First Look: Abu Garcia Vendetta Casting Rod By Walker Smith December 27,2016

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December 28, 2016

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First Look: Abu Garcia Vendetta Casting Rod

Walker Smith

December 27,2016

The new generation of Vendetta rods feature some intriguing design changes without compromising their attractive price point.

] I’ve always enjoyed testing affordable bass fishing gear. I’m not far-removed from my college days of saving for months in order to buy a new rod or reel, so I have a special appreciation for well-priced tackle. Fishing can be much more affordable than what many anglers might think.

Priced at $79.99, the new and improved Abu Garcia Vendetta Casting Rods were designed to offer increased fishability and versatility to budget-minded anglers. I’ve had an opportunity to test several of them this year and based on my experiences, these rods are a solid buy if you’re looking to add a few extra lengths and actions to your lineup.

One Trick for Short Striking Swimbait Bass By David A. Brown December 20,2016

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December 26, 2016

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Russ Lane shows off his rigged swimbait and walks through how to rig it this way step by step with whatever weight you want to match the depth you’re fishing / David A. Brown

One Trick for Short Striking Swimbait Bass

David A. Brown

Tuesday at 1:00 AM

Russ Lane gives his quick tip on rigging a split belly swimbait with any size weight you prefer to cut down on short strikes.

Russ Lane’s a big fan of slinging swimbaits when bass fishing for fun and for a living, but he knows attacking bass can pull back on the throttle moments before impact which leads to missed hookups with a swimbait. So, he devised a creative rigging method for his favorite swimbait, the Big Bite Baits BB Kicker for maximum appeal and grabbing power.

“I wanted a way to rig the swimbait to really come to life with a lot of action from nose to tail,” he said. “I also wanted a way to catch more of the short striking bass, because you’ll get a lot of fish that just come up and nip at your bait — even the big ones.”

Winning Baits of 2016 FLW December 21,2016

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December 24, 2016

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Winning Baits of 2016 FLW December 21,2016

December 21, 2016 by FLW Staff

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Before the new tournament season begins next month, we thought it would be a good idea to look back at the top baits from across the FLW circuits in 2016. There were tournaments won with a single bait, and others that required a multitude of options to be used tactically throughout the event.

This article contains the top dogs from each Top 10 Baits gallery that FLW produced in 2016, and hopefully it helps shed a little light on the baits you should add to your arsenal for 2017.

Enjoy!

FLW Tour

Lake Okeechobee, Feb. 4-7: Bradley Hallman kicked off the season with a blowout win on Lake Okeechobee. He relied on a neon blue-colored Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver with a matching punch skirt and a 1 1/2-ounce weight for the bulk of his winning catch. Per Hallman, one of the keys was a special 8-foot-long punching rod from Mosley RodWorks. On the final day, he switched to a Gambler BB Cricket for a slower approach that countered the effects of cooler weather on the fish.

Lake Hartwell, March 17-20: Before winning the Forrest Wood Cup, John Cox got the ball rolling with a win at Lake Hartwell. For the first three days, Cox relied on a wacky-rigged Yamamoto Senko on a 1/0 hook. He cast it around up shallow to search for bedding fish, but also used a beaver-style bait and Zoom Trick Worm. On day four, Cox called an audible and cast a 3/8-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait (black and blue) with a Strike King Menace Grub trailer in some stained water.

Beaver Lake, April 14-17: Quaker State pro Scott Canterbury earned the win on Beaver Lake with a trio of jigs. One was a 3/8-ounce Dirty Jigs Luke Clausen Signature Series Compact Pitchin’ Jig (Canterbury craw) teamed with a NetBait Paca Slim (green pumpkin). The other two were 1/2- and 5/8-ounce Dirty Jigs Scott Canterbury Signature Series Flippin’ Jigs (Canterbury craw and chocolate thunder) trimmed with various chunks and trailers, including a NetBait Paca Chunk. He fished the casting jig on 15-pound-test P-Line Ultimate Fluorocarbon, and the other two on 20- and 25-pound test. For all of them, the Alabama pro used a 7-6, heavy-power Halo Twilite Series II casting rod and a 7.3:1 gear ratio Ardent Apex Grand reel.

