Welcome to BassFan's Dock Talk section, where you will see brief, newsworthy items that for one reason or another can't be made into full-blown news articles. Despite the name, and in keeping with BassFan's editorial policy, every effort will be made to avoid publishing outright rumors.
Merc union ratifies contract 6/30/2008 After a lengthy negotiation, Mercury Marine workers voted to ratify a 4-year contract over the weekend, according to a story in the Fond du Lac Reporter.
"It isn't a show-stopper, but I can live with the changes. It's the times, and the company knows it's hard," union president Mark Zillges told the paper.
According to Zillges, the contract calls for salary increases each year, a slight jump in insurance costs and a buyout option for senior workers.
As BassFans, we've all dreamed about finding the ultimate spot. You know, a place that'll kick out 20 pounds in five casts in a 13-pound-average tournament.
Several competitors found spots like that at the recent Ft. Loudoun-Tellico FLW Tour in Tennessee. Some we know about the holes David Dudley and Art Ferguson III fished, for example. But one that slipped under the radar was the smallmouth hive that Dave Lefebre busted open. The reason we didn't hear about it was the hole turned off on day 1, and when it exploded again on day 2, he couldn't keep the brown fish buttoned up.
But his story proves two things: 1. Tellico has some absolutely mammoth smallmouths, and 2. A competitor could have made the cut, and perhaps even won, fishing Tellico (the Top 10 fished Ft. Loudoun).
The way Lefebre tells it, he came upon the smallmouth money hole during practice. It was a current eddy on the downside of an island. His first casts to the spot in practice yielded a double for him and his practice partner a 4 1/2- and a 5 1/2-pounder. And each time he touched it in practice, it was loaded.
On day 1, though, he could barely get bit there and limped in with two fish for 4-08, which put him in 145th.
Then came day 2. "It was probably the worst day I've ever had as far as fish jumping off or getting hung," he said. "I ran up there in the morning and it was on fire. I should have been culling 4-pounders in the first 45 minutes with the bites I had. I lost a few 4 1/2-pounders, and it just got stupid after a while. I lost a 23 1/2-pound bag for sure, and I lost one that I thought was a 6 1/2, so technically I think I could have weighed 26 pounds. They were huge. My co-angler was a local, and he was blown away. He couldn't believe it."
He weighed two fish again on day 2 (out of 13 or 14 that he hooked), and they weighed 7-13 (one, pictured to right, was a 5-pounder). The cut was 26-15, so if he'd landed those fish, he likely could have made the cut from 145th (with smallmouths).
He threw a swimbait.
Yes, Loudoun and Tellico have the reputation of two lakes with intense fishing pressure and difficult conditions. But that doesn't mean world-class bags don't swim there. And BassFans definitely shouldn't ignore Tellico the next time they fish the system.
Matt Amedeo hasn't entirely given up on fishing the final two events of the Bassmaster Elite Series season. The second-year pro from Ohio sat out the recent competition at Old Hickory because he couldn't make the $8,000 entry-fee installment that was due prior to the tournament, but he hopes to pick up a short-term sponsor for the New York events the first of which is a month away.
"I'm trying to round up deals for New York maybe there's a regional or national company out there that would see the value of a boat wrap," he said. "This is like a prison sentence once you get a taste of fishing with those guys, it's pretty hard to come back and lay stone."
He owns a small masonry business that does primarily residential work. He was able to fund the better part of the $47,000 in entry fees he's paid so far out of his own pocket, but that last payment was more than he could manage.
His primary sponsor is All 1 Service Inc., a Georgia-based company that provides janitorial work, lawn care and vending machines. He met the owner, Tony Dimitras, while fishing the Bassmaster Southern Opens in 2006.
All 1 picked up the remainder of the entry fees and also paid his fuel bill. He said Dimitras might have footed the final installment, but one roadblock was that the boat-design link on Amedeo's page on the Bassmaster website still showed his 2007 wrap, which featured the Preserve at Pickwick Lake. "He just didn't feel like he was getting that much publicity out of it," he said.
Amedeo made three Top-50 cuts during his '07 rookie campaign, but just one this year (he was 29th at Murray).
"It's unfortunate because I spent 30 years and so many hours trying to get to this point. It's hard to take, and I've been pretty depressed since I drove home from Nashville."
Anyone who'd like to contact him about a possible sponsorship for the New York events can send him an email at MattAmadeo@yahoo.com.
Have a website? Want to possibly make a little side cash? You might want to check out the new Angler Affiliate Program from BoatU.S. The organization has made available a button for website use, which links to its boat insurance quotes. Put it on your site, and you'll receive $4 for every completed application it generates.
To check out the program, click here, then click "Publishers" and scroll down to "Apply for a Commission Junction Publisher Account."
Lou-Tel: how the rest did it 6/27/2008 Did you miss BassFan's pattern coverage for the 3rd-, 4th-, and 5th-place finishers from Ft. Loudoun-Tellico? If so, click here to check it all out.
On July 11 and 12, 2008, at the Arlington Convention Center in Arlington, Texas, experts and professional pond managers from across the nation will gather to hold a conference and expo just for pond owners.
Headliners will be Bob Lusk, editor of Pond Boss magazine and 30-year veteran pond manager along with Ray Scott, the founder of B.A.S.S. and active pond manager. They will tag up with Dale Hall, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from Washington D.C.
The program lasts for 2 days and all total there will be more than 15 speakers addressing all the key topics from how to grow larger fish, the difference between 'good' and 'bad' vegetation, proper pond aeration and oxygenation, fish foods and much more. Experts in all practical fields of recreational pond management will be there. A 2-hour seminar on fly-fishing your pond will also be held.
Purina Mills will have a video crew there to interview pond owners about their experiences feeding fish. Some of the interviews will be aired on RFD-TV and on the Purina website.
For information about attending, call (800)687-6075 or go to the Pond Boss website.
The new and improved Nelly 6/27/2008 Most BassFans are probably well familiar with Berkley's Nuclear Nelly creature bait. It originally hit the shelves back before the 2006 Bassmaster Classic.
However, the folks at Berkley, being the perfectionists they are, weren't entirely pleased with the creation - or more specifically, the way it was packaged. Fast-forward to '08 and Berkley is ready to drop the bomb again with the new and improved Gulp! Alive! Nuclear Nelly.
BassFan was pleasantly surprised when two boxes arrived at the offices. Inside each was a brand new Abu Garcia Revo model.
As you can see in the photo to right, one is midnight-blue, and the other's yellow. The blue one's The Winch, which features the popular ultra-low-profile Revo styling, but is geared at 5.4:1. Looking for a high-performance, low-profile, deep-cranking reel? This could be it. It should also be perfect for BassFans who tend to fish too fast with a higher-speed reel. It's packed with 11 ball-bearings, weighs a diminutive weighs 8 1/2 ounces, and features a deeper spool to carry more line.
The yellow specimen is the new Revo SKT Skeet Reese custom model. It's geared at 6.4:1, weighs a feather-light 6.8 ounces, also includes 11 bearings, and features oversized grips. Comes with a cool protective carry sleeve too.
The reels are in stock now at the BassFan store. To check out the Revo pages, which include detailed specs on the new models, click here for The Winch, or here for the SKT.
Steve Kennedy back to FLW 6/26/2008 Well, he's not back full-time, but he is confirmed for the upcoming Detroit River FLW Tour. The date doesn't overlap with any BASS events, and BASS is visiting Buffalo, N.Y. a few weeks later. It'll be interesting to see if any other BASS pros slip in at the last minute. How 'bout KVD? A chance to fish his home state? Not likely, but it would be pretty cool to see him match up against names like Dudley, Morgan, Yelas and Nixon again.
Earlier this month the Professional Anglers Association (PAA) announced a new tournament venture in the same vein as the Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC): the PAA Corporate Cup.
According to a PAA press release: "The goal of the PAA Corporate Cup is to build relationships and increase awareness of the PAA within the corporate world, while providing all PAA members an opportunity to compete in a 100-percent payback event. The tournament offers a one-of-a-kind format where tour-level anglers compete with corporate sponsor partners on corporate namesake teams in friendly competition."
Here are the full details of the event and how the format will work:
Fishery: Pickwick Lake, Ala.
Event Location: McFarland Park, 200 James M. Spain Dr., Florence, Ala. 35630
Format: Similar to the PAA-developed team format used at the TTBC, teams will consist of a four-man team comprised of two PAA Tour anglers and two sponsor amateur anglers working together as a team during competition. Each boat will contain one PAA angler and one sponsor angler.
