Friday, December 19, 2025
Home Blog Page 1118

IMPORTANCE OF LIGHT AND HEAVY FISHING LINE – Staff November 29,2016

IMPORTANCE OF LIGHT AND HEAVY FISHING LINE

[print_link]
Fishing line іѕ one of thе most іmроrtаnt іtеmѕ when fіѕhіng. Fоr аnglеrѕ, hаvіng thе bеѕt ԛuаlіtу line undеnіаblу рlауѕ a mаjоr rоlе іn саtсhіng a fіѕh. Undеrѕtаndіng thе dіffеrеnt types оf fіѕhіng line аnd having thе knowledge tо use thе rіght lіnеѕ in the rіght ѕіtuаtіоn, could ѕіgnіfісаntlу іmрrоvе an аnglеrѕ’ fіѕhіng success.
Cаtсhіng different species of fіѕh mіght dереnd оn thе tуре аnd wеіght capacity оf lіnе уоu are uѕіng, so thіѕ іѕ аn іmроrtаnt соmроnеnt оf your fіѕhіng success. Whіlе the tуреѕ оf rееlѕ can bе important tо thе fishing line tуреѕ уоu use оn thеm, lіghtеr line оffеrѕ ѕоmе аdvаntаgеѕ оvеr heavier lіnе, whеn іt соmеѕ tо саtсhіng fіѕh thаt are еаѕіlу spooked. On the оthеr hаnd, you nееd to carefully consider thе fіѕhіng lіnе types уоu use tо land bіggеr fіѕh, ѕо ѕрооlіng уоur саrр rоd combo or осеаn rееl with heavier lіnе wеіghtѕ makes mоrе ѕеnѕе.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF FISHING LINE
Braided, mоnо fіlаmеnt and fluorocarbon lіnеѕ аrе thе thrее mаіn types оf fіѕhіng lіnеѕ. Whіlе choosing, оnе must be keeping іn mind аѕ tо what tуре оf fіѕh hе wаntѕ tо uѕе thіѕ particular lіnе for. Thе соѕt of thе lіnе vаrіеѕ аѕ wеll аѕ the composition. Onе muѕt nоt compromise on thе ԛuаlіtу; іt саn make a dіffеrеnсе bеtwееn coming hоmе еmрtу hаndеd or hаvіng a ѕuссеѕѕful fіѕhіng trip. A gооd аnglеr knows the іmроrtаnсе оf hаvіng the bеѕt оf fishing tасklеѕ.
Brаіdіng or superlines as thеу call thеm are great fоr trolling аnd hеаvу соvеr. They hаvе vіrtuаllу nо stretch and thе роundаgе tо dіаmеtеr is unbеlіеvаblе. The dоwnѕіdе is thаt thе lіnе іѕ highly vіѕіblе; hоwеvеr it іѕ very beneficial for trоllеrѕ tо use.
Mоnо fіlаmеnt lines are knоwn fоr іtѕ vеrѕаtіlіtу. It іѕ a рlаѕtіс lіnе made оf nylon. Strеngth, tоughnеѕѕ, dіаmеtеr, lіmрnеѕѕ, memory, knot strength and соlоr іѕ tо be tаkеn a nоtе оf before buуіng a fіѕhіng lіnе оr gеttіng іt tаіlоr mаdе. These lіnеѕ саn ѕtrеtсh but if unuѕеd for a long tіmе can аlѕо lоѕе thаt аbіlіtу. Mоnо filament lines are rеlаtіvеlу invisible іn wаtеr. It соmеѕ сhеар and works in a wіdе rаngе оf fіѕhіng nееdѕ. Quality соntrоl саn be fоund іn thе more еxреnѕіvе types оf fіѕhіng lіnеѕ.
Fluоrосаrbоn is mоѕt commonly utilized аѕ lеаdеr mаtеrіаl, because of іtѕ сараbіlіtіеѕ оf lооkіng аlmоѕt invisible, especially whеn it is submerged under the wаtеr’ѕ surface. Thіѕ line also has gооd memory. Yоu will gеt a ѕрrіng or соіl аffесt while fіѕhіng wіth іt whеn you spool уоur rееl.
