Search
Subscribe
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Home Blog Page 951

Skeet Reese Takes Second-Round Lead In Bassmaster Elite At Kentucky Lake

wpalert
-
0
Skeet Reese Takes Second-Round Lead In Bassmaster Elite At Kentucky Lake

Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., takes/maintains the lead on the second day of the 2018 Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Kentucky Lake presented by Abu Garcia out of Paris, Tenn., with a two-day total weight of 45 pounds, 5 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

May 5, 2018

Skeet Reese Takes Second-Round Lead In Bassmaster Elite At Kentucky Lake

[print_link]

PARIS, Tenn. — When Bassmaster tournament emcee Dave Mercer noted that Skeet Reese was “making it look easy” during the morning’s Bassmaster LIVE coverage, the veteran pro gave a simple explanation for the seemingly tranquil performance that pushed him into the lead with 45 pounds, 5 ounces on Day 2 of the Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Kentucky Lake presented by Abu Garcia.

“It’s easy when you have 20 pounds in the boat,” Reese said.

Indeed, the Auburn, Calif., Elite angler got the party started early and quickly added 21-10 to his 23-11 from yesterday. Noting that he was more dialed in on his pattern today, Reese had his limit by 8 a.m. and had caught his day’s weight by about 10.

This early productivity bore consistent with the morning shad spawn that had bass rallying around key areas awash with reproducing baitfish.

“The shad spawn was everything,” Reese said. “They’re feeding for the first four hours of the day, but the last two days we’ve had cloud cover, which probably extended the bite.”

Reese caught his fish on a mix that included a jerkbait, swimbait and squarebill crankbait. The latter did most of the work, but presentations had to be specific.

“The whole key is getting the bait to deflect,” Reese said. “If your bait’s not deflecting off the bottom, for the most part, you’re not getting the bites. The key is triggering these fish. It’s typical postspawn.”

Once his morning action subsided, Reese struggled the rest of the day. With clearer conditions and more sun in tomorrow’s forecast, he’s contemplating his options.

“I definitely have to change how I fish in the afternoons because I pretty much drove the suck bus the last two afternoons,” Reese said.

Reese said he fished a lot of new water today. Not everything produced, but he found himself in a position to experiment, so he took advantage of the opportunity.

“I was fortunate to have a good bag in the boat early. That allowed me to ‘prefish’ and fine-tune something and find that one little sweet spot,” Reese said. “Obviously, I found one sweet spot yesterday where I hooked four or five fish and I hooked four there today. If there’s one spot like that, there’s definitely a lot more like that out there.

“I don’t know if I was fishing good water or bad water, but I could have fished some amazing stuff in the afternoon that, even though I didn’t get a bite, maybe they’re chewing in the morning.”

Bassmaster LIVE, the innovative live-stream coverage of on-the-water fishing action pioneered by B.A.S.S., documented a Skeet Reese highlight reel moment when he snatched opportunity from the jaws of disaster after hooking a 6-pounder on a jerkbait and tangling his kill-switch cord around his reel handle. Calmly managing the moment, Reese unwrapped the cord and reeled the fish boatside for a clean catch.

“What a train wreck; I couldn’t make another turn on the reel handle,” Reese lamented. “When you have a 5 1/2-pounder jumping in front of you and you can’t turn the reel handle, it’s like ugh!

“I’m glad I made it look smooth, because internally, I was a wreck.”

Fred Roumbanis of Russellville, Ark., made a big second-round improvement by sacking up a limit that weighed 22-11 and moved him up from 27th place to second with a total weight of 40-10. Today’s calm conditions initially hindered Roumbanis, but a gutsy call to abandon a limit strategy and stick with his big-fish bait helped him overcome an early roadblock and hammer out an impressive day.

“I felt like I needed the wind to make my swimbait bite work,” he said. “I’m throwing my signature Boom Boom Swimbait, and I came across a certain little deal and caught what I caught.

“When I picked up a spinning rod with a shaky head and caught two keepers, I relaxed a little bit. But this is Kentucky Lake, so I put that down and picked up the swimbait and said ‘Let’s do this.’ It’s a confidence thing when I’m throwing a swimbait. I know I’m fishing for the right bites.”

Roumbanis said he identified the right areas by studying his Garmin Panoptix imaging and interpreting what he saw.

“If you look at bait and then you see bigger blobs, those are probably bass; if you don’t see bait and you see a lot of blobs, they’re probably carp,” he said. “I’m using the bait to distinguish what I’m looking at.”

In third place, Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Fla., rose from 11th place on Friday to third, just 1 ounce behind Roumbanis. His 20-13 limit of five bass gives him a two-day total of 40-9. Grigsby caught all of his bass by sight fishing with soft plastics. His second-round catch included a 7-11 that leads the $1,500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award.

Rounding out the Top 5 are Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., with 39-12 and Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., with 39-2.

Takeoff Sunday morning will be at 6 a.m. CT out of Paris Landing Marina, and weigh-ins are scheduled at Paris Landing State Park beginning at 3:15 p.m.

