Bassmaster January/February 2024

There’s something about a field of lily pads that screams bass. These waxy green polka dots provide shade, ambush opportunity and oxygen to predators. For prey, they offer food and a place to hide. That said, not all pad fields are created equal. Some are so thick you can’t get your bait to the water and navigating through them would stop even the most powerful trolling motor. But, if a paddle is your means of propulsion, this isn’t an issue. And if you can slide over the impenetrable section of floating discs to get to that juicy spot featuring casting lanes, multiple-size pads and a little submerged vegetation to boot, there is little doubt a bite is in your future. That’s precisely what must be going through this angler’s mind.…

CAN YOU RECALL your very first fishing memory? If you are my age, over half a hundred, it might be tough. But, for some reason, mine stands out. I was with my aunt on the bank of a small park pond in Wichita Falls, Texas, where I was born. Pretty sure I was still in diapers. She was helping me hold a small rod that had about 15 inches of line tied to the tip, a tiny hook holding a piece of corn on the terminal end. We would dip the corn in the water, and I would giggle as minnows and tiny bluegill came to peck at the kernel. I don’t remember catching anything, but I do remember loving to watch those tiny fish nip away at the bait.…

Let’s talk about the smallmouth record. You set a new B.A.S.S. smallmouth bag record with 29-5 on the St. Lawrence. Would you consider that the highlight of last season? Actually, I would say qualifying for the Bassmaster Classic was the highlight for me. The record was kind of a bonus, but qualifying for the Classic is a dream come true. That was the whole goal going into all of this. It’s the one tournament I’ve wanted to fish my entire life, and I think anyone who gets into this feels the same way at some point in their life. Do you have any expectations of what your first Bassmaster Classic is going to be like? I have no idea, honestly. You know, I’ve talked to a few guys and they…

January 7 Old Rock Day. Not to be confused with a new series starring Dwayne Johnson, Old Rock Day is an excellent excuse to brush up on your winter jig techniques. 13 Make Your Dream Come True Day. It’s never too late to book that dream trip to El Salto or investigate what it really takes to catch those peacock bass in the Amazon. February 2 Groundhog Day. Take a lesson from Bill Murray’s 1993 comedy classic and do a good deed for someone else without expecting anything at all in return. We recommend taking someone fishing. 3 The Day The Music Died. Take a break from your favorite playlist to find a new fishing podcast. Tell ’em Bassmaster sent you.…

January 26-27 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Lake Murray, South Carolina February 1-3 St. Croix Bassmaster Open, Lake Okeechobee, Florida 1-2 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Clarks Hill Reservoir, Georgia 4 Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Clarks Hill Reservoir, Georgia 4 Bassmaster Junior Series, Clarks Hill Reservoir, Florida 7-9 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Southeast Qualifier, Lake Eufaula, Alabama 15-17 St. Croix Bassmaster Open, Lake Ouachita, Arkansas 22-25 Gamakatsu Bassmaster Elite, Toledo Bend Reservoir, Louisiana 24-25 Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Lake Murray, South Carolina 29-March 3 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite, Lake Fork, Texas…

The legendary stomping grounds of larger-than-life bass fishing legend Roland Martin, Clewiston sits on the southern edge of Lake Okeechobee and the northern fringes of the Florida Everglades. In decades past, the town might have been found clad in palm wood cracker houses. Today, however, Clewiston is a booming destination for anglers heading to a resurgent Big O (ranked 10th on Bassmaster’s 2023 100 Best Bass Lakes list). 15-5 Record largemouth bass in Lake Okeechobee 467,000 Acreage of Lake Okeechobee…