Pickwick Lake, May 5-8: Buddy Gross took the title on Pickwick Lake in his rookie season. He used a variety of baits, including a Tennessee River Tackle Tremor Head with a Zoom Super Fluke, a Fringe Tackle Company swimbait rigged on a 5/0 Owner Flashy Swimmer and a 1/4-ounce spinnerbait. However, the main player was a 1-ounce Hog Farmer Baits hair jig worked in eelgrass. Gross fished the majority of the baits on either a 7-foot, 3-inch or 7-foot, 6-inch, extra-heavy Hammer rod with a Lew’s Tournament Pro reel (6.8:1 gear ratio) and 17-pound-test P-Line fluorocarbon.

Kentucky Lake, June 9-12: Jason Lambert set the four-day weight record for an FLW tournament at Kentucky Lake by throwing a combination of three baits. First was a Castaic Heavy Metal Spoon thrown on a 7-foot, 8-inch Duckett White Ice Series rod. Second was a V&M J-Mag Worm, which he threw on a 7-foot, 6-inch, heavy-action Duckett Micro Magic Pro rod. Lambert’s third and primary bait that he used to catch the 29-pound-plus biggest bag of the event on day four was a 1-ounce Luck-E-Strike Scrounger Head matched with a 7-inch Castaic Jerky J and fished with a 7-foot, 10-inch Duckett Micro Magic Pro rod. He fished every bait with Duckett 360 reels and 17-pound-test Vicious Pro Elite fluorocarbon.

Lake Champlain, June 23-26: Scott Martin earned his third Lake Champlain Tour victory with a combination of lures. Martin says he caught a few, including a 5-pounder on the first day, on a LIVETARGET Threadfin Shad TDD70D crankbait, but that an M-Pack Lures jig he trimmed down and tipped with a small trailer caught the numbers. For bedding smallmouths, Martin says he tossed a wide variety of creature baits and other soft plastics.

Forrest Wood Cup, Wheeler Lake, Aug. 4-7: To be crowned Forrest Wood Cup champion, John Cox went way up a creek, and his primary bait the entire time was a Jackall Iobee Frog. He also added a few fish on a Yamamoto Senko.

Lake Norman, Sept. 15-17: To no surprise, Bryan Thrift won the first FLW Tour Invitational in his backyard at Lake Norman, and he did it with a trio of baits. He threw a Damiki Anchovy Shad on a 3/16-ounce jighead, a 1/2-ounce Damiki Mamba 2 Jig and a buzzbait with a white Zoom Horny Toad for the win. He paired the jig on his signature series Fitzgerald 6-foot, 9-inch Heavy Skipping Rod and the other baits on Fitzgerald Stunner HD rods.

Norris Lake, Oct. 20-22: James Watson earned his first Tour title at the Norris Lake Invitational with a 1/2-ounce War Eagle Buzz Toad with a Luck-E-Strike Frantic Frog on the back (all black), a River2Sea Whopper Plopper (130 size; loon color), a River2Sea Bubble Walker and a 7/16-ounce jig trailed with a Luck-E-Strike Baby Guido Bug.

Costa FLW Series

Lake Okeechobee, Jan. 14-16: FLW kicked off the year with a Costa FLW Series Southeastern Division event in Florida on Lake Okeechobee in January. Tennessee pro Jason Lambert brought home the hardware. To win, he fished a 1/2-ounce War Eagle Spinnerbait in sexy mouse color as well as a Z-Man Original ChatterBait with a V & M Thunder Shad trailer.

