Tired of dealing with grass and weeds in your private lake? You’re not alone! Many lakefront property owners struggle with maintaining a clean, enjoyable waterfront. Here are some practical tips for removing grass from your private lake, ensuring a beautiful and usable space.
1. Identify the Grass and Weeds
The first step in removing grass from your private lake is to identify the type of vegetation you’re dealing with. Different plants require different removal methods. Take some close-up photos and consult with local experts or online forums to determine the best approach for your specific situation.
2. Manual Removal
Manual removal is a straightforward but labor-intensive method. Here are some tools and techniques to help you:
Weed Razer: This tool is effective for cutting through thick vegetation. It’s designed to sink and cut weeds at their base, making it easier to pull them out.
. Lake Rakes: After cutting the weeds, use a lake rake to gather and remove the debris from the water. This prevents the cut weeds from settling and regrowing.
3. Herbicides
Herbicides can be an effective way to control lake weeds and grass, especially for larger infestations. However, they come with drawbacks such as potential toxicity and environmental impact. Always choose EPA-registered herbicides and follow the application instructions carefully.
4. Lake Weed Control Mats
Lake weed control mats are a great option for small areas like private beaches and around docks. These mats block sunlight, preventing weeds from growing. They are eco-friendly and do not harm fish or other aquatic life. However, they need to be cleaned annually to remain effective.
5. Hydro-Raking
Hydro-raking is a mechanical method that involves using a floating barge equipped with a backhoe to remove weeds and their root systems from the lake bottom. This method is particularly effective for submersed weeds and helps restore the depth and volume of the waterbody.
6. Grass Carp
Grass carp are a biological control method. These fish feed on certain types of aquatic vegetation, helping to keep the weed population in check. However, they can be invasive and may not be suitable for all lakes.
7. Sediment Agitation
Sediment agitation involves using a weed roller or similar device to disturb the lake bottom, preventing weeds from taking root. This method can be effective but may create plant fragments that can lead to new growth.
Preventive Measures
To keep your lake grass-free in the long term, consider these preventive measures:
Regular Maintenance: Regularly inspect and remove any new growth to prevent weeds from taking over.
Proper Aeration: Installing aeration systems can improve water quality and make it less hospitable for weed growth.
Drawdowns: Lowering the water level during winter can expose and kill weeds, making it easier to clean up the lake bottom.
Conclusion
Removing grass from your private lake can be a challenging task, but with the right tools and techniques, you can maintain a beautiful and enjoyable waterfront. Whether you choose manual removal, herbicides, or mechanical methods, the key is to stay consistent with your efforts. Happy fishing and enjoy your pristine lake! Got any more tips or stories about dealing with lake grass? Share them with us!
Hope everyone is doing great this summer. It’s time for my July fishing recap. To reiterate the purpose of this series, it is for newer anglers regardless of age. Applying the information in this article will help ensure your next trip on the water will be a success.
Between tournaments and guide trips, fishing has either been one extreme or the other. Very good or very bad. Most of my fishing in the northeast has been on lakes with the exception of one event on the St. Lawrence River. With SLR being its own animal I’ll focus more on the lake fishing in this recap.
With July being post spawn for the majority of the country, I found myself targeting fish that recently spawned. This does two things, provides target access to bigger females who may have been feeding up as well as males guarding fry which can produce a quick limit. Now you are not going to necessarily be beating the bank here, focus on staying in depths of 12ft or less. In most lakes at 12ft you’re within casting distance of docks but also close to deep water. Mileage may vary depending on the lake but these break points in depths are typically where I’ve found the bigger bites. If there are main lake points outside of spawning areas even better. This year has definitely been weird for grass. Some lakes the grass was higher than it usually is for July and some very little. Look for quality grass like milfoil and hydrilla especially with rocks mixed in. Also keep an eye out for bluegill beds. If you’re targeting largemouth post spawn and see bluegill beds around you’re in the right place.
I focused my attention on 4 techniques in these areas but 1 shined the most.
