BassBlaster

TM bracket fishing? Bassin’ beats school?? Ish’s frog colors

Got a question for you: If fishing gear sales are up (worldwide) AND supply is still trying to meet (worldwide) demand from last year AND peeps are saying inflation ($1 gettin’ worth less in the US) is coming, does that mean I should by all the tackle I can right now? That’s what I’m wondering…also wonderin’ if I’m just trying to convince myself to spend more on baits ‘n stuff?? It’s tough being a bass-head …but I’m serious about that Q!
Today’s Top 5
This trolling motor bracket fishing deal is for real.
Been seein’ a bunch like this – here’s Elitist Matt Arey:
I’ve been like, We all get excited – and maybe want to get closer to the fish or cast better or something. But this time I asked Matt about it and he said:

> “I can visually see the fish better at a higher elevation. Also keeps me on the nose of the boat so I can hide the rest of it from the fish. I never try to set up on one with the side of the boat towards it. Stealth is the #1 rule in sight-fishing for me.

> “I’m running the Lowrance Ghost. Good solid flat bracket.”

So before you pick out your tm, make sure you check out the bracket!!

Man I bet you have to get used to not spacing out and thinking you’re on your deck when you turn around and walk back to the console?? Or is that just me?

Btw at Fork Matt said he fished “an assortment of craw/creature imitation baits including the Lunkerhunt Finesse Craw in the Bama craw color.” Here’s that bait:

“Keeping an open mind is something that I’m not really known for, and it’s gotten me in trouble over my career….”
Tommy Biffle talkin’ ’bout his multi-decade refusal to even try 1 bite of sushi. Okay I have no idea if that’s true or not – he’s really talkin’ ’bout his obsession with the HardHead/Biffle Bug deal, and before that I’d maybe say flippin’:

> …sometimes I fish it too much. It’s such a good bait and I’ve caught so many fish on it that it’s so hard to put down. I treat it like a search bait sometimes and it allows me to cover so much water. However, sometimes the situation doesn’t call for me to just use a Biffle Bug the entire time, and that’s where I think I get myself in trouble.

Raise your hand if you’re feelin’ Tommy here. I bet everyone’s hands are up! Because we’re all hard-headed about baits, which I guess makes the Hard Head a great name for that and maybe EVERY bassin’ bait?? Bass-heads be like this with the feesh:

Couple tourney bait breakdowns.
Just me on duty so can’t break down all of ’em but here’s a couple more:

Lake Murray TW Pro Circuit

Won by Matt Becker who said, “I’ve been waiting for this moment my entire life” – but he was the ROY in ’18 lol. Anyhow, he was basically on the herring spawn on points pattern, fishing a”Fluke” but really a Googan Baits Darts (green gizzard) on a TroKar TK 180 hook with a TroKar TK 300 treble hook (I think that’s the right link) as a stinger on 15-lb Seaguar InvizX fluoro:

What the top 10 feeshed – looks like a Golden Corral buffet:

Soft jerkbait = 40%, one a double rig (Anthony Gagliardi in 2nd)

Swimbait = 20%Berkley PowerBait Power Swimmer, Keitech Fat

Bladed jig = 20% – both JackHammers

Dropshot = 20% – Skeet Reese (10th) rocked the MaxScent (Hit Worm)

Topwater = 20%Berkley Highjacker, Rapala X-Rap Prop

Jerkbait = 20%

Senko = 20%

10% each = Hard swimbait, Lipless crank, Spinnerbait, Buzzbait , Flip plastics, Shakey head

Shout-outs

– MLF pros finished 2nd (Galgiardi), 3rd (Michael Neal), 4th (Adrian Avena) and 10th (Skeet).

– Up ‘n coming hammer Cody Huff got 8th, and is the dude who fished the X-Rap Prop which is real innerestin’.

Douglas Lake Bassmaster Open

Japan’s Daisuke Aoki beat Drew Benton by 1 oz in this deal, wacky-rigging for spawners and pre-spawners out to 5′:

> …fished a pink DStyle finesse worm unweighted on a Hayabusa hook and a gp/blue flake Yamamoto Senko on a 1/16-oz…. “I used the Senko for bed fish. I used (rapid rod twitches) to swim the bait across the bottom. I used the 4-inch Senko when I could not see a bed. When I could see a bed, I used the 3-inch Senko.”

> …he used the unweighted wacky rig to cover water between likely bedding areas. He fished this bait higher in the water column.

