BassBlaster

JProz’s winning bait, Do bass hate spiders?? Make plastics swim backward

TN reports it’s now a search and recovery effort for the 2 young men and 1 dad lost on Pickwick/Kentucky Lake. Not sure what to say other than please pray for their families and friends. Super tough.

Today’s Top 4

How Jacob Powroznik won the Big O Bass Pro Tour derby.

Gonna start with what Jacob said about fishing FL with the MLF format — innerestin’:

> “That’s just FL in general: If you don’t get a couple big bites, it sucks.

> “But with this format, you can fish the way you want to — I think it’s better for everybody…you were looking to catch 2 big bites. That would make or break your whole day…. But now a 2-lber is a good one.

> “I used to get beat by guys who flipped all day for 9 bites. Now [with the MLF format] you get a chance to catch 50 and hopefully a bunch are 2 lbs or better.”

For sure FL 5-fish derbies are defined by big bites. Different deal. Anyhow, here’s a few excerpts from the full pattern story on the Blaster website. Don’t have a closeup baits pic yet (sorry) but will soon:

> “I was just reeling that worm, swimming that worm. Just throw it out and wind it in — wasn’t very hard. …holes in the eelgrass where fish were spawning.

> “…not on the bottom, swimming it up towards the top. Winding it up over the top of their heads –they see it and I guess feel like they have to come get it.

> “Bass were on just about every bed. Some were a whole lot spookier than others. I tried to sight-fish some of them, but they weren’t having it. …the water was clear…long casts were key.”

Gear: Zoom Speed Worm (junebug), 6/0 Mustad Grip Pin EWG Hook, 3/16-oz Elite Tungsten Sinker, 65-lb Hi-Seas Braid, Quantum Smoke S3 Reel (8:1), 7′ 6″ Quantum PT Rod.

> “That’s the way everything kind of played out…a 1-rod deal.”

> “The Power-Poles played a big part and always do in FL [and] the Lowrance mapping and stuff is always great, but the new MotorGuide Tour trolling motor went through that eelgrass, never got stuck and was real quiet. That’s a big key when water’s that shallow — having a trolling motor that’s quiet and reliable. That new MotorGuide Tour really helped.”

Trivia: First major win involving the new Tour motor….

5 random Qs with the champ.

1. Is it true that by winning and making sure Wheeler didn’t win another one that you saved him from getting kicked off the Tour?

Yes.

[I believe it!]

2. Is it true that your secret HydroWave sound is a diaphragm turkey call?

Yes! Any kind of sound is good, but with that turkey screeching and purring like that it brings out the big girls.

3. Is it a goal of of yours to have as many logos on your jersey as Woo Daves?

Yes because Woo did it right by doing that. He said that instead of having 1 sponsor that paid you $10,000, you could have 10 that each paid you a thousand. That way you get more products, and instead of representing 1 you could represent 10.

[Woo is a family friend of Jacob’s — props to him for being cool with the question.]

4. Were you ever suspended from Prince George High School (VA) for fishing too much?

Yes and I almost didn’t graduate. I think if I’d missed 1 more day I was not going to graduate high school.

[I was just messin’ but he sounded serious so I asked him and he said, “Yeah that’s legit.”]

5. Cereal, Pop-Tarts or eggs n bacon for breakfast?

I’m kind of Pop-Tart guy, brown sugar. It’s just fast and easy — I don’t have to wait around, I can just get 1 out the bag and go. But I do not eat the crust. I peel all the crust off.

Texted him this, still haven’t heard back:

Is black a good spawn bait color? Because of…spiders??

Guess it is for crappie soooo…maybe?

> “If you throw black in there, they’ll destroy it. Fish 6 inches deep with solid black, and they’ll come out of the water to destroy it. An old man told me that story (many years ago),” said Daniel Mire, 65, who manufacture’s D&M Custom Jigs….

> Black, either a hair jig…or a soft plastic tube jig, infuriates sac-a-lait during the spawn because they hate spiders.

