Living the Dream

The morning air always seems brisk on the day of a tournament, and the sun has an ominous look as it rises over the water.  Senses are heightened, nerves are sharp and spiny, and the anticipation of blast off invokes anxiety.  Most tournament bass guys get their fix right then.  We do it for the adrenaline; the pure emotion which can only be met by competition.  Some fish the Tour.  Others are weekend or weeknight warriors fishing for local bragging rights.  Yet beyond the lights and glamour, there is another group of tournament anglers.  A group often overlooked and overshadowed by the guys beating the tournament trail.  Yes, I’m talking about the Die-Hards. 

The ice had only just left the surface of the water on a frigid April morning, and two of the best friends ever to share a boat are headed to a lonely patch of river to dodge floating ice in the hopes of feeling the first fish of spring.  As expected, the boat ramp is empty and the flowing water looks as thick as the syrup from my morning toaster waffle.  My lifelong friend and fishing teacher Correy is hustling around to get his boat ready to head up river to inaugurate another year of bass fishing.  Correy is a river maniac who lives for the bite.  This would be our 25^th year of fishing together and after five months of winter we are ready to get on the water.  In those five months, we organized our tackle a dozen times, prepared rods and reels, looked at maps and dreamt about getting back out there.  We were over prepared to say the least, but dreams of fishing again kept our blood pumping through the winter.  After a quick check of the equipment and a puff stale exhaust from his Yamaha, we were en route.  

After a tooth chattering 15 minute ride we arrived at the “honey hole”, a small slack riffle on the edge of a steep river bank.  Although it was only about 30º that morning, the sun was peeking out and may have drawn some fish to shallow areas and current breaks.  I started the day with a Strike King Series 4S bouncing lazily around some wood and chunk rock hoping to find a hungry beast with spring fever.  After every cast I methodically chipped the ice out of my line guides and off the front of my casting reel.    Occasionally I would lift or lower my rod tip to keep my line from snagging up on small sheets of ice as they floated by us on their way down river.  Though my mind told me I was crazy to be cranking 3’ of 33º water, my body was warmed by the casting and reeling.  Anticipation of a strike pumped heat through my veins and kept my fingers tingling, reminding me they were still attached to my hand.  Correy threw a little grub and a tube in the same areas, and picked apart some familiar structure in hopes of catching the first one.  He knew as well as I did, though, that we were there just to be there.  Catching one would be a bonus.

Minutes turned to an hour, and one hour to two.  I threw a few different lures and shared some new rods and reels with Correy;  I reveled in awe at the pile of ice shavings accumulating at my feet from my casting reel.  Even in the cold April air, with the inclement conditions our focus never lessened.  We continued our trek up river, tasked with the duty of beginning the year on a high note. 

The boat turned a corner, and revealed a wide spot with a bit slower current and a deep trough which the current flowed over.  I cast my jerkbait up current to the far side of the hole, and snapped it down to its running depth.  I watched, almost in slow motion as the current pushed my bait towards me and the line slackened in response.  I could picture in my mind exactly what that bait was doing; sinking slowly in the frigid water, shimmying side to side as the current pressed against it.  In perfect harmony, my expectation met my peripherals in the moment when my line jumped forward; my arms swung the rod through the slack line……the rest is history.

I have been a bass fisherman nearly all my life.  In fact, many of my friends and colleagues would say that it defines me.  I am fortunate to have a wonderful wife, employment, family and friends.  I am happy and content with my life and surroundings and want for very little.  As the battle ensued that cold April morning, between me and my first 2010 bass it reminded me that I was created to fish.  Although I fish tournaments, compete at different levels, participate in television shows and have the support of the industry’s best fishing companies, my existence is fueled by the next bite.  When Correy reached into the icy water to lip that first fish for me, it justified a miserable and cold winter.  It brought to me a joy that only exists in true fisherman. You can’t hang it on your wall, it doesn’t show up in pictures, and nobody has the logo to add to your jersey.  There is no board of directors, and membership is optional, but if you pay your dues you are in for life.  It’s easy to get caught up in the grind and business of fishing.  Too often we lose sight of the substance of fishing.  The day will come when tournaments are gone, but the Die Hard bass anglers will be around long after the Tour is forgotten.  

