Only 1 Blaster this week, apologies. Not because of the Bassin' Hall of Justice 'n Infamy's swearin'-in ceremony, but because one of my best buds' dads passed on so of course I went to the services.

Gotta confess: He was "on my list" to write a note to because I knew he'd been sick and I loved and appreciated him. But guess what – I didn't get to it in time. I am ashamed of myself, especially because this wasn't the first time I've done that. Got "too busy" and put it off. So bad man dang.

So...if there's someone like that in your life, even if they're 100% healthy, I encourage you not to be "too busy" to get to it. Take the time to reflect, then call, have coffee, send 'em a note, whatever – let them know. Reminds me of this:

Proverbs 12:25

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,


But a good word makes it glad.

When I was in my 20s and – if you can believe it – an even harder-headed and dumber man 🙄😁, I got in some hot water. My bud's dad never doubted me. Next time he saw me, he actually made fun of the situation and me in it. I was shocked for a sec. Then I realized the whole deal didn't mean one dang thing to how he saw me. He knew who I was...so I knew who I was. THAT is a good man.

Gotta throw you another one:

Luke 10:37

And he said, "He who showed mercy on him."

Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

I will! Hope you do too, and hope my mistakes bless you or you bless someone else who's made 'em too. Now let's git after the bass feesh!

Do pro fishermen have some sneaky stuff that doesn't ever get outed unless they win with it? Of course they do, and I bet we all have some sneaky stuff.

Real good example was Jordan Lee winning the MLF Heavy Hitters this year using that "Lieutenant Danned" Berkley Swamp Lord Frog:

If you missed that deal, those are glued-in rattles. In some other AL (and maybe other places) grass fishermen knew about that, but it hadn't really hit the national scene til Jordan had to out it. Here's an IG vid of him explaining it.

Makes me wonder how else a frog can be doctored in those leg holes.

Anyhow, once in a while the pros do out stuff that to us is new. Like fuzzy dice or Taku Ito's completely not a worm Neko bait:

Usually such "outings" are related to tournaments, but not all the time. Here's some stuff outed a few guys we (me and a bass-head named Andy Greene) thought was innerestin':

1. Matt Becker says he's caught a lot of fish this year gliding a Yamamoto Flappin Hog a Core Tackle Ozark Rig – basically TX rigs it. Explains it in this IG vid:

2. Matt Stefan shared on his YT a different gliding rig – Neko-rigging a Berkley MaxScent Creature Hawg around docks and laydowns. Says bass see tons of TX-rigged baits, but not a lot of flipped baits that glide, which helps him get bites from pressured fish:

3. Justin Lucas – aka the Tip Man – says the Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm ain't just for dropshots. He's been catching his bigger smallies by fishing the Flat Worm on a jighead, like such (IG vid):

Says he likes the "smelt" and TW-exclusive "smallie secret" colors.

IF you're a buzzbait guy/gal, a topwater guy or a shallow-water cover guy. That's that Brazalo Custom Lures Wee-Whacker Buzzbait that MLF BPTer Dylan "rollin' in the" Hays outed this year. Now that it's finally available, I got some deets from him:

> "It's a 3/16-oz clacking buzzbait. I throw white with a silver blade in sunny, clear-water conditions, and black/gold blade in stained to dirty water.

> "I throw the tilapia/chartreuse blade when I think they're on bluegill, and the bone blade/Fluke just to be different – and I've found that works about anywhere." [His typical trailer is a Zoom Z-Craw Jr.]

> "It's really versatile and such a small, compact profile that it works a lot of places. Any shallow visible cover absolutely – rocks, grass, wood, docks. It also works great on schoolers.

> "One of the best things about it is it skips under cypress trees and walkways, especially when you push the bait over the head."

He typically fishes it on 7' LMH Kistler Helium Rod (30-lb Tufline braid), but occasionally on the same rod but in a spin version (15-lb Tufline braid): "That works great for kids or people with less experience."

Sounds pretty cool! That deal is calling my name man, maybe you too?

Here's Dylan talkin' about a little in an IG vid.

