Innholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2023 i Bassmaster

The images below were submitted by Bassmaster readers, and our antique tackle expert, Rob Pavey, appraises the value of each fascinating find. To submit yours, email editorial@bassmaster.com. Poe’s Hand Crafted Lures in wood box Tom, email $20 to $30 (with box) Poe’s Hand Crafted Lures were popular and well-made crankbaits offered in the late 1980s and beyond by Poe’s Tackle Co. of Turlock, Calif. The baits were mostly made of “California cedar” and came in dozens of attractive color patterns. They are easy to find on places like eBay, and countless examples remain on active duty with bass anglers everywhere. Heddon Luminous Bait No. 1001RH Mark, email $200 to $300 This scarce lure was marketed by the famous Heddon tackle company of Dowagiac, Mich., around 1910. It was a short-lived…

Jessica Ford Anderson I love this!! Congratulations girl! You rock! Celina Gleason Anastasia Patterson is an exceptional individual in every aspect! So proud of you, Anastasia!!!! Chris Delahoussaye Never let anyone tell you, you can’t do something. Congratulations Theresa Sharp That’s awesome! Never let anybody set your limits for you. The sky’s the limit continue doing what you’re doing. Congratulations Brian Rich That’s awesome to see. Good luck to you. FISH ON! Walking In A Winter Lunker Land I’ve been bass fishing for many years, so I know a slob of a bass when I see one! My girlfriend pulled this from our local pond! All she could do was laugh at me freaking out over how big it was! My biggest is 7 pounds, 10 ounces. Pretty sure this…

Bainbridge was named the “Bass Capital of Georgia” by the state legislature in 2008. Situated on the shores of the Flint River and named for the commander of “Old Ironsides,” the USS Constitution, this Georgia city plays host to the second stop on the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series at Lake Seminole. With a historic downtown, public golf course and plethora of restaurants to choose from, Bainbridge is an ideal location for bass fishing fans looking for a getaway near this legendary lake. 37,500 Acreage of Lake Seminole 450 Length of the Jim Woodruff Dam’s single lock in feet $46.5 million — Initial cost to construct the lake in 1946…

MOST ANGLERS CAN recite the story of catching their first bass — that introductory experience that initially “hooked” them into the sport. No matter how far back in time the memory may be stored, there’s a twinkle in the eye as the story draws from one primary feeling: fun. Fun is the driving force behind why we fish; in fact, fun fuels the entire fishing industry. This “fun factor” is also the impetus behind a growing niche within the U.S. bass fishing market known as BFS, or bait finesse system, that uses miniature hard and soft lures with weights of 1/8 ounce and below — which appear better suited for panfish — to target bass. What makes BFS truly unique is the highly specialized baitcasting reels adapted to cast these…

I LOVE PING-PONG. Actually, I became a bit addicted to the sport in college, where I skipped more than one class to take on the best players Midwestern State University’s student center had to offer. Once I was crowned champion of the intramural table tennis competition, it appeared that the Olympics weren’t really that far out of my grasp. So, I signed up for a regional International Table Tennis Federation event. I showed up fairly confident. And when my first match was against an 80-year-old German lady, I became a little worried that I wouldn’t have enough room in my car to take home the trophy. Then, she destroyed me. I may have scored a couple of points, but all in all, it was a complete embarrassment. The student center…

January 14 Dress Up Your Pet Day. This year we’re celebrating with a twist. Dress your pet up like your favorite bass angler and tag us on Instagram (@bass_nation) for a chance to be featured. 16 Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Visit BrownFolksFishing.com to learn more about how you can help BIPOC anglers feel at home in the great outdoors. February 2 Groundhog Day. If Phil sees his shadow, keep your cold-weather gear handy. 3 The Day The Music Died. Pay homage to the late founders of rock and roll by fine-tuning your favorite wake bait, walking bait or popper. 14 Valentine’s Day. This is your annual reminder to remember your significant other and plan ahead for this potentially perilous holiday.…

In 2022, Bassmaster volunteers pulled 18,200 pounds of trash out of waterways in Tennessee, New York and Wisconsin as part of the 2022 Bassmaster Lake Clean-Up Challenge sponsored by AFTCO and Yamaha Rightwaters. Volunteers ranged from local high school and college teams to Elite Series angler Jason Christie and fishing legend Bill Dance. The cleanup was part of a contest that saw AFTCO and Yamaha Rightwaters pledge $25,000 toward conservation grants to be shared among participating organizations, several of which coincided with Elite Series events. Eighty percent of trash in waterways originates on land. So, volunteer groups specifically focused on parks adjacent to waterways where human trash is most likely to find its way into the water.…

