One last call for any Ditch Melon Derby winners missing any prizes. Pls let me know ASAP if you are still owed anything, and include your shipping address. Thank you again for your patience.

Batteries – Know anyone in the DFW area or nearby who needs batteries and can't afford 'em? If so, pls lmk. I've got 3 12v + a charger in my garage, happy to give them to someone in need.

Wife story – The penny-pinching Irish Gal will fight like a pitbull for less than $20 (a refund or or whatever), but when some expensive clothes or house stuff are "on sale," she doesn't do the math – only gets hypnotized by the size of the alleged discount.

I'm like, "What did it cost?" She's like, "It was 50% off!" Lol gotta love it. From now on all my fishing stuff is gonna be XX% off!

Golf – You might know this but I didn't: I looked into what our local golf club would cost to join and couldn't believe it. Fishing is WAY cheaper! So let's feesh!

Gitcha Blaster video fix here:

He got 2nd at the Okeechobee EQ pinging a minnow and fishing a flutter spoon. A flutter spoon?? Had to ask him about that and that new Yamamoto Hinge Minnow which he also fished – here's 5 with him:

1. Why did you fish the spoon at Okeechobee?

> "The reason...was because the wind was blowing from the north, the cold front...and the canal I was fishing was facing north to south. So a lot of the bait got blown down that canal and it was stacked up on this particular ledge I was fishing.

> "From 23' deep to about 7' under the surface it was just solid bait – gizzard shad and threadfin shad.

> "The 1st day I didn't catch any on the spoon. The 2nd day I got there – I was sharing the area with a few guys and nobody was catching anything. I noticed the bait moving at the bottom, like fish were eating it down there. But you couldn't really see it with your LiveScope because there was just so much bait.

> "I eliminated some other bottom baits, picked up the spoon and it was automatic. I caught 5 in a row over 3 lbs on my first 5 casts with it. And it ws just really good...I caught all my weight with the spoon on day 2.

> "Then day 3 the wind stopped blowing like it had and all the bait lifted up off the bottom."

2. Was there any way you fished the bait with FFS other than just seeing the bait get eaten at the bottom of the pile?

> "I could hardly even see that. You would just kinda see bait moving a little bit differently.

> "Basically I was throwing my spoon into huge bait balls that were the size of my LiveScope screen. I had my LiveScope screen at 110' and the bait was the entire screen.

> "...I was throwing it in there and letting it go to the bottom...popping it up off the bottom, letting it come up about 4-5'. Just repeatedly doing that.

> "Usually after the first 1-2 pumps one would absolutely smack it down and my line would be laying slack on top of the water – like they'd never seen a spoon before." [I bet they hadn't!]

So it wasn't like you were watching your spoon on LiveScope?

> "I could watch my spoon got into the bait, but then after...it was hard to see my spoon unless the bait ball completely split up. Most of the bites I had didn't even see 'em eat it.

> "I just did that because I felt like if you threw a minnow through that, there's so many live minnows there...they're gonna choose those over a jighead minnow. A spoon moves those minnows out of the way and [the fish] can find it a little easier."

3. Why that spoon in particular?

> "Just the rate of fall. It has a really good slide-back action so it slides away from the boat. And to be honest, it's the only one I had in my entire boat. [Lol I bet!] But it's typically the one I reach for regardless fishing ledges on the TN River.

> "It's not a magnum spoon. It's not an 8-inch, it's a 6-inch. It mimics a good-sized...gizzard shad.

> "And it's got 3 hooks, so when they bite it they don't jump off like some of the other 1-hook spoons."

[He fishes that Dixie Jet Talon Spoon on 20-lb fluoro with a Shimano Metanium Reel (8.1) and a G Loomis 894 NRX+ Rod.]

4. What's the deal with that new Yamamoto Hinge Minnow you were fishing– does it roll or...?

> "Yes it rolls and also the tail has a little sway to it with the hinge. So when you're reeling it towards the boat that tail kinda has a little glide-bait motion...it rolls and has that S action.

> "The bigger one you go with...has it even more. That's why I was throwing that 7-inch – it has S action, that wag to it a little bit more. The smaller versions roll more, but that bigger one has the glide bait draw and roll."

[He was fishing 'sexy shad' and 'rainbow shad' on a 3/16-oz jighead with a 5/0 hook, 8-lb braid to 3' of 10-lb fluoro leader, a Shimano Stella Reel (3000) and a G Loomis Conquest 842 Rod.]

5. What does it take to excel on eastern TN lakes?

> "You gotta cover a lot of water, honestly. And be willing to change every day. Just because you caught 'em there the day before, doesn't mean they're gonna be there that day.

> "They have a knack for moving on ya. Always keep an open mind and cover a lot of water and you'll run into 'em."

I'm kinda fascinated by that new Bill Lewis Big Gizz – a lipless/spoon/blade/swimbait. Or something like that. I mean, that's gotta be a brand new type of bait, right?

One of the guys ultra-involved in creating the Big Gizz is Jack – who goes more and more by 'Fuzzy' lol. 😆 He does about a dozen things for Bill Lewis and the rest of the GSM Fishing brands, and also finds time to fish the Opens – FOR FREE! 👀 And he did real well there this year too.

