Fishing News From Crazy Fisherman

Angling for Brook Trout in the Driftless Area of Iowa - NYTimes.com

2009-11-28T20:26:00.002-06:00

Wow, I can't believe it. The outstanding trout fishing found in Northeast Iowa is finally recognized nationally in the New York Times. Of course this could also bring more visitors and fishermen to the area which I'm not sure I like.

Northeast Iowa is home to some of the finest trout fisheries I've ever seen. Crystal clear spring-fed streams nestled between beautiful Iowa farmland and pristine limestone cliffs. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has done a tremendous job raising trout and keeping many of the streams stocked. Click on the link below to read the article.

Angling for Brook Trout in the Driftless Area of Iowa - NYTimes.com

Fishing tournament lures NASCAR drivers - Outdoors - MiamiHerald.com

2009-11-08T13:26:00.004-06:00

Fishing tournament lures NASCAR drivers - Outdoors - MiamiHerald.com

For NASCAR fans who love to fish -- has Darrell Gwynn got a deal for you!

For the eighth year in a row, the paralyzed former race-car driver plans to raise money for his foundation to cure paralysis by holding the Hot Rods and Reels Fishing Tournament on the infield lake at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 21. Click on the link above to learn more.

Alive Lure - New Technology For Fishing

2009-11-02T05:50:00.000-06:00

Fishermen continue to search for new baits or lures that will attract fish. You either look for a bait that mimics a fish's real forage, or something that just looks inviting so they will take a whack at it. Bass are notorious for just attacking something that is in the water based on sound, color, or movement. Alive Lure has created a lure that looks like a large bee, and when it is in the water it buzzes and the wings move to attract attention.

I think they may have something here if you are looking for a new weapon in your tackle box arsenal. Check out the website at www.alivelure.com.

New Fishclipper Is An Outstanding New Product

2009-11-01T06:04:00.003-06:00

I received an email the other day from Jim Brown, the inventor of the Fishclipper. He sent me one to check out and I am sold.

Just to save time, I am constantly leaving a lure connected to my line in hopes that if I'm careful nothing will happen. Invariably I'll catch it on a piece of clothing, or worse, I'll catch it on a part of my body. The new Fishclipper is a simple but ingenious invention that allows you to keep a hook or lure connected, but provides protection. You can just unclip and begin fishing. Learn more at www.fishclipper.com.

Teeg Stouffer Shares His Experience At TheToyota Texas Bass Classic

2009-10-25T07:50:00.006-05:00

Guest post by Teeg Stouffer (pictured right), executive director of Recycled Fish.

I have one of those jobs that people who love to fish dream about. I get to talk fish, fishing and conservation of our waters – that’s my job. Seems like every fishing fanatic I know has remarked at one time or another how much fun it must be, getting to fish all the time.

Truth is, if you love to fish and want to go fishing all the time, you ought to get one of those jobs where you work three twelve hour shifts. Doesn’t matter what you’re doing, whether it’s washing dishes or fixing arterial walls in heart patients. If you want to fish a lot, you need the time to do it.

At my job as Executive Director of Recycled Fish, I spend a lot of time TALKING about fish, fishing, and conservation of fisheries … and very little time actually doing it. It’s like being a chef and creating this incredible buffet every day, and eating once every week or two.

That’s why I was so excited when I got a call saying that I’d get to fish in the Toyota Texas Bass Class Pro-Am. What’s more, I’d get to bring along one of our ambassadors.

Dick’s Sporting Goods is our biggest national sponsor at Recycled Fish, and they are also the official retail partner of the Professional Angler Association’s crowning event – the Toyota Texas Bass Classic. As such, they had a slot in the Pro-Am. They were willing to give it to me, since I was headed down there anyway to do conservation education as part of an onsite appearance for Recycled Fish in the Dick’s Sporting Goods activity area.

Recycled Fish ambassador Scott Decker flew from Ohio to Dallas, and the two of us drove the three hours down to Conroe , near Houston . We were both leaving behind chilly fall weather for a return to warm weather splendor. As we drove south, we talked about who we’d like to fish with.