Bladed Jig
I typically start with 3/8oz and go up if necessary to 1/2oz. My go to color this time of year is bluegill for obvious reasons. For a trailer I keep it simple and use a matching color swimbait. Depending on the depths of the weeds I like to cast parallel to the bank and slowly retrieve so I’m clipping the tops of the grass and breaking it free. Depending on how steep the drop off is you could also cast 45° covering from shallow to deep. Typically bites come when you erratically rip the bait free from the grass. I’ll start on the outter most edge of the grass and work my way in until the bass give away their location. This is a great way to cover a lot of water fast for both smallmouth and largemouth.
Recommended equipment: 7’-7’3” H fast action rod, 7:1 speed reel, 20lb fluorocarbon.
Spinnerbait
If the wind is blowing I will opt for the spinnerbait over the bladed jig. Wind will typically stir up the bait fish which typically makes the bass more active. I will 99% of the time start with a 1/2oz mainly because the blades give the bait some lift in the water column during retrieve. For color I keep it simple again with a white and chartreuse skirt and a double willow leaf blade combination which is a staple across the country, for good reason. Apply the same location and method as you would a bladed jig. Keep in mind the shallower you go and the more wind your area is getting don’t be afraid to retrieve this bait FAST! You’ll be surprised how fast these bass really are.
I would like to believe that more tournaments have been won on the drop shot over the years than any other bait. It simply produces! Focusing on deeper weed edges I start with a 3/16oz weight. For bait any small worm or baitfish imitation in green pumpkin will work great for this presentation. Sparser grass you will want to nose hook the bait with your favorite drop shot hook. Texas rigging it with a larger #2 hook with a keeper works great when the grass is thicker or even fishing around docks. For distance between weight and hook I usually keep it in the 12-18” range. Drop shot is considered a finesse technique but you don’t have to fish it like one. When fishing grass, dock pilings, docks, rock piles, etc. you can really cover a lot of water quickly if you treat it like flipping. You really don’t have to let it sit in one position very long. They are either going to eat it or not. You’ll know pretty quick once you start catching em shortly after you hit bottom.
Recommended equipment: 7’ ML fast action rod, 6:1 speed reel, 8lb braid to 6-8lb fluorocarbonz
Jig
For whatever reason this year I’ve been having the most success on a traditional jig, black and blue in 3/8oz. I do use my own which you could check out if you’d like at www.davemillerfishing.com/shop/. For a trailer I’ve been using a matching black and blue craw imitation, one that has little to no action. Using a trailer that doesn’t have a lot of action and appendages allows two things, faster fall rate with a standard profile as well as that it comes through grass better. The majority of bites I’ve had have been on the initial fall. If I did not get bit on the fall the first couple movements would produce a strike. When fishing the jig I would focus more on the rockier parts of my post spawn areas. If you’ve found fish in a specific area on the moving baits and you go back a few days later to fish again but they won’t hit the moving baits the jig is a great way to slow down and really pick apart the area.
Recommended equipment: 7’7’3” H fast action rod, 7:1 speed reel, 20lb fluorocarbon.
I know to a lot of new anglers the jig is intimidating. If you want to get good at fishing a jig, leave all of your rods home for a few trips and only bring the jig rod. Force yourself to use it! I cannot emphasize this enough. Some of the biggest bass I’ve ever caught were bites you don’t feel. Where the bass just picks it up and sits there and you lose that feel of the bottom. Mmm mmm mmm. Once you experience those type of bites and lay into em with a solid hook set your love for fishing will change forever.
Thanks for stopping by. See you guys next month for my August recap. If you would like to follow me on the tournament trail or inquire on guide trips be sure to check out my website www.davemillerfishing.com. As always shout to The Bass Cast for having me!
In addition to the top prize of $100,000, anglers also competed for Berkley Big Bass Bonuses of $10,000 for each day of the four-day Qualifying Rounds, $30,000 for the Knockout Round and an astounding $100,000 reward for the biggest bass in the Championship Round.
WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 10, 7-9 a.m. ET
WHERE: Discovery – New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on the Outdoor Channel
NOTES: To qualify for General Tire Heavy Hitters, the weight of an angler’s single-largest bass from each event of the seven 2023 Bass Pro Tour events was recorded. The 30 anglers with the heaviest total from those seven bass qualified to compete in this event.
