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Today’s Top 5
Looks like some BB readers be boatin’ some sho-nuff hams! Let’s start with this one: Chris D. was gettin’ some buttah on Clear Lake, CA — a 11.5 on white/pearl swim-jig and Keitech Swing Impact Fat and a 10-lber on a Lucky Craft LV-500 lipless crank (ghost minnow). Not sure which one this is but it’s a muscular specimen:
– Gary Klein talkin‘ ’bout why he and Shaw Grigsby drove back to the day 4 St. Johns weigh-in. I’d feel the same way about either of those guys winning one too even though they’re not 69.
Also this line from Steve’s “I ain’t never been” Wright’s piece:
> Bassmaster emcee Dave Mercer, as he looked into the audience at that moment, was struck by how many grown men were crying.
All those dudes were going back in time, reliving things like when Thor was on the Hulk TV show:
Lol but I get it. I teared up when KISS and the original Van Halen reunited the same year: 1996. #rawk
(VH de-united that same year. I laughed. Reminded me of writing a college psych paper on the creative tension between Eddie VH and David Lee Roth. Think I got a B.)
Even sounds like Hackney was sorta happy to lose to Clunn. Amazing.
What is too much info (TMI)? Are we in the era of revealing TMI during Elite events?
The one and only Kevin “I broke my own mold” Short tackles that today on BassBlaster.rocks. Quick excerpt:
> Now we have live coverage in select boats on the water. Up-to-the-minute footage of what anglers are doing all day long. Baits, techniques, locations — it’s all there for everyone to see.
> That’s fantastic for the hardcore fans of bassin’…but what does all this instant gratification do to “further the sport?” I’m curious what the bassin’ fans of the world (you) think about this subject.
Go over there and let him know! Will add this quote from a recent B.A.S.S. piece:
> “Having a year of ‘Bassmaster LIVE’ under our belts, we expected more fans to be watching in 2016,” McKinnis said, “but wow! Our fans really do want to consume the Bassmasters live, and we’re just getting started.”
Someone asked me for my 2c on the subject, read it here. Got inspired by this meme Edwin Evers posted after he won el Clasico:
Bet you never thought of this either (from here):
> Experienced distance casters mostly use what’s known as the pendulum cast. This twirling loft resembles the slow windup of a baseball pitcher or maybe a golf swing…involves swinging the lure or weight in a smooth arc of 270 degrees in a nonstop circular motion.
> During the cast, the rod as well as the sinker’s arching path is somewhat parallel to the ground rather than perpendicular in the straight overhead motion typically used in fishing.
> This pendulum motion allows the sinker [they don’t cast baits] to gain speed and momentum during the windup, while taking full advantage of the rod’s energy and power upon release.
Check it:
Bass writin’s would look like this:
> With today’s sonar and GPS units, we have better access to derp information than ever before…you can put yourself on derp fish faster than ever.
> Boat positioning is critical in shallow fishing, but too many struggling derp anglers forget all about it when probing the derps. Never lose sight of the importance of boat positioning — and the angle of your presentation — just because your target is too derp….
> When fishing derp water, you can have fish all around you, but you won’t catch even one unless your presentation is right.
> Finding that critical confidence means being committed to learning how to fish derp. There’s a lot of hit or miss with derp fishing.
I bet! You may ask why this whole thing occurred to me. Would have to answer:
News
1. Zona talks writes about Evers.
Good piece about how there’s the intense competition Evers, and the friendly off-the-water Evers. Few things:
1. Other than a text, that is literally the first thing I have seen Z write. I am still processing this amazing event and what it may mean for the future of mankind.
2. I’ve seen several pros get more and more “bristly” the closer they get to a Classic win. Usually they mellow a bit after they get one. We’ll see if that happens with E2.
3. Have heard fans judge pros because they did/didn’t do or said/didn’t say X during some derby. Hey — a little grace. As Z said, those dudes are working. Meet them outside a derby and you’ll find they’re just like us…but even more geeky about feeshn stuff.
If Z writes another column I’m converting all my cash to silver ingots and moving to a bunker in Idaho (lol…love ya bro). What’s next, Steve Wright on TV??
Btw Z will be on Bass Pro Radio on Sat, Apr 2, 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET on Rural SiriusXM channel 147.
2. Fish with Stetson Blaylock on Fork contest.
Last day to enter is today.
