Crazy Fisherman's Blog

B.A.S.S. To Move Back To Alabama

2011-11-27T08:41:00.000-06:00

B.A.S.S. was founded by Ray Scott in 1968 in Montgomery, Alabama. Their office remained in Montgomery until moving to Orlando in 2005. The organization had been purchased by ESPN in 2001 and they decided on the move to Orlando. Now after new ownership purchased the organization back from ESPN (November 2010), B.A.S.S is moving back to Alabama, this time to Birmingham.

When asked why the move back to Alabama, there were lots of reasons sighted including being more centrally located to their sponsored events, as well as the fact that more bass pro fishermen live in the state than any other. In my opinion those are valid points, but the real reason is that the new owners needed to show they are creating a new identity. In this case they may be trying to create the old identity that people missed.

Guide to Catching Bass by Kevin VanDam

2011-11-24T12:41:00.000-06:00

Kevin VanDam shares some incredible information about the 6 seasons of bass fishing. It is probably the most comprehensive and helpful guide I have read. I think you'll find this information helpful, although it may be of greatest benefit when you fish in unfamiliar waters. The 6 seasons of bass fishing are Winter (48 degrees and below), prespawn (48 to 55 degrees), spawn (55 to 70 degrees), postspawn (70 to 75 degrees), Summer (75 to 90+ degrees), and Fall (75 to 55 degrees). The details in this article will definitely make you a better bass fisherman. Click on the link to read the article published in bassmaster.com.

I'm going out this afternoon so I will follow KVD's advice and look for vertical structure as suggested for the Winter season. Thanks for your advice. I'll let you know how I do.

Fishing T-Shirt Of The Week - Redneck Bass

2011-11-15T09:00:00.001-06:00

Since I was born and raised in redneck county, that would be Texas, this is one of the best t-shirts I've seen in a while. A creative image that is available in both long and short sleeve t-shirts as well as in a sweatshirt. Multiple color options are also available.

Click on the link or the image to find more information about the Redneck Bass shirt.

Hunting and Fishing Help the Economy $730 Billion

2011-11-14T09:00:00.001-06:00

If you're like me you like to hunt and fish simply for the enjoyment of the outdoors and the camaraderie of being with friends and family (plus I'm much better at fishing than golf). However, from an economic standpoint, the industry is BIG business and has a tremendous impact on our economy.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced recently that the hunting and fishing industry pumps $730 billion into the economy annually. And, one out of every 20 jobs is related to the recreation industry. So let's continue to protect it and teach our kids how to enjoy the outdoors as much as we do.
Read more.......

Nanofil From Berkley - Review

2011-11-13T07:06:00.002-06:00

Several weeks ago I decided I would give Berkley's new fishing line, Nanofil, a try. I've fished with it three times now. It is known as a uni-filament and is designed to be used on a spinning reel. I would say it does live up to the hype and that it is definitely different than anything I've thrown before.

The first thing I noticed is that it casts farther than any line I've used previously. It is very light and has almost no drag, so it casts a country mile. Also, it doesn't seem to stretch at all. I could feel every movement and bump of my lure as I retrieved it. I fished with 8 lb. test, it was certainly strong, but I still managed to break it a few times as I snagged some structure. I would rate the strength similar to braid. Another good feature is that it didn't seem to have any line memory which I really like.

The only negative I can say about it is that because it is so slick and has no memory, it spooled a little loose on my spinning reel. It didn't cause a problem, but it appears to be loose at times between casts. Berkley does recommend a special knot be used. See the video below. I used a cinch knot and it worked fine. Next time I'll try this one.

All in all, I give Nanofil very high marks. The new technology continues to amaze me.

Asian Carp A New Delicacy

2011-09-27T22:25:00.000-05:00

Prior to 1980, redfish was not particularly popular and certainly wasn't served in restaurants. Then renowned chef Philippe Parola created a recipe he called "Blackened Redfish" that became so popular that it strained the population of the species. Wow, what if the same could be done with Asian Car? Could that species become a popular food so that commercial fisherman would harvest them and they wouldn't do so much damage to our fisheries?

