Innholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2019 i Bassmaster

Elite Series pro Brock Mosley loves to fish shallow. However, when the mercury drops the first month of the year, there aren’t many anglers willing to beat the bank. Mosley bucks the trend, however, knowing that some bass, usually the bigger variety, simply never leave skinny water no matter how cold the water gets. Here, his theory pays off in a large … make that largemouth … way. When a fish requires your second hand to move that far up the rod for a boat flip, you know it will be showcased at the weigh-in stand. Now that he has found life in the shallows, it’s game on.…

ACTIVE ANGLER Four-time Bassmaster Classic champion Rick Clunn has had one of the greatest bass fishing careers of all time. The 72-year-old Elite Series veteran is at the top of any conversation for “greatest of all time” and has fished more Classics (32) than some Elite Series anglers have fished tournaments. Clunn has always been a B.A.S.S. trailblazer. He’s famed for training himself to fish every tournament “cold” in the ’70s, going in with little knowledge of the waterway and finding a way to win. But for six years in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Clunn was also trailblazing the way anglers physically prepare themselves for the tournament trail. He did so under the tutelage of a Vietnamese martial artist: Master Cau Pham. Although there were many benefits…

THE AIR’S CHILLY, you’re looking at your breath, and those fish aren’t loving the lower water temps, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for dismal days and dinky catches. Big fish may be few and far between, but follow the advice from these Bassmaster Elite Series pros and you’ll enjoy more shots at legitimate winter space heaters. Jason Williamson — Impoundment Knowing the fish’s seasonal preference for crawfish, Williamson puts his faith in a hefty 1/2-ounce Buckeye Lures mop jig. Complementing the jig’s living rubber skirt with a Zoom Super Chunk trailer creates the substantial profile that entices big fish. “If we have clear water, I choose the natural colors — brown or green pumpkin — but as it gets more stained, you go to your darker colors,…

WINTER BASS FISHING is an option in any state where the lakes don’t freeze over, but only a few die-hards launch their boats at this time. Many anglers don’t enjoy fishing in frigid weather, even though today’s high-tech winter garb can keep you comfortable in such conditions. The misconception that winter bass are nearly impossible to catch also keeps anglers off the water. Read on as Bassmaster Elite Series pros dispel five common misconceptions about winter bass fishing. Myth 1: You must fish deep to catch winter bass. Bass and baitfish are lethargic in winter’s cold water, but that doesn’t mean you always have to fish deep, points out Elite Series pro Chris Zaldain of Nevada. “Depending on the lake, there are still fish to be caught in 10 feet…

Cliff Pirch wants you to go outside and kick rocks. He wants you to find your nearest reservoir, locate a stone and turn it over. There, he says you’ll find what you need to catch winter bass: a local crawfish, covered in mud. “They really do bite it through the winter and early spring,” he says. “It’s always a go-to.” Make a mental note of what you find, then proceed to the jig aisle of your favorite tackle store to replicate the crawfish. There, you can put together the puzzle pieces of his favorite winter pattern: rockpiles filled with bass, a perfect presentation and a football jig. “It’s a three-prong deal,” explains the six-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier and Arizona native. “It works really well in the Southwest, but I’ve seen…

NUMEROUS TRIBUTES WERE published in the outdoor media following the passing of President George H.W. Bush on November 30. Some lauded him for pushing through the Wallop-Breaux amendment, which provides $650 million a year to the states for sportfish restoration. Others praised him for the Clean Air Act and other environmental contributions. I won’t replow that ground, but I’d like to reminisce about a turn of events that shaped Bush’s views on outdoor recreation, especially fishing. In the spring of 1979, a few months after I had moved from Houston to work in Ray Scott’s young B.A.S.S. organization in Montgomery, Ala., Scott asked me what I knew about Bush. I only knew him by reputation. He was considered a good, ethical man … a dedicated public servant … a two-term…

