YUGE congrats! Dude’s been at it for a while — always cool to see perseverance pay off. Terry won the Rayburn FLW, his first tour win though he’s had plenty of wins below that level. FLW said Terry almost hung it up after 2018 — glad he didn’t.

The top 10 baits aren’t out as I’m doing this-here Blaster, so can’t break ’em down, but here’s how Terry caught ’em — doing what he likes to do:

His DT colors were Caribbean shad and demon, and he fished ’em 12- and 14-lb Sufix Invisiline fluoro. He also C-rigged a 5″ Zoom Lizard (gp).

Note those DT colors: Those are the “Ike’s ink” colors, which all the pros seem to like over the standard colors:

Shout-outs:

> LA’s Nick LeBrun finished 2nd by a painfully close 12 oz.

> Bryan Thrift was in the dang hunt AGAIN — ended up 3rd.

> How ’bout non-locals Colby Schrumpf (IL, 6th), Sam George (AL, 9th) and Charles Sim (10th, another Canadian invader).

Took in some of the Bass University learnin’s on Sat in NJ, got to hang wif the fellers:

The Cajun didn’t make the pic because he was skinnin’ a possum (or somethin’). Anyhow, here’s some notes. Should say first they all killed it — the Bass U folks (thanks again for havin’ me) and of course the pro/expert types:

1. Cliff Crochet: “Speed Kills”

> First of all, what up with Cliff lovin’ Sandra Bullock movies? Cliff, hate to tell you man, she doesn’t like boats or fishin’:

> Cool tip: If you know something changed but don’t know what it is, speed up.

> Flip a 1-oz jig or TX rig for a reaction bite. “No one in their right mind is going down the bank flipping a 1-oz weight.” Which I guess means…Cliff’s not right?

> Fish shallow places OFFSHORE with a Rat-L-Trap. Innerestin’.

> In Cajunese, “Chatterbait” is pronounced “Chattabeet.”

> “One of my favorite things to do is skip a Chattabeet around docks [and other cover].”

> “When you pick up and don’t feel the bait action, that’s a fish.” In other words, feel for the bait first. If you don’t feel it, hit him — don’t wait to see if you’re hung.

> He loves his new Cajun Wakebait, and his fave color is “cayenne” (pink chrome):

2. Seth Feider: Smallie blackbelt master class

If you fish for smallmouths, you’ll think you know a lot about it til you hear Seth talk about it. Dang man, wow.

> When it’s high blue skies, fish shallow for smallies and deep for largies. Vice versa when it’s blowing/cloudy.

> “Some people don’t fish with a hat. If you don’t, a) you look ridiculous and b) it doesn’t help block the sun. I always wear [a hat and] a hood so it’s as dark as possible around my head…” — to see the fish better.

> For slick/sunny fishing, he cranks his HydroWave and leaves it on.

> The blackest smallies are the easiest to see and catch.

> Storm Arashi Spinbait (“green gill” for mimicking small perch): 6-lb Sufix fluoro gets 4x more bites as 8-lb. Use braid instead of split rings and a tail marabou feather to increase hookups:

> When a smallmouth is tracking a bait, don’t kill it — slow your reeling and they’ll kinda run into it and bite it.

> BU host Pat Renwick and I were stunned that Seth pays attention to spinning reel gear ratio. We honestly had no idea what our spinning reel gear ratios are.

> Seth uses an INSANE amount of rod action for hard and soft jerkbaits in clear water. Soft jerkbaits have to have a lot of salt to stay down with all that action.

> He pulls out a Ned Rig for…finding fish. I honestly never thought of the Ned as a search bait but I guess that’s sorta what it is.

3. JT Kenney: Fish de Flanders

JT talked about the Ned Rig for 45 MINUTES. 5 mins in I was like:

My phone woke me up — Brian the Carpenter texted me this:

HAHAHA! Okay I got a couple things out of it (other than catching up on email — heehee):

> JT’s Magnum Ned Rig Head is heavier and has a bigger hook gap.

> He doesn’t really set the hook — YouTube version here:

> He likes to cut a 6″ Senko-type stick worm in half because the 6″ worms are fatter than the 5″ ones.

> Use the FG Knot for tying fluoro to braid. Took him 6 months and a couple temper tantrums to learn it.

Thanks again to the Bass U folks and the pro fellers for lettin’ me sit in…. If you wanna spend your hard-earned $ wisely, go to Bass U. Here’s the remaining class schedule.

– Seth Feider talkin’ at Bass U ’bout single smallmouths. Had to highlight that quote because it blew my mind. Think about it: Sounds like it would take an hour, but he says 10-20 mins…which would probly feel 2 hours on a tourney day.

When Seth was done talkin’, I was like:

Have to assume 5 Mountain Dews help a bunch with that kinda focus….

– Brandon “Wild” Card talkin’ ’bout AFTER he upgraded his ‘lectronics:

Here’s what Brandon looks like when he gets giddy (up):

Hahaha that pic never gets old man!

Anyhow, yep, GOOD ‘lectronics are that important now.

HAHAHAHA!! Choked on my gum when I read that! “Worm” looks kinda cool tho:

[Link is https://www.lurenewsr.com/37907/ — I can’t link it.]