Santee Cooper Lakes, SC – If you’re into big fish (and who isn’t?), the Elite Series event at Santee Cooper Lakes was right up your alley.

Not one, but two anglers joined the coveted century club, pulling in over 100 pounds of bass for the tourney total. But it was Georgia native Drew Cook who finally took home the trophy and the big check on the strength of a four day total of 105 pounds, 5 ounces.

Finishing behind him was Caleb Kuphall with 103 pounds, 1 ounce. What’s even more remarkable about Kuphall’s bag is he did not catch a 5 fish limit every day of the tournament, and weighed in a total of 19 fish.

Perennial fan favorite Brandon Palaniuk finished in third place, bringing a total of 98 pounds to the scales.

Any way you slice it, this was a big bass tournament through and through.

Wire to Wire, But Not Without Drama

Extreme winds caused tournament officials to delay the third day of the tournament, which moved everything back a day.

During that break, Cook would watch from his rental house as local anglers descended on the cove where he was doing his best work.

Despite the added pressure, he was able to keep his composure and get back to business when the tournament restarted on Sunday.

His strategy was to ride the Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog all the way to the podium, and that proved to be the right move. Sight fishing for big fish with a killer frog put his haul over the 100 pound mark, and his paycheck over the $100,000 mark.

Most importantly, Cook has punched his ticket to the Bassmaster Classic.

Birmingham, Al – Lake Guntersville was stingy across the board, but Hank Cherry figured them out on day one, and never relinquished that lead.

Conditions were extremely tough for the 50th anniversary of the Bassmaster Classic. In the weeks leading up to the tournament, the area was overwhelmed with non-stop rain.

The downpour desisted long enough to allow for bluebird skies for the three day tourney, but that didn’t mean conditions were good. Gusting winds and choppy water were a concern for everyone at the launch.

I spoke with tournament director Trip Weldon briefly, and he was very candid.

“I was worried about getting that launch done safely,” he said.

Those difficult conditions made things tough from the first bell for everyone. Except for Hank Cherry.

He managed to bring in nearly 30 pounds on day one, giving him a commanding lead that he never let go.

Most of his success on day one came from using a Zman Jackhammer chatterbait and casting toward shore. Fighting the wind and difficult water, he was still able to grab two largemouth over 7 pounds.

Over the next two days, he varied his presentation with baits including his signature jig from Picasso (in green pumpkin of course) and a Megabass 110+1 jerkbait.

Cherry made a point at the first weigh-in that held true throughout the weekend. He told emcee Dave Mercer that he does not like to run in choppy water and windy conditions. So he essentially spent the whole time fishing one causeway and one grass flat.

I never put gas in the boat all week.

Hank Cherry

That “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” strategy proved to be the winning one.

Cherry takes home the biggest prize in bass fishing and drives his career earnings to just south of a cool million.

One component of fishing that can make a huge difference in everything from angler fatigue to hook up ratio, having the ability to present a bait properly, casting distance and accuracy as well as myriad other concerns is a good, balanced rod.

Yes, the stick you’re using can, depending on which one you’re throwing, either help to elevate your time on the water or make it much more of a chore than it should be.  

The Daiwa Kage Details

We obtained the new Daiwa Kage casting rod, the KAG711MXB “Light Jig & Texas”, to be precise. This stick is a 7’1” medium power, extra-fast action rated for lures from 1/4-3/4. We got this model to handle much more than jigs and Texas rigged plastics.

We intended it to be used as an all purpose rod for everything and anything within its stated weight rating. Whether we were throwing crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, topwater plugs or whatever else the situation of the day called for, we wanted to see how the Kage would handle a plethora of baits. 

Before we get into that, you may want to know that Kage is Japanese for “Shadow”. The cosmetics of this stick couldn’t be more in line with its name. From the matte black finish of the blank, guide wraps, reel seat and fore-grip to the brushed pewter guide frames and clean full grip cork handle, everything is spartan, utilitarian and stealthy. There is no unnecessary bling to take away from its ultra-clean appearance. This rod was built for one purpose, to be an effective fishing tool. 