“Shaw Grigsby,” I said. That was my pick, no uncertainties about it. “It will be fun no matter who we fish with, but I’d love to get Shaw.”

The morning of the Pro-Am, we were handed a pairing sheet listing the amateurs and who they were paired with. I scanned for our names, and next to them … Shaw Grigsby. Amazing.

We collected our complementary goodie bags, went and found Shaw, made introductions, and sat down to breakfast. We ate, plotted strategies for the day’s fishing (mine consisted of “do whatever Shaw says”) we heard rules, we climbed into Shaw’s rig and he drove us to the lake.

As a matter of course of my job, I have shared the same stage as Jimmy Houston and Bill Dance, I’ve been a speaker at the Bassmaster Classic for the past three years, I’ve done lots of these kinds of things. I’ve even fished with professional anglers, but never an elite – and never one who has been a lifelong hero, a legend.

It was a spine-tingling, other-worldly experience to launch in Shaw’s boat and hold it at the dock while he parked, to pull away from the launch in that wrapped Triton.

Shaw proved to be as gracious – and as talented – as you can imagine. I watched him pitch a jig alongside a boat into a dock stall where the slot was maybe a foot wide. At the end of the stall was a dock rope he’d have to pitch under, and it hung maybe a foot off the water. With a swift flick of the wrist, Shaw’s jig passed through this one-foot by one-foot box, and landed with merely a blip at the front corner of the dock stall. Perfection and precision.

But I also learned that he likes taking his cookies apart to make ‘double stuffed’ ones. He showed me firsthand how to tie his favorite fluorocarbon knot. I heard him congratulate his daughter on graduating from nursing school. We talked about alternative energy. We talked about catching fish, and the times we accidentally caught birds.

I contributed little to our team’s success that day – Decker and Shaw cleaned up, and we got our five fish. (It was a catch-weigh-release format, best five fish over 14”.) We didn’t win, but I don’t think it would have mattered if we did.

If I was a fan before, I’m a super-fan now. It has something to do with the firsthand experience of fishing with Grigsby, and something to do with who I understand him to be. The back collar of his brightly colored, logo-emblazoned dye sublimated fishing shirt says this: Romans 8:28. "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose."

Amen.

Thinking Outside The Bottle, Booze Bait

2009-10-22T19:20:00.006-05:00

If you have ever wondered if you could invent a fishing lure, you now have the answer. If you have ever wondered if a particular fishing lure was made to catch fish or to catch fishermen, consider the Booze Bait and judge for yourself. Learn more at www.boozebait.com.

It has natural color and is environmentally friendly (considering it uses recycled materials). The action is as good as most other top water lures I have used. I think they've got something here. I can't wait until next year's ICAST convention, it's got to win best of show for the new products.

Willow vs. Colorado Spinner Blades

2009-10-17T22:09:00.008-05:00

Spinner baits may have two different types (or shaped) of blades - willow or Colorado. Have you ever wondered which blade is best for you to use? Well, we hope to give you some guidance. (I guess I should also share this article with the fish so they also know these rules.)

A spinner with willow blades is shown above. Willow blades are best used in clearer water with visibility of 2 feet or more. Not only do they create a lot of flash, but they are also shaped like a small shad. Because of the shape of the blade, they can retrieved a little faster than the round Colorado blade.

The round-shaped Colorado blade (shown above)produces more of a vibration which attracts attention in darker or stained water. The Colorado blade will cause more of a reaction strike. This is also the best blade to use in low light or night fishing.

Most spinner blades come in two colors, silver and gold. Many fishing pros pay more attention to the blade color than the skirt color. The rule of thumb is silver works best in clear water and gold is best in stained water.

Spinnerbaits are an important weapon in every fisherman's arsenal. Using these simple rules may help a fishing trip be more productive. Feel free to leave a comment with your experience.