Eligibility: Open to all PAA Tour members. In the event a team of two PAA Tour members cannot fill the two sponsor angler positions, the team can replace those members with two PAA General members. Teams without sponsor participation will be responsible for their $5,000 entry fee, and therefore eligible for all prize money awarded. Teams without sponsors can be made up of a maximum of two PAA Tour members.
Tour Member Pairings: The PAA Tour members will work with the sponsor anglers of each team to determine who will fish for each team. All teams submitted are subject to PAA approval and PAA reserves the right to refuse entry of any team or make adjustments to teams as necessary.
Sponsorship Opportunity: $5,000 per team. Sponsors may purchase more than one team for their company. By purchasing a team for $5,000, the sponsor receives a team with their desired name, two angler spots on a team, an opportunity to receive a percentage of any winnings, national media exposure through radio, Internet, print and television. Along with all of those benefits, they will receive a one of a kind opportunity to fish with the pros of the sport.
If the sponsor desires, each competitor boat of the sponsor team will display a sponsor logo decal on the boat windshield during all days of competition and all anglers will wear a hat displaying the team sponsor logo during all days of competition. Sponsors are responsible for supplying the company logo for the windshield decal and hats for each angler on their team(s) if they choose to participate in this display of the company logo.
Registration Deadline: Registration begins immediately. To be included in all printed event publications and publicity, all teams must be registered with an official, completed entry form & paid in full by Friday, August 29th, 2008. The final deadline for all teams to be registered to participate with an official, completed entry form and paid in full is September 19th, 2008. No changes can be made to teams after September 19th, 2008.
Competition: Thursday, October 9th, thru Saturday, October 11th
The full field will compete in 2 days of competition consisting of 2 consecutive 8-hour days. On the third day the field will be cut to the money positions, consisting of the top 30 percent.
Locking will be allowed.
Teams will be allowed to communicate via cell phone or two-way radio during the event.
All four members of the team will go out at the same time in two separate boats for eight hours of fishing per competition day.
Each boat is allowed to bring in a maximum of 5 total fish to the scales for a total of 10 fish per team, per day.
NOTE: All anglers not competing on the cut day will remain on site for autographs, sponsor and media participation.
Captains Choice Golf Scramble (optional): Wednesday, October 8th, 2008
The Schoolmaster Course has been reserved at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. The Golf Scramble is open to any PAA member or sponsor angler participating in the PAA Corporate Cup fishing tournament.
Each team will consist of four individuals with one individual appointed as the captain for that team. The captain of the team will make all final shot decisions. Estimated handicaps and requested teammates will be taken into consideration when assigning teams for the event.
Awards will be presented for the champion and 2nd-place teams.
A special thank you is extended to The Alabama Mountain Lakes Association for sponsoring the 2008 Captains Choice Golf Scramble.
Additional Events: PAA will be holding fundraising events to benefit the PAA and Catch-A-Dream throughout the PAA Corporate Cup. PAA will also have PAA merchandise for sale at the event.
Additional Sponsor Opportunities: Vendor booths at McFarland Park will be made available to corporate sponsors first and the public second.
Anyone interested in sponsoring a meal, award or obtaining a vendor booth may contact the PAA office at 270.527.2030.
PAA Corporate Cup Payout*
*Payout based on 100 Teams
Recon: Kentucky Lake 6/26/2008 Today in the Bass Recon section of BassFanArmy.com, Bassmaster Elite Series pro and Chesapeake Bay guide Rick Ash gives competitors his advice on how he'd go after the Chesapeake bass during the Fishers of Men derby scheduled for this weekend. Tidbit: Follow the tides and you'll be alright.
Major cutbacks at Brunswick 6/26/2008 With high gas prices, a teetering housing market, rising unemployment, a war, and general economic uncertainty, fishing industry insiders have been relatively nervous about the health of the industry. Hopes for a rebound took yet another step back today when Brunswick parent company of Mercury Marine, plus several boat brands including Lund, Triton, Trophy and others announced further, sweeping cutbacks to its marine business with the goal to save $300 million in fixed costs.
In a press release and conference call today, Brunswick detailed its downsizing strategy. In summary, the press release outlined the following news:
> "Brunswick Corp. announced today a set of comprehensive actions to resize the company to improve profitability during the current downturn in the U.S. marine market, including actions to reduce its fixed-cost structure by $300 million versus 2007 spending levels."
> Brunswick chairman and CEO Dustan McCoy stated: "For the past several years, we've been implementing initiatives to fundamentally change our cost structure by reducing our manufacturing footprint, and leveraging purchases of common components and materials across our brands and operations. In addition, we've addressed the prolonged downturn in the U.S. marine market by continually reducing production rates throughout our marine businesses, divesting under-utilized assets, exiting or divesting certain businesses, eliminating discretionary spending and reducing headcount. While these efforts have resulted in significant savings, the realities of the current U.S. marine market have caused us to step up the pace and magnitude of these efforts."
> McCoy also noted that "total unit sales of power boats in the United States in 2007 were at their lowest in more than 40 years."
> To reach its $300 million cost-savings target, the company will further shrink its North American manufacturing footprint, with 17 or fewer boat plants by the end of 2009, compared with the 29 it had in 2007. This will require the closure of four plants in addition to eight plant closures already completed or announced. Brunswick will also continue its efforts to reduce the complexity of its operations, including a reduction in the number of models and option packages to "focus on those that are popular and clearly resonate with consumers."
> In addition, Brunswick notified employees today that it will reduce its hourly and salaried work force at certain of its marine plants by 1,000. Further work force reductions of approximately 1,000 hourly and 700 salaried employees across the company's marine business units and staff functions are contemplated as additional plant closures and consolidations and other cost-cutting measures are completed.
Although not addressed today by the company, it can be expected that the cutbacks will also include pro-staff support and tournament sponsorship/underwriting, as well as media spending. Already this year, Brunswick chose not to renew its longstanding sponsorship of the Professional Walleye Trail. Earlier, it had stepped back from exclusive sponsorship of BASS.
The National Scholastic Sportsman Program (NSSP), based in Paducah, Ky., is an organization with the mission to educate outdoor enthusiasts in middle and high schools through the strengthening of character, leadership skills, respect for life and the promotion of conservation. The 2-year-old organization has members and schools in 38 states and reaches approximately 10,000 students through its program.
The NSSP today announced Triton Boats as its newest partner. As the official boat of the NSSP, Triton will be featured throughout all of the NSSP's media outlets and marketing materials.
Triton president Earl Bentz said of the partnership: "We think the NSSP is not only a great program, but it's also a much needed outlet within the outdoor industry. We're excited to be involved in a program that can directly impact the youth and help insure the future of our outdoor heritage. We look forward to being involved in the growth of this program."
Morgan, Dudley move up 6/26/2008 The latest edition of the BassFan World Rankings have just been published. Kevin VanDam maintains his massive lead, but check out Andy Morgan, who's now ranked 3rd in the world just 1 point behind 2nd-place Skeet Reese. And David Dudley, who won the Ft. Loudoun-Tellico FLW Tour, has moved up nine spots to 5th.
Pure Fishing moving to Columbia, S.C. 6/25/2008 Since Pure Fishing's meager beginnings as the Berkley company, it had been headquartered in Sprit Lake, Iowa. The company, founded by Berkley Bedell, retained those roots and sense of place throughout its massive expansion over the past decades. The company announced today, however, that it would relocate its world headquarters to Columbia, S.C.
Pure Fishing was purchased by Jarden Corp. in April 2007, a few weeks before Jarden purchased Shakespeare.
Shakespeare, and its sister brands Pflueger, Penn, All-Star and X-Tools, are headquartered in Columbia, and for the past year there seemed some question as to where respective Pure Fishing and Shakespeare employees would eventually be housed.
The news that Pure Fishing will relocate its management and sales headquarters to Columbia (rather than Shakespeare to Spirit Lake), and roll the Shakespeare, Pflueger, Penn, All-Star and X-Tools brands into the Pure Fishing umbrella, has brought at least a bit of uncertainty to the industry, with insiders wondering if all Pure Fishing executives will make the move.
The Columbia location will contain the Pure Fishing world headquarters staff including senior leadership, sales management, sourcing and supply chain management, and specific category marketing and product-development teams. Pure Fishing will continue to maintain the majority of its U.S. coworker base in Spirit Lake, Iowa for manufacturing and research.
