Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2020 i Bassmaster

ACTIVE ANGLER Ed Loughran has built a career on technology. It’s part of how the 49-year-old Bassmaster Elite Series pro maintains an edge on a younger field. When new electronics come out, you can bet that Loughran is one of the first to master their uses. In 2012, Loughran was one of the first men on the water to master Humminbird’s new 360 technology. Today, he’s on the forefront of anglers leveraging the full power of an upgraded MEGA 360 transducer that’s almost completely changed the way tournament pros perceive the technology’s applications.“I’m an addict, and my name is Ed,” he says, laughing. “I’m addicted to 360.” BLUE-COLLAR BREAKDOWN Traditional down-scan sonar has been around for decades. In its basic form, it’s what old-timers simply called a “depthfinder.” But, around…

The 2020 Bass Fishing Hall of Fame class includes a gallery of men with deep ties to B.A.S.S. The late Bryan Kerchal was the first Bassmaster Classic champion to emerge directly from the B.A.S.S. Nation to the pinnacle of the sport by taking home the 1994 Classic championship. 2002 Bassmaster Classic champion Jay Yelas joins the Hall of Fame as one of just a handful of anglers to win Angler of the Year on both the B.A.S.S. and FLW tours. Former Bassmaster competitor, lure designer and media icon Ron Lindner joins his brother Al as a member of the Hall. B.A.S.S. tournament coverage editor Steve Bowman joins the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame after a storied career in outdoors journalism. And James Heddon, the legendary lure maker, will be inducted…

How can I get the most out of my trolling motor? Power? Speed? Stealth?Captain Kenny Wegner, Instagram Brad Henry of Minn Kota says the first thing is to make sure your motor is appropriately sized for your boat. If you’re uncertain, visit the Minn Kota trolling motor buying guide at minnkotamotors.com/learn/buying-guide/trolling-motors. “One of the most common drains on performance comes from the power and charging system,” adds Henry. “Batteries wear over time and can lead to premature draining of the batteries during a fishing day.” Henry says a high-performance battery charger could save you time and money. “Charger performance isn’t just about how fast they charge batteries but how they charge them,” he said. “A high-quality charger like the Minn Kota Precision Series specifically dials in the charging profile based…

Summer Storm Strategies Fish Monkey Stealth Dry-Tec Gloves $59.95 | fishmonkeygloves.com Features: The Stealth Dry-Tec gloves feature a new water-shedding exterior material. They come standard with 40 grams of Thinsulate to cut through the chill of a saturated day, while still remaining lightweight and allowing excellent dexterity. There is no silicone on the thumb or index fingers, allowing the user to feel the spool spinning beneath their fingers. Available SM through 2XL. XtraTuf Wheelhouse Deck Boots $120-$130 | xtratuf.com Features: Being dry from head to ankle in drenching rain is cool, but who likes swamp feet? XtraTuf commercial-grade Deck Boots keep your feet dry, and thanks to a wider sole, the boots provide the needed support for eight-plus hours of constant standing. The upper portion is reinforced in high-wear areas,…

Swing On ’Em In The Swelter Use one of these three approaches to heat up your summer fishing Water type: Dog days on a grassy Southern lake Water temp: Upper 80s to low 90s Clarity: 1 to 2 feet Depth: 3 to 30 feet Structure: Offshore breaks, rocks, bridges Cover: Shallow grass, mats, laydowns Forage: Shad, bluegill Weather: Hot Wind/current: Calm morning, thunderstorms before noon Experts: A trio of Elite Series pros explain how they earn those tough bites during the hottest days of the year 1 OPTION PLAY Stetson Blaylock Benton, Ark. First move: Blaylock starts his day seeking bass schooling on shad in ditches and drains amid the grass or around a bridge. If that deal fizzles, he won’t hesitate to shift gears and run offshore before the…

A Silver Lining “IF PEOPLE CONCENTRATED on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.” Although this decades-old quote by American journalist Doug Larson was no doubt aimed at an overblown crisis of his day, there is a truth in these words that highlights our present. I believe that Larson was not just talking about the act of fishing, but the relationships built while participating in the sport and keeping our souls connected to the great out-of-doors. As Americans wade through shutdowns, quarantines, stay-at-home orders and joblessness, it appears that the really important things in life are coming into focus. Allow me to explain. For the first time in 10 years, Iowa saw an increase in fishing license sales. Not just a slight increase, but…

July 1 International Chicken Wing Day. Hone your grill skills in preparation for the big boom day around the corner. 4 Independence Day. The official holiday of freedom, barbecue and bass fishing. 13 Fool’s Paradise Day. The only fools with boats are the ones who don’t have them in the water. 15 World Snake Day. Pay homage to our ever-present fishing companions by learning which in your area are venomous and nonvenomous. August 1 Campfire Day. Hopefully you won’t find any snakes waiting for you around the campfire as you celebrate with a round of s’mores. 4 U.S. Coast Guard Day. These men and women go above and beyond for boater safety every day. The least we can do is say thanks.…

