1. CA: Fisherman passes on at boat launch.
From the article:
> They found a Ford Expedition attached to an empty boat trailer. The SUV’s doors were open and the engine running. There was no boat nearby.
> It is believed that the boat began to float away while Rodriguez was launching it, and he entered the water in an attempt to recover it. The incident is being investigated as an accidental drowning….
Bless you fishing brother. Pls be careful out there folks. Just about anything can go squirrely.
2. Elitist Bill Lowen released a limit bass…
…that he thought would die, but it woulda put him into the first cut. At Tenkiller where legal fish were hard to come by. Props to him for tellin’ the story.
3. Why Paul Elias kneels n reels.
I thought it was cuz he was prayin’ and didn’t wanna stop feeshn but no:
> “Kneeling and reeling causes the bait to not only dive deeper, but quicker. It’s all about getting that bait in the strike zone and keeping it there for as long as possible. Those extra couple of feet and seconds can be so critical.”
Post says Edwin Evers does it too so it must still work….
4. Kelley Jaye head-scratcher about Tenkiller.
> I was catching 40 fish a day, but I wasn’t getting many bites….
So if they weren’t biting but he was ketchin’ ’em, were they jumpin’ into the boat like Asian carp and is that legal under Elite rules?? Lol, believe the word “keeper” was left out…but I read it 3x to make sure I wasn’t nuts….
5. Good donny barone profile of rookie Garrett Paquette.
Hockey player — believe Chris Zaldain shoved a puck around too, and I think at least 1 other guy who I’m fergettin’. Anyhow, post is a good way to learn about GP. db said he has slippers older than Garrett — hahaha!
6. 2020 Opens schedule is out plus 1 change.
Here’s the change:
> The Top 4 anglers from each division’s final points standings will receive an invitation to fish the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series. But as a new addition, Elite Series invitations will also be extended to the Top 4 anglers from the cumulative standings for both divisions.
Eastern Opens:
Jan 15-17, Kissimmee Chain, FL
May 7-9, Cherokee Lake, TN
Aug 6-8, Oneida Lake, NY
Sep 24-26, Lake Hartwell, SC
Central Opens:
Apr 9-11, Lewisville Lake, TX
May 21-23, Neely Henry, AL
Jun 18-20, Arkansas River, OK
Sep 10-12, Sam Rayburn, TX
That’s a lotta driving….
7. MN DNR days it will “mitigate” some of climate change?
From its own news release:
> …[will] mitigate the impacts as much as possible, and adapt to those impacts that cannot be avoided.
Not sure how any impacts can be avoided? Maybe they’ll build one of those Truman Show bubbles:
Oops that’s Ace Ventura, sorry. Either way I smell more bass….
8. TN: Carroll lake reopening in April.
Don’t know anything about it but a 15″ min length and 5/day limit so might have some bigs?
9. OR: Deputy jumps into river, ends up with a Pop-R in his face.
Somehow he has no idea how it happened, but I’m thinkin’: Zell Rowland.
10. ON: ‘Nother cool teen fishin’ story.
> As a teenager, Gallant would set his alarm for 6 a.m. to fish in Bowmanville Creek before catching the 8 a.m. school bus. He remembers stashing his hip waders in his locker at St. Stephen’s Catholic Secondary School so he could fish again right after class.
Nice! Now he fishes bass tourneys. Guess as the global warmin’s and basses migrate north, gonna be more Canadian dudes bein’ bass sticks. I blame Dave Mercer for this whole #invasion…and by extension, Jerry McKinnis….
11. MO flooding = lots of frogs/toads.
I’m sure that’s true everywhere BUT weirdly we had a ton of rain in NJ this spring and we saw way less toads than usual…. Either way, fish you a frowg….
12. Zoom’s coming out with a new frog…that has a tail.
Called the Hollow Body Frog, not out yet, check it — tail’s supposed to help it walk:
12. FL: Okeechobee fishermen concerned about low water.
Hurtin’ boatin’ safety and tourism.
13. CA: Most lakes full…
…so figurin’ the spawn could be epic?
> A review of the 50 major recreation lakes in CA showed that the water levels are 100% of average or better…at 45 of them. Of the other 5 lakes, 4 are better than 90% of average….
14. TN/KY: Residents want steadier KY Lake/Barkley drawdowns.
Way it is now sounds like it’s hurting fishing and tourism:
> The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for drawing down Lake Barkley, while the TVA is responsible for handling the water levels on Kentucky Lake.
> Bill Stevens…of the Cadiz-Trigg County Tourist Commission, said the season for the Barkley and Kentucky Lakes continues to be at the mercy of the Corps. The short season [because of drawdowns] is affecting opportunities for bass and crappie fishing in the area….
15. Asian carp updatin’s.
KY DNR has a new Asian Carp Program director.
Good! Hope he has this on his wall:
TN wants any Asian carp you catch 9″ or less.
MN: Sounds like carp don’t like dance clubs?
> …a dozen submerged speakers began blasting a repetitive drumbeat — a Pacman-like whomp, whomp, whomp — while underwater strobe lights began to pulse with bright flashes.
KY: Dance club barrier build underway at Barkley.
16. Cool FLIR heat/night vision for boats.
> …blends thermal and high-definition visible color video for enhanced identification of buoys, vessels and other targets at night.
Bonus: Might help you see cryptids…but not sure you wanna see ’em….