RARE IS THE instance of a new technology 100% justifying the term “revolutionary,” but forward-facing sonar owns that title. Options vary across the major brands — Garmin, Humminbird, Lowrance — but regardless of your preference, forward-facing sonar has changed the way we find and monitor fish. That said, the resonance of a breakthrough development’s true impact is measured only partly by how many buy into the concept. The real testament to legitimacy often exists in how other industry categories respond to the innovation. Consider Kissimmee, Fla. Once an unsettled range of swamps and rough cattle lands, this Sunshine State gem now bristles with a vast array of shops, eateries and entertainment options that literally trace their existence to one game-changing arrival. A tuxedoed mouse — and the empire that followed.…

  First things first: Give us your thoughts on the 2023 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule. In my opinion, it’s probably the best schedule the Elites have had in a number of years — and not just because there are a couple of South Carolina tournaments. I believe our foundation in the Elite Series was built on going to the best bass lakes in the country at the best times. For a while there, we got away from doing that. Talk to me a little about how the game has changed since you first qualified for the Elite Series. I mean, what part of our sport hasn’t changed? Obviously, you’ve got a lot more talent. These younger guys that are coming up in the sport are really, really sharp on their…

I’m thinking about replacing my batteries with lithium. Are all lithium batteries safe and equal? John Olson, Fargo, N.D. Craig Storms, national sales manager for Dakota Lithium Batteries, says most manufacturers are using lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo4) chemistry, the safest in the lithium family — no fire or explosion hazards. However, he urges anglers to research the cell grades of the brands they consider. “Premium lithium batteries will go around $10 an amp hour,” he says. “When you see lithium ads for discounted prices, there is a possibility they are using a lower grade cell.” I just bought lithium batteries for my bass boat. Are there special charging methods that will ensure I get the most life out of them? Carter Lee, Indianapolis, Ind. Craig Storms of Dakota Lithium Batteries…

January 26-27 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Harris Chain of Lakes, Florida 29 Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Harris Chain of Lakes, Florida 29 Bassmaster Junior Series, Harris Chain of Lakes, Florida February 16-19 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite, Lake Okeechobee, Florida 23-26 Bassmaster Elite, Lake Seminole, Georgia 25 Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Lay Lake, Alabama 25 Bassmaster Junior Series, Lay Lake, Alabama…

ACTIVE ANGLER Ed Loughran’s journey to the Bassmaster Elite Series is nothing less than astonishing. After chasing a dream that began in 1984, he finally made his Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic debut in 2021. And in that time, the former Potomac River guide turned modern professional angler has seen a revolution in one of the most critical yet overlooked aspects of the sport: hooks. Today’s hooks are a far cry from the rudimentary ones offered during Loughran’s early years on the tournament trail. Back then, only a handful of different options existed. Today, thousands line store shelves. Hooks are now ridiculously sharper than they once were. Their wire, too, is thinner and lighter. And one of the most impactful of those changes is a nano coating that has…

THE YAMAHA RIGHTWATERS Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX brought competitors from across North America to compete in a third season of top-notch tournaments run by B.A.S.S. The season saw one angler go back to basics and win three of the five regular-season events on his way to the inaugural Old Town Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year title and another fisherman win $20,000 in the 2022 Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship by the slimmest of margins. Lake Fork The 2022 schedule kicked off at Lake Fork in Alba, Texas, on February 5-6 in unseasonable cold with a win by Garrett Morgan of Conway, Ark., who grew up in east Texas and knew the big-fish factory well. He caught the fish that elevated him to a two-day total of 201.75…

Water type: Prespawn staging on a Southern river Water temp: Mid- to upper 50s Clarity: 1 to 2 feet Depth: 5 to 20 feet Structure: Points, rock, stumps Cover: Laydowns, grass, docks Forage: Shad, bluegill Weather: Warming trend Wind/current: Calm morning, light wind throughout the day 1 DON’T “DROP” THE BALL Wes Logan Springville, Ala. First move: Knowing that a lot of his local Coosa River fish live most of their lives shallow, Logan’s initial goal is to establish where they’re positioning.“I want to figure out if they’re on rock, isolated wood or grass,” Logan said. Baits/tackle to use: For covering water, Logan uses a 1/2-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer with a Zoom Super Fluke Jr. For flipping, he switches to a 1/2-ounce jig with a Zoom Big Salty Chunk. Angle/boat…

BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES rookie John Soukup has a story that’s almost too complicated to tell in one part. It’s better split into sections — even if the sections don’t always seem to fit together. There was his early childhood when he was fascinated by his father’s koi farm and actually used the English language for the first time by saying the word “fish.” There was his later childhood, when he says his father introduced him to fishing through “crappie docks, belly-boating and creeks.” “We could never afford a gas-powered motor,” Soukup said. Then there were his late teens and 20s — that time when many dedicated anglers decide to make a legitimate run at a career in pro fishing. That’s when everything came to a halt for the 6-foot-5 mountain…