The 15 Anglers in Group A and 15 anglers in Group B each compete in their qualifying round over the first four episodes. After each two-day qualifying round is complete, the top eight anglers from both groups advance to the Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round weights are zeroed, and the remaining 16 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to the final-day Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total took home the top prize of $100,000.
In addition to the tournament, Big Bass Bonuses are awarded in each round of competition with payouts of $10,000, $30,000 and $100,000 awarded to the single biggest fish in the Group A & B Qualifying, Knockout and Championship rounds.
For complete details and updated information on the General Tire Team Series visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
Day 2 of the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain has been postponed due to high winds and the possibility of severe weather.
Photo by Andy Crawford/B.A.S.S.
Aug. 9, 2024
B.A.S.S. postpones Day 2 of Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — After consulting with the National Weather Service, B.A.S.S. officials are postponing Day 2 of competition at the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain due to high winds and the possibility of severe weather.
The National Weather Service predicts 15 to 25 mph sustained winds with gusts up to 30 mph early in the day increasing to gusts of up to 50 mph as the day progresses.
The full field of anglers will now compete on Saturday, with the Top 50 competing Sunday and the Top 10 advancing to Championship Monday. Lake Champlain is off limits today.
The full field will launch from the Plattsburgh City Dock beginning at 7 a.m. ET Saturday and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m.
Minnesota’s Seth Feider takes the Day 1 lead at the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain with five bass weighing 23 pounds, 11 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
Aug. 8, 2024
Green fish carry Feider to Day 1 lead at Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Since he started coming to Lake Champlain as an Elite Series angler, Seth Feider has never caught two 5-pound largemouth in the same day.
That changed on Day 1 of the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain as the New Market, Minn., pro landed a 6-pounder and another largemouth over 5 ½ pounds to anchor a 23-pound, 11-ounce limit of green fish that lifted him to the top of the leaderboard on Thursday.
“Those really big 5’s are super rare,” he said. “I’ve never caught two in the same day, but I did today, and they go a long way when everyone is catching 3- and 4-pound fish. I don’t know how the rest of the week will play out, but I had a really fun day.
“There’s no place I’d rather win one than on Champlain.”
On a day where 100 limits of bass were caught, 21 of which were over 20 pounds, Feider holds a 1-pound advantage over second-place Greg DiPalma and a 2-pound advantage over third-place Kyle Patrick.
It is the 2022 Angler of the Year’s biggest bag ever at Lake Champlain, adding to an already impressive track record at the famed fishery in eastern New York. He has two second-place finishes in 2017 and 2020 as well as a fourth in 2021. Last year, however, Feider missed the Day-3 cut and finished a disappointing 67th.
“Last year hurt,” he said. “I have a really good track record on this lake. It fishes a lot like home, just with bigger fish. I love fishing here.”
Feider opened the morning targeting the pelagic smallmouth Lake Champlain has become known for in the last several years with his forward-facing sonar. That turned out to be a particularly frustrating venture for the veteran angler.
“They were giving me problems, so I said to hell with them, and I went bass fishing,” Feider said. “I was just sucking at ‘Scoping. I was missing my casts, landing short, not getting bit and I lost one. I had a spot (close by) that is decent for largemouth, so I’ll go catch a few of them and then come back and Scope and it won’t bother me as much when they won’t eat my minnow.”
It was a day-altering decision as Feider landed his first lunker largemouth within his first couple of casts in the area. After landing another 4-pounder, Feider fully committed to the largemouth bite and fished seven or eight different areas, three of which produced his bag. A jig and a Texas rig were his most productive baits, while his biggest bass ate a frog.
Unlike in years past, Feider has found the largemouth are more spread out than they usually are. He got bites around wood, docks, rock and grass throughout the day. Most of the 25 bass Feider landed were between 2 and 3 pounds on Day 1.
“Normally you can go to a bay and camp out. This year, there are some bays I go into to catch one bass I shook off. It’s not an endless supply,” Feider said. “It’s probably because of the high water. When they were grouped up, they were more offshore in the submergent vegetation. The high water has them doing a little bit of everything.”
