1. Quick pro dude health updates.
Ott DeFoe said he’s doing pretty well — maybe low on energy/stamina a bit? — and as far as I know is fishing the Redcrest this week. Last major champeenship he fished he did pretty well….
Jeff Kriet I think is doing better than he looks in this shot — a little gruesome, but hope he recovers quick and has way less pain.
2. Jordan Lee Redcrest practice shots…
…show him wearin’ bibs and a hoodie. So if it’s that cool, the fish should be chewin’?
Brandon Palaniuk’s bundled up too….
3. Will frowgs be a big factor in the Redcrest?
Gerald Swindle, Ish Monroe and WI hammer Tom Monsoor say so in this post. TONS of frog water on the upper Miss — that’s where these BB vids with Dean Rojas were shot: how he finds frog fish, and how he curves a frog cast.
Asked Freddy Roumbanis about the frog deal and he texted back, “NO way.” Then he posted this on the Insta:
Dude! Well…Tom Monsoor I don’t think ever doesn’t throw a swim-jig, and that’s what bass-head Joe Pollak used to win this weekend’s BLF on pool 9:
4. No such thing as skinny water to Jason Christie.
5. Check what BPTer Jeff Sprague did this year.
Finished 2nd to Edwin “can’t lose” Evers in the points:
> …started the season with 7 straight Knockout Round qualifications, the only angler in the field of 80 to do so.
Hugely #stout for sure. Wonder if Jeff even knew he was such a hammer? He said:
> “I work really hard to stay fundamentally and mechanically sound when I’m not fishing competitively. I fish every evening if I can, just for a couple of hours to stay sharp. I’ll get out there and try to catch them a certain way one day and then a different way the next. I feel like because I’m on the water so much, it helps me stay focused on how much fishing can change from day to day.”
6. Good donny barone post on Bill Lowen and Matt Herren.
Both in the top 10 of the Elite AOY points — 2nd and 5th respectively.
7. Berkley releases new Ike and Skeet Powerbait baits.
Brief rundown — 3 Skeet baits first, all named by a famous rap artist and weirdly NONE are offered in yellow:
> Ca$h Out — 3″ Ned Rig bait, rudder tail, ribbed belly. Diggin’ the gp orange color….
> The Deal — bladed jig trailer. “It has a high-sided shad profile, adding bulk…and is available in 3.5″ and 4.5″….”
> Straight Money — straight-tail worm with a flat belly and spade tail, in 5″, 6″ and 7″.
2 Ike baits:
> Water Bug — “slender flat bottom finesse bait…a small tubular arm on each side designed to add subtle quivering action even when dead-sticking.” In 3.3″ and 4″.
> Flute Worm — “finesse worm with integrated O-ring locations primarily designed to be fished on a Neko rig. 4.7″, 5.7″ and 6.7” just cuz Ike doesn’t like round #s….
Ike also has a new 4-piece travel rod out, I have one in my truck — it’s pretty dang good for what it is, and if you can handle the whole purple/green/Joker color scheme. I’m more on the Batman side….
After bein’ in hibernation for a bit, Berkley/Pure Fishing continues to pour it on….
8. This the bluest frog you ever seen?
El Cajun Bambino posted it, says it’s the Scum Frog Chugger in “blue dog:”
9. Favorite has new glass rods.
Favorite Phantom PHAT Glass — Mark Daniels Jr and Brian Latimer have been talkin’ ’bout and I believe pushin’ for these for a while….
10. KS: Ned Kehde doesn’t like herbicides.
Ned of Ned Rig fame — here’s a good line from him about milfoil:
> “This bountiful and helpful aquatic vegetation was castigated as an invasive species even though it has been in the U.S. for more than a century. So when is a species no longer invasive? For example, bluegrass is not native to the U.S.”
But bluegrass IS native to KY…lol….
On the other hand, here’s an [eyeroll emoji] line about milfoil from a Canadian site:
> “It can even threaten fish if it becomes so dense they won’t swim in it.”
C’mon man….
11. Check the new NED lid!
Ned stuff reminded me of this new lid:
Pretty funny/cool but I’m waitin’ to see one that says…TRD.
12. IA QB loves him some bassin’.
Good to hear….
13. MO: 25-lb striper caught in Table Rock…
…but stripers were never stocked there. Go figger….
14. MN: Zebras found in Grant Lake.
They said they were just there on vacation but the wardens didn’t believe ’em….
15. TN: Here’s an issue with a carp bubble barrier.
Can they keep it running 24/7/365:
> …deployment of the [bubble deal] at Barkley Lock is going to be delayed during the months of Aug and Sep to accommodate navigation traffic during a required maintenance closure at neighboring KY Lock on the TN River. Installation…resumes in Oct and is expected to be operational this fall.
16. TN: Asian carp actually taste good?
Sure hope so:
> “It tastes like no other fish I’ve ever had and I’ve been…developing recipes for fish for 10 years now. I’ve never tasted a fish that’s as clean-tasting as this one.”