The Kage Guides, Handle and Blank

Daiwa uses their proprietary SVF blanks with nanoplus technology to create a rod that is equally responsive, sensitive, light weight and balanced while having an abundance of strength to move fish to you with surprising efficiency.

The tangle free K guides with Alconite inserts fit the rods perfectly and provide excellent line management. The guide train features the stripper guide and the next two guides double footed while the rest are single footed. The full cork handle uses AAA Portuguese cork that is both comfortable and in our opinion, transmits vibration better than some of the newer materials that are used on a lot of current rods. The butt is a composite cork that finishes it seamlessly while giving it a little added protection against accidental user error like dropping it on the pavement or other stupidity. 

Heavy On Performance

We paired this with the new Tatula 100 spooled with #10 copolymer to start. We started by using it for light jigs & texas rigs as per manufacturers recommendation.

Its responsiveness was evident immediately. It handled those baits effortlessly. Casting was a breeze with the rods smooth delivery always a joy to feel. The first bite highlighted just how sensitive the Kage is and how, seemingly instantaneously, that vibration is delivered to your hands so that you can set the hook.

Fighting fish is a non issue as this rod has handled some hefty bass without ever feeling over matched in any way. Some rods you have to apply so much muscle to coax the blank into helping with the fight but not the Kage. The action of the blank is intuitive and absorbs the headshakes or runs of big fish amazingly well. 

We have thrown everything within the stated rating as well as several things both above and below those numbers. While going down to a 1/16 didn’t work out well because the rod was too stiff for that, going up to a little over an ounce didn’t overburden this stick. Rather it just started to feel a little bit mushy so that’s where we stopped.

It handled everything from 1/8 – 1 very well without sacrificing its excellent feel for what the bait was doing in the water. Within this range, the Kage is one of the most well balanced rods we’ve ever thrown. Never feeling tip heavy on the high side or too stiff and un-wielding on the low side.  

Daiwa produces 13 different models of the casting version of the Kage ranging from 7’1” to 8’6” in powers from medium to extra-heavy with applications for any number of techniques. They also have 5 spinning models for bass. Since its introduction the Kage line has grown beyond bass to include Walleye specific models of which there are 12 ranging from ultra-light to medium and a series of ultra-light rods for panfish which includes another 12 models.

Across the line, the blank construction is consistent as well as the high end components. We have not fished with any of the other models but considering our experience with the bass sticks, we will not hesitate to add more Kage rods to our collection as the need or opportunity arises to pursue other species. 

Local Tackle Shop Exclusive

One more feature of note concerning the Kage series, you will not find them at e-tailers or in big box stores. This series is reserved for good ole mom and pop, local retailers. While that may seem a little outlandish to some folks these days, it is in our humble opinion, a fantastic way to distribute these sticks.

For one, you get the chance to go in and get them in your hand before buying them. You get to look closely at them, turn em over in your hands, feel how light they are,  all while supporting a local small business. We’ve got a few of those family owned tackle shops that we frequent because within those walls is a sense of community. People who share the love and addiction to this wonderful pastime of fishing with us. They can be an invaluable resource as well as a place to learn or in some cases teach. Both as fulfilling as the other. We hope that Daiwa will continue this practice with these rods.

The Kage is a complete product. From design to execution to where they can be purchased. Everything is top notch. All of this for an extremely reasonable retail price of about $189.

On the MVF rating scale, the Daiwa Kage earns 5 stars. 

See ya’ on the water … 

Daiwa introduced their Tatula series of reels several years ago beginning with the original Tatula 100 and 100 Type R.

We’ve had every major version update since then including the CT Type R and the SV. We obtained the new Tatula 100 some time last year and have been fishing with it ever since.

You might wonder why we haven’t reviewed this reel before now which is a good question. The reason is that we don’t like to have only a couple of months with a new reel. We prefer to have it for enough time to really put it through a lot of time on the water, under as many different conditions as we can find, to determine whether or not it can stand up to abuse over time. With that in mind, let’s get to it! 

Tatula 100 Specs

The model that we’ve been using and abusing is the TTU100HSL. Yes, it is the left-handed version but the specs are the same as the right-handed model.

