Search
Subscribe
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Home Blog Page 870

Boo Whitaker & John Miller win CATT Lake Norman Dec 29,2018

wpalert
-
0
Boo Whitaker & John Miller win CATT Lake Norman Dec 29,2018

Tournament Results Norman Dec 29, 2018! Whitaker & Miller Win! Westrick Wins Vet Points! Jordan & Locklear Win Points!

[print_link]

To enter the Jan 12th Norman Fall Final you must have entered 3 CATT Fall Norman Qualifiers BUT if you entered the CAGE Tournament that counts as 1 qualifier! 

Keith Westrick wins the Veteran Points and $500.00

Kevin Toler & Rodney Lambert 2nd $380.00

Orlando Giles 3rd $260.00

Marty Williams 4th $126.00

Adam Jordan & Adam Locklear win the Norman Points and will receive free entry and blast of #1 at the Final!

Boo Whitaker & John Miller take 1st Place this past Saturday with 5 bass weighing 12.58 lbs and $550.00!

2nd went to Craig Chambers & Derrick Cummings 12.15 lbs and they earned $775.00 with the BONUS $ added in!

Steve Addington claimed 3rd with 10.96 lbs and collected $200.00!

Big Total Total
24 Teams Fish Weight Winnings Points
Boo Whitaker – John Miller 3.33 12.58 $550.00 220
Craig Chambers – Derrick Cummings 0.00 12.15 $775.00 218
Steve Addington 2.82 10.96 $200.00 216
Tim Chapman – Mike Stephens 2.67 10.92 $120.00 214
Maurice Freeze – Rick Poplin 4.11 9.93 $168.00 212
Matt McBee – Charlie Brock 3.39 9.54 210
Keith Westrick – Jonathan Foster 2.33 8.99 208
Aaron Jordan – Adam Lockler 1.86 8.59 206
Dale Phillips 0.00 8.10 204
Marty Williams – Phillip Hedrick 3.89 7.88 $72.00 202
Roger Hoover – Scott Hamrick 3.14 7.85 200
Kevin Toler – Rodney Lambert 2.95 7.11 198
David & Kenny Beard 0.00 6.56 196
Erroll Duckett – Zoie Vazques 0.00 6.33 194
Mike Ray – Orlando Giles 2.20 3.87 192
Jimmy LeShock – Chris Baumgardner 0.00 0.00 190
Morris Elliott – Chris Tarbush 0.00 0.00 190
Luke Helms 0.00 0.00 190
Josh & Gen Hall 0.00 0.00 190
Jason Land – David Burgess 0.00 0.00 190
Nathan Dellinger 0.00 0.00 190
Jack R. Marcotte 0.00 0.00 190
Bill Grier – Nick Wood 0.00 0.00 190
Adam Waters – Dylan Fulk 0.00 0.00 190
Total Entrys $1,920.00
BONUS $ $475.00
Total Paid At Ramp $1,885.00
Norman Fall 2018 Final Fund $460.00
2019 CATT Championship Fund $50.00
2018 Norman Fall Final Fund Total $2,920.00
2019  CATT Championship Fund Total $2,440.00

Bucky DeBerry & Mike Kirby win CATT Sparkleberry Swamp Quest with 23.35lbs

wpalert
-
0
Bucky DeBerry & Mike Kirby win CATT Sparkleberry Swamp Quest with 23.35lbs

Tournament Results Sparkleberry Swamp Quest Dec 29, 2018 DeBerry & Kirby Weigh in 23.35 lbs! Next Swamp Quest is Jan 19th at Packs!

[print_link]

For it still being hunting season we had a good crowd gather at Pack’s Landing for the 1st ever Sparkleberry Swamp Quest CATT! Entry is only $60 at these so guys come on out January 19th to the #2 Swamp Quest at Packs! ONLY 60 HP engines and under for this Trail!

In the past we never publicized when we had a polygraph at a CATT events but with social media these days we’ll let you know about some. This past Saturday we polygraphed 1 member of the top 2 teams. Everything was good!

On your next order use PHANTOMCATT15 and receive 15% off! They also have a hunting line! Great stuff!