Well, Chef Parola is at it again. He is working to create demand with a customized processing method and re-branding Asian Carp to be know as Silverfin. He hopes to popularize the brand with value added, boneless, pre-cooked and flavored Silverfin fillets. This re-branding has been done before such as Chilean Sea Bass which was known previously as Patagonian Toothfish. That is the power of marketing.

So look for Silverfin to show up in stores soon. Not only can you enjoy its unique taste, you will also be ridding our fisheries of this pest.

This post is brought to you by RecycledFish.org.

Favorite Soft Plastic Bait - Twister Tail Spinner

2011-09-25T13:45:00.000-05:00

Over Spring Break last March, my son and I hired a fishing guide for a day of fishing in Tampa Bay. We caught more fish in a day than I've ever caught in my life (over 80 when we lost count). What amazed me was that we used one bait. It was a simple soft plastic bait rigged on an unpainted lead jighead. Pretty basic. When one got a little torn, the guide reached in a plastic bag and pulled out another one, same style and color. He was a very successful guide that obviously knew his stuff. I asked him if this was all he used and he pretty much said it was and it worked. He said the most important thing was finding the fish, then he knew this bait would work.

That got me thinking when I got back home and fished my home fresh water lakes. I'm not suggesting that you pick only one bait, but I did find a combination that worked well for me and that I caught the majority of my fish with this summer. I knew it would work, so I spent my time finding fish instead of trying every lure in my tackle box.

In my home lake, this really produced for me. I used an 1/8 ounce jighead, a little larger if I needed to go deeper. I didn't throw everything in my tackle box as I had in the past, yet I caught many more fish.

This post is brought to you by www.fishing-t-shirts.com from Crazy Fisherman.

Fishing T-Shirt - Old Lazy

2011-09-24T19:24:00.001-05:00

This fishing t-shirt, for some reason, seems to have gained some attention lately. Possibly it's because many of us fisherman live up to the name of "Old Lazy." Anyway, we are selling the heck out of them right now which is fine with me. Maybe you should have one. Just click on the image to learn more.

Major League Fishing - There Is A New Game In Town

2011-08-14T13:28:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you mix 24 elite bass fishermen, the Outdoor Channel, and a little vision? You get the Major League Fishing Tournament Series. This will be a made-for-television tournament series that will capture more drama, competition, and excitement than any tournament format today. The goal is to make it more of a spectator sport. Something along the lines of the NFL, MLB, PGA, or NASCAR.

Elite bass fisherman Boyd Duckett and a few of his fishing colleagues have been working on the idea for several years. They agreed that the formation of MAJOR LEAGUE FISHING should be geared to only strengthen the sport by playing a complementary role to B.A.S.S., FLW and more importantly, the anglers.

So what will make MLF different than other tournaments? How about ........

Surprise venues
No practice days
Real-time leader board in each boat
No limits on the number of fish weighed
Implement time-based deadlines and weight-based cut line

The other uniqueness is that it is more about the personalities, the struggles, the strategies, than the fish. It will probably not be aired until 2012, but I can't wait to see what they come up with.

This post is brought to you by crazyfisherman.com, the best place to buy your fishing themed t-shirts and gifts.

Catching Summer Bass (and other fish)

2011-08-13T20:55:00.000-05:00

In warm weather like we have experienced in the last month fishing can become quite a challenge. I fish at least once a week throughout the summer, and I have to tell you this is tough fishing when it is really hot.

I've had my best luck early in the morning and during a light rain shower. If you can find moving water that also helps. Moving water not only brings food, it also contains more oxygen which gives a fish more energy during the heat. Fishing at night can also improve your odds. They seem to become more nocturnal during hot weather.

