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Jumped out for 2 hours yesterday evening. The Dead Seas are 'lectric-only lakes (or 9.9 hp) so it's basically commit to fishing in one area and do the 15+ minute troll to get there. When I got to the area I committed to, a guy was getting done fishing it – not a huge deal on a good lake but on a bad one it's a body blow.
Got 1 bite, a dink that I jumped off. Came home a little bummed out – got the knowledge, the boat and all the baits, just need the fish!
Surprised how many guys were out there on a Wed evening. New trend at the ramp: When folks pull out, some of 'em park in the staging area to put in. Or actually they park on both sides. I don't get how it's hard to park along one designated side when you pull out?
Anyhow, now that the pro season is over, thinking on my suggestions a while back about any cheating, especially in light of the fuzziness around what sound like a few alleged incidents on the pro walleye circuit.
Looking for input – my first question for you is: Why are we seeing or hearing about so much of this now (or are we)? Like has it always gone on and something has changed so we see it now (social media being one obvious factor), or has it maybe gotten worse over the last few years for some reason?
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If your email program cuts off the bottom of the email click "View this email in your browser" up top to see the whole thing. Sorry bout that – email programs keep changing stuff.
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3 Qs with Jason Christie about his season and baits
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This season he had an okay (for him) year and made the Classic, but it didn't seem like recent Jason-type fishing. Had to ask him about that and of course baits!
1. Looking back, what did you learn from your season? (He was 37th in the points and had 1 top 10.)
> "You know for me this season I was there but I wasn't there. And I learned what I've always known: Everybody's different but for me, I have to be focused on fishing and not have a lot of life events going on.
> "It's great that I still made the Classic, and building this house and getting married next week...it's just I've learned that I've gotta be focused, and I'm ready to get back to that.
> "For the last 15 years other than last fall and this year, I fish and deer-hunt and chase kids around. That's pretty much it. For me to be at the top of my game, I've gotta be all in on fishing. I want to get back to fishing jackpots with my buddies, and fishing all the time rather than only fishing when I'm gone to tournaments."
2. Seems like it's been a couple years since you and BOOYAH/YUM came out with baits that give away your fishing secrets. You done with that or are more baits coming?
> "Well last year the FF Sonar Minnow [and jighead] came out [that he fished to win the '22 Classic]. I wouldn't say I'm done with it, I'll just say I'm kinda tapped out right now. I haven't thought a lot about new baits – but we do have something we're working on.
> "It's not like a family deal [like the BOOYAH Covert spinnerbaits] or something I've held back for a lot of years. But we've got something that's kind of in the works.
> "As always, I want it to be perfect before it comes out. And I'm hoping it will come into play at Grand Lake [the Classic] – so you for sure won't hear about it before Grand Lake." 👀
3. The War Eagle Jiu Jigsu Jig you fished to win the Classic – what do you think about the 1/2-oz size that came out? Does 1/2 vs 5/8 make that much of a difference?
> "It does, and right after I won the Classic on that jig that's the first thing I told Chad [Warner, bass-head and product developer] – 'We gotta get this in a smaller size.' The 5/8 is great and I use it a lot. But in [some conditions] the 5/8-oz is a little much.
> "I wanted one that would fall a little bit slower – that's why we came out with [the 1/2-oz]. It's crazy how that little weight changes the fall of a jig. And it's not just the weight, it's the profile. It has a smaller head – the profile is a little bit different than that big one."
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3 with Gerald Swindle about baits!
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Just a reminder that Gerald is a 2-time Bassmaster AOY winner over basically 2 generations of fishermen (2004 and 2016) and also has 58 top 10s – which to me makes him an absolute junk fishing arteest with a variety of baits...so:
1. How does someone fish a jig fast going down a bank, including banks that don't have wood cover?
> "There's 2 ways I would look at that. You could have a straight vertical bank, like a little shelf or bluff, or a slow-tapered bank.
> "...on a slower-tapered bank with not a lot there, I'm bad about throwing it and reeling it like a spinnerbait. A slow to medium retrieve with the trolling motor on 4, making that diagonal cast. So if you're throwing it up in 4 and fishing it out to 12, keep the bait 2-3' off the bottom with a slow, steady retrieve. That triggers a lot of strikes.