BY: Kendall Ulsh

Head Games

 Tournament fisherman have a lot to think about. I recently heard someone compare a golfer to a fisherman. The golfer can often get bogged down if he thinks about each little thing he needs to do to get the swing right. A fisherman can also get bogged down if he thinks too much about all the different choices that he could make for each circumstance.
Some of the issues that can come into play are water temperature, time of year, time of day, time of season, water clarity, air temperature, line type, line weight, pole type, pole flexibility, lure color, lure type, the list can go on and on...
One of the important things to do is to try to simplify you choices. Wouldn't it be quite a bit easier if there were only a few lure choices? If there were only a few colors to choose from? I try to keep only a few colors of each bait. A light color, a dark color, and a special color for each lure choice is really all that is necessary. Believe me, I understand with all the choices in colors available it makes it very difficult not to buy everything available, but one of the things I think really helps this situation is to try to keep things simple.
If you only have three color choices, in three depths of crankbaits, then you only have 9 choices of crankbaits. If you are fishing stained water, I try to use use a dark color crankbait, or a real bright color, like chartreuse. I try not to get caught up in buying every color of a lure. I try not to get every type of bait under the sun.
When I look at each tournament lake, I make a plan based on that particular lake, the time of year, and where I would expect to find the bass on the day of the tournament. When tournament day is here, I try to stick to the plan, unless some condition has changed that would change my game plan.
Sometimes people or things make us change our plans, sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad. One long time competitor says something like,"I think plastics is going to win today."
Talk about head games. Does that mean I should fish plastics? Or is it reverse psychology, meaning not to fish plastics? I try not to listen to dock talk, but it still makes it difficult to not affect the decisions made, one way or the other.
On tournament day, simplify your choices, do not listen to dock talk. Focus on the weather, time of year, and color of water, Fish what you know best. Tight lines. Fish with fury.

BY: Joe Minor
Inside Bass Fishing
Pro Staff

Things you should look for in a custom rod but were afraid to ask

 How many times have you shopped for a new fishing rod at your favorite retailer, only to be faced with the following dilemma:   You really love the blank action on rod A, but the handle on rod B fits your hand best, and the guides on rod C are what you've been looking for. Ever happen to you? I'd be willing to say yes!
  Purchasing a custom rod means you're willing to spend a little more for that "Best Fit" scenario. I'd like to go over a few things to look for, as well as ask the builder, when considering a custom rod. By asking the questions, you'll save yourself a lot of heartache down the road.
  One thing to remember, a custom builder works with stock rod blanks from various manufactures. Considering the high tech nature of graphite cloth and the machinery needed to produce a blank, it's not practical for a custom builder to produce his own blanks.
  The 'custom' in a custom rod comes from the components, and how they're applied and assembled. This is what makes a custom rod!
  After establishing with a potential customer what blank/technique he/she wants, I always like to start with the reel seat/handle assembly. You can have the most sensitive, light rod on the planet, but if the handle is uncomfortable, you've wasted not only yout time, but your money as well.
  Too many factory rods (especially spinning rods) come with a reel seat that is too skinny for the average adult. Factory rods reel seats are meant to fit a wide variety of hand sizes. You only have one hand size, so why not get a reel seat that fits? For most adult males, a size 18mm spinning reel seat fits best...16mm is fine for a trout or ultralight rod, or a rod for those with smaller hands. The larger reel seats help eliminate hand cramping over the course of a day on the water. Generally, baitcasting reel seats come in 16mm or 17mm sizes. Since the majority of bass anglers palm the reel when retrieving, those sives will suffice.
  Rear handle length can be discussed at this point with your builder, as well as wether you want a foregrip (very popular now, for good reason-increases sensitivity). Another popular feature among the factory guys now is the split rear grip...pioneered long ago by the custom builders! Ask your builder about that option, it really does make the rod feel lighter.
  Choosing guides can be almost as daunting as shopping for bass lures! Let your builder know what type of line you'll be using. Mono and floro aren't hard on guide rings like braids, so standard aluminium oxide will do the job. Braids require the harder ring materials such as silicon carbide, alconite, nanolite, titanium oxide, etc. Any builder worth your time and money will make the proper recommendations. One more point, always be sure to ask your builder if he/she spines the rod. That's locating the rod spine (natural curvature of the blank). Placing the guides properly on the blank will assure peak rod performance.
  The one area where function really doesn't come into play is guide wrap colors and other embellishment such as weaves, decorative wraps, personalization, and marbling. All these are purely aethstetic...this is where you can make your custom reflect your "True Nature"!!
  Hopefully, these tips will help you to get the most out of your custom rod, you paid for it...you deserve to get the most out of it!

