My son got his first veehickle this weekend and I saw John Cox there:

Hahaha loved it! Don't see that in NJ.... This means I get my tow vehicle back so things are looking up!

Dowg update: Our new gal Honey got her heat early-ish, so it's doggy diaper city here and watching our two like hawks to make sure there's no dang funny biz:

Other than that, my goal this weekend and so far this week has been to string up 2-3 rods. So far I got goose-eggs. It's gonna happen! Hope you're having better luck than me feesh-wise – let's bass mang!

And gitcha Blaster social fix here:

I mean, do you even know their names?? 😆 Dustin's first Team Series win and of course Jacob has been here before, most recently winning the last Team Series tourney with Mark Daniels Jr.

MLF said they won pinging a minnow on Logan Martin, AL which is true, but they fished 2 other AL lakes to get there: Wedowee and Weiss. Wedowee was Scoping too, but Weiss was shallow-water burnin' and churnin'. Jacob said they were fishing stuff like Rapala DT6s, bladed jigs and spinnerbaits.

Anyhow, got with him and DC to find out some of their finer minnow deets – because they're studs at it. Here you go:

Did you alter the Mooches at all?

> Jacob: "The thing I really like to do do is cut the bottom tab off the bait – makes it less aggressive.

> "Say the normal [tail movement] ticks 11:00 to 1:00. This makes to like 11:30 to 12:30. It's a tighter kicking action – it cuts down the kick of the tail 50% basically.

> "The Mooch Minnow off the rip is very finesse. This kicks it to super subtle...but it still has action."

> Dustin: "We would trim that bottom tab on that bait. ...depends on the situation the fish are in. If we're in really clear water and we don't want a lot of movement on that bait, we will trim bottom tab on it.

> "But if they're in dingy water and I want some movement back there, then I will leave that tab. You're just altering the action of that tail.

> "In clear, high-pressure situations where the fish are finicky, I will trim that tab. That tail has a very subtle swimming action if you do that."

> Jacob: "When you're using heavier heads, like a 3/8 or a 1/2, you don't get rocking action in your baits unless you're using a bigger bait. So the only action is out of your tail. [If you] want it to be super subtle...normally I adjust it a little bit."

Why did you want so little action?

> Jacob: "...when it comes down to fishing [around] smaller threadfin, [the Mooch] is probably the best imitator of that. Obviously they're readily available and people have it, so we were trying to show them something different. ...a little more subtle action can be a difference-maker."

Did you just fish the original-size Mooch (3.5")?

> Dustin: "We were throwing the 3.5 and the 2.5 yesterday. VMC's got that tungsten jighead...you can get a 3/4-oz tungsten jighead with a 1/0 hook, so it's a really small hook. I can throw that 2.5 Mooch Minnow on that 1/0 hook through the whole series [of jighead weights].

> "I can put it on a 3/8-oz head to get down there a lot quicker, and you've still got that small size Mooch Minnow because they're eating bait that size."

If they were eating bait that size, why did you go up to the 3.5?

> Dustin: "I typically judge it on what the fish tell me. If they're biting a 3.5, I'm gonna throw a 3.5. That size is just an all-around all-purpose size bait. And I feel like it has more drawing power. That 2.5 is for the fish that are finicky and you can't hardly get them to bite."

When you go to heavier jigheads, does your rod change?

> Jacob: "My favorite minnow rod is a 6 10 ML when I'm using lighter heads up to 1/4. But when I'm using a 3/8 or even 1/2, I'll go to a 7' M. It has a little more backbone, and you're not trying to impart that rocking action anymore.

> "Even when you're shaking it, truly you're not doing a whole lot other than going up and down. Same line and stuff, but definitely rod action changes with how much weight you have on your rod."

[Those rods are Duckett JW 2.0s.]

> "When I know I'm gonna be doing that deal, I have a 1/8 all the way to a 1/2 tied on. If I see a fish that's set up a certain way, I might pick up that 1/8. And then...there's a group of fish down there deeper so I pick up the 1/2. 

> "It's really important, especially when you're trying to be efficient because you have a very minimal amount of time to make the correct cast before the fish is either under your boat or that fish is gone into another bait ball.

> "You might have a 4-second window to make the correct decision and grab right head size, the right action of what you want. It's all about your presentation and how often you can present that bait."

> Dustin: "I was throwing a 13 Fishing Oath and it's a 7 1 M. That's kinda my go-to. We have a 6 9 when I'm throwing 2.5-inch Mooch or lighter heads. A little bit shorter rod, a little bit lighter line...works better. But the 7 1 Oath typically in my hand a lot of times."

What was your line setup?

> Jacob: 10-lb Sufix Revolve Braid (neon lime) – 8-10 but I've been throwing 10 recently. And then 10-lb Sufix Advance Fluoro. 10 and 12 are my go-to.

> "...6' [leader length]. [For a] rocking action I'll shorten it up and get a heavier line. It just depends on the day and what's going on, and what I'm trying to impart out of the bait."

