Few thoughts on living in this part of TX:

1. You better own a pickup truck, jack it up to the max, wash it at least twice a week and drive it like you're almost as ticked off as if you live in NJ.

2. So many crickets I gotta assume all the bluegills have been caught?

3. Lotta folks from other states where we're at. So hey Tom Petty – we do have to live like refugees! 😁

So far so good! Live right by Lake Ray Hubbard and haven't even sniffed the water, but hey – I don't have a chair to sit in yet either so priorities! A little more on the odyssey next week, let's git bassin'!

Headline say what? Is it April Fools Day? Negative.

Are the Redcoats coming? Possibly.

Is B.A.S.S. HQ in the middle of a crazy pills epidemic? Not that I'm aware of but that would explain some things....🤣

Does Chase Anderson love the smell of Napalm in the morning? I think he does, and he definitely did yesterday morning.

As you know by now, B.A.S.S. announced that henceforth the Elites will have no entry fees, and will get free chicken wings (not boneless and not gluten free), sweet tea and pedicures at all Elite events. Or at least the first one of those. 😁

Free entries! And that fast, all the Elite FFS controversy DISA-DANG-PEARED mang! 😆 Just messin'.

As you might remember, no entries was the #1 deal that attracted top pros from the Elites to the new MLF Bass Pro Tour back when "the split" happened. But then covid smashed into everything, and the no entry fees were gone from MLF.

So this ain't the first time no entries has happened at the pro level, and time will tell if it sticks. But I gotta give props to Chase and team for doing it. Should 100% be the case at the top level of bassin' as I've said many a time. Plus they did it:

- Without cutting the field

- In a down economy

- In a big-time uncertain economic time (election year)

Hmm maybe there IS a crazy pills epidemic there...😆 Anyhow, hoping to get Chase for a Q&A, but in the meantime here's some deets that stood out to me:

> Chase: "We have been looking at this model for quite some time. But we wanted to make sure that when we flip this switch...that the concept is sustainable for the future.

> "...came to the realization that with the money we planned to allocate to payouts in 2025, we could offer attractive payouts without putting angler money at risk.

> "Our anglers have been saying for years that the ultimate goal should be a no-entry-fee league. Now we've essentially improved their bottom line by $45,000 each through taking away the weight of entry fee payments, while at the same time increasing our contribution to payouts.

> "We believe this will not only benefit each of them individually, but allow them to fish more freely, which should create even more spectacular bass fishing action for Bassmaster fans."

👆 In theory that is exactly right and a heck of good sign that he values that. More:

> ...current Elite Series anglers have consistently communicated that the current economic environment is making it difficult to pay the $45,000 entry fee previously required to compete.

> ...there have been tremendously-talented anglers who did not accept their Elite Series berth based on the high cost of entry.

> Over the last 4 years, had Elite Series pros been fishing under the new optimized no-entry-fee model, 2/3 of the field would have realized more winnings [and] 85% of them would have fared better under the no-entry-fee model in at least 1 of those years.

Payouts will now have a different distribution – which is an issue already as you can see from this and other social posts:

> Historically, anglers voted to pay further down the field for the opportunity to earn a check. For example, 51st through 75th place were receiving checks, but those checks were less than their entry fees...11th place and 50th place were receiving the same payout.

> For 2025, the payouts will be graduated down the field. The Top 10 will net the same winnings as before, with first place continuing to receive $100,000. For those placing between 11th and 18th, the earnings realized is actually better. The new payout structure will continue down to 40th place, which will be the new day 3 cutline for the Elites.

Same for the Classic and they now pay deeper for AOY.

Gotta love bassin' world – it's never dull!

Other than that, do we really have a free country if it's not free to fish?? 🤔😁

- Elitist Wes Logan talkin' in his vid comparing his '24 and '25 earnings based on his '24 finishes. In '24 he ended up with $12,500 AFTER entries, and the same finishes in '25 would have gotten him the same $12.5K without laying out that $45K first.

Says in that deal that the change isn't ideal but is a step in the right direction. I think he means that step 1 is no entries, step 2 is to be able to fish for good money at least most of the way down the field – which is not the case yet.

With any change, there's those that benefit and those that don't. Let's see what happens man....

I will also add: If you want to be rich, don't ever go on TackleWarehouse.com lol.

Just messin' Altons! Wanted to talk to Alton Sr about a few things including the all-important stuff (baits), so here we go:

1. When's the last time you fished a team tournament with Alton Jr besides the recent MLF one?

> "I think it was when he was 11 years old and it was a Wednesday night derb on Lake Waco – and we won it. So that would've been about 2003.