Shasta Lake, Feb. 18-20: Greg Gutierrez won the opening Western Division event on Shasta Lake and caught fish on a jig and a Carolina rig, but his bread-and-butter bait was a 1/4-ounce Frenzy Baits NAIL shaky head, made by his company and designed by him. He rigged it with a 4.95-inch Reaction Innovations Flirt Worm in either green pumpkin or watermelon and fished it on 15-pound-test braid with a 6-pound-test Gamma Edge leader and a 7-foot, 1-inch, medium-power iRod Genesis II spinning rod.

Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Feb. 25-27: Ricky Guy won the Southwestern Division event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir with a 1/2-ounce 6th Sense Snatch lipless crankbait and a black/blue Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver Texas-rigged on a 3/0 hook with either a 3/16- or 1/2-ounce weight.

Santee Cooper, March 10-12: Taking the Southeastern Division title on Santee Cooper was Bryan Thrift, who used just about every bait in his boat, which isn’t uncommon for him. However, his primary bait was the Damiki Mamba Jig with a Damiki Knock Out trailer. He skipped the combo up under cypress trees for much of his catch.

Lake Dardanelle, March 31-April 2: Jeff Fitts caught all of his bass by flipping grass with a Strike King Rage Tail Rage Bug to win the Central Division event at Lake Dardanelle. He alternated between black/blue and summer craw.

Grand Lake, April 7-9: Zack Birge earned the Southwestern Division win on Grand Lake with a 6th Sense Crush 50X and a Crush Mini 25X in bluegill colors. He cranked them with 10-pound-test Sunline Super FC Sniper fluorocarbon and a 7-foot Falcon cranking rod.

Clear Lake, April 21-23: Todd Woods found a sloping gravel bank where prespawn bass were feeding on shad for the Clear Lake W. He alternated between two moving baits to earn his first Costa FLW Series Western Division title. First was a hitch-colored Basstrix Paddle Tail Swimbait on a 3/8-ounce gold Blade Runner under-spin, which he fished in shallow water. The other was a YUM YUMbrella Flash Mob umbrella rig with 4-inch Basstrix Swimbaits on 3/8-ounce jigheads on top and 5-inch swimbaits with 1/4-ounce jigheads on bottom.

Kentucky Lake, April 28-30: Steve Floyd kept it simple with his winning flipping program at the Central Division event on Kentucky Lake. He targeted shallow bushes with a Texas-rigged green pumpkin Berkley Havoc Pit Boss with a 1/2-ounce Strike King tungsten sinker on 30-pound-test Seaguar fluorocarbon.

Wheeler Lake, May 12-14: Bradley Dortch topped the Southeastern Division field at Wheeler Lake with a 3/8-ounce Picasso Straight Shooter jig teamed with a NetBait Paca Craw in a standard green pumpkin color. He also pitched a Paca Craw on a Texas rig with a 3/8-ounce tungsten weight.

Cal Delta, May 19-21: Charley Almassey grabbed his first Costa FLW Series title in the Western Division event at the Cal Delta. He used a 3/8-ounce Bobby D’s Grinder in a bluegill pattern tipped with Assault Lures Ringer paddle-tail plastic, a 3/8-ounce custom-made swim jig paired with a 4.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact FAT and a new ABT Lures bluegill glide bait. All were thrown on a variety of Spiralite Rods, which he has helped to develop.

Potomac River, June 16-18: For his Northern Division victory on the Potomac River, Casey Smith mostly threw a 4.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact FAT in bluegill flash rigged on a 6/0 wide-gap hook with a 1/4-ounce belly weight. He also caught fish on a 7/16-ounce Gambler Southern Swim Jig with a purple Yamamoto Swim Senko and 1/2-ounce watermelon Z-Man ChatterBait with a Keitech Swing Impact FAT trailer.

1000 Islands, July 21-23: Smallmouth expert Scott Dobson won the Northern Division event at 1000 Islands with some heavy lifting from a drop-shot rigged with a 1/4-, 3/8- or 1/2-ounce weight, depending on the conditions. He paired it with one of three soft baits: a Berkley PowerBait Twitchtail Minnow, a Gulp! Fry Worm or a Gulp! Minnow. He also mixed in a Megabass Vision 110+1 jerkbait and a Duo Realis Spinbait 90 for some key bites.