> "I have a habit of doing that between docks and any cover...a technique when there's nothing there. Just throw and reel...wind it like you're slow-rolling a spinnerbait or medium-rolling a ChatterBait.
> "If it's a steeper bank or something like that and you're moving pretty quick, make long pitches and all your focus on is the fall. That's it. Make a long pitch and watch your line – let it hit the bottom, check it and do it again. You're really just watching that fall.
> "We do that a lot in practice to find fish. That's a great practice technique for me. I might come back through the same area where I got 2 bites on the fall – I'll come back in the tournament and slow fish it. I might work the heck out of it then."
Jig for slow-tapering bank: 1/2-oz the original Buckeye G-Man Balling Out Jig with a Zoom Twin Tail Grub ("I love it for swimming – it has a nice little crawfish action"). Colors: "90% of the time I'm in the brown and gp family, and the trailer is always gp."
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2. Your new Buckeye G-Buzz – what's the best size, color and trailer?
> "3/8-oz. We have blade colors and head colors – they don't come with a skirt. Get the silver blade with the red head, and the best trailer is a white Zoom Z-Craw Jr. That's just what I've always thrown.
> "I like the red head – it's a little target for the bass to focus on. They seem to get it better with a red head. And white you can't go wrong with it. The silver blade isn't too over the top. A white blade, the water needs to be cloudy but silver, you can't hardly go wrong with it."
> 7' 2" MH 13 Fishing Meta Rod, 13 Fishing Inception G2 Reel (6.8), 18-lb Sunline Shooter. "I do not throw a buzzbait on a high-speed reel. I guess I'm old school but [he does not want it] moving too fast."
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3. Of the rest of the new stuff your sponsors came out with at ICAST, what do you like most?
> [He thought for a bit.] "I really am impressed with the new VMC RedLine Series Hooks. It's hard to get all wound up on hooks. A hook's a hook. But the new RedLines' strength in the smaller hooks I'm really impressed with. The little bitty dropshot hooks are strong as heck.
> "Flipping, treble hooks – out of everything the RedLines are the most impressive. ...a nice diameter and super strong. It takes a lot to get fired up on hooks when you've seen a bunch of them."
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What falls slower, a jig with a chunk or a flapping craw? 🤔
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Came across this YT vid done a few years ago by Jimmy Liao, who did some real interesting stuff. Didn't remember this one, called "The science behind jig trailers: What you need to know about flap vs bulk." What he says in the description:
> One of the most often-cited reasons for using different trailers is to slow the fall of a jig. For example, by using a bulky, do-nothing trailer in cold weather, many anglers...[think] they are slowing the fall of the jig....
Guess what: It's the opposite – from the vid:
> "...what we find is that the flapping action causes a slower fall rate. ...if it flaps a lot, it increases the drag, and that's what slows down the rate of the fall."
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The other factor obviously is the buoyancy of the plastic. Wish other trailers were used to see what happens...which kinda motivates me to do it....
Another interesting deal from that vid: He had to drop a bunch of the exact same jigs into his tank to find 2 that fell at the same rate...meaning most of they time they don't! 😱
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“Fishing is all business."
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- Auburn U junior Hayden Marbut talkin' professional fishing:
> "The fishing part is fun, but the money to be made from the business side is based on being able to market yourself to get sponsorships and endorsement."
100% accurate. And right now it's pay a lot to play at the top so you can then be a marketer. Hayden also said:
> "Jordan Lee's probably one of the biggest professional names in the sport right now. He fished for Auburn, started his career down here and got a degree. So he inspired a lot of us."
That's pretty cool J-Lee! However – kids, please understand that Jordan ain't perfect and can be a questionable example:
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🤣 I'd fish there and bet you would too! Sign might as well say, "Lots of dumb fish here, have at it!" 🤣
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Another tourney-caught mega smallie on Great Lakes Finesse bait
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That looks like some kinda FL grouper in the background dang! 🤯
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1. Drew Benton no longer sponsored by Bagley.