1st Place belonged to Bucky DeBerry & Mike Kirby with 23.35 lbs!

2nd went to Lee Morris and Robert Ross with 19.80 lbs!

Big Total Total
Team Fish Weight Winnings Points
Mike Kirby – Bucky DeBerry  BF 6.75 23.35 $695.00 110
Lee Morris – Robert Ross 6.01 19.80 $170.00 109
Brian Scott – Brad Beatson 5.13 19.71 108
Paul Geddings – Bruce Peavy 4.93 16.72 107
Buddy Holmes – Brandon Evans 5.19 15.24 106
Sandy Oliver – Sam Hopkins 4.36 13.49 105
Zack Hayes – Roddy Cross 2.85 11.16 104
Jeremy Bradley – Steve Drummond 0.00 7.56 103
Justin Johnson 3.56 6.65 102
David Eargle – Reggie Hopkins 0.00 5.38 101
Brent Waynick – Rodney Jordan 0.00 0.00 100
Jason Bateman – Steve Phillips 0.00 0.00 100
Todd Gaymon 0.00 0.00 100
Wesley Bilton – Trez Wienges 0.00 0.00 100
Total Entrys $700.00
BONUS $ $325.00
Total Paid At Ramp $865.00
Norman Fall 2018 Final Fund $160.00
2019 CATT Championship Fund $0.00
2018 Norman Fall Final Fund Total $160.00
2019  CATT Championship Fund Total $2,390.00

Reid McGinn & Steve Wicker Win CATT Lake Murray with 5 bass weighing 21.54 lbs!

wpalert
-
0
Reid McGinn & Steve Wicker Win CATT Lake Murray with 5 bass weighing 21.54 lbs!

Tournament Results Murray Fall Final Dec 22, 2018 Wicker & McGuinn Break the 20 lb Mark!

[print_link]

The 2019 Lake Murray Spring Schedule is posted! 1st Qualifier is Jan 19th at Dreher! Check out the schedule and hope to see you there!

Reid McGinn & Steve Wicker claimed 1st with 5 bass weighing 21.54 lbs! Ad in the BONUS and they took home $1,120.00!

Matt Mollohan was 2nd with 19.69 lb!

Johnny Mayer & Chris Epting took 3rd with 18.61 lb and received a Lews Mach Speed Stick for 2nd BF!

  

Neil & Tim Huffstetler received a Lews Mach Speed Spool Baitcaster for weighing in the 1st BF at 6.53 lbs!

 

Joey Sabbagha & Dalton Dowdy with some nice uns!

 

Big Total Total
Team Fish Weight Winnings
Steve Wicker – Reed McGinn 5.15 21.54 $1,190.00
Matt Mollohan 4.35 19.69
Johnny Mayer – Chris Epting 5.33 18.61 $30.00
Neil Huffstetler – Tim Huffstetler 6.53 18.54 $70.00
Joey Sabbagha – Dalton Dowdy 4.17 17.59
Phillip Anderson – Russ Padgett 0.00 13.30
Todd Ledford 0.00 2.37

 

Bruce & James Taylor take the CATT win at the 3rd Hartwell Fall Qualifier with 5 bass weighing 16.02 lbs!

wpalert
-
0
Bruce & James Taylor take the CATT win at the 3rd Hartwell Fall Qualifier with 5 bass weighing 16.02 lbs!

Tournament Results Hartwell Dec 22, 2018 Taylor & Taylor Weigh in 16.02 for the Win!

[print_link]

We’re having new teams join each Qualifier at Lake Hartwell. remember you only have to enter 1 Qualifier to be able to enter the Hartwell Final!

Next Hartwell Qualifier is Jan 5th at Broyles! Entry is only $60 and you pay just 1 membership!

Bruce & James Taylor take the win at the 3rd Hartwell Fall Qualifier with 5 bass weighing 16.02 lbs! They weighed in the BF at 7.43 lbs and took home a total of $480.00!

Wesley Sandifer & Caleb Allgood earned $150.00 for 2nd Place with 13.18 lbs!