Lake Oneida, Aug. 18-20: For the win on Oneida and the Northern Division AOY title, Cory Johnston threw a variety of finesse plastics, including tubes and Yamamoto Senkos, as well as a DUO Realis Spinbait 80 (ghost pearl) and a Rapala X-Rap Pop (chartreuse ghost).

Fort Gibson, Sept. 29-Oct. 1: Derek Fulps won the Southwestern Division event at Fort Gibson using a Gene Larew Hoodaddy Jr. and a Zoom Trick Worm rigged with 3/16- to 3/8-ounce weights.

Lake of the Ozarks, Oct. 6-8: At the final Costa FLW Series regular-season event at Lake of the Ozarks, Duke Jenkel got the win thanks to a trio of baits. He says that a Lunker Lure Limit Series Jig tipped with a Strike King Rage Bug was key in practice, but that a green pumpkin and blue Gambler Flipp’n Tube and a Texas-rigged Zoom Magnum Trick Worm (red bug or watermelon candy) did the trick in the tournament.

Table Rock Lake, Nov. 3-5: Costa FLW Series Championship winner Pat Fisher, a former FLW Tour pro, mainly fished shallow wood cover up the James River at Table Rock. He worked the surface with a white 1/4-ounce Boogerman buzzbait. If they wouldn’t eat the topwater, he threw a green pumpkin green Zoom Trick Worm on a shaky head.

BFL All-American

Lake Barkley, June 9-11: All-American champ Jeremy Lawyer used a combination of soft plastics and a crankbait to win on Lake Barkley. The crankbait was a Bandit 200 that he had custom-painted in a herring pattern by Fallcreek Lures. For plastics, he used a green pumpkin Zoom Magnum Trick Worm with the tail dyed chartreuse and rigged on a homemade 3/8-ounce football head with a Gamakatsu hook. He also fished a Texas-rigged green pumpkin Zoom Brush Hog, also with the tails dyed chartreuse.

FLW College Fishing National Championship

Lake Keowee, March 17-19: Lake Keowee hosted the FLW College Fishing National Championship, where Chris Blanchette and Hampton Anderson earned the University of South Carolina its second consecutive title. Blanchette and Anderson caught their fish on white Zoom Lizards Texas-rigged with 5/16-ounce weights and 5/0 hooks. They also used unweighted Yamamoto Senkos fished on 4/0 hooks.

Tags: top-10-baits flw-staff article

First Look: Lew’s APT Speed Fluorocarbon Line by Walker Smith – December 22,2016

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December 24, 2016

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First Look: Lew’s APT Speed Fluorocarbon Line

Walker Smith

December 22,2016

Did you know Lew’s makes fishing line? We’ve been using this fluorocarbon for quite a while and so far, we think it’s a respectable line that deserves some consideration.

Lew’s makes outstanding fishing reels and their newest rod models are excellent as well—but I didn’t quite know what to think when I heard they were making fishing line. But I know how uncompromising their people are, so I took a chance and started using it for a few months.

I was pleasantly surprised with the product. I primarily tested the 12-pound Lew’s APT Speed Fluorocarbon with reaction lures and I’ve had some really good luck with it so far.

Here’s what I think you should know about it.

First Look: MotorGuide X5 Trolling Motor by Walker Smith December 20,2016

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December 24, 2016

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First Look: MotorGuide X5 Trolling Motor

Walker Smith

December 20,2016

After using this new trolling motor this year, Managing Editor Walker Smith has been impressed by its toughness, power efficiency and smooth operation.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not easy on a trolling motor. I’m a shallow-water fisherman and my trolling motors usually look like they’ve been dragged down a gravel road after a few years of use. A trolling motor is a tool in my mind—and that’s exactly how I treat mine.

I had an opportunity to test the new MotorGuide X5 this year and I’ve put it through a lot of abuse thus far. I’ve slammed it into boat docks, hit the prop on submerged rocks and trees, banged into stumps at high speeds and wrapped a darn-near full spool of line in its prop (whoops).