2018 Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Kentucky Lake presented by Abu Garcia 5/4-5/7
Kentucky Lake, Paris  TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Skeet Reese            Auburn, CA              10  45-05  110
Day 1: 5   23-11     Day 2: 5   21-10
2.  Fred Roumbanis         Russellville, AR        10  40-10  109
Day 1: 5   17-15     Day 2: 5   22-11
3.  Shaw Grigsby Jr.       Gainesville, FL         10  40-09  108
Day 1: 5   19-12     Day 2: 5   20-13
4.  Jason Christie         Park Hill, OK           10  39-12  107
Day 1: 5   20-13     Day 2: 5   18-15
5.  Edwin Evers            Talala, OK              10  39-02  106
Day 1: 5   19-06     Day 2: 5   19-12
6.  Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             10  38-10  105
Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 5   19-11
7.  Bobby Lane Jr.         Lakeland, FL            10  38-09  104
Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   18-02
8.  Boyd Duckett           Guntersville, AL         9  38-02  103
Day 1: 4   14-02     Day 2: 5   24-00
9.  Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN           10  38-01  102
Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 5   19-08
10. Aaron Martens          Leeds, AL               10  37-05  101
Day 1: 5   14-14     Day 2: 5   22-07
11. Wesley Strader         Spring City, TN         10  37-03  100
Day 1: 5   19-06     Day 2: 5   17-13
12. Jordan Lee             Grant, AL               10  36-14   99
Day 1: 5   21-03     Day 2: 5   15-11
13. Jacob Powroznik        North Prince George, VA 10  36-14   98
Day 1: 5   19-13     Day 2: 5   17-01
14. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             10  36-09   97
Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   20-09
15. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            10  36-07   96
Day 1: 5   16-14     Day 2: 5   19-09
16. Alton Jones            Lorena, TX              10  36-00   95
Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 5   17-07
17. Bradley Roy            Lancaster, KY           10  35-15   94
Day 1: 5   18-10     Day 2: 5   17-05
18. Ott DeFoe              Blaine, TN              10  35-13   93
Day 1: 5   19-10     Day 2: 5   16-03
19. Gerald Swindle         Guntersville, AL        10  35-12   92
Day 1: 5   20-04     Day 2: 5   15-08
20. Brent Chapman          Lake Quivira, KS        10  35-08   91
Day 1: 5   17-04     Day 2: 5   18-04
21. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         10  34-13   90
Day 1: 5   17-04     Day 2: 5   17-09
22. John Murray            Spring City, TN         10  34-09   89
Day 1: 5   18-06     Day 2: 5   16-03
23. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              10  34-05   88
Day 1: 5   17-15     Day 2: 5   16-06
24. Josh Bertrand          San Tan Valley, AZ      10  34-01   87
Day 1: 5   20-02     Day 2: 5   13-15
25. Chris Lane             Guntersville, AL        10  33-15   86
Day 1: 5   16-07     Day 2: 5   17-08
26. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL           10  33-14   85
Day 1: 5   22-00     Day 2: 5   11-14
27. Randy Sullivan         Breckenridge, TX        10  33-14   84
Day 1: 5   13-06     Day 2: 5   20-08
28. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            10  33-13   83
Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   19-11
29. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL        10  33-13   82
Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 5   15-04
30. Jacob Wheeler          Harrison, TN            10  33-12   81
Day 1: 5   18-13     Day 2: 5   14-15
31. Fletcher Shryock       Dennison, OH            10  33-12   80
Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 5   18-11
32. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX           9  33-05   79
Day 1: 4   13-05     Day 2: 5   20-00
33. David Walker           Sevierville, TN         10  33-05   78
Day 1: 5   19-10     Day 2: 5   13-11
34. Matt Lee               Guntersville, AL         9  33-03   77
Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 4   13-12
35. Scott Rook             Little Rock, AR         10  32-09   76
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 5   18-13
36. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka, AL            10  32-06   75
Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 5   17-10
37. Andy Montgomery        Blacksburg, SC          10  32-05   74
Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 5   15-15
38. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, TX              10  31-11   73
Day 1: 5   17-01     Day 2: 5   14-10
39. Tim Horton             Muscle Shoals, AL       10  31-07   72
Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   20-00
40. Chris Zaldain          Laughlin, NV             8  31-05   71
Day 1: 5   24-03     Day 2: 3   07-02
41. Brandon Card           Knoxville, TN            9  31-03   70
Day 1: 5   16-13     Day 2: 4   14-06
42. Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC               10  31-02   69
Day 1: 5   15-08     Day 2: 5   15-10
43. Jared Lintner          Arroyo Grande, CA       10  31-00   68
Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   13-13
44. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT           10  30-07   67
Day 1: 5   17-04     Day 2: 5   13-03
45. Brandon Palaniuk       Hayden, ID              10  30-07   66
Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 5   15-12
46. Seth Feider            Bloomington, MN         10  30-03   65
Day 1: 5   14-12     Day 2: 5   15-07
47. Brett Hite             Phoenix, AZ             10  29-15   64
Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   16-07
48. Alton Jones Jr.        Waco, TX                10  29-14   63
Day 1: 5   16-04     Day 2: 5   13-10
49. Chris Groh             Spring Grove, IL        10  29-14   62
Day 1: 5   14-01     Day 2: 5   15-13
50. Jake Whitaker          Fairview, NC            10  29-11   61
Day 1: 5   15-14     Day 2: 5   13-13
51. Dean Rojas             Lake Havasu City, AZ     8  29-10   60
Day 1: 3   12-13     Day 2: 5   16-13
52. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  29-10   59
Day 1: 5   15-06     Day 2: 5   14-04
53. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               10  29-07   58
Day 1: 5   11-12     Day 2: 5   17-11
54. Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, MI            9  29-06   57
Day 1: 5   15-13     Day 2: 4   13-09
55. Paul Elias             Laurel, MS               9  29-05   56
Day 1: 5   20-01     Day 2: 4   09-04
56. Keith Poche            Pike Road, AL            8  29-05   55
Day 1: 4   13-13     Day 2: 4   15-08
57. Cliff Pace             Petal, MS               10  29-04   54
Day 1: 5   19-09     Day 2: 5   09-11
58. Casey Ashley           Donalds, SC             10  29-02   53
Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   16-04
59. Adrian Avena           Vineland, NJ            10  28-10   52
Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 5   10-12
60. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ         10  28-09   51
Day 1: 5   16-15     Day 2: 5   11-10
61. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA           9  28-05   50
Day 1: 5   16-08     Day 2: 4   11-13
62. Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL           10  28-02   49
Day 1: 5   15-11     Day 2: 5   12-07
63. Shin Fukae             Palestine TX JAPAN       8  28-00   48
Day 1: 4   13-04     Day 2: 4   14-12
64. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC           7  27-15   47
Day 1: 2   09-08     Day 2: 5   18-07
65. Gerald Spohrer         Gonzales, LA             8  27-15   46
Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 3   10-01
66. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  27-12   45
Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 5   12-09
67. Jesse Wiggins          Cullman, AL              8  27-11   44
Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 3   08-13
68. David Fritts           Lexington, NC           10  27-09   43
Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   12-05
69. Brent Ehrler           Redlands, CA             9  27-04   42
Day 1: 5   16-14     Day 2: 4   10-06
70. Kelly Jordon           Flint, TX               10  27-03   41
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   14-03
71. James Elam             Tulsa, OK               10  26-15   40
Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   14-01
72. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR          8  26-07   39
Day 1: 3   13-09     Day 2: 5   12-14
73. Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL        10  26-02   38
Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 5   12-07
74. Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH        8  26-01   37
Day 1: 5   16-04     Day 2: 3   09-13
75. Mark Daniels Jr.       Tuskegee, AL            10  26-00   36
Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 5   12-07
76. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL          10  25-15   35
Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   12-12
77. Tyler Carriere         Youngsville, LA          8  25-06   34
Day 1: 4   12-02     Day 2: 4   13-04
78. Randy Howell           Guntersville, AL         9  25-00   33
Day 1: 5   13-11     Day 2: 4   11-05
79. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        10  24-14   32
Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   11-07
80. Ish Monroe             Hughson, CA              9  24-09   31
Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 4   08-15
81. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL              10  24-07   30
Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   11-05
82. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY              9  24-05   29
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 4   12-10
83. Rick Morris            Lake Gaston, VA         10  24-03   28
Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   10-12
84. Brandon Coulter        Knoxville, TN            9  23-11   27
Day 1: 4   10-04     Day 2: 5   13-07
85. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL          9  23-02   26
Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 4   10-05
86. Cliff Crochet          Pierre Part, LA         10  22-14   25
Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   11-15
87. Mike McClelland        Bentonville, AR          7  22-09   24
Day 1: 4   12-02     Day 2: 3   10-07
88. Kyle Monti             Okeechobee, FL           6  21-13   23
Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 1   03-04
89. Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA             9  21-08   22
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 4   09-09
90. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ               8  21-06   21
Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 3   08-04
91. Roy Hawk               Lk Havasu Cty, AZ        9  21-00   20
Day 1: 4   07-09     Day 2: 5   13-07
92. Dave Lefebre           Erie, PA                 8  20-02   19
Day 1: 4   10-06     Day 2: 4   09-12
93. Gary Klein             Mingus, TX               8  19-02   18
Day 1: 4   08-12     Day 2: 4   10-06
94. Dustin Connell         Clanton, AL              7  19-01   17
Day 1: 4   10-07     Day 2: 3   08-10
95. Tommy Biffle           Wagoner, OK              6  18-08   16
Day 1: 4   11-03     Day 2: 2   07-05
96. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO         7  17-05   15
Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 2   04-04
97. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC              7  17-01   14
Day 1: 3   06-08     Day 2: 4   10-09
98. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA               5  16-13   13
Day 1: 2   08-00     Day 2: 3   08-13
99. Morizo Shimizu         Suita, Osaka JAPAN       6  16-06   12
Day 1: 3   07-11     Day 2: 3   08-11
100. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN            6  16-01   11
Day 1: 3   07-03     Day 2: 3   08-14
101. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX              6  15-15   10
Day 1: 5   11-12     Day 2: 1   04-03
102. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL              5  15-13    9
Day 1: 3   08-08     Day 2: 2   07-05
103. Bill Weidler           Helena, AL               6  15-06    8
Day 1: 2   04-09     Day 2: 4   10-13
104. Jeff Kriet             Ardmore, OK              7  14-07    7
Day 1: 3   06-10     Day 2: 4   07-13
105. Takahiro Omori         Emory, TX                5  14-02    6
Day 1: 1   02-08     Day 2: 4   11-10
106. Jonathon VanDam        Gobles, MI               5  10-13    5
Day 1: 3   05-07     Day 2: 2   05-06
107. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  4  10-06    4
Day 1: 4   10-06     Day 2: 0   00-00
108. Darrell Ocamica        New Plymouth, ID         3  07-06    3
Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   07-06
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        82       493      1589-05
2        70       473      1482-06
———————————-
152       966      3071-11