WTHeck?? Never seen it before, you? It's a Diamond Baits Deuces Wild Flutter Spoon – few deets from the Bassin'masters:

> "At times a flutter spoon will trigger bites unlike other reaction baits when ledge fishing. This spoon is unique because it's 2 spoons laid on top of one another which allows the spoon to fall backwards, which is a really big deal. It's super erratic and has a unique action."

Wonder if you BaitFueled or Smelly Jelly'd or whatever in there with maybe some flake if it'd be insane in the membrane.

Spoon comes in 3", 4", 5" and 6".

Cole mentions a few more baits in that deal, including this sexy-looking deal, the Hardcore Bullet Crank 5+:

> "The Bullet Crank 5+ is one that I turn to a lot because of its profile and running depth. This bait will run a little shallower than the 7+, but I still use the same concept of burning it fast to trigger a reaction."

Been a nutty week or so for YUGE ones, here's the highlights:

1. 9-lb NY state record caught/released, once again on a Berkley MaxScent Flatnose Minnow

Let your eyes behold this, the 9-lber NY's Dante Piraino caught at a B.A.S.S. Nation tournament on the St Lawrence – or I should say a 9-lber at 9 am from a 19' Skeeter: 👀

Another shot of that side of ham:

Fish was 23.12" long and 18.25" around, but might not be the new NY state record because it was weighed and released. Sounds like if the DNR re-certifies the NY Nation scales, he'll get the record.

Dante caught the big momma on a 4" Berkley MaxScent Flatnose Minnow (gp) rigged on a 3/8-oz Ned head. Yep he was Scoping – on a flat. So...we have 3 9s and 2 flats! 😱😁

Big congrats to him. Of course catching that 9-lber means there's a few bigger ones swimming out there somewhere.....

Current NY smallmouth record was set in 2022, also by a tourney angler – Tom Russell fishing a team deal on Cayuga. His fish weighed 8 lbs 5.8 oz – and he was fishing the same bait Dante was:

https://www.outdoorlife.com/fishing/new-york-record-smallmouth-bass/

> "I pitched out my dropshot rigged with a white Berkley MaxScent Flatnose Minnow to 10' and got a strike."

Gitcha some on TW here!

2. New Canadian smallie record limit

At the St Lawrence, deets from Bassin'Fan:

> The Competitive Sport Fishing League held its 1000 Islands Cup on Sept 14-15.... The team of Joey Teofilo and Joey Di Cienzo brought a 5-bass limit that sank the scales to 32.02 lbs – all smallmouth – setting a new Canadian tournament record....

> ...anchored by a 7.60-lb smallie. They weighed just shy of 30 lbs on Day 1 for a 2-day total of 61.88....

Dang son! Sounds like FFSing shallow flats with a marabou jig did the deal. Feel a little sorry for the 2 Joeys because this means the Johnston bros are coming for 'em...😁

3. MT has some g-g-g-giants?? (That's for you Mercer!)

Is John Hunter fibbing or what:

> Had one of the best fishing days of my life with the @swatefishing crew filming.... Caught 4 smallmouth over 6 lbs and witnessed @fishcast_angling catch the Montana state record. We put together a near 34-lb bag of smallmouth.

In MONTANA??? What you been hiding MT bass-heads?? The current MT state record smallie is 7.84 lbs btw.

4. 7.08-lb smallmouth weighed in Susquehanna tourney

Never heard of a smallmouth even close to that big coming outta that river, let alone in a tournament, especially this time of year. Anyone??

Caught by Susky guide Joe "you can call me" Raymond on a 3" Z-Man MinnowZ on 10-lb Seaguar Smackdown Braid.

1. Hank Parker okay after treestand fall

He says in that FB vid he was putting a ladder stand up and a strap broke. Good to hear he's okay. Bless you Hank! 🙏✝️

2. Randy Howell and Cliff Pace back on the Elites

They weren't the only 2 guys who tried to get in:

> Anglers earn 1 Legends point for each Bassmaster Classic victory and 1 point for each Angler of the Year title. According to Elite Series rules, up to 2 Legends qualifiers can be added to the Elite field per season.

