Man when I got into this bass fishing media deal as a long-haired, totally-stoked Yankee, I was a wide-eyed fan of everybody. Meeting and talking to all these guys was literally amazing – Ray Scott, Bob Cobb, Forrest Wood, Rick, Guido, Larry and [every pro you ever heard of!]. Including Harold Allen, whom we lost over the weekend.

In the last 4-5 years we've lost some #stout folks, pioneers of this whole deal and great men – including Harold. Dang man. These folks are irreplaceable and thank God for 'em. All of us, every fisherman, stands on their shoulders – cliche but true. God bless them and their families.

Other than that – bassin' biz folks, if you're gonna be at ICAST and want me to stop by and see your latest 'n greatest, pls let me know! I have openings this year because more folks are skipping ICAST than in years past. A trend? We'll see!

Gitcha Blaster video fix here:

Greg has been close over the years. Four 2nds in B.A.S.S. tourneys, including at the 2012 Classic. 2nds and 3rds on the MLFLW, including 2 Bass Pro Tour events. He's won a couple, but never had a 6-figure payday. So props to him – here's 5 about the W.

1. How did you catch 'em?

> "My primary pattern was a dropshot – 85-90% of the fish I weighed in came on a dropshot.

> "I did catch a couple on the tough day [2] – important fish – on a 4-inch flutter spoon. I was trying to match the size of the baitfish they were feeding on this time of year.

> "I managed to catch 1 fish on an urchin [laughed]. I had to weigh it – it ate it too good. I couldn't release it.

> "I thought the topwater bite would be better in the mornings based on practice. I'd get 2 big bites early on top...no matter where I went [but it didn't happen the whole tourney]."

Why the dropshot?

> "Most of these fish were making their way out of the main lake [and were in the] mouths of larger pockets and creeks.

> "We had a good rain right before we started practice, and that fired up the fish in the backs of the creeks for a little bit...but the water was getting so hot in the backs of everything it seemed like each day the fish were migrating out from that stuff and the creeks weren't getting recharged.

> "...deeper docks with any piece of structure or cover that gave that particular dock some character...on the bottom. Most of them were in 15-20'. The big spot the 2nd day was in about 12.

> "...it was any piece of cover. It didn't even have to have a piece of cover...the shade of the dock sometimes....

> "[Dropshotting deeper like that in the summer] is something I do a lot. I kinda picked up on it...on Lake Martin. We fish that way a lot. I call it power finesse with a spinning rod.

> "It's almost like deep pitching. You're making a precision cast with that dropshot...put it in a specific spot.

> "It seemed like most of the bites I was getting were reaction bites from lethargic fish. So you had to get the bait to fall right on that piece of cover [or piling or shade or whatever] just like pitching down a bank.

> "...most of the bites were pretty quick after the weight hit the bottom. The good thing about that pattern is it gives you an ability to cover a little more water....

> "It seemed like if they were there and you were going to get a bite, it would come within the first 3 pitches. It was harder to hit the spot sometimes...because you don't have the advantage of forward sonar."

His winning rig:

> 7" worm (morning dawn) marinated in the original BaitFuel, 1/0 rebarb hook, 8-10" leader to a 3/8-oz homemade cylinder dropshot with a line tie, 33-lb Seaguar JDM PEX8 Braid to 12-lb Seaguar Gold Label Fluoro Leader and 2 spinning rods that Halo is coming out with: a 7' M XF Select Series and a 7' M F BB Series.

> "7' gave me a little bit more leverage and has a little more backbone than what a lot of people talk about for spinning setups. With the hook in the worm...7' seems like a good blend of accuracy for pitching and the leverage to a get hookset and move the fish away from the cover.

> "...this week what made a huge difference was marinating that bait in BaitFuel. I don't think I would've won with out it, to be honest with you. ...places with multiple fish on them, but they were just lethargic. I think [BaitFuel] was key for generating those bites and getting those fish to hold onto it when they hit it.

> "...put a little in the package and let it work into the baits overnight."

2. How did you learn to go deep with a dropshot when it gets tough on Lake Martin?

> "We've learned so much from FFS over the last several years. [But] it started even before that fishing up north for smallmouth. Someone...told me that with smallmouth they generally bite pretty quick if they're gonna bite. We started doing that with the spotted bass on Martin.