This summer I've had great luck with a simple 1/8 ounce jig with a four inch chartreuse flake twister tail. For part of my time I've added a spinner to the jig which has helped the bite when it was slow. Although I have a tackle box full of all kinds of lures, sometimes getting back to the basics is what is needed.

Now let's go fishing.

World Record Peacock Bass

2011-08-06T16:41:00.000-05:00

Rafael F. Llamozas, of Salt Lake City, traveled to Columbia to catch one of their famous peacock bass. Well he accomplished his goal. Pictured here is a pending world record speckled peacock bass caught by Rafael on April 4, 2011. His local guide is also in the photo. He released the fish after properly measuring and photographing it to submit the potential world record catch to IGFA. Congratulations to Rafael.

Berkley Nanofil Wins Best Of Show

2011-07-20T06:00:00.002-05:00

Berkley does it again. Berkley Nanofil fishing line won Overall Best of Show in the new product showcase at the recent ICAST conference. This new line is not a mono and not a braid, but a completely new technology. They have created a new fishing line product that is stronger, with less diameter, and with virtually no line memory. See the video below for more information.

Lazer Lure's New Onion

2011-07-19T19:39:00.001-05:00

Lazer Lure, with the help of Mike Iconelli, has developed a new shallow running balsa lure called the onion. Watch the video to learn more. It was introduced at ICAST 2011.

Fishmore and Doolittle T-shirt

2011-06-25T11:05:00.000-05:00

For people who would rather be fishing, the Fishmore and Doolittle fishing t-shirt is now available from Crazy Fisherman. Quality 100% cotton for long-lasting comfort. This is an awesome t-shirt.

Learn more and purchase one by clicking on the image or on the link above.

Marines Helping Marines Fishing Tournament

2011-05-11T20:41:00.000-05:00

What a great cause!!

The 3rd Annual Marines Helping Marines Fishing Tournament will be held May 21st. The event will take place at Anchor Marina in North East Maryland. This tournament pairs professional and sport fishermen with severely injured Marines who have fought for our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. See the video below.

Click on the link for more information - Marines Helping Marines. Crazy Fisherman is proud to be a sponsor of this great event.

Status of Fish Habitats in the US - New Report

2011-04-14T20:43:00.000-05:00

Through A Fish's Eye: The Status of Fish Habitats in the United States 2010 is a report released today by the National Fish Habitat Board. It is the first-of-its-kind report that serves as an effort to protect, restore and enhance our nation’s aquatic habitats. The report summarizes the results of a nationwide assessment of the human effects on fish habitat in the rivers and estuaries of the United States.

There are over 300 million people in the United States that depend on the same aquatic environment as over 3000 species of fish. As a result, there is a collision underway because of the effects of urbanization, agriculture, dams, culverts, pollution and other forms of human impact. The report isn't meant to be a scare tactic, it is meant to provide factual information about conditions today so we can take appropriate action to reverse some of these trends. In the state-by-state analysis, I am disappointed to see that my home state of Iowa is one of the worse contributors to degradation due to our agricultural industry.

I want to encourage you to read the report and do your part to preserve the habitat so generations to come can enjoy fishing just like we have.

Catching Bass In The Spring

2011-04-08T22:27:00.000-05:00

I love fishing for bass in the Spring. It is my favorite time to fish and I've caught my biggest bass in April and May. I have found that the key to finding and catching bass during the Spring is surface water temperature. When I fish I keep a thermometer handy and monitor water temperature closely. Largemouth bass begin to spawn between 62 and 65 degrees. However, the temperature has to stabilize for a couple of days before the fish cooperate; they are not fooled easily.

Bass also prefer to spawn near objects of some kind. It might be a rock, log, grass, or a dock. This object probably makes them feel safer since the object provides a little more protection as they watch their eggs.

Watch the temp and go catch some big bass this Spring.