So far, it’s still going strong and shows no signs of slowing down. Here’s what I’ve liked most about it:

Excellent boat control
Tough and quiet mounting bracket
The shaft has a lifetime guarantee against breaking
Easy on the batteries

A living slice of fishing Americana, Dan Johnston embraces new title at St. Croix Rod

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December 21, 2016

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Born in the USA…like the rods

A living slice of fishing Americana, Dan Johnston embraces new title at St. Croix Rod

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Park Falls, WI (December 21, 2016) – He’s been designated a franchise player and bestowed a new title – making him essentially unrecruitable to the competition. St. Croix Rod road-warrior Dan Johnston’s rank has been raised to National Accounts Manager, and the position fits him like a rod in a travel sleeve.

“Among other duties, Dan’s primary responsibility will be managing select key accounts while working closely with our field sales team,” said a jubilant Jeff Crockett, St. Croix’s Director of Sales. “Dan’s level of professionalism, extensive product knowledge and proven track record will be a tremendous benefit to the members of our team and our customers.”

Dan Johnsston breaks down the benefits of the new BASS X series.

Johnston’s new moniker goes live January 1, 2017, exactly 16-years, to the day, his journey with St. Croix began. His commitment to the fishing industry began much earlier, though. Back in high-school, the infinitely energetic Johnston hustled fishing gear and taught fly-fishing at Iowa City, Iowa’s Fin & Feather, a steadfast St. Croix dealer. This, while Johnston fished bass tournaments when he was off the clock. Higher learning called, and Johnston bid farewell to the sporting goods outlet to attend college, only to return as store manager, accentuating his lifelong hunger to be a positive force in the sport he cherishes.

“I’ve been stereotyped as a fly-guy, but I have equal passion for the entire spectrum of fishing,” said Johnston, who is similarly comfortable teaching the arts of ice fishing and skipping baits under docks for bass. “It’s my love for all things fishing that make me a perfect fit for St. Croix, a company that excels at building rods for all fishing pursuits.”

But what makes Johnston glow the most about St. Croix? The culture. “It’s a true family; totally unique in the fishing industry. We’re an extremely tightknit group.

“I like to say the only thing missing at St. Croix is the big black lab waiting to greet you at the door.” Be careful what you wish for, Johnston, because a kennel of lovable labs isn’t out of the question if St. Croix thinks it’ll make happy customers even happier.

St. Croix is driven by product development, and Johnston is a major contributor to that process as well. “The sales team is a conduit to the engineering department, bringing all kinds of ideas and needs from the field.” Valued St. Croix team players like the Southeast’s Randy Hamilton, Northeast’s Dave Colley and Midwest’s Dave Lofgren bring concepts from their territories, while internally, fishing-fanatics the likes of Rich Belanger and new Marketing Director Jesse Simpkins tap the minds of St. Croix’s skilled pro staff.

In short, nobody is left out of the product development process.

Johnston’s new role will also include amplified interaction with media outlets, like Lindner’s Angling Edge. Johnston has become instrumental on the promotional side as a key spokesperson for the St. Croix Rod brand. His expertise and passion are evident in scores of videos, like Johnston’s work on the new BASS X, SOLE fly rod, Legend Glass and Mojo Bass series’ promotional pieces.

Another 16 human years would make Johnston, well, extremely old in black lab years, but odds are St. Croix will be leaving the light on for a long, long time. And Johnston will always come home.

#stcroixrod

Expert fly-fishing instructor, Dan Johnston was instrumental in the launch of ICAST award-winning SOLE.