Let's talk about all of the above.

1. What was the thought process behind the Big Gizz?

> "I think the question in front of most of the brands in the industry right now, and really anyone who designs fishing lures, is how can you do something different, do something new, that the fish haven't seen. We're seeing that with the fuzzy stuff, stuff like the Yamamoto Uni.

> "...fish are seeing lures more than ever. How do you show them something new? It's really hard to come up with the next ChatterBait, the next Whopper Plopper...once a decade type things.

> "The thought process generally for trying to come up with something different is taking elements of things that we know work and putting them together in new ways.

> "For all the things we do at GSM, we're trying to balance coming out with staples – worms, crankbaits...then we try to experiment. So the Big Gizz was our chance to experiment a little.

> "Glide baits, larger-profile baits...definite trend in fishing. Glide baits – baits that big with that brush tail – have a lot of drawing power. ...what can we take about that profile and combine that with different actions.

> "[The Big Gizz] is taking the profile of a glide bait, and the action when you retrieve it is similar to a Rat-L-Trap...it incorporates the shape and principles of some of the better blade baits out there.

> "...the best you can do is theorize and then just throw it together and see what happens. The result was a bait that actually performed really well. Certain baits as soon as they touch the water [you know] ah that's legit, that will work. The Big Gizz was one of those."

Follow-up: What about spoons? I know it doesn't fall like a spoon, but is there any spoon in it?

> "Absolutely. The way...I've found the most success with it is fishing it like a big flutter spoon....

> "It's made of plastic, ABS, just like your traditional crankbait. It has elements of a spoon, but it ended up leaning more hard bait than not. That's really in the way the bait performs.

> "You can fish it like a lipless crankbait on a straight retrieve. You can rip it up off the bottom and it will really vibrate hard [and] flutter back down.

> "The areas where this bait are gonna shine in my opinion are offshore...when the fish get grouped up. All those TVA ledges, those fish have seen a million things and this bait is something different. You can fish it kinda like a flutter spoon or like a big hair jig – rip it really fast and let it fall back on a semi-slack line.

> "It falls on a 45 almost like a hair jig does, where it pendulums back a little bit. So that quick burst off the bottom gets them interested and letting it pendulum back...where it falling with that profile and look of a big glide bait."

2. Are there any times of the year that are better for it?

> "We're still playing with it...some of the [pros] we sent it to have just gotten it now. Some guys are fishing it like a crankbait in the fall, running it by laydowns and stuff, and drawing fish out....

> "Those bigger-profile baits, to get the proper action you're gonna have to move it. So in the winter, you'd have to fish it probably faster than you want to...."

3. What do you fish it on?

> "The rod I've used the most is a 7' 7 XH Phenix Feather, but that rod performs like a lot of other brands' 7.5 H. So a flipping stick.

> "[The bait's] got treble hooks so I prefer something that's a little more moderate – those Feathers are a little more moderate. So a 7 6 H Mod F or F is probably your best bet."

[He uses 20-lb Seaguar Red Label Fluoro.]

Bonus Q: How is it possible to do everything you do for GSM and fish the Opens and end up 18th in the points and 15th in the EQ points?

> "I'm not sure I have a good answer for that. A lot of 'want to.' I'm very, very thankful to have the opportunity.

> "I think part of it for me is I know how big of an opportunity is to chase both.... Getting to work in fishing with the people that I get to, I don't want to let them down. And then they're giving me the chance to fish at the same time.

> "I know there's so many guys who would trade everything to even have a chance to fish 1 year of the Opens. So it's really just wanting to be a good steward of the opportunities those people have given me.

> "The 'want to' is...I'm on calls while I'm out there – there's a little bit of sacrifice both ways. There's meetings I miss...there's times I have to cut practice short...."

[Jack fished for Liberty U btw.]

Follow-up: Are a bunch of guys coming up to you and telling you they want your job – getting paid to fish, the opposite of most other people's realities??

> "For sure. People tell me they'd trade with me in a heartbeat. That's part of why I push myself to do it because I know it's something not to be taken lightly. I'm in a really blessed position, that I get to chase both."

Our guy Brett Jolley went to NBT HQ to learn about that new HG black box, and loaded a pile of info into the last Target Crappie email. Here's some of it, read all about it here on TargetCrappie.com. The guy talking is NBT owner/mad scientist Mitch Petrik.

What's the problem the HQ Box was built to solve?

> "How to put Humminbird maps into the Garmin. That was the first thing to figure out. Humminbird [Lakemaster]...is this magical thing that everyone has to have for tournament fishing. 

> "[To run a boat with at least 1 NBT screen] you basically have to take all the other units off your boat, run a Garmin 8600 unit at the console and then an NBT up front. That limits the ability to have Humminbirds, for the most part. 

> "[So] I had to create a little GPU unit – basically a small black box which has an Android-based computer that's marine friendly and [connects to] the Garmin 8600s.

> "We talked with the pro anglers – [the HQ] had to have a GPS pickup heading sensor to show which way you're pointing, WiFi capabilities and have the Humminbird mapping."

