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January Smith Mountain Lake Fishing Report by Captain Chad Green

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Smith Mountain Lake Fishing Report

By: Captain Chad GreenLascastguideservicesml

It is cold outside but the fishing is getting hot. Get out on the water when you can and enjoy the sunrises and sunsets. Practice catch-and-release as much as possible to preserve our great fisheries. As always, just make one more Last Cast, as it could be the next trophy fish.

Visit Indian Point Marina for any tackle that you may need and they will fix you up.
Visit https://missilebaits.store/ and check out all they have to offer.
Special Thanks to Brian Carter at the https://thebasscast.com/
Check out Smith Mountain Boat and Tackle Penhook for your boating needs https://www.smboats.com

PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE ON CITATION SIZE FISH

Largemouth Bass/Smallmouth Bass
The water temps will drop drastically this week and we may see shad die off soon depending on how cold it does get. Look for bass in many different depths this month. The bass are still feeding heavily on crawfish over the last few weeks but I look for that to change soon. Most of the baitfish are in deep water 30-50ft in the mid-lake area. As the threadfin shad comes to the surface to feed at night they may start to die off if the temps get below 42 degrees. The shad-kill bite can change things drastically in a short time. Jerkbaits will start to be a primary tactic resembling a dying shad. Crankbaits, A rigs, Jigs will still produce fish as not fish feed on shad during the winter. Weather will dictate what baits work the best on each day. Depth ranges from 5-30ft will produce fish all month long. Rocks, docks, points, and brush piles will all hold fish. Bass can still be very aggressive in cold weather and when you find them it can be fast and furious in a short time. This is a great month to catch trophy fish as well.


Striped Bass
Striper fishing will be good this month and look for them in larger schools as they start to migrate down the lake with falling water temps. They will travel in smaller schools searching for feeding opportunities. Jigging in the 20-40ft range will produce fish throughout the day. Larger fish will show up this month at times and may be in smaller schools. The upper end of the lake to mid-lake is where most of the action will be this month. Seagulls will start to find some feeding fish in the cold months so keep an eye out. Look for fish in the mouths of the larger tributaries. Swing by Indian Point Marina they provide you with a great selection of what you need.


Crappie
Most of the Crappie have been in the 15-25 foot range.



Corrigan’s Wyatt Frankens Wins 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Season Opener at Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Boater winner Wyatt Frankens of Corrigan, Texas, and Strike-King co-angler winner Jaxson Thomas of Texarkana, Arkansas.
Arkansas’ Thomas Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

BROOKELAND, Texas (Jan. 6, 2025) – Boater Wyatt Frankens of Corrigan, Texas, caught a five-bass limit weighing 29 pounds, 1 ounce, Saturday to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine event at Sam Rayburn Reservoir . The tournament, hosted by Jasper County Development District, was the first event of the season for the BFL and the Cowboy Division. Frankens earned $4,796 for his victory.

According to Frankens, fishing and the conditions had been consistent at Rayburn ahead of the tournament, but a recent water level rise changed things pretty quickly.

“I wasn’t even sure I was going to get to fish the event,” he said. “And thankfully I did last minute and was able to get in. So I didn’t get to practice a ton for the event. That probably ended up working in my favor since I wasn’t out there getting dialed on something as it was changing. I was able to fish free and adapt, and I was able to learn some things as I fished today. That ended up helping out a ton.”

Frankens relied on forward-facing sonar to find and catch his fish. His primary lures included a 6th Sense Ozzie, a 6th Sense Crush 300DD Crankbait and a 6th Sense Divine Hybrid Jig . Because he didn’t have much practice, Frankens had to cover a ton of water throughout the tournament. He primarily targeted timber in creek channels, ditches and drains, and he says he ran around enough that he nearly saw the entire lake.

Frankens prefers to hunt big bites, which is obviously a good strategy if you want to catch 29-plus pounds and win at Rayburn. But it’s also a gamble, and at first, it looked like he might be holding the losing hand.

“I didn’t have a great start to the day,” he added. “I think I was just a little too deep. Just like Rayburn fish do, they kind of moved up with the rising water. Once I figured that out at about 9:30 or 10, that’s when I started getting some of my bigger ones. It wasn’t easy. I started picking up one here, one there.”

“Shallower,” in this case, was 10 to 15 feet of water, rather than mid-20s, which would be pretty standard for Frankens this time of year at Rayburn. In addition to the fish on timber, Frankens also caught some “floaters,” or suspended nomadic fish.