Bass Edge’s The Edge – Episode 279 – Chris Johnston May 1, 2018

wpalert
-
0
Bass Edge’s The Edge – Episode 279 – Chris Johnston May 1, 2018

Bass Edge’s The Edge – Episode 279 – Chris Johnston
May 1, 2018

Bass Edge Radio, presented by Megaware KeelGuard features 2018 FLW Tour Champion Chris Johnston in this episode of their top-rated podcast. Bass Edge hosts Aaron Martin and Kurt Dove discuss with Chris fishing in the USA vs Canada and post spawn fishing tactics.

Zaldain Claims Narrow Lead Over Reese In Bassmaster Elite Tournament At Kentucky Lake

wpalert
-
0
Zaldain Claims Narrow Lead Over Reese In Bassmaster Elite Tournament At Kentucky Lake

Chris Zaldain of Laughlin, Nev., takes the lead on the first day of the Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Kentucky Lake presented by Abu Garcia, bringing 24  pounds, 3 ounces to the scales on Friday.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

May 4, 2018

Zaldain Claims Narrow Lead Over Reese In Bassmaster Elite Tournament At Kentucky Lake

[print_link]

PARIS, Tenn. — Chris Zaldain knew what he wanted to do, he knew why he wanted to do it and he got the job done to the tune of a 24-pound, 3-ounce limit of bass that leads the first round of the Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Kentucky Lake presented by Abu Garcia.

“A few days ago, I got some bad news about my mom’s (Rose) health, she’s battling cancer,” said Zaldain of Laughlin, Nev. “The last few days have been rough, so I came into this event to win it for my mom.

“I really want a chance to go into Sunday and win this event. I feel like my career needs it. I feel like my family needs it.”

Zaldain said he’s fishing such a specific pattern that he couldn’t divulge many details. However, he did note that a very specific integration of three distinct factors — some habitat, others conditional — were essential to his success.

“I practiced with one thing in my mind, pretty much one bait, one approach and it paid off big time today,” Zaldain said. “The second day of practice, I caught almost 30 pounds, no joke. Kentucky Lake has got ’em.

“A lot of people are complaining about the Asian carp, but the bass still live here. You just have to fish where the carp aren’t.”

Noting that he fished a purely prespawn pattern, Zaldain knew his day would be one of quality over quantity. His biggest was a 6-pounder, which made it to the Bassmaster blog feed with Zaldain’s handwritten dedication note to his mother.

“I’m fishing for five bites,” Zaldain said. “I’m not going out there trying to catch as many as I can, I’m just trying to catch five.

“Angles are everything to the way I’m fishing. I watched people fish through an area twice and I went in behind them and caught fish.”

The morning bite was key for Zaldain, who tanked his last keeper at 10 a.m. Looking ahead, he’s confident that he can replicate his game plan again Saturday, the second of four competition days.

“If I keep doing what I’m doing, I’ll have a big bag,” he said. “We have a weather change coming tomorrow, so I may have to make a few adjustments, but it’s going to be more of the same. In fact, a few of my spots, I didn’t even touch today.”

While Zaldain’s game plan worked to perfection, Skeet Reese’s didn’t. The Elite pro from Auburn, Calif., had to scrap his original game plan when he found himself fishless at 8 a.m. Switching to waters he never visited in practice, Reese targeted an area where he threw reaction baits and intercepted fish coming and going from a spawning area. His decision to change game plans led to a solid limit of 23-11, just 8 ounces behind the leader.

In third, Alabama’s Kelly Jaye picked off a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds by throwing a custom colored Megabass Vision 110 jerkbait that he modified with larger hooks for a faster sink rate in the 8-foot depths he targeted.

Jaye said he needs sunlight penetration to allow the fish to see his bait better, so if Saturday offers any break in the cloud cover, he’s anticipating a heavier bag.