The move appears to be the result of several factors. An oft-cited complication of the Spirit Lake headquarters was recruitment difficulties it was an ongoing challenge to attract talent to the remote location. Also, Columbia is more central to the bass and inshore markets, which are both key in the company's growth strategy.
A press release issued by Pure Fishing today stated: "This move will strongly position Pure Fishing for its next phase of growth as an international leader in the fishing-tackle market, with closer proximity to its global customer base and improved operating efficiencies."
Pure Fishing CEO Terry Carlson was quoted as saying: "We're committed to building the world's best fishing-tackle company and our decision to establish our world headquarters in Columbia represents this commitment in action. Combining three fishing companies into one organization with centralized leadership at one location is a key element of our long-term focus on building on what is the strongest cross-category brand portfolio in the industry. With this new headquarters, we will better serve our customers around the world and be able to take advantage of synergies and new business opportunities created through the combination of Pure Fishing, Shakespeare and Penn."
Carlson added, "The talent and passion of our staff across each of our facilities, including our freshwater and saltwater centers of excellence in Philadelphia, Spirit Lake, Iowa, and Columbia, are unparalleled in our industry and we'll continue to drive innovation across all of our brands to ensure they remain the best in the industry."
In addition, Pure Fishing recently began the process of building a new 400,000 square-foot facility distribution center in Kansas City, Mo.
Abu FOAL: Russow's catch-and-release story 6/25/2008 Today in the Abu Garcia Fish of a Lifetime section of the Berkley Catch More Fish page, Rob Russow shares his story about the hard-fighting cat he landed while tossing a wacky-rigged Senko in a friend's neighborhood pond.
Sounds like a simple fish story, right? But when we say 'cat', we don't mean catfish. Click the link above to read about Russow's feline fiasco.
When you're fishing, remember to make sure you have a digital camera (or cell phone) with you because Abu Garcia is giving out a free new reel a month for the Fish of a Lifetime story it likes best. Click here to learn how to send in your Abu Garcia story.
And remember: Your fish of a lifetime doesn't have to be a bass, and can also be a tourney limit of a lifetime.
Andy Morgan, with his recent 8th-place finish at the Ft. Loudoun-Tellico FLW Tour, increased his lead in the FLW Tour Angler of the Year (AOY) race to 22 points. The FLW Tour uses a simple 1-point-per-place system, where the winner of an event receives 200 points, 2nd-place receives 199, and so on. That means Morgan can clinch what would be his first-ever major AOY title with a finish of 22nd or better at the Detroit River 2 weeks from now.
"It's definitely a goal," Morgan said of the title. "But I'm trying not to let it bother me too much. And I'm not going up there trying to fish conservative. I'll go out and try to make the cut and win the tournament like I did all year. We'll just see how it unfolds."
The Detroit River, though, is a potentially frightening fishery. If the winds blow, Lakes St. Clair and Erie might not be fishable. Morgan said he's "got a little plan" in mind, where he'll spend at least some of his practice scouting a fallback spot in the Detroit River, should the wind turn nasty. The wind stung him last year at the same venue, when he couldn't get to his lake spot on the first day and limped in with four fish for 10 pounds. He caught 18 pounds the next day and finished 82nd. "It's kind of creepy, so I'm going to play my practice pretty smart," he noted. "But I'll definitely go out into the big lake all I can."
About what the title would mean to him, and his career, he said: "It would really mean a lot. It's one of the biggest feathers you can have in your hat. I don't know, but it seems like in the past I haven't gotten a lot of respect, even though I've done fairly well. (AOY) could finally kind of close the door on that."
> A new BassFan Poll asks who you think will win AOY at the Detroit River. To participate in the poll, and view the results, click here to visit the homepage, then scroll down the right-hand side of the page.
Sebile was given the Best New Hard-Bait Lure award for its Stick Shadd Blood Red Series entry at the annual European Fishing Tackle Trade Exhibition (EFTTEX) held recently in Rome.
It was the first time Sebile had participated in the EFFTEX new products competition, hosted by the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFFTA). The hard-bait category annually features the most entries.
The Stick Shadd is a personal favorite of designer Patrick Sebile.
"When EFFTA's Jean-Claude Bel announced our name at the awards ceremony, it was truly an astonishing moment," Sebile said. "We believed the Stick Shadd's design and the Blood Red innovation were something special, but to have others vote it as best really validates our thinking. I will never forget this experience."
The award-winning Stick Shadd model 114 SU is designed to suspend at 1 to 2 feet and delivers erratic, unpredictable lifelike baitfish movements when twitched by the angler during retrieve. Blood Red is the name of Sebile's new and revolutionary internal body fluid "blood" system.
Even at rest, the Blood Red fluid continues to transfer energy fore and aft, creating lifelike quivers, trembles, pulsations, sights and sounds of weak and distressed baitfish. The feature comes in a number of lure models and color finishes, each having transparent sides to allow visibility of the liquid inside.
For more about Sebile, click here to visit the company's website.
Officials from Careco Multimedia, The Bass Federation Inc. and the Versus network today announced plans for the new Association of Collegiate Anglers Bass Fishing Series (CBFS) The series, featuring 13 half-hour shows, will be produced by Careco and will air weekend mornings on Versus beginning July 2009.
Recently, The Bass Federation (TBF) formed the Association of Collegiate Anglers (ACA) using its own structure as the foundation, where clubs become associated through membership and obtain benefits. The purpose of ACA is to support every aspect of college bass fishing, from developing new clubs to sanctioning events to qualifying championship contenders. TBF, with nearly 30,000 members spread out across 47 states, is the nation's oldest and largest organized fishing group.
"While we're excited to see all the interest in college bass fishing, this program differs by having a student membership organization, the ACA, serving as its presenting sponsor and governing body," said Careco GM Wade Middleton. "Student-anglers must have a role in where college fishing goes.
"Here teams can advance through qualifying regional events to a championship, where they compete head-to-head on a level playing field for top bragging rights. There's nothing like college rivalries, and partnering with Versus now gives the teams a stage to showcase their skills on national television."
Teams can earn their way into the new series championship through top finishes in official qualifying events. Some of these will be hosted by CBFS and others by college fishing clubs, but all are sanctioned by ACA. The events are open to active members of school-recognized fishing clubs who are taking at least 12 credit hours while maintaining a GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Participants are not required to be ACA members, but for a school club to host a sanctioned qualifying event, it must belong to ACA.
It is anticipated that more than 600 college anglers, representing approximately 120 college fishing programs, will compete in the 2009 CBFS qualifiers to vie for the 40 two-person-team spots available in the CBFS Championship. Among the total prizes are $35,000 in scholarships, to be distributed among the Top 5 teams. As a general rule, college fishing events have either no or minimal entry fees. A team consists of two anglers fishing from the same boat, and they are responsible for full operation of the boat.
"These college anglers are competing because they love to fish and they want to get to the championship to represent their school," said TBF president Robert Cartlidge. "Sure, they like to win prizes, but their ultimate goal is to have a shot at the national title, plus some of the scholarships. Winners also get a berth in TBF's National Championship."
The 2009 schedule of qualifying events follows:
> Dec. 19-20 (2008) Stephen F. Austin University Invitational, Sam Rayburn (Texas)
> March 7 NC State/Virginia Tech Invitational, Smith Mountain Lake (Va.)
> Mar 13-14 Lone Star Spring Breakout, Belton Lake (Texas)
> Mar 20-21 Arkansas Tech Invitational, Lake Dardanelle (Ark.)
> April 17-18 Collegiate Bass Fishing Series Championship, Lake Wilson (Ala.)
> June 1- 5 BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, Lake Lewisville (Texas)
Midwestern and Western invitationals will also be held, with dates and locations to be announced.
Dig deep with cranks 6/23/2008 Paul Elias has pocketed a pile of money over the years by working crankbaits around deep structure. He frequently in shallow depths as well, and one of the concepts he espouses is to "overpower" the water with your bait (i.e. if you have a bait designed to run to 20 feet, try throwing it in 12 feet of water).
For more cranking tips from the BASS record-holder for 4-day weight, click here to read the newest BassFan Pro Fishing Tip.
FLW Outdoors today announced that the Stren Series central division event scheduled for July 23-26 has been moved from the Mississippi River in Fort Madison, Iowa, to Kentucky Lake in Hardin, Ky due to severe flooding along the Mississippi River.