The ThinFin Is Back

2009-10-11T12:35:00.005-05:00

Storm Lures has re-introduced the original ThinFin crankbait. The ThinFin was one of Storm Manufacturing Co. original fishing lures when they began operations in 1964. It was re-introduced early this year after a few years being off the market. This has caused celebration among many fishermen who had fished with the ThinFin since they were a kid.

The erratic darting action mimics many baitfish. The lure is relatively light and floats. When you begin the retrieve, the ThinFin dives with a wobbling or swimming action. If the lip hits an object, the lure will swim in a slightly different direction. A move of your rod tip can also change the direction. These lures are exceptional for bass and walleye. They are also effectively used for trolling.

If you haven't tried the ThinFin, you need to. I think you'll be hooked!

Storm Original ThinFin Lures

Bass Eat Big Bait

2009-09-17T20:26:00.003-05:00

As you can see from this photo, even a small bass will eat a big bait. Bass will eat any forage that will fit their mouths, and they have a big mouth. The bass pictured here is a small bass, but you can see that it fit a large crayfish in it's mouth. Don't be afraid to throw something big to catch a big bass.

Must Read For Gulf of Mexico Fishermen

2009-09-09T09:45:00.004-05:00

The article below explains something most Gulf fishermen do not know. If people do not speak up and make their feelings known, you may need to go to a local tackle shop and buy a tag for the fish you plan to catch. I don't know about you, but I can't predict my fishing success that well. It's called a catch-shares program. Please read the complete article by clicking on the link below. Buying a license is one thing, but the catch-shares program is just someone making a buck off of our fisheries in the name of conservation.

The following people need to hear from you: our federal and state legislators; Ms. Monica Medina, Special Advisor to the Under Secretary, NOAA, 1404 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20230; and Dr. Bob Shipp, Chairman, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, 2203 N. Lois Ave., Suite 1100, Tampa, FL 33607.

COLUMN: Selling snapper on Wall Street? Fishing as we know it is on the hook | fishing, going, hook - News - TheDestinLog.com

Adrift in Gulf of Mexico, lost Texas fishermen get a second chance | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Breaking News for Dallas-Fort Worth | Dallas Morning News

2009-08-31T21:32:00.001-05:00

After a week at sea, three fishermen are rescued in the Gulf of Mexico. They survived on potato chips and bubble gum. There are lots of interesting comments from other fishermen about the sketchy details and why they would go on an overnight trip without a PLB (personal locator beacon.) I am very glad they are okay; however we should learn from this how to be safer on the water. Read the complete story below and read the comments also.

Adrift in Gulf of Mexico, lost Texas fishermen get a second chance | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Breaking News for Dallas-Fort Worth | Dallas Morning News

Rage Tail Baits - Bass Baits With More Action! The Rage SHAD - TOAD - ANACONDA - CRAW - CHUNK - LIZARD - SPACE MONKEY - LOBSTER

2009-08-29T20:28:00.002-05:00

These new Strike King Rage Tail soft plastics have incredible action. Click on the link below to take a look for yourself.
Rage Tail Baits - Bass Baits With More Action! The Rage SHAD - TOAD - ANACONDA - CRAW - CHUNK - LIZARD - SPACE MONKEY - LOBSTER

Keeping Bass Alive

2009-08-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Since 1972, BASS has been a leader in bass conservation. In order for bass populations to stay healthy in spite of all the fishing pressure, anglers had to change their attitudes from catch-and-grease to catch-and-release. In 2002 BASS published the book, Keeping Bass Alive, the most comprehensive book for tournament anglers and organizers ever published. It has now been published and I would like to share tips from the new pocket guide. We can all learn from these tips for all kinds of fishing.