Big Total Total
12 Teams Fish Weight Winnings Points
Bruce Taylor – James Taylor 7.43 16.02 $480.00 110
Wesley Sandifer – Caleb Allgood 0.00 13.18 $150.00 109
Mark Swez 0.00 12.48 108
Cliff Tillery – Jeff Wood 0.00 12.27 107
Michael Blackwell – Richard Gosnell 0.00 12.07 106
Andy Green/Bobby Williams 0.00 12.03 105
Jody Hughes 0.00 11.97 104
David Arnold – Billy Buice 0.00 11.28 103
Bill Hunter/ J. Hunter 0.00 9.62 102
Brian Mullins – Todd Mulvey 0.00 7.43 101
David Barnes 0.00 0.00 100
V.Blanton/B. Hinson 0.00 0.00 100
Total Entrys $600.00
BONUS $ $280.00
Total Paid At Ramp $630.00
Hartwell 2018 Fall Final Fund $110.00
2019 CATT Championship Fund $0.00
2018 Hartwell Fall Final Fund Total $425.00
2019  CATT Championship Fund Total $2,390.00

What If…. by Bruce Callis

wpalert
-
0
What If…. by Bruce Callis

What If….

[print_link]

Every day is filled with so many decisions. What am I going to wear today? What do I want for lunch? What about dinner? Decisions, decisions, decisions. And there are so many what ifs every day. What if I had made that left instead of turning right? What if I had gone up lake instead of down lake this morning? What if I hadn’t gotten all that turkey? So many what ifs in every day and all year long.

2018 was the year of, what if it hadn’t rained so much. The rain has really been a blessing for so many of our local ponds, as some are at record highs. I know for a fact that one pond I fish, was extremely low from the last couple of years. I was fishing on a sand bar that had a stump on it that was 4 foot high. I watched as the water slowly rose until it finally covered it. And then we got dumped on hard and again the water level rose. For the first time since I have been going there, the water is going over the spillway. And that stump, it is now under 3 feet of water.

But the abundance of rain has played havoc on fishing tournaments. The rivers have been so dangerous at times. Tournaments have been forced to be postponed or out right canceled. This was done by tournament directors who had to make that hard decision based on angler safety. Sometimes, the decision may not look great, but it is the what if that they have to look at. Second guessing after the fact is easy. But what if an angler went out on a flooded river and got killed? What if?

My 2018 was filled with so many what ifs. What if I had not attended my 1st ever Bassmaster Classic. It was one of the most amazing events I have attended. I got to meet so many friends from social media, rubbed elbows with the Elite Pros, and got to meet so many amazing companies and see their products. And then there is the getting to meet and talk with anglers that got to watch one of the Elite Anglers grow up from a young kid to a competing Pro Angler on the Elite Tour and his 1st Bassmaster Classic. If you have never been to a Classic, make plans to go. Bring the kids and live the excitement, you won’t regret it.

Locally, there are so many opportunities to meet Pro Anglers, from the Richmond Fishing Expo to the Bassmaster Opens and the FLW Costa tournaments, to the Augusta County Fishing Show and Anglers Choice Open House events, the perfect place to come learn and ask questions. And it is a great place to meet fellow anglers and make friendships. They are also a great place to find some amazing deals. What if I didn’t go? I would have missed the opportunity to talk with John Crews and get tips on how to fish his signature Little John series of baits and so much more. What if I had missed talking to Jonathan VanDam, Wesley Strader, Ott Defoe, Gerald Swindle or any of the local anglers who could be competing easily. What tips would I have missed? What if?
2018 was a year of many firsts and grand adventures and so many missed opportunities. From fly fishing for the first time in one of the mountain streams in Virginia, exploring so many new bodies of water, fishing with amazing friends, and so much more. I am blessed to have such an amazing best friend, Tiffany Risch. She loves fishing as much as I do. And to think, our friendship was a what if. What if I had said no to having her as a blind partner fishing in a tournament. What if she had said choose someone else. We have shared so many amazing adventures in 2018 and she has helped me grow as an angler and as a person. What if?