The dates of the tournament remain unchanged. Anglers will take off from Kenlake State Resort Park, located at 542 Kenlake Road in Hardin, Ky., at 5:30 each morning. Weigh-ins will be held at the marina beginning at 2 p.m. July 23-25. The final weigh-in on July 26 will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 809 N. 12th Street in Murray, Ky., beginning at 3 p.m.
Our prayers go out to the people of Fort Madison and other areas affected by the floods, said FLW Outdoors president and CEO Charlie Evans.
BFL boat crash 6/22/2008 The Salisbury Post of North Carolina is a reporting on a boat collision that apparently happened yesterday at the North Carolina High Rock BFL.
No mention of the incident appeared on FLWOutdoors.com, but the news report listed two boats as involved in the head-on crash, and that the four occupants were BFL competitors.
Boater David Redman of Concord and co-angler Darrell McManus of Charlotte were in one boat, and McManus was airlifted to the hospital with unknown injuries, the report said. The other boat was occupied by Tony Stafford of Kernersville and Kenneth Hutchins of Hamptonville.
Where do sandbags come from? 6/20/2008 Little known fact: Irwin Jacobs is in the sandbag business. In fact, millions of the sandbags being used right now in the Midwest flood disaster are from his Jacobs Trading Company. According to a recent story on WCCO.com, " Jacobs got his start in business following in his father's footsteps at Northwest Bag Co. in Minneapolis, selling burlap bags. He's continued that tradition by keeping an incredibly large amount of sandbags in a warehouse outside the Twin Cities."
To read WCCO's full story, which is pretty darn interesting, click here.
Contest: tough luck 6/20/2008 Here at the BassFan Army, we know the high price of gas is hurting everyone it's sucking up a lot of the spending money we formerly used for equipment to pursue our favorite sport. So we've decided to hold a contest to help out with that a hard-luck contest.
Send us your best hard-luck story detailing how bad your tackle collection is and how badly you need some new stuff. We'll pick two winners, and each will get a new Plano FlipSider box filled with more than $250 worth of tackle.
We know there's no one who can tell a story like a fisherman, so make it good. And we really want to have some fun with this, so make sure you make us laugh.
The tackle boxes will feature selections from companies like Berkley, Zoom, Kicker Fish, Rat-L-Trap, Strike King, Zipper and many more.
Army members can send their submissions to memberservices@bassfanarmy.com. The contest will end at 5 p.m. Central time on June 25.
Good luck!
Not a BassFan Army member yet? Click here to sign up for FREE lifetime membership, which makes you eligible for many free programs, including giveaways, contests and qualifying for the Weekend Warrior Championship.
Hollow Belly tubes and split tails 6/20/2008 You didn't think Berkley was going to release their Hollow Belly swimbait without giving it some siblings to play with did you? The Hollow Belly family is expanding with three new additions: the Hollow Belly Pro tube, the Hollow Belly flippin' tube and the Hollow Belly split tail.
These new baits boast all the advantages of the Hollow Belly line like realistic eyes, highly detailed clear-coat finishes, tons of fish-catching colors and, of course, the Hollow Belly design.
Kingfish cancel: hmmm... 6/19/2008 FLW Outdoors served notice today that it canceled its Fort Pierce Kingfish Series tournament "due to a low number of preregistered contestants." Is this perhaps the first instance of a significant fishing tournament being canceled due to the gas-price surge? Impossible to tell without surveying the teams, but it is fuel for thought.
There's a somewhat parallel situation right now on the walleye side of the fence, although not as dire. Next week's Bull Shoals PWT will field just 60 boats. In 2005, the last time the PWT fished at Bull Shoals, the field was 118 boats. (To read the WalleyeFan report on the Bull Shoals field, click here.)
Costa Del Mar/BASS Scholarship 6/19/2008 The application deadline for the 2008-09 Costa Del Mar/BASS Conservation Scholarship is fast approaching and those wishing to apply must do so by July 14.
The program was developed to assist future natural-resource professionals with the financial demands of their education.
Six $2,000 awards will be made to undergraduates. If annual requirements are met, the students will continue to receive the same amount each year for up to 4 years. One $5,000 scholarship will be awarded annually to a post-graduate student for a maximum of 2 years.
To learn more about the program and to download applications, click here.
BassFans watched last week as Mike McClelland ran a Tahoe Smokeless wrap. That was notable because it was a mid-season deal for a limited time. The company confirmed today that he'll also run a Tahoe wrap and a wear a Tahoe jersey in the upcoming Old Hickory Bassmaster Elite Series. The event was originally scheduled for the Mississippi River in Iowa, but was relocated due to the current flood disaster, which is the main reason for the extension, McClelland noted. Tennessee is more in line with Tahoe's target market.
McClelland also said: "I'm very excited about teaming up with Tahoe Smokeless again and I'm looking forward to keeping the momentum going in my quest for the Angler of the Year (AOY) title. This sponsorship opportunity is very unique and will hopefully open the doors for other anglers to obtain similar types of sponsorship deals."
Tahoe president Steven Bailey said: "Mike had an outstanding performance at Kentucky Lake and we're thrilled to be able to partner with him again at Old Hickory. I'm an avid bass fisherman myself so the opportunity to be associated with Mike during his quest for AOY is very exciting for me."
Hard Luck contest 6/19/2008 Here at the BassFan Army, we know that the price of fuel is affecting everyone.
We know that the high gas prices are taking away all of that (extra) spending money we use to help us with our favorite sport. So we've decided to hold a "Hard Luck" contest to help you out with that.
Send us your best hard luck story about how bad your tackle is and how much you need some new stuff. Two winners will be selected and each will receive a new Plano Flipsider tackle box filled with more than $250 worth of tackle to help get you through the summer.
Products from Berkley, Zoom, Kicker Fish, Rat-L-Trap, Strike King, Zipper and many more will be included.
We really want to have some fun with this so make sure you make us laugh as well. We know there is no one that can tell a story like a fisherman, so make it good.
Make sure you're an Army member.
Send your hard luck story to us here. The contest ends at 5 p.m. Central Time on June 25. Good luck.
Recon: Grand Lake 6/19/2008 Today in the Bass Recon section of BassFanArmy.com, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Ken Cook talks in-depth about how Oklahoma's Grand Lake should set up for this Sunday's Skeeter Tour tournament. Tidbit: Mid-lake is the place to be.
Tru-Tungsten will display its new Tru-Life Softys swimbaits next month at ICAST in Las Vegas. They'll come in 3- and 5-inch models with a flexible wire-through harness and super-strong needle-point hooks.
The company says the Tru-Life baits have the same lifelike action as more-expensive hard swimbaits, and the soft plastic feels more realistic to the fish. They undergo a special painting process to achieve their highly detailed finish.
Special saltwater colors with stainless-steel components will be available in Fish Harder Companies "Captain Mike's Guide-Proven Lure" packaging.
A-American pattern: apologies 6/19/2008 Apologies to BassFans who've been waiting for coverage of Shayne Berlo's winning pattern from the BFL All-American. The story was published this morning. To read it, click here.
The Bass Federation (TBF) announced today that the resort community of Branson, Mo.,and Bull Shoals Lake will host The Bass Federation National Championship in 2009. The event will be held March 10-15, and is the culmination of more than 2 years of qualification for most of the 30,000 anglers who are members of TBF.
Anglers from six TBF divisions competed locally in their home states during 2007 to qualify for the 2008 TBF Divisional Championship Series tournaments. The top two anglers from each state at those events will advance to compete in the '09 Championship.
The event will be held in conjunction with one of the FLW Tour stop the same week on Table Rock Lake. Weigh-ins and Family Fun Zone festivities for both events will be held at the new Branson Convention Center.
We tried a dual TBF Championship and FLW Tour event in 2008, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive from our anglers and everyone else who attended. said TBF president Robert Cartlidge. It is a lot of work to do two major events at the same time and it takes a lot of dedicated FLW Outdoors and TBF people to make it work. But the events feed off each other and are both bigger and better because of it.
"Branson is a great family destination, with many things to do and see. It is right in the heart of fishing country, and we expect big crowds and lots of fun. Our anglers deserve nothing less than the very best we can give them.
The National Championship anglers will compete for a total purse of over $200,000 in cash and merchandise, Every angler will receive a check and other prizes.
At stake will be a $100,000 Living the Dream prize package, which will go to the winning boater at the Championship. It consists of $10,000 cash, the use of a wrapped Chevy truck and Ranger boat powered by Evinrude or Yamaha, sponsor merchandise, paid entry fees into the winners choice of either the 2009 FLW Tour or FLW Series, and some travel expense money.
