Hope you had a great weekend! Few TX deals:

1. Word is the urchin bite is soft, maybe because the fish are in a different place than they were around the spawn. BUT I haven't talked to anyone around here who's tried fishing it on the bottom.

2. 2 ex-lawmen told me that in TX, if you are caught on private land stealing or attempting to steal cattle, it is still legal for the landowner to administer his own justice – including death. Dang son!

They also said purple on fences, fenceposts or trees is fair warning that you could be shot if you walk onto that property. A lot to learn here man!

3. Don't know if you've heard that European fans here for the World Cup absolutely love our country. A lot of reels of them being blown away by how nice everyone is, how great the food is, Bass Pro Shops, the whole deal.

Judging by a couple comments from 'em, apparently the European "media" doesn't paint the greatest picture of our country or our folks. Not surprised. Glad they got to experience us firsthand – too bad they didn't get to bass-feesh! 😁

Hope you did tho – let's bass!

Gitcha Blaster video fix here:

Here we go! Can be tough to get a good idea of sonar stuff without seeing it and experiencing it in person (which will happen at ICAST), but this seems pretty straightforward. Here's some deets:

> Improved noise reduction and expanded/broader sonar coverage – wider sonar angles improve coverage in all 3 modes: Forward, Down and Perspective

> Clearer target separation at both short and long ranges

> Integrated image stabilization, reduced noise and better target separation

> Faster processing speed and low latency

> No more black box

3 new transducers but 1 is for ice fishing so not mentioned here:

> LiveScope 2 (LVS44) builds on the proven technology of LiveScope Plus [LVS34] and delivers 20% more resolution and 25% more range – out to 250' – for anglers who want to cover more water and find fish farther from the boat.

> LiveScope 2 HD (LVS42HD) is optimized for castable distances out to 125' with Garmin's clearest live sonar ever, offering 50% more detail at closer ranges compared to the previous model.

> ...LiveScope 2 and LiveScope 2 HD transducers connect directly to a compatible Garmin multi-function display (MFD) and power source, eliminating the need for a black box and simplifying installation.

> Integrated sensors enhance usability, including the built-in water sensor, which automatically turns off the sonar when the transducer gets lifted out of the water....

> ...onboard water temperature sensor for accurate readings.

> ...come with a trolling motor barrel mount and adjustable Perspective mode mount so the transducers can be easily adjusted to fit an angler's fishing techniques and preferences on the water, no tools required.

More info

1. Garmin units/screens this LS2 is compatible with:

ECHOMAP Ultra

ECHOMAP Ultra 2

ECHOMAP UHD2

GPSMAP 700/700xsv/900/900xsv

GPSMAP 9000/9000xsv

GPSMAP 8400/8400xsv/8600/8600xsv

GPSMAP 16x3/16x3xsv

GPSMAP 15x3xsv

GPSMAP 12x3/12x3xsv

Basically the full ECHOMAP and GPSMAP product lines including some discontinued models. Here's a link to the full list.

2. It will be available at retail as soon as electronics folks get it on their sites/in their stores – and will be for sale on Garmin.com here on Friday. MSRP is $1,999.99 - $2,199.99.

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/1908376/pn/010-03899-00/#devices

3. The LVS42HD and LVS44 trannies look similar but are not the exact same – the LVS44 (right) is bigger and has a little bump-out on the back.

Don't have a pic of it and can't find where to order it since I guess it's sorta in the proto/pilot stage, but – bass-head Dave M sent me a FB post by a MS crappie guide named Jason Clements where he says this (here's the video):

> The Ultimate LiveScope Breakthrough: Goodbye bottom fill and heavy returns and ghost tree!

[Here's some ghost trees – that sorta arc that's always there.]

> As a pro crappie fisherman and guide, my gear takes an absolute beating. If you've ever fished Grenada Lake, you know what 3-4' rollers at 58 mph will do to your boat and your electronics mounts.

> After constantly breaking expensive mounts on guide trips, I got fed up and decided to engineer my own solution. But during testing, we accidentally stumbled onto something way bigger than just a tougher mount. We completely eliminated the LiveScope ghost tree and cleared up our bottom returns.

