Mississippi River Largemouth Bass

Fishing Mississippi River Backwater Bass Fishing

Fishing at Clarksville, Tennessee

bass fishing in tn

Meet Mia My Friend Patricia Alexander's Baby

Heddon Lures the Zara Spook Jr

Legendary Lure Designer Jim Heddon would be pleased with the Zara Spook Jr. The lure contains rattles and swims side to side with the walk the dog retrieve.I have used these lures with great sucess on Percy Priest Lake in Tn. These are great lures for Largemouth and Smallmouth bass,Northern Pike,Muskie's and several other species of game fish salt water or fresh.Check our Ebay StoreMusic City Superstore for more great Heddon products

Norman Crankbaits

Bill Norman created alot of top quality crankbaits in his life the Deep Baby N my personal favorite,the DD-22 ( for the deep diving crankbaiter)
the middle N to name a few. All Norman lures are of top quality and preform just as well and even better than several more expensive lures. When fishing a crankbait it isn't always about cranking sometimes it helps to pause the lure and pull it .Then crank in the slack line alot of hits will come when you pull the lure and let it sit while you reel up the slack.

For a complete selection of Norman Lures check my ebay store Music City Superstore

Rattling Crankbaits

Rattling Crankbaits courtesy learn to fish .org

Of all the different bass lures that you could use, one of the best is the rattling crankbaits. These lures will help you to catch plenty of bass, and are definitely considered to be one of the best bass fishing lure choices.

They are available in a wide range of sizes and weights, so depending on the location you are going to fish and what size of bass you are hoping to catch, you can choose the proper size and weight of lure accordingly. The best idea will be for you to have various different sizes and weights to bring along with you, just in case.

Remember, to fish a crankbait effectively, you will need to throw it near bass whenever you see them, and the fish find them irresistible and should go for right them. Rattling crankbaits are available on Ebay at Music City Superstore

Fishing Tutorial 44

Jitterbugs an All Time Favorite

The Arbogast Jitterbug is one of most fished and most collected topwater baits of all time.
Invented by Fred Arbogast in the early 1900's with it's metal bill in front and it's plop plop noise on a slow retrieve.Ideal for night fishing especially in the black color. One of the best lures to get kids started bass fishing with.The originals were made of wood now they are made of plastic.Alot of companies have tried to imitate the Jitterbug,but beware these knock off just don't work like the real thing.There is the jitterbug,a weedless jitterbug and the Jitterstick.If they don't say Arbogast on them they aren't Jitterbugs.
Please check my store Music City Superstore for more Arbogast Lures

Norman Lures some of the best lures made

Music City Superstore The Norman DD22 Crankbaits are one of the best crankbaits for getting down deep.They have a wide wobble and come in various color schemes.The top color for me is the black splatterback.I also have had good luck with the tomato color. DD22'S are available at my ebay store Music City Superstore
One of the best deep running bass crankbaits.

Time to inventory the Tackle Box

With October ending and November starting the weather will be turning colder in most of the country.It's time to inventory the tackle boxes and see which lures were lost in the line of duty. We all lose some lures during the coarse of a fishing season. Start replacing now so when those warmer days return you can be prepared. Checkout this fantastic Ebay Store Music City Superstore for some great deals on Rapala,Bomber,Norman,Arbogast,Booyah,Rebel and many other name brand lures at really low prices and fair shipping.

Fishing Lure Tips - Crankbaits

tips on fishing crankbaits properly by Doug Hannon

Fishing Lure Tips - Buzzbaits

Video of how to use buzzbaits for bass properly

Fishing Lure Tips - Jerkbaits

Tips from the Bass Professor on fishing Jerkbaits

Checkout The New Fishing Lures Listed on Ebay

Check these new listing out in my Ebay Store Over 440 items to look through
Music City Superstore
Rapala,Bomber,Norman,Excalibur,Arbogast and many many more

Checkout The New Fishing Lures Listed on Ebay

Check these new listing out in my Ebay Store Over 400 items to look through
Music City Superstore

Mississippi River Pool 13 Fishing

The bass on pool 13 between Bellevue Ia and Fulton IL are moving shallow now.They are feeding up before winter weather sets in. Spring Lake Refuge is really hot at this time of year.The only problem is the refuge closes at the end of September. The back water area known as michelson's landing is hot at this time of year not only for bass,but some of the largest panfish you will catch anywhere. Bass will be hitting just about anything you want to throw especially spinnerbaits,buzzbaits,and rankbaits.

