WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27, 2024   |   SUBSCRIBE    ARCHIVES   
 
Rather than simulating a fast-fleeing baitfish to entice an aggressive strike, a slow pitch jig flutters and falls to imitate wounded or dying bait, representing an easy meal even for the most finicky fish.

Expanding bass line-up includes the 2023 BASSMASTER CLASSIC winning Smeltinator® with seven balsa crankbaits handpicked by Gussy for all depths & conditions, including the T2024 Classic

Carsen Adcock and Jase White had never fished on Keystone Lake before competing in the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster High School Classic on Saturday.

As of January 1, 2024, a person born on or after January 1, 1999, may not operate a motorboat of twenty-five (25) horsepower or greater for recreational boating purposes on inland waters of this State or territorial waters, unless that person is 12 years of age or older and has completed a boater safety and education course.

The Jitterbug was among Fred Arbogast’s signature creations and now a few iconic anglers are putting their signature on the Jitterbug as part of a collaborative effort to mark Arbogast’s election this year to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.

On last Saturday morning, while the top 20 anglers competed on Lay Lake at Major League Fishing’s (MLF) Bass Pro Shops REDCREST 2024 Powered by OPTIMA Lithium, the MLF Fisheries Management Division, MLF staff, Bass Pro Tour anglers Gary Klein and Grae Buck, and Alabama Power staff kicked off the Renew Our Rivers – Lake Logan Martin (Coosa River) weeklong clean up.

Tyler Cory and Scott Sledge emerged victoriously with the five-bass, 22-pound limit they sacked Sunday on Keystone Lake. The last of nine teams in the tournament to weigh in, they knocked Montevallo teammates James Willoughby and Nick Dumke from atop the standings, dropping them to second with an 18-3 limit.

Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and the Lower Keys Guides Association (LKGA) began receiving reports late last fall about fish exhibiting strange spinning behaviors. The loss of 16 endangered sawfish sounded alarm bells, but symptoms have since been documented in over 30 other species, including bonefish, tarpon and permit.

At the epicenter of Bait Finesse is a small, palmable, high-performance, Daiwa baitcasting reel, the PX BF70.

Drew Gregory, a 44-year-old resident of Kent, Ohio, clinched the championship with a total of 10 bass measuring 180.5 inches during the derby held Wednesday and Thursday on Tenkiller Lake.

The Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCA CAL) is set to kick off the new season-long STAR Tournament on Memorial Day Weekend with 14 fabulous weekly prizes, in addition to 10 grand prizes.

Each series of new rods is a collection of incredibly well-crafted, technique-specific rods that anglers will love with a combination of top-notch performance at a variety of price points.

Now in its tenth year, the State R3 Program Grants’ goal is to support state recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) initiatives to increase fishing and boating participation.

Watching for manatees while boating is always important and spring is a particularly important season for boaters to go slow and lookout below for the slow-moving mammals as they naturally disperse from their winter refuges.

Jackall Lures, pioneers in cutting-edge hard and soft bait options, proudly announces the North American debut of the game-changing Driftfry lure, meticulously designed for mid-strolling and hover-strolling forward-facing sonar techniques.

Paired with CAIUS’ Super Free Spool technology, friction is eliminated, offering a baitcasting experience that redefines overall casting performance, priced right at just $79.99.

GSM Outdoors is excited to announce their new partnership with Bucca Brand, maker of the Bull Shad. This collaboration will introduce a new wave of anglers to the custom resin swimbaits that Mike Bucca has become known for.

The fourth-year Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Northport, Ala., said openly that he “just had a feeling” coming into this year’s Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Jockey Outdoors that he was going to win — and in three days on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, he turned that feeling into a hard-core reality.

Whether you catch-and-release or take home a keeper, you can be part of the Hudson River Cooperative Angler Program. Share your fishing trip information and help biologists understand and manage our striped bass fishery.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) confirms George Chance of Festus is the latest state record holder after catching a massive 97-pound bighead carp from the Mississippi River. Chance was bank fishing for catfish with a bottom-bouncing crankbait when he hooked into the fish March 19.

The full range includes the fourth generation of Fliteboard and Fliteboard PRO with new options including a high performance Aluminium eFoil propulsion system with titanium conical wing interface, a Marc Newson designed hand controller with a larger and brighter color screen, and a durable Soft Top EVA board range.

Celebrating 75 years of excellence, “the brand that taught America to fish” proudly marks this milestone with the launch of a special edition Zebco 33 spincast reel.

Caney Lake produced both the heaviest average five-fish limits and the heaviest individual fish in the Louisiana DWF survey of bass tournament results.

Waypoint TV is lighting up the week with Thursdays with Saltwater Experience brought to you by Golden Boat Lifts. Spanning three consecutive hours every Thursday, from 6 to 9 PM ET, viewers will be treated to inshore fishing excellence with their favorite hosts.

