BassBlaster

Melons of the week, Bass avoid non-foods, Grigsby spins spawners

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Today’s Top 5

Ditch melons of the week.

Have I not said it seems like the only stuff peeps throw on Toledo Bend is Zoom and ‘Traps?

T-Bend: A weightless watermelon-red Zoom Brush Hog (laid up there nice with a Shimano Curado) launched out of a pirogue caught this 12.55:

Btw far as I know a pirogue is a potato pancake, not sure how you fish out of one:

T-Bend: A 75-yr-old pastor caught this T-Bend 11.58 on the oldest bait in his box, a 1/2-oz Rat-L-Trap:

T-Bend: A busted cast 5 feet from the boat plus a Zoom Trick Worm (junebug) fooled this 11-04:

Craziest part is that exact fish was caught 20 days earlier on the SAME DANG BAIT (watermelon purple) but was full of eggs then and weighed 12.90:

T-Bend: Last but not least, a 12.51 on an unspecified trick worm — who else is guessing Zoom:

If I’m in the tackle biz, I’m getting my stuff to Toledo Bend….

BB reader Terry Neal whacked an 8.4 then this 11.5 on the same day at Lake Columbia, AR. Bait is a new 7″ Duel Hardcore Ninja Swimmer: #stout

Bixhoma Lake, OK, 11 even, ketched by BB reader Jason C. on a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beav (main vein):

Last one: 51 cm (20″) of suika (Japanese for watermelon):

Bass don’t need to be hooked to avoid a bait.

Cool findings from Dr. Keith Jones, Berkley’s head of bass research:

> “When we first release a set of bass into the tanks, they may hit something like the Flicker Shad 20 times in five rounds around the test track, then they won’t hit it anymore that day.

> “The next day, if you go back with that exact same setup, they may hit it only a couple times — they remember it was not edible, even though we bend the hooks down and there’s no negative stimulus of being hooked and caught.

> “Two weeks later, they’ll hit it a little better, maybe 3 or 4 times in five rounds, and even if you wait a couple of months, they’ll only hit it 7 or 8 times. They remember it a long, long time.”

> He also said that fish in a given school learn from watching others get caught on a particular lure, and quickly start avoiding it.

> Jones said that fish are less likely to quickly learn soft baits, and particularly so those with scent and flavor, which is why he believes the company’s PowerBait, Gulp and Gulp Alive soft lures have been so successful.

Dr. Seuss say: Favorite bait, favorite spot doesn’t sound so great, so hot.

Baits and stuff from Hartwell FLW.

FLWer John Cox beat Clark Wendlandt by half a pound to win it on Hartwell, SC. Some fishing stuff (from here and here):

> First 3 days Cox sight-fished and skipped docks mid-lake with wacky-rigged Senkos and Zoom Trick Worms (watermelon and green pumpkin). Last day he fished a backwater with a 3/8-oz Z-Man Chatterbait (black/blue) with a Strike King Menace Grub trailer.

> The top SEVEN finishers, including Cox, used wacky-rigged green-pumpkin Senkos or Senko-type baits.

> Larry Nixon finished 7th! In part fishing a dang Ned Rig…. (Noooooooooooooo!)

> Peter T. hit it too, finished 9th reeling a Zoom Swimmin’ Super Fluke and a Zoom Trick Worm on 1/8-oz heads:

> One dude was fishing a Great Lakes pattern — dropshotting a Jackall Crosstail Shad…which makes sense because he’s from Canadia where the Cana-dians live.

> ONE guy in the top 10 fished a jig.

Best fishin’ celebration?

B. Robison, might wanna get the Vikes D-Line involved man!

Check out my first bait!

Case anyone’s in a literal mode, NOT getting into the bait biz….

 

News

1. David Cosner still fighting…

…still needs prayer if you’re a prayer. Bassin’ brother who’s had a million surgeries on his lungs and counting. #warrior

2. K-Pink on The Master.

You know who, click here to read it. Reminds me of this shot:

So if Clunn is Obi-Wan and K-Pink is the guy with the pink light saber, does that make Kevin…bad?