Ultimately, it was keeping an open mind and his strategic use of forward-facing sonar that earned him the W.

“Using that tool to learn is a big deal,” Frankens said. “I’m not just randomly running around scoping in the middle of nowhere. That’s just not how it works. Using that technology to learn and let the fish show you what they’re doing is a big deal.”

Once he got a couple better bites and started to piece together that the fish were shallower, Frankens was able to capitalize on his history on the lake to piece together an impressive limit. Altogether, he caught about 10 keepers. That included a 2 1/2-pounder that was among the five bass he weighed in. A 2 1/2 in a 29-pound, 1-ounce limit means Franken’s other four weigh-in fish averaged more than 6 1/2 pounds apiece – a great way to kick off the 2025 BFL season.

The top 10 boaters finished the tournament:

1st:        Wyatt Frankens, Corrigan, Texas, five bass, 29-1, $4,796
2nd:       Wesley Baxley, Cypress, Texas, five bass, 23-15, $2,398
3rd:       Cole Moore, Anacoco, La., five bass, 19-0, $1,595
4th:        Hayden Heck, Lufkin, Texas, five bass, 17-15, $1,119
5th:        Ian Leybas, McAlester, Okla., five bass, 17-12, $959
6th:        Tommy Mackey, Bryan, Texas, five bass, 16-15, $879
7th:        James Laramore, Vidor, Texas, five bass, 16-11, $1,514
8th:        Zane Parker, Kingwood, Texas, five bass, 16-6, $719
9th:        Tater Reynolds, Florien, La., five bass, 16-4, $639
10th:     J.D. Chandler, Liberty, Texas, five bass, 15-15, $560

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

James Laramore of Vidor, Texas, caught a bass that weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces, and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $715.



Jaxson Thomas of Texarkana, Arkansas, won the Strike King co-angler division and $2,576 Saturday, after bringing three bass to the scale that totaled 11 pounds, 6 ounces.

The top 10 Strike King co-anglers finished:

1st:        Jaxson Thomas, Texarkana, Arkansas, three bass, 11-6, $2,576
2nd:       Aaron Willis, Broken Bow, Okla., three bass, 9-1, $1,199
3rd:       Michael Glynn, Boerne, Texas, three bass, 8-8, $795
4th:        Logan Slaughter, Dallas, Texas, two bass, 8-1, $493
4th:        Gary Medley, Vidor, Texas, one bass, 8-1, $671
4th:        Ronald Leist, Onalaska, Texas, three bass, 8-1, $493
7th:        Richard Garcia, Hemphill, Texas, three bass, 7-13, $400
8th:        Mitch Powers, Pineland, Texas, three bass, 7-12, $320
8th:        Kasen Clark, Coldspring, Texas, three bass, 7-12, $320
8th:        Dustin Berry, Dayton, Texas, one bass, 7-12, $320

Jaxson Thomas of Texarkana, Arkansas, and Gary Medley of Vidor, Texas, tied for the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award, each catching a bass that weighed in at 8 pounds, 1 ounce. They each took home $178 for their share of the prize.

In addition to earning the win, Frankens has the early lead in the Fishing Clash Cowboy Division Angler of the Year (AOY) race with 250 points, while co-angler winner Thomas leads the Fishing Clash Cowboy Division Co-Angler of the Year race, also with 250 points.

The next event for BFL Cowboy Division anglers will be held January 18, at Toledo Bend out of Many, Louisiana To register for the event as a boater or a co-angler, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270)-252-1000.

The top 60 boaters and co-anglers in the division based on point standings, along with the five tournament winners of each qualifying event, will qualify for the Oct. 24-25 BFL Regional tournament on Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Oklahoma. Boaters will fish for a top award of a new Phoenix 819 Pro with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers will compete for a top award of $20,000.

The 2025 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 134 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 60 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying tournament winners, will advance to one of 12 BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top three, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, Deep Dive, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Humminbird, Lew’s, Mercury, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak, Mystik Lubricants, Onyx, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Precision Sonar, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, Vosker, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.



The Lithium Battery Industry’s Best App Just Got Better!