> Dustin: "I throw 10- and 12-lb Seaguar Tatsu leader (8'), and I use 18-lb Seaguar PEX8 Braid.

> "I know a lot of the guys like a shorter leader line for bigger baits because you get a lot better action on it. But for me, when I'm using the smaller [baits], I'm thinking of it more as an efficiency deal.

> "Because if I know I'm getting a lot of bites, I can catch 10-12 fish on that bait, clip of a foot, retie, retie and I'm not having to tie FGs. If you've got a 3' leader and you're catching a bunch of fish, eventually you're gonna have to retie a whole FG."

Called the G-ShAAke, 6' 7" M XF and it's $475 – and it was a limited run that's already sold out...but I'm sure they'll make more! Anyhow, interesting stuff as noted by rod co-designer (as with all Alpha Angler rods) Brandon Palaniuk. YT vid of him fishing and talking about here, some highlights:

> "...that red section, that is glass, that's got glass infused in there. What that does is that allows that bait to roll. ...it allows it to roll faster without coming back to the boat as quickly – so we're kind of getting the best of both worlds....

> "...you're getting more stall, but you're getting more action out of that bait and that's gonna trigger more bites.

> "...noticed with this rod is that I actually will hold it against my forearm and use my whole arm...if I want to go really fast with that glass tip, I can actually just pin it to my forearm and shake it and allow the glass to slap back and forth.

> "...with that glass tip, you actually hook them better. It seems like you get those fish deeper down."

Also this, from the Alpha Angler website:

> Alpha Angler's Jake Boomer: "The glass tip provides the greatest advantage in presentation we've seen with [this] technique. You simply can't get this level of effectiveness without it. I know – we've tried."

> The G-ShAAkr tip dampens the shaking action by absorbing tip movement. Shake as violently as you want, and your minnow rolls with a natural appearance. The rod does the work.

> It's easy to cast 110' with a 1/8-oz minnow and 10-lb braid....

Interesting....

- Andy Morgan "Wallen" talkin' in a FB vid. He DID requalify for the Bass Pro Tour, but declined the invite. In that vid he says he ended up hating the all you can catch format, the entry fees vs the payouts and does not like FFS.

Says he will be fishing the NPFL next year:

> "Just wanna go have fun and not be broke."

Found at Cali's Laguna Niguel Lake. Looks like basically all it's gonna do – besides I guess an infection risk – is squeeze off the tail. Deets from WON:

> "...there have been 10-plus fish caught with pink rubber bands around their tails. They're all nice, chunky 2-to 5-lb fish, but they almost all have their tails completely cut off by pink rubber bands."

> ...the mouths of all the fish were "clean" suggesting they were not recently caught. That along with the fact that...the rubber bands are partially embedded into the fish's tail, or there is significant damage or scarring as a result...supports the idea that these largemouth bass were [not] "banded" recently.

Sounds like lake managers were unaware of it, and Hack said bigfoots "don't mess with rubber bands" so that's out. 😁 Hope they catch the mini-psycho that's doing this....

Z-Man turned 30 last week so here's a little history on how they've gone from skirts to plastics to the ChatterBait and so on:

> Z-Man's journey began on Oct 20, 1995 in a modest 5,000 sq ft facility, producing silicone skirts for spinnerbaits and bass jigs. For the next decade, the company quietly supplied bulk skirts to lure companies like Strike King and War Eagle, earning a reputation for quality and reliability.

How did that come about in the first place? I asked and:

> ...Jerry Zucker [he's the reason for the name!] owned another company that had a silicone production line. They produced silicone tape that was used to line car exhaust systems.

> A bass fisherman who worked there said if they dyed and cut the silicone into strips, it could be used as skirts on fishing lures. Jerry Zucker then founded Z-Man and started producing skirts using the same silicone production lines.

Then:

> In the early 2000s, he envisioned a new kind of fishing lure made from thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), a material that was 100% non-toxic, incredibly durable and naturally buoyant. While most soft baits were made from plastisol, Zucker saw the potential for something tougher, cleaner, and more effective [which became ElaZtech].

> When the calendar flipped to 05/05/05 – a day that will be forever remembered in Z-Man history – the formula was officially finalized and the first batch of ElaZtech baits were molded.

Some OG ElaZtech baits ^. Then:

> ...the ChatterBait bladed jig exploded in popularity after breakout tournament success in 2006. When demand outpaced their production capacity, the [Ron] Davises turned to their silicone skirt supplier, Z-Man, for help. Z-Man stepped in to manufacture and distribute ChatterBait lures, eventually acquiring the patents and trademarks and building out the ChatterBait product line....

I still have a couple of those in the package – you?

Pretty darn good run so far! The company is still chaired by Jerry's son Jonathan who I guess is the new Z-Man? 😁

1. Chris Zaldain fished a tourney in Mexico and...

...he fit right in, and I'm not talkin' just the fishing. Check the pic – bet you can't tell which dude he is lol:

Hahaha love it Chris!