> Check out this video. Look at the 6' water return—zero phantom lines, zero bottom fill, and you can actually see the full body and direction of the fish on the bottom.

> Why does this screen look so much better than yours? Because almost every commercial mount on the market is made of machined anodized aluminum. Metal acts as a massive electrical conductor.

> If there is any stray voltage or bad grounding in your boat's 12V system, that aluminum mount feeds that electrical noise straight into your Garmin transducer body. It ruins your picture, and you end up wasting thousands trying to fix it with ground wires and extra batteries.

> I designed the True Sight Mount by Angler Precision Mounts out of an ultra-rugged, weather-proof engineering polymer (ASA) instead of metal. It acts as a complete electrical insulator, blocking stray noise at the source while maintaining a true zero-degree straight-down view and seamless perspective capability.

> We ran this prototype through the worst rollers Grenada could throw at us in our Z20, and it barely even shook. It's tough, it's lightweight, and it clears up your screen mechanically.

> This design is officially patent pending. I'm getting ready to run a very limited introductory "Pro-Staff Field Test" batch for local guides and tournament anglers who want a cleaner screen before the fall bite kicks off.

Couple quick deals:

• Here's his FB if you want to try to reach out to him.
• I couldn't find a link to Angler Precision Mounts.
• I did reach out to Jason but did not hear back from him in time for this.

I'm definitely not an expert on all the sonars, but I believe the ghost tree happens with Garmin LiveScope (maybe not the new LS2) and Lowrance ActiveTarget.

I think Humminbird took care of that issue with MEGA Live 2.

It's not like all the new stuff is being launched at ICAST anymore. We've seen a lot in the early tournaments plus rolling announcements since Jan – bet we've already seen a decent chunk of the new-for-'26 stuff, at least from the biggest brands.

But here's a few items we haven't seen yet – a little from announcements but mostly Bassmaster.com's a loooong pre-ICAST deal they do every year.

Some (not all) of the stuff that caught my eye – and remember, every company does not go to ICAST. I'll get deets on 'em all next week at the show. And if you're wondering – not a ton of urchins in that BM post!

No particular order on these.

Z-Man ChatterBait Elite EVO HD

EVOs seem to be right behind el JackHammer in terms of bass-catching popularity so here's a new one:

> ...the Heavy Duty (HD) version is engineered to be at least 40% stronger than the original EVO...when big fish, heavy cover, braided line...situations demand it.

> ...custom 5/0 super heavy‑duty nano‑coated hook...trailer keeper system upgraded with hybrid molded split‑grip keeper backed by double‑wire retainer....

3/8 and 1/2, 20 colors.

Rapala Stryda 180

Choppy glide:

> Designed to eliminate many of the frustrations associated with traditional glide baits, the Stryda 180 requires no aftermarket tuning, weighting or hardware upgrades....

> One of the bait's most innovative features is Rapala's exclusive Screw Diver System, which allows anglers to quickly adjust sink rate using interchangeable tungsten belly weights.

Rapala CrushCity Avatar Shad

It's a shark! 🦈

> ...durable Super TPE material...floats, withstands repeated strikes and produces a fluid swimming action through its segmented body design...engineered to maintain its natural movement across multiple rigging styles.

I texted Jacob Wheeler and asked if you could cause a sharknado with this bait but he still hasn't gotten back to me...🤣 Just messin'!

BOOYAH Speed Walker

Notice the Flash Point blade on the chin, and yep it's for walking fast but not only. I told 'em they should've named it the Jay Walker! 😁

Strike King Two-Time Spinnerbait

Dang gettin' back to their roots!

> Free-swinging twin-arm design collapses instantly on the bite...long-shank 5/0 hook eliminates the need for a trailer hook, while the twin arms act as a built-in weedguard for fishing through grass and cover.

Yo-Zuri Pro Series Joint Bait

Just 4" and 1/4-oz! 

> ...smooth S-shaped swimming action...slow-sinking bait....