The Elite pros enjoyed sun and relatively calm conditions for most of Day 1, but change is on the way as the remnants of Hurricane Debby are forecast to move through the area starting on Friday, with stormy conditions continuing through Saturday morning.
That will make life much more difficult on Feider as far as navigating the fishery.
“If it gets windy, it will be really hard for me to catch them. A lot of my stuff is protected but getting from (here to there) will be a problem,” he said.
DiPalma, meanwhile, landed his entire 22-11 limit of smallmouth in the first two hours of the day off two shallow boulders in 12 feet of water. The Millville, N.J., pro believes the crawfish population is high in the area and has seen several smallmouth spit up crawfish as he was fighting them.
He primarily used a drop shot and a jighead minnow to land his limit.
“There are definitely fish in the area. It is a niche little area, and I have it to myself,” DiPalma said. “Tomorrow, the wind is going to change and the next day it is going to change again. These are smallmouth, and they can swim away.”
Once he filled out his limit, DiPalma made a long run south to the Ticonderoga region of Lake Champlain to try and catch a 6-pound largemouth. While he caught plenty of bass, he did not land the giant bass he was looking for.
Patrick landed a 21-11 mixed bag on Day 1 to land in third place. He anchored his bag with a 6-2 largemouth, which was the Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the Day. The rookie from Cooperstown, N.Y., spent the day targeting smallmouth, landing three on the day.
But as he was moving through a section of grass in 15 to 20 feet of water, he received a surprising largemouth bite that clued him into a different bite.
“I committed to smallmouth, and I was throwing a Berkley Flat Worm and I got a largemouth bite. So, I pulled some rods out of the box and caught that 6-2 and a 4-2,” Patrick said. “It was fortunate that I ran into some largemouth.
“They were congregated in one section. It’s not like you can do that anywhere on the lake. I would have had 18 pounds if I had just smallmouth.”
A jig, a drop shot and a Damiki rig were Patrick’s three best baits on Day 1.
The full field will launch from the Plattsburgh City Dock beginning at 7 a.m. ET Friday and return for weigh-in at 3 p.m. The field will be cut to the Top 50 anglers after the Day 2 weigh-in before the Top 10 anglers take center stage on Championship Sunday.
Coverage of the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain will air on FS1 on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com each day.
Reigning Angler of the Year adds 17 bass totaling 57 pounds, 4 ounces, Thursday to lead 10 anglers advancing to Knockout Round Saturday, Group B to wrap Qualifying Round Friday
MASSENA, N.Y. (Aug. 8, 2024) – When he returned to the water Thursday for Group A’s second day of qualifying at Minn Kota Stage Seven Presented by Humminbird, pro Matt Becker of Ten Mile, Tennessee, never visited a single one of the spots that produced his 100-plus pounds of smallmouth bass on Day 1, instead running all new water on the St. Lawrence River.
The result was more of the same. Becker stacked another 17 scorable bass for 57 pounds, 4 ounces onto SCORETRACKER® — despite making a clear effort not to catch too many fish from any one spot. That brought his two-day total to 163-11 and kept him atop the leaderboard, 18-14 ahead of Greeneville, Tennessee, pro Nick Hatfield.
“I definitely feel like I narrowed down the section (of the river) that I want to be in,” Becker said. “I probably added 12, 15 spots to my rotation now, and then eliminated some water as well. So, it was a very productive day.”
It’s no surprise to see Becker’s name atop the standings at an event on northern smallmouth waters. Almost exactly one year ago, he closed his rookie season on the Bass Pro Tour with a win and came from behind to claim the Angler of the Year title on Saginaw Bay. He’s won before on the St. Lawrence, too.
But Becker admitted he’s surprised himself a bit through two days on the water with how he’s catching his bass.
Becker has caught all his smallmouth on casting gear and 15-pound fluorocarbon, primarily wielding a couple of different types of jerkbaits. That’s a stark departure from the norm on clear-water smallmouth fisheries, where spinning gear and light leaders typically dominate.
“I did not see that coming when this tournament was announced,” Becker said.