> "After watching [on FFS on Martin]...it was more efficient to pitch it, let it hit the bottom, give it some action...and it they didn't get it, pitch it to another group of fish.

> "[He likened it to shallow pitching and flipping:]...over the course of a day you're going to be way more efficient to pitch it to a precise location, and if you don't get bit move to the next cast."

3. How can you tell the BaitFuel made a difference?

> "I was dealing with fish that I think a lot of guys were able to graph...you would see these schools of fish down there. I know they found some of the same fish, but they were so lethargic.

> "It's something we run into on Lake Martin fishing brushpiles – there's a lot of fish there but they're not active. They eat the first 45 minutes after daylight, then they take a lot of the day off. Then feed again in the afternoon [when generating starts because power demand is high]. We're talking 2:00 or later tin the day.

> "So the bulk of our fishing day in a tournament is during probably the least active period of the day. And I really believe that BaitFuel...triggers a feeding response, and when they bite the bait it reaffirms what they are 'smelling' and they eat it.

> "When I first tried the bait I ended up using...[just] to see if I could get a bite – the first 3-4 bites I got on it I couldn't get a hook in them to see if any were keeper fish. I put BaitFuel on my fingers and rubbed it on, and caught the next one.

> "...from that moment on I never pitched a bait without BaitFuel. It helped coax inactive fish to bite."

4. Since you were fishing deep around brush, why did you use [thinner] Seaguar Gold Label Leader and not something tougher like Pounce?

> "I call Gold Label 'mini goat rope' and I needed something to get them out [from under docks and around cover].

> "[One year] I was playing around Lake Martin in the fall. I was catching a lot of spotted bass but they were mixed in with stripers. I was doing that with minnow...and ended up catching a lot of 4-6 lb striped bass. I started playing around, locking my drag down and seeing how much heat I could put on these stripers.

> "Using 10-lb Gold Label I was manhandling these 4-lb stripers. It gave me a lot of confidence for using that line....

> "My favorite line for leaders before that was [Seaguar] Tatsu. 10-lb Gold Label is the same diameter as 8-lb Tatsu. So in my mind I'm getting 2 extra lbs of test for the same diameter.

> "I could get the performance out of the line as far as getting my bait down to the fish with the thinner diameter, and I had the power behind it with the lb-test.

> "I generally go with 10, but I did go with 12 because the water had a little color to it and I was dealing with gnarly cover at times."

5. How many tournaments have you won on lakes named Martin? 😁

> "[Laughs] I guess you could say 2 now that really mattered.

> "I won a BFL on Martin – it really kicked my career off. I had fished a BFL as a coangler 2 years in a row and caught 1 fish in each. The next year I decided that I would fish the one on Martin and see what happened. I blew it out and it gave me enough money to fish the next 2.

> "I did good, I qualified for the Super Tournament, then I qualified for the Stren Series. Then I started moving up from there."

[He finished 2nd at the 2013 Bassmaster Open on Logan Martin, and won one of the old B.A.S.S. Weekend Series deals on Lake Martin.]

More

> "I've been close in some big ones over the years...it wasn't time yet. I knew if was going to be my time, it would happen. This past week...when I caught that last fish and culled that last little one, I knew it was my time.

> Day 1 he weighed all largemouth, day 2 he never got a quality largemouth bite and weighed all spots (biggest was a 3-04), and day 3 he weighed 3 largemouth and 2 big spots.

- Jon "I ain't from" Canada talkin', who finished 2nd at the NPFL. Interesting how the fish wanted a sparse JackHammer. You ever see that before? He put a Rapala CrushCity Freeloader on the back of it.

He also said his bigger-bite baits were a glide and...an urchin.

Here's your top 10 from that event. KJ "killer" Queen is now leading the NPFL points:

1. Greg Vinson -- 46-2

2. Jon Canada -- 44-9

3. Wesley Gore -- 43-10

4. Corey Casey -- 43-1

5. Bill Lowen -- 42-0

6. Darrell Davis -- 40-8

7. KJ Queen -- 40-7

8. Greg Hackney -- 40-4

9. Andy Morgan -- 40-1

10. Derek Lehtonen -- 40-1

- Cooper Gallant talkin' on the Bassmasters. He said his spoon was actually made out of platinum...lol! Just messin'.