If you get WFN — which is owned by “the outdoor media oligarchy that has no name” — you must check the piece on K-Pink airing this weekend. Have heard through the bass-vine that it’s very cool. Little preview:
4. Bass Feeshn Hall of Fame not giving up.
Cullman is out, but efforts will continue:
> “…we still have high hopes of finding a location to showcase inductees and celebrate the history of bass fishing not only in the U.S. and Canada, but also worldwide. Backing away for the Cullman project only means we have to scale back our initial plans.”
Hope it happens, would be sweet. Sounds like if B.A.S.S. would just do a live telethon the needed $$$ would happen.
5. MN Nation fightin’ fer smallies.
> Smallmouth have become the target as a replacement for walleye fare. MN B.A.S.S. Nation is concerned that increased fishing pressure and a substantial increase in harvest could adversely impact the world class Mille Lacs smallmouth bass fishery. Smallmouth bass grow very slowly and we need to protect them.
Tried to get a grant but tanked because the MN DNR didn’t have their back (??), so the MN Nation launched a gofundme campaign.
6. MD: Potomac might have a snakehead problem?
From an interview with the MD tidal bass guy:
> For the most part bass seem to be holding their own, although we did find a dominance of snakeheads in one tributary we sampled in Virginia, where we found only a few small bass.
> I’ve cut open a lot of bass and never found a snakehead in their guts. Snakeheads also grow so fast that they escape a lot of predators.
Sounds like more damage there than derbies?
In other news, the Potomac got its best river-health grade in a while.
7. AL: Smith Open shortened by 1 day.
Because TD Chris Bowes is afeared of rain (kidding Chris!):
> …lightning, high winds and hail included as potential dangers to anglers.
Hail that’s crazy! Hail you’re kiddin’! Hail that’s no big deal! Hail the fish don’t care! etc.
8. CA: Western fishermen not biting?
Innerestin’ column by George “I’m not that guy” Kramer looking at western derby registrations.
9. LA/TX: Lots of T-Bend bass being kept?
> Despite all the warnings about high mercury content carried by LM bass, T-Bend anglers are keeping 61% of their catch!
That sounds like waaaaaaay too much.
10. TX: Gambler Fork no-entry derby this weekend.
Pope’s Landing, Gambler baits only, can sign up at the ramp.
11. WA: Some sacks weighed at Lake Washington ABA.
Word is weeners had 5 that went 24.74:
Got ’em junk-fishing a spinnerbait, swim-jig, TX rig and 6″ Senko. 2nd and 3rd got their brown fish on a football head jig and a swimbait out in 20′.
12. AL: Take vets fishing derby Apr 16.
13. Collegiates get Sawyer Products.
Maker of sunscreen for bugs or something like that.
14. MI updates online tourney registration.
15. Field&Stream publishes largie recipe.
So I guess a bunch of their readers eat bass?
16. VA: New River PCB report out soon.
17. Zoom coking out with 3.5″ Z Craw Jr.
Weirdly it only measures 3″.
Okay I made that up.
18. PA boat registrations down.
Does this mean anything…bad?
#rad
20. BUTV: Dropshotting with Shaw Grigsby.
21. MI will install Asian carp control at Joliet.
22. LA considering blaze pink for hunting.
Apparently WI was the first state to okay this…which may explain a lot…lol.
Tip of the Day
> “That’s a heavier lipless lure than most people fish, and it stays down where the fish are even when you crank it at a good rate. It’s always effective in early spring.”
When’s the last time you fished a 1-oz ‘Trap?
Quote of the Day
…the lunker bass that bring home trophies and boat endorsement deals aren’t swimming in the stream that leads to the pond that Notre Dame is fishing from right now.
– From an article on the Notre Dame website talkin’ ’bout the Irish’s football recruiting. Bassin’ is everywhere yo!
Shot of the Day
Random
The US Gov’t is sending out methane-sniffing drones…
…causing bass club meetings to now be held in underground bunkers….
If you’re forwarding every Blaster to other bass crackheads, tx much — or you can email me the addys and we’ll take care of it! We’ll never send spam, sell the list or anything else crazy….
Jay Kumar is the guy who created BassFan.com, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a whole lot more in bassin’. Jay Kumar’s BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best in bassin’, and is the #2 daily read on any given day in the wide world o’ bass. Get the Jay Kumar’s BassBlaster app:
