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.
The Berkley Bass Tank and the Berkley Experience Trailer are both in Pittsburgh, Pa. this week for the Forrest Wood Cup. Both will open their doors today and will be around through Sunday.
Berkley sends two 4,000-gallon bass tanks all over the country to aid the everyday angler. Kids and adults alike can learn about new Berkley products and pick up tips on how to use the innovative baits.
“The Berkley Bass Tanks are out on the road, giving all anglers the opportunity to hone their skills,” said Berkley marketing manager Tammy Cox. “Not only will attendees learn to 'Catch More Fish,' they will also learn about new products that will help them become a better angler.”
The next stop for the tank is at the Oneida Bassmaster Elite Series (Syracuse, N.Y., Aug. 15-16).
The Berkley Experience Trailer offers demonstrations and interactive games for kids and adults and gives the everyday angler the opportunity to view baits in the Berkley line, as well as chances to see the baits in action. Kids and adults alike can compete in fishing games and knot-tying contests.
“We want everyone young and old alike to enjoy the Berkley experience,” said marketing manager Andrew Marks. “In addition to our bait and line interactive displays, we will have Abu Garcia reel demonstrations, interactive touch screens to learn how to 'Catch More Fish' and a showcase for our latest and most innovative fishing products.”
Upcoming trailer stops are set for Oct. 2-4 (Gander Mountain, Tyler, Texas), Oct. 9-11 (Gander Mountain, Garland, Texas) and Oct. 16-18 (Berkley Big Bass Tournament, Lake Fork, Texas).
Harrison rocked St. Clair 7/30/2009 Chip Harrison put himself in position to win the recent Detroit River Central Stren by targeting rocks in the 14- to 18-foot depth range, and then sealed the victory on a windy final day by exploiting a weedy backup area that he'd saved.
For all of the details of his Winning Pattern, click here.
Dave Lefebre made an interesting comparison yesterday. He said this Forrest Wood Cup is going to be a lot like Steeler football. The Steelers, of course, have always been known for their tough, grind-it-out style that wears down opponents, and their home field is probably the toughest place to play in all of football. So the comparison seems apt, since this will be a grind-it-out Cup that'll mentally wear down the competitors.
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Yelas checks in 7/28/2009 BassFan Big Stick Jay Yelas found the Three Rivers bite in practice to be "unbelievably difficult," but he did discover two areas that he has at least a modicum of confidence in. To read his full Forrest Wood Cup practice report, click here to go on tour with the BassFan Big Sticks.
Bass thief nabbed 7/28/2009 Good news in the bass world today: An alleged tackle thief who targeted tournament anglers in the Ozarks area was busted. Following is a press release about the bust from the Missouri State Water Patrol. Note the sage advice in the second-to-last paragraph about theft tracking and prevention.
The Missouri State Water Patrol, while investigating numerous thefts tied to fishing tournaments on Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock Lake and Truman Reservoir, has recovered tens of thousands of dollars worth of stolen fishing equipment. Based on investigations of recent thefts, the Water Patrol served a search warrant on July 11, 2009 in Cass County at the residence of Keith A. Clark. The Water Patrol was assisted by the Cass County Sheriff's Department. Clark was taken into custody and a warrant was issued in Cass County on a felony charge for receiving stolen property.
The recovered stolen property has been linked to numerous thefts. Among those are thefts from:
Lake of the Ozarks, April 26 at the 8 mile mark and May 30 at the 2 mile mark of the Grand Glaize Arm
Table Rock Lake, April 4 and 5 near point 7 and June 25 and 26 near point 10
Truman Reservoir, July 9 and 10
The Water Patrol expects the property recovered to be associated with additional theft cases in Missouri and surrounding states as the investigation continues. The Water Patrol is in the process of identifying and contacting the owners of the recovered property.
Gov. Jay Nixon said, "I applaud the efforts of the Missouri State Water Patrol in this investigation. As an angler myself, I'm sure the sportsmen who'll now have their gear returned are glad to know that the Water Patrol pursued this case."
A major break in this case came as the result of a theft victim who was able to positively identify items belonging to him that were being sold in secondary markets. The secondary market for fishing tackle consists of garage sales, pawn shops, Internet sales, classified ads and equipment swap meets.
During the course of this investigation numerous officers have been involved in the investigation and in processing evidence. The Missouri State Water Patrol wishes to thank the following individuals and agencies that continue to provide assistance during the investigation: Missouri State Highway Patrol Computer Forensics Unit; Sheriff Dwight Diehl and Sgt. Steve Whitmore, Cass County Sheriff's Department; Prosecutor Teresa Hensley and Assistant Prosecutor Monica Premrose, Cass County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. The discovery and arrest in this case would not have been possible without the support of these cooperating agencies. If members of other agencies or members of the public have additional information that might be associated with this investigation, please contact Sergeant Jay Pragman, Director of the Criminal Investigations Unit for the Missouri State Water Patrol.
The Water Patrol reminds fishermen and boat owners to document and record the serial numbers of electronics and other equipment stored on boats or docks. Locked storage compartments and lighting can discourage would be thieves. Owners should also mark equipment in an inconspicuous manner so that it can be identified and connected to them in case of a theft. Anytime you purchase used equipment you should have identifying information for the seller. Buyers should be suspicious of any seller who hesitates to supply contact information or items that are priced considerably below fair market value.
Anonymous crime tips may be submitted to the Water Patrol by phone or by the Departments website (found here).
Texan David Curtis was involved in a minor boating accident on Monday while practicing for the Forrest Wood Cup at the Three Rivers in Pittsburgh. His boat was struck broadside by a two-man racing scull operated by a couple of members of a crew team.
No one was injured and there was no damage to either craft.
"It was kind of funny, I was just sitting there fishing a little ways off the bank, not very far at all, when a whole team of rowers came through," he said. "That boat was about the last one in the bunch. As it got closer and closer (both occupants were facing the opposite direction of that in which the boat was traveling), I finally had to yell, 'Hey.' They put on the brakes, but not fast enough to avoid bumping into me. They were like, 'Whoops, sorry about that.'
"They had a little ball or something on the end of that thing and it didn't do any damage."
He said the 4-day practice period got off to a great start for him, but fizzled after that.
"I'd love to have the fish I caught that first day in the tournament. It kind of went downhill after that."
Scott Bliss of Addison, NY bought a combo that featured an Abu Garcia Ambassadeur XLT Plus baitcasting reel at a fishing expo in 1987, and he dreaded going home and telling his new wife about the purchase. Everything worked out okay, though – 22 years later, he still has the same wife and the same reel.
His story is the latest published entry in the Abu Garcia For Life! contest. To read the full account, click here.
Does your Abu Garcia reel have some mileage? Then why not enter it in the Abu Garcia For Life! contest? Show us your "classic" or well-used Abu and you might win a new one. Click here to submit a picture of the reel, as well as a detailed story or two about its history.
Sean Hoernke took two boats to Pittsburgh for the Forrest Wood Cup – the Skeeter he regularly competes out of and an aluminum rig with a 40-horsepower motor. He'd planned to use the tin boat to travel far up the Youghiogheny River, navigating his way through several stretches of rough water, to get to some fish he found when he pre-practiced at the Three Rivers prior to the cut-off period.