The top boater and top co-angler from each of the TBF's six divisions at the Championship will advance to the '09 BFL All-American. The overall top boater and co-angler will also qualify for next year's Forrest Wood Cup.
An official practice day will be held Wednesday, March 11, followed by 3 days of competition (March 12-14). The entire field will compete Thursday and Friday.
The field will then be cut to the top boater and co-angler from each division for Saturday. The winning boater and co-angler will be determined Saturday by the heaviest 3-day accumulated weight.
Lake Fork contest winner 6/18/2008 The BassFan Army would like to thank everyone who participated in the Lake Fork Tackle contest last week.
Danny Hipp of Searcy, Ark. was the randomly drawn winner from the list of entrants who knew that the Lake Fork Frog comes in nine fish-catching colors. Look for another contest soon.
2009 FLW Tour schedule 6/18/2008 FLW Outdoors just now released its 2009 FLW Tour schedule, and BassFans will immediately notice a trend the Tour appears to be getting back onto some stronger fisheries. Also notable is the Tour, for only the second time in its history, will kick of its season outside the state of Florida.
Also notable about the release was the teaser that "A major announcement on the 2009 Forrest Wood Cup presented by BP and Castrol would be made soon."
The Tour kicks off at famed lake Guntersville Feb. 1215, which is the weekend prior to the Bassmaster Classic. It then moves to Table Rock in mid-March (in conjunction with the TBF National Championship). It visits Lake Norman in late April, then stops at Beaver Lake in mid-May. Next comes Kentucky Lake in mid-June, then the finale at Champlain in July.
About the schedule, FLW Outdoors president and CEO Charlie Evans said: "We'll be visiting some tremendous fisheries and some terrific fishing communities in 2009. We'll be visiting a number of lakes during a time of the year when we could see records fall, and we're thrilled to be visiting communities that have demonstrated outstanding fan support."
2009 FLW Tour Schedule
> Feb. 12-15 -- Lake Guntersville -- Huntsville, Ala.
> March 12-15 -- Table Rock Lake -- Branson, Mo.
> April 23-26 -- Lake Norman -- Charlotte, N.C. (National Guard Open)
> May 14-17 -- Beaver Lake -- Rogers, Ark. (Wal-Mart Open)
> June 11-14 -- Kentucky Lake -- Murray, Ky.
> July 9-12 -- Lake Champlain -- Plattsburgh, N.Y. (Chevy Open)
Starks: Fish management 6/18/2008 If there's one lesson BassFans can learn from the last two Bassmaster Elite Series events at Wheeler and Kentucky Lakes, it's that fish management plays a pivotal role when it comes to coming out on top of a multi-day tournament. Some pros sprint out of the gates and fizzle as the tournament wears on, but the guys who consistently hoist the trophy after the final fish is weighed in are typically the 'slow-and-steady' types who can make their fish last day after day.
Jeremy Starks put on a clinic in perfect fish management at Wheeler Lake, making less than 10 casts a day on his spot in route to a hard-fought victory over Kevin VanDam. Today on the Berkley Catch More Fish page, the West Virginia pro talks about how pacing yourself pays off. Tidbit: Pay attention to how the fish hit your bait.
(Editor's note: OutdoorsFan Media issued the following press release today about the launch of its new firearms site.)
OutdoorsFan Media (OFM), a division of InterMedia Outdoors, Inc., announced today the launch of TacticalGunFan.com. This ground-breaking website provides the rapidly growing community of tactical-gun enthusiasts with timely news and commentary about the equipment, tactics, and training methods used by top military, law enforcement, and competition shooters across the country and around the world.
TacticalGunFan.com delivers enthusiasts a unique combination of in-depth news and comprehensive analysis of the tactical-gun industry, along with advice on training methods, equipment maintenance and modifications, marksmanship, and gear selection from the world's leading experts. This contemporary website also delivers professional video and audio segments featuring industry experts demonstrating the latest tactical gear and techniques.
Announcing the launch, OutdoorsFan Media General Manager Jim Manry said, "We're very excited about what this site provides tactical-gun enthusiasts and the entire industry, including gun, ammunition, optics, and accessory manufacturers. TacticalGunFan.com will fast become the most effective and efficient way for these advertisers to reach a highly targeted and motivated buying audience."
Steve Hoffman, Vice President, InterMedia Outdoors, Inc. added, "TacticalGunFan builds on the proven foundation shared by all OFM sites: objective daily news coverage, timely event analysis, and detailed product reviews. We're confident that TacticalGunFan.com will soon become the home page for hardcore tactical-gun fans. With TacticalGunFan, our web portfolio at OFM expands to six powerful sites serving audiences across all three segments of shooting, hunting and fishing. We are very excited about the continued growth and leadership position of OFM's core business."
Loudoun-Tellico: late singups 6/17/2008 Whenever the FLW Tour season begins to wind down, it's common to see several pros drop from competition. Oftentimes it's a monetary decision if there's no hope to make the Forrest Wood Cup, it might not make sense to spend the thousands of dollars it takes to fish a remaining event. Some leagues, like the Bassmaster Elite Series, fish a closed field and don't replace dropouts. In the case of the FLW Tour though, it works down its waiting list, and even beyond, in order to fill late-season fields.
Of course, local cherrypickers (or "donaters," depending on their skill) often get in, which can make for some harrowing competition. A prime example was last year's Detroit River FLW Tour. Local ace Steve Clapper won that one, and it was the first FLW Tour event he'd ever fished. Plus, four other local aces finished in the Top 10, which meant locals made up half of the final Top 10.
So anyone who's following this week's Ft. Loudoun-Tellico FLW Tour in Knoxville, Tenn. should stay abreast of which locals have joined the field. To help, here's a look at some notable local additions who signed up in the past month.
> Wayne Cupp -- New Tazewell, Tenn. -- Will be his first FLW Outdoors tournament.
> Jacky Dunaway -- Clinton, Tenn. -- Will be second Tour event fished (finished 83rd here last year). Mixed record in limited Volunteer BFL competition.
> Jonathan Pelfrey -- Rockwood, Tenn. -- Will be his first Tour event. Fishes Volunteer and Mountain BFLs, and finished 5th at Loudoun-Tellico BFL in 2007.
> Archie Wilson, Jr. -- Corryton, Tenn. -- Will be his first Tour event. Fishing Volunteer BFLS, and finished 79th at Loudoun-Tellico BFL in 2007.
> Roger O'Dell -- Rockwood, Tenn. -- Will be his first FLW Outdoors event.
> Terrence Newcomb -- Rockford, Tenn. -- Will be his first FLW Tour event as a pro.
> Tommy Brown -- Louisville, Tenn. -- Will be his fourth FLW Tour event. Finished 181st here last year, but finished 8th at a Loudoun BFL in 1998, and 19th at the Loudoun-Tellico BFL last year. Another notable was his 3rd a few months ago at the nearby Douglas BFL.
> Quint Bourgeois -- Knoxville, Tenn. -- Will be his second FLW Tour event as a pro. Finished 184th here last year.
Other notable late additions include:
> Bill Day -- Frankfort, Ky. -- Fishing the FLW Tour this year, but apparently wasn't confirmed for this event at the start of the season. A big stick at Dale Hollow.
> Joel Richardson -- Kernersville, N.C. -- A longtime Tour pro who, like Day, perhaps wasn't confirmed at the start of the season. Notable is he had his day-2 weight DQd at the most recent event (Beaver Lake) and surely is looking to rebound.
> Stacey King -- Reeds Spring, Mo. -- A veteran tour pro who lost his Tour eligibility after he missed competition due to a heart ailment.
> Toby Chenoweth -- Port Byron, Ill. -- Will be the longtime BFL angler's third Tour event.
> Shannon Shuler -- Superior Township, Mich. -- Will be his fifth Tour event. Finished 188th here last year.
> Travis Rulle -- Huntsville, Ala. -- A Bassmaster Open pro who hails from Colorado. He missed qualifying for the 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series by a single fish at the Wildcard Qualifier. Was one of the "Three Amigos" who roomed together as they all sought a tour-level berth. The two other Amigos Derek Remitz and Craig Dowling are both fishing at the tour-level this season.