Premium Cooler and Drinkware Brand Agrees To Multi-Year Deal, Becomes Title Sponsor of FLW College Fishing

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December 21, 2016

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FLW ANNOUNCES SPONSORSHIP AGREEMENT WITH YETI®

Premium Cooler and Drinkware Brand Agrees To Multi-Year Deal, Becomes Title Sponsor of FLW College Fishing

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MINNEAPOLIS (Dec. 21, 2016) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, and YETI®, a leading premium cooler and drinkware brand, announced today a multi-year sponsorship agreement, including title sponsorship of the FLW College Fishing series. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

In addition to their title sponsorship, YETI will receive exposure across multiple FLW platforms, including more than 235 tournaments and Expos, FLW Bass Fishing magazine, FLWFishing.com, newsletters, social media outlets, and the Sports Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show.

“As the interest and popularity of College Fishing continues to grow, we’re excited to start our partnership with YETI, a brand known for their creativity and innovation,” said Trish Blake, FLW President of Marketing. “The team at YETI is committed to helping expand the sport at the collegiate level and leverage the FLW brand to increase their reach across all channels.”

The 2017 YETI FLW College Fishing series features three regular-season tournaments in each of the five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western – along with the annual College Fishing Open. Top teams from each conference’s regular-season tournaments and the annual FLW College Fishing Open advance to the YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship.

“We’re extremely proud to be the official sponsor of the FLW College Fishing series,” said Corey Maynard, Vice President of Marketing at YETI. “YETI is dedicated to the expansion and progression of tournament fishing, and we look forward to multiple years on the water with collegiate anglers.”

College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club.

The 2017 YETI FLW College Fishing series will kick off on Jan. 14 at Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia.

About FLW

FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2017 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 235 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat: @FLWFishing.

About YETI

Founded in Austin, Texas in 2006, YETI is a leading premium cooler and drinkware brand. The world’s top hunters, anglers, outdoor adventurers, BBQ pitmasters, and ranch and rodeo professionals trust YETI to stand up to the world’s harshest conditions. For more on the company and its full line of products and accessories, visit yeti.com.

Is the Spinnerbait an outdated way of catching big bass?

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December 20, 2016

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Ben Hudson – “Blue Collar Bassin’”
TheBassCast.com

The legendary lure of the early 80’s & 90’s
Is the Spinnerbait an outdated way of catching big bass?

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If you’re an angler in their mid-20’s like me, then you grew up watching cassette tapes of The Bassmaster’s on TV in the early 90’s and on the old TNN Outdoors channel. Even rewinding the tapes to shows of the tournaments fished in the late 80’s and all through the 90’s where bass fishing was something a kid dreamed of one day as we would watch our heroes weigh in big bags of bass on TV. It was the golden days of bass fishing for a 90s kid like me where we all dreamed of being on the stage and hearing Ray Scott call out our name and talk about our big bag of bass.
As a kid watching these pros at work on TV, it became clear to me they all seemed to have one common lure that was universally used. It worked week after week no matter which lake they seemed to travel to: the Spinnerbait.

Spinnerbaits were a staple in this age of bass fishing. From the classic pros like Jimmy Houston and Hank Parker, to the newer guys like Kevin VanDam who just emerged onto the bass fishing scene at the time, the spinnerbait was the go to bait in those days. I still can see very clearly in my mind the images of Gary Klein and Jack Hains weighing in 18-20lbs of bass on Buggs Island Lake (a lake nearby to me) all on the spinnerbait. It seemed like the most versatile and consistent bait ever created and I couldn’t help but wonder why it wasn’t being used in modern times like it was in the 90’s?

Let’s fast forward back to the present day. The spinnerbait is nearly non-existent on the pro tour in most cases. New age styles and baits such as underspins, umbrella rigs, swimbaits, drop shots, and shaky heads rule the bassing world. How can such a successful bait fall off the map like it did over a period of 10 to 15 years? Is “the blade” truly an outdated lure?
Absolutely not, the spinnerbait can be just as effective as it was in the 90’s. There is however, a major difference that has caused the bait to decline from the top of the bassing world.
Possibly the biggest factor that made the spinnerbait decline from greatness in recent years is the cleaning of our lakes across the United States. The major lakes across the country have received much work in the last 10 to 15 years resulting in more recreational lakes with much less stained water. Many of them having filters installed on the dams to remove debris. This has caused many lakes to become clearer water tributaries, which in no way favor the spinnerbait.