He said it was his understanding that the entire Youghiogheny (or Yok, as it's called) would be in play, but he discovered when he returned this time that such was not the case. All but the first couple of miles of the Yok, a tributary of the Monongahela, is off-limits.
"That's not the good section – you have to go up 7 to 10 miles," he said. "It was pretty close to a guarantee for making the (Top 10) cut up there. I'd spent 4 pre-practice days up there learning how to get through the rapids with the prop, and I felt pretty confident."
If he'd made the cut, he wouldn't have been able to go back for days 3 and 4 in the FLW-supplied Ranger.
"I would've just worried about that when the time came. I also practiced for what I'd do if I made the cut. I'm disappointed with that situation, but I still think I have a pretty good chance."
Kennesaw college fundraiser 7/27/2009 Atlanta-area BassFans should note there's a fundraiser tomorrow at The Dugout tackleshop in Marietta, Ga. to benefit the Kennesaw State college Fishing team. The event starts at 6:00 p.m. and will feature a seminar by Aaron Martens on dropshotting. Martens will also be hanging around to talk about fishing in general.
Tickets are $5 and they cover a barbeque, the seminar and a raffle entry. Raffle items include fishing rods, apparel, Yamalube, sunglasses, tackle packs and gift certificates as well as authentic autographed jerseys from pros Ish Monroe, Randy Howell and Terry Bolton. Everyone who attends will receive something.
To pre-register or for more info contact The Dugout at (770) 428-7406.
Will Gulp! win? 7/24/2009 Next week's Forrest Wood Cup at Pittsburgh could likely turn out to be the toughest bite ever experienced at a Championship – tougher even than the 2005 Bassmaster Classic on the same water. Anglers definitely need an edge, and it's a good bet Berkley Gulp! will be a huge factor in the top patterns – especially the 2 1/2" minnow and 3" leech. Ron Shuffield, who fished the Pittsburgh Classic in 2005, certainly thinks so. For his thoughts on the upcoming bite, and what baits might dominate, head on over to the Catch More Fish page.
One Forrest Wood Cup competitor BassFans will want to watch is TBF National Champion Bob Harkness from Elizabeth, W.V. Not only did the 50-year-old amateur conquer the toughest possible route to a Cup berth, but the Ohio River downstream from Pittsburgh is his home water.
Also, Harkness spent four of last five weekends before cutoff fishing the Three Rivers and seems to have a good handle on what the fish will be doing.
Another factor: He lost his father last Saturday after a sudden 1-week illness.
"I'm actually getting nervous," Harkness said this afternoon while packing tackle before the short drive to Pittsburgh. "I'm ready though. It's been a tough couple of weeks. My father was only sick for about a week before he passed away. It actually took my mind off fishing the tournament for a while, but now I'm starting to get nervous again.
"My father introduced me to fishing at the ripe early age of 3 years old," he added. "Most people get a Mickey Mouse rod and reel when they're that young, but my father gave me a Mitchell 300 – an open-face reel that at that time was made in France and probably cost $20 to $30. He as an avid angler. He was really looking forward to (the Cup) – he was very proud of me. He'll be watching me from some other place now."
About his pre-practice, Harkness noted that he did get on some spotted bass down the Ohio, but that was only one of the weekends. He thinks they may have been spawning, then dispersed. He caught very few largemouths and expects his bags to be 90% smallmouths.
And even though he's the TBF qualifier, and thus considered by most to be a longshot, he feels he's got a genuine chance to win.
"Obviously, it's just an honor to compete," he said. "But it'll be a David and Goliath story if I happen to pull it off. My intention is to finish in the Top 10. If you can get into the Top 10, you have the opportunity to win it. Everybody starts equal on Saturday. It'll take execution and every little bite has to count. There won't be a lot of bites, and you won't be able to lose fish or break fish off. You have to get them in the boat.
"I feel good about it. I really do. The fish don't replenish there, so it's going to be very tough to duplicate a bite each day. It's going to be interesting."
> Under the Forrest Wood Cup format, the full field competes on days 1 and 2. After day 2, the field cuts to the Top 10 and weights are zeroed. The heaviest combined total over days 3 and 4 wins.
Maryland crackdown? 7/24/2009 In his weekly fishing report in the Washington Times, Gene Mueller writes that the Maryland Department of Natural Resources will immediately implement some new rules for bass tournaments in the wake of the high fish-mortality rate at the recent Potomac River Northern Stren. Details are a little sketchy right now, but Mueller promises that more specific information is forthcoming soon.
One of the hottest topics among pros as the Forrest Wood Cup approaches is the limited fishing water. Back when the Bassmaster Classic took place at the Three Rivers in 2005, anglers could fish up to Lock 4 on the Monongahela (the "Mon), and as far up the Youghiogheny (the Yok) as the could run.
However, Cup competitors can only fish the Mon up to the mouth of the Yak, which takes an entire pool and a half on the Mon out of play. And that upper pool was where the best bags came from on day 1 of the Classic (Jimmy Mize, David Walker, George Cochran and Stacey King among others fished there).
To make matters worse, there may also be a limit on how far up the Yok anglers can run. You can get pretty far up the Yok, and there's good fishing up there, but it's also easy to beach. In fact, Mike Iaconelli tried to get up there on day 2 of the Classic to fish the mouth of a trout stream, couldn't, and fried his intake. No official word yet, but several pros said they talked to tournament director Bill Taylor and there will be an upstream limit on the Yok.
So why was Pool 3 and half of Pool 2 on the Mon placed off-limits? Again, no official word, but each pro BassFan spoke with about it said it comes down to bad info given to FLW Outdoors, and perhaps a hasty decision by Taylor. And even if FLW does consider it a mistake, it's too late to do anything about it, since several pros could be fishing it right now while the actual competition waters are off-limits.
That said, Cup waters do include three more pools up the Allegheny that Classic pros couldn't fish, but like the Yok, running gets pretty hairy up the Allegheny, not to mention heavy barge traffic and single locks.
The map to right shows the competition waters from the 2005 Classic marked by red Xs. Cup boundaries are noted by the purple arrows. (Click photo to enlarge it.)
> Classic winner Kevin VanDan and runner-up Aaron Martens both fished the Pittsburgh pool.
> Areas north of Pittsburgh – in particular, the upper reaches of the Allegheny – are getting pounded by rain right now, with rain in the forecast for at least a week. Look for some churning of the waters over the next several days.
Joe Thomas, professional bass angler and creator of Ultimate Match Fishing, has announced the establishment of the Ultimate Match Fishing Federation in partnership with Outdoor Channel, which will qualify two amateur anglers to participate on television during the 2010 season of Ultimate Match Fishing for an opportunity to win $50,000.
The UMF Federation allows members to fish one-on-one using the same format as the television series. Matches will then be certified, and the two members with the best record and power ranking at the end of the UMF Federation season will then fish against each other for a chance to compete against the top professional anglers in the world on Outdoor Channel.
