We had 12 Boats competing today on Leesville lake in a One Stop Mart Leesville lake tournament trail. 1st place and Big Fish of the day Steve Crist & Dennis Stump – 13.20 lbs Big Fish – 5.00 lbs
2nd place – Jesse Cofflin & Brian Hall – 13.06 lbs
3rd place – Ryan Reynolds & Kenny Reynolds – 13.02 lbs
FLORENCE, Ala. (May 30, 2020) – Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour angler Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tennessee, brought five bass to the scale weighing 17 pounds, 11 ounces to win the three-day Toyota Series at Pickwick Lake event Saturday in Florence, Alabama. Wheeler’s three-day total of 15 bass weighing 56-8 earned him the win by a 5-pound, 8-ounce margin over second-place angler Buddy Gross of Chickamauga, Georgia, and earned Wheeler the top payout of $38,545 in the second tournament of the 2020 Toyota Series Central Division season.
“I truthfully can’t even believe that just happened,” said Wheeler, the reigning MLF World Champion who earned the first Toyota Series win of his career. “I’ve competed at all levels, and it is so tough to win one of these Toyota Series events. A lot of pros compete in them, but they also have the great local fisherman that know their home bodies of water so well. They’re extremely hard to win, so to come out today with the victory – I am tremendously tickled.”
Wheeler said that he had no magic spot on Pickwick Lake, but estimated he fished around 30 different places throughout the week, throwing a variety of baits.
“I tried to find little 3- to 5-fish schools that were a little out of the way off the beaten path, and then when a community hole opened up I’d stop in there and try to catch a few fish. I caught fish from 10 feet to 30 feet, and I was constantly changing my baits based on where I was fishing,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said that his key baits this week were a Rapala DT20 crankbait (Caribbean Shad), a Texas-rigged Googan Baits Mondo Worm and a 6-inch Lunker Log stick bait, and an Accent Ol’ Big Spinnerbait. He also mixed in some other baits, including a scrounger and a swimbait.
“My electronics setup was a huge deal for me this week, as well,” Wheeler went on to say. “Instead of signing with one company, I’m running Lowrance, Garmin and Humminbird units this year and that really helped me tremendously when I was finding those 3 to 5 fish schools.”
The top 10 pros on Pickwick Lake finished:
1st: Jacob Wheeler of Harrison, Tenn., 15 bass, 56-8, $38,545
2nd: Buddy Gross of Chickamauga, Ga., 15 bass, 51-0, $14,936
3rd: Michael Bean of Bowling Green, Ky., 15 bass, 49-9, $11,563
4th: Michael Brewer of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., 10 bass, 48-13, $9,636
5th: Justin Atkins of Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 48-12, $8,673
6th: Marshall Deakins of Dunlap, Tenn., 15 bass, 47-15, $7,709
7th: Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tenn., 15 bass, 46-4, $6,745
8th: John Murray of Spring City, Tenn., 13 bass, 44-15, $5,782
9th: Jimmy Washam of Covington, Tenn., 13 bass, 39-11, $4,959
10th: Ricky Robinson of Greenback, Tenn., 10 bass, 36-14, $3,854
A complete list of results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Seth Davis of Harrison, Tennessee, took home an extra $1,000 as the highest finishing FLW PHOENIX BONUS member. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $35,000 per event in each Toyota Series tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
Washam brought an 8-pound, 9-ounce largemouth bass to the scale Friday – the largest fish weighed by a boater in the event – to earn the day’s Big Bass award of $141.
Josh Lockard of Somerset, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 48 pounds, 7 ounces. For his win, Lockard took home the top prize package of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard motor, worth $33,500.