Rounding out the Top 5 are reigning Bassmaster Classic champion Jordan Lee of Grant, Ala., with 21-3 and Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., with 20-13

Gerald Swindle of Guntersville, Ala., and Chad Pipkens of Lansing, Mich., are tied for the $1,500 Phoenix Boats Big Bass Award with twin 7-pound, 7-ounce fish.

Daily takeoffs will begin at 6 a.m. CT out of Paris Landing Marina, and weigh-ins are scheduled at Paris Landing State Park beginning at 3:15 p.m. CT. each day.

2018 Berkley Bassmaster Elite at Kentucky Lake presented by Abu Garcia 5/4-5/7
Kentucky Lake, Paris  TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Chris Zaldain          Laughlin, NV             5  24-03  110
Day 1: 5   24-03
2.  Skeet Reese            Auburn, CA               5  23-11  109
Day 1: 5   23-11
3.  Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL            5  22-00  108
Day 1: 5   22-00
4.  Jordan Lee             Grant, AL                5  21-03  107
Day 1: 5   21-03
5.  Jason Christie         Park Hill, OK            5  20-13  106
Day 1: 5   20-13
6.  Bobby Lane Jr.         Lakeland, FL             5  20-07  105
Day 1: 5   20-07
7.  Gerald Swindle         Guntersville, AL         5  20-04  104
Day 1: 5   20-04
8.  Josh Bertrand          San Tan Valley, AZ       5  20-02  103
Day 1: 5   20-02
9.  Paul Elias             Laurel, MS               5  20-01  102
Day 1: 5   20-01
10. Jacob Powroznik        North Prince George, VA  5  19-13  101
Day 1: 5   19-13
11. Shaw Grigsby Jr.       Gainesville, FL          5  19-12  100
Day 1: 5   19-12
12. Ott DeFoe              Blaine, TN               5  19-10   99
Day 1: 5   19-10
12. David Walker           Sevierville, TN          5  19-10   99
Day 1: 5   19-10
14. Cliff Pace             Petal, MS                5  19-09   97
Day 1: 5   19-09
15. Matt Lee               Guntersville, AL         5  19-07   96
Day 1: 5   19-07
16. Edwin Evers            Talala, OK               5  19-06   95
Day 1: 5   19-06
16. Wesley Strader         Spring City, TN          5  19-06   95
Day 1: 5   19-06
18. Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI              5  18-15   93
Day 1: 5   18-15
19. Jesse Wiggins          Cullman, AL              5  18-14   92
Day 1: 5   18-14
20. Jacob Wheeler          Harrison, TN             5  18-13   91
Day 1: 5   18-13
21. Bradley Roy            Lancaster, KY            5  18-10   90
Day 1: 5   18-10
22. Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN            5  18-09   89
Day 1: 5   18-09
22. Alton Jones            Lorena, TX               5  18-09   89
Day 1: 5   18-09
22. Kyle Monti             Okeechobee, FL           5  18-09   89
Day 1: 5   18-09
22. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL         5  18-09   89
Day 1: 5   18-09
26. John Murray            Spring City, TN          5  18-06   85
Day 1: 5   18-06
27. Fred Roumbanis         Russellville, AR         5  17-15   84
Day 1: 5   17-15
28. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR               5  17-15   83
Day 1: 5   17-15
29. Adrian Avena           Vineland, NJ             5  17-14   82
Day 1: 5   17-14
29. Gerald Spohrer         Gonzales, LA             5  17-14   82
Day 1: 5   17-14
31. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL          5  17-04   80
Day 1: 5   17-04
31. Brent Chapman          Lake Quivira, KS         5  17-04   80
Day 1: 5   17-04
31. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT            5  17-04   80
Day 1: 5   17-04
34. Jared Lintner          Arroyo Grande, CA        5  17-03   77
Day 1: 5   17-03
35. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, TX               5  17-01   76
Day 1: 5   17-01
36. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ          5  16-15   75
Day 1: 5   16-15
37. Brent Ehrler           Redlands, CA             5  16-14   74
Day 1: 5   16-14
37. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA             5  16-14   74
Day 1: 5   16-14
39. Brandon Card           Knoxville, TN            5  16-13   72
Day 1: 5   16-13
40. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA           5  16-08   71
Day 1: 5   16-08
41. Chris Lane             Guntersville, AL         5  16-07   70
Day 1: 5   16-07
42. Andy Montgomery        Blacksburg, SC           5  16-06   69
Day 1: 5   16-06
43. Alton Jones Jr.        Waco, TX                 5  16-04   68
Day 1: 5   16-04
43. Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH        5  16-04   68
Day 1: 5   16-04
45. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              5  16-00   66
Day 1: 5   16-00
46. Jake Whitaker          Fairview, NC             5  15-14   65
Day 1: 5   15-14
47. Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, MI            5  15-13   64
Day 1: 5   15-13
48. Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL            5  15-11   63
Day 1: 5   15-11
49. Ish Monroe             Hughson, CA              5  15-10   62
Day 1: 5   15-10
50. Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC                5  15-08   61
Day 1: 5   15-08
51. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN         5  15-06   60
Day 1: 5   15-06
52. David Fritts           Lexington, NC            5  15-04   59
Day 1: 5   15-04
53. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN           5  15-03   58
Day 1: 5   15-03
54. Fletcher Shryock       Dennison, OH             5  15-01   57
Day 1: 5   15-01
55. Aaron Martens          Leeds, AL                5  14-14   56
Day 1: 5   14-14
56. Seth Feider            Bloomington, MN          5  14-12   55
Day 1: 5   14-12
56. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka, AL             5  14-12   55
Day 1: 5   14-12
58. Brandon Palaniuk       Hayden, ID               5  14-11   53
Day 1: 5   14-11
59. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL             5  14-02   52
Day 1: 5   14-02
60. Boyd Duckett           Guntersville, AL         4  14-02   51
Day 1: 4   14-02
61. Chris Groh             Spring Grove, IL         5  14-01   50
Day 1: 5   14-01
62. Keith Poche            Pike Road, AL            4  13-13   49
Day 1: 4   13-13
63. Scott Rook             Little Rock, AR          5  13-12   48
Day 1: 5   13-12
64. Randy Howell           Guntersville, AL         5  13-11   47
Day 1: 5   13-11
64. Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL         5  13-11   47
Day 1: 5   13-11
66. Mark Daniels Jr.       Tuskegee, AL             5  13-09   45
Day 1: 5   13-09
67. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR          3  13-09   44
Day 1: 3   13-09
68. Brett Hite             Phoenix, AZ              5  13-08   43
Day 1: 5   13-08
69. Rick Morris            Lake Gaston, VA          5  13-07   42
Day 1: 5   13-07
69. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS         5  13-07   42
Day 1: 5   13-07
71. Randy Sullivan         Breckenridge, TX         5  13-06   40
Day 1: 5   13-06
72. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX           4  13-05   39
Day 1: 4   13-05
73. Shin Fukae             Palestine TX JAPAN       4  13-04   38
Day 1: 4   13-04
74. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL           5  13-03   37
Day 1: 5   13-03
75. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               5  13-02   36
Day 1: 5   13-02
75. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ               5  13-02   36
Day 1: 5   13-02
77. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO         5  13-01   34
Day 1: 5   13-01
78. Kelly Jordon           Flint, TX                5  13-00   33
Day 1: 5   13-00
79. Casey Ashley           Donalds, SC              5  12-14   32
Day 1: 5   12-14
79. James Elam             Tulsa, OK                5  12-14   32
Day 1: 5   12-14
81. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL          5  12-13   30
Day 1: 5   12-13
82. Dean Rojas             Lake Havasu City, AZ     3  12-13   29
Day 1: 3   12-13
83. Tyler Carriere         Youngsville, LA          4  12-02   28
Day 1: 4   12-02
83. Mike McClelland        Bentonville, AR          4  12-02   28
Day 1: 4   12-02
85. Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA             5  11-15   26
Day 1: 5   11-15
86. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA                5  11-12   25
Day 1: 5   11-12
86. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX              5  11-12   25
Day 1: 5   11-12
88. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY              5  11-11   23
Day 1: 5   11-11
89. Tim Horton             Muscle Shoals, AL        5  11-07   22
Day 1: 5   11-07
90. Tommy Biffle           Wagoner, OK              4  11-03   21
Day 1: 4   11-03
91. Cliff Crochet          Pierre Part, LA          5  10-15   20
Day 1: 5   10-15
92. Dustin Connell         Clanton, AL              4  10-07   19
Day 1: 4   10-07
93. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  4  10-06   18
Day 1: 4   10-06
93. Dave Lefebre           Erie, PA                 4  10-06   18
Day 1: 4   10-06
95. Brandon Coulter        Knoxville, TN            4  10-04   16
Day 1: 4   10-04
96. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC           2  09-08   15
Day 1: 2   09-08
97. Gary Klein             Mingus, TX               4  08-12   14
Day 1: 4   08-12
98. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL              3  08-08   13
Day 1: 3   08-08
99. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA               2  08-00   12
Day 1: 2   08-00
100. Morizo Shimizu         Suita, Osaka JAPAN       3  07-11   11
Day 1: 3   07-11
101. Roy Hawk               Lk Havasu Cty, AZ        4  07-09   10
Day 1: 4   07-09
102. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN            3  07-03    9
Day 1: 3   07-03
103. Jeff Kriet             Ardmore, OK              3  06-10    8
Day 1: 3   06-10
104. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC              3  06-08    7
Day 1: 3   06-08
105. Jonathon VanDam        Gobles, MI               3  05-07    6
Day 1: 3   05-07
106. Bill Weidler           Helena, AL               2  04-09    5
Day 1: 2   04-09
107. Takahiro Omori         Emory, TX                1  02-08    4
Day 1: 1   02-08
108. Darrell Ocamica        New Plymouth, ID         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        82       493      1589-05
———————————-
82       493      1589-05