“We are truly creating a new way for anglers to compete on the water,” said Thomas. “This is the chance of a lifetime for amateur bass anglers who have dreamed of fishing head-to-head against some of the top names in the sport to potentially walk away with $50,000 dollars.”
The UMF Federation is web-based and open to all individuals age 16 and older. Bass clubs can join regardless of their current affiliation. Click here to access the site, then click on the “Join the Federation” link at the bottom of the page for more details.
Ultimate Match Fishing is an original Outdoor Channel production and can be seen Friday at 7 a.m., 8:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. and Saturday morning at 7 a.m. Eastern time.
Industry veteran Chris Armstrong has been brought to Bandit Lures to help freshen and revitalize the longstanding crankbait company. Armstrong was most recently with Vicious Eyewear by AES Optics.
Armstrong, as Bandit's sales and marketing manager, will oversee the launch of several new products in the bass, crappie and inshore markets. He also hinted he'll add pro staff. Currently, Pete Ponds represents Bandit at the tour level, as he has for nearly 15 years.
"Bandit's a staple in the industry, but we're wanting to grow it and add new products every year," Armstrong said. "We'll have some additional pro staff along with Pete Ponds that we'll be adding from the Bassmaster Elite Series, and we'll be aggressive with the marketing to bring more consumer awareness to the products.
"We've got some new products in the works and our goal is to introduce a couple of them at the Bassmaster Classic in Birmingham," Armstrong added.
As for Ponds, he's "jacked up" that his longtime sponsor is thinking big.
"I've been with Bandit close to 15 years now and I strongly believe there's new excitement there," Ponds told BassFan. "I think Chris Armstrong will do an excellent job, and I think you'll start seeing more media on Bandit and more new ideas and innovation. There'll be a lot to talk about with Bandit."
> Bandit Lures (Sardis, Miss.) is managed by CEO Chris Ross and president Kathy Ross.
One of the most impressive bait rollouts at the recent ICAST tradeshow was certainly Rapala's new suite of hardbaits. Here's a look.
The DT Thug (top) joins the DT lineup as the shallow-running crank-and-crash bait (hence the "Thug" name). It shines in and around weeds, wood and debris with a pronounced side-to-side wobble. Built of balsa, it weighs 3/8-ounce and dives 4 to 8 feet.
The Flat Rap (middle) captures a little bit of a Shad Rap and a little bit of a Minnow Rap, but the flat sides lend it a new and unique action that's best described as hard-rolling with a quicker, tighter, wounded-minnow display. Made of balsa and rises slowly when paused.
Rapala's new MaxRap 13 is a high-test non-balsa bait meant to outcast everything else in a tacklebox via its internal MaxCast system with tungsten balls. Designed with a short lip and a slightly arched back, this thin-bodied, minnow-profile lure cruises or slashes just below the surface at 1 to 2 feet with a seductive rolling action.
Fish with legendary trio 7/22/2009 Turbo Power, the manufacturer of All Day Energy and Extreme Energy drinks, is running a contest that will allow three winners to fish with Bill Dance, Roland Martin and Jimmy Houston. The Turbo Power Outdoors Legends Energy Sweepstakes runs through Labor Day (Sept. 7).
One winner will be drawn from entries at all Bass Pro Shops outlets nationwide. The other two will be drawn from entries received from all locations where Turbo Power All Day Energy and Turbo Power Extreme Energy are sold. In addition to Bass Pro, Turbo Power is available at Circle K, Pilot, Dunham’s, TA Stores, Petro and many other locations.
In addition to the grand-prize recipients, hundreds of instant winners will win outdoor prizes through lucky numbers found under the cap of Turbo Power drinks. For more information, click here.
In 2008, anglers, hunters and shooters were asked which media they prefer for obtaining information. Magazines were the most popular media choice for angler information, according to last year’s AnglerSurvey results. In 2009, websites increasingly became the most popular means for angler entertainment and information, with hunters still relying on primarily on magazines.
According to the June 2009 HunterSurvey.com, magazines continued as the primary source for hunters with 49.9%, up from 46.7% in 2008. However, the recent AnglerSurvey.com results show the Internet to be the most popular information and entertainment source, with 41.9%, up from 33.6% in 2008. That's an 8.2% increase.
Although anglers’ majority preference shifted in 2009 from magazines to websites, magazines still remain the next best alternative, with 32.5%, down from 38.5% in 2008. Although hunters mostly preferred magazines, the Internet was second at 26.9%.
AnglerSurvey.com, HunterSurvey.com and TargetShootingSurvey.com help the outdoor equipment industry, government wildlife and fisheries officials, and conservation organizations track consumer activities and expenditure trends. The information above represents only a small sample of the vast amount of data that is available from the complete survey results. The results are scientifically analyzed to reflect all U.S. sportsmen and women.
Cup: early favorites? 7/21/2009 The Forrest Wood Cup starts next week in Pittsburgh, Pa. and already several names have risen to the top as favorites. First among them has to be Pennsylvania pro Dave Lefebre, who's fished the Pittsburgh metro area his whole life. He's getting the bulk of the media attention right now.
But don't forget the name Mike Iaconelli. Yep, Ike's fishing the Cup (he made it through the Stren Championship). He finished 5th at the Pittsburgh Classic and has to be right there with Lefebre as overall favorite.
Now, how about the one pro who's totally under the radar, and probably will be up until competition? That would have to be Indiana pro and river specialist Shad Schenck.
Of course, the typical Tour powerhouses are favorites too – guys like Luke Clausen, Clark Wendlandt, Brent Ehrler and Shin Fukae.
Want a few ultra-sleeper picks? Consider Utah pro and former U.S. Open champ Scott Nielsen, who's fished through his share of lean years on Havasu and Martinez. Or Texas big stick David Curtis. Or Connecticut pro Terry Baksay. And don't forget about Takahiro Omori and Greg Hackney, who both posted disappointing finishes at the Pittsburgh Classic and surely seek redemption.
More on the field, the bite, and all the angles as the Cup approaches.
From a fishing perspective, 2009 has been a tough year for Arkansas veteran George Cochran. He had to sit out the Norman FLW Tour due to gall bladder surgery and ended up 104th in the Angler of the Year (AOY) race. His wife, Debbie, also encountered some health issues and they racked up some large medical bills during a year when their income was down from previous years.
He was able to make up the deficit, though, via a stockpile of boats. The past several seasons had been good and he'd been in no hurry to sell the previous year's Ranger. He'd been storing the 2006, '07 and '08 models in his warehouse.
He put them on the market recently and had no trouble moving them despite the sluggish economy.
"I sold them all to people around here and I got what I was asking for them," he said. "It wasn't a premium price, but it was a good price. I sold every one of them within 2 months.
"I didn't catch hardly anything this year, but I was still able to make a little money."
Beaver tales 7/20/2009 Some outdoors columnists in Arkansas have recently checked in on the issue of the absence of a Beaver Lake event (formerly the Walmart Open) on the 2010 FLW Tour schedule.
To read a column by Flip Putthoff at Northwest Arkansas Online that addresses a rumored pull-out by Walmart and the possible entry of Cabela's into the sponsorship picture, click here.