The top 10 co-anglers on Pickwick Lake finished:
1st: Josh Lockard of Somerset, Ky., 15 bass, 48-7, $33,500
2nd: Phil Williams Jr. of Jamestown, Ky., 13 bass, 36-13, $4,868
3rd: Nathan Woodruff of Iuka, Miss., 14 bass, 33-14, $3,894
4th: Chris Quaintance of Muscle Shoals, Ala., 11 bass, 32-4, $3,502
5th: Clint Pegg of Columbus, Miss., 12 bass, 31-14, $2,921
6th: Andrew Gordon of Columbus, Miss., 12 bass, 29-11, $2,434
7th: Todd Lee of Jasper, Ala., 11 bass, 29-1, $1,947
8th: Benton Peoples of Bardstown, Ky., 11 bass, 26-8, $1,704
9th: Bryan Dowdy of Florence, Ala., 11 bass, 25-10, $1,460
10th: Samuel Maxwell of Vincennes, Ind., 10 bass, 23-12, $1,217
Quaintance weighed in the largest bass in the co-angler division on Thursday, bringing a 7-pound, 3-ounce bass to the stage. He earned the days Co-angler Big Bass award of $95.
The Toyota Series at Pickwick Lake was hosted by Florence/Lauderdale Tourism. It was the second of three regular-season tournaments in 2020 for Central Division anglers. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
The Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
I like bass fishing almost as much as I like keeping money in my wallet. Fishing is my hobby, my passion, and undoubtedly my favorite way to spend time. But lures are expensive and I’m not made of money.
I’m always hunting for ways to save money that get me fishing. I think every angler is. Today, we’re focusing on frugality and simplicity when it comes to bass fishing. I’ve put together a simple break down of the essential items needed to get started in bass fishing. You can adapt these recommendations to suit your budget or fishing needs.
First off, you’re going to need a fishing rod and a fishing reel. While you can purchase those items individually, buying a rod and reel together in a combination pack or “combo” is rule number one in saving money as an angler.
Getting your rod and reel in combination will also make sure your gear matches up correctly. Rod and reel combos are the most accessible and most affordable way to get into bass fishing.
In Bass fishing, anglers use both spinning and casting rods. But, for the sake of simplicity, we’re going to focus on spinning rods today. Spinning rods are more user friendly and easier to use when compared to casting rods. So, if you’re just starting, definitely choose a spinning combo.
A six and a half to seven-foot spinning rod will be perfect for someone just getting into the sport. The length of a fishing rod impacts casting distance, shock absorption when battling fish, and the ability to detect bites. I’ve found that a spinning rod between 6 and 7 feet long will work in almost every situation.
If you plan on making long bombing casts, go with a longer rod. A shorter rod is easier to make casts without getting caught on that branch or bush behind you.
Bass fishing is all about versatility—anglers need to regularly change tactics, locations, and fishing lures to stay on top of fish. With so many fishing lures on the market today, you’ll want a rod that can fish as many techniques as possible. And for this reason, we feel a medium power rod will work best.
Medium power spinning rods can usually handle lures ranging in weights from ⅛ oz to ½oz.
With a plethora of bass lures weighing between ⅛ and ½ ounce, the medium power spinning rod will be perfect for someone just getting into the sport.
Almost every reel that companies pair with medium power spinning rods will be in sizes between 2500-3000, reels in these sizes work perfectly for bass fishing. The reel you will be purchasing will already be attached to your rod, which makes the entire process much more comfortable.
Three Things To Look For When Buying A Spinning Reel
1) The materials used (avoid plastic)
2) The number of ball bearings (more = better)
3) The reels overall feel and look
Fishing line is what connects your rod to your lure, and ultimately its what connects you to the fish. So, it’s essential to have a fishing line you’re confident in. In bass fishing, the three most popular fishing lines are braided line, fluorocarbon line, and monofilament line
While braid and fluorocarbon are much more prevalent among hardcore bass anglers, we’re going to recommend that you start off using monofilament. Can braided/fluorocarbon out preform monofilament? Yes, more times than not. But that isn’t the point.
Monofilament is cheaper and more user friendly than other line types, which is why I am recommending you start with mono. Once you feel confident in your casting abilities, experiment with the other lines. Until then, you’re going to save yourself a lot of time, money, and frustration by using monofilament. Use an 8-10lb monofilament line on your medium action spinning combination rod.
Step into any tackle shop, and you’ll see aisles and aisles of fishing lures that resemble anything from a crawfish to ducklings. Why so many lures? Well, part of it is because bass will eat almost anything, and having lure variety is critical.
