Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2018 i Bassmaster

Was there a former pro that influenced you to pursue this career?Roger Creighton, Indianapolis Elite Series pro Alton Jones It was Bobby Murray. My dad and granddad took me to his seminar in Dallas when I was like 6 or 7 years old. Back then, the pros wore one-piece jumpsuits that zipped up the front and had sponsor patches on them. I thought that was so cool. Anyway, Bobby was saying things about bass fishing that lit a fire in me that made me want to start bass fishing. My granddad made the mistake of buying me a subscription to Bassmaster Magazine, and I read everything in it. Today, Bobby and his brother Billy do promotional work with Pradco, one of my sponsors, and it’s still a wild moment for…

IN AN ESSAY last year, Dave Precht, editor-in-chief of Bassmaster Magazine, pondered whether we should say “Goodbye to the Texas rig?” A fair question, to be sure, for America’s lake anglers. But, arguably, on this country’s upland rivers, many guides feel the T-rig has never stopped being important. Take, for example, Britt Stoudenmire of the New River Outdoor Co. “For soft jerkbaits, I find the Texas rig to be highly effective on smallmouth rivers as the rig allows current to carry a bait more naturally through the water column with fewer snags,” says the Virginia guide. “And for tubes and stickbaits, this rig gives a more natural drop, lift and roll action along the bottom.” Tommy Cundiff of River Monster Guides Service touts the rig as well. “The best smallmouth…

1 [Why And When To Go Deep] Deep-diving crankbaits are the go-to lures of Bassmaster Elite Series pros for covering large pieces of deep structure fairly quickly. While they work in cold water, they’re especially deadly during summer, when bass are targeting baitfish schools on offshore structure. Here’s the input you need to score heavy limits right now on these deadly baits. Deep Crankin’ Logic When baitfish, including threadfin shad, move offshore in summer, bass will follow. They’ll hold on points, humps and ledges, often in the 15- to 25-foot zone, and wait for their prey to pass nearby. Deep crankbaits are designed to target this depth/structure scenario. Its long bill causes the lure to descend at a relatively sharp angle when retrieved and allows the bait to deflect off…

I lost three rods worth $700 the morning of the second day of the Kayak Bass Fishing National Championship. While I was rooting through my crate behind the seat, my butt got a little too far outboard and I flipped into 52-degree Kentucky Lake. Miraculously, three rods stayed in the tubes and I could, wet and shivering, keep fishing, but I’m not counting on miracles anymore. Here are two simple, yet rarely used hacks to keep rods in rod holder tubes. Apparently, few yak bass anglers think they’ll capsize. 1 Attach an inexpensive carabiner to nylon cord with a pair of cable ties. Run the other end of the cord through a hole in the crate and tie an overhand knot. 2 Repeat for each rod holder, and put the…

ACTIVE ANGLER In late 2015, Fred Roumbanis was in the thick of competition on the Chesapeake Bay. By late August, the Elite Series season was nearly wrapped up. Roumbanis was putting the doors on a competitive season after logging a Top 5 finish at BASSfest, a Top 10 finish at a Central Open and a Top 20 on the St. Lawrence River Elite event weeks before. He’d found himself in the Bassmaster Classic field just one year before, but soon, Roumbanis would find himself in a cast. “My arm just locked up,” Roumbanis says. “I couldn’t cast anymore.” The veteran big fish angler was facing a fisherman’s worst nightmare. In the heat of an Elite Series tournament, with $100,000 on the line, he could barely cast a line. After struggling…

Quantum Smoke S3 PT $169 | quantumfishing.com Features: Smoke S3 offers the most-ever cast control choices at 16, on a larger, easier to see and easier to turn external dial Includes an over-engineered, deeper spool with more capacity that increases casting distance, yet still has a sturdy and ergonomically friendly frame New ACS 4.0 cast control system is lighter and minimizes the amount of energy required to get the spool spinning during the cast Available in four ideal gear ratios: 5.1:1, 6.1:1, 7.3:1 and 8.1:1, as well as three lefthanded models Fenwick Elite Tech Bass $149.95 | fenwickfishing.com Features: Fenwick’s Hidden Handle Design allows function and comfort to coexist, reducing hand and arm fatigue during long days on the water 7-foot, 11-inch heavy power moderate action model (ETB711HMC) is ideal for working…

FOR THOSE WHO were there, and perhaps for some who read about it afterward, the 1990 Bassmaster Classic on the James River is still remembered as Rick Clunn’s fourth Classic victory, with a lure he designed specifically for both the tournament and the river. Nearly 10 pounds behind leader Tommy Biffle at the beginning of the final morning of competition, Clunn boated more than 18 pounds that day and won by more than 7 pounds. The untold story of that Classic occurred on the second day, when Clunn’s press partner was a Chicago-based writer who barely said a word to him the entire time they were on the water. Instead, he simply took notes. On the drive back to Richmond, the writer did start talking. He was actually a statistician…