For a piece by Bryan Hendricks of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in which Rogers mayor Steve Womack talks about the loss of the Beaver event and its impact on his community, click here.
The ICAST industry tradeshow winds down today. Here's a look at winners of the coveted Best of Show awards. Overall Best of Show went to Hobie Cat for its Hobie Mirage Pro Angler – a clear sign of the 'yak's growing popularity among anglers. Individual category awards went to:
Electronics – Lowrance HDS-10
Eyewear - Costa Del Mar Zane sunglasses
Fishing Accessory - Durasafe codeable locks
Line - Berkley Trilene TransOptic
Soft Lure - Sebile Magic Swimmer Soft Pro Model
Hard Lure - Sebile Spin Shad
Freshwater Reel - Shimano Stradic CI4
Freshwater Rod - USA Custom Rods Camo Stix
Tackle Management - Plano Liqua-Bait Locker System
Terminal Tackle - Better Bait Systems Circle hook rig
This week, for the first time, Abu Garcia displayed its new Vendetta rods to the industry, and man are they cool looking. They're affordable too, with prices that range from $79.95 to $89.95. For the full scoop on the new rods, head on over to the Catch More Fish page.
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Georgia FLW Tour angler Tim Johnson has picked up a single-event sponsor for the Forrest Wood Cup. It's with Cull-Buddy, Inc. – the maker of a culling system that he says prevented him from making a costly mistake earlier this year.
"It literally saved me a check for $12,000 at the Beaver Lake tournament," he said. "I had a limit of fish and caught another keeper and was using a balance beam to determine the smallest fish to cull. It was very windy that day and as I was about to cull, my co-angler said the boat was almost on the rock bank we were fishing. I jumped up and moved the boat out, and then went back to close the livewell lid.
"I noticed that all six cull buoys were out of the holster. After checking, I realized I still had six fish in the well – I didn't cull before jumping up to save the boat. If not for the Cull-Buddy, I would have just closed the well and went back to fishing, and later realized I had not culled the sixth fish, which would have been an automatic DQ for the day.
"With all the buoys at easy reach and vision, I could tell that I had not culled the fish," he added. "The product is very easy to install and works great. The cull tabs do not come out of the holster when running, even in rough water."
Time and cost considerations precluded a boat wrap, but Johnson will be wearing a newly made Cull-Buddy jersey for the weigh-ins and representing the company in the Cull-Buddy booth at the Family Fun Zone and outdoor show when he's not on the water. For more about information about the system, visit www.cull-buddy.com.
FLW Outdoors and the Hot Springs (Ark.) Convention and Visitor’s Bureau announced today that the BFL All-American will return to Hot Springs in 2010 and visit DeGray Lake. The tournament will be held May 27-29 and it will mark the fifth time it's been contested at Hot Springs since 2000.
Lake Ouachita will host an FLW Tour event the same weekend, marking the first time the All-American and a tour event will coincide with one another. The tour event will be held May 27-30.
“We have a superb track record of successful events with FLW Outdoors and we look forward to having another one in 2010,” said convention and visitor's bureau CEO Steve Arrison. "This is a bass-fishing town, and we are honored to once again play host to one of the sport’s premier events. Based on the high-quality, family-friendly events that FLW Outdoors always provides, and the tremendous response we’ve seen in the past, the 2010 All-American should be another record breaker.”
Said FLW outdoors president and CEO Charlie Evans: “We are thrilled to be returning to Hot Springs. The record attendance we’ve had during previous tournaments in the city speaks volumes about the enthusiasm for bass fishing that fans have throughout the entire state of Arkansas.”
BASS announced today its revised 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series regular-season schedule. Following the adjustments made in 2009, BASS altered next year's schedule to reflect the new format, which will consist of eight regular-season Elite Series events, followed by the Bassmaster Elite Series postseason.
With the announcement, BASS eliminated events at Lake Amistad (April 15-18; Del Rio, Texas), Lake Champlain (July 21-24; Plattsburgh, N.Y.) and Lake Erie (July 29-August 1; Buffalo, N.Y.) from the previously announced schedule.
Additionally, BASS moved the date of the event at Virginia's Smith Mountain Lake from Aug. 12-15 to April 15-18. The regular season will now culminate with the Arkansas River event out of Muskogee, Okla., set for June 17-20.
The Smith Mountain tournament is the only one that lands directly on top of an FLW Tour event on the calendar (FLW will be at Lake Chickamauga in Tennessee April 15-18), which will prohibit pros from fishing full-time on both major circuits. Guntersville is the only venue that both circuits will visit, and those events are more than a month and a half apart.
Here's a view of the revised schedule:
> March 11-14 – California Delta – Stockton, Calif.
> March 18-21 – Clear Lake – Lakeport, Calif.
> April 15-18 – Smith Mountain Lake – Moneta, Va.
> April 29-May 2 – Pickwick Lake – Florence, Ala.
> May 6-9 – Lake Guntersville – Guntersville, Ala.
> May 20-23 – Clarks Hill Lake – Evans, Ga.
> June 9-12 – Kentucky Lake – Paris, Tenn.
> June 17-20 – Arkansas River – Muskogee, Okla.
The new schedule will be contested entirely within 4 months – March through June. The location of the postseason events will be announced at a later date.
“The creation of the postseason has been instrumental in creating drama and excitement surrounding the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year program,” said BASS VP and GM Tom Ricks.
In its press release, BASS noted that the adjustment to the eight-event regular season and postseason format resulted in a 29% increase in average per-event attendance from 2008, the successful implementation of emerging technologies in BASSCast and BASSTrak and a 39% increase in page views on www.Bassmaster.com.
No need to panic 7/15/2009 In the latest BassFan Opinion piece, Potomac River guide and fishing journalist Steve Chaconas takes issue with those who want to ban high-level tournaments in the wake of a high fish mortality rate from last month's Potomac River Northern Stren, He thinks that the Maryland Department of Natrual Resources' pro-active approach to the issue will result in improvements while allowing the venue to remain as a popular tournament destination.
Details were released this morning about the mysterious Lazer TroKar brand. It's a new series of lazer-sharpened, high-end bass hooks. Through a collaboration with a company that sharpens surgical needles, the company says it's created "easily the world's sharpest hook" and "anyone can set the hook with 50% less effort than with any other hook."
Of course, the major problem for hook companies over the years was always the tradeoff between sharpness and hook-point strength. In general, it's easy to make an ultra-sharp hook, but the sharper it is, the easier it is to bend or collapse the hook-point. Lazer TroKar says its hooks use "ultra-clean, cold-forged, high-carbon steel" and that it "tweaked the tempering process, amped up the wire diameter and perfected the barb profile" to solve the problem.
The result, it adds, is a super-stout hook that's "freakishly sharp."
A pack retails for $11.99. Total hooks per pack varies based on model.
Models currently available include EWG, Magworm, Flippin', Swimbait and Drop Shot.
The pro staff is listed as Skeet Reese, Brent Chapman, Gerald Swindle and Shaw Grigsby, and they played a pivotal role in designing the available models.