The Department of Commerce and NOAA announced plans to allocate $60 million in funding to advance tribal priorities and address the impacts of climate change on Pacific salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River

A welcomed addition to the Lew’s Custom Lite family, the 200 size Custom Lite SS Spinning Reel fits in perfectly with the lightweight design and smooth drag offered in the rest of the series, but specifically excels in situations where one would normally use backing tied to a braided main line.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and partners added 75 sunken brush piles in Smithville Lake for fish habitat on March 20. This project is a partnership between MDC, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Clay County Parks, Recreation, and Historic Sites.

Fishing clubs, civic groups, churches, trade associations, municipal recreation departments and others are encouraged to provide fishing clinics for all ages.

A tiny Cindy rig with a GLF Drop Minnow played a vital role in Luke Palmer’s sixth-place finish at the recent Bassmaster Elite Series event at Toledo Bend.

Donny Beck Weighed in an amazing bag of smallies totaling 28-7 to win the MLF Phoenix BFL at Pickwick last weekend.

The all-new 4.25 Yamatanuki, or ‘Nuki’ as it’s often referred to, is the same diameter as the original but is ¾ inch longer. That culminates in a larger profile and enhanced gliding and swaying action on the fall.

Designed with all-day comfort and top-notch performance in mind, these rods feature slick and ultra-durable Titanium Oxide guides, completing a package that stands out in the angling world and lists for just $89.99.

The Klamath River is making the most of recent precipitation to rapidly reshape itself by removing decades worth of sediment accumulated behind dams now slated for removal. With the reservoirs behind the dams now empty, the river is transporting the sediment downstream while it is still wet and mobile.

Conceived in science and born from 75 years of passionate experience in designing and crafting the Best Rods on Earth, the all-new St. Croix PHYSYX Series exists to elevate the angling experience by promoting and advancing angler control in every physical action.
 

Hamner Wins on Field of Dreams
Justin Hamner got a life-changing win at Grand Lake O' the Cherokees last week as he became Bassmaster Classic champion. (B.A.S.S.)

Where I live in rural Alabama, it’s not uncommon to see a $100,000 bass boat parked in front of a $30,000 mobile home.

For many young anglers—and some not so young—the lure of fishing for money and the chance to change their fortunes on any given cast is irresistible.

Justin Hamner made the dream a reality Sunday with his win at Oklahoma’s Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees. He took home not only the Ray Scott Trophy, but some $300,000 in prize money, presumably enough to quickly move him out of his mobile home in Northport. (Northport is the north side of Tuscaloosa, home of Nick Saban until recently, but Nick has now gone fishin’ in Florida.)

Northport is near the confluence of three lakes, Lake Tuscaloosa, Lake Nicole and Holt Lake, and Alabama is tournament bass central, long time home of B.A.S.S. after a brief sojourn to Orlando. It’s where bass angler dreams are born, and sometimes realized.

On the final day of competition, any fish might be the ticket to the $300,000 first prize in the Classic. (B.A.S.S.)

Hamner had a lawn service business that financed his tournament exploits and finally allowed him to fish full time this past year. With the Classic win, for the next year at least, he’s likely to be employed full time promoting sponsor products and winning more tournaments. For those with the energy, smarts and personality, a Classic win can be the ticket to a very upscale life.

Hamner’s win continues the trend of younger anglers winning the major events as some of the superstars of years past age out of competition, and others drop out because of changes in the game. Certainly, the meteoric rise of video game fishing with scanning sonar has been a factor in lots of screen-smart younger anglers winning major events over the last five years.

Even though the Classic this year was held in a prime pre-spawn period when there were some quality fish on or near the shorelines, Hamner made significant use of his forward scan sonar for his winning catch.

For those of us in the lower income brackets, the win is both encouraging and discouraging. On the one hand, we can see that with hard work and smarts and a dollop of luck you too can win in effect win the lottery.

Competition bassing is a pay-to-play challenge, but for the few who attain national-level victories, it's the ticket to a new life. (B.A.S.S.)

On the other hand, we can also see that the price of entry—particularly the extremely technical electronics-- is growing exponentially. How does a working man—the guys (nearly all of them are males) who fix the trucks and hammer the nails and put on the shingles and do all of the other things that keeps our society working—come up with the payments on a $100,000 bass rig? To say nothing of also perhaps supporting a young family at the same time? And how does he convince his wife that tournament entry fees and travel costs and a truck to pull his rig are an investment instead of his hobby?

Trailer life ain’t bad—many of us not to the manor born have enjoyed it at some time in our lives. Outdoor writers used to be particularly prone. But for most, it’s not where you hope to wind up as Social Security age approaches.

Justin Hamner’s win gives hope to all of us, and that is perhaps the secret of why so many of us continue to play bass tournament lotto, hoping that one of these days, our numbers will come up.

Frank Sargeant
Frankmako1@gmail.com
 
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