Minimize handling and air exposure time. Land fish and remove hooks as quickly as possible.
Protect the slime coat. Don't let fish flop on carpet or deck.
When surface water temperature is less than 75° F, aerate the livewell by flushing with fresh water.
Run recirculating aeration continuously when the boat is moving and cannot pump in fresh water.
When surface temperature exceeds 75° F, use continuous recirculation. Add a block of ice to cool the water.
When operating livewell in recirculation mode with more than 5 lbs of bass, replace half of the livewell water with fresh water every 3 hours to remove amonia. Add ice to lower temperature to the target range. When recirculating, add 1/3 cup non-iodized salt for each 5 gallons of livewell water.
At weigh-in, use only bags provided by the tournament officials.
Fill with at least 2 gallons of livewell water.
While in the waiting line, dip fresh water into your bag several times
from life-support tanks.
Handle fish with wet hands, hold bass vertically by the lower jaw
or support fish with 2 hands.
For more info visit bassmaster.com/conservation

Fisherman Dies From Flesh Eating Bacteria

2009-08-23T15:35:00.003-05:00

A 52 year old fisherman from Baytown, Texas dies from flesh eating bacteria after fishing in Galveston Bay. Jesse Shurley was fishing near shore in a small jon boat. The boat tipped over and he scraped his knee while righting it. Shurley felt sick the next day but didn't think much of it. By the following evening, his knee was so swollen and he felt so bad that friends took him to the hospital fearing he may have broken it.

After running some tests the doctors determined what it was and immediately transferred him to another hospital that was better equipped to treat the infection. In hopes they could keep the infection from spreading, the first step was to amputate the his leg. The bacteria had spread so quickly that even after the leg amputation and removal of infected tissue, it continued to spread throughout his blood and many of his organs. All in all it was a three week battle that was won by the bacteria.

These infections, often mild, can become life-threatening for people with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or hepatitis. Unfortunately, Shurley suffered from hepatitis C.

I share this story with you just to emphasize not to take chances, even with something as minor as a scrape on the knee that begins to have complications. Getting to the hospital a day earlier may have been the difference between life and death. I pray for him and his family, and pray others can learn from this incident, I know I have.

KickTail Fishing Lure

2009-08-15T20:10:00.003-05:00

They've sold over a million of these KickTail fishing lures so I decided to finally try one out. I have to say I was impressed. It does have excellent action as advertised, and I caught some bass with it. I'm not sure I would go so far as to say that it increased my catch rate 3 to 1 as stated in the advertising, but it is a very good lure. There are other "jointed" lures out that I have also tried and not been quite as pleased with the action. If my memory serves me right, the KickTail was one of the first to come out with the tail flutter technology.

I would say every serious bass fisherman should have it in his/her arsenal. Learn more about the KickTail by clicking on the link below.

KickTail Lure!
30 Day Risk Free Trial!

Felt Sole Wading Boots May Be Banned

2009-08-07T08:22:00.004-05:00

People who fish with waders in lakes and rivers have enjoyed using wading boots with felt soles that improve their footing for many years. Well, this may be coming to an end. When used in different bodies of water, the felt has been found to spread harmful parasites and algae that can cause illness or kill fish and damage their environment.

A few countries are have banned the use and Alaska will ban felt sole boots in some streams beginning in 2011. Manufacturers are scrambling to develop good alternatives that provides comparable traction. Trout Unlimited is encouraging all manufacturers to phase out production of these boots by 2011. Read more.

Fishing A River And Finding Fish

2009-08-01T12:24:00.007-05:00

It seems like I have done more river fishing this summer than ever before. This has forced me to learn from both trial and error, as well as just doing some good old fashioned research. So far I've caught crappie, catfish, carp (not by plan), and bass while fishing nearby rivers.

Here's what I have learned:

Look for shoreline with some type of cover. It could be weeds, rip rap, wood, or points.
Look for water that has a combination of cover, baitfish, and current break.
Bass and most other gamefish (not including walleye) like to wait at current breaks where they can catch their bait without using a lot of energy. Walleye generally prefer the current.
Fish will face into the current, so cast upstream and bring your bait downstream.
Look for holes where the water dept changes drastically, they usually hold fish.

I have been most successful with chartreuse colored spinner baits for bass and crappie, a skirted jig rigged with a chigger craw for large bass, and live bait for catfish. The large carp pictured here was caught on a gold Steelshad. I guess he didn't know I was fishing for bass at the time. Though I've caught more big fish this summer in rivers, I've also lost more lures on hook-ups than ever before. I guess that just goes hand in hand. The local tackle shop really like me now.

Hobie Pro Angler Wins Best Of Show

2009-07-25T21:21:00.003-05:00

The International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades (ICAST) was held July 15-17 in Orlando, Florida. This is the event where product buyers and the media get to vote on the best new products. It is like the Academy Awards of fishing products. This year the new Hobie Pro Angler fishing kayak was voted "Best of Show".

In case you were unaware, kayak fishing is experiencing tremendous growth in popularity and I believe this will continue for quite some time. It is easy, inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and a lot of fun. Learn more about the Pro Angler.

North Carolina State New College Bass Champs

2009-07-12T17:29:00.002-05:00

North Carolina State's Will White and Chris Wood found their "honey hole" today and blew the competition out of the water in the Under Armour College Bass Championships. Their total weight today was 14.43 lbs. The next closest team was North Texas with 6.23. The final three teams were Northwestern State with 3.21, Montevallo with 0.00, and Louisiana - Lafayette also with 0.00. Like I said yesterday, with this format it was anyone's game today. North Carolina State was fifth yesterday, but all teams started from zero today.

Congratulations to NC State!

Day Two Results Of College Bass Are In

2009-07-11T19:17:00.002-05:00

After day two of the Under Armour College Bass Championships, the five teams that will compete in the shoot out are Northwestern State, Montevallo, North Texas, Louisiana-Lafayette, and North Carolina State. Each team will start from zero on their final day of competition. More ....

A complete list of results can be found below:

(Place, School, Boater, Partner, Weight)
1 Northwestern State Zach Gagnard Paul Rini 20.20
2 Montevallo Clent Davis Chuck Holderfield 19.69
3 North Texas Brandon Dickenson Austin Hallowell 19.25
4 Louisiana - Lafayette Cody McCrary Justin Barmore 14.76
5 North Carolina State Will White Chris Wood 14.54
6 Oklahoma Chip Porche' Mark Johnson 14.12
7 Texas Trey Epich Bobby Frey 14.11
8 Alabama Foster Bradley Ben Weldon 13.69
