BassBlaster

Tilapia kills largemouth, Canadian bassers invasion, Melons of the week!

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Long-ish one today bassin’ peeps, so pull you up some chips n salsa and git to readin’!

Today’s Top 5

Giant melons of the week yo!

Fuhget the punkin patch, head over to melon land right heeya!

@srteric said this was 12.7 lbs, less than 2 short of the OK record of 14 even. Looks like a bank fish?

Falcon Lake, TX is up 20′ and guide Jimmy Steed is whackin’ the bigs! Took his daughter out and “smoked ’em pretty good” on SPRO Little John cranks in citrus shad and nasty shad. Here’s his 10.11 and her 6: #cooldad

Bass-head Rob R. smacked this DD grass melon while targeting spotties on CA’s Berryessa. Caught her on a 1/4-oz Freedom Tackle Zodiac Hybrid Jighead (gp) with Owner 3/0 hook and Yamamoto Hula Grub (watermelon/black and gold flake). 12-lb Hi-Seas fluoro, Quantum Energy baitcaster, St. Croix Mojo Bass Spinnerbait Rod:

Last but not least…this:

Daaaaaaaaaaaaang. Guess how much it weighed?
What he said, but looks double that.

Some info on the Canadian U.S.-space invaders.

Cory (left — he’s older so he always gets the left?) and Chris Johnston are the Canadian bros who’ve been crushing all kinds of derbies, including ones here in the U.S. It’s…fishy, like:

The Lanes and Lees got all the American bassin’ families together and were like:

HAHAHA! Okay, called Cory cuz I wanted to find out about the bros and how guys from Canada — where bass are dumb as packing peanuts — could get that good.

What’s your story and what do you guys do for a living?

> “My old man used to fish competitively back in the day so we had a pretty good head start. We basically grew up in a bass boat — it was almost second-nature for us to be in a boat.

> “We own a [wholesale/retail] battery company, so that gives us the ability to get away and spend time on the water — which you need to be competitive.”

How’d you guys get so good at bass fishing, especially since Canadian bass are dumber?

> [laughs] “I wouldn’t say they’re dumber — they just don’t get the pressure all year round that the fish down south get.

> “We have everything in Canada, from punching mats to smallmouths…a bit of everything. That allows us to be versatile and fish everything.”

Why are you fishing more U.S. tournaments now, and are you paid agents of the Canadian CIA?

> “It wasn’t a goal to be versatile and go to the U.S., that’s just the way it worked out. You have to be versatile to compete — doesn’t matter if it’s in the States or Canada. I feel Canada has helped — one day it’s largemouth in shallow water, the next day it’s smallmouth deep, then it’s largemouth deep. So you definitely have to adapt.

> “The [U.S] paybacks are better and the competition’s different — it’s just that step up from Canada. Everything seems to be a bit bigger and better in the fishing industry in the States right now.”

[Note the non-response to the CIA question…possibly cuz I never asked it….]

You guys have any desire to be Elite Series anglers?

> “Our only issue with that is B.A.S.S. taxes us like crazy. So it’s not worth it for us to do that. They take [taxes] right off the top [of winnings], but FLW just writes us the full check and sends us a tax form at the end of the year….

> “My brother fished the BASSFest, won $13,000 and they wrote us a check for $6,000. I don’t know how it works or why they do it that way…we’d love to be able to to do the Elites, but if you’re going to tax us like that, we can’t justify it.”

Word! Way to keep the foreign hammers out, B.A.S.S. folks!

Seriously tho, check this: As I’m talkin’ to him while he’s driving to the FLW Costa Champeenship on KY Lake, he stops for gas and has to pause our convo so he can take some pics with folks. ‘Nother words, lots of folks have never seen a live dang Canadian before!! (That ain’t a goose….) So those Johnstons should be a big draw?

Somethin’ to think abut anyhow….