Night Time Bass Bite

Night Time Bass Bite On Tims Ford

Reports I received from Hank are the bass are biting well at night on Black Spinnerbaits slow rolled moving from deepwater up to the shallows. The bass are hiting the spinnerbait as it comes up the edge of the drop off. 1/2OZ TO 1OZ spinnerbaits with colorado blade is working best.

Stewart Creek Bass Fishing Report

I had Monday off work,went bass fishing in Stewart Creek just north of Smyrna ,Tn. Alot of bass are working the creek following the schools of shad. I tried several techniques,topwater baits,spinnerbaits,inline spinners, crankbaits.buzzbaits. The technique that produced best was an 1/8oz Big O Crankbait. White color only dives about 3 feet. Several small bass and a few keepers,but all were released.

Wet Dream - Kip Adotta

Fall Fishing My Favorite Time

As the days start getting shorter and temperatures start to back off some the fishing starts to heat up. The water temps will be declining moving the baitfish back to the shallows and the Bass will be soon to follow. Creeks and small rivers are starting to fill with shad and where ever there are shad there will also be bass.
My favorite lures in the fall are 3/8oz chart/white spinnerbaits and a white buzzbait.Late in the fall I switch to the larger spinnnerbaits with bigger blades and lipless crankbaits fished like a plastic worm.
In rivers and backwaters look for weeds and lily pad fields for some fantastic Largemouth action.The fish have been in the choked out areas all summer but now with the weeds dying off some the fish are more accessible.

Promotional and Personal Items Available

This post is geared towards the Fisherman and women that need the look of a professional fisherman. The Embroidme Store in Murfreesboro Tn can take care of all your embroidery or silk screening needs. Stop by and talk with Richard or Cindy Eakes true pros in this line of service.Go to their website and checkout some of the products available. Embroidme Murfreesboro Tn

New Lures Listed in Ebay Store

Check these new listing out in my Ebay Store
Music City Superstore

Special Sale on Rapala and Norman Crankbaits

July 30th special sales on Rapala and Norman Crankbaits at Music City Superstore

Ebay Class Scheduled for August 30th

August Ebay Class Scheduled

August 30th 2008 I have an Ebay class schedule at the Sleep Inn in Smyrna Tn 37167
This class covers the basics of selling on Ebay. Class starts at 9:00 A.M. and ends at 4:30p.m. A workbook will be available for $25.00. Cost of the class is $60.00 .Please register at frnchrgr@yahoo.com. Payments accepted personal checks ,money orders,pay pal. Pay pal payments should be sent to patricia @highearnersgroup.com. Cash at the door only. Limited space please register before August 22nd.Click here for details on Ebay

Rebel Crawfish Crankbaits for Smallmouth Bass

The Rebel lure company has been making quality bass fishing lures for many years. The Rebel Craw is the crawfish crankbait that most other crawfish imitators are judged against. These small crankbaits are fantastic for Smallmouth bass in creeks and streams. The firetiger color and the browncrawfish color are my favorites. These small lures are great for largemouth bass, crappie,trout,northern Pike,Yellow Perch and many others. Check my Ebay store Music City Superstore for some awesome deals on Rebel and other crankbaits.

Fishing on a Budget

In today's economy things are tough for most fisherman . Especially if you use lures,for fishing. The price of lures are climbing steadily because the price of oil forces the price of plastic up. The answer can be buying used lures. Ebay has given people that can't afford new baits a place to find quality used baits. The fish don't know it's not a new bait. For some great deals on used crankbaits check my Ebay Store Music City Superstore.