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The Lithium Battery Industry’s Best App Just Got Better!
Norsk Lithium® Launches a Huge Free Update for Their Norsk Guardian™ App
New Hope, Minn. (January 6, 2025) – The smartphone has become an indispensable tool for modern anglers, offering GPS-enabled mapping apps, cameras to document catches, and social platforms to track bite patterns and connect with fellow anglers. Norsk Lithium® has redesigned its Norsk Guardian™ App to enhance the user interface, delivering an improved user experience for controlling, monitoring, and organizing Norsk Lithium batteries. Unlike other apps anglers rely on for mapping or social networking, Norsk Guardian™ focuses on providing real-time performance metrics, health alerts, and seamless connectivity to ensure batteries perform at their best—whether on the water or off the grid. 
Norsk Lithium listened to customer feedback and responded by adding Bluetooth® to the 14.8V line of Portable Sonar Batteries (Gen3), a feature previously only available in the Marine Battery line. This upgrade is a game-changer for hard water anglers, providing seamless connectivity to their portable sonar systems. With Bluetooth® integration, the Norsk Guardian™ App now connects to all Norsk Lithium Marine and 14.8V Portable Sonar Batteries (Gen3), allowing users to monitor key performance metrics and receive critical health alerts, ensuring peak performance in any season.The main dashboard has been completely redesigned. Now you can sort your batteries into four categories; Marine, Recreational Vehicle, Sonar, and Off-Grid. Once you connect to a battery you can assign it to a group within those four main categories. These sub-categories give you more control over your marine battery setups. For example, suppose you separate your batteries into a trolling motor group and a starting battery group. In that case, you can put your trolling motor batteries into Deep Sleep and leave your starting battery on with an automatic bilge pump for overnight docking. You won’t find this level of functionality in any other lithium battery app. 
“It’s the only app that allows the user to display battery data from batteries connected in serial or parallel. We’re the only app that allows users to connect and view data from multiple batteries at one time and display it all on one page,” says Norsk VP of Strategy & Development, James Holst.
Holst continues: “You look at your phone and you have all the battery information from an entire boat battery installation – even 6, 8, or 10 batteries in one boat – and they’ll all be visible on one screen and you can see what they’re all doing at one time. Other battery apps require users to connect and disconnect to monitor each battery’s health. Or, if they do allow you to connect to more than one battery, they cannot monitor batteries connected in series or parallel. They only show you standalone batteries.”
Many anglers are putting together shuttles for their live imaging sonar systems. Instead of guessing how much time you have left from a shuttle voltage meter, you can let Norsk Guardian™ handle the math and tell you exactly how much time you have left down to the minute with the Runtime Calculator. Check your remaining runtime in seconds and get back to fishing.   
The Norsk Guardian™ App offers an impressive array of features, providing serious anglers with powerful tools to enhance their time on the water. NEW! Activate Deep Sleep™ NEW! Activate Emergency Start Reserve NEW! Integrated Live Chat Connect Battery Information to Your Smartphone via Bluetooth Connection Monitor Your Battery’s Health & Charging Status Proactive Diagnostics & Warranty Intelligent Battery Grouping Power Cycle Counter Monitor Battery Health Setup & Receive Custom Notifications Monitor Multiple Batteries Simultaneously Integrated Troubleshooting Guide Setup Alert Notifications for Select Battery Info Provides Piece of Mind to the Norsk Lithium Battery Owner
NEW! ACTIVATE DEEP SLEEP™With the Deep Sleep™ feature in the Norsk Guardian™ app, you can easily disconnect power from your batteries’ terminals, eliminating phantom current draws and preventing fully discharged batteries. This convenient feature saves you from having to manually activate battery disconnect switches, ensuring your batteries remain charged and ready to use. Perfect for seasonal storage and traveling. NEW! ACTIVATE EMERGENCY START RESERVE [ESR]Norsk Lithium® Starting Batteries offer an Emergency Start Reserve [ESR] that allocates 25% of the battery’s capacity as a reserve available on demand so you’ll always have the power to start your outboard motor. With the Norsk Guardian™ app, you can easily access [ESR] from the convenience of your phone or with the power management button on top of the battery itself. NEW! INTEGRATED LIVE CHAT Norsk Lithium® is committed to delivering exceptional customer service. Users can connect directly with a US-based Norsk Lithium representative through the app for troubleshooting assistance or to address any general questions—all from the convenience of their smartphone. This commitment ensures every customer receives the support they need, whenever they need it.Holst concludes: “The Norsk Guardian™ app is also not a re-skinned app. It was built from the ground up to control our batteries. It allows users complete control of all major features and functions of the batteries, like Deep Sleep™. With the press of one button of the app you put all of the batteries in your boat to sleep and ready for storage up to a year. Nobody but Norsk has these capabilities. It’s about ease of use, convenience, and peace of mind, something we understand as anglers ourselves.”