Fishing Guides - Are They Worth The Money

2011-03-18T14:01:00.000-05:00

I would answer that question a resounding YES. Earlier this week I spent the day fishing near St. Petersburg, Florida. I decided I would hire a guide to take me and my son out for a half day. We wanted to fish in inland waterways not in the Gulf.

After a quick search on the internet I found Capt. Doug Hemmer, an experienced guide in the area. He met us at a convenient location on a canal, and we were off. It took about 15 minutes to get to our first stop to fish. On his third cast my son pulled in his first sea trout. We fished about 8 or 9 different locations, each being fruitful. The rule was if each of us went 3 casts in a row without catching a fish, we moved.

All in all, we caught about 70 or 80 fish in 4 hours, mostly trout but also a Spanish mackerel, several lady fish, and a 3 ft. shark. Capt. Doug knew how to read the bottom conditions to find fish. I could have never come close to that experience on my own. It was worth every penny.

Fishing App For iPhone And Droid

2011-03-13T07:49:00.000-05:00

There is a new app available for the iPhone and Droid that can help your fishing success. It is called Fish Notes and was designed by the legendary Jimmy Houston. For years fishermen have made notes about where they caught fish, what the weather conditions were, what bait they used, and more. Fish Notes makes it easy and takes it to a new level.

It is very easy to use. When you catch a fish just take the phone out of your pocket and click the "Fish On" button. The app will automatically record the location, wind speed, real-time weather conditions, etc. You can also attach a photo or video to that record. You can also fill in more information later when you have time.

One of the most useful aspects of the app is that you can view where other users are catching fish. As more people use the app, there will be a tremendous amount of useful data for all of us. See an example on this map. Wow, this new technology is incredible. What will they think of next?

How Does Kevin VanDam Win So Much

2011-03-05T08:28:00.000-06:00

A couple of weeks ago Kevin VanDam won his fourth Bassmaster Classic and his second in a row. Does he just work harder than the other anglers? Have you wondered what makes him so successful? Last year his "go to" lure was a lipless crankbait, this year it was a square bill crankbait. See the image below.

There is no question KVD is a master at selecting the right bait to catch big fish, but there is something even more important. And this factor is what I believe has truly set him apart from the other great bass anglers.

The skill that I think has helped him achieve his incredible success is his ability to read and react to the water conditions. He is the best at that. The Lake Cataouatche area where he caught so many monster bass was producing little or nothing in practice due to the cold water temperature; however he knew that was the place to be if the water warmed up.

The water began to warm by Wednesday, they took Thursday off, and by the first day of tournament fishing the water temperature had hit the magic 64 degree mark that triggers the spawn. The warmer water made the fish move but they weren't focused on feeding.

No problem for him, he used a reaction bait to get their attention. He did it with a spinnerbait and a crank in a pond off Lake Cataouatche. He made the winning move on day when he ditched the spinnberbait and went to a square-bill crank. Another key move was to make repeated casts to the same cover element.

KVD is a great fisherman, but I think what he does better than anyone else is read the water and environmental conditions and use it to his advantage. I only wish I had a fraction of his ability doing that.

This post is brought to you by:

Does Fishing Line Color Matter

2011-02-26T21:51:00.000-06:00

Anglers have tried to find the answer to the question of line color for many years. Manufacturers have convinced fishermen it matters because they are now producing fishing line in multiple colors as well as multiple materials. A study by Rudolph Miller and Fred Janzow at Oklahoma State University proved that fish can discriminate between different line colors. Here's how they did it.

They presented largemouth bass with different colored lines and one of the lines had food on the end which was enjoyed by the bass. As the lines were placed in the water, naturally the fish would go to the line with the food. Once the fish got used to receiving the reward, the food was removed. Did the fish still go to the color of line that previously had the food? Yes they did, which proved that fish can distinguish between line color. Click here to read the study.