This cleaning effect combined with the new age baits that have emerged to the “oohs” and “ahhs” of bass anglers everywhere have definitely cut down the spinnerbaits tournament wins. As a fairly bulky bait with lots of sound and flash from the blades, it can spook fish in the clear water and where bass are heavily pressured by more finesse techniques.
So where does the spinnerbait find its role in today’s age of bass fishing? It is definitely still an effective way of catching bass, it just has to be used more carefully in the right conditions. Stained water is definitely the best place to look to throw a spinnerbait if you happen to find it, particularly if you are on a river system or way up a river system connected to the lake you’re on. Sometimes this isn’t enough, on its own the spinnerbait more times than not requires wind to be effective. Moderate to extreme winds help mask the spinnerbait making it easier for bass to confuse for a baitfish, and the flash of the blades also make it easier for a bass to find in heavy winds where finesse baits may get lost in the crashing waves and churned up water.

In the 90’s, the spinnerbait was often used to cover water since it could be fished in heavy cover, rocks, or even grass. While it still has this versatility today, it is used much less frequently due to the changing water conditions and pressure the new age baits have put on bass. FLW pro Zack Birge made it obvious to everyone recently how effective the spinnerbait can still be, as he roared to an FLW victory on Wheeler lake using old school spinnerbait tactics to pick apart wood structure on the Elk river section of Wheeler. This proved the theory even more that the spinnerbait is still effective if used in the correct situations.
It may not be the lure every pro has on deck tied to their favorite rod like it was in the early 90’s, but the spinnerbait is still relevant if used in the right condition. It’s just not as straight forward as it was in the 90’s. If used in the right conditions though, ideally wind and stained water, the spinnerbait can still load your boat with a big bag of bass.
Before you write off the magical bait of the 80s and 90s, remember all baits have their place in today’s modern bassing world, even if it doesn’t work the same way it did in the past. So next time you’re fishing your home lake on a cool spring morning, and see the water a little stained with some wind, Tie on that old school spinnerbait and you may just relive the golden age of the Bassmasters.

Ben Hudson, Pro Staff
“Blue Collar Bassin’“
TheBassCast.com

Potential world record spot caught December 19, 2016 BASSMASTER.com

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December 20, 2016

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Potential world record spot caught December 19, 2016 BASSMASTER.com

Industry News

Cody Meyer caught a 10.80-pound spotted bass that is the potential world record. The behemoth spot was caught on Dec. 16, 2016, from Bullards Bar reservoir, a famed spotted bass fishery in northern California.

“JR Wright and I had caught three really big spots that day (6.66, 8.35 and 7.74 pounds). Then I marked one single big fish on my electronics. It was suspended about 20 feet down over 100 feet of water. I cast my Ocho to it, let it sink and then my line jumped” he said recollecting the bite. “It was immediately obvious that it was another big one, but it wasn’t until I saw her that I actually realized how big she was,” said Meyer, a Strike King and FLW pro. He has also fished in seven Bassmaster Opens.

“We caught four of the five on a wacky-rigged Strike King 5-inch Ocho in the KVD Magic color. The fifth fish came on a 3.75-inch Strike King Rage Swimmer rigged on a 1/2-ounce Squadron Head Jig. For the Ocho, I was using Daiwa spinning gear, with a main line of 15 pound Seaguar Smackdown braid and a 6 pound Seaguar Tatsu leader. I rigged the Ocho on a size 1 Owner Mosquito Hook. That setup is my go-to when fishing for those big spots,” says Meyer, who lives in Auburn, Calif.

The California Fish and Game Dept. officially recorded the weight and details of Cody’s catch on-site. Once all the appropriate paperwork is filed, The Department will make the determination if this bass will unseat the current record of 10.48 that was caught in 2014.

