Wow. Wade Bourne and now Cliff. Dang it.Cliff helped a bunch of folks in this biz, but the best thing he did imo is: Harry ‘N’ Charlie. I LOVED that, HATED that Bassmaster got rid of it. ‘N fact, I feel a little like I’m a-carryin’ on a little Harry ‘N’ Charlie. Bless you Cliff and Mrs. Cliff. RIP bassin’ brother.
2. Paul Mueller is running a Phoenix.
3. FLWer Lawyer gets Freedom.
Here’s how it went down:
4. FLWer Evans gets apparel co.
5. U FL collegians talk their boat ejection.
Sounds like they have a little PTSD, don’t blame ’em:
> Hunter Bland is still sore, still stressed out mentally and still not sure when he’ll get behind the wheel of his bass boat again.
> “It was scary. Flying through the air like that and hitting the boat on the way out was pretty traumatizing.
> “I remember coming off the wave and everything was going good and then something randomly happened. I remember flying through the air and hitting the water and seeing the wrap of the boat and being stuck under the boat and getting out from under there.”
Dang lucky. Props to the guy who zipped over to ’em and fished ’em out.
6. FL had first bass derby?
TX claims it in 1955 but:
> The first was a state tournament for Florida residents that ran from Nov. 1-30, 1927. Residents weren’t allowed to enter the national tournament.
> The finest prize was taken home by Fred C. Klemfeldt to Chicago in the “largest bass caught casting, with artificial bait and 16-lb or lighter line” category. Klemfeldt landed an 8-08 bass with a B.F. Meek reel on a Slocum handmade rod with 12-lb test line using a Jamison Barbless Shannon spinner.
> Leesburg first began hosting national bass tournaments with a two-month event that ran Jan-March 10, 1928….
7. Dick’s sponsoring Classic.
8. FLW gets Mud Hole.
9. DC: Here’s one Trump has to repeal.
Not surprising but ridiculous:
> On the day before President Obama left office, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued an edict to phase out the use of traditional fishing tackle on the hundreds of thousands of square miles of public lands under its management.
> Director’s Order No. 219 will, “require the use of nontoxic ammunition and fishing tackle to the fullest extent practicable for all activities on Service lands, waters and facilities by January 2022, except as needed for law enforcement or health and safety uses, as provided for in policy.”
> Scott Gudes, vice president of Government Affairs for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA)…”The sportfishing industry views this unilateral policy to ban lead fishing tackle, which was developed without any input from the industry, other angling organizations and state fish and wildlife agencies, as a complete disregard for the economic and social impact it will have on anglers and the recreational fishing industry.”
10. Nominate HS All-Americans.
Love it.
11. Is the Texas rig dead?
Bassmaster legend Dave Precht asks that question, tho I think he means are bullet weights dead. I’d say no, but I haven’t fished the Neko Rig yet and shakey heads fo sho rawk.
Most shocking thing about Dave’s column: James Hall from Bassmaster Mag outfished him! Has that ever happened to anyone else?? Has Hall been sandbagging everyone for 20 dang years?? Pretty sure this is Photoshopped too:
HAHAHAHA Hall! He’ll get me at the Classic….
12. New G. Loomis GLX bass rods.
13. MO: Pete “Peter” Peterson selling boats again.
Took a little hiatus, now at Pro’s Choice Marine in Warsaw. Pete’s good people (and paints a mean crankbait) — git him at pete@proschoicemarine.com.
Big winner is Matt S. outta IL — won all this stuff! Stay tuned for the next Blaster giveaway, coming soon!