In addition, tо thеѕе dіffеrеnt tуреѕ of fіѕhіng lіnе, you can аlѕо buy it іn dіffеrеnt соlоrѕ. Yоu usually wаnt tо mаtсh thе color оf your line to thе color оf the water so іf уоu are fishing іn Muddy Wаtеrѕ уоu mіght go wіth brown, wееdу wаtеrѕ might bе bеttеr wіth grееn аnd if thе ѕun is оut уоu might wаnt a bluе fluоrеѕсеnt tо match wіth the wаtеr but аlѕо gіvе you vіѕіbіlіtу to see thе line above thе water.
Keeping уоur fishing lіnе іn optimal shape іѕ important bесаuѕе іnfеrіоr lіnе quality lеаdѕ to breakage, knotting problems аnd casting рrоblеmѕ. If уоur lіnе іѕ tоо visible, you wіll ѕсаrе оff ѕоmе tуреѕ of fіѕh, but mоѕt fishing rоdѕ аnd rееlѕ wіll mаkе rесоmmеndаtіоnѕ оf line wеіght, for normal соndіtіоnѕ. Thеrе are ѕоmе fіѕhіng line tуреѕ thаt wіll ѕіnk faster, саѕt furthеr and stretch mоrе. While monofilament fishing lіnе іѕ probably thе mоѕt соmmоn, brаіdеd ѕuреrlіnеѕ оr fluorocarbon lіnеѕ mіght work bеttеr іn tоughеr fіѕhіng conditions, еѕресіаllу when gоіng after bіggеr ѕресіеѕ of fіѕh оr whеn fіѕhіng where ѕhаrр rосkѕ or hеаvу brush еxіѕt.
Wаtеr conditions саn dісtаtе fіѕhіng lіnе tуреѕ bесаuѕе you wаnt tо uѕе lеѕѕ соnѕрісuоuѕ fluorocarbon line or a good quality monofilament in сlеаr wаtеrѕ, but іf there are lots оf rосkѕ аnd weeds, соnѕіdеr ѕоmе оf thе “ѕuреrlіnеѕ” thаt offer mоrе ѕtrеngth. When соnѕіdеrіng test wеіghtѕ, kеер іn mind уоu саn lаnd fіѕh thаt аrе twice thе wеіght оf thе test, іn mаnу cases. Fоr example, eight роund tеѕt line mіght bе аblе tо land a fіѕh thаt іѕ sixteen роundѕ, depending on thе соndіtіоnѕ.
Thе bеѕt rule іѕ tо uѕе lіnе weight that іѕ capable of lаndіng the average ѕіzеѕ of fіѕh уоu will bе саtсhіng, but uѕе the lightest wеіght роѕѕіblе, wіthоut rіѕkіng thе lоѕѕ оf a fіѕh. Since good quality lіnеѕ mіght be able tо stretch furthеr, wіthоut brеаkіng, уоu nееd tо аvоіd thе dіѕсоunt аnd generic brаndѕ, оr you might lose tоо many fіѕh оvеr a couple dоllаrѕ.
If уоu сhооѕе a lіnе weight that is tоо heavy, уоu mіght hаvе рrоblеmѕ саѕtіng, the fіѕh will see thе lіnе and уоu might nоt bе аblе tо gеt a gооd hооk-ѕеt bесаuѕе оf too much slack іn thе lіnе, since heavier lіnе іѕ mоrе rіgіd. On thе other hand, if you are gоіng саrр fіѕhіng оr cat fіѕhіng, уоu ѕhоuld еxресt heavier lіnе tо оffеr thе bеѕt rеѕultѕ аnd thеѕе bottom feeding fіѕh dоn’t use ѕіght to find thеіr food as muсh as bаѕѕ, trout and panfish, ѕо lіnе vіѕіbіlіtу іѕn’t аѕ іmроrtаnt.
The choice of fіѕhіng line ѕhоuld bе done keeping in mind thе аbоvе роіntѕ. Bеѕіdеѕ, thеѕе varies dереndіng on thе tуре оf еnvіrоnmеnt оr thе type of wаtеr аnd the соndіtіоnѕ іn which wе аrе gоіng fоr fіѕhіng. A good fіѕhіng line іѕ very іmроrtаnt fоr a gооd fishing. Sо, mаkе уоur сhоісе аftеr рrореrlу аnаlуzіng your rеԛuіrеmеntѕ.

