This may be the last BassBlaster before Christmas, but there will be one Christmas week. So just in case, MERRY CHRISTMAS and thanks much for reading this year!
Today’s Top 5
A little blurry, but there’s no mistakin’ the massivity of it:
6.9-lb Cali smallie!
I don’t wear Vans but if’n I did:
But might be sportin’ these first:
3 livewells, 3 species.
Seeing bass backs in livewells — don’t it make you feel all warm and fuzzy?
This shot impresses me most: spots.
Do you see the blue tint Paul is talking about on these smalls?
And, of course, largies and in chargies:
Behind-the-scenes: B.A.S.S. polygraph.
Someone texted me in a couple pics:
Dang, Trip! That’s harsh man…. Worst part is Batman staring you down — I’d agree to just about anything at that point mang!
[Trip and I don’t exactly share the same sense o’ humor so hope I’m ketchin’ him on a good day….]
News
…for your fave fishin’ show. Will it be Zona, Mercer or Pro Team Journal?
Yep, Fish Fishburne:
> The new Skeeter Bass Champs TV show will follow Fish Fishburne and partners while competing in Bass Champs events throughout the year.
> Fishburne stated, “I definitely miss the competition. I wanted to get back into tournaments but I really didn’t want to go back and try to be a full-time angler. I called Chad and Jeff, and told them I wanted to start fishing some Bass Champs tournaments. After they fell out of their chair laughing, we discussed the possibility of filming my quest to compete.”
Would like to remind you of 3 factuals:
- Fish was, probly still is, a very good fisherman.
- He is good on camera — seriously! (heehee)
- Yes, his eyes are permanently suck open that wide.
3. Tharp got the robot!
Fletch “French Fry” Shry:
First one — remember this is the new bass species found in FL.
> Charles “Anthony” Tucker of Albany, Ga., 4-02, 20″ long, 13.5″ girth, caught using a Z-man Chatterbait with a Paca-Craw trailer, Shimano reel and Carrot Stix rod on Dec. 6.
My fave quote from the release:
> Shoal bass are, pound-for-pound, one of the top fighters in the black bass family.
Aren’t all bass one of the top fighters in bass land??
7. DC/MD/VA: Reasons for Potomac decline discussed…
…including having fewer tourneys….
8. CA: Check out Oroville!
9. TX: Hargrave HS team needs boat captains.
10. Congress tries to stop Asian carp…
…from getting into the Great Lakes. And we should feel good about that because they’ve been so good at fixing everything else??
11. New SUPERFISH jr. high class.
Coming to a tourney trail near you? Named it Nemo…#lame
13. Bass Cat sanctions Pickwick derby.
14. 15th anniversary of Big Mouth Billy Bass.
Raise your hand if you’ve thrown one out a window (mine is up!).
Tip of the Day
Mark Menendez: Winter crankin’.
Sir Crankalot himself!
> “I think lots of bass live in 3 to 5 feet year-round,” he says. “They never go deep, and those are the fish I tend to target this time of year.
> “I’m looking for them on flat, shallow, small spots along the main lake. It can be the end of a point, a ledge on a bluff, a riprap wall – it will have verticality associated with that flat spot, which will be a feeding station.”
> “The most significant thing anglers need to know about cold-water fish is you have to have water clarity. That means a minimum of 18-24 inches in water temps below 45 degrees.”
> In reservoirs in winter, bass for the most part are feeding on threadfin and gizzard shad. For that reason, in water 36 to 43 degrees, Mark likes to fish the Strike King Lucky Shad.
> “It’s a flat-sided minnow bait that runs in the 6- to 8-foot range, and has a very lazy but tight wiggle to it. The Lucky Shad is the perfect size and shape, and when the fish are lazy they can chase it down.”
> For reasons he can’t figure out – other than the fact that he catches more fish – he prefers to fish the Lucky Shad with spinning gear. “I can’t tell you why I think it’s more productive to crank that style of bait with spinning gear, but I catch 10 to 1 with that bait on a spinning rod vs baitcasting gear.”
> He likes a medium-tipped 7′ Team Lew’s spinning rod, Lew’s 2000 spinning reel, and 8-lb Seaguar Senshi mono. “You want the monofilament for two reasons: One is it behaves better in cold weather than any other fishing line; and two, you want it to be less sensitive so the fish has the opportunity to take the bait.
Quote of the Day
I usually don’t like to set goals to do this or that because if you don’t reach it it can get you down.
– TN’s David Mullins, Elite rookie this year. Does anyone else find this odd coming from a pro angler?? He finished 61st in the points, and his highest finish was 28th.
Btw, heard this is his fave video game:
Hahaha! Jess kiddin’ David…I think….
Shot of the Day
Cody Meyer and bud with a couple Cali spotosaurs! #stoutness
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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