> Although other former Elite Series pros inquired about the Legends exemption, Howell and Pace received their Legends invitations based upon having 1 Legends point, fishing the Bassmaster Opens and having the most career B.A.S.S. events fished.

> No spots are being cut from the 2025 Elite field to make room for the Legends qualifiers.

Thought the "fishing the Opens" part counting was interesting.

3. Ott DeFoe and Andy Montgomery won the 2nd team deal

Went down on the Fox River, WI system, ended on Green Lake, they kept up with and beat the Alton Joneses by 4.5 lbs. Few deets:

> Ott: "...moving and hitting fresh docks and keeping fresh fish constantly in front of us was really important.... The fish we found had definitely been caught before. They weren't really aggressive, and we had to almost trick them to get them to follow the bait."

> "...it became apparent that the longer docks on shallow, flat portions of the bank produced significantly more fish than the steep banks with shorter docks in deeper water.

> "The setup that really caught the numbers for us was a 4-inch wacky-rigged stick worm on a spinning rod, using a #2 VMC Weedless Neko Hook. That hook was really key."

> Montgomery spent the day skipping a swim jig under the docks, letting it fall to the bottom, while DeFoe followed behind him with the wacky rig....

> Andy: "It was definitely a 1-2 punch. There's no way either one of these baits alone would have won this thing by itself."

Gotta have a few Andy-isms:

> "[Ott] and my wife, they just don't change." [Was he expecting them to change...into something? 😁]

> "...we flat out assaulted some reeds and some docks."

> "Where's the money at, that's what I'm worried about. You can't trade this for a cheeseburger."

😂 The older Andy gets, the more ain't right he is!

4. Didja know Justin "case" Atkins used to make maps?

Says right there in that Humminbird YT vid ^ that he used to work for 'em, and in the description it says: "Bassmaster Elite Series Pro and former LakeMaster Surveyor Justin Atkins."

Good little vid explaining that Humminbird One-Boat Network App which is pretty slick.

Btw you could win a Humminbird Helix 7 and LakeMaster card in their fall sweeps:

5. What is this bait Luke Clausen has?

Had to know so I asked – it's a Jackall TN 70 (SG threadfin), which he fishes on a 7' 1" H Phenix Feather Rod, Abu REVO STX Reel (7.3) and 15-lb Seaguar AbrazX fluoro.

6. New Takahiro Omori-designed lipless

Looks like it stresses the shimmy on the fall:

7. Gerald Spohrer is selling his Phoenix

2024 721 Phoenix ProXP, Suzuki motor, Lowrance screens, Power-Pole Move troller.

8. B.A.S.S. is changing the Opens format

This year was the 9-event Opens EQs, which I believe started in '23. Top 9 anglers in the points get invited to the Elites. So 2 years of that.

Before that it was 3 events in 3 of each Open divisions with the top 3 in each division's points and the top 3 in the overall points getting invites to the Elites, for a total of 12.

B.A.S.S. is changing it again for '25. Brief rundown:

• 8-event season = 2 divisions of 4 tournaments each
• 100-angler fields
• Top 50 in each division get to the new Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers series = 3 events (Sept-Nov), no co-anglers
• ** All current Elite pros can compete in the Elite Qualifiers. Also the 2nd- and 3rd-place finishers from the Nation Championship
• Anglers who win a Open and fish an entire Opens division make the Classic, same for the 3-event EQ Series
• B.A.S.S. will qualify 10 from the new 3 EQ Opens to the Elites
• Entry fees for regular Opens will be $2,000, but for the EQs will be $3,500
• No locations yet, should be coming this year

MLF gets grief for changing stuff around. Will B.A.S.S.? 🤔

9. Mixed bag take on FFS on the '25 Invitationals?

Sounds like it mostly won't be needed, which doesn't mean it won't be used, just won't necessarily be the winning deal.

10. Mead WON Bass Open won partly with a fuzzy dice

AZ's Julius Mazy won it with 45.24 over 3 days this-a-way:

> "I was really targeting pelagic largemouth and smallmouth that were feeding on larger shad around schooling striper in Temple Bar and the Virgin Basin. I could catch some on topwater and my jighead minnow, but when the striper got too excited by the faster baits, I would dropshot an OSP Dice lure and let it slowly fall under the school. I caught 5 really key fish on that that made a huge difference."