The gear ratio is 7.1:1. It weighs 6.9 ounces which was the lightest Tatula manufactured when it was released. It has 7BB + 1RB, a line capacity of 12/150, 14/125, a compact 38mm size, Zero adjuster spool tension knob, T-Wing system, soft touch handle knobs, magforce-Z braking, UTD (Ultimate Tournament Drag), and a rigid aluminum frame. Cosmetically the Tatula 100 gets the matte black treatment with the ghost spider logo on the non-handle sideplate with a few well placed red accents that complement the rest of the overall appearance. 

Like all if its predecessors, the new 100 is easy to set up and adjust on the fly simply by increasing or decreasing the braking, and handles a great range of baits. With its line capacity, which is on the high side for 100 series reels, it can handle a wider range of line sizes than most of its competitors.

This is one feature doesn’t get the attention it deserves. We’ve fished many other comparable sized reels with considerably less line capacity which inevitably limits which techniques are available on that particular rig. We prefer the flexibility we get due to this from the Tatula 100. 

Tatula 100 Casting and Performance

Another common thread that runs through the entire line since its inception is the ease of casting inherent in the Tatula series. When you spend eight or more hours per day on the water casting non-stop, fatigue can set in. The fact that it takes less effort to cast the same bait, the same distance or further as other reels really adds up by the end of a long day. That little bit of energy savings per cast after hundreds of ‘em can make a surprising difference in how you feel when you leave the lake.  

The Magforce-Z braking system is as consistent in this reel as every other Tatula we’ve fished. It doesn’t just slip for no apparent reason as some centrifugal systems tend to. How many reels have you used where you’re just going along, chunking and winding without a care in the world then out of nowhere, you get a backlash. You pick it out, wondering how in the blazes it happened, then get back to fishing.

A little while later, same thing. It can happen several times a day. Maybe one of the brake elements didn’t kick out completely, or a speck of dust got on the rotor or any number of other possible causes. The point is, Magforce-Z has never just failed to function absolutely consistently in our experience with the Tatula. For us, that’s just one less thing to be concerned about which translates to more time and attention paid to fishing. 

The Tatula 100 is surprisingly smooth on both the cast and retrieve. We would hazard to say that it is as smooth as some other reels that are about double its retail price of $159. Not only is it smooth, it has a solid, connected feel to it.

You can feel your lure, what it’s doing, what it’s hitting under the water and when you get a bite. When you hook up, you feel what the fish is doing but the reel feels solid and smooth the entire way. Even when you get one that pulls drag, the Tatula pays out the line without being herky-jerky. If you want more drag than it has, just put a little pressure on the spool with your thumb and you’re good to go.

We’ve caught a ton of fish of all different sizes using a ton of different lures from weightless plastics to almost two ounce swimbaits. The Tatula 100 has handled them all with absolute ease. Given you have the right line on the right action rod for the lure you’re using, this reel handles a huge range of baits without losing any of the positive properties that it excels in.

From #8 – #25 mono and flouro, as well as corresponding braid, we’ve changed things up, put the reel on rods that range from light to Xheavy just to see how versatile this little reel is. It has absolutely proven to be one of the select group of reels available that define what it means to be a workhorse reel. 

If there is any negative with the Tatula 100 it is that the finish on the reel is not as robust as some of the other models. Yeah, we’re probably splitting hairs here because this really has nothing to do with the functionality of the reel. A scratch here or there doesn’t decrease casting distance or efficiency. Fish don’t decide not to bite cause the paint job isn’t perfect and lures don’t start running wonky just cause there’s a little boat rash on the baitcaster. Yes, we’ve used and abused our Tatula 100 but it still functions just the way it was designed to. 

On the MVF rating scale, the Daiwa Tatula 100 earns 4.5 stars. 

See ya’ on the water … 

The fishing is mourning the loss of a true giant and innovator this weekend.

Forrest Wood, largely recognized as the originator of the modern bass boat, passed away on January 24th at the age of 87. He is survived by his wife Nina and four daughters.

Born in 1932 in Flippin Arkansas, Wood recognized the need for a new kind of boat while guiding in the Ozarks. In 1968, he founded Ranger boats.

He only built 6 boats that first year, but Ranger would go on to become huge. We all know the name, the look, and the legacy. Wood sold the business in 1987.