Fishing-centric gift ideas that put matter over money, range around the $25 mark

0

Big Buys for Modest Money

[print_link]

Fishing-centric gift ideas that put matter over money, range around the $25 mark

What do you buy for the angler that has everything? First off, there’s no such thing as “the angler who has everything.” There’s always space to cram a new, must-have lure in the StowAway®. Or maybe add a fully inventoried box altogether. Better yet, get an entirely new tackle bag and stuff it to the gills. Point being, if there’s an angler on your Christmas list, trust that they don’t own everything, and will always appreciate a fishing-gear-gift.

Now Uncle Joe and Cousin Cletus mightn’t be deserving of a new boat, motor and trailer this season. But seeing that they’re blood, and put you on a pile of crappies this fall, they have some value, so to speak. Maybe keep it around 25 bones? Sounds fair.

Gifts for $25-ish-ish

Custom Jigs & Spins has kitted-up 8 of their quaking B3 Blade Baits. Available in ¼ and ½ ounce sizes, and 9 choice patterns – including the popular Glow Pink and Red Tiger – the B3 can be put to immediate use on the ice, jigging deep reservoir bass or ripping crappies off brush. Classic fish triggering devices, blade baits evoke instinctive strikes when intuition says to fish slow and sleepy. The B3 Blade Bait kit can be snagged online, manufacturer direct for $22.99.

Arguably the hottest new release of the year is the award-winning Trapper Hook from Trapper Tackle. The revolutionary hook physique address two persistent problems anglers face using antiquated J-shaped hooks: First, J-hooks rock and rotate in a fish’s mouth as the fish fights for freedom. The thrashing expands the initial point of entry and creates a path to escape. Second, the round bend of J-hooks allows soft plastics and live baits to slide freely as the bait is cast and retrieved. The patent-protected design of the Trapper Hook addresses these problems with two right-angle bends at the base of the hook shank, creating the Trapper Box, which locks fish – and baits – in place. Depending on hook-style (5-varieties), prices for 5-packs range from $3.79 to $6.79; 25-hook bulk sacks from $14.99 to $34.79.

Build your own custom Fin-Wing spoon gift set. Mix and match colors and sizes, easily bobbing and weaving around the $25 mark. The Fin-Wing’s distinctive stamped shape—time tested since 1948, with “wings” that flare out at just the right angle as well a hole placed perfectly in the bait’s main body— gives this gift-able spoon its realistic swimming moves. Nothing more complex than a large, sweeping jigging motion brings the Fin-Wing to life through the ice. Simply lift the rod tip a foot or so and let the lure freefall on a limp line. Simple as that. Fin-Wings are wicked on the troll and cast, too, enticing freshwater and saltwater fishes. DEFINITELY include some of the new glow patterns. Individuals range from $5.49 to $9.99 and can be purchased factory direct.

The swimbait craze is alive and well, and rightly so. These ridiculously realistic lookers and swimmers are certified fish slayers. And nobody is better qualified than LIVETARGET to sculpt clone-quality swimbaits, either. Beyond their realistic profiles and patterns, each member of LIVETARGET’s Swimbait Series is fraught with highly engineered features, including internal weighting for true-running, integrated low-profile, extra wide-gap hook, dorsal fin shield to thwart snags, accessory pin to add hooks or blades and customized oscillating tail that generates species-specific swimming actions. Freshwater LIVETARGET Swimbaits are available in Threadfin Shad, Gizzard Shad, Blueback Herring, Trout Parr, Adult Trout, Golden Shiner and Yellow Perch; saltwater species include Mullet, Pinfish and Sardine. MSRPs range between $9.99 and $18.49.