A cool video's now playing on the company's site. To check it out, and learn more about the sharpening and strengthening process, visit LazerTroKar.com.
The Professional Anglers Association (PAA) has begun accepting multi-year memberships. Anglers and fans can now purchase memberships up to 3 years in duration, with longer terms resulting in larger per-year discounts. The price of single-year memberships remains unchanged.
Here's the new price structure:
General (1 year) – $50
General (2 years) – $90
General (3 years) – $130
Advantage (1 year) – $150
Advantage (2 years) – $290
Advantage (3 years) – $430
Tour (1 year) – $400
Tour (2 years) – $785
Tour (3 years) – $1,170
Tour members are anglers who compete on the PAA Tournament Series, Bassmaster Elite Series, FLW Tour or FLW Series. The Advantage membership is for anglers who want a chance at bonuses in Bassmaster Opens, Women's Bassmaster Tour events, Stren Series tournaments, and more. The General membership is for all other anglers, tournament competitors, fishing fans and proponents of professional angling. For more about membership levels, visit www.FishPAA.com.
Said PAA president John Crews: “Our members are who we work for. This is a great way to give members another discount for the great services that the PAA provides. I think most people would like the opportunity to save some money and not have to worry about signing up every year. I plan on taking advantage of it.”
The ever-popular Sang Proof Open is just over a month away – it'll take place Aug. 15 out of Goose Pond Colony Resort at Alabama's Lake Guntersville. The tournament guarantees over $20,000 in cash and prizes regardless of entries, and 1st place is 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.
Duckett, E-21 split 7/14/2009 Boyd Duckett announced that he's parted ways with sponsor E-21, maker of the Carrot Stix line of rods he's used for the past 3 seasons. In a media release, he said he's severed ties with the company because of “strong disagreements over construction of the Carrot Stix series rods” and “because of the financial instability” of the Toronto, Canada-based company.
To read the full release on his website, click here.
Lawrence Mooneyham was fishing Ross Barnett Reservoir in Mississippi one day in 1966 when a fish pulled his rod from his hand, and his Abu Garcia 5000 reel went to the bottom along with it. He went back and dredged up the combo the next day, and the reel's still in action – 43 years later.
His story is the latest published entry in the Abu Garcia For Life! contest. To read the full account, click here.
Does your Abu Garcia reel have some mileage? Then why not enter it in the Abu Garcia For Life! contest? Show us your "classic" or well-used Abu and you might win a new one. Click here to submit a picture of the reel, as well as a detailed story or two about its history.
Champlain FLW Tour winner Scott Martin made the biggest jump of any of the six anglers who were outside the Forrest Wood Cup cutoff when the tournament began last week, but rallied to earn berths in the event. Due to double-qualifiers, the number dropped down to 52nd place in the final Angler of the Year (AOY) standings, which gave the last spot in the field to Craig Powers (pictured).
Martin began the tournament in 63rd place, but climbed 24 spots to 39th with his victory. Others who moved in were Terry Baksay (from 53rd to 43rd with a 28th-place Champlain finish), Craig Dowling (61st to 45, 14th), Greg Pugh (66th to 46th, 8th), Tim Johnson (56th to 47th, 33rd) and Kevin Vida (68th to 50th, 18th).
The six who were previously inside the cutoff but fell out were Robert Dodson (37th to 53rd, 96th), Randy Blaukat (48th to 54th, 74th), Randall Tharp (52nd to 58th, 72nd), Jack Wade (44th to 63rd, 99th), Mike Surman (45th to 65th, 106th) and Ricky D. Scott (40th to 68th, 126th).
Powers gave a lot of the credit for his berth in the Cup (which will be contested July 30-Aug. 2 at the Three Rivers in Pittsburgh) to longtime cohort Koby Kreiger.
"He's been (to Champlain) a bunch of times and I'd only been there about three times, and each time it'd been different," he said. "We went our own ways on the first day of practice, but on the second day he took me around and showed me a bunch of waypoints and told me how to fish them. He really went out of his way to try to help me make this championship.
"I might be the last guy in, but I'm tied for 1st place right now."
Audiovox, a leader in the marketing and supply of consumer and automobile electronics, will partner with the Toyota Texas Bass Classic to become the title sponsor of the tournament’s unique pro-am competition. The Audiovox Pro-Am will be held Oct. 15 at Lake Conroe in Montgomery, Texas and will consist of one professional angler fishing on a team with two amateurs.
Amateurs compete for a variety of prizes while learning from and interacting with the pros.
“We are delighted to partner with the Toyota Texas Bass Classic,” said Audiovox president Tom Malone. “This event partners the very best anglers in the field and provides our company with an opportunity to showcase our award-winning products in the very best company.”
Said tournament director Lenny Francoeur: “We are very excited to bring Audiovox on board as the title sponsor of our pro-am competition. They are a leader in consumer and automobile electronics, and the TTBC pro-am will be a great opportunity for them to increase awareness of their brands.”
The TTBC also announced that will outfit the entire pro-am field with select polarized fishing-specific sunglasses.
Will White (on left in photo) and Chris Wood of North Carolina State won the 5th annual Under Armour College Bass National Championship over the weekend at the Arkansas River. The Wolfpack duo made the Top-5 cut for day 3 in 5th place, but weighed 14.43 pounds on the final day to win by a wide margin.
North Texas (Brandon Dickenson, Austin Hallowell) was 2nd with 6.23 and Northwestern State (Zach Gagnard, Paul Rini) was 4th with 3.21. The other two Top-5 teams, Montevallo (Clent Davis, Chuck Holderfield) and Louisiana-Lafayette (Cody McCrary, Justin Barmore) blanked on day 3.
Mexico outfitter honored 7/13/2009 The National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame (NFWFHF) recently announced the induction of Billy Chapman, Jr. into the organization with the Special Recognition Award. A reception honoring Chapman is scheduled for Thursday at 4:45 p.m. in the G. Loomis booth at ICAST in Orlando, Fla.
Chapman is best known as the outfitter who introduced Mexico's El Salto Lake and its wonderful bass fishery in the Sierra Madre mountains to thousands of anglers worldwide. He's also recognized for putting peacock bass fishing on the map and for creating the first two peacock bass five-star lodges in the Amazons in the 1980s.
The award recognizes Chapman for his contributions to the sport of fishing, being at the forefront for decades in promoting successful angling and fisheries conservation on Mexico lakes.
Through this spring and summer, Kevin VanDam noted several times that he was using new prototype Mustad hooks on his hardbaits. One of the problems he and Mustad wanted to address was to create a hook that was light enough – both for easy penetration and to avoid altering bait action – but strong enough to hold up to low-stretch fluorocarbon. The hooks are now ready.
"I've been anxiously waiting for it – it's going to be a real important treble hook for me," VanDam said. "The biggest thing I've learned about keeping fish buttoned up on a treble hook is you don't want a hook that flexes, and this is an extra-strong version with heavier wire.
"As much cranking as we do with fluorocarbon now, and cranking in shallow grass and wood, we need a strong hook. This one should fit the bill."