After talking to Cory, I now see why so many folks like Mercer (he’s CANADIAN!), and it’s makin’ me think Dave really DOES know how to catch fish? But then:

Hahaha love ya Dave! Dave’s a for-real fisherman — just jackin’ with his U.S.-invadin’ self.

Tilapia assassinates largemouth.

Dang tilapia swims away fine, largie looks like it’s been dead for a day at least:

This smallie’s a play-ah!

One male smallmouth woos three females to his love nest:

Makin’ hay while the sun shines and whatnot….

Bucket head stalking bucket-mouth bassers?

WTHeck is going on here:

You ever see anything like that before? I mean, even at a family reunion??

A little freaky. If I saw that dude I’d be…

…if you know what I mean….

News

1. AR: Benefit derby for dad with cancer at Bull Shoals.

Sunday. Guy has 2 kids, 1 on the way. Help him and fam if you can.2. FL: Bobby Lane scholarship derby this weekend.

3. TN: Brandon Card College/HS Open on Norris Dec 2.

Gitcha practice in!

4. Palaniuk’s on BassEdge Radio.

Plus his truck is at the SEMA show this week = giant super-cool auto industry show = #stout:

5. Interesting quote from Fletch.

Fletcher Shryock talkin’ ’bout his bro qualifyin’ for the ’18 Elites in a post:

> I’ll try to give you some insight into how we plan to work together under the existing B.A.S.S. rules….

Can’t wait to find out more. [popcorn-eating emoji]

6. TX hammer Hanselman fishing Elites.

Ray “you can call me Ray” Hanselman has won so much stuff on the AAA-side of the FLWs I’ve honestly lost track. Mostly down in his neck o’ the woods so:

> …the first half of next year’s Elite schedule. “Two (tournaments) in TX, one in OK, one in AL and Kentucky Lake — it looks pretty good. They’re all within a day’s drive or less….”

Dude is a full-time fishing guide. Another Strike King guy on the Elites, look out.

7. Zona’s zaniness now on MyOutdoorTV.

8. Lakeforkguy having brain surgery.

Believe it’s today. Prayers for a bassin’ bro if you’re a prayer.

9. PRADCO buys War Eagle.

Wow! PRADCO = BOOYAH, YUM, Norman, Bomber and a whoooooole lot more. Dude now in charge of War Eagle is a diehard bass-head so that’s good. That’s him on the right, War Eagle owner Keith Brashers in the middle, and an unnamed photobomber on the left (hahaha Bruce!):

10. TX: ’18 BASSin’Fest will be at Travis.

Announcement stresses online viewing rather than the weigh-in, which is smart, but best part about it for me is what they say about the scales:

> Each Elite angler will be accompanied by a “judge” who will verify that the angler’s bass are weighed on a set of extremely accurate handheld scales.

Wonder what the difference between “accurate” and “extremely accurate” is:

11. Meet PR/marketing guru Gary Dollahon.

Works with Lew’s, Larew and others, good dude. Quick story: When I went to my first Classic as a long-haired Yankee media dude, Gary sold me some Quantum reels for cheap in a hotel room (he worked for Quantum back then). Felt like we were doing something illegal….

12. FLW sanctioning Italian tourneys.

13. FL: Free Gambler derby on Big O Dec 3.

14. VA tourney honored coal miners.

If true that’s outstanding! Thank you to the folks who keep the lights on and don’t get much love for it.

15. VA: B- grade for James River water quality is progress.

16. KY: Bass boats pay way more tax than houseboats.

17. AR needs new DNR head.

Stevie Wright you better apply for that man!

18. Shimano has a new $500+ spinning reel.

Called the Exsence, but shoulda called it the Ex$en$$? Ain’t hatin’, love to own one…. Wait — did I just say I’d love to own me a egg-beater?? Okay, ya got me….

> The 7.1-oz Exsence C3000MHG – with the same body size as a Shimano 2500 — has 6.0:1 gear ratio and retrieves 35″ of line per crank. It will handle down to 225 yards of 4-lb mono, or 150 yards of 10-lb PowerPro braid, and up to 110 yards of 8-lb line (95 yards of 20-lb PowerPro).

