Bassmaster Classic Preview 2016

The Pensacola Dam (aka Grand River Dam) was the brainchild of a Cherokee Nation citizen named Henry C. Holderman. The name came from an old Cherokee plantation store located at the building site. It was built between 1938 and 1940, with concrete being poured 24 hours a day for 20 months. More than 3,000 workers making $16 a day were responsible for the lion’s share of the work. Construction was completed in March, and Grand Lake was full by the end of that summer. Yes, it sounds like a lot of effort to create a venue for this year’s Bassmaster Classic. But, there are 55 anglers and tens of thousands of fans who put it in the very-worthwhile category.…

It seems like it’s better to have a world-class smallmouth fishery... than to allow the genocide of the species for a short-term tourism fix. “I HATE YOU!” That’s what I yelled at my boss. This is usually not a good idea. Ever. But, I couldn’t help myself. I was fishing Minnesota’s Mille Lacs Lake with Dave Precht (the guy that could have fired me over such a statement) and Dan Quinn, Rapala’s field promotions manager. Precht had just landed his third smallmouth to my zilch. I was happy for him the first two times around, but was over it by the third 4-pounder. “Don’t worry, James; you’ll catch one eventually,” was his response. (I’m not sure if that hurt more or less than him telling me to find a new…

“Fish where the fish are, if you know what I mean.”—Elite Series pro Brandon Palaniuk TIDAL BEDDING What is the best way to target fish during the early spring spawn in a tidal river situation? I can’t ever seem to consistently find bedding areas. garovercleveland Instagram Elite Series pro John Crews The bedding areas are always out of the current. They are easy to find if you know what to look for. Focus on areas where the water goes up and down and not back and forth. On the Delaware River, focus on marina basins. On the James River, gravel pits are good. At the California Delta, dead end canals fit this bill. Basically, you want a pond situation off the main river where the water fluctuation is not aggressive.…

Daiwa Tatula CT, $149.99 The new Daiwa Tatula CT features loads of cutting-edge innovation, including the now-famous T-Wing system that enhances casting distance and accuracy, while the MagForce-Z Cast Control puts more control in the hands of the angler. The new Air Rotation System produces a smoother feel and effortless winding of the handle. The rigid, durable aluminum frame won’t bend under pressure and surrounds an improved drive gear that increases power. Available in left-and right-handed models and 5.5:1, 6.3:1, 7.3:1 and 8:1 gear ratios.Daiwa.com Jackall Gantarel Jr., $31.99 The slow-floating Jackall Gantarel Jr. packs all the same lifelike action of the original Gantarel into a smaller size. The 5-inch, 1 1/2-ounce bait can turn 180 degrees with a sharp snap of the rod tip, and with its ultra-realistic paint…

Car-topping your ’yak can be a challenge to do by yourself, but a removable pad cut to fit your roof rack makes it simple. My uncle Bud Roche helped me put one together in a half-hour. He had some extra insulation, closed celled, about 4 inches thick. A carpet remnant would have done the job, too, especially if it had rubber backing that wouldn’t slide on the roof. 1 Make a template from cardboard. 2 With a straight-edge, draw the pattern into the foam or carpet, making sure to leave some overhang where you’ll slide your kayak on. 3 Slide the pad onto the roof and check for a perfect fit. 4 Get the nose of the kayak onto the pad. 5 Slide your boat onto the pad and tie…

Brent Ehrler Hometown: Redlands, Calif. Birthday: Feb. 3, 1977 OK, let’s get this out of the way right off the top. We’ve seen your GoPro video, “An Angler’s Joy,” and we have to ask: How did you attach the GoPro to the lure for the point-of-view angle of a bait being cast? It was just one of the regular stickie mounts that come with every GoPro. We attached the stickie mount to a big swimbait, like we use so much in California. I put the stickie mount on the bait and then wrapped tape around it. It was my swimbait rig, so I had a heavy rod, heavy line, so it was no problem to cast the additional weight. I just made casts and reeled it in, and then cleaned…