Reese Fishing Adds Major League Fishing Pro Alton Jones Jr. to Pro StaffReese Fishing Expands Promotional Efforts

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Reese Fishing Adds Major League Fishing Pro Alton Jones Jr. to Pro Staff
Reese Fishing Expands Promotional Efforts
AUBURN, Calif. – January 6, 2025 –– Long known as one of the premier promoters and businessmen among the professional bass fishing community, Skeet Reese, the 2024 Bass Fishing Hall of Fame inductee has once again proven that he is one who has the vision to think long term when it comes to business.  In April of 2024, Reese announced the startup of Reese Fishing, a company that would produce premium fishing rods, at extreme value to the consumer.
With the reputation of being a champion of 12 major professional tours including a win on the James River at the MLF Bass Pro Tour in 2024, the 2007 Bassmaster Angler of the Year and 2009 Bassmaster Classic Champion, Reese holds the cache to solely and effectively promote his company.  However, being one to think big picture, Reese sought to bring other anglers in to help further expose the brand.
To that vein, Reese Fishing has added Waco, Tex. Major League Fishing BPT pro Alton Jones, Jr. to the Reese Fishing pro staff.   Jones, a three-time winner in his career, including a BPT win at Lake Fork in 2022, and the 2023 Heavy Hitters Champion brings many attributes to the brand that Reese appreciates.

Reese said he has been impressed with Jones as he’s watched his career develop.  “Junior has deep roots in the sport, having grown up in it,” said Reese.  “I have always been impressed with how he approaches the water and the competition, and he handles his business off the water as well.”

Reese continued to explain in detail.  “Junior has proven himself as one of the hottest and most progressive young anglers out there and he continues to produce results as an angler,” said Reese.  “His work ethic in promotions, social media and video content are also very impressive and he’s proven his reach with great social media followings and results whenever he is in front of people; he absolutely fits the mold of Reese Fishing and I am very excited to have him on the team.”

Jones said that being able to work more closely with Reese was something he had to consider when the opportunity presented itself.  “Skeet is obviously a true legend in professional bass fishing circles, I’ve watched him throughout the years and looked up to him as a competitor,” he said.  “But I’ve worked with him and another sponsor and was so impressed with his business acumen and the way he conducts himself in business, that I saw this as an opportunity to promote a growing brand from its inception, but also as a way to learn from the best.”

He explained that he didn’t just sign on because of the benefits of learning from Reese.  “He sent me some of the rods to try before I committed because I wanted to make sure I felt like I could be competitive with them in my hands,” he said.  “I fell in love with what he’s done with the NEXT 1 series, which are amazing and a tremendous value, but the soon to be released NEXT 2 rods are some of the most amazing rods I’ve ever fished with.  They have unique features from the grips to the handles and reel seats Skeet has designed and they are truly one of the best feeling most durable rods I’ve ever fished with; I am proud to represent Reese Fishing and to fish with these rods; they are NEXT Level.”

Along with promoting Reese Fishing, Jones will also be representing Kastking reels, the company that produces and markets Reese’s Signature Reels.



New Lake Anna best five fish limit record with 31.10lbs!!!

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Can we say Lake Anna has turned out & produced some of the best-looking bags we have ever seen?

The boys brought some bags today and finished 1st (Matt & Dylan), 2nd (Timmy Sheridan & Caleb, and 3rd (Tyler). Matthew Strykul completed the dirty 30 and now holds the new Lake Anna best five fish limit record with 31.10 lbs!!!



2025 Pro Membership: Is the Cost Worth It?

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As we head into 2025, it’s clear that getting the most value comes with a catch—you’ll need a pro membership to compete. While the benefits may offer some additional perks, it raises a larger question: when is enough truly enough? Prices and requirements seem to climb higher each year, leaving many to wonder if this upward trend is sustainable or even fair. At some point, we have to ask ourselves if the cost of staying competitive is worth it—or if it’s time to push back we have seen it go from $35, $50, $75, $85 & now $95?

Premium Membership

*Tournament Angler eligibility

$85/annual

The premium membership includes:

  • Instant access to digital magazine archives
  • 25% off apparel
  • Additional savings on accessories and other items
  • MLF decal and membership card
  • Tournament Angler eligibility
  • Access to SCORETRACKER™ Insider
  • Exclusive promotions and discounts on custom jerseys

Purchase



$434,000 Donated Thanks to You!

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Dear AFTCO Customer,

As we look ahead to the new year, we want to thank you for your ongoing support of conservation. Thanks to customers like you, AFTCO and the Shedd family were able to donate $434,836 to fishing organizations in 2024.