Wow – surprised because Drew's been fishing real well and it sounds like it wasn't his call? If so, that's a surprise since Northland/Bagley seems like it wants to try to go after the bass market. Some other bait company's about to get a good'n.
2. Gerald Swindle predicted Kyle Welcher's AOY win.
In Feb:
> "When he showed up at Okeechobee for the first event of this season, I could tell he was rifle-focused, and when you couple that with his natural talent and out-of-the-box thinking, you've got a dangerous young competitor on your hands."
3. Davy Hite says Kyle Welcher has "it."
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😁
4. Mike Iaconelli shocked by the Hall of Fame.
Not talkin' electrostatic either: 😂
> "It's really weird because I've had this funny impact on people throughout my career where they either love me or hate me. I'm not just talking about fans, but also people in the industry. I thought this was something that would never happen, or if it did it would be years and years after I'm gone, just because of that animosity."
Last week I mentioned disruptors, like FFS and Deion Sanders in college football coaching. Ike is one of the disruptors that happened in bassin', and in my 2c is one reason he should be in the Hall of Fame.
Speakin' as a fellow abrasive (unintentionally...most times) Northeasterner, the misunderstanding can go both ways in bassin' but all good! As my Irish mom used to say, "Takes all kinds to make a world."
5. Bryan Schmitt is fishing the Black Hills area of the Potomac.
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Bahahaha love it!
6. Keith Combs tourney raised $155K for CAST for Kids. 💪
7. Why David "on the" Fritts still uses a flasher.
In this YT video he says it's because it's more accurate, especially when it comes to drops, than modern sonar. And here he says:
> ...when you are fishing lakes with shallow grass, new technology has a hard time finding the holes.
Pretty sure that you need to be sitting down to use it tho...😁
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8. Mett Stefan: How to rig a hover rig.
Quick good vid on the MLF site ^. Looks like he's using a hook like this one.
9. 2024 BFL schedule announced.
All-American is at Cherokee, TN May 29-31.
10. BFL happenin's
These are the 2-day Super Tourneys, big congrats to the winnahs:
Lake of the Ozarks, MO – 3 Hibdons in the top 10. Winner was Dion's son Lawson, Dion was 4th and his son Payden was 10th. Not surprised – congrats to 'em!
> ...he kept a 9/16-oz Hibdon Hammer Jig in his hand almost the entire tournament and admitted he threw a buzzbait "way too much." He also relied on a 7" Bojangles Trickster worm on a shakey head....
Pickwick – TN's Jake Lawrence had 51-02 and won it by MORE THAN 20 LBS 🤯! MLF said it was the 2nd-biggest winning margin in BFL history. Jake said he had 4 FFS units and the fish simply jumped in the boat! 🤣 Just messin', insane man congrats!
> "It's well known that Pickwick is fishing tough. These fish are somewhere – they don't just disappear. ...I came into this with an open mind and tried not to fish like I generally do. And that's what led me to the pattern I eventually ended up fishing. It was focused on where the bait was."
Old Hickory, TN – KY's Ryan Dowell won it in a creek throwing a buzzbait and spinnerbait around wood. Shoot, is it still legal to fish that shallow?? 😁
Potomac River – Zach Stoupa won it fishing a bladed jig in Mattawoman Creek. That ever happened before? 😆 Why reinvent what works, congrats man!
11. Vexus AVX boats are new and improved! 👀
Dang now I have an "old" one! 😁 Some deets:
> These redesigned tournament rigs are engineered for more room, more strength and more consistency. Immediately you'll notice the additional square footage on the front deck. By bringing the boat's beam farther forward, we've added an additional 12" of width at the front seat pedestal, giving you tons of extra space.
Overlay of the new vs old:
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Lil more:
> ...we reimagined our entire line of pad hull aluminum rigs. ...a noticeable difference in the look, feel, space, quietness and comfort of the design. It's the kind of transformation typically seen in larger glass boats....
> ...computer-modeled lifting strakes, integrated spray rails, and a rough-water-ready V entry to go head to head with wind and weather. Combined with SeaStar Pro hydraulic steering, these rigs are built for an ultra-smooth ride, responsive handling....