1) Jig
2) Spinnerbait
3) Plastic Worm (Senko)
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE FISHING REPORT
June 2020
DALE WILSON’S
SML GUIDE SERVICE
PHONE NO: 540-297-5650 / 540-874-4950
www.captaindalewilson.us
The pic included is of two smallmouth bass caught and released by Captain Dale on 5/26/20
Overview: Heavy rains and flooding has made for different fishing conditions. The stained water will make for better daytime fishing. As the water clears later this month night fishing will improve.
Most species of fish have spawned. Water temperature will be in the 70s to near 80 by the end of the month.
Largemouth bass: Fishing for largemouth bass should be good. Best lures will be plastic worms, Ned rigs, drop shot rigs, crank baits, top water lures, Carolina rigs and shaky heads. Points, brush piles, rock piles, ledges and deep docks will be the best areas. Best depths will be from the surface to 25 feet. Fishing will be good at night when the shad are spawning. Best lures at night are wake baits, large plastic worms and football head jigs.
Smallmouth bass: Fishing will be fair. Best areas will be humps, stumps and rocky areas. Best lures will be tubes, Ned rigs, top water lures, hair jigs and medium diving crank baits. Best areas will be in the mid- to the lower sections of the lake. Cloudy days with light wind and at night are good times. Look for areas with rocks, stumps and flats near deep water. They feed heavily on crawfish around the full moon.
Striped bass: Fishing will be good this month. Stripers will be caught in the mid-sections of the lake and the lower sections toward the dam and in the large creeks. Best lures will be swim baits, buck tails and Zoom flukes fished on ½- to ¾-ounce lead heads. The best time to fish is cloudy days, early morning, nighttime (when the shad are shallow) and late afternoon. The best depths will be from the surface to 60 feet. Live bait fished on down lines and planer boards will work this month. They will constantly be on the move. Try to find the largest concentration of shad to locate the striped bass. Night fishing will be fair this month. Lures like Red Fins, Thunder Sticks and large Rapalas work when the shad come to the shoreline at night.
Crappie: Fishing for crappie will be fair. The best depths will be 5 to 15 feet. Crappie will be found around deep docks, brush piles and fallen trees. Docks with brush piles are usually good areas to hold crappie. Small live minnows and 1½- to 2-inch tubes or shad-shaped plastic lures fished on 1/16- to 1/8-ounce lead heads will work best to catch crappie this month. Best areas are the main creeks and the upper section of the both main channels.
Tips of the month: Be aware of floating debris when boating due to recent flooding. Night fishing for largemouth bass will be good as the water clears. Always wear a life jacket. Try to find the areas with the largest concentration of bait fish. Make sure running lights are on after dark. Reports about local fishing are available on The Bass Cast Radio Show and at WSLK radio. Be courteous, obey all the boating laws and take a kid fishing.
BENTON, Ky. (May 28, 2020) – FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today COVID-19 guidelines intended to assist anglers and staff as the organization resumes tournament operations with the Toyota Series event at Pickwick Lake (Tenn.). These guidelines apply to all 2020 FLW tournaments including the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit and the Phoenix Bass Fishing League. FLW referenced state, local, and Public Health resources, as well as industry examples, to develop these guidelines during this unprecedented time for the sport of competitive bass fishing.
The organization paused all FLW competition in mid-March in an effort to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. FLW tournaments will resume under an abundance of caution with attendance limited to competing anglers and essential tournament staff. The Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit resumes June 23-26 on Lake Chickamauga (Tenn.).
FLW shared the guidelines with all competitors via standard tournament communication channels to assist all participants in understanding how their events will be operated in accordance with current CDC protocols.
“We’re all looking forward to getting back to fishing,” said FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager Kathy Fennel. “And while these guidelines are not what we’re used to at an FLW event, they’re extremely important as we work to respect everyone involved – anglers, staff, our families back home, and the host communities – during this unprecedented time.”
The FLW guidelines include:
For additional information, including the updated 2020 tournament schedule and registration, visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news regarding this weekend’s event on Pickwick Lake, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, FLW and its partners conduct more than 290 bass-fishing tournaments annually around the world, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Namibia, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and Zimbabwe.
FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show while Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. Acquired by Major League Fishing in late 2019, FLW is expanding its programming in 2020 to the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel as well as on-demand at MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
EUFAULA, Ala. (May 27, 2020) – The 2020 Toyota Series will open the Southeastern Division with a tournament next week at Lake Eufaula, June 4-6, with the Toyota Series at Lake Eufaula. Hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, the three-day tournament will feature the region’s best bass-fishing pros and co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $65,000, plus a $35,000 bonus if the winner is a qualified Phoenix Boat owner.
The event will be the second Toyota Series tournament held since the organization paused all competition in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The tournament will be held under an abundance of caution, with limited attendance to anglers and essential tournament staff only. Fans are encouraged to forgo daily takeoffs and weigh-ins and follow the event online through “FLW Live” weigh-in broadcasts and coverage at FLWFishing.com.
“The key to doing well in this tournament will be timing – timing on the ledges is everything,” said local angler Ryan Ingram of Phenix City, who has 20 career top-10 finishes – including six wins – on Lake Eufaula in FLW competition. “It’s going to be won fishing out offshore. The fish are well into their summertime patterns, now. Someone could catch 25 pounds fishing shallow off the bank, but there is no way they could do it for three days in a row.
“We’re going to catch a lot of fish,” Ingram continued. “We’ll see a lot of 15- to 18-pound limits, but it’s going to take 20 to 21 pounds a day average to win.”
Ingram said that he expects typical ledge-fishing baits – big crankbaits, jigs and big worms – to do well on the river ledges.
“We’ve got a full moon coming during the week of the tournament, and that could really throw a wrench into things if there is a mayfly hatch. That would help the shallow-water fisherman tremendously. But I truly believe that whoever wins the event will be fishing out on the ledges, and they’ll have timed it just right.”
Anglers will take off from the Lakepoint Resort State Park, located at 104 Lakepoint Drive in Eufaula at 6 a.m. CDT each day of competition. The weigh-ins will be broadcast at FLWFishing.com each day from the Lakepoint Resort State Park, beginning at 2 p.m.
In Toyota Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event, scaling up for every 20 boats over 160 and scaling down for every boat below 160. With a 160-boat field, pros fish for a top prize of $40,000, plus an extra $35,000 if FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500). With a 260-boat field, pros fish for a top award of $65,000, plus an extra $35,000 if FLW PHOENIX BONUS qualified. Co-anglers cast for the top prize of a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at $33,500) plus $5,000 cash.
The Toyota Series consists of eight divisions – Central, Eastern, Northern, Plains, Southeastern, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee Toyota Series Championship for a shot at winning $235,000 cash, including a $35,000 FLW PHOENIX Bonus for qualified anglers. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix 518 Pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard. The 2020 Toyota Series Championship will be held Dec. 3-5 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky, and is hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Toyota Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Fort Worth and Lake Ray Roberts will host the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic March 19-21, 2021.
May 27, 2020
Fort Worth, Lake Ray Roberts Poised To Host First Bassmaster Classic
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — For just the third time in the event’s storied history, the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic will be coming to Texas. The eyes of Texas — and the world — will be watching March 19-21, 2021 as the Super Bowl of Professional Bass Fishing heads to Fort Worth with fishing taking place at Lake Ray Roberts in nearby Denton.
It will mark the first time Fort Worth will host the Bassmaster Classic, as well as the first time a major B.A.S.S. tournament has been held on this fishery.
“There are very few firsts in the world of sports,” said Chase Anderson, Chairman of B.A.S.S. “We can’t wait to have a historic first next year when fishing’s biggest stage comes to Fort Worth. Our fans, sponsors and anglers are sure to be in for an incredible experience.”
Downtown Fort Worth will be on full display during the event, hosted by the Fort Worth Sports Commission and Visit Fort Worth. Outdoors enthusiasts can browse at the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo, which will be held at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, before taking in daily weigh-in festivities at nearby Dickies Arena.
“We could not have secured this world-class event without the support of our community partners,” said Bob Jameson, President and CEO for Visit Fort Worth, parent organization of the Fort Worth Sports Commission. “We are grateful to Dickies Arena, Will Rogers Memorial Center, the City of Fort Worth, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, Lake Ray Roberts, The Stockyards and many more for their time and thoughtful collaboration to ensure Fort Worth offers a world-class experience to anglers, their families and fans.”
