BassBlaster

How 2 win with 3 or 4 fish, Catch ’em or fries with that, Clunn’s ritual


Today’s Top 5

It’s easy…when they weigh 31 lbs!

Caught by Ralph Encizo on Donny Pedro, Cali.

Classic competitor Brett Pruett and his BFGF had 3 fish for 15.74 lbs to win the Toledo Tackle Team Circuit derby on Caney Lake, LA, anchored by this 10.89, his PB to date:

> The couple [Brett that’s a serious word hahaha!] was fishing in 30 to 40 feet in a creek channel. Both were casting Creme umbrella rigs with Reel Scremer swimbaits on hooks surrounding a central Keitech Swing Impact swimbait.

Not much Creme stuff on Tackle Warehouse, but here’s the Creme website.

If you can’t pay the bills fishing, you need to learn to say ‘Would you like fries with that order, would you like to Biggie-size that.’

– Matt Herren’s wife Candy talkin’ to don barone at the Classic, after saying that she cried the first week and a half of their marriage because they were so poor from Matt tryin’ to be a bassin’ pro. Think about that, college kids….

Matt also said:

> “Last year after the season was over, it was a long hard struggle for me. One day I’m sitting in my chair at home watching TV and sort of zoned out, started thinking this is stupid, I have a great career but I’ve never ever enjoyed a minute of it. I finally woke up and told myself ‘why don’t you enjoy this, start enjoying it.'”

> “You know, I finally realized, finally realized, I BELONG here, I’m good enough to do this, I’m a hard working, scratch it out guy, I know what I’m doing, I got this….”

Matt IS a dang good fisherman, glad he’s at peace with that, and with the hard life of being a pro. But he’d be a durn good fry cook too:

Hartwell is a lake you have to constantly relearn because the water level fluctuates so much.

Casey Ashley talkin’. That plus the herring roaming all over the place I guess? Also said:

> “…guys who don’t fish anything but Hartwell and are out there week in and week out, you don’t want anything to do with them. I’ll usually help my dad out in practice, then I’ll stay at the house during the tournaments.”

That’s a GIGANTO-HUGEMONGOUS statement for a) an Elite guy b) who grew up on the lake.

If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s Casey’s Classic-winning bait:

That’s a bigger version of the shot in the Classic baits/patterns slideshow I did for Bassmaster.com — has ALL the competitors and what they did/used. Check it if you haven’t already….

BassGold News

 

Since the BB is the official “organ” (awesome old-school word) of BassGold.com:

> #1, many apologies that the website has been giving some folks problems. We changed platforms, had a few issues, getting them sorted out.

> #2, the guesses of the Bassmaster Classic winning weight — including the below shot of Chris “this is what I’d look like if I was arrested” Lane — are crazy…because BassGold accurately PREDICTED the winning weight for the 3rd or 4th (can’t remember) Classic in a row: about a 17 lbs per day average (51 lbs). Casey won wif 50-01.

> #3 — “I would’ve thought it would’ve almost eliminated it” is what KVD said about the Hartwell shallow-water bite given the cold weather. But BassGold said deep and shallow were about equally effective.

> #4, BassGold is getting a major, even more awesomer overhaul. Stay tuned.

News

 

1. J-Pow gets Bass Mafia.

Not on the Facebook page?? #shame

Why is there no Bass Mafia in Jersey…punk??

2. Yelas with new C.A.S.T. wrap.

That’s the C.A.S.T. for Kids charity that he is now heading.

3. Top fishing brands (survey).

Not just bassers (obvious from the below), but here tis anyhoo:

Top rod brand: Shakespeare (Ugly Stik, Sturdy Stik, etc.)
Top reel brand: Shimano
Top combo brand: Shakespeare
Top fishing line brand: PowerPro
Top hard bait brand: Rapala
Top spinnerbait brand: Strike King
Top jig brand: Strike King
Top sinker brand: Eagle Claw

Top trolling motor brand: Minn Kota

Ugly Stik??? If more peeps fish for bass than anything else, and more own “Stiks” than anything else, seems like a golden opportunity for rod edumacation.

4. Sworming Hornet bought by SHL.

5. CA: Did the DFG get infiltrated…

…by the anti-hunting/fishing crowd? Would suck but not be surprising.

6. Jarrett Edwards Warriors derby…

…tomorrow on Sportsman Channel 1:30pm EST.

7. WA: Mark’s Marine bassin’ seminars…

…start Thurs.

Tip of the Day

“With all of the cold weather I figured this week we’d discuss a great bait for cooling water, below 65 degrees. It’s the Strike King Titanium Umbrella Rig. I rig mine with 1/8-oz Strike King Squadron Swimbait Jigheads and 4″ Strike King KVD Swim N Shiners in ghost shad.

1. Application — My favorite areas for this technique are where the channel comes close to the bank, around bridges, and around channel swing points. Make a long cast and try to retrieve your rig at the depth you’re seeing the most bait and fish. Occasionally I’ll snap the rod, which will make the baits flare on the titanium rig. [Titanium is key for this.]

2. Modifications — Sometimes I’ll color one of the swimbait bellies red, and if the water is dingier I’ll throw the bladed version of the rig.

3. Recommended tackle: Power Tackle Swimbait/Umbrella rod 4-7-11, 25 lb Seaguar Invizx, Shimano Curado 300EJ 6:9:1.

You can also try winnin’ that rig on Keith’s FB page here.

Quote of the Day

41 times I have gone through this hope-filled ritual, readying my new boat for the beginning of a new year and the continuation of a dream.

– Guess who…

…of course, the one and only wilderness poet of bassin’, Rick Clunn. Cool.

Shot of the Day

 

BB reader Mike H. nailed this 12-01 Florida palm tree hippo with a measly 1/4-oz Dirty Jig (Alabama bream). What on earth is anyone doing fishing a jig that small on the Harris Chain? Well…Mike’s from WI. Congrats mang!

Last Werd

Eddie Van Halen and his geetar are in the Smithsonian…and finally his hair is mortal, but those hands still ain’t and never will be. What does this have to do with bassin’? Well…how ’bout the Creme worm? Cotton Cordell? etc.? What’s more American that that? Think about it. #edrules

Great rods/reels mang!

Awesome line!

Killah baits yo!

Rad info dude!

Gotta have it!

Jay Kumar is the guy who created BassFan, co-hosted Loudmouth Bass with Zona, was a B.A.S.S. senior writer and a whole lot more in bassin’. His BassBlaster is a daily-ish roundup of the best in bassin’, and is the #2 or #3 daily read on any given day in the wide world o’ bass. Also available as an app:

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Gitcha Bassin' Fix

The best, worst and funniest in bassin'! 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™. Make sure you sign up for the BassBlaster email!

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