> Black isn’t the only color that sac-a-lait bite, but it’s a dominant one…other favorites in March are black/red (another spider-themed color), black/blue, black/chartreuse and black/green.

Who knew man. Couple things:

1. Or you could just fish an actual Lunkerhunt Spider:

Hey Dave @ Lunkerhunt, maybe make a soft-plastic spider too — because you prolly know that bass hate spiders…?

2. Black is still one of my fave soft-plastic colors, especially in clear water. I ain’t no pro — tho I think I could beat Paul Elias in a dunk contest…on a 7′ hoop (lol!) — but I’m confident in it and am always mystified why folks don’t throw it more.

On that note, this spring I SO wanna fish this bait — Yo-Zuri Rattl’n Vibe lipless in “matte black.” Not only is it sick-lookin’, REAL curious about how fish will react to an all-black movin’ bait:

“I hate throwing it but I like cashing checks.”

FLWer Clark Rheem talkin’ fishin’ a — wait for it — Senko:

> Rheem, 40, said he saw the handwriting on the wall years ago after an exchange on the water with an accomplished bass pro. The other angler chided Rheem for mocking his reliance on a Senko and pointed out that he had caught all but 3 bass he weighed that year on Senkos.
Sounds like maybe…Larry Nixon?? Just guessin’. Anyhow:

News

1. Gerald Swindle gets Black Rifle Coffee.

My 2c is this is a huge get for G-man. Black Rifle seems to be VERY smart at what they do.

2. Here’s how Todd Canterbury thinks the Classic’ll be won.

> He knows that a squarebill crankbait like a Bagley Sunny B can produce. He said that a bladed, vibrating jig will be a possibility, as will a swimbait bite. He reported that a lipless crankbait or a jerkbait bite could also come into play and that it is impossible to count out a flipping bite….

Hahaha! That covers it all mang! All I’ll say is this: Remember Jordan Lee’s day 3 of the ’14 Classic….

3. Check out Terry Scroggins’ new bladed jig trailer.

Called the Big Show Twin Minn. Deal is:

> He wanted to develop a new trailer for the Chatterbait/vibrating jig market. …only a few specific vibrating jig trailers on the market.

> Terry came up with the idea/design of combining the body of a Keitech-style swimbait with the tail action of a twintail grub. He tested the design from one of his personal molds…what he discovered is an action-packed fish-catching trailer.

> Basically, swimbait + twintail grub = 1 great action-packed trailer.

> …nothing like it on the market. You can fish it as well on an underspin, basic jighead or swim-jig, or just plain Carolina-rig it.

But will it have as much action as this trailer:

4. Greg Vinson outed a new Scum Frog.

No deets but looks more pretty than scummy (lol):

5. Bunch of guys get Berkley and Abu.

Not sure who’s new and who ain’t but:

Berkley

> Elitists: Kelley Jaye (soft baits, hard baits, line, hooks).

> FLWers: Blake Smith (hard baits, line, hooks), Joseph Webster (soft baits, hard baits, line, hooks).

Abu

> Elitists: Clent Davis, Destin DeMarion, Kelley Jaye, Luke Palmer, Jake Whitaker, Jason Williamson.

> FLWers: Blake Smith, Joseph Webster.

6. donny barone calls out the Classic competitors…

…in a good way to give it their all. I’ll only add: Make sure that’s day 1. Because if you’re not in it after day 1, that’s pretty much it. For sure there’s been some sick sacks caught on days 2 and particularly day 3 but it’s a 3-dayer so….

7. AL: Vexus demo rides at el Clasico!

Oh snap I might have to get in one again, just to help my withdrawal symptoms. Deets:

Sat Mar 7 and Sun Mar 8, 8:00-11:00 am

Guntersville City Harbor
29 Paddle Wheel Dr

Guntersville, AL 35976

Bring you a drool cup!