> The 8.6-oz Exsence 4000MXG retrieves 39″ of line per crank with a faster 6.2:1 gear ratio, can handle 190 yards of 6-lb mono, 195 yards of 10-lb braid, and up to 95 yards of 12-lb line (95 yards of 20-lb braid).

19. New Loomis/Shimano Conquest rods even lighter than NRX?

Guess both companies (Shimano owns Loomis) worked on ’em. Here’s casting, here’s spinning.

20. Rapala’s Q3 North American sales up vs last year.

21. NV: Big Rock building new distribution center.

22. Ranger has a new website.

Seems like it works on a phone so that’s good. BUT no pic of Forrest and Nina in the “Our Heritage” section. #notcool

23. DC: New urban youth fishing development programs.

Man that could be a really good idea depending on how they execute it. Starting in TX and PA.

Line of the Day

When deputies arrived on scene, the victim stated his 1987 Bass Tracker had been stolen.

Not sure why anyone would steal an ’87 Bass Tracker? But I do understand wanting it back!
Subscribe to the BassBlaster YT channel yet??

You’re a bass-head ain’t ya?? Just click the YT logo to get there and make sure you sign up! Same as here: No junk, just beef.

Tip of the Day

What John Hunter’s fishing now.

Elitist from KY and is talking about fishing southern KY reservoirs — which is weird cuz it says “Texas” on his jersey:

What he’s doing now:

> “…on pretty much any lake around southern Kentucky, I’ll throw a topwater all day long.

> “It’s crazy — even though we get some cool days, the water temp is still in that sweet spot, the upper 60s. So the fish are still really active and they’re keyed in on bait — the bait’s really balled up, so the fish are looking up to feed most of the time. So topwater’s a really good option.

> “I’ll either be throwing a 115-size 6th Sense Dogma (walking bait, French bone pearl) or a 1/4-oz Stanley Ball Buster buzzbait (white) with a Horny Toad (white) on the back.

> “I’ll also mix in a 6th Sense Quake [lipless crank, #70 size]. Color depends on the water color, but I usually go with shad color — I like purple in it so 4K shad.

> “In the backs of creeks I’ll throw the buzzbait around any kind of isolated cover, rock banks — anything for fish to hold on. I’ll throw the Quake here too.

> “Out on the main lake I’m hitting main lake points and secondary points with the Dogma or another walking-style bait. I always keep my eyes peeled for surface activity….

> “The big thing this time of year is just covering water. The more casts you can make in a day in the most efficient places, the better off you are. Keep the trolling motor down on a decent speed, and keep fishing….”

Setups:

Walking bait — 7′ 1″ MH Cashion Chatterbait Rod, Shimano Chronarch (7:1), 30-lb P-Line braid.

Buzzbait — 7′ H Cashion Rod, same reel, 17-lb P-Line Tactical fluorocarbon.

Lipless — 7′ 3″ MH Cashion Cranking Rod, Shimano Curado (6.3), 17-lb P-Line Tactical.

Quote of the Day

It’s like going to the movies. It’s a couple of hours away from reality.

– Guy talkin’ ’bout feeshn. Whelp, fish movies can sometimes be pretty scary:

Guess he doesn’t care if he don’t catch ’em cuz when — not if! — that happens, that’s a whole lotta gettin’ real right there!

Shot of the Day

Photoshop but…much as I love bass, not sure I’d be dunkin’ my head in this one. You?

Random

English dude catches 68-lb carp on white chocolate.

Of all the things a carp will eat, don’t see a reason to splurge on chocolate but…worked for him I guess.
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Git on these yo!

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Jay Kumar is the guy who created BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a whole lot more in bassin’. Jay Kumar’s BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best in bassin’, and is the #2 daily read on any given day in the wide world o’ bass.

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