While Becker didn’t anticipate running the pattern that produced his Qualifying Round win, he did note that he was hoping to utilize heavier line. Doing so allows him to spend less time fighting fish and make more casts throughout the day, which is important in the BPT’s every-fish-counts format.
“I really wanted to catch them on heavier line, whether it was spinning gear with 10- or 12-pound line or baitcasting gear with heavier equipment that I could really fight them a lot harder than with 6- or 8-pound line – you waste a lot of time fighting fish,” Becker explained. “So, I definitely looked for that in practice and kind of came with the game plan of trying to find them on a technique that I could use that heavier line. But I really didn’t expect it to be as good as it is.”
Becker wasn’t shy about saying that, if his bite holds up, he thinks he’s on the fish to win. The problem is that change feels inevitable.
For one thing, smallmouth are known for moving from one day to the next. Plus, with rain from Hurricane Debby arriving Thursday afternoon and forecast to continue through Friday, Becker knows different conditions are likely to greet him when he returns to the water on Saturday.
“There’s no telling what could happen,” Becker said. “Surely it’s going to change things. I hope I have enough experience on the river, and in those sections, I have a lot of other things if that pattern goes away. I feel like I know where the fish would go in those areas. But you just never know.”
That’s part of why Becker believes it was important to add to his repertoire of spots on Thursday. He described himself as “cautiously optimistic” entering the weekend.
“I know that I’m on the deal to win it as of today, but I don’t know if that will change going into the weekend,” he said. “I’ve got no shortage of areas to fish, that’s for sure. But again, you just never know with smallmouth. They could very easily totally change everything by Saturday.”
The top 10 pros in Group A that now advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on the St. Lawrence River are:
Overall, there were 528 scorable bass weighing 1,607 pounds, 12 ounces caught by the 39 pros on Thursday.
Thursday’s $1,000 Berkley Big Bass Award went to Pierre Part, Louisiana, pro Cliff Crochet, who weighed in a 6-pound, 7-ounce largemouth bass – the biggest bass of the week so far – that caught in Period 2. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day, and another $3,000 bonus to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass of the tournament.
In all likelihood, the season-long race to claim the Fishing Clash Angler of the Year crown will come to a close Friday. With both pros Alton Jones Jr. and Dustin Connell failing to make the Knockout Round in Group A, all Jacob Wheeler has to do in order to claim his third title in the past four years is finish among the top 22 anglers in Group B. He sits third after one day. Should Wheeler prevail Friday, he would not only receive the $100,000 prize but join an elite group of anglers who have won three AOY titles on national tours.
The six-day tournament, hosted by the Town of Massena, showcases 78 of the best professional anglers in the world competing for a purse of more than $805,000, with a top prize of $100,000 going to the winner.
The 39 Anglers in Group A competed in their two-day Qualifying Round on Tuesday and Thursday – the 39 anglers in Group B on Wednesday and Friday. After each two-day Qualifying Round is complete, the anglers that finish first through 10th from both groups advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining 20 anglers compete to finish in the top 10 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round. In the final-day Championship Round, weights are zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $100,000.
Anglers will depart at 6:45 a.m. ET each day from the Massena Intake Boat Launch, located at 1415 State Highway 131 in Massena. Anglers are allowed to trailer to any ramp of their choosing within the fishing boundaries, and competition will begin on the water at 7:30 a.m. Each day’s General Tire Takeout will be held at Massena Intake Boat Launch, beginning at 4 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and takeout events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and SCORETRACKER® coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com .
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live starting Thursday morning from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
On Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10-11, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. MLF welcomes fans of all ages to visit the Massena Intake Boat Launch for the MLF Watch Party. Fans can watch the pros live on the MLFNOW! big screen, enjoy free food, enter to win hourly giveaways and cheer on their favorite pros. Live music will begin each day at 4 p.m. The first 50 kids 14 and under will receive a free rod and reel from Pure Fishing each day. The final 10 Championship Round Bass Pro Tour anglers will be on hand at the trophy celebration on Championship Sunday to meet and greet fans, sign autographs and take selfies.