BASS AOY ups/downs 6/16/2008 The BASS Angler of the Year (AOY) race counts for a number of different things, including Bassmaster Classic qualification and tour requalification. There's also some green at the end of the road, because this year's AOY purse totals $1 million ($250,000 to the winner, and the Top 50 are paid).
The Elite Series just completed a back-to-back run at Wheeler and Kentucky Lake. To show how volatile the AOY standings can be, here are just a few of the notable surges after that two-event run:
> Jeremy Starks: 96th to 66th (+30)
> John Murray: 85th to 65th (+20)
> Matt Reed: 71st to 47th (+24)
> Peter Thliveros: 58th to 38th (+20)
> Tim Horton: 54th to 30th (+24)
The Classic cutoff mark is right around 36th, so pros like Starks and Murray still have quite a bit of work ahead of them if they want to make it.
Salt-boat slowdown continues 6/16/2008 Several sources, including the Orlando Business Journal, are reporting that Brunswick-owned Boston Whaler Inc. will furlough 250 employees sometime in the next month at its Edgewater, Fla. plant. The news follows previous Brunswick announcements of layoffs at sister boat brand Sea Ray, and the dissolution of its Bluewater Marine brands.
Brunswick is also the parent of several bass-related brands, including Mercury Marine and Triton Boats. Mercury in April laid off 50 salaried employees.
The Orlando Business Journal story sourced a Brunswick spokesperson in reporting that Boston Whaler expects to recall the workers at a future date.
Rapala buys Sufix 6/13/2008 Yao I Fabric Co., Ltd. has agreed to sell its Sufix fishing line property to Rapala, a move that triggers the conclusion of an exclusive supply agreement between the two companies.
According to a release announcing the transaction, as part of the purchase, Rapala will also acquire all intangible assets related to Sufix-branded and other fishing line business, as well as all Sufix inventory from Sufix North America, Inc.
According to the terms of the exclusive supply agreement, after an interim period and under certain conditions, Rapala will be selling fishing lines manufactured by Yao I and Yao I will be manufacturing fishing line for Rapala only, including subcontracted fishing lines for third party customers (OEM).
Financial terms of the deal were not released.
"Through this deal Rapala enters into the worldwide fishing line category in a meaningful way," Rapala CEO Jorma Kasslin said in the release. "As a result of this deal, Yao I will supply Rapala's global distribution network with a wide selection of fishing lines, including monofilament, braided and fluorocarbon lines.
"While Yao I is strong in manufacturing and development of fishing line, Rapala is strong in global marketing and distribution. Therefore, this will be a win-win concept creating an exceptionally strong fishing line business for both companies. Rapala's target is to gain a significant market share from the worldwide fishing line business during the next few years."
The deal is expected to be closed sometime in July.
Anyone who's witnessed a serious mayfly hatch or the pinnacle of hatches, the hex hatch will recognize the photos to right. Others might think it's straight out of a horror movie.
Remember last Saturday when bass pros mentioned a mayfly hatch at the Wheeler Bassmaster Elite Series in Alabama? BassFan contributor Jonathan Manteuffel fished the lake that night and the hatch was on big-time. He snapped these photos. Wow!
Tru-Tungsten made quite a splash last year when it debuted its Tru-Life swimbait at the industry's ICAST tradeshow. Logically, the line is set to expand, and the company has released a sneak peek of its new 4-inch Tru-Life swimbait.
It'll be available in two models wakebait/slow-sink and slow-sink/fast-sink and six colors. Pictured to right is baby bass. Sink-rate can be adjusted by adding tungsten balls.
The two premier frog destinations have got to be the California Delta and Lake Guntersville. So it's no surprise that when the idea for a Snag Proof Open came up, the first one took place at the California Delta. Guntersville iterations soon followed.
Details are now available for this year's fourth annual Guntersville Snag Proof Open. The event's slated for August 23 out of Goose Pond Colony Resort in Scottsboro, Ala. The purse is guaranteed at $20,000, regardless of entries, and 1st place awards a Bass Cat boat powered by Mercury.
For more information or to register, send an email to tournament director Randy McBride at RandyMcBride@bellsouth.net.
Competitors may only throw Snag Proof products in the event. For more intel on Snag Proof, visit SnagProof.com.
Prochnow on Gulp! science 6/13/2008 Today on the Fish Science section of the Berkley Catch More Fish page, Berkley chemist John Prochnow and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Boyd Duckett talk about Gulp! and what makes it so special. Tidbit: It's all about water.
Recent unsafe conditions on the Mississippi River have prompted BASS to relocate the Bassmaster Elite Series River Rumble, set for June 26-29 out nof Fort Madison, Iowa, to Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, Tenn. The new event, renamed the Tennessee Triumph, will take place on the previously scheduled dates.
Old Hickory, which BASS has visited seven times in its 40-year history, will also host a Womens Bassmaster event June 19-21. The following week, the Elite Series pros will tackle the spacious reservoir.
Tournament waters will also include Cheatham Lake, located just below Old Hickory Dam. The tournament waters are immediately off-limits to Elite Series pros until the official practice period, June 23-25. Co-anglers must observe BASS rules as previously outlined for Elite Series events.
Daily tournament launches and weigh-ins will take place at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville. Launches are set for 6 a.m. CT and weigh-ins will start at 2:30 p.m.
Our first priority is the safety of all those involved with BASS events, said BASS GM and VP Tom Ricks. We appreciate the flexibility of both Fort Madison and Hendersonville and we look forward to hosting events at both locations in the near future.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with those in Iowa who have been affected by the recent floods.
Recon: Keuka Lake 6/12/2008 The New York West division of the Bassmaster Weekend Series kicks off next week on Keuka Lake. Today in the Bass Recon section of BassFanArmy.com, FLW Series pro Darrin Schwenkbeck tells BassFans about what Keuka's bass are doing right now and how he'd try to put together a limit if here were fishing next weekend. Tidbit: There should be some late-blooming smallies still up on beds.
'River Rumble' reschedule? 6/11/2008 Portions of the Mississippi River, especially those in Iowa, Illinois and southeastern Minnesota, are currently experiencing severe flood conditions. Residents and officials are taking emergency action, and levels could reach 2 feet higher than the devastating 1993 levels, with crests up to 10 feet higher than flood stage the next few weeks.
Although the first and primary concern is always for the residents and their families, there is a Bassmaster Elite Series event scheduled to start 2 weeks from now at the Mississippi out of Fort Madison, Iowa. BassFans asked BASS whether it will relocate or reschedule the upcoming event.
A BASS official said: "BASS tournament officials continue to monitor the situation. We have nothing to announce at this time."
If past history is an indication, BASS will likely relocate, rather than reschedule the event. Last year, it moved the Bassmaster Legends Major from the Arkansas River to Lake Dardanelle due to abnormally high water levels in the Arkansas River.
Would there be a suitable alternative close by that's not necessarily affected by flood-stage waters? One option, if BASS wished to retain the feel of its "Northern Swing," could be Lake Minnetonka in Minneapolis, Minn. Another could be a Great Lakes tournament, perhaps out of Chicago? BassFan will publish news as it becomes available.
Or as BassFan Carl Roedel of Spring Grove, Ill. recently wrote, "They could move to the historic Fox Chain O' Lakes in northern Illinois. There are bass tournaments on this body of water virtually every weekend. It usually takes 12 to 18 pounds to win a single-day event. It's very close to both Chicago and Milwaukee."
The Fox Chain might also have prohibitive water levels though.
Kilby: Go big or go home 6/10/2008 Every angler has a certain style when it comes to the kind of baits they like to throw. As the scorching summer heat settles over the nation's reservoirs, lakes and rivers, many anglers will head deep and pick up a dropshot or a deep-diving crankbait. But what if those techniques just don't jive with the way you like to fish? Do you suck it up and go with it, or do you try to find something that better suits your style?
FLW Tour pro Rob Kilby isn't too keen on summertime cranks, and he's not a huge fan of bouncing a dropshot around under the boat, either. So what does he reach for when the mercury rises and the wind settles to a whisper? Click over to the Berkley Catch More Fish page to find out. Tidbit: You can leave your finesse tackle at home.
The Professional Anglers Association (PAA) today announced a new PAA-sanctioned tournament venture in the same vein as the Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC): the PAA Corporate Cup.
The Corporate Cup is set to take place on Alabama's Lake Pickwick. Presented in conjunction with Florence-Lauderdale Tourism, the PAA Corporate Cup tournament will pair two tour-level PAA members and two corporate partners who will compete in a shared weight format similar to the TTBC.
PAA President Tim Horton, of nearby Muscle Shoals, Ala., said the organization is looking forward to the event. "This will be an exciting venture for the PAA, the City of Florence, and our corporate partners," he said. "The PAA Corporate Cup will bring all parties together in a full scale, high stakes event.
"The PAA Corporate Cup will be a great way to introduce both endemic and non-endemic corporations to competition while sharing our passion for the sport," he added. "The event will be a showcase of our sport, its anglers, the City of Florence and the PAA."
The dates of the event are set for October 6-11, with competition days scheduled for October 9 11 on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala. Daily festivities will occur at McFarland Park. Final details of the PAA Corporate Cup will be announced at a later date.
With boaters facing record-high fuel prices this summer, BoatU.S. has a few tips that could help stretch their fuel dollars:
1. Leave the extra stuff at home: Don't load the boat up with weight you don't need. Do a little spring cleaning unused equipment that has been collecting mildew in the bottom of lockers for years should be taken home.
2. Water weight: At 8.33 pounds per gallon, why keep the water in the tank topped off if you're only going out for the afternoon?
3. Tune her up: An engine tune-up is an excellent investment and should easily pay for itself over the summer.
4. Tune your prop: If your boat goes 30 mph with a like-new prop and only 27 mph with a prop that's dinged and out of pitch, that's a 10% loss in fuel economy, or, you're wasting one out of every 10 gallons you put in your tank.
5. Paint the boat's bottom: When boating in salt or brackish waters, a fouled bottom is like a dull knife. It takes a lot more fuel to push your boat through the water.
6. Keep the boat in trim: Using trim tabs or distributing weight evenly will help move your boat through the water with less effort and less fuel.
7. Go with the flow: Consult tide tables and try to travel with the tide whenever possible.
8. Install a fuel flow meter: A fuel flow meter is like a heart monitor when consumption starts to rise, it's an early warning that something is amiss. It also allows you to select a comfortable cruising speed that optimizes the amount of fuel being consumed.
9. Do the math: If you don't want to spring for a fuel flow meter (about $300), you can calculate your fuel mileage by dividing distance traveled by gallons at fill-up. Using your logbook, you can then approximate fuel flow using average speeds and time underway.
10. Get a discount: Many of the 885 BoatU.S. cooperating marinas around the country offer up to 10 cents off a gallon of gas. To get the discount, all you have to do is to show your BoatU.S. membership card. If you aren't already a member, join online now for a special rate of $19 by clicking here or calling (800) 395-2628.
BoatU.S is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters, providing its 650,000 members with a wide array of consumer services, including a group-rate marine insurance program that insures nearly a quarter million boats; the largest fleet of more than 500 towing assistance vessels; discounts on fuel, slips, and repairs at over 885 cooperating marinas; boat financing; and a subscription to BoatU.S. Magazine.
Tackle manufactures are always trying to figure out what the next big rage will be so they can deliver what we anglers will want next. Many manufacturers end up with a wide assortment of products, and Lake Fork Tackle is certainly no exception.
The company makes everything from plastic worms and creature baits to swimbaits, tungsten weights and scents. This week our BassFan Army contest features a prize package from LFT that includes:
> one pack of Magic swimbaits (3 1/2-inch in golden shiner color)
> one pack of Magic Shad swimbaits (5 1/2-inch, chartreuse-pearl)
> one pack of Ring Fry (pumpkin-pepper)
> one pack of Flippers (green-pumpkin)
> one pack of Fork Frogs (watermelon red/pearl)
> one pack of Craw Tubes (4-inch, sour grape)
> one pack of tungsten Mega-Weights (1/8-ounce)
To win the prize package, all you have to do is tell us how many colors the Fork Frog comes in, and we'll randomly draw one winner from among the correct responses (hint: the answer can be found on the Lake Fork Tackle website).
Send your answers to memberservices@bassfanarmy.com. Make sure you include your full name and mailing address. This contest will end June 16 at 5 p.m. central time.
A new series of viral videos launched recently on TakeMeFishing.org casts fishing in a whole new light. The video series, called Master Casters, was developed by the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) in hopes of luring more people to the sport.
Seven different videos show Gary Hain, Chuck Devereaux and Aaron McAlexander performing tricks rarely seen before, like casting a line to crack an egg 50 yards away and hitting clay pigeons in mid-air.
"We hope these amazing casting tricks will help draw newcomers into the sport and to our newly re-designed Web site, where anglers of all ages and experience levels can learn, plan and equip themselves with everything they need to go boating and fishing," said RBFF president and CEO Frank Peterson.
The viral videos will be featured in online advertising and in a commercial on ESPN.
RBFF is a nonprofit organization established in 1998 to increase participation in recreational angling and boating. RBFF helps people discover, share and protect the legacy of boating and fishing through national outreach programs including the Take Me Fishing campaign and Anglers' Legacy.
Hook removal (warning: graphic) 6/6/2008 All right, how many out there have taken a hook? Did you go to the hospital, or take care of it on the water? Did you use the yank method, or the pull-through-and-cut technique?
In the video below, FLW Tour pro Michael Murphy takes a hook, and his partner Bill Smith helps him get it out. Good instructional video, but pretty graphic, too.
Thanks to BassFan Travis Feuerbach for the heads-up on the vid.
Until now, choices for Berkley's Gulp! Alive! were limited to a minnow and a leech. But Berkley's ready to roll out more options, and check out this new juiced-up Gulp Alive! 7-inch Power Jerk Shad. If that won't leave a scent trail in the water, we don't know what will.
Like all Gulp! Alive! products, Jerk Shads come in a bait-bucket-like container packed with Gulp! juice. Just dip it in and recharge the scent.
Early packaged version of the bait have been released to the media, but it'll be a little while before it hits retail shelves. We'll keep you posted.
BassFan last week promised a look at one of the new colors created by Dean Rojas for his Spro BronzEye Frog. Here's one he calls harbor seal. He said the name was inspired by wildlife cinematography. Apparently, the best way to film great white sharks is to troll a buoy painted like a harbor seal. The great whites just demolish it - kind of like what the largemouths should do to this frog.
No word yet on when the new colors will be available.
Chubby Frog review 6/6/2008 BassFan Army member Jeff Staggers of Alabama recently had a chance to try out the Chubby Frog from Secret Lures. To read his impressions of the bait, click here.
New Hollow Bellies 6/6/2008 Berkley's PowerBait Hollow Belly swimbait has been catching a lot of fish on both the FLW and Bassmaster circuits this year. It's been especially potent in the last few Bassmaster Elite Series stops where blueback herring have been the predominant forage species.
And now Berkley is expanding their lineup of Hollow Bellies to include two new sizes - a 6-inch and 4-inch model to compliment the 5-incher that's on the market now - as well as four new colors.
To learn more about the new Hollow Belly baits and see pictures of the new sizes and colors, click over to the Berkley Catch More Fish page.
Honda offers financing 6/6/2008 Brief buyers' note: Honda Marine is offering financing as low as 6.49% on all new engines and boat, motor and trailer packages this summer. The offer runs through Sept. 30.
Terms can range from 12 to 180 months, depending on amount financed and purchaser's credit rating.
Sharp looks back 6/5/2008 Harold Sharp, BASS's first tournament director and still a passionate observer of the sport (as his frequent contributions to BassFan Feedback attest), recently chronicled his experiences with the fledgling organization in the late 1960s for the (Tenn.) Chattanoogan. The article is full of reminiscences about the earliest years of competitive bass fishing.
Recon: High Rock 6/5/2008 North Carolina's High Rock Lake is the venue for this Saturday's Bassmaster Weekend Series. Today in the Bass Recon section of BassFanArmy.com, FLW Tour pro Chris Baumgardner gives you his insight on how he'd target High Rock's largemouths, and his strategy is probably not what you'd expect. Tidbit: The deep crankbait is an easy choice, but don't ignore the shallows.
Bluegill are spawning in a high percentage of the lakes around the country right now, and the ritual will continue through the next couple of moon cycles. That means hungry bass will be hanging out in ambush spots adjacent to those bream beds.
Walking a Megabass Dog-X in the area around the beds is a good option when you're trying to entice some of those bluegill busters.
"When you find the bluegill beds, the bass will be sitting just outside them," said FLW pro Luke Clausen, a member of the Megabass pro staff. "The beds are just little white craters out there the area might be 10 yards around with a white bottom. There might be 15 or 20 bluegill on there, but I've seen some with several hundred."