MAIN-LAKE POINTS AND river-channel ledges: Both provide everything bass need to survive the summer doldrums. Shallow and deep water, ambush points and cooler water come to mind. For a bass, there is no better place to be during the lazy days of summer. Does your lake have more points than you can count? Do river-channel ledges run from end to end of your favorite impoundment? If so, there are systematic approaches for eliminating unproductive water while maximizing the odds of catching bass during the hottest days of the year. Brandon Lester grew up where ledge fishing was born — the Tennessee River — and specifically near Lake Guntersville. Carl Jocumsen thrives on learning the nuances of points, always searching for what other anglers overlook. Put two and two together, and…

A Spring Like No Other FOR THE MOMENT, we still have more important issues to ponder. Health issues. Economic issues. The issue of finally cranking up the tournament schedule again after the longest unplanned layoff in B.A.S.S. history. It’s a lot to worry about. A lot to navigate. But someday when everything’s back a little closer to normal, we, as anglers, will have to look back on the spring of 2020 as a period that was truly unique. No matter where you live in this great country of ours, I can’t imagine you’ve been through anything even remotely similar to what we all experienced during March, April and May. In some states — most notably Michigan — anglers literally had to fight for the right to take their boats out…

Chris Johnston Peterborough, Canada You’re well-known for being one of a handful of Canadian anglers on the Elite Series right now. Describe Canadian fishing culture for Americans who might not know much about the world north of the border. Believe it or not, in Canada we only have a three-month window for the tournament season, but we have a tournament in my area every weekend. There are a lot of tournaments with anywhere from 40 to 150 boats, but you aren’t seeing big entry fees like you do in the States. So, even though we don’t have the publicity and exposure like we do in the States, there are still a lot of tournament anglers in my area. Those tournaments are hugely competitive. Even if the payout is only $250…

JULY 14-17 Bassmaster Elite, Cayuga Lake, New York 23-26 SiteOne Bassmaster Elite, St. Lawrence River, New York 30-August 2 Bassmaster Elite, Lake Champlain, New York AUGUST 6-8 Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open, Oneida Lake, New York 8 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School/Junior Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Lake St. Clair, Michigan 15 Huk B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia, Mississippi River, Wisconsin 19-21 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northeast Regional, Lake Erie, Pennsylvania 20-23 Bassmaster Elite, Lake St. Clair, Michigan 26-28 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional, Lake Vermilion, Minnesota 27-29 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Lake Hartwell, South Carolina 29 Huk B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia, Clear Lake, California…

@halabshire Had two good days this last week on Jordan Lake, NC. Ended up with 30 bass! Just wish everyone would go back to work so the lakes and ramps won’t be so full LOL.….Had a lot of fun throwing Lucky Craft baits, Freedom Lures & Deep Creek baits! @jesse tacorontefishing Got out this morning with my buddy Don Ramsey and cracked a few heads! Again, the Garmin Panoptix Live made it possible. Had a blast!! @timmylee fishing Fishing doesn’t just consist of a pole, hook and line. There’s so many life lessons and learning curves all in between. @jaybrainardbass What are you doin’ this weekend? Shooter and I are just a swingin’…. 8 pounders! @13fishing Omen III 7’4” H…

CAN FISH DISTINGUISH colors at night? This is a question that has been argued back and forth for years with strong opinions on both sides, especially among nighttime spinnerbait aficionados. Some say just throw a dark bait with a black blade all the time, regardless of water color or amount of light. Under some circumstances, they are correct, but 50 years of night fishing say that I would love to fish against those with that mindset in a tournament under most water and light conditions. Skirt and blade color can make the difference between success at night and a wasted trip in many situations. A couple of years ago, a younger angler and I were fishing a tournament together on the lower end of Wheeler Lake in north Alabama. The…

IT’S TOUGH TO beat the excitement of topwater fishing. The anticipation is nerve-wracking. The sometimes startling and often explosive strikes can make your heart skip a beat. And the better-than-average bass that these darting, popping, spitting and gurgling surface baits attract are simply an added bonus. Another nice thing about topwater offerings is they’re one of the easiest lures to fish. Long casts and steady retrieves are all that’s needed for many, while others require some variation of a stop-and-go approach. There are even topwaters that necessitate using the rod to impart an easy-to-master, side-to-side action. The most difficult part of fishing topwater baits is choosing the ones to carry in your tacklebox. And there’s a lot to pick from, with choices ranging from simple, solid-color lures to those with…

IT’S ONLY A guess, but if you could imagine Hank Cherry, Kelley Jaye and Jamie Hartman in their younger years, it might be easy to see them coloring outside the lines in their “Batman, Caped Crusader” coloring books. Not only would they be outside the lines, Cherry’s Batman would be red, Jaye’s would be green and Hartman’s would be blue. Batman fans everywhere would exclaim, “You can’t do that!” Wouldn’t matter a bit to this trio. What is expected isn’t always the road they travel. A prime example for each of them is their penchant for using a jerkbait virtually every day of the year, including in the sweltering heat, when conventional bass anglers have long stowed their jerkbaits for more accepted summer offerings. “It really amazes me more people…