WHEN MOST BASS anglers think of winter techniques, tactics such as inching a jig along the bottom, finessing a soft plastic around cover or vertically jigging spoon-like lures come to mind.s Those tactics have proved over the years that they work on some days. But for Elite Series pro Keith Combs, the more aggressive crankbait becomes the bait of choice even when the water is cold on Southern reservoirs. Obviously, winter fishing is relative to the region of the country you’re fishing. But in Combs’ mind, cranking cold, open water can create successful bass opportunities that most anglers overlook. “You can’t base your lure selection on water temperature,” he explains. “Sure, you may have to slow your retrieve down, but the crankbait will catch ’em in cold-water situations.” He should…

ME ‘N’ HARRY was at Zonker’s Tavern celebratin’ the end of the work week. A copy of the Swamp Gas Corners Gazette was on the bar, and we spied this item: DINKLEMAN’S HARDWARE ANNOUNCES MONTHLY BIG-BASS CONTEST Dinkleman’s Hardware on Main Street will host a monthly “Lunker of the Month” contest, wherein the biggest largemouth bass caught from area waters each month will win valuable prizes, store owner Homer Dinkleman announced. “We’ve installed a fancy aquarium tank in the store to display the big bass, so even if you’re not a fisherman, you’ll want to stop by and see it while shopping for all your hardware needs,” Dinkleman suggested. “Contest entries must be caught by conventional bass fishing methods within a 20-mile radius of town and presented alive at the…

FRESHWATER BASS ARE about as ubiquitous as any fish can be. Provide perennial waters, in a pond, lake, reservoir, creek or river, and there’s a good chance that you’ll find at least one of several species. They’re found throughout their native range in the eastern and midwestern United States, and have been successfully introduced in most states west of the Rocky Mountains. The only waters void of bass are in Alaska. Largemouth have also been exported to dozens of other countries. Dr. James A. Henshall, in his 1889 publication Book of the Black Bass, wrote, “He [Black Bass] has the faculty of asserting himself and making himself completely at home wherever placed.” And although these prized sportfish are highly adaptable to a variety of conditions, there are waters in which…

1 [Imitating Crawfish] With crawfish being one of the most important food sources for all species of bass, it’s little wonder that soft-plastic lures mimicking these creeping crustaceans are among the most effective bass baits. Here’s how Bassmaster Elite Series pros use craw and “creature” baits to whack bass in a variety of structure and cover scenarios. Craws & Chunks A live crawfish uses its large claws for grabbing prey, and raises them in a combative defense stance when threatened by other predators. Many lure manufacturers offer artificial craws; while their degree of realism varies from “dead on” imitations to minimalist “chunks,” they all feature those oversized claws that present such an important visual feeding cue to bass. Craw mimics can either be Texas rigged or used as jig trailers.…

When the wind is whipping, anglers typically spend more time with a paddle in their hand positioning the kayak for the perfect cast than they do actually casting. A wind sock can fix this, if you have your boat set up the right way to deploy and retrieve the device. Follow these steps to turn wind into your friend. Gear Up Bonafide RS117 $999 bonafidekayaks.com Brooklyn Kayaks RA220 Angler $787 brooklynkayakcompany.com Drift Control 18-inch Drift Sock $22.79 lindyfishingtackle.com RAM 2-Pack Vertical Tie Downs $15.49 rammount.com YakAttack CellBlok Battery Box $65 yakattack.us…

I use an EWG (extra-wide gap hook) for drop shotting around cover. Do you believe that could cost me bites by having a bigger gapped hook, or does it help for a better hook set when using a stiffer rod? @Brandon_kingofeverything, Instagram Bassmaster Elite Series pro Drew Benton Normally when I drop shot during the winter I use finesse baits and never want to overpower the bait with a hook. It takes away from the action. I use an Owner CoverShot, a straight-shank, light-wire hook with a bait keeper. It’s small enough it doesn’t affect the action, but you can still keep the bait weedless by Texas rigging. I stay away from an EWG hook unless I’m using a real bulky bait and need an extra gap to make…