Gotta make a joint joke (can't help it!) – tough to decide but will go with this'n:

🤣

3.5" Big Bite Baits Velo Craw

I think BBB just made a new Carolina-rig bait? If so, amazing! Wonder if it's in any way named after those Celo tobacco-free nicotine pouches...🤔

Savage Gear Scandal

That looks pretty! 

> ...massive profile, lifelike photo print finish, and durable Twin Skin Construction...wide glide action keeps the bait in the strike zone longer....

Rebel Tadpole

Yes REBEL because this might be the best newest Ned bait? 2.5" of floating, scent-infused LIVEflex material.

SPRO Prop Frog 65

Word is Bryan New got a fever, then Dean Rojas caught it and after a couple sweaty hallucinations about frogs, here we are. 😆 Alright not really but I gotta know – is this Dean-approved?? Just messin' – interesting either way!

More new deals in the Thursdee BB!

What's been your opinion on this deal? I always wondered what plastic worms imitated. I mean, I know some are made to look like worms, but there's no worms 25' down in a lake. Worms aren't swimming in a lake.

So is it snakes? Eels? Does it just look "edible" to bass – like just about anything does?

Well this video is making me think it's actually worms after all. A guy fileted a small channel cat and found 175 EARTHWORMS in its belly! 🤯 Not sure what water body it was caught out of, but if it was a bigger public lake, that's just 1 fish!

Just one anecdote and not sure if it was after a lot of rain or what. But it's making me think that maybe a lot of worms do get in water somehow??

1. Casey Ashley pre-fished Erie for 3 days

Unusual for him plus a long round trip. Erie on Aug 6-9 is the last Bass Pro Tour tourney of the season.

2. Here's the '27 MLF Bass Pro Tour schedule

• Jan 14-17 - St Johns River, FL
• Feb 25-28 - Caddo and Cross lakes, LA
• Mar 11-14 - Norris Lake, TN
• Apr 1-4 - Toledo Bend, TX
• Apr 16-18 – Redcrest – Logan Martin, AL
• Apr 29-May 2 – Champlain, NY
• May 22-27 - Heavy Hitters - Kentucky-Barkley, KY
• Jun 24-27 - Pickwick, TN
• Aug 5-8 - Pasquotank River, NC

Few things that jumped out to me:

• Begins and ends with tidal rivers
• That is EARLY for Champlain
• Interesting that Heavy Hitters (higher minimum weight) is on KY Lake – does that mean the bass fishery there has fully recovered?

3. MLF is hyping the Champions tourney, B.A.S.S. is not

Champions tourney = that new BPT vs Elites deal happening in TN this fall. That link is to a post about it on the MLF site.

As far as B.A.S.S. goes, if I was the 800-lb gorilla in bass fishing I probably wouldn't want to help either. Plus I'd at least want to see if the deal hung around for a few years.

4. Swimbait man Jerry Rago working with Livingston again

Hope they roll something out at ICAST!

5. Z-Man announced 2 new soft-plastics...

...with that new Sinking ElaZtech plastic. Not sure how I thought I read no baits were planned yet! 🤪 Here they are:

Kingpin stick worm (3" and 5")

> ...symmetrical body for perfectly balanced wacky rigging and precisely spaced body segmentation that works with the material to produce a slow, natural fall with a subtle wobble....

> "You don't have to find the sweet spot when wacky rigging. The center is exactly the center, so every cast delivers the same consistent performance and balanced fall. The segmentation removes material between each section, which really enhances the bait's sinking action."

> Seth Feider: "I can catch a pile of fish on one bait."

No salt + ElaZtech tough, YT vid on it here.

Stuntman soft jerkbait (4" and 5")

> "That vertical fork [tail] acts almost like a rudder. Every twitch sends the bait gliding farther off center, and as it sinks the tail continues to move naturally, giving fish a completely different look than they've seen from existing soft jerkbaits."

> High body mass improves casting distance without sacrificing balance...molded dorsal and ventral hook slots....

> ...also excels as a ChatterBait trailer....

