If you’re getting the BassBlaster for the first time it’s cuz a bud signed you up!
Today’s Top 4
> “I had 3 distinct patterns. One was sight-fishing in the lower lake, where the water was a little bit deeper. There were a lot of smallmouths — some largemouths too, but mostly smallmouths.
> “My second pattern I found when I was looking for those sight-fish. I found groups of largemouths either staging to spawn or they were post-spawn or just kind of resting. You’d go down the bank and see 12 of them sunning under one dock. I had a couple areas where groups of largemouths were wolf-packed together.
> “The third pattern was in the north end. A lot of people were up there on those expansive grass flats. I concentrated in 8-11′ and looked for clean spots, holes in the grass to pitch into.”
> “With the dropshot I used a Strike King Half Shell, which is a new dropshot bait, and the [Strike King] Dream Shot.”
> “The tube was a Strike King Coffee Tube in green pumpkin and KVD kick. Some fish wanted the tube on the bottom, really liked the dropshot.”
> [He fished the docks] “with a wacky-rigged Strike King Ocho…my best color was honey candy. No weight, and the same Double Wide Drop Shot Hook. I used the 4″ and the 5″ sizes.
> [In the north end] “I fished a Texas-rigged Strike King Ocho [5″] with a 1/8-oz Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten sinker. …blue craw and honey candy were the two best colors. Just let it fall to the bottom, shake it a couple times, pick it up and do it again.”
Full pattern deets on BassBlaster.rocks.
Almost forgot…KVD also threw this prototype Strike King KVD “Bugler” swimbait:
> Pitching flats holes: hand-poured worm (bold bluegill, Margarita mutilator, “color didn’t really seem to matter”), 7″ leader, 2/0 rebarb hook, 1/4-oz Strike King Tour Grade Tungsten Drop Shot Weight.
Color wasn’t mentioned but it looks like gp to me:
> …targeting rocks in the 3- to 6-foot range. He relied on the reefs the first two days to build a 3-pound, 9-ounce lead.
> On day 3, Martin was sidelined with mechanical difficulties in the morning that cost him nearly 2 hours…. Instead of forcing the issue with the largemouths…he went to his backup — smallmouths on beds near Plattsburgh — and caught 16 lbs 5 oz to salvage his day. Martin used a variety of lures to catch the bedding smallies, including a white Tightlines UV Craw and a white tube.
> On the final day, Martin started on his smallmouths to get one or two in the livewell before heading to Missisquoi to make his rounds on reefs, rocks and laydowns.
1. Like father, like son?
From my buddy Matty “crawfish” Crawford:
> “Scott Martin’s old man, Roland, won the first major bass fishing tourney on Champlain in 1997, the Vermont Bassmaster Top 100. It was really an unknown lake to the pros at that time. It sort of opened the eyes and wallets of the bass world.
> “Roland’s weight averaged just under 19 pounds a day (56-15 over 3 days). Scott was close to that this weekend (74-10 over 4 days).”
2. Top 10 breakdown.
Not a lot of exciting stuff (from here) but:
> Flipped plastics = 70% (mostly for bedding fish)
> Dropshot = 40%
> Shakey/wacky rigs = 30%
> Jigs = 30%
> Topwater = 20%
> Crankbait and vibe jig = 10% each
Bait most often mentioned: Senko.
3. Did David Dudley go wuss-rod insane??
Dudley is one of the most innovative fishermen there is. So at first when I saw these pics I was like: What’s he doing now? Then I realized it’s that dang rod, mang! It’s driving him plum crazy, what with all the bending and light line and having to fight the fish…why would any bass angler want to do that?? lol
News
Great stuff — tx to Trip and B.A.S.S. for doing it. Great cuz:
- Trip said something that needs to be said.
- Trip probably doesn’t mean it this way, but I wonder if B.A.S.S. is doing enough for anglers’ rights.
Said it before and will continue to: The advocacy part of Ray Scott’s magic and formula — trashed in the ESPN era — really needs to be brought back…meaning CENTRALLY back. The Nation dudes do lots of good, but I’d love to see Bruce “Banner” Akin stand up and start knockin’ some NY (and LA, SC, etc.) heads around. If not, I guess I volunteer.
2. More on the Hack DQ.
Sounds like Hack had to step out during the briefing, was asking afterwards what he missed and these three dudes on the dock gave him what turned out to be the wrong info:
3. Largies win again.
Once again largies ruled in these northeastern mixed-species lakes. Both winners — KVD and Martin — focused on largies.
…with a Yum Dinger:
8. PA: Susquehanna “keep in water to release” rule…
…sounds dumb/overkill?
> …the new Evinrude E-Tec G2 models deliver up to 30% more torque, up to 15% better fuel efficiency and up to 75% fewer total regulated emissions compared to leading 4-stroke outboard engines.
New stuff (ICAST)
Some stuff starting to leak out:
Can’t see it yet, but here’s a vid about everything it will do…which is more stuff than possibly any other topwater.
Co-designed by David Fritts. Highlights: weighted bill, tight action, 3.25″ long, five models (10.5, 14.5, 17.5, 20.5, 25.5), 14 standard colors + 6 Fritts colors, MSRP $8.95.
Tip of the Day
Basically a heavy-duty dropshot, popular on the Cali Delta. Short version: Heavier gear, Texas-rigged bait (so weedless), Roboworm Rebarb Hook, drop it in the veggies and git ‘er done:
Quote of the Day
Steve Kennedy has an uncanny God-given fish sense that I’m flat out envious of.
– Mike Iaconelli in a great donny barone piece about Steve “the other enigma” Kennedy. Read the whole thing because you need to know Kennedy.
Ike again:
> “…if you blindfolded 100 of us anglers, took us to a lake we had never been on before, took away all the fancy equipment, took the blindfolds off and told us top go catch fish…Kennedy and Aaron, Aaron Martens they would find the fish, be the first on the fish, do it just like that, naturals both of them.”
Yep. But this is my fave line — 100% dead-on description of Kennedy:
> …he is a human somewhat uncomfor on land — put him on water though, on water and you can just see the peace envelop my friend.
Shot of the Day
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….