> ...the front deck is huge...far exceeding the narrow, cramped layouts commonly found in traditional aluminum boats...accomplished by taking our stretch-formed gunnels and bringing the beam even farther forward.
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Dang that's 😍!
They also have a new crappie/panfish model, the AVX1880c. I was like, "Guys that boat looks really crappie. It's a crappie design. People will think it's just crappie." 😂 I did see it in person last year and it's nice!
12. Lindner posse likes to jerk for smallies SLOW...
...in colder water (spring/fall):
> ...the slower you go, the more curious they get. And that's exactly how you want 'em.
Of course they like the Rapala X-Rap, here's some of the colors they fish – shocked there's a few normal colors in there: 😆
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13. Another braid to fluoro knot: the Seaguar/Lefty Kreh knot.
14. How the Bassmaster College Combine can improve.
Good idea from a former college angler:
> The best way to gauge an angler's ability on the water is to fish with them. I'd love to see the Combine continue to develop to the point where coaches or current college anglers can get on the water with the high schoolers and spend some time fishing and talking with them.
As we all know it's also a great way to get to know someone...which is why all the top pros fish alone...🤣 Just messin' fellas!
15. CO: Rusty crayfish found in Lake Granby.
> "While this is not the first time we have found rusty crayfish west of the divide here in CO, it is the first detection in the upper Colorado River basin."
> Crayfish of any species are not native west of the continental divide.
No truth to the rumors that the rusty craw is spread (unintentionally) by CA basser Rusty Salewske...😁
16. West Marine got cash and debt restructure.
> The transaction includes $125 mil in fresh capital provided by existing lenders and L Catterton and a refinancing and/or exchange of existing debt, the result of which will provide the company with liquidity, significantly reduced total debt, and a strengthened balance sheet.
17. Keep an eye on...
CO gov'nor signed "executive order" for state facilities to ban gas-powered lawn care equipment
Mentioning because he said "advancing water conservation" was one reason for it, and asked everyone in the state to scrap their gas equipment too.
From a post about getting rid of lead ammo:
> Mark Milne is an associate professor of biology at the University of Indianapolis who serves on the state Natural Resources Commission. He said CA has banned lead shot in hunting and IL has considered similar legislation.
> "These kinds of regulations aren't that farfetched. And we just need to take the first step towards doing that and the market will shift accordingly."
Man seems like nothing is farfetched anymore!
Line of the Day
Entering through the Erie Canal, this bug-eyed fish has a voracious appetite and threatens the survival of the much-loved native striped bass.
- That's about...gobies! Pretty sure that's not a 1+1=2 deal but if you know elsewise pls lmk. Posted by the Lewis Pugh Foundation which I never heard of but it backs the UN's 2030/30x30 deal that includes locking off 30% of the world's oceans, among many other "keep out" things.
Related: Right now the feds are trying to create a 770,000 sq mile "sanctuary" in the Pacific Remote Islands. That's a lot of water! Locals don't like it....
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Cranking in waves = shallower running depth?
Wally-eye guys pay such attention to the running depth of trolled baits that they have an app for it – what depth baits run at at different speeds. Well, in a short YT vid, app guy Mark Romanack says:
> ...in the real world there's going to be waves out there. One of the things we documented because of paying close attention to details is that on calm water you get a certain depth off a crankbait. On rougher water, you tend to get a shallower depth off those same crankbaits.... And the reason for this is friction.
Bear that in mind the next time you're crankin'? Although for us most of the time we're scrapin' and bangin' whereas the wally-eye guys are dragging 'em through open water.
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"I've had many anglers tell me the tube was literally magic when fishing shallow cover on heavily pressured shallow banks, especially around the spawn."
- MLF commentatatin' dude Robbie Newell talkin'. "Was" or "still is" magic? 🤔
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Personally I'd love the 360 along with 2D and a good map....
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Jay Kumar's BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best (sometimes worst) and funniest stuff in bassin', hand-picked by me – Jay Kumar. I started BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a bunch more in bassin'. The Blaster is the #2 daily read on any given day in the wide world o' bass so thanks for readin'!
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