5 Tricks to Get More Bites when Fishing Heavy Cover for Bass by Jason Salock

wpalert
-
0
5 Tricks to Get More Bites when Fishing Heavy Cover for Bass by Jason Salock

5 Tricks to Get More Bites when Fishing Heavy Cover for Bass

Jason shares his favorite rigging tricks for flipping and pitching plastics when bass fishing in flooded cover.

I love to flip bushes. It’s one of my favorite bites in bass fishing every year. This spring, I’ve been posting some pics from the couple of bouts of high water we had on Kentucky Lake and the big fish I caught flipping and pitching. Every time I do, I get hundreds of questions about the different things I alter or add to my flipping plastics rig. So I thought I would share some of the things I do to put the odds in my favor when it comes to flipping.

Dissecting the Spawn by Jonathan Krause

wpalert
-
0
Dissecting the Spawn by Jonathan Krause

Dissecting the Spawn

[print_link]

If you’re anything like me, the first few signs of spring give you chills thinking about what this fishing season may hold. The days start to get longer and the air a little warmer. The trees greening and the spring rains all together bring new life to the bodies of water we love to spend our time at. For me and many others, the spring means bed fishing. For each body of water, there is a time period where you can see some of the most illusive fish as they show themselves and open themselves up to being caught. Everybody of water is different and it requires some time to be put in but if you haven’t caught a bass on a bed yet you’re missing out on one the most fun times of year in bass fishing.

The spawn can be a little tough to dial in sometimes but if you fish early on in the year you can listen to what the fish are telling you and find out what they’re doing. The best thing you can do is noting where you’re catching each fish prior to the spawn and being able to tell the difference between the bigger females and smaller males. Follow the fish. If you notice you have been catching them really well on crankbaits or jerkbaits out on main lake features and you can’t get a sniff anymore, try moving on up into the creek channels and follow the fish. Bass move up in waves and typically move from main lake points to secondary points and deeper cuts and then up into shallower areas. Sometimes it could be a shallow flat or it could be up on the bank close to deeper water.

Let the fish show themselves to you. Spend some days looking a lot and fishing a little. Pay attention to the banks and watch for cruising fish and see if there are any on beds yet. Typically before bass really get locked onto their beds they tend to cruise and look for mates as well as prepare their beds. Another sign to look for is bloody tails on the fish you are catching during this time. Their tails get bloodied up from fanning their beds and you can use this sign to clue you in on what they’re doing. If you’re catching bloody fish it’s really time to start looking for beds and fish on them. See if the bass spook immediately when you get close to their bed or if the fish is super locked on. This can often be one of the funniest things to do all season because all the bass have to spawn eventually and you can see some of the biggest fish of your life an maybe even get to catch them.

When looking for beds, try looking for harder bottom compositions. Bass don’t want to lay their eggs into mud because eggs can get lost or disturbed easily. Having a hard bottom area provides a more efficient way for the eggs to stay contained. Beds can be pretty easy to spot but a good pair of polarized sunglasses are necessary. Look for divots along the bank. In more sandy areas you can actually see bass bring in shells from around the area and form a bed that way, or as simple as just a divot in the sand. If you’re fishing in rivers, try looking for a place with stable depth but also a current break. Bass won’t bed in the middle of the strong current and let their eggs get swept away. Try looking behind or at the base of bigger rocks or underneath some lay downs in shallower water.