Soft swimbaits = 60%

Flip plastics = 30%

Wacky rig = 20% – DStyle finesse worm, Senko, Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General

Crankbait = 20% – both Strike King 6XDs

Glide bait = 20%

Jig = 20%

Bladed jig = 20% (no JackHammers??)

10% each = Hair jig, Carolina rig, Walking bait, Spinnerbait, Jerkbait

Shout-outs:

> Josh Douglas (3rd…at DOUGLAS Lake? ) fished a giant hair jig – a 5/8-oz Outkast Tackle Chicken Jig. Looks like he hooked an entire bunny rabbit on the back of that deal:

> Long-time NC hammer David Williams finished 4th, but did not fish a crankbait?

> Matt Herren’s son Josh finished 5th – BUT he did not flip a Beaver, which I believe means he’s grounded…right Matt? I mean, what the heck’s going on??? #violation

> Keith Poche (7th) has been near the top of several derbies now.

How bass fishing can teach school stuff…better?
This-here is geometry – a right angle:
Get it – right ANGLE?? Angler??

Know how you make that right angle? Right bait, right conditions, right cast, right retrieve…right? Guess bassin’ can be way better for teachin’ than school…but stay in school kids!

Do the ETs love bass tourneys??
In NJ in March, peeps – includin’ the Ike Live crowd – saw this while waiting to drop their tubs in for a tourney:
About a week ago, other peeps – includin’ Scott Ashmore – saw this at the Murrray MLF Pro Circuit deal:
Maybe it’s how Humminbird creates those Lakemaster maps now??

Lol BUT those deals look JUST LIKE that videoed “submarine missile test” (called other things too) off FL in Feb – click it to see the YT vid:

WTHeck??
News

James Watson announcin’ he’s on the Black Rifle Coffee team is a dang must watch – click it to see it:

HAHAHA one of the greatest things I’ve seen – someone give him his own show!

Little does Black Rifle know they’re actually on the Worldwide team…they’ll find out….

2. Brandon Lester gets Lake Hop.

> …Lake Hop, a boat share marketplace that connects people who want to have unique experiences on the water with local boats owners who love being on the lake and sharing their passion.

> “The goal is to make sure everyone has the ability to experience fishing, watersports or spending time with friends or family on the lake without owning a boat.”

3. Cliff Pirch fought a frog for this bass.

Or something like that – a 9-13 that looks a real-solid 10+, the biggest bass of the Fork tourney:

Lookit that eyeball – bass appears to be on something. LE folks what do you see??

4. How Takahiro Omori triggers squarebill strikes.

> “I reel fast and try to hit the bait into an object or the bottom. Once it hits, I stop it for a second so the bait will float up and not hang up. This is also where you get a lot of bites – it will just feel heavy, and they will be hooked.”

7′ MH Daiwa signature Tatula Elite composite rod, Daiwa Zillion Reel (9.0!), 16-lb Sunline Shooter fluoro, Lucky Craft LC squarebills:

> “On the Bass Pro Tour I like the 1.5 size because it’s perfect for anything over 2 lbs. I use the 2.0 and 2.5 on lakes with bigger fish and in really muddy water.”

5. Cody Meyer runs down why he likes the Shower Blows.

Good IG vid, check ’em on TW.

6. TX: 2nd NPFL = 2nd wire to wire win.

Crazy! FL’s Keith Carson won it at Wright Patman with 67-10. Sounds like he mostly fished a Chatterbait with a Berkley Meaty Chunk (I assume MaxScent?) on a 7′ 3″ MH Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier Rod. He also flipped bushes, not sure the bait but the weight was 1-oz for speed – 7′ 6″ H Abu Garcia Fantasista Premier Rod and 50-lb Berkley X5 Braid.

7. FL House bill would allow commercial largie-raising.

> The House also sent a bill to the governor that will allow people to farm-raise largemouth bass for commercial sale. …largemouth bass aren’t considered to be the tastiest of freshwater fish, but there is apparently a demand. The bill would still prohibit the sale of wild-caught largemouth bass for consumption.

Eating largemouths from shallow weedy FL water? Sprayed water??

8. TX: ShareLunkers do get released in their home lakes.

Here’s a 15+ going back into Fork, and a 14+ going back into Coleman City Lake.

9. ID: DNR says Pend Oreille has tagged smallies…

…wants them called in to find out:

> …if current management strategies, such as existing fishing regulations, are adequate or should be adjusted to maintain or possibly improve the smallmouth bass fishery.