Recent Classics held in Birmingham, Ala., and Knoxville, Tenn., have drawn record-breaking crowds of more than 120,000 fans to Classic Week events, including the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo. The Outdoors Expo has grown into the largest consumer fishing show in the country, with 200 exhibitors from around the world onsite selling a variety of merchandise for fishing, hunting, camping and more — an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Exhibition space fills quickly for this in-demand show, so interested businesses are encouraged to get on the waiting list today at Bassmaster.com/Expo.
“The Fort Worth Sports Commission is proud to host the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth,” said Jason Sands, director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission. “This is the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing and it will be an incredible privilege to welcome anglers, their families and fans from around the country to Fort Worth. This championship will bring over 70,000 visitors with an expected $20 million in direct spending including in our hotels, restaurants, retail, attractions and more. The Fort Worth Sports Commission will be monitoring event protocol and safety procedures as they evolve over the next several months to ensure Fort Worth is ready to host this prestigious tournament next spring.”
According to numbers released by the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic provided a direct economic impact of $20.8 million and an indirect boost in business sales of $15.1 million. This total of $35.9 million for the 2020 event is an increase over the 2019 Bassmaster Classic in Knoxville, Tenn., which generated a total economic impact of $32.2 million, according to Visit Knoxville.
A perennial contender on Bassmaster Magazine’s annual 100 Best Bass Lakes list, Lake Ray Roberts was the No. 15 fishery in the Central Region for 2019, and historically, has appeared in the Top 10 multiple years. In a state known for producing big bags, Lake Ray Roberts continues to shine. Tournaments on this 29,350-acre reservoir regularly require anglers to average at least 5-pounders to win.
“Academy Sports + Outdoors has helped families in Fort Worth have fun for over 25 years,” said Lawrence Lobpries, Academy Sports + Outdoors’ senior vice president of marketing. “We’re excited to be a part of providing pro and recreational anglers alike access to bass fishing’s biggest event. We hope the experiences shared at this event will inspire growth in fishing participation across Texas and the rest of the country.”
The 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth will be covered live and streamed on Bassmaster.com, ESPN3 and the ESPN App, and five hours of original programming will be aired on ESPN2 and the Pursuit Channel following the event.
For complete details and more information as it becomes available, visit Bassmaster.com.
About Visit Fort Worth
Visit Fort Worth is the official destination marketing organization of the 13th-largest city in the United States, dedicated to promoting Fort Worth as a premier business and leisure destination with thriving centers of creativity, culture and commerce. Visit Fort Worth is the parent organization of The Fort Worth Herd, the Fort Worth Film Commission, the Fort Worth Sports Commission and music initiative Hear Fort Worth.
About the Fort Worth Sports Commission
The Fort Worth Sports Commission advances the city as an international sports destination. A division of Visit Fort Worth, the Sports Commission attracts youth, collegiate and professional events that deliver economic impact and boost Fort Worth’s image. The Commission supports development of and access to facilities that enhance the quality of life for all Fort Worth. For more information, visit www.FortWorth.com/Sports.
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2 and The Pursuit Channel), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, new Huk Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
I’ve always been a shallow-water angler. My local lakes set up best for it and I’ve become incredibly confident whenever I’m targeting bass in less than 6 feet of water. Because of my affinity for fishing in the dirt, I’m able to test a bunch of pitching and flipping baits throughout much of the year. Admittedly, some of them on the market these days are very similar and don’t really set themselves apart.
The Culprit Incredi-Bug, however, is different than all of the generic stuff out there. After thousands of pitches and flips with this bait, it has become one of my absolute favorites when I’m probing shallow water. It is a big-time producer in all types of different scenarios.
I’ll quickly run through what I’ve liked best about it.
One of the biggest eye-roll moments in fishing happens when a guy goes up on stage or parades around the parking lot talking about the 20-pound limit he had… yesterday. That’s as useless a claim as there is. Not to say I haven’t been guilty of making it a time or two myself. Most of us have. But it’s still useless.
So how do you remedy that? How do you still go out and practice and get bites, but not waste catches? Well, here are three simple tricks that you can use to ensure you won’t accidentally hook a fish on any type of bait.