BassFan will get its first look at the hook this week at ICAST. Watch for some photos and more details soon.
A lot of BassFans have noted an ad running on the site that links to http://www.lazertrokar.com, and we've gotten several letters asking what it's all about. Truth is, we don't know either (the advertising managers might, but they're not talking). The website notes that whatever it is, it's coming on July 15 (next Wednesday, the first day of the ICAST industry tradeshow), so it's likely a new product of some kind.
The only other thing we were able to uncover is the rumor that Shaw Grigsby, Gerald Swindle, Skeet Reese, Brent Chapman and Chris Elliot are somehow involved. Look for an update on Wednesday.
The buzz heats up 7/10/2009 Fishing slows down in a lot of places during mid-summer, but mornings and evenings are still prime time for some great topwater action. A buzzbait can be one of the most productive offerings under low-light conditions in July and August, and when they're drawing strikes, they might just be the most fun bait of all to fish.
For some buzzbait pointers from veteran Arkansas pro Mike Wurm, click here to read the latest BassFan Pro Fishing Tip.
FLW Outdoors released its 2010 FLW Tour schedule today, and there are a couple of notable absences. There will not be an event at Arkansas' Beaver Lake for the first time in more than a decade and there are no tournaments in the Northern portion of the country for the first time since 2000.
Here's a look at the slate:
> Feb. 11-14 – Red River – Shreveport, La.
> March 4-7 – Table Rock Lake – Branson, Mo.
> March 25-28 – Lake Norman – Charlotte, N.C.
> April 15-18 – Lake Chickamauga – Chattanooga, Tenn.
> May 27-30 – Lake Ouachita – Hot Springs, Ark.
> June 24-27 – Lake Guntersville – Huntsville, Ala.
> Aug. 5-8 – Lake Lanier (Forrest Wood Cup) – Atlanta, Ga.
“We are very excited about the 2010 Walmart FLW Tour schedule,” said FLW Outdoors president and CEO Charlie Evans. “This schedule will have FLW Outdoors visiting some of the best fisheries in the country and giving our anglers the chance to compete on these waters at the optimal time.”
The Walmart Open at Beaver Lake – held out of Bentonville, Ark., which is the site of the Walmart worldwide headquarters – has been a Tour staple since 1998. Although Beaver Lake isn't a Tour stop, that doesn't necessarily mean there's no Walmart Open. FLW Outdoors director of public relations Jeff McCoy told BassFan: "We need to coordinate and work with our sponsors before announcing any of our Opens."
Worms and other cool things 7/9/2009 The new baits that Berkley will roll out next week at ICAST include a trio of worms – two finesse models and one old standby that's been reinvigorated. There's also a product that those who fish Gulp! baits will want to get their hands on as soon as possible. For a sneak preview, click here to visit the Catch More Fish page.
Yamaha Marine has launched a new jet-drive version of the F150, one of the company’s best-selling outboards of all time. Great for maneuvering through shallows, rapids and rocky shoals, the F150 Jet Drive also has all of the performance advantages associated with Yamaha four-stroke outboards – it’s quiet, clean, fuel-efficient and dependable.
“The F150 Jet Drive is incredibly easy to operate and really gives boaters the versatility they need to explore shallow waters that can be treacherous for prop-driven outboards,” said product marketing information manager David Meeler, “With this outboard, there’s no need to tilt the engine up for shore landings, because there’s no propeller or drive unit extending below the boat.”
Chad Morgenthaler will host his fourth annual bass tournament to benefit Special Olympics Illinois Aug. 29 at Rend Lake. The event also includes a "beat the pro" fishing contest and opportunities to win prizes.
The FLW angler became involved with Special Olympics Illinois in 2005, when he donated a day-long fishing trip as part of an online auction sponsored by the organization. Special Olympics athletes were on hand at Crab Orchard Lake in southern Illinois to see him and the auction winner begin their fishing trip. That experience led to his interest in hosting a charity tournament for the organization.
“I was inspired by the courage and enthusiasm shown by the Special Olympics athletes,” he said. “After talking more with Special Olympics Illinois, we agreed a fishing tournament would be an exciting way to introduce the organization and its athletes to a previously untapped audience of fishermen."
The entry fee is $175 per boat if registered by Aug. 21 ($200 thereafter) and the field is limited to the first 150 boats to register. For an entry form or more information, call Jeff Henson at Special Olympics Illinois at (800) 394-0562 or email him at jhenson@soill.org, or visit the organization's website by clicking here.
Participants, sponsors and auction items are still being sought. Donations and auction items can be sent to Henson at Special Olympics Illinois, 605 E. Willow St., Normal, IL 61761.
Cal Delta under siege 7/8/2009 A proposal to build a peripheral canal around the California Delta in an attempt to ease the water woes in the central and southern portions of the state has many angling enthusiasts up in arms – including the bass-fishing community. They contend that it will not only ruin the Delta as a fishery, but also have dramatic negative impacts on water bodies to the north, such as Folsom, Oroville and Shasta lakes.
To read an article by veteran NorCal fishing writer Dan Bacher on WesternBass.com, click here.
To see an impassioned video plea from legendary Delta angler and guide Bobby Barrack, also on WesternBass.com, click here.
Endurance event aids military families 7/8/2009 Jeff Kolodzinski will attempt to break his own Guinness World Record for most fish caught in a 24-hour period on July 31 at Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota. Kolodzinski, VP of marketing for event sponsor Frabill, established the record last year by landing a staggering 1,680 fish from the docks at Minnetonka.
That's a lifetime's catch for some. Kolo, as he's known, did it in one rotation of the earth.
The public is encouraged to watch Kolo outmaneuver the fish – panfish, bass, and the accidental carp – again this year. The man-versus-fish drama begins at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, July 31 and rolls for a solid 24 hours, concluding Saturday morning, or earlier, if he collapses under pressure or from heat exhaustion.
Busting out his precision and unusual European shore-casting tactics, Kolo will once again set up camp just outside Maynard's outdoor seating area. He'll be fishing to demolish his own record, as well as raise awareness for the Armed Forces Family Fishing Celebration.
Sponsored by Fishing For Life, Frabill, and the Twin Cities Chapter of Muskies Inc., Armed Forces Family Fishing Celebration offers a day on the water for youth with a parent serving overseas and families with a member who has recently returned from deployment. The event takes place Aug. 21 at Maynard's on Lake Minnetonka (click here for details).
Texas-based USA Custom Rods has unveiled a new line of spinning and casting rods finished in Mossy Oak Break-Up, Pink Break-Up and Mossy Oak Duck Blind camo. The rods feature premium cork handles, American-engineered multi-modulus blanks and Pac-Bay guides and reel seats.
The freshwater lineup features seven models, and there's also a six-rod inshore line. The company will also offer Mossy Oak camo rods designed for fly fishing and offshore fishing, along with custom rods and specialty models. Prices start at $139.99.
For more information on USA Custom Rods, click here to visit the company's website.
Ranger okay to pay 7/7/2009 The U.S. Bankruptcy Court of Minnesota issued its order on Genmar's motion to let Ranger pay outstanding pre-petition costs associated with promotion, pro staffs and tournament sponsorship.