Here’s Zaldain and Trait Crist fishing in FL. HUGE Star Wars fans yo!

Their dog, gettin’ all Chewy:

3. Howell/Clunn granny hat hookup.

Just click the link. Word is Byron “the Bach” Velvick rocked one of them too. Why they just don’t wear this hat is beyond me:

#genius

4. AL: Mickey D’s Big Bass splash on Gville Apr 1-3.

Sounds like a million ways to win something as long as you catch one.

5. Shimano funding B.A.S.S. Nation projects.

6. FL: Anglers want Deltona hydrilla managed.

7. Erie: Flame-retardants still in smallies.

Which they absolutely need because, you know, they live in water….

Seriously, though — a bad deal.

8. MN: Mille Lacs Smallie Alliance meeting.

April 23.

9. TX: Football celeb derby at Fork, Apr 9.

10. NJ: DNR wants fisheries opinions.

Have your license handy before you click the link.

11. WV: HS team looking for funding.

12. TN: Bass Pro Shops job fair.

Apr 11-13 in East Ridge. Must be interested in bassin’ world domination.

13. Consultants involved in Pure Fishing acquisition.

Sounds awesome because management consultants are 10x smarter than everyone else!

14. DC: Gummint hurting boating.

I know, you’re shocked that our governments aren’t lowering costs for stuff:

> Dozens of respondents said they are concerned that government policies are making boating unattainable for the middle class.

And then there’s E15:

> …the most no worry is the potential for increased damage to boat engines and other components from misfueling with E15. The result, many said, will be boaters getting discouraged and leaving the sport.

> “Repair costs have been rising and the additional expense of fuel system repairs due to ethanol related has driven many from boat ownership,” said a Florida dealer. “Less boat owners means less business.”

But [the candidate of your choice] will fix all this….

Stuff

1. Apparently the Elite derby on Mille Lacs, MN is exempt from the new Mille Lacs regs. Got out of the original reporting game, but relying on others has its risks so apologies all on that one.

2. Some people claim that Potomac tourneys out of VA ramps are exempt from the sketchy new MD Potomac bass rules. Others say no, MD owns the river. Near as I can tell, Google says both states own river shoreline (here and here, for example). If you want to take a position, fine, but either way MD ain’t in favor of Potomac derbies.

Contest of the week

Win some of the new Rapala Shadow Rap Shads and all this stuff!

Same deal — enter your email addy, share your link for more points:

Tip of the Day

Eeeeeeeeeew…lol:

> “…as the week wears on and everybody has pounded on them, they spook easier, and that’s when you have to break out the spinning reel with 8-lb fluorocarbon or 20-lb braided Seaguar line.”

> “Sure, we’d all rather winch one in quick on baitcasting equipment, but when they’re not biting aggressively and you have to use spinning tackle, there’s zero reason to fear catching a giant with lighter tackle. The whole key is to be patient and let them run as long as you need to. You wind some line in, you let ’em run, you wind some line in and you let ’em run — just like catching a tuna in saltwater.”

> “I remember catching a giant bass from a bed with 8-lb mono on a spinning reel when I won at Sam Rayburn years ago — I just had to let it swim way out into the middle of the cove to finally tire itself out. It was about 7 minutes after I hooked it before I could finally land it. But that’s okay — you just have to be patient.”

Quote of the Day


To get to the Elite Series, you need to pile up points.

Youngster talkin’ ’bout the Opens to Elites route. If by points he means $$$, he is correct! Here’s the guy who handles deposits and registrations at B.A.S.S.:

Shot of the Day

Not a big yakker (bad back) but a cool shot:

You fishin’ this stuff?

Only the best!

 

Great stuff you need!

Git on these yo!

If you want to comment on anything in this BB issue (and you know you do!), just click here to go to BassBlaster.rocks where all past issues are archived. BUT there will be a delay in posting each issue to the site, so bear that in mind.

Jay Kumar is the guy who created BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a whole lot more in bassin’. Jay Kumar’s BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best in bassin’, and is the #2 daily read on any given day in the wide world o’ bass. Get the Jay Kumar’s BassBlaster app:

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