If the bed is fairly shallow (1 to 2 feet of water), he likes to walk the Dog-X across it fairly quickly. For deeper beds (5 to 6 feet), he slows it down considerably.
"The thing about the Dog-X is it's easy to work slow because it cuts so hard from side to side. You don't want it moving too fast."
Another key is to stay as far away from the bed as possible and make long casts.
"It depends on the depth and clarity, but if you can actually see (the bass) hanging around, then most of the time it's too late. The gig's up."
To learn more about Megabass, click here to visit the company's website.
Abu FOAL: May winner, Ginter's striper story 6/4/2008
Abu Garcia today announced the winner of its May Fish of a Lifetime contest to be James McCaskey (pictured) from Hemphill, Texas. Congratulations, James! Your new Abu Garcia Revo reel and hat will arrive soon in the mail.
Meanwhile, the Fish of a Lifetime contest is still going strong, and the first entry for June comes from Gary Ginter of Maplewood, Ohio. Gary was smallmouth fishing with his two sons, Garrick and Darian, when he got a big surprise of the striped variety. For his story, click over to the Abu Garcia Fish of a Lifetime section of the Berkley Catch More Fish page.
When you're fishing, remember to make sure you have a digital camera (or cell phone) with you because Abu Garcia is giving out a free new reel a month for the Fish of a Lifetime story it likes best. Click here to learn how to send in your Abu Garcia story.
And remember: Your fish of a lifetime doesn't have to be a bass, and can also be a tourney limit of a lifetime.
The last two Bassmaster Elite Series events Clarks Hill and Murray were a little crazy. Those two lakes have blueback herring, so the field spent most of its time running from spot to spot in a run-and-gun attack, trying to keep up with the nomadic baitfish and their predators.
Things change this week, though, as the field fishes Wheeler, then immediately moves to Kentucky Lake. The approach at both venues should be more traditional, where anglers can work more slowly through a series of spots or areas.
Todd Faircloth, for one, welcomes the change. "After chasing those blueback herring around on two lakes, I'm kind of glad we're back to fishing," he said. "You won't have to hit 100 points to catch a fish in these tournaments, and I'm kind of excited about it."
The blueback lakes were fairly good to Faircloth, though. After he won at Amistad, he finished 7th at Clarks Hill, then 38th at Murray. The Murray finish dropped him to 2nd in the BASS Angler of the Year (AOY) race, but he's a mere 10 points behind AOY leader Mike McClelland.
About whether the AOY race weighs on his mind this week, Faircloth said: "It's definitely something that I'm going to be thinking about, but I'm not putting too much stress on myself about it. I'll just take each tournament as it comes. All you can do is to do your best. If you're at the last tournament and you have a shot at it (AOY), that's all you can hope for."
Wheeler: Murray checks in 6/4/2008 The word out of Wheeler is the small fish are biting, but the quality fish are scarce. BassFan Big Stick John Murray agrees with that assessment, and details his first 2 days of practice in his BassFan Big Stick report. Click here to read it.
Like father, like son 6/3/2008 Ray Scott's youngest son was just a toddler when the BASS founder began teaching landowners how to create their own private bass fisheries. Well, he's all grown up now, and soon he'll have a bass and bluegill pond of his own. For more, click here to read the latest Scott On-Line column.
BASS Anglers' Legacy Sweepstakes 6/3/2008 For the second straight year, BASS and the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) are teaming up on an Anglers' Legacy sweepstakes in an effort to introduce newcomers to boating and fishing.
The promotion got started on May 19 and individuals who are interested can "Take the Pledge" at the Anglers' Legacy website. Those who complete the brief online form will be registered for the contest, which carries a grand prize of a trip to Disney World, a 2-night stay and a guided fishing trip.
"BASS is committed to growing the sport of fishing and we want to encourage newcomers to get involved in the sport," said Michael Cassidy, an RBFF Board Member and Senior Director of Sales and Sponsorship for BASS. "By taking the pledge and sharing the sport with a friend or family member, you're helping to protect the legacy for future generations."
Lowrance adds three 6/3/2008 Lowrance today announced three additions to its national sales management team. The company has hired Sean Hatherly as its national OEM sales manager, and Chris Stratton and Dan McGannon as key account managers within parent company Navico's national account sales channel.
An overwhelming majority of anglers would take positive, preventive action if one of their favorite fishing spots were threatened with government closure, according to a recent survey.
In the May 2008 survey of 2,017 anglers, nearly all said they would take action if they learned that a government entity was considering closing one of their favorite fishing spots. A mere .02% responded that they would do nothing, either because they do not have enough time or because the threatened closure is not important to them.
Of the possible actions listed in the survey, the largest number of anglers (77%) stated they would e-mail their state or federal legislative representatives to protest the threatened closure. A further 49% said they would write a letter to their state or federal representatives, while 44% said they would telephone their representatives.
In other possible actions named in the survey, 33% of anglers said they would be willing to join organized demonstrations and protests. Another 29% stated they would write letters to newspaper editors, and 22% said they would visit fishing clubs to find out how they could be involved in stopping the closure. Slightly more than 21% stated that they would take other actions not listed in the survey.
From the survey results, it appears clear that the vast majority of anglers are willing to take action to prevent the loss of favorite fishing spots. However, according to Rob Southwick of AnglerSurvey.com, In some past fishing closure issues, many anglers, though willing, did not take action. Either they did not know who to contact or felt their voice would not be heard. As with any political issue, people need help and encouragement if they are to invest time and become involved.
Launched in 2006, AnglerSurvey.com helps the outdoor equipment industry, government fisheries officials, and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The results are scientifically analyzed to reflect all U.S. anglers.
Secret Lure contest winners 6/2/2008 The BassFan Army would like to thank everyone who participated in the Secret Lure contest last week.
The three winners who correctly identified the colors and the great characteristics of the Secret Lure frog - like the keeled belly and hook slot - are: John Mohr of South Whitley Ind., Nathan Ezell of Toney, Ala. and Tom Harkman of Maple Grove, Minn. Thanks again for all who entered and look forward to another Army contest soon.
Jeff Abbott may not have hooked the $1 million bass -- or any of the other 24 tagged bass -- swimming around in Tennessee's J. Percy Priest Lake on Saturday but the 51-year-old from Winter Springs, Fla. had a blast fishing with Bassmaster Elite Series pro Kevin Wirth.
Abbott was the winner of the Early Times Kentucky Whiskey "Reel in a Million" contest. He got to spend a day fishing with Wirth as they tried to catch any of the 25 randomly-released tagged fish, with the top prize being $1 million.
He did catch a 5-pounder, the largest he's ever caught, on a smoke-colored tube so the day wasn't a total loss.
"No way," he said. "I got to spend the day out on the lake being guided by Kevin, a professional angler, in hopes of landing a million-dollar bass. I even caught the biggest bass of my life."
With a tradition that dates back more than two decades, the BFL All-American is still widely regarded as the most important non-tour-level event in the sport. Shayne Berlo from Vienna, Va. won this year's event on Saturday at Lake Hamilton in Ark.
The hard-fought contest was decided by ounces when Berlo delivered a 4-11 final-day limit and edged 2nd-place finisher Kevin Snider from Elizabethtown, Ky. by 3 ounces. And only 7 ounces separated him from the 5th-place finisher.
Berlo, a business development director by day, had previously fished the All-American in 2004. After the win, which awarded him $100,000 and a pro berth in the Forrest Wood Cup, he said: "I thought someone would come in with a big fish today and blow this thing wide open, but that didn't happen. I'm still absolutely amazed that I won. I'm obviously going to be the underdog in the Forrest Wood Cup, so there are no expectations. I'm just going to do the best I can."
BassFans likely recognize the runner-up's name. Snider had qualified for the All-American in 2004, but was stripped of his Regional win (and berth) after a post-tournament boat inspection revealed his Viper didn't have a U.S. Coast Guard horsepower-rating plate. The resultant controversy promted a rules change the following year, and Ranger eventually awarded Snider a boat. He then re-qualified for the All-American through competition the following year and finished 28th. As the highest-finishing Ranger owner at this year's event, he was awarded a boat a Ranger 198VX powered by Yamaha.
Below is a look at the final Top 10. The full details of Berlo's winning pattern will be posted soon on BassFanArmy.com.
Previous Month 
Top of Page
© OutdoorsFan Media and InterMedia Outdoors, Inc. All rights reserved