Your contributions also enabled us to donate approximately $450,000 worth of products at MSRP and valuable staff time to the causes we care about. At the same time, we’re proud to share that we made significant strides in reducing the environmental impact of our in-house operations.

Through our 10% Pledge to Protect and Conserve, AFTCO and the Shedd family continue to donate at least 10% of company profits each year to fishing conservation, resource protection, and ensuring future generations have access to sustainable fisheries. If you’re interested in learning more about our 10% pledge, including our new recipients—the Harte Research Institute and the Recreational Fisheries Research Institute—you can find more information here.

Thank you again for your incredible support and partnership.

Remember, take the time to go fishing!

Casey Shedd
AFTCO President



Dave Miller Returns to Bass in 2025

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I’m excited to announce my return to B.A.S.S. for the 2025 Bassmaster Opens! The season starts on January 23rd on Clark’s Hill in Evans, GA. See y’all on the water, tight lines!



MLF Introduces Lock Box to Enforce 2025 Forward-Facing Sonar Rules

BENTON, Ky. (Jan. 3, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) has unveiled a new lock box, designed and manufactured by Precision Sonar, that will support new rules limiting anglers to the use of two forward-facing or 360-degree sonar transducers during competition. The innovative, simple-to-use device will be provided free to all anglers who need to lock out excess transducers during competition.

Link to Video demonstrating use of Lock Box from Precision Sonar

The lock box provides an effective solution to temporarily disable and secure excess transducers on tournament boats, thus maintaining a fair and level playing field under new MLF rules that allow anglers to utilize the fish-catching power of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar while also preserving the traditional fishing techniques enjoyed by millions of anglers and fans.

Anglers with more than two forward-facing or 360-degree sonar transducers on their boats will be required to:

  • Disclose their setup and need for the device to the tournament director at or immediately following the pre-tournament meeting.
  • Obtain a lock box from MLF staff prior to the tournament at the Precision Sonar Lock Station and install the device prior to boat launch – a quick and straightforward process that ensures excess transducers are disconnected and cable plugs are securely capped with the high-visibility lock box provided.
  • Make a quick stop by the Precision Sonar Lock Station at the end of the competition day to have the device unlocked by MLF staff.

“We’re excited to debut this solution as part of our efforts to implement a new rule in a way that is both seamless for anglers and effective for our tournaments,” said Boyd Duckett, MLF President and CEO. “The new rules and lock box enforcement device reflect our commitment to fairness while embracing innovative sonar technologies as part of the sport.”

Forward-facing and 360-degree sonar technologies are powerful tools, and the new MLF rules ensure they can be used effectively without overshadowing traditional fishing techniques.

“This rule isn’t about limiting innovation—it’s about enhancing competition and creating more opportunity for strategic angling,” Duckett said. “The lock box allows us to enforce the rule consistently, so all participants can compete under the same conditions while still leveraging the power of modern sonar technology.”

The updated rules and limitations for the 2025 season vary by circuit to ensure they satisfy the majority of MLF stakeholders while considering the different levels of competition, formats and tournament dynamics of each circuit. Anglers will work with the tournament director at each event to obtain a lock box, as needed, and can look forward to a streamlined process for compliance, ensuring that tournaments remain exciting, fair and true to the spirit of bass fishing.

For a link to FAQ pages for each circuit – including the enforcement, penalties, technical questions and contact information for each Tournament Director – click the links below. Tournament Directors for each circuit are available to answer additional questions from competitors not covered in the FAQ. 

Bass Pro Tour FAQ
Tackle Warehouse Invitationals FAQ
Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats FAQ
Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine FAQ
Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI FAQ
Abu Garcia High School Fishing Presented by Tackle Warehouse FAQ

The lock box from Precision Sonar will debut at the first Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) event of the season – the Cowboy division opener at Sam Rayburn Reservoir on Sat., Jan. 4, and will roll out during the opening tournament of each MLF circuit in 2025.

For more information on the lock box, tournament rules and upcoming events, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.



Fish USA Will be Matt Beckers Title Sponsor in 2025

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Matt Becker is a passionate bass angler who has been fishing for as long as he can remember. He fishes professionally on the Major League Fishing tournament trails. In 2022, he earned a spot on the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour and won an event and Angler of the Year in his rookie season! Matt spends a lot of time on the water but just as much time on social media creating content and engaging with his following.

Connect with Matt on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube