Innholdsfortegnelse for January - February 2018 i Bassmaster

As we looked through back issues of Bassmaster for compelling aspects of our sport’s history, we were both proud and horrified at some of the images that made the cover. The orange-masked face of the “Cold Weather Killer” still creeps us out, while the obviously fake lunker “jumping” for an excited angler was simply good intentions gone bad. On the flip side, the September/October cover in 1973 was the first image most anglers ever saw of a 20-pound largemouth. Plus, some of the most impressive outdoor artwork ever put to canvas was commissioned by this magazine. The bass leaping for the blackbird (yes, Aaron Martens was right) from our January 1979 issue was brilliant. Some would say the same for the Harry ‘N Charlie cover from September/October 1977. Our favorite…

January 1 New Year’s Day. Best resolution? More fishing this year. 18 Thesaurus Day. Largemouth, bucket mouth, toad, sowbelly, mossback, swamp donkey, et al. 26 Australia Day. Go bush, as they say Down Under. February 2 Groundhog Day. Here’s hoping for cloud cover up on Gobbler’s Knob. 13 Mardi Gras. Also one of our favorite soft-plastic colors. 16 Chinese New Year. It’s the year of the dog; don’t tell Iaconelli. 22 National Margarita Day. Better use for a blender than the Bass-o-matic.…

The images below were submitted by Bassmaster readers, and our antique tackle expert, Karl White, appraises the value of each unique find. Crippled ShadFred Carnes, email$30 From what I can tell, this is a True Temper Crippled Shad bait made in the 1940s. It is the only bait that True Temper ever made of wood. I would value this bait at $30. Collectible RodLarry Layton Jr., email$1,000 This is a very collectible rod, as I can see the hand signature by the maker. It appears to be a well-made rod from the wrapping. I wish I had more information on it, but from what I can see, it should be worth in excess of $1,000. FishfinderMichael Barlow, email$40 Herter’s was noted as the first company to go overseas in order…

HAVE YOU EVER REMODELED YOUR HOME? Typically, the conversation starts with simply repainting the kitchen. Then the oven and fridge have to be updated, but the cabinets don’t work, so new ones have to be installed. Next thing you know, walls are being demolished to open up the living room and a crew is installing your new deck, complete with hot tub. Well, that’s a process we just finished with Bassmaster. We needed a fresh coat of paint (the last redesign of the magazine was way back in 2012), but ended up with an almost complete rebuild. First, let me explain what did not change. Our focus on bringing you cutting edge how-to content remains steadfast. All your favorite departments and features, like “Triple Threat” and “Day On The Lake,”…

The Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open kicks off here Feb. 1-3, but with great bass water in every direction, this place is always the place to be for B.A.S.S. fans. Kissimmee is known for its proximity to Walt Disney World, but there’s another magic kingdom under the water’s surface. 70/52 Average high and low temperature in January. 114 Number of bass between 10 and 13 pounds that have been documented from Lake Kissimmee under Florida’s TrophyCatch rewards program for catch-and-release bass fishing. .90 Fish-per-hour catch rate – one of the highest in the state – for largemouth bass on nearby Lake Toho.…

Printer Lure SuccessYou have a 3D printer at your work (according to a previous issue of Bassmaster). Have you tried to create any lures using the printer? If so, did the lures work (catch fish)? This topic would make an interesting article.Steve Taniguchi Editor’s Note: We have not printed a lure yet, but we like the way you think! Inspiring Stories“The Challenge Taken” by Bob Cobb brought back many memories. My dad made molds for Charles Spence and Bill Dance, and I remember them coming over to our house several times. I also remember tagging along with my dad over to their ‘lure factory’ (a detached garage at Mr. Dance’s house) and watching them make spinnerbaits and tailspins. My father was president of the Memphis Anglers club and good friends…

SUPERSIZED CRANKBAITS like the Strike King 10XD and Mann’s 30+ are helping anglers drag overstuffed sacks to the tournament scales. These deep-water dredges have proved themselves a formidable big-fish tool under any number of conditions. Weekenders too, have discovered their prowess for winching fish up from the darkest of haunts. These large-billed baits often fire off tight-lipped bass at depths unreachable with reaction-style baits. However, to reach deep — really deep — you’ve got to have the right gear. Hide-And-Seek No More Locating fish in deep water suspended over a rocky point, tucked into timber or in transition areas between varying types of cover or topographical features has become relatively routine using today’s high-resolution electronics. However, catching them can be nearly impossible as many times deep fish go inactive. All…

THE RIVER EBRO SNAKES through the northeastern corner of Spain, eventually forming part of the border that separates the country’s states of Aragon and Catalonia. Its blue-green waters flow in stark contrast to the background of light-brown bluffs and desert scrub brush that line the riverbank. Nearby olive farms, almond orchards and vineyards have thrived here since the time of Augustus Caesar, 27 B.C., because of the life water delivered from the river. But more recently, bass have benefited from the nutrient-rich waters of the Ebro. The history of this bass fishery is almost as compelling as that of the Roman Empire, and the United States military played a vital role in not only establishing this world-class largemouth lake, but also bringing the concept of competitive bass angling to Europe.…