The Minn Kota Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Humminbird features anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The 2024 Bass Pro Tour features a field of 78 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing across seven regular-season tournaments around the country, for millions of dollars and valuable points to qualify for the annual General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2025, the Bass Pro Tour championship, set for April 3-6, 2025, on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
Fishing Clash, an interactive 3D fishing simulation game that’s played by more than 80 million people worldwide, is the official AOY sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour, Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, Toyota Series and Phoenix Bass Fishing League. You can download Fishing Clash for free in the App Store and on Google Play or log on to www.fishingclash.game for more information.
Television coverage of the Minn Kota Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Humminbird will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Nov. 16 on Discovery. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, Garmin, General Tire, Humminbird, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Minn Kota, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, Rapala, REDCON1, Star brite, Suzuki, Toyota, WIX Filters and U.S. Air Force.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X , Instagram and YouTube.
More than 119 pounds of trash collected Monday at St. Lawrence River in New York and Kentucky Lake in Kentucky
MASSENA, N.Y. (Aug. 8, 2024) – Professional anglers from the Bass Pro Tour, Major League Fishing (MLF) staff and the Louisville (N.Y.) Recreation & Maintenance department participated in the Johnson Outdoors Clean Earth Challenge, Monday. The event – held in conjunction with the MLF Bass Pro Tour Minn Kota Stage Seven at the St. Lawrence River Presented by Humminbird – challenges people to get outdoors and take simple conservation actions to help preserve and restore the outdoor spaces we all love.
Pro anglers, MLF staff and workers from the Louisville (N.Y.) Recreation & Maintenance Department worked together in the rain at the Massena Intake Boat Launch in Massena to help clean the surrounding park and boat launch area. Fortunately, not a lot of trash needed to be picked up as the park was deemed one of the nicest and cleanest facilities that the Bass Pro Tour has visited, according to MLF Operations Manager Kim Edwards.
“Kudos to the entire team at the Louisville Recreation & Maintenance Department that keeps this boat launch area clean and beautiful, year-round,” Edwards said. “It was so great to see how well these locals take care of their facilities. We had so many volunteers to participate in and help with this event, and you can truly tell just how much upstate New York cares about their parks and outdoor areas.”
In addition to the Johnson Outdoors Clean Earth Challenge event in New York, staff at MLF headquarters in Benton, Kentucky, also participated in the challenge and spent the afternoon outdoors cleaning up the Kentucky Dam Marina. Despite sweltering temperatures that were in the mid 90s, 27 employees helped to gather trash and debris to help clean up the marina.
“This was such a fun day,” said MLF Tournament Director Alan Gray. “We truly have some great sponsors and partners that care about the outdoors, and I am so blessed to be a part of a company that enjoys giving back.”
The National Wildlife Federation and Johnson Outdoors teamed up to launch the Clean Earth Challenge in 2022 to inspire people to get outdoors and take simple conservation actions to help preserve and restore the outdoor spaces we all love. Johnson Outdoors is calling on all fellow outdoor enthusiasts to get involved by collecting trash and helping to reach the goal of removing 10 million pieces of litter from the great outdoors.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
Midsummer is prime time for fishing the Smeltinator Jig and Smeltinator Underspin Jig from Northland Fishing Tackle.
BEMIDJI, MN (August 8, 2024) – Rare is the lure that can champion the entire water column. Extract topwater, and in bass fishing, principally, you have baits that operate at the bottom and a wealth of others classified for certain depth ranges. But in the case of Northland’s Smeltinator® Jig and Smeltinator® Underspin, the entire water column is yours.And now, in the molten core of summer, the Smeltinator Jig and Smeltinator Underspin are tailormade for deep ranging largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass. Paired with an Eye-Candy Minnow or baitfish-esque soft plastic of your choosing, work these jigs amidst deep rocks and weedlines, as well as in the presence of bass suspending over no-man’s-land. Both Smeltinator varieties also play well with forward-facing sonar.