Don't doubt the dice! 😁

11. Ken "the Destroyer" Mah won the BAM Thermalito

Got 'er done by 12 lbs!

> "The first day I fished a ChatterBait with a Big Bite Baits Kamikaze Swimon....

> A finicky bite on day 3 forced Mah to adjust...the River2Sea Phat Mat Daddy Frog and a flippin' stick for the big bites. His flippin' plastics included both a YoMama and College Craw from Big Bite Baits, along with a Missile Baits Craw Father. A specific, slow retrieve with a subtle shake after bottom contact....

Some dude named Ish Monroe ended up 3rd froggin' and flippin...which at this point I think is the only way he fishes...I mean Ishes! 😁💪

12. B.A.S.S. has a new COO

Phillip Johnson, promotion from exec VP. I don't know him, let's see if he can knock some heads together. 😁

13. UT DNR approved some bass reg changes

14. Look what's coming from VMC

New spinnerbait series using those tour-quality VMC RedLine hooks:

TW says they should be out at the end of this year.

15. Would you fish this?

It's the new Blue Fox Whip Tail Deep Runner in-line spinner. The first bigger largie I think I ever saw caught in a NJ pond was on an in-line spinner. Of course I'll never forget it. Deets on this'n:

> ...a wider-profile spinner that will run 4-5' under the surface...tubular construction offers a wider profile than the original Whip Tail, with a polished stainless-steel 30-degree blade that flashes and flutters on the fall.

> ...stainless-steel shaft...VMC dressed-tail treble hook...comes in 3 sizes (heaviest is 1/4-oz).

A little shocked that in this finessey era some tourneys aren't being low-key won on something like this or a float 'n fly. I mean, no float 'n fly fishing for suspended fish you can see?? Gotta work. Also TW carries that in-line spinner so....

16. Grandebass has new ownership

Here's what TW has of their stuff.

Headline of the Day

Officials introduce voracious fish to fend off invasive species before it spreads to major lake

Once again this is the 5 largies put in a NY pond to control goldfish. These headline writers must work for the Weather Channel lol.

Greg DiPalma fishes HEAVIER fluoro for pressured feesh??

Sounds nuttier than Sid the Sloth in Ice Age:

😆 Okay in a quick Bass U YT vid, Greg says he and other pros UPSIZE their fluoro in pressured situations – like from 6-8 lb to 10-12 – because the heavier line makes the bait fall differently, which gives the bait a different look:

Greg also says the bass fishing in NJ is pretty good so bear that in mind...😆

Gitcha Bass U monthly or yearly subscription here. It's gold baby, gold! 😁

"It's an active sport, with the forward-facing sonar acting as his bird dog, continually leading him to new targets."

- Interesting perspective on FFS, from a Lurnet post talkin' 'bout crappie stalker/guide Kayle Ward's method:

> His weapon of choice is a 13' jigging pole paired with 20-lb braided line and a short 12-lb leader line. He typically runs a 1/2-oz egg weight pegged in place on his leader line 1' or so above his...1/32-oz or smaller jighead.

> The downside to FFS is that you often come across brushpiles, docks or suspended schools that are just loaded with fish. ...frequently filled with under-sized fish...so many targets leads to lost time without much in the way of returns.

> Ward scans through areas between 3 and 4 mph.... Once he identifies a target, he dips his jig straight down to the fish, stopping inches above. Ward then surgically shakes the rod tip a few times to get the fish's attention. Once the fish begins to commit, he slowly lifts the rod until the fish strikes.

@bassjak_ on IG, aka Jason Kordan with some stunning-looking swimbaits man wow. This is actually a screencap from a quick video, click the pic to check it out:

Welsh Man Lucky to Be Alive After Getting Stung 240 Times by Wasps

> "Every day I'm finding more and more stings. There are 50 on one side of my buttock that I didn't realize were there because I was so focused on my chest and back. I've got 20 on the back of my head, 20 on my neck and my wife counted more than 80 on each arm."

That dude really is lucky wow.

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