I have been blessed to work with so many amazing organizations in 2018. The Rappahannock River Valley Wildlife Refuge Friends group, CAST for Kids, The Reel American Heroes Foundation, and do so many wonderful events. While the rains caused a lot of events to be canceled, the rain didn’t stop them all. I missed out on the Go Wild event, the rain left the field too wet to use, the Free Kids Fishing Day at the Wilna Tract was rained out, but CAST turned out to be a perfect day. The Free Kids Fishing Day at Port Royal was another huge success. The Reel American Heroes Foundation tournament was a huge success and so many of our wounded warriors got to enjoy a day of fishing therapy. What if? What if I had decided to skip these events? I can honestly say that skipping them has never crossed my mind. Giving back to our youth and warriors is so important to me. Seeing the smiles on their faces is so rewarding.

And then there are the what ifs while fishing. What if that huge bass had gotten a little closer before coming loose? What if I had decided to not fish that pond on that day? What if I had gone to the upper lake not the lower? What if I had made the decision to change baits sooner? Was that bass I missed a new personal best?? Would I have still caught an 8 pound bass? Would I have caught more or less fish? Would I have caught bigger fish? What if?

Life is full of so many what ifs. It isn’t about debating over what could have been, it is about making the most of every day. It is about knowing that things happen and it is up to us to keep moving forward, never letting the what if drag us down. It is about learning from our mistakes and making a difference. Our passion, fishing, isn’t about keeping it to ourselves, it is about sharing it with others and with the next generations. What if we got up and went forth changing lives everyday. What if we gave a child the opportunity to learn to fish? What if?

I am so glad that I don’t let the what if determine how I live my life. The what if fear of failing has kept so many talented individuals from doing what they were meant to do. What if I had let my fear of writing keep me from what I love to do, sharing so much with others? What if my fear of public speaking kept me from sharing my passion with kids? So much joy I would have never known because of what if. What “what if” is holding you back?

3 Tips To Fishing Rocky Bottom Bass – MTB

wpalert
-
0
3 Tips To Fishing Rocky Bottom Bass – MTB

3 Tips To Fishing Rocky Bottom Bass

[print_link]

Bass really like to rock to find warmer water during the winter and in early spring. When the sun is shining, a rocky bottom absorbs the heat from the sun’s rays and warms the water above. The rocks continue to keep the water a few degrees warmer even on cloudy days so bass flock to these natural heaters.  As the rocks continue to warm the water, crayfish will leave their deep-water haunts for the warmth of the rocky areas. So the rocks become ideal hangouts for bass by providing the fish with warmth and forage.

Try these three tips to catch bass on the rocks this winter and early spring.

Hair Jigs On The Rocks

Even though a warm spell heats up rocky banks, bass are still lethargic and trying to shrug off their wintertime blues.  When proven wintertime tactics such as jerking a suspending stickbait or casting a football jig to bluffs and channel drops fail to produce in clear water,  then target 45-degree rocky banks and throw a bucktail hair jig.

If there are a lot of dying shad present in the area try a white or gray jig. If there are not a lot of shad you should throw a brown jig.  The best sizes for working the rocks are a 1/4-ounce jig and a 5/16-ounce model for deeper fish.

The jig will trigger bites without a trailer, but you might consider adding a plastic grub or chunk to increase the lure’s action and buoyancy.  Match the white or gray jig with a smoke or salt-and-pepper trailer and use green pumpkin, brown or black trailers for the brown jig.

Position your boat over depths of 25 to 30 feet, cast your jig towards the shore and let it fall to the bottom. Then reel the jig along at a very slow and steady speed.  Keep your rod tip pointed downward throughout your retrieve to make sure the jig stays near the bottom. Make sure the jig kicks the bottom as much as possible. The key to this retrieve is to swim the jig off the bottom to prevent it from hanging up but keep it ticking the rocks, which produces just enough erratic movement to trigger reaction strikes from bottom-hugging bass.

Shaky Head Craws Crush Rocky Bottom Bass

Fishing Rocky Bottoms

A finesse worm attached to a shaky head jig will catch some bass on the rocks when the water is cold, but a shaky head craw best imitates the forage bass are eating at this time of year.  Match your shaky head jig with a 3-inch plastic craw for the best results. The most productive colors for a shaky head craw are green pumpkin, brown and watermelon.

