gill is a great bait, and I've caught a lot of big fish on it, I needed a little smaller, more compact profile, to make it a bait that coast to coast, north-south, east-west, it got bit.

> "I told them I wanted to take this Bellows Gill and trim it down to a Beaver-profile size. ...simply took scissors and cut it to the length I wanted it. From there it became the Bellows Shad that I won Heavy Hitters on and caught big bass in Heavy Hitters with.

> "...2.8 size, a little more finessey size [for a] finesse spinnerbait, dropshot, Ned Rig...."

3. How is the color 'AJ's juice' different from gp?

> "The 'AJ's juice' is just a little darker. My favorite version of gp is between gp and black – a darker version that has purple flake in it.

> "Gp/purple has kinda been injected in me. That's always been my dad's favorite color...his go-to color. Its always been my favorite color for a stick worm, a tube, a Beaver-style bait. I wanted to get a color like that in in the Bellows Shad."

His winning dropshot rig

> 2.8 Geecrack Bellows Shad (AJ's Juice and electric shad), #1 BKK Armor Point Drop Shot Long Shank Hook, 12-18" leader to a 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2-oz weight depending on current, 10-lb Cortland Master Braid to 8-lb Corltand XTR Fluoro, KastKing Mega Jaws Elite Spin Reel, 7' 2" Reese Fishing 722S Spinning Rod.

They fished seawalls and current seams:

> "I let the current drift it as naturally as I could...let the bait do its thing, try to keep my line tight, maybe give a pull if I'm feeling some rock, to keep it from getting hung up with that exposed hook. Really just letting the bait and the current do the work, and I'm just waiting for the bite."

That actually is exactly what was proposed by some folks in the biz – including folks who work for B.A.S.S. – in 2024. Not saying that to be negative at all, just maybe leadership needed a little time to see the light? Few deets from the BM.com post:

> [FFS] will only be permitted in up to 5 of the 9 regular-season Elite Series events. Which events allow the technology will be determined randomly. The remaining events will prohibit its use entirely, including during official practice.

> Restrictions implemented for 2025...1 live sonar transducer and a maximum of 55 total screen inches – will remain in place. The 2026 [Classic] will allow FFS, since all qualifiers earned their spot under the 2025 rules.

> ...many stakeholders within the bass fishing community, including fans and B.A.S.S. members, continued to voice concerns about live sonar use and its influence on competition. Elite Series anglers...also asked for more limitations for the 2026 season.

> B.A.S.S. will reveal which tournaments will allow FFS during a live show on Sept 4 at 10 am CT on Bassmaster.com. Hosts Tommy Sanders, Mark Zona and Davy Hite will learn the results in real time alongside fans...a coin flip deciding which one allows live sonar and which will not.

> The St. Lawrence River, the final stop of the season, will receive its own coin flip, meaning as many as 5 events could end up being non-FFS tournaments.

Good deal. Few thoughts from me:

1. Props to B.A.S.S. for embracing their responsibility as stewards of bassin'. In the announcement they said: "B.A.S.S. remains committed to...protecting the heritage of bass fishing...."

2. In my 2c some sort of restriction was a must – because we all know even more powerful tech is coming. In other words, this is about FFS now, and AI and whatever else is coming in 2026+.

3. Hope some major offshore or smallmouth or even spotted bass fishery gets drawn as no-FFS. Just for some serious variety.

4. So far it's only Elite Series and Classic only. Opens: If they don't give guys whose strengths are not FFS a solid opportunity to qualify for the Elites, then what?

5. Remember that rules are in place for only 1 season. After that they could be changed, like they were after this season. Let's see what happens mang.

Related:

Heard from a few Elite guys about the quick wins with/out FFS deal I had in the last Blaster. Their point was that FFS figured into a lot of the top 10 finishes. I'm sure they're right – so sure that I'm also sure we all basically know that. But I only wanted to look at wins.

Quick story: Taking some golf lessons with my son – he's interested in getting good at it. Our instructor is a guy who almost made the PGA Tour and is still trying. He said the reason grooves were changed in golf irons is because back in the day, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were better than everyone else at spinning the ball back. So if true, "tech" was reversed/made tougher because of younger guys dominating.