Frabill—the legendary bait care company—solved the perennial conundrum of how to transport both minnows and creepy-crawlies at once. The Frabill 4823 Dual Bait Bucket is part awesome aerated baitwell, part worm, leech, cricket, larvae or goodness-knows-what-else container. Say bye-bye to crushed Styrofoam tubs, lost lids and most importantly, dead bait. Frabill’s Dual Bait Bucket keeps minnows cool and frisky inside 1.3 gallons of insulated, optimally aerated water. Clipped snuggly astride, a portable Frabill aerator reliably feeds continuous oxygenation through a connected tube and micro diffuser. Separately, to safely and smartly stow nightcrawlers or other bait, a specialized built-in lid compartment keeps the critters equally chilled and cheerful. The two compartments are totally isolated because, seriously, no one wants worm poop mixing with their minnows. Think of it as a livebait duplex—both tenants mostly unaware of either’s existence but living in perfect harmony under one roof. Retail prices range around $29.

Did anyone ask the truckers if they were okay with the millennials stealing their style? You know, the hats; those tall suckers? And now the flat brims and structured crowns are totally dope with the young (and young-at-heart) angler. Well, St. Croix might be 68-years old, but think of us like that unbelievably cool grandpa, the one that listens to rap and thinks your dad is a fuddy-duddy. St. Croix’s new Offset Logo Trucker Cap comes in 5 rad color schemes and are available in St. Croix’s online store.

A spool of fresh fishing line – especially a slick new formula – makes for a primo stocking stuffer. Seaguar’s new Finesse Fluorocarbon is a solid buy for the angler in your universe. The techy new line is created using an exclusive double-structure process that combines two custom Seaguar fluorocarbon resins to create a line with smaller diameters and exceptional knot and tensile strength. It’s soft and supple with low memory, making it a great choice for finesse applications. Seaguar Finesse Fluorocarbon is available on 150 yd. spools and formulated in four sizes for finesse presentations including 5.2 lb., 6.2 lb. 7.3 lb. and 8.4 lb. Beautifully boxed spools are stickered for around $25.

In this era of specialization, Plano has concocted a tackle storage solution aimed squarely at the boat angler. Load the Lund. Rack the Ranger. Store it in the Skeeter. Trick-out the Tracker. Plano’s On-Board Series stows ideally in boats of all colors and creeds, freshwater and saltwater. A fistful of design features make the On-Board perfect for the boater. First, their low-profile silhouette ducks down and into storage lockers, under seats, even below the wheel. Next, the On-Board Series is outfitted with an ingenious mesh panel and fabric cover for drainage. The On-Board’s drainage feature eliminates the risk of soaking your tackle bags and ultimately rusting lures. The On-Board 3600 size (18”W x 9.75”L x 8”H) sells for around $25.

 

 

 

 

Steve Coleman & Aron Falwell win Pro’s Choice 2016 Classic on SML November 27,2016

img_2311

1st Place Steve Coleman & Aron Falwell with five fish weighing 18.95lbs.

img_2310

2nd Place Ben & Brandon Reynolds with five fish weighing 17.75

img_2309

3rd Place Mark & Mike Bradshaw with five fish weighing 15.95lbs.

img_2335

Kentucky Lake To Host Toyota Bonus Bucks Team Championship

0
Competitors will take on Kentucky Lake during the Toyota Bonus Bucks Team Championship held out of Paris, Tenn., Nov. 30-Dec. 3, 2016.

Photo by Chris Toohey/Bassmaster

Nov. 28, 2016

Kentucky Lake To Host Toyota Bonus Bucks Team Championship

PARIS, Tenn. — As a Bassmaster Elite Series angler, Mark Menendez fishes all over the United States, crisscrossing the continent in search of winning limits of bass.

But when Menendez fishes for fun, he heads home to Paducah, Ky., and nearby Kentucky Lake. At a sprawling 160,000 acres, it’s a great place to wet a line and enjoy time alone, with family, or a few friends. Ranked No. 12 on Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes list this year, it’s also a popular fishery for tournament anglers.

On Nov. 30-Dec. 3, amateur anglers from around the U.S. will get to experience Kentucky Lake during a competition of their own — the 2016 Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship.

The first two days of the tournament will attract around 200 two-person teams to the fishery. Teams are composed of anglers from various independently operated team trails sanctioned by B.A.S.S.

After the Toyota Bonus Bucks Team champions are crowned at the end of the second day, members of the top three teams will then fish individually in the Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off, with the winning angler earning a spot in the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic on Lake Conroe near Houston, Texas.