Fish Monkey Tundra EX Series $69.95 | fishmonkeygloves.com Features: • Intelligently designed for function and comfort • Provides both the warmth of full-finger protection and the dexterity of a half-finger glove • Constructed of water and windproof fabrics, packed with Thinsulate insulation and Polar Fleece for a secondary layer of comfort PU Leather Monkey grip palm provides a nonslip grip, while neoprene cuffs hold the heat Carhartt Full Swing Cryder Jacket $149.99-$159.99 | carhartt.com Features: • Rugged Flex durable stretch technology • Features Flex Elbow, Freedom Gusset underarm, a mock neck collar and a detachable hood • Designed with two lowerhand pockets with internal rib-knit storm cuffs and 80g 3M insulation • Features an adjustable drawcord bottom hem and drop tail • Available in two colors and sizes small through…

MAXWELL MASHANDURE AMBLES into the Strike Zone Unlimited Tackle Shop on Cameroon Street in Harare, Zimbabwe, and takes his reserved seat behind a long table. Store owners Wisdom Kahiya and Anesu Takarindwa tend to him immediately. The celebrity angler rattles off a series of soft-plastic baits he wants to see, and the merchants scurry to fetch them. Mashandure opens packets and tediously inspects the baits. He likes softness, saltiness and perfectly formed, high-quality soft plastics. He sets aside the ones he will purchase, stacks them in a neat pile and pushes the others aside. Customers gather around, ask advice and inquire about fishing conditions. The charismatic Bass Man of Africa drinks up the attention. “He is the king of Africa bass fishing. Nobody catches as many big bass and everyone…

  DOTL Challenge: Put a Bassmaster pro on a small lake he’s never seen before. Give him seven hours to locate and catch bass while we log his every move Date: Feb. 15, 2018 Venue: Lake R, a small flatland reservoir Water: 46 to 55 degrees, stained to muddy Weather: Warm front, 70s, cloudy to sunny, windy Pro: Jake Whitaker, 26, Fairview, N.C.; 2018 was his rookie season on the Elite Series; he qualified through the B.A.S.S. Northern Opens Boat: Triton 21 TrX with a 250-horsepower Mercury outboard, Minn Kota trolling motor, Lowrance electronics and twin Power-Pole shallow-water anchors JAKE WHITAKER MAY be a dreamer, but he’s also a man with a plan. “I’ve dreamed of fishing professionally ever since I was a kid,” he says. “I fished club tournaments…

THE Z-MAN CHATTERBAIT, the original bladed jig, languished on tackle shop shelves for two years before it won a major bass tournament at Lake Okeechobee in the spring of 2006. Suddenly, bass fanatics everywhere were clamoring for the ChatterBait and singing its praises after they fished with one. But, would the lure have staying power? Now, nearly 13 years later, it is obvious that the bladed jig is here for the long haul. Z-Man and a host of other companies have introduced bladed jigs that jack bass from the shallows to the depths and even in cover. To take full advantage of the bladed jig’s potential, you need a variety of these baits in your arsenal. No single bladed jig covers every situation. Riding High Most 1/4- to 3/8-ounce vibrating…

Season: Winter Water type: Main river bridge causeway Water temp: 45 to 48 degrees Clarity: 2 to 3 feet Depth: 1 to 4 feet Structure: Riprap, shallow pilings Cover: Scattered wood and logs Forage: Threadfin shad, bream, crawfish Weather: Sunny morning with building clouds Wind: 5 to 10 mph Experts: A trio of Elite Series pros with the skills to find and engage bass beneath bridges 1 GET TO THE POINT Brandon Card Knoxville, Tenn. First move: “I would go to the opening where riprap turns and forms the point and try to determine if there’s any current coming through. If there is, I’ll key on the corners of the downcurrent side.” Baits/tackle to use: Card starts by banging those rocks with a Duel Hardcore Crank Shad 2-Plus, alternating between…

Bass anglers lost a stalwart of the fishing fraternity on Nov. 30, 2018. President George H.W. Bush died, aged 94 years, 171 days. He was the longest-lived president in U.S. history. And if you asked him what likely inspired such a long, fruitful life, there is little doubt that, whispering down from the heavens, he’d say that spending time with a bass rod in his hand was an important part of the equation. When he was inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame in 2016, he said this in his letter of acceptance: “I love bass fishing. I love everything about the sport. As you might have guessed, fishing is my favorite source of relaxation. It is with a rod and reel in my hand that I count my…