9 Stephen F Austin Allen Coleman Andrew Upshaw 13.66
10 Florida Jake Gipson Matt Wercinski 13.15
11 Truman State Mike McCarthey Jr. Ed Kennedy 12.45
12 Missouri Scott Dooley DuRon Netsell 10.13
13 Southeast Missouri State Taylor Gorton Mike Rains 9.48
14 Arkansas Taylor Deniston Mook Miller 9.39
15 Alabama Birmingham Larry Franks Jr. Daniel Douglas 9.35
16 Auburn Paul Davis Kiron Browning 8.42
17 Wisconsin - Stephen's Point Casey Kmiecik Jeremy Seelig 8.37
18 Tarleton State Chris Michels Tanner Morgan 7.78
19 Arkansas - Monticello Daniel Chapman Phillip Roberts 7.60
20 Arkansas Tech Kyle Brookshear Lucas Madison 7.55
21 Delta State Brandon Baldwin J.P. Armstrong 7.05
22 Arizona State Mitch Kistner Brent Perkins 6.83
23 Clemson Brandon Cobb Lancen Halbert 6.71
24 Southern Illinois - Edwardsville Luke Hicks Ric Cooper 6.67
25 Murray State Kalem Tippett Jonathan Byrn 6.62
25 Arkansas - Little Rock Trent Gephardt Brian Duckett 6.62
27 Indiana Zach Wojtovicz Jesse Schultz 6.34
28 Western Kentucky Aaron Bidarian David Stephens 6.24
29 Drury Drew Simon Alex Sahliyeh 6.12
30 Morehead State Shaun Gallant Aaron Jones 5.93
31 Henderson State Hunter Fant Marcus Greene 5.91
32 LSU - Shreveport Zach Caudle Joe Landry 5.76
33 Mississippi State Harry Halliwell Bradley Sartain 5.74
34 Texas State Sean Kubiak Chris Lochte 4.82
35 South Alabama Tyler Pitts Jonathan Pope 3.96
36 Concord Tyler Webb Warren Schurdell 3.66
37 Wisconsin - Whitewater Doug Rosenthal Jake Menden 3.63
38 Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Cory Conley Casey Conley 3.50
39 Faulkner Kyle Tindol Michael Eubanks 2.96
40 Eastern Kentucky Tyler Moberly Richard Cobb 2.94
41 Tennessee - Chattanooga Taylor Massingill Alex Craw 2.61
42 Illinois Matt Widtman Kerry Ryan 2.46
43 Tennessee Nick Tate Jimmy Reynolds 2.41
44 Louisville Josh Cole Matthew Underwood 2.25
45 Kentucky Brandon Card Adam Bryant 2.10
46 LSU TJ Goodwyn Travis Laurent 1.95
47 Baylor Jay Holland Andrew McAdams 1.43
48 Southern Illinois - Carbondale Mark O'Brien Jason Mills 1.20
49 Oklahoma State Bryce Bechtel Cody Fuller 0.00
49 Brown College Adam Odegaard Nathanial Cook 0.00
49 Iowa Tyler Merhl Bob Downey 0.00
49 Louisiana Tech Colton Carpenter Jarod Brantley 0.00
49 Texas A&M Paul Manley Andy Schaffer 0.00
49 Florida Gulf Coast Tommy Edwards Noah Grimes 0.00
49 Tennessee - Martin Jordan Birch Slayton Gearin 0.00
49 North Alabama Jade Keeton Johnathon Nixon 0.00
49 Tennessee Tech Adam Goodwin Josh Haskins 0.00
49 Texas - Arlington Stephen Pineau Nathan Rusterholtz 0.00
49 Wisconsin - Eau Clare Brandon Jack Andrew Gullickson 0.00
49 Texas Tech Scott Jones Jake Szot 0.00