Menendez predicts that Kentucky Lake will provide a thrilling — and challenging — test for the team anglers in late November and early December.

“The fish are going to be super scattered,” Menendez said. “They’ll be in the backs of bays and off the points and in the river channels. It’s all dependent on the shad.”

Shad locations are the keys to success on Kentucky Lake year-round, but when the water level is dropped during the colder months, it makes bass act in ways you might not expect, Menendez said.

There are other variables on Kentucky Lake that Menendez said could come into play during the Bassmaster Team Championship. Recent warm weather in the area is chief among them.

“The water the first week of December typically is about 52 degrees, and it could be 48 degrees if you get a couple of really nice cold days,” Menendez said. “But the water temperature as of early November was about 68 to 70 degrees. It’s been unseasonably warm.”

While that is sure to change somewhat by tournament time, the sheer magnitude of Kentucky Lake and its more than 2,000 miles of shoreline could send anglers scrambling to find the biggest fish. There’s hydrilla on the south end of the lake to consider for spinnerbaits, and the “smallmouth factor” could come into play, as well, according to Menendez.

“There are ample smallmouth bass in the lake that are in the 4- to 6-pound range,” he said. “And at this time of year, they’re a heck of a lot easier to catch than a largemouth. Now, will the tournament be won with smallmouth? I don’t think so, unless it gets really overcast and bumpy [windy] out there. If it does, someone can take a spinnerbait or a jerkbait and do well.”

He also recommends lipless crankbaits fished in 6 to 12 feet of water.

“Everyone should be able to catch 2-pounders, but of course, it’s the 4-pounders you’re looking for,” he says. “To make the Top 3, it should take somewhere around 32 to 35 pounds [for two days]. Someone is going to catch 20, then 12 and be left out. But if you can get 17 and then 17 again, you’re probably in.”

Menendez also urged competitors in the upcoming Team Championship to exercise caution while boating on Kentucky Lake.

“Everyone’s going to be excited with a shot at the Classic on the line, but you have to be extremely careful,” he said. “On the west side of the lake, stay in between the channel markers. It gets really low in there with the winter pull, and there could be some lower units torn up beyond repair if you go full speed in there. On the east side of Kentucky Lake, the bays are fine, but be careful getting in and out of them. It’s shallow at the entrances.”

This will be the third year for the Toyota Bonus Bucks Team Championship, and the 12th time B.A.S.S. will hold a professional tournament on Kentucky Lake — a giant impoundment of the Tennessee River straddling the border between Kentucky and Tennessee. Last year’s team championship was held on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville, and approximately 400 anglers participated.

Chris Risner and Timothy Eaton of Michigan won the team championship, but Thomas Martens of Lago Vista, Texas, won the fish-off and qualified for the Classic on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Oklahoma.

The event will be hosted by the Henry County Alliance.

“The Henry County Alliance is happy to partner with B.A.S.S. as we showcase Kentucky Lake, one of the top fisheries in the country, at the Toyota Bonus Bucks Team Championship,” said David Hamilton, CEO of the Henry County Alliance. “Previous Bassmaster anglers have brought in total weights of more than 95 pounds, and we are looking forward to seeing the big bass anglers will weigh-in at this tournament, as well.”

Paris Landing State Park will be the location for takeoffs at 6:30 a.m. CT, with daily weigh-ins following at 2:30 p.m. CT.

2016 Bassmaster Team Championship Title Sponsor: Toyota Bonus Bucks

2016 Bassmaster Team Championship Premier Sponsors: Mercury, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha, Huk, Humminbird, Minn Kota, GoPro

2016 Bassmaster Team Championship Supporting Sponsors: Livingston Lures, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Carhartt, Phoenix Boats, Rapala, Shimano, Shell Rotella

What’s all the Noise about at Yak Attack with Luther Cifers

A look into the future of Yak Attack with Luther Cifers. Take a listen as he gives us a look at whats hes been up to, with his new brand of Kayaks as well as his thoughts on the future of the kayak fishing industry.

Listen to “What's all the Noise about at Yak Attack with Luther Cifers” on Spreaker.

