|
Gitcha Blaster social fix here!
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
How Tucker Smith won another $500K, this time without FFS
|
|
|
Yep the same Tucker "gun" Smith who famously went out in 2021 with his Auburn bud (and now fellow Elite pro) Logan "Martin" Parks and won that $1 mil Bass Pro Shops tourney – they split that prize, and this weekend Tucker went out and won another $500K...at that qualify to get in, state of AL Ultimate Angler Championship.
|
|
|
Dang straight evil Anakin! 😁
Tucker does know Guntersville, but hadn't tourney-fished without FFS there before except one time when he won a HS tourney. How did he win it this time? I mean, besides aliens and the same chip Easton Fothergill, Jacob Wheeler and Dustin Connell probably have (okay maybe not DC). Here's how he caught 'em:
Going in and practice
> "I've fished out here for a long time. I've lived here on Guntersville for over a year. I've got a lot of experience on the lake. But we had no FFS, which is a big thing for me on this lake because I've lived here with the technology.
> "But it was exciting too. I knew I wasn't gonna have to be stuck out in the middle of the lake the whole time. I knew if I found some sneaky stuff and I could have it to myself I might have a good tournament.
> "I looked around a lot. The 2 best places that I found were during the 2 official days of practice....
> "I looked for out of the way places...shallower stuff, deeper stuff. I had 1 school that was in about 22' of water I was catching some fish out of in the morning. And I had 4 really good places...hat where shallow...and those places weren't getting touched by anybody.
> "I knew if I was able to keep that stuff...to myself, I felt like I had a good shot to do well in the tournament.
> "In practice I caught some 3-3.5 lbers – I never caught any giant ones. ...felt like I was gonna catch a decent bag with what I found."
Tourney
> "I ended up going to some of my places the 1st day and did a lot better than I thought. I had about 15 lbs the first 20 minutes of the tournament – my first hole. I ran to my next spot and ended up catching a bunch but not really upgrading.
> "Then I ran to a place where I caught a 3 and a 3.5-lber on a rockpile. You had to hit a specific rock in that rockpile to get a bite – something I learned in the tournament. They were down in the rocks...if I could hit that rock and bounce it over that rock I would get a bite.
> "I probably lost 30-35 jigs on this one rock.
> "I had 3 over 6 on that rock the 2nd day.
> "[Day 3] I ran all my good stuff down the lake...it was not happening. I had 4 fish for 8 lbs and it was like 12:30...Man I've gotta do something.
> "I had a really good place that was way up the river. I ran all the way up...near the boat ramp. I knew after making that run I had made that call and couldn't go back.
> "I pulled up, made the lineup, triangulated my cast...with a jig, and ended up catching 18 lbs and culled everything out."
|
|
|
The spots
> "The rockpile was shallow and the deep spot was almost like a current break [with a shell bottom]. ...a lot of current ripping the 1st and 2nd day. They pull current on weekdays and not as much on the weekend.
> "The final day...they were not pulling any water. The 1st and 2nd day [the fish] were sitting there perfect...behind that current break and I was able to catch them on that jig. Once that water calmed down on the final day I had to adjust and move around."
> The rockpile: "...seemed like there was a little bit of a hole in that rockpile they were sitting in. They'd smoke it and I'd set the hook as fast as I could. ...a reaction bite, kind of like stroking it...a lot of times they would spit it before I set the hook.
> "I found [the spots] with side can in practice. I used my side scan pretty much all practice."
Winning bait
> 3/4-oz Picasso Tungsten Football Jig (gp and tex mex) with a 3" Yamamoto Yama Craw (gp – "when I was stroking that jig, it would have just enough kick on the fall"). 'Tex mex' is "a little bit lighter gp. Really the reason I tied on that tex mex was I broke off so many of the gp.
|
|
|
> Why a 3/4-oz jig even up shallow: "I wanted to be on contact with the bottom the whole time. When you snap a jig and it falls down really quick, it's a better reaction bite than the lighter jig. They suck it in or don't eat it.
> "That was one thing that was really key...having a bottom bait. The water is turning over really bad...everything on the bottom is rising up to the surface and the water is stained. Whenever the water is stained and you're on an offshore bite, try to key in on something that's on the bottom.
> "The fish seem to bite and feed more on the bottom when that water's turning over and when that water's dirty. They're not super active – they're kind of methodical.
> "...throw [the jig] around and drag it super slow. ...I did the dragging technique and I did the stroking a jig technique to get fish to react – when I needed to try to get one to bite."
Rest of his gear
> 20-lb P-Line 100% (Soft?) Fluoro – "I was fishing some nasty stuff...tearing up my line, it always held up. I got every single fish in the boat except for 1 – it just jumped off. That line is just a huge confidence thing for me.
> "My rod was a 7' 5 H Shimano Curado, and I was throwing my Aaron Martens [custom tuned] Shimano Metanium that he gave me – that I caught 'em at LaCrosse on, that reel. That drag is so good I don't have to worry about it ever slipping. ...perfect drag [is] super key when you're reeling in fish over 6 lbs – because a lot of times when you set the hook, that fish is gonna do what he wants to do. I don't have to worry about that fish locking the drag up...."
Shoutouts
> "The Yama Craw came in clutch this week. Yamamoto has really been upping their game, creating new baits that align with the new styles of fishing.
|
|
|
> "Impulse Lithium – my batteries have been flawless all year. [In this one] I ran the livewells all day on high, I was pumping in water all day to keep those fish alive, I was running recirc on high all day. [Plus] Humminbird side scan to find those areas, and Lakemaster mapping was really key to following those contours and finding those hard spots to find those schools of fish.
> "...the Bass Pro guys – their team has been unbelievable with me. My Nitro 21 XL has been awesome this year. It has a huge front deck for fishing off of, a ton of storage...it's basically my house on the water around the country with how much stuff I keep in it.
> "And Mercury – I've been running a Mercury my whole life and never had any issues."
|
|
|
How many bass fishermen have won $1 mil in just 2 tournaments? Believe it's just one – Tucker Smith (but you'll probably remind me that I'm forgetting someone!). How does he do that? And even though he for sure is a FFS expert, he still wins without it...which should tell you something. Anyhow, here's a few with him:
1. What's up with you and winning $500K in tournaments? Do you hit an extra gear or something? Do you get mad at everybody??
> "I don't know man. I think it's a God thing. I've always looked back and especially that [Bass Pro Shops] tournament me and Logan won and...it's crazy to me that the 2 biggest tournaments of my lifetime I've been fortunate enough to win.
> "I've never really thought about it.... I've just always looked for the next tournament...the next bite. I don't really pay attention to the past. I always try to look forward into the future and have fun with it.
> "I think it was Rick Clunn that had this quote, 'Your greatest moments are never in the past...they're always in the future.' Something like that. I've always tried to live my life that way and fish as well – always looking for the next thing. Never getting comfortable with where your'e at. That's what drives me.
> "But I definitely think it's a God thing. It's been these moments where I'm down to the last day or I'm down to no fish left, and I just have a gut feeling to do something. I don't think that's just a coincidence, or just a thought going into my head. It's the good Lord above blessing me and pointing me in the right direction.
> "That final day [at the Ultimate deal] I had nothing [more] and ended up pulling up on that last place and catching 'em. This year at LaCrosse [the Elite] I had nothing and ended up running 30 miles to 1 place and ended up [finishing 7th and] winning ROY.
> "And in that million-dollar [BPS] tournament me and Logan won, we were fishing around and the birds started diving from the sky. We ended up pulling over there and winning the tournament.
> "I don't know man – it gives me chill-bumps just thinking about how much God has blessed me."
2. Did it matter to you that there was no FFS?
> "I've been thinking about that over the last few days – do I think that I would've had a shot to win with it. I think I would've had a shot but I don't know how it would've gone.
> "I think FFS is a great consistency tool. I think [with it] the bags would've been bigger [and] more consistent. But I think [not having it] helped me in the long run because I don't think I would've found those places to fish. I would've been more out in the middle of the lake looking for that bite, and that might not have ended up working out in my favor.
> "...I enjoyed [no FFS]. I think it was fun fishing that way. Do I like FFS? Yes I do. I love it and it's something that I'm good at. But sometimes when the best bite is not using FFS, that's a lot of fun to me as well.
> "So I don't know exactly how it would've gone [if FFS was allowed], especially that rock place and some of the shallow spots. I wouldn't have spent the time on 'em. A lot of places you probably couldn't see 'em good [with FFS] so without [FFS] it helped me a lot.
> "...it's not winter time yet so I think a lot of those bigger fish are still shallow. I'm glad I stayed shallow where the big fish were. And that [rockpile spot] I found is probably the best place I've ever found...that many fish in that one little spot."
3. When you approach a tournament, does your thinking and prep change if it's Scope or no Scope?
> "In general? Definitely. The biggest thing is finding different patterns. ...there's a lot of different patterns you can find with LiveScope as well, but when you don't have it, you need to have more stuff – backup stuff.
> "If the fish are moving around, it's really key that you have a lot of areas and a lot of backup plans if you don't have LiveScope. [In this tournament] I was fishing rocks, current breaks, hard spots, hard cover – so I mixed it up....fishing locations that kinda setup differently.
> "If we had LiveScope, I probably would've been out in the middle, looking for groups of fish that were moving around chasing bait. But it's still very hard to find a population of big ones.
> "[In non-FFS tourneys] using your side scan is the biggest thing for me. Spending time on your side scan and your mapping, and finding as many places as you can....
> "...the offshore bite, if you've got no Scope, is hard, but it's more consistent than the shallow bite. Mixing in shallow water is an awesome thing to do when you don't have Scope. But you want to make sure you have some offshore stuff mixed in too – because if that shallow bite dies, you need something you can have for backup."
|
|
2nd-5th UAC Guntersville baits
|
|
|
Lookit those checks!
2nd: Jacob Wall
> Punch rig: Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver (tramp stamp = gp and b/b flake laminate), 4/0 Owner Jungle Flippin Hook, 1.25-oz tungsten weight, double bobber stop ("thanks to Mikey Balzz for getting me onto that"), 50-lb Cortland Masterbraid, Shimano Curado Reel (8.1), 7' 7" H Duckett Jacob Wheeler Select Series Rod.
> "I applied Thump Gel...the new Green Glow that glows in the dark. It charges with the sun and when you put it in a mat, the bait stands out better and is different than what everyone else is flipping. I was applying it liberally through out the event to keep my bait glowing.
> "I weighed 13 out of my 15 bass on that setup and the other 2 came on a frog.
> "I was targeting cleaner water with hydrilla anywhere from 7' to 11' deep. The key was to have clean edges on the mat with good open water underneath. ...I was looking for those areas where the grass hadn't completely died back yet...the stage before that where it was still heathy and filtering the water. Those areas had the most bluegill, shad and just life in general.
> "Another key to my success were my 10' Power-Pole Blades in order to lock me down so I could work areas thoroughly.... Stealth is key in that clean water."
|
|
|
3rd: Randy Howell
> Livingston Walking Boss (ginrin), 55-lb Daiwa Samurai Braid (green), Daiwa Tatula SV 100 Reel (8.1), 7' 4" Daiwa Tatula Elite Randy Howell Big Topwater/Bladed Jig Rod.
> 1/2-oz Z-Man JackHammer (bruised gp) with a Yamamoto Zako (021/297 – b/b/gp laminate), 16-lb Daiwa J-Fluoro, same rod and reel.
> Livingston Howeller Square crankbait (beauty shad), 14-lb Daiwa J-Fluoro, Daiwa Tatula 100 SV Reel, 7' ML Daiwa Tatula Elite signature Small Crank/Jerkbait Rod.
> All 3 baits day, day 2 was squarebill and topwater, day 3 all were on the Walking Boss.
> "Main-river grass flats and points, 4-8' deep. Schooling fish and schooled-up fish in the grass."
> "I put that Daiichi Bleeding Bait 4X Treble on all my treble-hook baits. My Howeller Series of cranks actually comes with it in the package."
|
|
|
4th: Cody Ross
> Punching: Strike King Rodent (b/b), 4/0 Owner Jungle Flipping Hook, 1.5-oz Strike King Tungsten Weight, 65-lb Strike King Tour Grade Braid, Lew's BB1 Pro Reel (8.3), 7' 11" H Lew's Signature Series Greg Hackney Flipping Rod.
> Frogging: Strike King Pad Perch (leopard perch), 65-lb Strike King Tour Grade Braid, Lew's SuperDuty 2nd Gen Reel (8.3), 7' 6" H Lew's Custom Lite Flipping Rod.
> Frogged and flipped main river hydrilla mats in 6-7'. Hard bottom under the mat.
> Strike King Hybrid Hunter (sweet shad), 17-lb Strike King Tour Grade Flouro, Lew's BB1 Pro Reel (7.5), 7' 6" H Lew's Custom Lite Flipping Rod.
> "The Hybrid Hunter was on an offshore grassline in the back of a creek with a mix of hydrilla and milfoil in 4-5'. The grass got more clumpy in one section and had sand spots between them where the fish were positioned."
|
|
|
5th: Lee Livesay
> "I fished different stuff all 3 days...different techniques all 3 days. I practiced a lot of different stuff and it worked out....
> "Day 1 I got all my fish punching mats or frogging mats on the north end of the lake."
> Punch rig: 6th Sense Prawn (b/b), 3/0 BKK HD Flipping Hook ("it's a really, really good flipping hook – I didn't lose 1 fish"), 1.5- and 1.25-oz 6th Sense Tungsten Weight, 6th Sense Bobber Stopper, 60-lb Sunline FX2 Frogging and Flipping Braid, 7' 7" H 6th Sense ESP Rod.
> Frog: 6th Sense Vega Hush Frog (warmouth?), same line, 7' 4" H 6th Sense Response Rod.
> "The 2nd day I caught a couple on a prototype ChatterBait, and the rest of them came on...a 6-inch [6th Sense] Swank. I had a little bitty patch of isolated hydrilla and milfoil out on a big flat." 20-lb Sunline Sniper fluoro and a 7' 3" MH rod.
> "The 3rd day I go to that grass...I caught 3 about 2 lbs on a vibrating jig. I knew I needed a big bite so I pulled out...a prototype bait. It's not out yet, nobody's even seen this yet – it's called a 6-inch Grass Pump [I think pump? A crankbait]. It's kinda like a Swank but has a great big profile.
> "...a lot of big gizzard shad out there...I pulled out the Grass Pump...and I catch a 6-lber." 20-lb Sunline Sniper and a 7' 4" H 6th Sense Custom Series Rod.
> "I go down lake and I catch a 5-lber flipping a jig on a piece of isolated wood." 1/2-oz 6th Sense Hybrid Jig with a 6th Sense Stroker Craw.
> "I pull out the Hush Frog on an isolated mat...and I catch a 4-lber and another big 3."
|
|
A quick few 2c observin's about the UAC
|
|
|
Loved the "segregated" guys being able to fish against each other, like the old BassFan Top Gun Championship. Should happen.
Loved the GREAT payouts for the guys, and the fact that the $$$ wasn't all top-loaded (ie, not 6 figs for 1st and then a quick drop).
Loved that it actually happened. Big congrats to all involved. 💪💪
BUT
No live coverage? They had the $$$! [When a tree falls in a forest, does it make a noise?] Will they do an old Bob Cobb Bassmaster-style wrap-up vid on it (at least for the final day?) and put it on YT?
> Solution: Call Mike Auten. And maybe Wade Middleton.
Okay you might think we have way too much Live in bass fishing already. Certain times of the year, I am with you on that. But what about any info on this deal? No daily updates on the standings, who is leading, etc? No press release on who won and how they did it? Yep it's a new deal, but regional tourney trails have all that so...?
> Solution: Call Dan O'Sullivan.
Will this tournament happen again next year? Every year? No idea. Would be cool, we'll see!
The top 10 finishers
Here's the top 10 with a few comments, no idea what the payouts were. Weight-wise, 3rd-5th and 6th-9th were pretty dang tight! Full results here – and bear in mind that 183 guys fished it, and all are hammers who have fished really well this year:
1. Tucker Smith -- 71-06
2. Jacob Wall -- 64-10 [another good Jacob W]
3. Randy Howell -- 61-04 [taught Laker everything Laker knows, but not everything Randy knows lol]
4. Cody Ross -- 61-03 [fishes Opens and 'Yotas]
5. Lee Livesay -- 61-02 [5-fish stud]
6. Mark McCaig -- 60-12
7. Phillip Dutra -- 60-10 [westerner catching 'em everywhere – put John Murray in the HOF!]
7. Hayden Marbut -- 60-10 [middle name should be, and might be, Guntersville]
9. Shawn Hammack -- 60-04
10. Kyle Norsetter -- 59-08 [another northern 🔨 Elite]
|
|
|
How John Cox has made a living off bluegills
Aka bream – from a Bassmaster.com post. This is more 🧃 than I've ever seen John drop about his shallow-water game, which has a LOT of nuances most of us have never thought of (same for Keith Carson):
> ...growing up in FL...not really shad-based lakes – it's more about bream and shiners. As a result, I'm way more of a bream guy than a shad guy. Most of my lure colors are some kind of mottled mix of orange, purple, blue and olive green.
> ...my primary approaches to bass fishing involve some phase of the bass spawn, or some kind of bream pattern. I've made 7 Bassmaster Classics and 8 Pro Circuit Title events fishing that way. I've won national tournaments on Chickamauga, Smith Lake, the Red River, Rayburn, Hartwell and even a Forrest Wood Cup on Wheeler with bream-oriented patterns.
> By really pushing that pattern all across major lakes in the warmer months, I've been surprised by how long the bream spawn goes on, especially in the South. I used to think bedding bream only happened in Apr and May, but I've found them as late as Aug and even Sept.
> If bream are in, here are the most likely lures you will find on my deck: a 5" Berkley MaxScent General, a couple of swim-jigs, a [Berkley] Cane Walker, a Choppo, and a couple of Swamp Lord Frogs in the popping and walking models.
> When it comes to bream imitations, I am a huge fan of Berkley MaxScent products, especially as swim-jig trailers. The scent is a trigger point for bream eaters. The Meaty Chunk has long been a swim-jig trailer favorite for me.
> ...if I could only use 1 bream imitator, it would be a wacky-rigged 5" MaxScent General on 8-lb FireLine. If the water is super clear, I'll tie on a 10-lb [Berkley Trilene] 100% Fluorocarbon leader.
> To me, the General is not so much a bream imitator as it is a bream attractor. Bream love that MaxScent, and they will come out and start pecking at the General like they are trying to eat it. Pretty soon, all that commotion gets a bass' attention.
> It's so cool to watch a bunch of bream fighting over a General, and then a big dark shadow flares up from underneath and inhales everything in one slurp, including the General.
🧃! Read the whole deal on the Bassmaster website.
|
|
|
"I think it's going to bring new life to some of the guys who've been down in the dumps the last couple of years."
- Lee Livesay talkin' on the Bassmasters about no FFS in some Elite events.
|
|
|
This is supposed to be an alleged fake photo submitted in a kayak tourney – story here (YT vid). Looks like it to me? If so, as far as I know this is a new way to cheat with tech:
|
|
|
Available at a restaurant in Spain. Yep, it's not even here! Besides the gold leaf, it pretty much looks like your regular burger: cheese, bacon, special sauce, L&T. Wonder if Tucker Smith will try it...😁
|
|
|
|
|
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'!
|
|
|
|
Check out BassGold.com! It's FREE!
Sign up another bass-head!
If you're forwarding every Blaster to other bass crackheads, tx much – or you can email me the addys and we'll take care of it! We'll never send spam or whatever....
|
|
|
GITCHA HANDS ON THE BEST STUFF!
|
|
Gitcha BB social at these links
|
|
|
|