Once you find the beds, the fun part of catching them begins. Bass during this time of year is so focused on protecting their offspring that they may bite multiple times in a row after getting hooked. Try using baits that imitate natural predators to the eggs like a crawfish or bluegill style lure. A good go-to technique for bed fishing can actually be a shakey head as it keeps the bait nosed down on the bed making it look like they are feeding on the eggs. When pitching to a bed you may want to stay on the safe side sometimes, especially in clean water, and stay off a good bit from the fish and cast past your target so you’re not just blowing up the spot you’re fishing as sometimes this can turn a bed fish off before it ever sees your lure. If you follow these basic rules you should definitely be on your way to bed fishing and experience some of the best fishing of your life!

KENTUCKY LAKE SET TO HOST FLW TOUR EVENT PRESENTED BY COSTA SUNGLASSES

wpalert
-
0
KENTUCKY LAKE SET TO HOST FLW TOUR EVENT PRESENTED BY COSTA SUNGLASSES

KENTUCKY LAKE SET TO HOST FLW TOUR EVENT PRESENTED BY COSTA SUNGLASSES

The Sixth Stop of the 2018 FLW Tour Season Brings Four Days of Tournament-Fishing Action, Community Events to Gilbertsville Area

[print_link]

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (May 3, 2018) – The Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) Tour, professional bass fishing’s largest and most lucrative tournament circuit, is set to fish Kentucky and Barkley lakes May 17-20 for the FLW Tour at Kentucky Lake presented by Costa Sunglasses. The event, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, will feature 362 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals and co-anglers casting for top awards of up to $125,000 cash in the Pro Division and up to $25,000 cash in the Co-angler Division.

Currently celebrating its 23rd season on the water, this marks the 11th time the Benton, Kentucky-based FLW Tour will compete on their home waters of Kentucky Lake. The tournament field features three former Kentucky Lake FLW Tour champions – Jason Lambert (2016), Chad Grigsby (2011) and Anthony Gagliardi (2004). Lambert caught nearly 100 pounds of schooling bass to win the 2016 event, weighing a 29-pound limit – the largest limit ever caught on Kentucky Lake in FLW Tour history – on championship Sunday to seal the deal.

This year, 23-year Tour veteran Terry Bolton, of Paducah, Kentucky, said he expects another great week of fishing, but doesn’t think it will take as nearly as much weight to win.

“I think the winner will need to catch around 17½ pounds a day. It’s going to be more of spawn-oriented deal this time around,” said Bolton, who has 32 career top-10 finishes on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in FLW competition. “With how cold our winter was this year, everything happened a lot later than in the past six or seven years. Essentially we didn’t have any April spawners like we’ve had in the past. Some of the first few fish to start spawning started this past week. That leads me to believe that we will likely be hitting the next wave come tournament time.”

Bolton said a number of baits will be in play for this event, mainly soft-plastics, topwater baits and possibly some big crankbaits and swimbaits. He mentioned Zoom Lizards, Brush Hogs and popping-type lures as very likely to be seen in use by competitors.

“Bushes and willow trees will get a lot of attention from anglers, but that pattern can vary depending on what the water level is,” said Bolton. “I think it will mainly be a shallow-water event. I don’t think we’ll see as much ledge fishing. There’ll be some, but I don’t think we’ll see it as much as we have in past FLW Tour events.”

Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. CDT each day from Kentucky Dam State Park, located at 7792 U.S. Highway 641 N. in Gilbertsville. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins, May 17-18, will be held at the State Park beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins, May 19-20, will also be held at the park, but will begin at 4 p.m.

Television coverage of the FLW Tour at Kentucky Lake presented by Costa Sunglasses will premiere in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) June 27 from Noon-1 p.m. EST. The Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show airs on NBCSN, the Pursuit Channel and the World Fishing Network and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide.

Prior to the weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20, FLW will host a free Family Fishing Expo at Kentucky Dam State Park from noon to 4 p.m. The Expo is the perfect opportunity for fishing fans of all ages to meet their favorite anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, meet characters from the “Paw Patrol” children’s television show, 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 Kentucky Dam State Park on Saturday, May 19, from 9-11 a.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to youth (18 and under) and Special Olympics athletes (all ages). 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 pro anglers will visit students at Jonathan Elementary School, located at 9207 U.S. Highway 68, in Benton, Kentucky, on Wednesday, May 16 from 8-10 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 as well as boating safety. The presentation will promote the sport of fishing and outdoor recreation and give youth the information they need to “Get Outdoors. Go Fish!”

In FLW Tour competition, pros and co-anglers are randomly paired each day, with pros supplying the boat, controlling boat movement and competing against other pros. Co-anglers fish from the back deck against other co-anglers. The full field of anglers competes in the two-day opening round. Co-angler competition concludes following Friday’s weigh-in, while 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.

The total purse for the FLW Tour at Kentucky Lake presented by Costa is more than $930,000.

Throughout the season, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing. The 2018 Forrest Wood Cup will be on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Aug. 10-12 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.

Top 15 Reasons To Attend The Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest In Jonestown

wpalert
-
0
Top 15 Reasons To Attend The Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest In Jonestown

In addition to the excitement of watching the anglers launch during daily takeoffs at the 2018 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, fans can participate in many activities during the four-day event.

Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.

May 3, 2018

Top 15 Reasons To Attend The Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest In Jonestown

[print_link]

JONESTOWN, Texas — In just two short weeks, thousands of fans will gather in Jonestown, Texas, just outside of Austin, for the first time to watch the world’s best bass anglers weigh in their biggest fish of the day at Jones Brothers Park May 17-20 at the 2018 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The four-day, $1 million, 108-angler tournament will not only feature big bass for the competitors, but it will also provide plenty of fun and excitement for fans of bass fishing. From chances to try out some of the newest and best boats and fishing tackle to contests and prizes for the whole family — all activities are free.

Here are the Top 15 things you don’t want to miss. Fans are encouraged to attend and follow the action LIVE on Bassmaster.com.