2016 NC, TN, and VA AOY RESULTS – KayakTournaments.com

0

This has been a wonderful season. There were a lot of huge bags submitted and even some truly monstrous fish. Last week the last tournament of the year came to an end. You all fished hard this year, and for that I thank you. With that said, there are only be one Angler Of The Year(for each state). It takes dedication, hard work, skill, and maybe even a little bit of luck to be AOY. These anglers are the best of the best.

The AOY for each state will qualify for the 2017 Kayak Bass Fishing National Championship. If that angler has qualified already through another event, then the spot will roll down to the next, and so on. The Angler Of The Year points have tallied. Here are the results.

2016 NC, TN, and VA AOY RESULTS

Virginia

va_aoy

Jody Queen has had a heck of a season this year. Jody had 3 first place finishes, and 2 third place finishes. He was already qualified for the KBF NC so it will roll down to Forrest Short.


Tennessee

tn_aoy

Robert Barnett had a first place finish and 2 second place finishes, putting him on top of the AOY leaderboard. Robert will join us for his first time at Kentucky Lake for the National Championship.


North Carolina

nc_aoy

North Carolina had a three way tie in points for the AOY, so it came down to big fish for a tie breaker. Jamie Denison’s 23 inch largemouth bass broke the tie and put him in the first place, and earned him the title, Angler Of The Year. Jamie, and the other top 8 anglers had already qualified for the NC, giving the spot to Holton Walker. Congrats Holton, see you in Tennessee!


Click here to find out more about the 2017 Kayak Bass Fishing National Championship

kbf_natl_chmp_button_300

kbf_kw_coin-partner

St. Croix young gun is making his tournament bass-fishing mark

0

Getting Schooled by Books and Bass

St. Croix young gun is making his tournament bass-fishing mark

[print_link]
Park Falls, WI (November 22, 2016) – Test time… Are you smarter than a college student? Start by answering the following question:

Q: What were your goals after high school?

A: Starting collage

B: Entering a trade that could become a lifelong career
C: Just wanted to bass fish all day, every day
D: All of the above

Well, if you’re anything like 18-year-old Ryan Wood—and who doesn’t want to be —you’d be circling “D…All of the above”.

A risky move choosing to be a professional bass angler, squandering the knowledge gained from the marketing classes at Texas’ Dallas Baptist University, you say? Not if you know the young Broomfield, Colorado, resident’s past.


Delving

Before the ripe age of 10, Wood was doing what most any kid infatuated with fishing would do growing up near Denver: He’d head to the spring-fed Rocky Mountain streams and target trout.

But as fate would have it, Wood’s father got him switching species and involved in a school sanctioned bass-fishing club headed by St. Croix advocate Chad LaChance of “Fishful Thinker”. And by 2008, the aspiring Wood had won his first tournament, becoming the Colorado State Junior Champion… Well, almost.

According tournament rules, he was too young to accept the trophy. Dang…

Fast forward through the past eight years and you’ll notice a trend. Wood won the 2012 Colorado State Junior Championship, which led to his 2013 Bassmaster Junior Western Divisional Championship victory and then a 2013 Bassmaster Junior World Championship first place. After that, in both 2014 and 2015, he was the Colorado High School State Championship winner. Last but not least, Wood became this past summer’s 2016 Bassmaster High School National Champion. A nice run, you could say.
“Ever since my first win I have wanted to fish bass tournaments professionally,” says Wood. “It was a no-brainer to join the fishing team in high school; from there the passion has grown even stronger.”

And the now fulltime college student is honored to be fishing with “The Best Rods on Earth.” “St. Croix has helped me so much. Everyone, and I mean everyone at the company treats prostaff like family,” he adds.

 

“And you can feel the passion of catching fish in every rod they build. Their support is the greatest. St. Croix is allowing me to become the professional angler I want to be later in life.”

St. Croix, too, is thrilled to sponsor some of fishing’s most passionate young-gun anglers like Wood.

“Because of working with LaChance, Ryan was part of the St. Croix family well before this last Bassmaster win,” states St. Croix Marketing Director Jesse Simpkins.

“Overall, we want to do more than just be a company that sponsors high school and college teams; we want to be deeply engaged with the athletes, involved with our entire staff. And it’s more than just allowing them to become better anglers… It’s about working with them on the business side of the industry as well.”