A ballhead jig tends to hang up more in the rocks, so match your plastic craw with a pointed shaky head jig.   Try a 1/8- or 1/4-ounce jighead for fishing in the shallower rocks, but switch to a 3/8-ounce model if the bass are deeper than 15 feet in gin clear water or if heavy current is present.

The retrieve for a shaky head craw differs slightly from a shaky head worm presentation. Rather than employing the constant shaking retrieve that works best for the worm, try a hop-and-drop retrieve for the shaky head craw. For active bass you can pop your rod to make the craw jump off the rocks, but if the fish are sluggish you need to slowly lift your rod so the craw gradually rises from the rocks.

Fishing Rocky Bottoms With A Spinnerbait

Fishing Rocky Bottoms

The shallowest bass in winter and early spring can be found in rocky areas where the water is murky.  The rocks and murky water both absorb the heat of the sun’s rays to create the warmest water you will find in your favorite bass fishery.

A jig is a good choice for throwing to the rocks in murky water, but you should consider throwing a spinnerbait along the rocky banks if you see balls of shad on your depthfinder.  Shad will move to the warmth of the rocks on sunny days and the bass will follow the baitfish to the shallows.

I prefer throwing a 1/2- or 3/4-ounce spinnerbait with a chartreuse skirt and a large (number 6 or 7) Colorado blade to the rocks during the winter.  The blade bait shines in this situation because it generates flash and vibration making it easier for bass to hone in on the lure in the dirty water.

Bass will be as shallow as 3 to 4 feet basking in the warmth of the rocks, so I position my boat in about 8 feet of water.  I cast parallel to the bank, which allows me to keep my spinnerbait in the strike zone throughout most of my retrieve. Slowly rolling the spinnerbait so the lure ticks the rocks is the key to triggering strikes.

SAM RAYBURN RESERVOIR READIES TO KICKOFF 24TH FLW TOUR SEASON

wpalert
-
0
SAM RAYBURN RESERVOIR READIES TO KICKOFF 24TH FLW TOUR SEASON

SAM RAYBURN RESERVOIR READIES TO KICKOFF 24TH FLW TOUR SEASON

High Water Levels and Wintertime Temperatures to Keep Pros Guessing at Tournament presented by Polaris

[print_link]

BROOKELAND, Texas (Dec. 27, 2018) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament fishing organization, is set to launch the 2019 FLW Tour season – the 24th season of the competitive Tour – Jan. 10-13, with the FLW Tour at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Polaris. Hosted by the Jasper County Development District, the tournament will feature 170 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals competing for a top award of up to $125,000 and valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2019 FLW Cup – the world championship of bass fishing.

The FLW Tour has visited Sam Rayburn three times previously, with 2019 marking the 4th visit in FLW’s 24-year history. When the Tour last visited the largest lake in Texas in 2014, FLW Tour superstar Bryan Thrift slowed way down – flipping and pitching a Texas-rigged Damiki Knock Out – to out-fish some of the biggest names in the sport and earn the sixth victory of his career. Thrift will be among the early tournament favorites for the upcoming event as well. The total purse for the FLW Tour at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Polaris is more than $860,000, including $9,000 through 65th place in the Pro Division.

“It’s always exciting to start another FLW Tour season, but it’s really exciting this year to be kicking off the season in Texas,” said local FLW Tour pro Jason Reyes of Huffman, Texas, a three-time FLW Cup qualifier who has three top-10 finishes on Sam Rayburn in FLW competition. “Sam Rayburn can be a bit intimidating if you haven’t fished it before – 100,000 acres of lake that is full of grass and hydrilla and everything looks good. But, it is a lake of opportunity and the potential is there for 10+ pound bass and 30+ pound limits. You can really separate yourself if you can catch a bag like that.”

Reyes said that the region has seen an influx of rain lately and the water levels are higher than normal for this time of year. The water temperature is currently steady between 53 to 55 degrees and with the fish still in their wintertime mode Reyes expects quite a few different patterns to be in play.