The verdict: Textron's limited objection was overruled and it's full speed ahead for Ranger this year.
Specifically, Judge Dennis O'Brien's order grants Ranger permission to pay:
Up to $140,000 in sportswear certificates
Up to $95,000 in cash prizes and $150,000 in certificates issued as part of the Ranger Cup program
Up to $26,185 in obligations owed to professional anglers
Up to $30,000 in advertising related to sponsorship of fishing tournaments
Up to $500,000 in prize boats certificates relating to sponsorship of fishing tournaments and other organizations that promote the sport of fishing in the United States.
It's not clear yet whether the $500,000 figure refers to the Forrest Wood Cup Ranger bonus, since that bonus is traditionally paid in cash.
After Jarden Corp. relieved Terry Carlson of his duties as Pure Fishing CEO, the company named John Doerr as interim president.
Jarden and Pure Fishing today announced that Doerr, after 3 months in the interim position, has been named as permanent president and CEO, effective immediately.
In announcing the news, Jarden president and COO James Lillie stated: "John has continued to exhibit the leadership, judgment, enthusiasm and business focus needed to guide Pure Fishing. John and the entire Pure Fishing team are cohesively working together and partnering with customers, committed to being the global leader in the fishing-tackle industry. We look forward to supporting John and the entire team as they continue to deliver on both short-term objectives and long-term strategic opportunities."
Doerr noted: "The Pure Fishing team is focused on providing the ultimate experience for our global anglers and customers through leading brands, innovative products and superior services. I'm honored to take on these additional responsibilities at this pivotal time. We have a tremendous opportunity as we continue to bring together three great companies. We have a lot of work to do, but with the continued support of Jarden and the dedication of our passionate team, I have complete confidence that we'll reach our vision."
Pradco hires, promotes 7/7/2009 Pradco-Fishing, parent company of Yum, Bomber, Rebel and other brands, recently announced several staffing changes that included new hires and promotions. Here's an overview of the changes.
Andy Carroll (division manager) will assume more profit and loss responsibility in addition to overseeing the sales and marketing functions.
Kim Norton (saltwater division manager) will be responsible for the company's saltwater efforts.
George West (operations division manager) will continue to oversee all manufacturing, sourcing and distribution efforts.
James Sheffield (accounting division manager) handles the accounting functions for several of Pradco-Fishing's sister companies.
Lawrence Taylor (public relations manager) now handles fishing after 7 years of hunting-only PR.
Ranger motion: Textron objects 7/6/2009 An update on the Genmar bankruptcy proceedings:
Last week, Genmar filed a motion requesting that Ranger Boats be allowed to pay about $1 million in certain pre-petition costs related to the marketing and promotion of Ranger boats. Specifically, Genmar sought permission to pay accumulated costs related to sportswear for Ranger buyers, sponsorship monies for pro-angler staff, plus award boats for tournament sponsorship.
Textron, a Genmar creditor, filed a limited objection to the motion last Friday, which means the motion and the limited objection will be heard in court today.
In its objection, Textron stated it could be owed as much as $24 million by Genmar, and "In Textron's judgment, consideration of the Prepetition Promotional Claims should be delayed until the Debtors can demonstrate the likelihood of a successful reorganization, including the payment of a meaningful dividend to unsecured creditors."
Textron also stated in the limited objection: "In principle, Textron does not quarrel with the Debtors' assessment as to the importance of preserving the value of the Ranger Boat franchise. Laudable as the Debtors' stated goal may be, Textron is growing increasingly concerned about the mounting level of pre-petition claims that have received preferential treatment by the Debtors, now approaching $9 million in the aggregate."
In simpler language, Textron previously extended credit to Genmar (and thus Ranger) to finance its dealer floorplans. And although it's in Textron's interest to see a strong Genmar emerge from bankruptcy, Textron feels Genmar has "demonstrated little, if any, discernable progress toward development of a business plan that offers promise for a successful reorganization," and thus wants payment before allowing Ranger to pay the $1 million in existing promotional claims.
The limited objection, and the original motion, signify the bankruptcy's most immediate effect on professional and amateur bass fishing, as the embattled monies are those tied directly to the sport.
More will be published on the proceedings after today's hearing.
Bass 'Super Bowl'? 7/6/2009 In its run-up coverage of the Forrest Wood Cup, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published another piece about the championship yesterday. There's not much in the piece for hardcore fans, but there is one interesting quote from FLW Outdoors president and CEO Charlie Evans. In fact, it's the first time we can remember that a high-ranking official from either league has hinted at the inevitability of a unifying championship.
In reference to the existence of both BASS and FLW tour-level competition, Evans was quoted as saying: "Someday, hopefully, we'll come together for a Super Bowl of bass fishing. I think it's inevitable."
Here's a look at some Japanese coverage of Manabu Kurita's potential world record bass from Lake Biwa. To the right are some additional photos of the catch (click to enlarge).
The day has dawned in Japan and there's not much more to report on the Biwa fish other than it was caught by Manabu Kurita at about 12:00 in the afternoon on live bait. The indication is it wasn't a sight-fish. It was 73.5 cm long and weighed 10,120 grams (28.94 inches – 22 pounds, 5 ounces).
Kurita is a big-bass hunter who caught an 18 1/2-pounder last year, which is the second-largest bass on record in Japan.
The IGFA is reportedly in the process of certifying the fish.
It won't be a surprise if information remains scarce, as it appears that Japanese media – likely Lure magazine – has first crack at the story details.
Monte Burke's the author of the highly acclaimed book Sowbelly: The Obsessive Quest for the World Record Largemouth Bass, published in 2005. Ironically, a Japanese publisher acquired the rights to Sowbelly late last year, and the book hit Japanese bookstores about 2 weeks ago.
What follows is Burke's reaction to the news of the potential world record out of Japan.
"My initial reaction is the same as it is with all reports of bass that supposedly will break Perry's record – 'wait and see.' This one, at least initially, seems pretty legit. That's a big, big bass and it came from a lake known for bass in the 18- to 19-pound range. It doesn't smell as 'fishy' as, for instance, Leaha Trew's fish a few years ago, or many of the other various frauds and hoaxes we've come across in recent years.
"Of course, there's the IGFA 2-ounce rule that – if this fish is legit and is 1 ounce over Perry's – will cause some serious handwringing. I have to wonder, too, how the IGFA will deal with this. My sense is that they've sort of wanted the record to be broken (legitimately) for the last few years. The attention for the organization would be a boost. But did they want the record to come from abroad? Maybe. Maybe not. Are they going to fly over to certify the fish? It is the most important record in fishing. The organization will face some criticism no matter what they do.
"And I can't help but think of the record-hunters I met during the reporting of Sowbelly. What does Bob Crupi think of this? How about Jed Dickerson and Mac Weakley, who – if their scales are to be believed – snagged a fish bigger than this one in the back? I don't think the true record-chasers will stop even if this fish turns out to be legit. One ounce isn't very much in the scheme of things. Their quest will continue.