8. WI: Looks like there’s finally a year-round C&R season.

Check the left column at that link, says:

Large and smallmouth bass catch and release

At all other times of the year.

Good job WI bass peeps and congrats!

Thanks to Dan B — who makes a mean swim-jig — for the heads up….

9. CA: Delta water fire drill went up a notch.

Some feel that the CA Fish and Game Commission killing a numbers goal for stripers was a bad-faith move that favors agribiz wanting to take more water outta the Delta system. Couple choice quotes:

> “There is no credible evidence that the striped bass predation has led to the decline of other Delta species [like salmon], and striped bass and largemouth bass are the only species vilified in this manner.”

> “I would say negotiating is a misnomer for this process. The sporting groups and the [Delta Anglers] Coalition both negotiated in earnest, giving up points that were important to both, but not the representatives of the dept or the commission.”

10. Great Lakes could get 20′ waves this weekend.

So will be tough to fish deeper than 10’…KIDDING.

11. NY’s Rome fish hatchery has zebra mussels.

Meanwhile WA is using a mussel-sniffing dog to help municipalities….

12. Road salt hurts native frowgs more than invasives.

Luckily frogs up here in the Northeast got a major break this year with almost no snow…yet….

13. Few cool Tackle Warehouse sales.

Believe all are still on:

SIMMS Challenger Jacket and Bibs

VMC Hybrid Trebles includin’ the new Bladed Treble

Free Okuma jacket with Okuma reel purchase

Daiwa JDM SV Light LTD Casting Reel (no lefties)

Daiwa JDM Ballistic FW LT Spinning Reels

Line of the Day

“…found that the motorboat traffic in the Adirondacks is highest at lakes that are large, are located in close proximity to interstates, and that have abundant amenities such as parking, marinas, boat rentals and campgrounds.”

– Who else is completely shocked over this deal…from a study about boats and invasives.

On BassBlaster.rocks right now…

Note: The TackleWarehouse links in this email are affiliate links, meaning if you go through them to make a purchase I might earn a commission…at no cost to you. Click here if you want to learn a little more about links in the BB.

Tip of the Day

Make your soft-plastics swim TO the fish.

Spawner not innerested? Know there’s a dock fish there but the dang thing’s bein’ orn’ry?

Maybe try this — basically turns your bait into a Flying Lure. If y’all recall that was the first infomercial fishin’ lure and it actually worked because it swam AWAY from you, which was new at the time. Anyhow, the key to the whole deal is slack line, which can be tough to do/get used to:

> Another effective change is to insert a small nail weight into the head of a Senko-style worm [or any end of any soft-plastic]. Then Texas rig as usual from the tail end.

> This modification causes the Senko to fall away from you on a slack line. This backward glide is great for probing under boat docks and drawing reflex strikes from following bass not used to seeing a lure challenge them in the face.

> The backward-gliding Senko is great for meandering back under any overhanging trees or laydowns. Just remember to give the lure a lot of slack line and watch your line closely where it enters the water. Any tick or subtle movement is your signal to set the hook.

Quote of the Day

“Yesterday KVD called me on my phone and said, ‘I just want to say congrats.’ I compete against him and he’s great guy and friend, but when that guy calls you, man it means something special.”

Jacob Powroznik talkin’. Well, I’d say yep that’s Kevin before a tourney and after a WEIGH-IN (or whatever) at a tourney, but during the tourney he’s like:

Except he turns red instead of green….

Shot of the Day

10.62 caught somewhere in TX by a dude named Daniel McNeely. What a healthy slab o’ ham that is:

Random

Trailcam shot near Toledo Bend:

Some say chupacabra, biologist says it’s a ‘yote with mange. Either way, shoot it!! Also from LA, Greg Hackney texted me this shot but refused to say the exact location. I admit it looks real, but the fact that it’s in a house makes me wonder man:

Bahahahaha!

Ya got me

Jay Kumar’s BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup

of the best, worst and funniest in bassin’, as curated 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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