10. MO: Cops for Kids benefit tourney MAY 4 on Table Rock.

Word is some Vexus folks might be there so you might get yourself a ride in your next boat….

11. Bill Lewis is having a sale on their SB-57 MD cranks.

Mark Daniels Jr says you can’t have just 1 so….

12. SIMMS has its own brewski.

> We are pleased to announce the launch of Reel Good, a clean, crisp, and balanced Kolsch style Summer Ale created in partnership with our good friends at @10barrelbrewing. A portion of all the proceeds from this limited release will benefit the Simms @troutunlimited Home Rivers Initiative focused on the Gallatin River.

Trout Unlimited = protecting bass forage – just messin’! (sorta)

13. Australia has a 4-MONTH spawn fishing ban for Aussie “bass”??

Dang son – do they import biologists from MN?

14. A few Q1 updates.

Bear in mind a lot of stuff was down Q1 last year:

Brunswick (includes Merc, MotorGuide):

> …consolidated net sales of $1,433.2 mil, up from $965.5 mil in the 1st quarter of 2020.

Garmin:

> Total revenue of $1.07 bil, a 25% increase over the prior year quarter led by double-digit growth in the fitness, outdoor, marine and auto segments.

Shimano:

> Sales from this segment increased 25.6% from the same period of the previous year…and operating income increased 102.7%….

15. FL: Africa clawed frog established in Tampa area.

Another exotice aquatic. Looks like gp and not a white belly – a tan/gp belly.

16. Keep an eye on….

MN, NY, ME bills would ban lead ammo, sounds like for hunting only (not shooting) – just keep an eye on it in terms of lead tackle because lead ammo/tackle ban efforts often run together.

NH bill allowing anti-hunters on Fish & Game Commission still alive?? Sounds nuts!

On BassBlaster.rocks right now… 

> How Lee Livesay won the Fork Elite

Note: The TackleWarehouse links in this email are affiliate links, meaning if you go through them to make a purchase I might earn a commission…at no cost to you. Click here if you want to learn a little more about links in the BB.

Tip of the Day

Dang it Ish! ALL frog colors look so pretty man! From the MLF site:

> “It’s all about picking the right shade and color at the right time. I stick with three shades: dark, light and a bluegill pattern.

> “When I’m going to a new body of water, I’ll have a black frog, white frog and if it’s postspawn, a bluegill pattern tied on. That’s it, very simple. Don’t complicate things.”

> On bright sunny days – especially in the middle of the day or when fishing very clean, clear water – Monroe [likes] brighter colors. If the water is dark, it’s a dark, overcast day, or you’re fishing first thing in the morning or later toward the evening, Monroe points to darker colors: black, brown or blue.

> The bluegill pattern is for postspawn, matching the hatch when bass are guarding fry.

Okay Ish but TW has 10 colors of Ish Phat Mat Daddys…and I KNOW you use “yellow head” too man! Just messin’….

That brown color is interesting. Why brown? Because it resembles a mouse or something? Jason Christie’s fave BOOYAH Pad Crasher color is brown (“sunburn”)…

Quote of the Day

“It can lead to carrying around too much stuff in my boat, so I have to also constantly purge baits and other tackle that I no longer use.”

Clark Wendlandt talkin’ ’bout constantly tryin’ out new tackle to see what works for him and then GETTING RID OF IT??? Never heard such a thing before and I hope I never do again. Same for “too much stuff.” Doesn’t compute…

Okay – when’s the yard sale Clark?? Mental note: Always check dumpster outside Clark’s hotel/motel/Holiday Inn….

Shot of the Day
Very cool/spooky/weird/moody shot of MLFLW pro Blake Smith by Rob Matsuura. Since he’s holding a Berkley Frittside 5, not sure what he’s thinking about – stop thinkin’, tie that sucka on and start ketchin’ ’em!
Random
Lookit this pic, from Poland:
> “People are not opening their windows because they are afraid it will come into their home. Everyone is scared of it.” Asked to describe the animal, she said that it could be an iguana.

What was it? A CROISSANT.

If peeps are now scared of croissants – or even an iguana, which I’m pretty sure can’t exist in Poland – all good if they barricade themselves in. Good luck mang! We’ll be out here 12ga-ing pastries outta the trees!

Ya got me!
Jay Kumar’s BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best and funniest (sometimes worst) stuff in bassin’, 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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