The extent of the legacy of this man on bass fishing cannot be overstated nor really quantified. In his way, doing what he loves, he truly changed the world.

I had the chance to meet Mr. Wood a few times. He was always a congenial man who took the time to speak with fans and truly loved the sport of fishing.

He will be missed and we send our sincere condolences to the Wood family.

Drift Walker Specs

How To Fish The Drift Walker

A Few Last Thoughts

With the cold water season already in full swing in parts of the country, we took a look back and discovered that we have not to date reviewed what has become for us, a staple in our cold water arsenal.

That being the Z-Man David Walker’s Crosseyez Power Finesse Jig.  

We have come to depend on several Z-Man products for various times of the year and this jig is one of those that we have tied on in most cold water situations. The reason is simple, the Crosseyez Jig is an extremely effective tool when slowing down and/or downsizing your presentation is the key to getting fish to bite.

The Crosseyez Jig Construction

The Power Finesse Jig is a smaller, more compact design but is still feature rich. Yes, it resembles some kid being goofy by intentionally crossing their eyes but that isn’t a negative for this bait.  

The head design is both functional as well as versatile. It allows the angler to use this jig for casting, pitching, skipping, swimming or just dragging it around likely targets. In our experience with the Crosseyez jig, it performs admirably in all these situations while maintaining the ability to switch styles without having to modify the bait.

Pick a Trailer, Any Trailer

Simply pick the trailer that you like best for a given situation, thread it on and you’re ready to go. The trailer keeper is a simple wire version that is mounted on the top of the hook shank coming out of the head which hasn’t interfered in the slightest way when it comes to setting the hook. It holds both Z-Man plastics and traditional plastics without issue.

That being said, in our experience with this jig, we prefer the Z-Man trailers as their ElaZtech material is naturally buoyant which gives the jig a different position on the bottom of the lake and the colors complement the jigs skirt colors better than others seem to.  

The skirt material is a finer cut silicon with strands of varying length. This gives this lure a more natural motion than some of its competitors. It is also hand-tied using wire as opposed to a rubber or plastic band. You really appreciate the longevity this gives the bait when you use it as frequently as we do.

The line tie is approximately at 45 degrees sitting horizontally. This results in positive hook penetration when it’s time to but the wood to ‘em. The weed guard is both robust and long out of the package. In every case, we have chosen to trim its length as well as remove some strands so that setting the hook becomes easier.

You can leave it as delivered given that you’re fishing around the worst structure in the lake but we’ve yet to have a problem with getting hung up due to modifying it. 

Quality Hooks

The other feature that we’ve come to appreciate on this diminutive jig is the 2/0 Mustad Flipping Hook which comes stock. It is sharp, tough and pins the fish very well. The Crosseyez Jig is available in 1/4 and 3/8.

We find that we use the 1/4 more often than not as it gives us more options considering the sink rate. Yes, it takes more time to sink in deeper water but for lethargic cold-water fish, slowing things down while downsizing our presentation has put a great deal of bass in the boat. Both weights are easy to use with standard casting gear.

They don’t require heavy line or a rod with an unusually stiff action to be effective. We’ve caught many fish on this jig using lines as light as #10. This speaks to how sharp the hook is and how well designed the entire package is. 

More Patterns Would Be Nice

If we had to pick something to gripe about with this bait it would be that the selection of colors is limited. Yes, we would like to see more patterns added but that may be just looking for something to complain about. Take a look for yourself to see what you think.

The Z-Man is not cheap. It retails for about $4.99 each. However, we don’t think that this price is unwarranted given what you’re getting for you money. We’ve used this jig year-round as there doesn’t seem to be any timeof the year when it simply won’t work. Add all that up, you’ve got a lure that is easy to use, effective year round, versatile, and durable.  

On the MVF rating scale, the Z-Man David Walker’s Crosseyez Power Finesse Jig earns 4 stars. 

See ya’ on the water …

In a joint press release from October 10th, 2019, Major League Fishing announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire FLW.

“We’re thrilled about welcoming FLW to the MLF team,” said Jim Wilburn, President and CEO of Major League Fishing. “FLW shares our commitment to creating tournaments and opportunities centered on the success of the angler. Through this acquisition, we are better positioned to support anglers and sponsors at all levels.”