> "Back then...around my fishing career our schedule just wasn't where we fished a lot of tournaments together. But we fished together quite a bit for many years.

> "Even now we fish together half a dozen times a year in the same boat, just not competing as a team. I hadn't even fished a team tournament in forever."

2. Was he a little cocky in the boat? 😁 [I was just messin'. The only person Al Jr is cocky around is Jordan Lee. 😆]

> "No I wouldn't say he was cocky. I tried to be smart enough to know when I needed to let him be in charge which was a lot of the time.... I have so much respect for his ability as an angler – he shows me good respect too....

> "Now when he and I fish together for fun, I don't see his game face. This is the first time I've been in a boat [with him] watching him compete as a seasoned pro. It was an aha moment for dad. Realizing he's got skills I don't have and will never have...he's got a different gear than I have.

> "The younger generation of pros, they fish so much faster than we ever did. We never knew we needed to fish that fast. Honestly I learned some things that are going to help me next year...I'm probably not fishing fast enough.

> "You can't really see it on TV. But he's got a different gear and I'm gonna have to work on my next gear, if that makes sense."

3. Since you're still choosing to fish without a bait sponsor, what are a couple baits that passed the test for you this season?

> "...one in particular I won't name, but one I will name is – in certain situations the [Berkley] Frittside crankbaits, especially the Frittside 5 Biggun is a bait I've absolutely fallen in love with. I'm catching so many fish on it...if I'm around rock, gravel and grass it's deadly. It will definitely factor into a lot of what I do next year.

> "...I like when you stop that bait and kill it, it doesn't float up, it just sits there in front of them. You also can burn it and it runs true. I love to burn a crankbait this time of year – burn it, kill it, burn it, kill it. The fish will follow it and track it, and when you stop it in their face...reflexes take over and they engulf it.

> "I learned that the JackHammer is absolutely heads and tails above any other bladed jig. I want to kick myself. How long have I been hearing how good the JackHammer is [but] when you have bait sponsors...'well I'm gonna throw this one.' When all of a sudden you don't have those chains around you anymore, it's like, How come I never knew this!

> "I've actually gone back to a bait that was really important to me early in my career, the old Canyon Plastics 3.75" Gitzit. Just a TX-rigged tube. For me I get more bites on it – not sure why.

> "Another one playing big for me over the last couple of years is the Strike King Rage Tail Cut R Worm. I can swim it, TX-rig it – it's so versatile. You can throw in a brushpile, a weed bed, buzz it over a grass bed – it's very efficient for a lot of different scenarios."

Some good stuff right there!

That's the new EverGreen DXV-18, co-designed by former Elitist Morizo Shimizu to be a jerkbait-crankbait hybrid;

> The bill's unique curvature promises a quick plunge and straight run on the retrieve...also accommodates the snapping action associated with hard jerkbaits.

> EverGreen says the DVX-18 yields a shimmying action reminiscent of a balsawood crankbait.... On the bottom, the DVX-18 has a twisting action as it taps the bottom and navigates around obstacles.

> At nearly 6"...features [3] #4 black nickel treble hooks. Weight transfer to extend casting distance....

Part of the deal is to fish it for suspended fish. MSRP will be $21.99 and will come in 6 colors.

Interesting deal, particularly since FFS jerkbaiting is a well-known deal and FFS cranking is becoming a thing. Not the first jerkbait-ish crankbait to come along but I think the first since FFS? Lemme know if you know for sure.

If Brett Hite had a hand in that deal, like with the JackHammer (along with Morizo), I guess it would be a must have for sure!

Here's your rundown for the latest SeaFoamWorks.com Top 5 of the Week in Bass Fishing, Episode 94!

1. Why is the Beast Coast OW Sniper Jig being seen more and more each year? 👀

2. Why would Lunkerhunt come out with an UNSALTED tube? 🤔

3. Zack Birge's 2 best baits this season did NOT include a jighead minnow?? 😱

4. Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Logan Parks is giving back already? 🤯

5. Why Sea Foam your boat if/when you put it up for the winter. 💪🤙

👉 Baits 'n such in this one:

Sea Foam Marine PRO

Beat Coast Fishing OW Sniper Jig

Lukerhunt Spicy Revealer Tube

Lunkerhunt Unsalted Tube

Yo-Zuri 3DB 110 Deep Jerkbait

Omega Rapture Bladed Jig

1. Jeff Sprague/Bryan Thrift won the latest MLF team deal

> Thrift caught 8 keepers on the day – 4 on a swim-jig and 4 on a swimming worm. Sprague caught 20 keepers – 11 on a swim-jig, 2 on a vibrating jig and 2 on a TX-rigged creature bait.