  1. Get A Head Start. Come to Jones Brothers Park at Lake Travis (10301 Lakeside Drive) in Jonestown at 6:15 a.m. CT each competition day and help send off the top anglers in the world as they compete for the $100,000 first-place prize.
  2. Get Hooked On Fishing. Bring the kids to check out the Bassmaster Get Hooked On Fishing presented by Toyota and Shakespeare area from noon to 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Activities include casting lessons, a kid’s fishing pond and a chance to meet the pros.
  3. Ride Like The Wind. Want to know what it feels like to ride like the wind? Come to the takeoff site to test out the latest boats and engines from Mercury, Nitro, Skeeter, Triton and Yamaha.
  4. Learn From A Pro. Come by the park on Saturday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Bassmaster University. Seminars taught by Bassmaster Elite Series pros will cover a variety of topics related to fishing including techniques, gear, electronics and more.
  5. Win Prizes. Companies such as Toyota and Carhartt will be giving away free prizes. Stop by their booths for the chance to win.
  6. Go There And Get The T-Shirt To Prove It! Memorializing your trip to TBTF is easy if you swing by the B.A.S.S. apparel booth. HUK Performance Fishing clothing will be selling its newest offerings, including a new women’s clothing line.
  7. Get Into The Action. Watch the tournament leaders catch bass in real time on the exclusive Bassmaster LIVE program on Bassmaster.com and on the ESPN app. Watch hosts Tommy Sanders, Mark Zona and Davy Hite as they provide insightful commentary and analysis of the competition as well.
  8. The Latest And Greatest. Visit the Power-Pole Shallow Water Anchors, Berkley and T-H Marine booths to see their new and current products that the pros are using on the Bassmaster Elite Series.
  9. See The Rising Stars. Elite Series anglers will serve as teammates and “coaches” to the twelve Bassmaster High School All-American anglers presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods in a special tournament held on Saturday. The high school standouts will be honored on the main Texas Fest stage at the weigh-in at Jones Brothers Park.
  10. Celebrate ShareLunkers. On Saturday, join the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in recognizing and honoring the six Toyota ShareLunker Legacy Anglers who donated bass weighing 13 or more pounds to the ShareLunker selective breeding program in 2018. Ceremonies to induct the newest members of the Texas Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame will also be held Saturday.
  11. Fill Up. Stop by popular food trucks to grab a bite to eat and a refreshing drink to recharge.
  12. Salute The Troops. Sunday is Military and Public Safety Personnel Day — bring your I.D. for an official Bassmaster hat at the B.A.S.S. booth.
  13. Buy Local. The City of Jonestown and the Lago Vista & Jonestown Area Chamber of Commerce have rallied the community and to bring local flavor to the festival. Businesses from around the area will exhibit clothing, jewelry, wooden sculptures, and artwork.
  14. Help Conserve Big Bass. Enjoy meet-and-greet activities with Texas fisheries biologists in the “Making Fishing Better” TPWD booth.
  15. Get Into The Drama Of Daily Weigh-Ins. After a day on the water, watch the Elite Series anglers weigh in onstage with B.A.S.S. emcee Dave Mercer and Tournament Director Trip Weldon. Anglers will be able to bring in their heaviest bass of the day, if it’s longer than a predetermined minimum, to show off to the crowd. Fish weighed in will be returned to the lake and released alive. The heaviest bass of the tournament is worth a new Toyota Tundra pick-up with an estimated value of $50,000. Weigh-ins are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. CT at the same location as takeoff, Jones Brothers Park.

A New Legend for Anglers Who Want it All – St.Croix Rods

wpalert
-
0
A New Legend for Anglers Who Want it All – St.Croix Rods

A New Legend for Anglers Who Want it All

[print_link]

Legend X packs every technology at St. Croix’s disposal to deliver unrivaled performance

Park Falls, WI (May 3, 2018) – The Senko spiraled toward the bottom of a gin-clear lake, turning the reel on the opposite end ever closer towards the end of its spool. Twenty feet down and dozens of yards from the boat, a thin strand of four-pound fluorocarbon traced a line from fish to man. On a sunny day at this depth and distance, the line was impossible for the angler’s eye to see — then, a thump.

 

“I could feel it in my hands,” said angling guru Dan Johnston. “It blew my mind.”

 

Johnston, National Accounts Manager for St. Croix Rod, was in the midst of a three-day video shoot with Jarrett Edwards of Jarrett Edwards Outdoors. The gin-clear water belonged to the mystic desert fishery of Lake Powell, where a maze of clear water channels crisscrosses the Arizona/Utah border in a dance with time and nature. At Lake Powell, the ruins of an Anasazi empire and exposed fossils of plesiosaurs line the same canyon walls where bass loiter for food, feasting on shad in the shadows of legends.

It was here on Powell that Johnston and Edwards had come to document a legend of their own — a battle test for the St. Croix Rod Legend X.

“I was basing bite detection off of that thump in my hands,” Johnston said. “Usually, all of the conditions have to line up to feel that hit. Here, Jarrett and I were throwing a light soft plastic almost as far as we could throw, getting a bite at the very end of the cast, and in 20 feet of water you could still feel it.”

Adds Johnston, “You can write that, but people reading it will roll their eyes. They won’t believe you until they do it for themselves.”

Legend X rumors began to swirl last summer, just before the rod made its official debut at ICAST 2017. There, retailers got their first look at the production models which would eventually find their way out to the desert with Johnston and Edwards. Featuring Relentless Olive blanks with cork, split-grip handles and a familiar name, it didn’t take long for consumers who hadn’t seen the rods up close to dub Legend X a ‘Legend Elite with split grips.’ But Johnston says only part of that moniker is true.

“It does have the same SCV blank as the Legend Elite, and it does have split grips, but this is a rod built with every single technology St. Croix Rod has at its disposal. It’s a rod for the ultimate, discerning angler who understands that 32 pairs of hands have touched this rod during the manufacturing process. It’s for the angler who wants the ultimate in sensitivity and light weight. It’s for the angler who wants all of St. Croix’s rod building technologies. Every one of them.”

An 18-year veteran of St. Croix Rod, Johnston is no spring chicken when it comes to rod design. He’s fished nearly every rod the Wisconsin-based company has produced in almost two decades with the company; and in a field with many favorites, he says Legend X stands above them all.

“It’s a dream rod for me,” he elaborates. “A lot of people have been waiting on a SCV blank with split grips. Legend X is unbelievably impressive.”

The rod’s list of technical features reads like a laundry list of high-performance rod specifications: Integrated Poly Curve® (IPC®) mandrel tooling technology; Advanced Reinforcing Technology™ (ART™); a Taper Enhancement Technology (TET) blank; super high-modulus SCVI graphite with Fortified Resin System (FRS) in its lower section for maximum power and reduced weight; high-modulus/high-strain SCV graphite with FRS and carbon-matte scrim for unparalleled strength, durability and sensitivity; Fuji® Torzite® tangle-free guides with titanium frames; a Fuji® TVS blank-touch reel seat with a built-in hood on spinning rods; a Fuji® PTS blank-touch reel seat with a built-in hood on casting rods; anodized, machined-aluminum wind check and trim pieces; a Kigan titanium hook-keeper; two coats of Flex-Coat slow cure finish, and its signature split-grip super-grade cork handles.

Asked about the relentless, madman’s list of features, Johnston had a simple explanation.