Three anglers score “fishing first” in NW Ontario via Old Town® Predator PDL™ kayaks

Product Review

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December 19, 2016

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Canadian Fly-In Fishing By Kayak

Three anglers score “fishing first” in NW Ontario via Old Town^® Predator PDL™ kayaks

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Old Town, Maine (December 19, 2016): Three anglers. Three days. 13 muskies. Countless big brown bass. Multi-species mayhem. The fishing trip of a lifetime.

There aren’t many “fishing firsts” left to achieve. Sure, species records are routinely set and broken, but most of what can be done, has been done. There are few new territories to explore.

Enter three intrepid anglers and a unique expedition to fish the remote fly-in-only waters of Northwest Ontario’s Sunset Country in pedal-driven kayaks… finding and catching fish with their feet… a legitimate fishing ‘first.’

With the help of Nestor Falls Fly-In Outposts, these fish-heads brainstormed a new, repeatable quest for other anglers, a contemporary take on the classic Canadian fly-in canoe fishing trip—but with the benefit of amazing engineering and unrivalled small watercraft boat control for hands-free fishing.

The adventurous anglers quickly discovered the Old Town Predator PDL a perfect boat to quickly reach (up to 5.5 mph) and efficiently explore every nuance of the untamed Canadian waters. From precisely positioning off rock islands, reefs, and weed beds, to trolling craggy shorelines and big-fish holding breaks along towering cliffs, the Predator PDL surpassed every criteria for fishability, including reverse pedal motion when they needed it to fight muskies away from cover.

Whether slinging Giant FlatSticks or flinging flies, the crew also spent a lot of time standing and fishing, eyes glued to the gin-clear depths for muskie follows.

“I was floored by the Predator PDL,” says Grant Prokop, muskie guide and owner of Thousand Lakes Sporting Goods in Cohasset, Minnesota. “We pedaled 8-12 miles a day but it didn’t seem like exercise at all, even crossing large open-water stretches in head wind. I didn’t miss anything from a big multi-species boat… the fishability and stability was just incredible. I could even figure-8.”

Considered by many the fish of 10,000 casts, muskies are notoriously hard to catch… but not so much on NW Ontario waters, as Prokop describes.

“I completely lost track of how many muskie follows we had. The three of us caught 13 in three days, which is just ridiculous. It’s pretty amazing what these fly-in lakes offer in terms of numbers. Although we didn’t land any toothy-critter past the mid-40-inches mark, we did see some bigger fish, which makes me want to go back soon!”

Hard to believe, but the gang found a lot more than muskies. Big smallmouth bass attacked X-Raps with pugilistic intensity—and a couple 20-plus-inchers were actually caught on muskie baits.

“It was a dream fishing trip, where everything came together perfectly,” says fishing writer Jim Edlund. “We’ve all been on enough trips that don’t necessarily go that way, so when they do they’re especially memorable. The multi-species action was incredible, from our very first cast to the last. And, to be honest, the fish were a bonus to the serenity of the place, the northern lights, loons, eagles, and Canadian shore lunches… it was all there… the stuff you read about in magazines as a kid come to life. And it’s cool to have been part of the first group of anglers to do a Canadian fly-in with pedal-driven kayaks. I can’t think of a better way to explore and fish remote waters. I think this opens up a whole new way to do fly-in trips.”

About the Predator PDL

Length: 13’ 2”
Width: 36″
Weight: 117 lbs. (Pedal Drive: 21 lbs.)
Carrying Capacity 500 lbs
Forward and reverse for exact boat control in wind and current
Smooth, quiet and easy to pedal
Removable PDL Drive installs in seconds and tips up instantly for shallow-water docking
Fast and maneuverable, with one-hand-operated rudder steering
Specially-designed hull with generous width for stability and storage
Includes accessory mounting plates, Element Seating System and other standard Predator features
Ease of transport
Low maintenance

MSRP $2,799.99

Like other Predator models, the Predator PDL is infinitely customizable with rigging accessories from Cannon®, Scotty™, YakAttack®, RAM®, and more.

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