> "The bait that carried us 99% of the way was just a hand-tied swimjig," Sprague said. "We threw it with the brand-new Lake Fork Lure Co Pro Craw, in bluegill and honey-craw color. The bait looks just like a bluegill, and that is what did all of the work for us this week."

Ott DeFoe/Alton Jones Jr got 2nd. Ott won the last won with Andy "ain't right" Montgomery, and Alton Jr finished 2nd with his dad.

2. Mike Iaconelli adds a dropshot weight to his swimbaits

To get 'em to suspend or sink. Quick IG vid ^, interesting....

3. If Dean Rojas had to pick 3 frog colors...

They'd be black, brown and shad. 👀 Remember that Dean fishes frogs in places a lot of people don't think about fishing 'em....

4. MDJ and fam decided to fry up some drum

So far they've survived...lol. If it tastes good, game over for drum! Anyone else try 'em??

5. Easton Fothergill uses an Aqua-Vu camera (IG vid)

Says even though he's moving around really quick, it doesn't slow him down at all – uses it to confirm what he sees on 360 and FFS. Gitcha Aqua-Vus on TW – still price cut!

6. Here's those 3 limited-run colors of the Krej 👀

"Broken glass" (which Logan Parks likes), "lime ice" and "purpsicle." You can only get 'em on the Berkley website.

7. Gitcha giant bite this fall!

Draaag the FishLab Slam-A-Mander:

8. Can Trey Kistler ID his rods blindfolded?

Pretty entertaining little IG vid. That 6' 10" Nitranium LMH Rod looks cool, though only click this link if you've got a big budget! If your budget is sub-$100, check the Argons.

9. Keitech says its new swim-jig is optimized for...

...yep you guessed it, the Keitech Fat. Swim-jig is called the Swing Swimmer and is on TW.

10. Shimano Q3 fishing revenue and sales down a bit

> ...fishing tackle revenue decreased 5.6%....

11. Q3 Garmin marine revenue up Y2Y but... (pdf)

> Revenue from the marine segment increased 22% in the 3rd quarter primarily driven by the acquisition of JL Audio. Gross and operating margins were 55% and 17%, respectively....

12. New 300-hp 'lectric outboard

Brand is Evoy, for the salt.

13. FL: 700-acre cattail marsh will be sprayed on Big O

14. IL: Asian carp don't like IL River pollution?

> ...the fish have not advanced beyond a particular stretch of the Illinois River north of Kankakee. Research...shows the fish are likely avoiding contaminants from the Chicago Area Waterway....

15. CA: Invasive golden mussels found in the Delta

In the more salty part, sounds like they do what zebras do – clog pipes and whatnot.

16. OK: BPS's Tracker plant closing in Miami

Jan 10 is the last day. Not bass boat-related, I don't think. Tracker went there in 2002 to build Tahoe runabout and deck boats.

Lines of the Day

"Why are you even in my spot and how did you find this?"

- Guy speculatin' that that's why guys fight over getting too close to each other.

That's the dynamic that wildlife activists want to change, by installing more "non-consumptive" commissioners on [Fish and Game] oversight boards.

- Uh no thanks. These activist types want this voice even though they do not contribute to the DNR's budget while anglers and hunters pay for the vast majority of it through taxes and license sales.

Dustin Connell: Go big for dirty-water spotted bass

From the MLF site:

> "People are intimidated by spotted bass and think it's only a light-line, shakey-head fish, but they'll bite a lot of different lures and can be pretty predictable."

> When fishing the Coosa River lakes and the Alabama River, Connell goes big with crankbaits, heavy spinnerbaits and jigs. He's generally fishing areas with a heavy current flow that puts the fish in predictable locations around current breaks.

> "Those 3 baits in middle of AL and along the whole Coosa River chain will get bit. I throw 3/4- and 1-oz spinnerbaits and 1/2 and 3/4-oz jigs on big rods, and 20-lb Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon. They eat big baits and you can get away with heavy tackle because the water is dingier than somewhere like Smith Lake."

"It's not much different than if you have 3 or 4 anglers beating the same bank in a multi-day tournament."

- Gary Clouse talkin' on the Bassmasters 'bout FFS-caused pressure on some areas.

> "That's when the anglers with the most experience with the technology rise above those who are just learning.

> "It doesn't matter what my personal feelings are. I've come to a conclusion: It's here to stay. If you want to be a competitive angler, you better get on board because it's not going anywhere."

Hypnotize your deep bass this fall 'n winter with the Madness Siriten Vibe 73 lol! Posted by LureNews on IG:

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