“The lake is fishing fairly well,” Reyes said. “Depending on the weather, this tournament will be all about what happens the week before the tournament. We might see everyone out fishing in cold weather gear or we might see everyone in shorts and sweatshirts. The big question will be if the fish move up shallow.

“I don’t think a guy will be able to win it from one spot – they’re going to have to have multiple areas,” Reyes continued. “Lipless crankbaits are always a big player on Rayburn this time of year. Carolina rigs, spinnerbaits, crankbaits and flipping a jig or soft-plastics will all produce as well. Both ends of the lake will be in play, and we’ll be able to catch them fishing whatever our strengths are.”

Reyes estimated that it would take a two-day total of 30 to 31 pounds for an angler to make the top 30 cut and fish the weekend. He predicted the winner would have a four-day total right around 72 pounds.

”This time of year, we can expect to see quite a few changes over the four-day tournament,” Reyes went on to say. “We may see a guy show out with a huge limit on Day One or Two and then struggle to catch half of that the next day. It’s going to be a fun tournament and a great fishery to kick off the 2019 FLW Tour season.”

Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. CST each day from the Umphrey Family Pavilion, located at 5438 Sam Rayburn Parkway, in Brookeland. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins, Jan. 10-11, will be held at the pavilion beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins, Jan. 12-13, will also be held at the pavilion, but will begin at 4 p.m.

Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Polaris will premiere in 2019. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs each Saturday night at 7 p.m. EST and is broadcast to more than 63 million cable, satellite and telecommunications households in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean on the World Fishing Network (WFN), the leading entertainment destination and digital resource for anglers throughout North America. FLW television is also distributed internationally to FLW partner countries, including Canada, China, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and South Africa.

The popular FLW Live on-the-water program will air on Days Three and Four of the event, featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. New for 2019, host Travis Moran will be joined by veteran FLW Tour pros Todd Hollowell and Peter Thliveros to break down the extended action each day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed on FLWFishing.com, the FLW YouTube channel and the FLW Facebook page.

Prior to the weigh-ins each day FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at the Umphrey Family Pavilion from 2 to 6 p.m. each day. The Expo is a chance for fishing fans to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities.

Also for youth, the FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will be held at the pavilion on Saturday, Jan. 12 from Noon-2 p.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to anyone under the age of 18 and Special Olympics athletes. Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. The 1st and 2nd place anglers that catch the biggest fish will be recognized Saturday on the FLW Tour stage, just prior to the pros weighing in.

As part of the FLW Tour’s community outreach initiative, FLW Tour anglers will visit patients, guests and staff at the Brookeland High School, located at 187 Wildcat Walk, in Brookeland on Wednesday, Jan. 9 from 9-10 a.m. to introduce students to fishing and outdoor activities in their community. During the presentations the pro anglers will reinforce how science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) relate to outdoor activities and the life as a professional angler as well as discussing different career paths within the outdoor industry.

In FLW Tour competition, the full field of 170 pro anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The top 30 pros based on their two-day accumulated weight advance to Saturday. Only the top 10 pros continue competition Sunday, with the winner determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from the four days of competition.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2019 FLW Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The 2019 FLW Cup will be on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 9-11 and is hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.

FISHING HOMEWORK Map and Hatch study by Evan Fleming

wpalert
-
0
FISHING HOMEWORK Map and Hatch study by Evan Fleming

FISHING HOMEWORK

Map and Hatch study

Evan Fleming

[print_link]

It’s the toughest time of the year as an angler, and not just on the water. We all know the bites are few and far in between when we actually get to hit the water. One of the hardest things is to find time to wet a line during the winter months. Between weather and holiday activities, you start to feel fishing withdrawals. Most of us resort to cleaning out the boat, organizing tackle, and preparing for the upcoming fishing season. Another tool I use to fill the fishing void is map and lake study. These can be the best tools as anglers. Knowing where to go, what to throw, and why. Even on your home waters, you’ll be surprised what new information you can find.

As a tournament angler time management is key, and even key to the average joe hitting the water. It doesn’t matter if you’re using 8 hours to hunt down that first place bag or just spending the day on the water, you want to make the most of your time. There is no worse feeling than being stumped on the water, you start to panic, you start junk fishing, and running all over the place looking for that bite. You don’t make the most of you’re allotted time. Doing some pre-fishing homework can change all of that for you. Knowing what to do in certain situations, starts at home.