Congratulations to the newest members of the Bassmaster Lunker Club™. Membership in the club is free and open to any B.A.S.S. member who catches a largemouth bass weighing 10 pounds or more, a spotted bass weighing 5 pounds or more, or a smallmouth bass weighing 6 pounds or more, from Jan. 1, 2017, to the present. New Lunker Club members will receive an official certificate with holder and a Minn Kota hat. 11-3 Stephen Tavernelli (1) Lake Mattie, Florida3/8-ounce homemade spinnerbait (black and gold) 11-3 Tom Hotelling (2) Lake Fork, TexasCarolina-rigged swimbait 10-12 Steve Myers (3) Roadside pond, Florida5-inch Yamamoto Senko (pb&j) 12-3 Daniel Calhoun (4) Lake Chickamauga, TennesseeMissile Baits (green pumpkin) 6-2 Krystal Dorn (5) Green Lake, WisconsinCrooked Creek Tackle 10-3 Chris Anderson (6) Lake Athens, TexasYamamoto Senko (watermelon) 10-7 Joe Beebee (7) Lake Conroe,…

Dustin Connell Hometown: Clanton, Ala. Congratulations on Rookie of the Year. You had quite a season. What was the biggest thrill last year? It has to be Ross Barnett. One of my goals going into my first year was to try to win an Elite Series tournament. I was fortunate to get one early. A lot of guys have been trying to win one for 20 years. What was the biggest disappointment? I had several tournaments where I should’ve done well, but the biggest was probably Dardanelle. It was my lowest finish. The first day, I had mechanical issues that cost me two hours. I only weighed three fish that day. I’ve never weighed three fish in a big tournament. I missed a chance at a lot of points. What…

Each summer, Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation holds their largest event of the year — the 2018 B.A.S.S. Nation Central Regional Tournament. On September 15th, the Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation launched 65 boats from Fisherman’s Landing, in Muskegon, Mich., to kick off its two-day 2017 Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship presented by Uncoiled Firearms and Transfers LLC. In the end, Troy Sitar claimed the title of 2017 state champion, and Mike Dawson claimed the title of 2017 co-angler state champion.…

I have a 1996 115 Mercury with extremely low hours. However, it smokes (gray) constantly. When I remove the spark plugs, they are fouled out and coated with oil. I have been told it could be a bad oiler, too much fogging oil, a broken ring, etc. What are your thoughts?Dave Williams Wesley Chapel, Fla. Mark Curtis, Mercury’s lead service product manager, says that engine model is a great one — when set up correctly. It is designed to run on two cylinders up to 1,500 to 1,800 RPM before the other two cylinders fire. “Remember, all conventional 2-strokes have some blue/gray smoke just about all of the time,” he notes. Several factors could cause excessive smoking, he adds, and a dealer’s certified Merc mechanic can help you. Curtis says…

Toledo Bend. Sam Rayburn. Okeechobee. Guntersville. Potomac River. Wheeler. Santee Cooper. The list could go on, but the pattern is already clear. All of these lakes and rivers have two common denominators. The first is that each contains abundant grass, specifically hydrilla and/or milfoil. The second is that Bassmaster Elite Series pro Randall Tharp has victories or Top 10 finishes on each of them during the past several years. The pattern is pretty clear here, too. The Florida-based pro is a threat to win any tournament he enters, but especially if the lake contains grass. He’s won one Bassmaster Elite, three Bassmaster Opens and the 2013 Forest Wood Cup. In Tharp’s dictionary, the word “grass” essentially means hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) or Eurasian water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), and both played a…

There is nothing more frustrating than chasing a spool around your garage floor as you are trying to wind string on a reel. There are a lot of good line-winding stations commercially available, but you can build a simple one for less than $4. Here is one we created from scrap wood, a few screws and a carriage bolt with wing nuts and washers. 1 Our base is an 18-inch piece of 2- x 4-foot lumber, while our uprights are 6-inch pieces of 1- x 4-foot lumber. Pre-drill holes for your wood screws so the uprights won’t split. 2 Stack the uprights together and drill a hole for your carriage bolt. We are using a 3/16-inch bolt, which will fit through the center hole of all spools we tested. 3…

AS WE WERE PLANNING Bassmaster’s celebration of the 50th birthday of B.A.S.S., I recalled the 20th anniversary issue we put together just a few years after I became editor of the magazine. It was a massive, difficult undertaking, all the more so because that June 1987 magazine was our first experience with the then-new desktop publishing process. Gone were the rolls of newsprint, the glue pots, the typesetters and the hand-assembled pages of type that had to be literally cut and pasted (waxed) into place. Instead, we typed our articles into a desktop computer, and they mysteriously flowed into an onscreen magazine page. Millennials can’t imagine publishing done any other way, but to us, it was magical. When it worked. We were among the first magazine publishers in America to embrace…