HOT New ColorThe Smeltinator and Smeltinator Underspin in “Gussy Shad” color was designed by Bassmaster Classic Champion Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson to imitate baitfish across the country. With a slight blue hint, this color shines in tannic or dirtier water. Gussy Shad is now available online and in retailers, as well as the upcoming Bassmaster Classic 2024 in Tulsa, Oklahoma! Limited supply can be found right now on the Northland® Fishing Tackle website in all sizes and other patterns. 2023 Bassmaster Classic Champion, Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson, comments: “Gussy Shad works anytime an angler wants to imitate baitfish with a plastic that looks like a shad. It was designed to match up with the Z -Man Scented Jerk ShadZ™ in what they call ‘Gussy’s Glimmer Blue’ color. The white/blue hue of the new color Smeltinator or Smeltinator Underspin make it show up well in everything from the tannic waters of Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake to the dirtier waters in the south.”
Origins of Gussy’s Classic Winning Smeltinator JigThe Smeltinator is hardly new to the fishing scene. The jig and the “moping” technique have been dominating the Canadian tournament scene for over a decade. Gussy, Northland founder John Peterson, Canadian professional angler Jamie Bruce, and Bryan Gustafson of Bass Tactics have won many tournaments and cashed big checks at events like the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship and Kenora Bass Invitational moping the Smeltinator Jig.The Bassmaster Classic winning Smeltinator Jig is the creation of Canadian Angler Bryan Gustafson. It wouldn’t be what it is today without a 20+ year relationship with Bassmaster Elite Series pro Jeff Gustafson and Northland Tackle founder John Peterson. The Smeltinator was designed to give anglers a premium minnow head that perfectly imitates slender baitfish across the Northern US and Canada. As Bryan started creating jigs, he consulted with John on the manufacturing process, and the Smeltinator was born. After dominating the Canadian Tournament scene for several years, Jeff Gustafson won more than $400,000 through B.A.S.S including the 2023 Bassmaster Classic. In 2023, Bryan licensed the Smeltinator manufacturing rights to Northland Tackle and reunited the three elements that brought this jig to life and made it famous.
More About the Smeltinator JigThe premium components of the Smeltinator is really what makes this jig head stand out from others. It features a sticky sharp, strong Gamakatsu hook, which by popular demand is a staple in the bass fishing tournament scene. Lifelike 3D holographic eyes and sculpted gill plates make the Smeltinator a realistic presentation and highly irresistible! Lastly, the universal ribbed baitkeeper holds your favorite plastics on the jig head and doesn’t tear your bait like traditional baitkeepers. With 14 colors, four sizes (1/8-, ¼-, 3/8-, and ½-ounce), and five hook sizes (1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0, and 5/0) from which to choose, bass anglers are sure to find the right Smeltinator Jig for whatever situation they face. Jigs come three per card for $7.99 (MSRP).
The Smeltinator UnderspinLike the Smeltinator, the Smeltinator Underspin features an ultra-sharp, ultra-strong Gamakatsu hook and beautifully sculpted baitfish head and plastics-securing hook collar. But what makes the Smeltinator Underspin totally unique is its compact, nickel plated willow blade for added flash and vibration to mimic small baitfish. The lightweight blade spins instantly on contact with the water and continues flickering with minimal jigging action. Aiding and abetting the blade’s ability to spin at super slow speeds is an exceptional SPRO ball-bearing swivel. The Smeltinator Underspin is especially effective on pressured bass and in cold water conditions when bass won’t always commit to traditional lures. Moreover, the Smeltinator Underspin is a big-time player for anglers utilizing forward-facing sonar on suspended bass. The blade adds more body and action for the sonar to detect.
The Smeltinator Underspin is deadly on suspended smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and spotted bass. Simply pair it with a 2.5- to 7-inch soft plastic jerkbait or swimbait and let the wondrous pairing go to work. Southern and western bassers can put it to task right now on deep water reservoirs, especially off steep breaking rock structure, over deep flooded timber, or anywhere wintertime bass are schooling offshore. The technique is elementary, too, letting the Smeltinator Underspin just do its thing. Pitch it out, let the bait fall to the fish, and start a slow and steady retrieve. With eight colors, three sizes (¼-, 3/8-, and ½-ounce), and three hook sizes (2/0, 3/0 and 4/0) of the Smeltinator Underspin to choose from, bass anglers are sure to find the right jig for whatever situation they face. Jigs come one per card for $7.99 (MSRP).