He also said:

> Brandon Palaniuk once said that if you're obsessed and can't physically live without it, you've got a shot. I also recall former Elite pro Jesse Wiggins saying that the people who work the hardest get the luckiest. I've lived by those ideas for years.

I will point out that although Brandon comes off as mellow, he's a mega-competitor. Mega – which is one reason Megabass got interested in him lol. Don't let the ice cream and gentle voice fool you into thinking he ain't a killer because he is.

And Jesse might be the best in the world with a shakey head, which probably catches the 2nd-most bass to a Senko so....

Quick story: Before FFS, I heard from a few folks over the years that one solid way to qualify for the big leagues was to relentlessly fish brushpiles – mostly with a shakey head. Makes ya think!

1. Good Craig Lamb tribute to Harold Allen

Good job and I also think of Harold worm-fishing, often out deeper when most everyone else was bank-beating. He was a master at it and a super nice guy.

Bless you bassin' brother. Didn't find any service info – please lmk if you know, and please pray for his family and friends. ✝️🙏

2. AL: We lost a brother on Logan Martin

From the article:

> ...was critically injured when the bass boat he was operating collided head on with a pontoon boat. ...died at the hospital and his wife was also injured.

Bless you bassin' brother. ✝️🙏

3. Keith "off the grid" Poche won the Potomac Toyota

With a dang urchin! Kidding. 😆 Classic Poche win:

> ...he went into a handful of locations that only he could get to, or places that were only accessible to other...boats when the tide was right.

> His best bait on the final day was a Berkley Swamp Lord Popping Frog...he did a lot of his damage the first few days on a 3" Berkley Pit Boss with a 3/8-oz weight and a wacky-rigged Berkley MaxScent General.

> For the frog, he used a 7' 1 H Fenwick World Class Rod, 65-lb Berkley X9 Braid and an Abu Garcia REVO Rocket.

> For the Pit Boss, he used a 7' 5 XH Fenwick Elite with 20-lb Berkley GinClear and an Abu Garcia Zenon Reel.

> "You can't see the big ones on a high tide – they get way underneath the trees and the junk mats, but they're there. One blew up on the corner of the pads, and I fired the Swamp Lord over there and that sucker just choked it. I just went to work – it was fun."

4. Laker Howell: The Livingston Walking Boss is on his deck...

...when the water temp is in the low 60s and up. He also won an Open with it so.... Check 'em at the TW.

5. Bobby Lane's son + teammate won the Abu HS Championship

MLF deal on Cumberland, KY, Bobby Lane III and Bryden Tyler. Word is they did not fish a Berkley Swamp Lord and the older Bobby was hot about it! A paddle might have come out!

Okay I made that frog/paddle part up, but knowing Bobby it coulda happened just like that hahaha!

6. KY: 2 Maine HSers won the Federation Natty on Cumberland

Congrats to 'em and watch out Tyler Williams! 😁💪

7. TN: HSers/youths can win $10K in Chick team tourney Jul 11

8. TN: Country stah Riley Green playing the Elites vs BPT tourney

Man the guy who's putting on this deal is like:

😁

9. NY DNR released summary of 2025 tourney permits

Quick highlights from the pdf ^:

Look at that mortality # and send it to any dang doubters!

10. TX: 2027 TX Team Trail schedule is out

If you see me there don't laugh too hard! 🤣

11. 2-3 lbs is the choke point for largemouth growth?

Makes sense:

> Largemouth bass reproduce prolifically, and their growth tends to stall when they reach that particular size. Every new year class brings in a tremendous number of young bass, and every year class is competing for the same forage. A few exceptional specimens thrive, but most stack up at a relative size, and returns diminish with time.

12. Z-Man is teasing a new swim jig (IG vid)

13. New FishLab Alpha Underspin

Some deets:

> ...a precisely-engineered blade system designed to start instantly and track true. The result is a clean, controlled flash and vibration that stays consistent throughout the retrieve....

> ...a jighead injected with clear PVC over an internal lead weight...creates a translucent lifelike appearance...a more realistic presentation...in heavily-pressured fisheries

> Dual swivel connections with a ball bearing connection swivel to the blade ensure the blade spins at the slowest of speeds.

Designed by Bill Siemantel, available in 3", 3.5" and 4", 7 colors (2 with a gold blade), available this Aug.

14. New Evergreen Lucy curl-tail worm is just 3.2" long??

Is a worm still a worm if it's only 3"? 🤔 Also has squid scent:

> On the side of the body, it also features stabilizing fins, which enhance its gliding action when Carolina-rigged or fished on a small jighead.

15. KY: Distributor Pitman Creek expanding facility

By 112,500 sq ft. Should be done a year from now.

16. Italian fluoro company coming to ICAST

17. MN: Best bait shop name ever?

The Ugly Baby Bait Shop in Gunflint Trail. Amazing!

18. Honda restructuring includes marine

The marine, power sports and power equipment divisions are now all under Power Sports & Products. John Stevens is the new VP of Power Sports & Products business and sales, and Jeremy McGuire is director of sales.

Headlines of the Day

What I Learned by Fishing Without Rod, Reel or Hook

He probably learned that was not a good idea lol.

...bluegill always bite worms at Beaver

Pretty sure that's anywhere!

Line of the Day

This study is testing whether "coarse, woody habitat" can improve the lake's fish populations.

Guess what – it did! I continue to be befuzzlemented why biologists study stuff that was studied and concluded decades ago. Maybe I'm missing something.

Chris Zaldain flutter-spoons docks and brushpiles

As we all know, Chris is nuts and only fishes 2 baits: swimbaits and flutter spoons! 😁🤙 Okay MOSTLY does, but either way because he fishes those 2 things all the time, he knows stuff about 'em most of us don't. Like this:

> While river ledges are great, Zaldain also looks for other areas when he picks up his flutter spoon. "Another really good place to fish a spoon is by finding the deepest docks on the lake, which provide shade and schools of baitfish. I like flipping it and letting it flutter down to those suspended bass that are down there eating crappie and other big forage.

[Crappie! Seen that over and over – big bass eat crappie. Surprised more baits don't mimic crappie.]

> "One more prime place is around brushpiles, where some might be hesitant to fish a bait with a big treble hook. But with heavy gear, you'll get the bait back almost all the time unless you hook right into the trunk of it.

> "Many times, that first drop is what gets them to bite. But if it doesn't happen, I'll reel down and get the slack out and pull it up off the bottom 4-6' with a sweep of the rod and then let it fall again. I'll repeat that 4-5 times and then bring it up and repeat the process.

> "It's hard to beat plain silver for any spoon, and it's what I've caught more giant bass than anything else. Another one I like is shattered glass, which has a little more flash and reflection and does well when the water is dirtier."

He likes straight braid for spoons:

> "...I'm using 50-lb Seaguar Smackdown in the 'flash green' color. ...it has zero stretch, and the bright color of the line is also very important for detecting bites."

"There were so many times I didn't know if I had another year left. I put it in God's hands, and He kept me in this game.

"I've had a rough couple of years, questioning things, but God gave me direction. This moment tells me God wants me to keep fishing."

- Greg Vinson at his NPFL VIC-TOR-AY. ✝️💪💪

Fyi sometimes the flip side of that deal is you can pray for something and it can get worse – which can be God showing you the exit door. That is tough – til you walk through that door!

Fish the biggest frog WITH LEGS you can find? Check this pic posted on FB by bass-head Kris Ellis – insane! Thank you to Louie "the Legend" Stout for hippin' us to it:

N.W.T. man charged with impaired kayaking

> Police say someone reported to them that an intoxicated person had stolen their kayak and was paddling it around with a snow shovel.

You ever been to the Northwest Territories? I went once. Insane fishing (not for bass) but there's about a gazillion giant mosquitoes up there. I remember them opening the hatch of the plane and a cloud of those blood-suckers flew right in. A guide literally begged me to sell him my mosquito-netting jacket before I left (I did).

So my 2c: If you live up there you're crazy and should be accepted as such! 🤪😁

Fishers of Men Tournament Trail

Bass Chaplain podcasts

Contact Chris Wells the Bass Chaplain

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StrayCasts crazy web show!

Champion Jigs

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