Are there examples of golf tech going the other way? I'm guessing yes – I don't know anything about it. Just that story got me thinkin' 'bout bassin'...because I can't stop thinking about it and maybe you too lol!

One more: Tiger Woods wears black and red, like KVD. 🤔

- KVD talkin' 'bout one thing he did to get an advantage over the field, from a BassFan post about him talkin' about Jacob Wheeler and FFS. Full deal:

> "I see how proficient he is with FFS. He was at the forefront of that world, but I exploited side-imaging in the same way, and Lakemaster mapping in the same way. You have to be open to new technologies and new techniques and aware of what's going on.

> "That's changed a bit in the YouTube and social media era, but it's critical.

> "I know him well enough to know that he puts the work in. He just won Angler of the Year, and he's already started his research for next year."

Btw, I was reminded that 2 of KVD's AOY wins were in 2010 and 2011 so there were back to back AOYs in the 2010s. Believe Kevin also won the Classic in 2010 and 2011 so let's just say...🐐🐐

1. The Johnston bros won another one

Wire to wire win of the Kingston, ON Open, a 3-day team derb I think on Lake Ontario. They had 83-14.

> Cory: "Fishing solo is one thing but when there's 2 of us in the boat, it makes it way easier,. One person ties rods, one person looks for bass and if there's multiple fish you can get multiple at one time."

Fellow Elitist Evan Kung fished with a relative and finished 2nd. Cooper Gallant fished with his dad and got 7th.

2. Hank Cherry says keep your jerkbait moving...

...in the fall = no pauses. IG vid ^.

3. AR: Toad Thumper Lure Co is killing it

> Revenue has increased by more than 100% each year since the company's launch. In the 1st year, revenue reached $150,000. This year, it's expected to hit $1 mil. Next year, he expects revenue to double again to $2 mil or $3 mil.

> The majority of the company's products are manufactured in Ocean Springs, MS through a manufacturing partnership with American Baitworks. Tens of thousands of units are produced per month, and by this time next year, it's expected to be between 50,000 and 80,000 units per month....

> The frog was its first product and is its best seller.

Check out the TT offerin's on TW.

4. NE: Dude showed a 10' bass sculpture at the state fair

Alex Shaw knows how to weld man!

5. The Aussies are stocking bass where we won't?

..."into impoundments where the fish can't naturally reproduce...." New South Wales only, I guess. Either way, here in the US some biologists flip out over bass being in some waters where they were not native, wherever that line is drawn. Interesting.

Lines of the Day

Switch to a biodegradable fishing line, which breaks down over time. Many sporting goods stores sell these eco-friendly alternatives at comparable prices to standard monofilament.

They do?? Post is about birds dying from folks leaving fishing line and hooks in state parks. Don't know about you, but I pull that stuff down or pick it up when I see it.

The Highway Patrol noted that both operators were exempt from safety device requirements.

From a post about a 2-boat collision on Truman Lake, MO (sounds like everyone was basically okay). Anyone know what that means?

Gary Clouse: Why use lithium for electronics

From a Bassmaster post:

> ...using lithium on electronics, and especially FFS, can provide a clearer picture, especially late in the day when lead acid batteries experience voltage drops. Lithium stays at full power all day, but then it shuts down abruptly when it is drained.

> That's not saying you have to use lithium with FFS. I was fishing in upstate NY last week with a different boat without a lithium battery, and did fine without it. However, I could tell a difference, especially late in the day.

> I use one small lithium for FFS on my main boat to keep it isolated from everything else, and it works great.

Sounds like that last deal is becoming more and more common.

"It felt good to get the boat back to weigh-in and get the fish away from the water so I wouldn't drop them."

- VA's Broderick Luckey talkin', who won the BFL 2-dayer on the James River, VA. Said he "was worried about everything that could go wrong" – I guess that could be on the list! 😁 He won by 3+ lbs.

Sick shot of a greenhead that no longer wants to be friends with a Bucca Brand Trick Shad! 😁 Can't wait to do that this fall....

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