BY: Mark Burks

Hogz By Logs

Growing up fishing these midwestern lakes with my father, an early lesson in my "Bank Busting" ways was easily learned as time and time again i would watch my dad bring a spinnerbait down a log laying off the bank into the water and suddenly theres was no more white, flashy blur under the surface of the water but a big boil and then i remember i got to let the fish go every time, also an early lesson in the making of the "Bass Thumb".
As i grew a bit older and after much practice in the alley at home i was soon able to precisly cast to the spots right along with dad... We would both agree on a side of the log and this was the test, or the fruit of all my homework done in that alley after school many summer days.
Even back then, i wasnt born yeasterday and it didnt take long for me to figure out that bass live amidst all the sunken limbs and logs strewn about the shorelines of the lakes we would fish. Every summer we took week long camping trips to random lakes across the midwest and every lake was in some aspect the Same, the Hogz were in the Logs... Nowadays after reading countless articles and much time on the water myself still busting banks and beating the bark off old fallen oaks, i have come up with a few reasons why I think the fish are there.
1. Of coarse the obvious reasons are Shade in the hot summer months and an ambush point in that shade. If a bass can find shade to cool him down and do little to no work to engulf a passing meal than i belive 9 times out of 10 it will. No fish, bird, dog, cat or human is willing to go through too much for a simple meal. This is why buffets are a wonderful thing! Everything youd ever want to eat just a few steps from your table... Sit closer to the buffet and it becomes less of a trip. Get my drift??
2. When that tree fell from the bank im sure a few squirrels and birds lost there nests, but theyll get over it i guarantee it; and of coarse the life of that tree is over, but as soon as it splashes into the water it serves as a whole new purpose.
We dont really see it from the boat but theres alot going on down there that many may overlook. The moment algae starts to grow on the tree the cycle starts. Zooplankton and other microorganisms feed on the algae, young fry feed on the microorganisms, yearling fish feed on the fry and so on. Each tree or laydown has this going on all throughout the lake/river.
Another reason i belive hogs are by the logs is the fact that when fry leave the nest in the shallows the safest and most secure place with the most food and shelter is the weedline and bushes present closets to these nests in the shallows.
Can you imagine if every bass that was born in the spring grew up and thrived in our lakes and rivers? There would be an absolute astonishing number of bass in our fisheries. Unfortunaly this does not happen due to predation i.e. Birds, turtles, snakes, largers fish etc..... Those that do survive learn quickly that hiding amoungst the thickest of cover in the early stages of life is a must for survival so therefore i belive it to be only natural to find the smarter, more keen & larger bass to be around the type of cover that got them to where they are, to the size they are.
Of coarse there are exceptions to every theory, there are those bass that live deep, maybe genetics of the male or female that swam from the depths to the shallows to spawn carries over and becomes dominant and thats how we get deep water fish...
Either way, i have become a "Bank Buster" and it has more than paid off in my fishing. Next time you are on the water dont forget to look for the Hogz By Logs!!
Derek kaalberg

Cold weather blues

I have recently made a few trips out in the cold weather to see if I could pick off a few sluggish largemouths in this cooler weather. I must say, in all honesty its been tough mentally and physically. I've done quite a bit of research, looking into patterning what I think would be the common approach to finding and catching fish. A lot of the normal techniques grubs,spoons, big jigs, jerkbaits and a bit of mixed in gut approaches provided me with a case of "haulin water". Where most would give up and wait it out for warmer weather, I took the time to learn its tough fishing, which is a no-brainer and a weakness that I need to work on to become better. In this case, back to the drawing board, and try again. Until next time, we"ll see how this goes.