ALL THE SWAMP Gas Corners Bass Clubbers was gathered at the Drew Drop Inn, slurpin’ coffee ’n’ swappin’ insults. “Hey fellers, check out my new HydroBlaster!” Crusty Popodopolous, our mega-wealthy club president, said as he passed around the boat photo on his cellphone. “That rig’s got mo’ bells ’n’ whistles than a Mardi Gras float!” Lefty LePieux chided. “Big deal,” Harry snorted at the photo. “Me ’n’ Charlie fishes from a leaky johnboat, and we always catches mo’ basses than you!” “Fellers, I got big news!” Wilbur Wangle, Harry’s archrival, announced. “I’m officially the new coach of the Onion City High School bass fishin’ team!” “What?!” Harry blurted, sprayin’ coffee ever’where. “Who ever heard of a high school havin’ a bass fishin’ team?!” Po’ Harry was terminally clueless, havin’ spent…

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. [Trophy Trends] To request an application, write to editorial@bassmaster.com or B.A.S.S., The Lunker Club, 3500 Blue Lake Drive, Suite 330, Birmingham, AL 35243. A photo documenting the catch must be provided, along with the length and girth of the bass. Only suitable photos will be published in Bassmaster Magazine. We will only accept entries for bass that are…

The images below were submitted by Bassmaster readers, and our antique tackle expert, Karl White, appraises the value of each unique find. To submit yours, email editorial@bassmaster.com. Cute Lure Wesley Pippins Jr.$35 This cute little lure is a very weird and unique item. The Flutterfin was made in 1955 and I would give it a value between $30 and $35. Old Unknown Jerry Zakosek$40 This looks to be a very old lure. Keep in mind, there are several unknowns, and this is one of them. Under these conditions, I will have to value this at $40 and would say this lure was sold by a small dealer. Minn Kota Gaff Steven Johnson$80 This is certainly a rare item as Minn Kota was the first electric trolling motor. To a collector,…

Scientific Angle Dear Mr. Hall, I’ve been an avid Bassmaster reader since I can remember, spreading my grandfather’s magazines across the floor, looking at the pictures and actually learning to read from them. Seeing B.A.S.S. finally promoting health and fitness is an exciting and long overdue subject. Being a former personal trainer and strength coach for 10-plus years and now a nurse, I’ve been waiting for this day for years! I’m so happy to see y’all promote a healthy lifestyle on and off the water. Thanks so much for the great publication, what y’all do for the sport, and the fans! Keep up the good work!Chad Lawrence, Louisiana Caring About Conservation Landon Harrington completed his conservation project for this year at the Sleepy Creek Lake in Morgan County, W.Va. He…

ALTHOUGH THE 2000s saw a significant increase in the use of space-age technology in bass fishing, it is safe to say that manufacturers didn’t fully incorporate it until this decade. The sonar wars of the 2010s created the most significant and rapid advancements the industry has ever witnessed. These advancements spilled over into trolling motors and outboards, as well. The 2010s have also been defined by the loss of bass-fishing greats like Ken Cook and Doug Hannon. We lost longtime illustrator Chris Armstrong and writer Wade Bourne. But the rise of new superstars like Brandon Palaniuk and Jordan Lee solidify the continuation of greatness in our sport. It’s amazing to look back at the past eight years and see how far the sport has advanced in such a short amount…

Date: June 6, 2017 Venue: Lake R, a flatland reservoir Water: 80 to 85 degrees, stained Weather: Foggy to sunny, 70 to 80 degrees Pro: Skylar Hamilton, 22, Dandridge, Tenn. An Elite Series pro, Hamilton qualified for the 2017 Bassmaster Classic (where he won Day 2 big fish honors with a 9-pound, 1-ounce largemouth) via the Central Division. Boat: Xpress X-21 (aluminum) with a 250-horsepower Yamaha outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Raymarine electronics and twin Power-Pole shallow-water anchors. IF YOU’RE A longtime Bassmaster reader, you probably remember “Harry ’n’ Charlie,” my humor series that followed the misadventures of two redneck bass addicts from Swamp Gas Corners, U.S.A. Whether they were journeying up yonder to Snail Hollow Lake in search of a record smalljaw or chasing after that monster largemouth Ol’…

Last summer, Jonathon VanDam found himself in a St. Lawrence River slugfest with a familiar foe. Going into the final day of Elite Series competition, VanDam trailed his uncle, Kevin, by less than 3 pounds — and they were both fishing an identical pattern. “It’s something I’ve done up here for years and years,” the younger VanDam says. “I was finding sandy holes in the middle of rocky, shallow water and hitting them with a drop shot.” JVD ultimately slid to a fifth-place finish on Day 4 at the St. Lawrence event, but his faith in the pattern remained strong. He used it to win the 2012 Elite Series Green Bay Challenge and to notch another Top 5 finish on the St. Lawrence in 2013. “It works all over the…