Each year FLW offers thousands of anglers of all skill levels across the globe the opportunity to compete for millions of dollars in prize money in five tournament circuits. Under the leadership of Irwin Jacobs, FLW expanded the top level of competition to include the industry’s first seven-figure purse.

I reached out to several anglers for comment. In general, the reactions were positive, sprinkled with a healthy helping of, “Let’s wait and see.”

Anglers I spoke with who fish the FLW Costa Series were excited to see the drop in entry fees.

What’s Changing?

For the anglers not yet in the thick of the professional ranks, the changes are most positive.

FLW High School Fishing, YETI College Fishing, T-H Marine BFL and Costa Series circuits will continue in 2020 and beyond, with the addition of three regions in the Costa Series, and reduced entry fees for both BFL and Costa Series boaters and co-anglers.

Changes For The Pros

The biggest changes will be evident in the professional ranks. Essentially, there will be a mix between the traditional format tournaments we are used to seeing in FLW, and the newer format originated in the BPT.

The Pro Circuit will operate on a six-day competition schedule that features FLW’s traditional five-fish-limit format on Days 1 through 3, transitioning to the MLF catch, weigh, immediate-release/every scoreable bass counts format on Days 4 through 6 (which include two 10-angler Knockout Rounds and a final 10-angler Championship Round).

As is the case in all rounds of the MLF Bass Pro Tour, MLF-appointed in-boat officials will manage the competition and weighing of fish on the final three days of the FLW Pro Circuit. 

For more information, visit https://majorleaguefishing.com/news/mlf-acquires-flw/

In 2015, the EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers instituted a regulation known as the Clean Water Rule.

The rule effectively clarified waters that fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government.

The rule sought to protect streams, wetlands, and other watersheds from industry using them as places to dump byproducts and other pollutants.

Because these watershed areas affect downstream water health, it was contended that protecting these areas would also protect the cleanliness and purity of the water people use in everyday life.

It goes without saying that protecting these wetland areas also has the potential for a profound impact on the wildlife and the land that we all enjoy as outdoor enthusiasts.

Controversy Over the Clean Water Rule

The rule was not without it’s detractors on both sides of the aisle.

Many saw it as a profound overreach of Federal power, and 13 states sued to block the rule in 2015. A judge issued an injunction, and a series of legal decisions ensued, ultimately resulting in the Rule going into effect.

Repeal of The Clean Water Rule

On September 12th, 2019, The Clean Water Rule was repealed.

According to the New York Times:

An immediate effect of the clean water repeal is that polluters will no longer need a permit to discharge potentially harmful substances into many streams and wetlands. But the measure, which is expected to take effect in a matter of weeks, has implications far beyond the pollution that will now be allowed to flow freely into waterways.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/12/climate/trump-administration-rolls-back-clean-water-protections.html

Supporters of the rollback say it is a win for economic growth and limiting the power of the Federal government, while detractors say it will have devastating effects on watersheds and the communities downstream from them.

We have reached out to several experts for more information and will follow this story and developments closely in the coming months.

Tahlequah, Ok. – Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi.

For fans of Australian sports this is a familiar call. It rings with national pride and just plain old fun.

But it is not the only appropriate refrain to celebrate Carl Jocumsen’s Elite Series win, Happy Birthday would work too.

Jocumsen turned 35 on Sunday, and got probably the best birthday present in the history of ever.

He pulled up to the scales with 19 pounds, 12 ounces of Oklahoma bass in tow, more than enough to move him from 3rd place to hoisting a trophy.

The Winning Strategy

Jocumsen focused on a strategy that was very different than the field.

Primarily focusing on offshore, deep structure, he relied heavily on electronics to find the most potentially productive spots.

All of his fish were caught on a 3/4 ounce Molix Football Jig, with a Strike King Rage Craw in Green Pumpkin for a trailer.

For the win, Jocumsen, takes home $100,000 and a one-way ticket to the 2020 Bassmaster Classic.

And just to put a little icing on the cake, he will be getting married in two weeks. Did anyone have a better month than this guy?