"This is a record that has been threatened many times over the past decade and a half. It has seemed to have a protective forcefield around it. But maybe someone's finally broken through. If this Japanese guy did it all by the book, then I'm happy for him and he deserves recognition for breaking the most hallowed record in fishing, and one of the most significant records in sports. If it's somehow not the record and just another world record 'scare,' well, we've been down this road before a few times, and we'll move on to the next one. Like I said, I'll wait and see."
Editor's note: If you've never read Sowbelly, you should. It's a fantastic read that not only examines the record itself, but more importantly, the all-consuming quest and the obsessive characters who pursue it. For more info on the book, or to order, visit MonteBurke.com.
Entries are pouring in for the new Abu Garcia For Life! contest, and several were published today. Click here to read about Bill Hunter's 20-year-old Abu Garcia Tournament Pro that still travels with him to every tournament. And be sure to check out Randy Seabaugh's story about how, as a kid, he saved up all winter to buy an Ambassadeur 2500C for $35. And remember when the "green" reels were all the rage for topwaters? Ahhh, the memories.
Does your Abu Garcia reel have some mileage? Then why not enter it in the Abu Garcia For Life! contest? Show us your "classic" or well-used Abu and you might win a new one. Click here to submit a picture of the reel, as well as a detailed story or two about its history.
Possible world record? (updated) 7/2/2009 Update 8:15 p.m. EST: Ed Zieralski of the San Diego Union Tribune, who's long covered the quest for the record, has picked of coverage of the Biwa fish. Like BassFan, he doesn't have much solid intel yet, but he does have some initial reactions from San Diego trophy hunters and the IGFA. For his reporting, click here.
Update 4:25 pm EST: BassFan spoke with Optimum Baits CEO Matt Paino about the Biwa fish. For well over a decade, Paino has been hardwired into the Japan fishing scene. He formerly lived in Japan, and was instrumental in bringing several Japanese lure lines to the U.S. through Optimum, including Deps, Ima, Zappu and Vagabond.
Paino said he doesn't yet know who caught the fish, but he received a call from current Japan record-holder Kazuya Shimada at 2:00 a.m. this morning.
"I just spoke with Shimada 3 days ago because he needed baits," Paino said. "I thought he was calling about that so I didn't answer. He called me right back, I answered the phone, and he's like, 'Dude, the world record was just caught, (but) it's not official yet.'"
Paino quickly told Shimada, "Please tell me it was caught on an Optimum," but Shimada answered that he didn't know what the fish was caught on, although he did confirm that the angler who caught it does fish for Deps.
Paino added that he expects to hear solid info later tonight when morning dawns in Japan.
Update 3:54 pm EST: Bassmaster.com has published several photos of the fish here.
Reports have surfaced of a potential world-record largemouth bass caught from Lake Biwa in Japan by Manabu Kurita. The standing Japan record is a 19-15 monster caught in April 2003 from Lake Ikehara by Kazuya Shimada. It fell prey to an Optimum swimbait. The standing world record is George Perry's 22-04, caught from a Georgia oxbow in June 1932.
Biwa, stocked with Florida-strain largemouths several decades ago, has long been a focal point in the quest for a new world record. It's the largest freshwater lake in Japan, and unconfirmed reports from commercial fisherman have pointed to the presence of world-record-class bass in Biwa. Not surprisingly, a small group of Japanese big-bass hunters work Biwa, much like the posses who haunt the Southern California lakes. It's believed that the Biwa fish was caught by one of the lake's big-bass hunters.
The new Biwa fish reportedly weighs in close to the George Perry record of 22-04. In order for the IGFA to certify the Biwa fish as a new world record, however, it would need to weigh 2 ounces more.
Initial intel gathered by BassFan through Japanese contacts confirms that the fish is likely real, that the weight is right around the 22-04 mark (perhaps 1 ounce more), and that it was caught on live bait. However, that's all unconfirmed. It's nighttime in Japan right now, so solid news might be forthcoming several hours from now.
News of the fish has surfaced on several message boards, but Bloody Decks appears to have the only photos of the fish (found here).
Genmar update: Ranger motion 7/1/2009 An important step in the Genmar bankruptcy proceedings occurred yesterday when Genmar formally petitioned the court to allow it to continue the payment and award of Ranger Cup bonuses, prize boats and branded sportswear.
In simple terms, Genmar must convince the court – or more specifically, Genmar's creditors – that it's in the best interest of all involved to allow Ranger to continue its successful marketing and tournament-contingency programs. But nothing's a guarantee. For example, the Unsecured Creditors' Committee recently filed an objection to another Genmar motion in which Genmar asked to continue its retention-bonus program for managers.
In the Ranger motion, Genmar requested permission to "continue the promotional programs for Ranger Boats and pay certain prepetition promotional expenses for promotions of Ranger Boats." More specifically, the motion names promotional activities such as "an annual conference in July of each year for dealers; providing gift certificates for branded sportswear and fishing equipment to purchasers of Ranger boats; sponsoring the Bass Federation and running a federation program called the Ranger Team Federation Program, wherein various Ranger Teams compete; sponsoring professional fishermen and women in tournaments; sponsoring fishing tournaments, including FLW tournaments, by providing boats and cash prizes; providing tournament service support; and other similar types of activities."
Such programs, Genmar noted, have helped Ranger claim the highest market share in its segment.
The motion also notes that within the named programs, several promotional certificates and/or monies remain unredeemed or unpaid – specifically, $140,000 in sportswear certificates, $95,000 in Ranger Cup awards, $26,185 in angler sponsorship agreements and approximately $500,000 in prize boats. What isn't clear in the motion is whether the $500,000 is in reference to actual prize-boat certificates, or the $500,000 Ranger bonus potentially awarded at the Forrest Wood Cup.
The motion states that Genmar has sufficient monies at present to pay all outstanding promotional claims.
A hearing on the motion is set for next Monday, July 6. However, unless a timely objection is filed, the court may rule on the motion without a hearing.
Info has started to leak out in advance of the ICAST industry tradeshow, which begins a few weeks from now in Orlando, Fla. One of the more notable items is the new Tour KVD reel from Quantum.
The reel, part of Quantum's PT line, is about the same size as the company's 100-size baitcasters, but holds a 200-size spool, which increases line capacity. It's therefore classified as a new "150-size" and holds 145 yards of 12-pound line. Kevin VanDam feels that the larger spool improves casting performance and produces a higher inches-per-turn retrieve. In fact, along with its 7.3:1 high-speed gear ratio, the reel picks up 34 inches per turn.
Alongside the expected high-end components, the reel also features a new cast control called ACS 3 that automatically self-adjusts according to the needs of the cast up to the maximum level the angler selects. For example, if the angler chooses the "midpoint" setting, but the cast doesn't require that much brake actuation, no brakes will be applied. However, if the cast quickly ramps the spool speed up to require the selected braking level, then the brakes are applied for that setting. Quantum says the system makes it easier to switch casting styles on-the-fly – from a long-distance cast to a short pitch, for example, without having to adjust the setting. Cast control settings are infinite among the 168-degree rotation of the Tour KVD's external dial.
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