My favorite tool is the Navionics boating app. Old school paper maps are great as well, but having every lake map in my hand at one time is easier. Even if you’ve fished your home waters for the past 15 years, I bet you will find a new creek channel, ditch, hump, or road bed you had no idea was there. This can be key to finding that bite or coming up with the winning bag.

ii

Rather it’s dead of winter, the water temperature is 40 degrees, and your looking for that channel swing near a main lake point, or its pre-spawn and you’re looking for that bass highway heading to spawning flats. Map study will keep you on top of fish and making the most of your time. Knowing where these spots are is important to establishing a game plan, rather it being on a new body of water or your home lake.

I like to make my game plan out of my top 10 spots and list them in numerical order, starting with the one spot that I have the most confidence in. I know when I pull up I’ll have my best chance of getting a bite there, then work my way down the list.

After you get this list of spots, it’s time to determine what to tie on. Water clarity and water temperatures will determine a lot of this, but knowing what species of bait fish and crawfish are in the body of water is the next piece of the puzzle. Matching the hatch is what most anglers refer to it as. Knowing that your body of water has a larger population of Blue Back Herring than Alewife or Hickory Shad, will help make color selection much simpler. So if you’re throwing a jerk bait in cold winter waters, or

iii

deep cranking hot summer waters, your color selection will be much easier.

The same goes for the crawfish population, this can be harder to match though. Yes, you can always reach in your box and grab the old faithful black and blue or green pumpkin jig and catch bass all day long, but what if you’re in a situation where the fish are pressured and have seen every black and blue combination that you can buy? You have to change it up. Then you remember that your water has a high population of Red Swamp Crawfish. You grab that black and red jig or crank bait and start back to catching fish. Also knowing when the crawfish molt and change colors can be key. You may be on fish all season long on a spring craw color, then the next trip your fish are still there but you can’t buy a strike. You look at the water temperature and realize that the crawfish have changed colors, you make your adjustments and are back to wacking fish.

Matching the hatch is crucial to catching fish, also to not wasting time and money on the wrong colors. Sometimes it’s little color variations or knowing the size of the hatch you’re trying to imitate. You may have to change the size bait you’re throwing too. It does no good to throw a lure two or three times the size of the natural bait in that body of water. This is a simple fix once you learn what color to throw. Changing the size blades on a spinner bait, or the size trailer that you’re using can help this. Also cutting some of the skirt material off a jig or spinner bait to help give it a smaller profile. On the other hand you may be looking for that lunker and need to throw a larger bait. You could be landing twelve inch fish all day long and need that kicker fish. Instead of throwing a 4 inch swim bait or 5 inch ribbon tail Texas rig step it up. The size bait is just as important as the color. Don’t over think the situation. Some times simple is the best. Use the bass to tell you what they want.

iv

This winter while you’re sitting around dreaming of a twenty pound bag or that trophy lunker bass, do your homework to make that dream happen. Break down the water before you ever get the chance to go. Having this information can make you a better angler and make the most of your time. In the end it doesn’t matter if you’re competing against 200 other boats, your local club, or just getting a chance to wet a line we all want to make the most of it and catch fish.

v

Tim Chapman & Mike Stephens took the CATT win & $1,125.00 with 14.04 lbs!

wpalert
-
0
Tim Chapman & Mike Stephens took the CATT win & $1,125.00 with 14.04 lbs!
[print_link]

Remember guys, you only have to enter 3 Qualifiers to be eligible to enter the Norman Final! If you fished the Cage tournament that counted as a Qualifier! The last Norman Qualifier is Dec 29th at Pinnacle!

Also the money is listed at the bottom of each CATT event! This one was $80 per team entry and we pay back 1 place for every 5 teams entered! We paid back 2 places in the side pot as well!

Tim Chapman & Mike Stephens took the win and $1,125.00 with 14.04 lbs! Great job guys!

2nd went to Steve Addington with 13.97 lbs and Steve took home $600.00!