Can the NBT HQ be used without a Garmin head unit?

> "The touch function only works within your Garmin unit you have it linked to. You can see it on all of them, but actually being able to use it and operate it is on whatever Garmin it's linked to. 

> "But, say you don't want to have any Garmin units, and just want Google Earth in your boat. You could buy an NBT 14- or 16-inch and just plug the HQ Box straight into it and it'll work just fine."

If someone wants the cheapest way to go all in on the HQ and big screen game, what would be the cheapest way to do that?

> "It'll be the bundle package, which will be your [Garmin] 8612 or 8616 at the console, the 1 unit, the NBT screen of your choice, the HQ and a LVS34 transducer would be the way to go.

> "There's sale price on Garmin products all the time, but the bundle would be about $9,999.

> "If you wanted just to add to your current setup, the cheapest route would be the 14" NBT and the HQ box – about $3,500.

> "For that $3,500, you could get a 14-inch screen, every map, Google Earth and complete Bluetooth compatibility.

> "Another thing to note...these 8600s have been out for 6 years. So if your boat was decked out with 8600s, for $1,800 you can [just] hook the HQ up. You don't need to alter your setup at all."

Does having the Android computer in the HQ allow anglers to do anything else?

> "It has the Google Play store, so [it can run] any app you can possibly ever think of....

> "It's a full touch-screen interface...you can split screen while maintaining that interface. [Meaning you maintain all of the Garmin features while you split the screen with the HQ.]

More at that link. Interesting fo sho.

1. Forgot 2 for the HOF: don barone and Robert Montgomery

Never been a bass fishing writer like db and never will be again. Robert is one I think the only long-time Bassmaster Mag guys not in there and should be...in my 2c.

2. Alpha Angler is having a Black Friday sale already

3. LA/TX: Peeps are ticked about Caddo spraying

One post says TPWD sprays it 5 days a week year-round??

4. MI lawmakers seek $500 mil to fight mussels in Great Lakes

Well that seems to make zero sense fora few reasons. They say it's because the invasive mussels might threaten whitefish? And...that would be $500 mil from the fed gov't, aka tax $$$.

5. MN: Zebras found in Big Sand Lake

6. MA: Anadromous herring population up big-time

Doesn't affect bassin' but good to hear.

7. RI: Flux Marine gets $15 mil funding for 'lectric outboards

For "volume manufacturing."

8. Saudi Arabia is now farming trout and crayfish

Sounds like it's about ready for bass! 😁

Headlines of the Day

Officials issue warning after children make concerning discovery in park: 'It ... spreads'

"It" is a crayfish.

Can an imperiled frog stop oil drilling near Denver suburbs? Residents hope so.

The northern leopard frog, which is super common in a lot of places. Q: If one state has a declining population of something and another state has a ton of 'em, is it really threatened or endangered?

Bryan Schmitt swims a jig all year

Bryan also ain't right but let's put that aside for now...😁 Few excerpts from a Bassmaster.com deal:

> "The way we [MD river peeps] fish our swim-jigs is a lot different than how most of the country fishes them. I'm only fishing at this level because of my success with this swim-jig system.

> "I only use fluorocarbon line [and] a light-wire jig and fish it slow and low in the water column."

> His jig is the Lil' Schmitty Swim Jig that he helped create for Hayabusa. It has a compact design with a light-wire 4/0 hook and a light-fiber weedguard. It comes in 3 sizes, but he leans mostly toward the 3/8- and 1/2-oz....

> He rarely upsizes his line above the 15-lb P-Line 100% Fluorocarbon that is his go-to. "Fluorocarbon sinks, so with my presentation, it's all about getting deeper and fishing it slow."

> Schmitt says most people think the swim jig is at its best when fishing shallow water and visible cover. However, he believes they are making a big mistake by not realizing how awesome of a tool it is for offshore fishing around deep vegetation. 

> When he finds such habitat, he crawls it over the cover. "I start reeling slowly, trying to keep it as close to the bottom as I can."

"...it's really easy to grow a friendship when you're anchored down catching one on every cast."

- Nick LeBrun talkin' 'bout getting to know Todd Faircloth in the boat during the current MLF Team Series deal on LA's Cypress Bayou.

I'll say this: If that went down on Todd's spot, you bet it's easy hahaha!

Insanely nice Tater Hog 'FL golden shiner' color. Is it okay to call it a color?? I mean look at it that deal wow!

Just in case you're wondering why social media is so negative, some gal asked Grok the X AI about it and it apparently said:

> ...in late 2025: X's algorithm is no longer neutral ground. It is aggressively optimized for dwell time and reply volume.

> "Neutral/balanced/unbiased" reads to the algorithm exactly the same as "boring/low-emotion." Controversial, emotional or interactive content wins by design – not because Elon likes it that way (he doesn't control the fine details anymore), but because that's what maximizes ad revenue.

In other words, X (but they're all doing it) is magnifying and exaggerating "bad news," and is intentionally bringing the bad news carriers your way.

Think about that the next time you wonder why "everything in bass fishing is so negative." It's aint!

I encourage you to guard your mental health peeps!

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