“St Croix exists to provide every angler with the upper hand. That explains Legend X. That explains the engine behind the brilliance, the fuel behind the idea, the execution, and the final product. We wanted to give people the ultimate advantage on the water. Everything about Legend X is distilled to that. St. Croix Rod wanted to go all-in.”

 

Just a few short months after its ICAST 2017 unveiling, Legend X is starting to fill the dealer pipelines. Soon, Dan Johnston and Jarrett Edwards will have to share their legend with the rest of the angling world. Johnston swears Legend X is the ultimate fishing rod come to life.

It’s a tale that may seem hard to believe — but like the mysterious landscape of Lake Powell—is 100 percent true.

Lex & Xan Costas Win CATT Santee Cooper April 28, 2018 with 26.32lbs

wpalert
-
0
Lex & Xan Costas Win CATT Santee Cooper April 28, 2018 with 26.32lbs
[print_link]

We have 1 more Santee Cooper Spring Qualifier left! This coming weekend May 5th at Blacks Camp and is a GOLD event! Next year we will try to have all the entire Santee Cooper Spring trail launch from John C Land! Also Derrick is planning a Summer and a Fall Trail!

Carolina Post Frame is awarding the 2018 CATT Santee Cooper Spring Point Winners $500.00! Support them guys as they are supporting us!

Lex & Xan Costas took the win Saturday down on Santee with 5 bass weighing 26.32 lbs! They weighed the Academy BF at 9.10 lbs & with the BONUS $ added in they took home $2,484.00!                     Lex & Xan also received an Academy Gift Card!                   

 

2nd Place went to Mike Watson & Craig McFadden with 5 bass weighing 24.16 lbs! They weighed the 2nd BF at 8.12 lbs and took home $836.00!

3rd went to Wade Grooms with 23.48 lbs worth $425.00!

We paid back a total of 7 places and $4,615.00!

More pics at the bottom of the results!

 37 Teams Big Total    
  Fish Weight Winnings Points
Lex & Xan Costas  BONUS $ 1st BF 9.10 26.32 $2,484.00 110
Mike Watson Craig McFadden   2nd BF 8.12 24.16 $836.00 109
Wade Grooms 0.00 23.48 $425.00 108
Ben Smith 0.00 21.46 $325.00 107
Jamie Glasscock Jim Smoak 0.00 20.88 $240.00 106
Ed Paul 0.00 20.31 $175.00 105
David Benehaley Mike Cox 0.00 20.20 $130.00 104
Jesse Williams Ryan Steen 0.00 20.12 103
TJ Anderson Shai Haley 0.00 19.73 102
Mark & Glenn Curry 0.00 18.58 101
Bryan Cook Steve Harmon 0.00 18.45 100
Terry Barr Paul Davis 0.00 18.36 99
Gary Elsey Mark Hutson 0.00 18.07 98
Chuck Howard Ken Ellis 0.00 16.92 97
Horace Scott Scott Spittle 0.00 16.75 96
Mario- Reid Colangelo 0.00 16.60 95
Anthony Aaron Scott Perrine 0.00 15.63 94
Bobby Gibbs Don Pendorius 0.00 15.46 93
Brian Purvis 0.00 15.15 92
Patrick Williams Ray Spence 0.00 14.50 91
Danny & Ava Lowery 0.00 13.42 90
Brad Schwartz 0.00 13.13 89
Perry & Cash Holloway 0.00 13.08 88
Chad & Farrah Crosby 0.00 12.50 87
Brent Waynick & Emmett McCauley 0.00 12.48 86
Mac Altman Kevin Alford 0.00 12.25 85
Max & Bugzy Terry 0.00 11.74 84
Ted Urhardt & John Ford 0.00 4.10 83
Sid Fowler Cory Casey 0.00 0.00 82
Brandon Evans 0.00 0.00 82
J Weinberg Morgan Strange 0.00 0.00 82
Larry-Joe Avin 0.00 0.00 82
Hunter & Thomas Hoffmeyer 0.00 0.00 82
Freddie & Clark Gibbs 0.00 0.00 82
Tray Daniels & Ken Keels 0.00 0.00 82
Daniel Howell 0.00 0.00 82
Eric Bozeman Max Shuman 0.00 0.00 82
Total Entrys     $4,440.00  
BONUS $     $700.00  
Total Paid At Ramp     $4,615.00  
Santee Cooper 2018 Spring Final Fund   $450.00  
2018 CATT Championship Fund     $75.00  
         
2018 Santee Cooper Spring Final Fund Total   $2,940.00  
2018 CATT Championship Fund Total   $4,405.00  

Points Vs Channels Vs Swings: How To Fish Bass Highways – MTB

wpalert
-
0
Points Vs Channels Vs Swings: How To Fish Bass Highways – MTB

Points Vs Channels Vs Swings: How To Fish Bass Highways

[print_link]

Nearly all manmade reservoirs have three things in common. Whether it’s a highland, lowland or mixture of both, a reservoir usually contains points, flats, and channel swings.
These three primary structures of reservoirs serve as eating and resting places for bass throughout the year as the fish travel along their seasonal migration routes. The structures are also interrelated because the most productive flats and points lie near channel swings.

Finding bass along these areas is a matter of timing and identifying the different types of each structure. Here are some tips on how to catch bass from these holding areas.

Points

fishing points

A point is the primary structure of any lake. Channels are the bass highways in and out of the coves and creeks and the points are the primary holding spots for bass along those channels because the structures have deep water nearby in almost every direction. The prespawn and postspawn are the best times to fish points because bass are staging on this structure either on their way in or way out of the spawning coves and creeks.

Most reservoirs feature the following types of points: main and secondary, bluff or sharp, rocky drop-offs and round, flat gravel slopes. Main and bluff points are good in summer, winter and early spring. Secondary and flat gravel slopes are best in spring, early summer and autumn.

Flats

flats fishing

Warm water, cover, and baitfish activity draw bass to flats because it’s easier for the fish to chase prey there. Prespawn bass are attracted to the flats when sunshine warms up the shallow waters of this structure. Postspawn bass can be caught along flats near spawning areas when the fish use the available cover (grass or stumps) to ambush baitfish. Fall is a prime time to fish this structure because schools of shad move up on the flats then.

Channel Swings

spawn fishing

Channel swings, or bends, offer bass a deep-water sanctuary in the upper ends and creek arms of reservoirs. Channel swings cutting into a point or flat are good spots to find bass most of the year, except during the spawn. Bass tend to move off the flats and retreat to the deeper water of the channel swings whenever cold fronts hit in the spring and fall.
Current also draws bass to channel bends so summer is ideal for fishing this structure when water is being pulled through the dam for power generation.

1...950951952...1,533Page 951 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.