3rd went to Kelly Logan & Jason Wilson with 13.22 lbs and they took home $460.00!

Check out the rest of the pics and we’ll see you next Saturday!

Big Total Total
30 Teams Fish Weight Winnings Points
Tim Chapman – Mike Stephens 3.55 14.04 $1,125.00 110
Steve Addington 3.68 13.97 $600.00 109
Kelly Logan – Jason Wilson 5.16 13.22 $460.00 108
Roger Hoover – Scott Hamrick 3.62 13.17 $130.00 107
Mike Ray – Orlando Giles 2.65 11.98 $110.00 106
Rick Poplin – Maurice Freeze 2.26 11.29 $100.00 105
Dylan Fulk 3.62 11.21 104
Craig Chambers – Derek Cummings 3.39 11.09 103
Eric Vanglehoff – Nate McGeathy 3.34 10.93 102
Thomas Hardwick – Tommy Williams 0.00 10.35 101
Johnny Allen – Jerry Pruitt 2.72 9.99 100
Scott & Dwight Beattie 2.16 9.52 99
Kevin Toler – Rodney Lambert 0.00 8.88 98
Jody & Jay Wright 2.99 8.84 97
Aaron Jordan – Adam Locklear 1.84 8.02 96
David & Kenny Beard 0.00 7.65 95
Marty Williams – Robbie Walser 0.00 7.46 94
Matt McBee – Charlie Brock 3.68 7.44 93
Bill Grier 0.00 6.66 92
Warren Ray – Ronnie Jennings 2.70 2.70 91
Tony Nekson – Travis Kilby 2.18 2.18 90
Errol Duckett – Zoie Vazquez 1.14 1.14 89
Jimmy LeShock – Chris Baumgardner 0.00 0.00 88
George Lauster – Bryan Forsee 0.00 0.00 88
Dale Phillips 0.00 0.00 88
Nick Miller – Brandon Brickweg 0.00 0.00 88
Rob Spears 0.00 0.00 88
CJ D’Addario – Robbie Fairweather 0.00 0.00 88
Jason Land – Conner Usher 0.00 0.00 88
Todd & Hayden Hammond 0.00 0.00 88
Total Entrys $2,400.00
BONUS $ $650.00
Total Paid At Ramp $2,525.00
Norman Fall 2018 Final Fund $475.00
2019 CATT Championship Fund $50.00
2018 Norman Fall Final Fund Total $2,460.00
2019  CATT Championship Fund Total $2,390.00

Culprit Incredi-Craw Review By Walker Smith

wpalert
-
0
Culprit Incredi-Craw Review By Walker Smith
This soft-plastic bass fishing bait has proven to be an excellent choice for a variety of pitching and flipping applications.
(1 of 6)

Subtle design features make a big difference

culprit-incredi-craw-review.jpg

Walker Smith

It takes a lot to impress me when it comes to bass fishing soft plastics. I’m sure you’ve all realized that many of them look and perform very similarly. Often times, an angler’s purchase boils down to brand allegiance more than anything.

I’ll tell you what, though; I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the Culprit Incredi-Craw. I’ve been pitching and flipping shallow cover with it for most of the fall and winter with excellent results. It may not be the most eye-catching bait when you first see it, but it has several subtle features that have made it one of my go-to baits when I’m picking apart the shallows.

I’ll quickly go over the most noteworthy characteristics I’ve learned about throughout my testing.

1...869870871...1,533Page 870 of 1,533

Follow Us

The latest

Gill Sets the Bar as MLF’s Youngest Bass-Fishing Millionaire

Breaking News 0
By: Jody WhiteWhen Drew Gill put a bow on his primary...

Seth Dixon & Thanos Tsoumbous win Lake Gaston with 5 bass weighing 18.56 lbs!

CATT Lake Gason 0
Next up is the Lake Gaston Final on January...

Matt Robertson wins the CATT Lake Norman Fall Final with 5 bass weighing 16.50 lbs!

CATT Lake Norman 0
Matt Robertson wins the Lake Norman Fall Final with...

© 2023 The Bass Cast. All Rights Reserved.