“X” marks the spot

Like all fishing pros, Wood has his own instinctive approaches to hooking fish when the pressure is on. And St. Croix’s new BASS X series offers a technique specific rod perfect for his every challenge; whether conditions call for topwater toads, drop-shotting or pulling cranks past the faces of fish.

Let’s hear some of Wood’s specifics.

Q: What baits did Wood use during the 2016 Bassmaster High School National Championship on Kentucky Lake while fishing super-shallow when most other tournament goers were working deep?

A: Floating jerkbaits
Wood says it’s the crisper action when jerking with braid and a short, 12-inch leader that makes this rod the 6-foot 8-inch medium-power extra-fast action BASS X spinning rod stand out. It works wonders with suspending bodybaits, as well.
Q: This is Wood’s go-to when fish are deep and it takes a little finesse to get fish to bite.
A: Drop-shotting
Wood wants a rod to be very sensitive and lightweight for drop-shotting, yet have plenty of backbone. That, and an extra-fast tip to keep fish pinned when being reeled in from the depths. His choice is the 6-foot 10-inch medium-light-power, extra-fast-action BASS X spinning rod coupled with 10-pound-test braid and a 6- to 10-pound-test fluorocarbon leader.

Q: When bass hold tight to timber or are in thick, matted grass, Wood uses these two methods to pull fish out before they can become entangled.


A: Flipping jigs and Texas rigging
Wood says the rods need enough beefiness to set huge hooks home, but still must be light and sensitive. He calls on the 7-foot 4-inch heavy-power, fast-action BASS X casting rod.
Q: This is another favorite of Wood’s when fish are shallow or feeding just under the surface. With 15-pound-test fluorocarbon line, Wood says the 7-foot 2-inch medium-heavy-power, moderate-action BASS X casting rod gets the nod. The rod is so sensitive, he can feel not only if the lure is hitting structure, but can even depict the type. What bait is he throwing?

A: Square bill crankbaits. And it’s the abovementioned crankbait rod that Wood says loads up perfectly to keep fish hooked when they jump.

So, are you smarter than a bass-fishing college student? One last tip from Wood.
“Study fishing; read everything you can about catching fish in magazines and online. But then realize you need to get out there and do it. And try to learn something every time out.

 

“Go out with that mindset and you’ll learn to catch more fish than ever.”

 

Safe to say we have a well-educated tournament bass fisherman on our hands.

A look back @ the Bass Nation Championship with Michael Coleman

0

We had the opportunity to talk to Michael Coleman about his 4th place finish at the 2016 Bass Nation Championship. A must listen to interview for all those Co-Anglers looking to fish the BASS Nation events.

Listen to “A look back @ the Bass Nation Championship with Michael Coleman” on Spreaker.

Shimano Announces High School and College Fishing Program FTR Staff November 21, 2016

LADSON, S.C.— To engage young anglers – especially those already enjoying the growing popularity in high school and college bass fishing tournaments, Shimano will kick-off its youth fishing program on December 1, announces Steve Ferrara, Shimano fishing division vice president. The program aims to introduce and educate high school and college age anglers on Shimano tackle to help them have more fishing success, create lifetime relationships even beyond their time on the water, and open their eyes and teach young anglers about the sustainable use of the resource. “We want them to further appreciate the sport in more ways than just catching a big bass,” Ferrara said.images

Megabass MAGSLOWL Swimbait Review by Jason Sealock – November 17,2016

0

Megabass MAGSLOWL Swimbait Review

Jason Sealock

November 17,2016

One of my favorite new swimbaits of 2016 is the new Megabass Magslowl. Find out why here.

I’ve had the Megabass Magslowl swimbaits since July, when they sent me the first runs with their ICAST introduction materials this summer. Since that time I’ve been experimenting and waiting on the swimbait bite to get going again, because I knew the first time I threw it, the Magslowl was going to be another great tool for certain swimbait bites I fish.

I have boxes and shelves full of swimbaits, but I feel like each one has something it does a little better in certain situations and circumstances. And learning the nuances of each bait makes you a more effective angler. So I’ve been able to spend a few months learning the nuances of the Megabass Magslowl and thought I would share those here.

images