So what is the best color to use? Studies show that transparent blue is generally the least visible in most conditions; however most experts agree that you should match the line color with the water conditions. For instance, in clear water use clear line. In water with a green tent or lots of vegetation, use a low-visibility green line. Of course color in only one factor that must be considered when choosing the right fishing line; line diameter, strength, and material are additional considerations.

Walking Worm Innovative Bass Bait

2011-02-20T15:26:00.000-06:00

I have just been introduced to the Walking Worm, although it has been around awhile. The technology is simple but ingenious. The worm has a small recoil wire inside it that provides enough tension to make it appear as if it is moving. This simple movement promotes a strike response in bass. The motion is different than you can achieve with a typical plastic worm. Click on the link below to learn more and to view a short video.

Walking Worm video.

Trends In Fishing And Hunting New Report

2011-02-12T20:27:00.001-06:00

A report just came out as an addendum to the 2006 national survey on fishing, hunting, and wildlife-associated recreation conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Although the survey was conducted in 2006, the extensive analysis of the data just became available last December. This report is quite extensive and breaks down participation by species as well as by state. I find the overall report a bit confusing; however here are a few pieces of information that may be of interest.

Overall Participation
I was surprised to learn that overall participation has decreased. Fishing and hunting both have experienced declines since 1991. From the perspective of a percentage of the total population, the decline in hunting and fishing is more pronounced. Table 1 below details the drop in participation of fishing from 21.0% in 1991 to 13.1% in 2006. Participation rates for hunting fell from 7.4% to 5.5%.

Table 1. Hunters and Anglers 16 years and older: 1991–2006
(numbers in thousands)
Year      Population         Anglers          Hunters
2006      229,245            29,952           12,510
2001      212,298            34,071           13,034
1996      201,472            35,246           13,975
1991      189,966            35,578           14,063

Fishing Expenditure
Comparing 2006 to 1991 expenditures finds an 18% increase in inflation-adjusted dollars. I think that expenditures went up although participation went down because there is so much more equipment available to purchase today, and because the manufacturers and retailers have done a great job marketing to us.

Click here to view complete report.

There may be several conclusions that could be made from this study, but my biggest take-away is that we are not doing a good enough job introducing young people to these two sports and to the outdoors in general. Could it be that we are all spending too much in front of a TV or computer screen? The long-term implications of this is not good.

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Is Fish Catchability Genetic

2011-02-06T17:22:00.000-06:00

Biologist like Dr. Hal Schramm is always studying interesting concepts related to fishing. What a fun job he must have. His latest article shares a study that took place in Missouri related to catch rates in largemouth bass.

In the study they tagged all the largemouth bass they caught. At the end of the summer they drained the pond; the bass that had been caught several times were captured and taken to a separate pond to spawn. The bass that were never caught or rarely caught were taken to different pond to spawn. This same procedure was done for three generations. The conclusion was that the catch rate remained high for the group that had been caught multiple times, and remained low for the other group.

This is the only study of its kind, so no one knows if this applies to other species of fish as well, but logic would say that it does. This study does confirm that a catch and release program is important to keep as many high catch rate fish reproducing for future generations. Read entire article.

This post is brought to you by Crazy Fisherman, gifts and t-shirts for the fishing enthusiast.

Tarpon fishing has huge impact | The News-Press | news-press.com

2011-02-01T18:23:00.000-06:00

Who would have thought that sport fishing could have such an impact on the local economy? Well it does. Even more than baseball.

According to a $15,000 study commissioned by the Everglades Foundation and released Monday, tarpon fishing in the Charlotte Harbor system, which includes Pine Island Sound and the Caloosahatchee River, has an annual economic impact of $108.6 million. The Charlotte Harbor system is considered the tarpon capital of the world.

By comparison with the $108.6-million economic impact of tarpon fishing, Lee County's artificial reefs had an economic impact in 2009 of $104.2 million, and spring training in the county has an annual economic impact of $47 million. Read the entire article by clicking on the link below.

Tarpon fishing has huge impact | The News-Press | news-press.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"