2. Tyler "pop" Rivet helped stock bass into Lake Boeuf, LA

32,000 bass thanks to fund-raising by Responsible Anglers United.

3. Brent Chapman's 2025 Triton 21XP for sale

250 Mercury ProXS and Garmin.

4. WI's Nick "tilt and" Trim won the Nation Championship

Won it by 4 lbs on the Upper Miss out of LaCrosse, WI with 77 lbs over 4 days. He lives 20 miles from the ramp, making him the 3rd guy who knows that river to win a big tourney out of LaCrosse this year: Pat Schlapper won the Elite there, then Steve Lopez won the MLF Invitationals Championship there and now Nick.

Nick led every day. Some deets from Bassmaster:

> ...built his lead targeting a wintering hole that had points, knobs and hard spots ranging from 4 to 16' deep. But that basin wasn't productive on [the last day]...wound up working the main river, returning to familiar haunts....

> [On days 1-3] he had been dragging a 1/2-oz Cast Again Tackle Hammer Jig to boat his best bites. "[Day 4] I worked my way out of there and I just randomly grabbed a jerkbait and threw it out there. Next thing I know, I caught a 5-lber on it. First cast. The light bulb went off. I kept throwing it and had a limit before I left."

The other 2 guys who qualified for the Classic are CT's Noah Winslow (Bryan Kerchal was from CT 👀) and TN's Dylan Nutt, who along with his brother have been tearing up a lot of tourneys.

5. UNA guys are on the Rapala college podcast

Tripp Berlinsky and Bryce DiMauro from the U of North AL who won the Collegiate Bass Open at Lake Dardanelle, AR.

6. MI proposing closing spring bass fishing on some lakes

Apparently NOT wanted by the DNR but proposed by commissioner John Walters, who of course is a political appointee. From greatlakesbass.com:

> He is doing this because he lives in Indian River and knows the persons from the Burt Lake Preservation Assn (which is really just another lake association). These persons are seriously pushing their "save the smallmouth bass from the gobies" agenda to all the lakes in northern Michigan.

> They got a bunch of other lake associations to sign on to this idea that the smallmouth bass aren't spawning successfully anymore because they can't see all of the same shallow beds on Burt Lake they used to see. These same people claim they can count the number of eggs on a bed just by looking at it above the water???

> They [claim] fishing during 'the spawn,' especially bass tournaments, as being bad without any actual scientific support.

KVD and Z are weighing in against it...because it makes zero sense and, as Z says, would open a real dangerous door. We've seen in other states (like NJ) lakeshore property owners trying to virtually close off lakes.

7. TX: Bassin' "influencers" push back against carp...

...proposal for Lake Austin.

8. AR DNR proposing these changes for DeGray

> Replace the 13-16" slot limit for largemouth bass with a 13" minimum length limit.

> Reduce the daily limit of black bass (largemouth, spotted and smallmouth combined) on DeGray Lake from 10 to 6.

9. Duckett Fishing is looking for a sales rep

Requirement: Must fish with white rods. And the initials JW will move you to the top of the list. 😆

10. Brunswick announced Q3 results (pdf)

Propulsion (Merc) sales up 10%, Navico Group (Lowrance) up 2%, boats (Lund, etc) up 4% YOY.

Headline of the Day

Don't rule out fishing

Yep. Do not! 😁

Line of the Day

During periods with lots of grass, largemouth bass abundance remained stable even when more bass mortality, or deaths, occurred during and after catch-and-release, because of high levels of suitable habitat for reproduction and growth.

Another obvious conclusion that's been known but I guess had to be studied again for whatever reason? Only notable part about it is that the DNR biologist is "Dr. Love" – he has his own theme song! 🤣

Quick Emil Wagner spotted bass tip

From the Bassmaster.com stuff in his boat deal. Emil is a long-time spotted bass guide/hammer and here's his favorite topwater (2 of 'em) – lookit those things!

That's a Berkley Cane Walker in 'chrome.' He also fishes the snot outta Magic Swimmers for spots.

"...FFS often comes into play, regardless of how you're actually fishing. You're always looking, and you always find stuff with it."

- Cali's Bryant Smith talkin' 'bout the '26 Elite rules on the Bassmasters. He said in that deal he'll miss looking at it just out of habit. Idea: For the non-FFS events, maybe some guys on the Elites need to tape a Johnny Cox bobblehead to their screens lol! 😂

Pat Schlapper risked another frog but ultimately got his first frog back. 👀 Risky man! 😁

Pastor Points AR-15-Style Rifle at Congregation While Preaching About 'Spiritual Violence Toward Unbelief'

Obviously dumb, just from a safety POV. And yep, Christians are pretty much just as imperfect and broken as anyone else – though we try not to be. Always works in progress.... But that pastor man, wow.

Fishers of Men Tournament Trail

Bass Chaplain podcasts

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StrayCasts crazy web show!

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Trophy Bass Co.

National Professional Anglers Assoc.