Product Review: Sufix 832 Braided Line

By: Tyler Brinks

Braided line is here to stay.  It is the perfect line for many situations and in my opinion it is a must for punchin' and frog fishing.  I have been using the same brand of braid for over ten years, the biggest reason was it worked well.  I never thought much about it, braid is braid right?  I have been using the new Sufix 832 for about a month now and have been really impressed.  It won the Best Fishing Line award at the 2010 ICAST show.  Some fisherman don't really pay much attention to the awards at ICAST because they always seems to go to the biggest companies, whether they deserved it or not, but this stuff is the real deal.  

Like I always say when I get something new "What makes this better than the rest?"  Sufix calls it "the next generation of technical fishing line".  It is braided line, but includes GORE Performance Fibers (think Goretex) to make it stronger and more durable.  My first experience with the line came while spooling it on my reels.  It was smooth, almost like it wasn't braid.  I checked my other spools of braid made by other brands and you could immediately feel the difference.  

Braid is great, but it always seems to get frayed and lose color after a few trips.  So far, so good with the 832.  It is still smooth and maintained most of it's color after some hard days of fishing thick cover.  It's also a very small diameter and has no problems with casting.

Sufix 832 is different for three major reasons:

• The first is Dyneema® fibers, which contribute to the small diameter, high strength and sensitivity of the fishing line. 
• The GORE Performance Fibers add improved abrasion resistance, noise and vibration reduction, along with improved casting length and accuracy. 
• Lastly, the R8 Precision Braiding and fiber technology add superior strength, roundness and line consistency.

These three reasons are very technical explanations for what makes the line different, but in actual testing while fishing, I can tell you this braid is in a different class.

BY: Tyler Brinks

Senco Worm Tactics

Gary Yamamoto really broke the mold when he invented the Senko Worm. It is brilliant bait and it is widely used. But are we using the Senko to its fullest ability?

There are fundamental tactics that, to me, are key when fishing the Senko Worm. Oh yes, there are many proven ways to fish the Worm, like ‘dead sticking’ or ‘wacky worming’ to name a few. All will work in fooling old Bucket and Smallmouth, but consider what a smaller hook and finessing the Senko worm can accomplish! I personally think that’s what it was meant to do. It works so well because it mesmerizes the Bass into submission with its unique patented action on its own, there is no need for jerking the rod to give it life. All the Senko Worm needs is for you to strategically place it out there and watch it work!

I rig my Senko Worm Texas with a 3/0 Owner wide gap ‘rigging’ hook with the point imbedded into the Worm. I think that “fussy” Bass will take their first bite and feel what they think is ‘fresh meat’, not steel and the next ‘chomp’ is the stinger! When they aren’t fussy though, the 3/0 Owner will hook them just the same. It has been proven over and over in my endeavors. The other advantage to a smaller hook is longer fall time, which is essential to Bass wanting to engulf the Senko Worm. The alluring fall of the Senko is what attracts the Bass’s attention. This is where Senko Worm tactics or the ABC’s, if you will, come in to play.

In order for the Senko to do its thing it requires slack line. That is the most important part of its ability to fool Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass. When casting the Senko worm, I try to cast it over hand, giving it an arch shape of line so that when it hits the water it automatically has the slack it needs for the fall. If I am not able to cast over hand then I give it ample line as soon as it meets the water surface. By using Power Pro braided line with this combo one only has to watch their line for detection of Bass. When they take the bait, reel in the slack and set the hook hard!

When rigged this way your Senko Worm should fall slowly and move slightly front to back while quivering! I have taken the time to try many hook sizes and line combinations and I have found through trial and error that Owner 3/0 wide gap hook + Power Pro + Senko Worm = Bass! “Mr. Yamamoto, you are a genius”!
BY: Gordon Holman