College Bass First Day Results

2009-07-11T08:33:00.002-05:00

The University of Louisiana - Lafayette takes the early lead, but anything could happen. Here are the results from day one of the College Bass Championships from North Little Rock, Arkansas. All 60 teams in the field will fish the first two days of the tournament, and the top 5 will start Sunday from zero to decide the national championship in a one-day shootout. This will add to the excitement, because anyone in the top five could win. I'll post second day results as they are available.

School, Boater, Partner, Weight:
1 Louisiana -Lafayette McCrary Baremore 12.82
2 Alabama Bradley Weldon 11.91
3 Northwestern State Gagnard Rini 9.75
4 Stephen F Austin Coleman Upshaw 9.45
5 Montevallo Davis Holderfield 9.30
6 Oklahoma Porche' Johnson 8.72
7 Florida Gipson Wercinski 8.68
8 Missouri Dooley Netsell 7.92
9 Delta State Baldwin Armstrong 7.05
10 North Texas Dickenson Hallowell 5.94
11 LSU - Shreveport Caudle Landry 5.76
12 Texas Epich Frey 5.63
13 Arkansas -Monticello Chapman Roberts 5.34
14 Truman State McCarthy Jr Kennedy 5.13
15 North Carolina State White Wood 4.97
16 Arkansas Tech Brookshear Madison 4.75
17 Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Conley Conley 4.50
18 Mississippi State Halliwell Sartain 4.45
19 Tarleton State Michels Morgan 4.42
20 Arkansas Deniston Miller 4.19
21 Indiana Wojtovicz Schultz 4.05
22 Western Kentucky Bidarian Stephens 3.77
23 Concord Webb Schurdell 3.66
24 Wisconsin - Whitewater Rosenthal Menden 3.63
25 Wisconsin - Stephen's Point Kmicek Seelig 3.19
26 Morehead State Gallant Jones 3.09
27 Clemson Cobb Halbert 3.02
28 Faulkner Tindol Eubanks 2.96
29 Texas State Kubiak Lochte 2.94
30 Arkansas - Little Rock Gephardt Duckett 2.67
31 Tennessee - Chattanooga Massingill Craw 2.61
32 Arizona State Kistner Perkins 2.43
33 Tennessee Tate Reynolds 2.41
34 Drury Simon Sahliyeh 2.34
35 Southeast Missouri State Gorton Rains 2.32
36 Louisville Cole Underwood 2.25
37 Kentucky Card Bryant 2.10
38 LSU Goodwyn Laurent 1.95
39 Auburn Davis Browning 1.87
40 Southern Illinois - Edwardsville Hicks Cooper 1.71
41 Murray State Tippett Byrn 1.14
42 Henderson State Fant Greene 1.00
43 Alabama Birmingham Franks Jr. Douglas 0.00
43 Oklahoma State Bechtel Fuller 0.00
43 Southern Illinois - Carbondale O'Brien Mills 0.00
43 Brown College Odegaard Cook 0.00
43 Iowa Merhl Downey 0.00
43 Eastern Kentucky Moberly Cobb 0.00
43 South Alabama Pitts Pope 0.00
43 Louisiana Tech Carpenter Brantley 0.00
43 Texas A&M Manley Schafer 0.00
43 Florida Gulf Coast Edwards Grimes 0.00
43 Tennessee - Martin Brich Gearin 0.00
43 Illinois Widtman Ryan 0.00
43 North Alabama Keeton Nikon 0.00
43 Baylor Holland McAdams 0.00
43 Tennessee Tech Goodwin Haskins 0.00
43 Texas - Arlington Pineau Rusterholz 0.00
43 Wisconsin - Eau Clare Jack Gullickson 0.00
43 Texas Tech Jones Szot 0.00

College Bass National Championship Begins Soon

2009-07-05T23:18:00.003-05:00

The College Bass National Championship sponsored by Under Armour will take place on the Arkansas River Friday, July 10-Sunday, July 12. More than 142 collegiate anglers from 71 colleges and universities across the country will be making their way to North Little Rock, Ark. for the fifth annual tournament considered the most prestigious collegiate tournament. They will compete for a chance at more than $15,000 in scholarship monies and prizes. Tournament waters will be restricted to Arkansas River Pools 5-7.

This has traditionally been an exciting tournament and I'm sure this year will be no different. Competitors will arrive and practice throughout the week. We'll keep you up to date on results.

New World Record Bass

2009-07-03T14:43:00.006-05:00

There is now a new world record bass which was caught in Japan and reportedly weighs approximately 22 pounds, 5 ounces and measured 73.5 centimeters (nearly 29 inches). It was caught by Manabu Kurita on Lake Biwa which is the largest lake in Japan. Although it is the largest ever caught on record, it will go down in the record books as a tie for the world record because it does not exceed the old record by at least two ounces. I have been unable to find out what it was caught on. (Continue)

Fish React To Flash And Vibration

2009-07-01T22:23:00.006-05:00

Generally fishing lures either emulate natural forage or they entice a bite with their flash and/or vibration. I can't remember the last time I fished without throwing a Steelshad or spinner of some kind, both of which have a lot of flash and vibration. I am not even sure the color matters as long as those two qualities come out in the lure. Mepps, long time manufacturer of spinner baits, has now captured the sound of spinners and you can listen to them on their website. It is fascinating. Click on the link to listen to the spinner bait sounds.

Recycled Fish

2009-06-28T19:49:00.003-05:00

The non-profit organization Recycled Fish, founded in 2004, is an organization of anglers dedicated to living a lifestyle of environmental stewardship both on and off the water. The organization began by just promoting catch and release; however now teaches and encourages anglers to have good stewardship in all aspects of life because "lifestyle runs downstream." Learn more by visiting Recycled Fish. The website has some valuable information that will help all of us preserve the earth for future generations. You should check out and take the Sportsman's Stewardship Pledge today.