> Seth: "One of the things I like about the Stuntman is that it gives you a lot of the same fish-triggering action you'd expect from a hard jerkbait, but you can throw it anywhere." [Feiderman YT vid on it here.]

6. New Rapala soft-plastic storage bags

If they make finding plastics jammed into a bag easy, I'm all about it!

7. Tackle Warehouse's July 4 Sale ends tomorrow 🇺🇸

In other words, it's still going!

8. New Shimano Curado DC 150A Reel

Seems to be an updated version of the current 150 DC. They also have a new salty Calcutta DC. Don't see it for sale yet.

9. NY: Oneida smallmouth pop at historic low?

One factor they think is involved is GOBIES. C'mon – really?? Quote from a walleye guy:

> "Mandatory transportation bass tournaments upend our bass populations and relocate bass away from their natural habitat. Along with allowing bass to be fished on beds all spring [C&R only], is it any coincidence that the population has declined since these practices have been allowed?"

> But there's no evidence to suggest catching bass on their spawning beds...has population-level impacts.

Yep! Interesting that walleye has improved. Usually it's the other way around.

10. NY trying to "eradicate" hydrilla from Cayuga

By spraying.

11. MD: Here's the tidal rivers stocked in 2025

> ...40,000 bass fry were stocked in prime juvenile habitat within the Potomac and Patuxent rivers.

> ...more than 26,000 bass [2-4"] were stocked in the Nanticoke, Choptank, Potomac, Wicomico and Patapsco rivers, along with Marshyhope Creek.

12. CA: Initial efforts to get boating back on Irvine

13. GA HS bassin' is growing

I wonder if anyone is running a jonboat or Tracker. Would love to know at the HS level, in any state.

14. Full Circle Lithium is a new B.A.S.S. sponsor

Just for the FB Live on Champlain. Never heard of 'em – if you have, pls lmk.

Headline of the Day

Shimano Introduces the Poison Glorious to Its Premier Freshwater Bass Rod Lineup

Not familiar with regs in all states, but I assume it's illegal to fish with poison in all of 'em? 😁 Believe that's Shimano's 3rd "Poison" series:

> "Anglers who love the familiar feel of cork but want the sensitivity and precision of a true JDM build now have a rod built specifically for them...with 15 models across casting and spinning...."

Beau Browning: Watch out for map study

Yep it's valuable but:

> ...it can give you the wrong impression of what you'll find when you get on the water for the first time. The picture that map study paints in your head often differs significantly from the real-time views you see with your eyes and electronics.

Example:

> I did a lot of map study before this year's Elite event at Lake Murray and marked many points where herring might spawn during the tournament. When I got on the lake and began checking the points I'd marked on my chart, I realized a lot of the points had grass on them. I hadn't anticipated that.

> ...the herring spawn was not as prominent on the points that had grass. Unfortunately, about 3/4 of the points I had marked on my chart had grass on them.

Would looking at Google Earth images tell some of that grass story?

Either way I think I remember his dad telling me he would give Beau the "bad maps" sometimes so Beau could "learn some stuff the hard way" – or something like that.

Kidding lol! Or maybe that was Alton Jones Sr...🤣

"I was prepared for this mentally because of tournament bass fishing."

- Todd Arey talkin' on the Bassmasters about his current C-word fight:

> "When things don't go your way, you absolutely cannot get spun out. Cancer does not discriminate and neither does wildlife."

Profound. Please keep praying for him peeps – Lord, that it will all go Todd's way. ✝️🙏

Do you stop fishing lipless cranks in the spring? 🙋‍♂️ I do but been seeing more and more how these baits can be great for just covering water all year. That might be old news to you but if not it does make sense!

Here's a quick example – a Yo-Zuri 3DB Vibe used to cover water quick in a pond – posted by @yozuri_bass:

Fishers of Men Tournament Trail

Bass Chaplain podcasts

Contact Chris Wells the Bass Chaplain

Advanced Angler

StrayCasts crazy web show!

Champion Jigs

Trophy Bass Co.