Light Up Crankbaits

These crankbaits light up when pulled through the water.Limited amount available.You can get them at my Ebay Store Music City Superstore

Feeding Habits of the Largemouth Bass

Bass fishing is a fantastic outdoor sport and the biggest challenge is in locating the feeding fish. There are many factors that influence the feeding habits of the largemouth including the time of year you are fishing, the current weather conditions, the type of structure and cover the lake/river has to offer and the prevalent food supply.

The time of year or season is often the most important factor in knowing where to start fishing. Since my bass fishing is in the south, the following list is primarily for the southern bass fishermen, but can be adjusted for the northern fishermen by season.

1- The winter months in the south start in December through February. Although it is a short season for southern fishermen, it is often very difficult to locate the winter largemouth. Through experience I have learned that the bass relate either to relatively deep water (in Florida anything greater than 12 foot deep) or to heavy flippin cover like hyacinth mats, Kissimmee grass, etc. Fish the deep water with deep diving crankbaits or Carolina rigs. Flip the mats with 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce flippin weights with a worm or craw imitation.

2- The spring runs from late February through the end of April. The bass are relating to shallow water this time of year and can be found in one of the three primary spawning stages. a- The pre-spawn- These fish are moving in from the deep water and can often be found in the 4-6 foot depths. Shallow cranks such as Rattletraps, small shadraps are often effective. The hard jerkbaits can also draw reaction strikes. The Texas rigged worm is also another favorite of mine for the pre-spawn fish. b- The spawning fish- These fish are relating to shallow water from 1-4 feet deep often near cover and sandy areas. Use a Texas rigged worm with a light weight (1/8 ounce) or tube lure to entice these fish to strike. c- The post-spawn fish- These fish are the toughest to catch but stage in similar depths to the pre-spawn fish. Reaction strikes from hard jerkbaits is often the ticket.

3- The summer is a very long season in the south and runs from May through the end of October. Fish can be located in a variety of areas depending on the lake. In a non cover lake, the fish relate to underwater humps, drops and points. Use crankbaits and Carolina rigs to cover the water in these type of lakes. In weedy lakes, fish can be found shallow under flippin mats, heavy weeds or similar types of cover. Feeder creeks also present a great opportunity in the summer as they offer both cover and current that often oxygenates the water therefore providing a better feeding mood for the fish. Deeper water weed lines such as peppergrass and hydrilla can be the ticket as well. In the mid morning hours from 8-10 and in the afternoon from 5-7, look for schooling fish on top.

4- The fall is relatively short in Florida and can run from mid October through mid December. The fish often school this time of year and can be found boiling the top. Topwaters, Rattletraps and shadraps can quickly load the boat in water depths from 6-15 foot of water.

If you follow the primary keys that were presented on locating bass during different seasons you will be well on your way to do more catching with less fishing!

Article courtesyof

www.floridabassfishing.us

The Largemouth Herald

Catch the Bass Through the Vegetation

The Bass are hiding under the vegetation during the hot part of the day.You can catch them throwing a Scum Frog on top. The Bass will crash through the vegetation to hit your lure. I have Scum Frogs for sale in my Ebay Store. Music City Superstore.

Terminator Tiny Buzzers for Sale

It's summer time and that means early morning late evening Buzzbait bite. I have for sale Terminator Buzzbaits check them out at Music City Superstore

Shakespeare Salt Water Reel

Checkout this Shakespeare Tidewater Reel for sale. For details go to Music City Superstore

Arbogast The Lures of Champions

Check these Arbogast Jitterbugs for sale at Music City Superstore

Rapala Floating Minnows for sale

Rapala Floating Minnows for sale at Music City Superstore

Smithwick Rogues for sale

Smithwick Rogues for sale at Music City Superstore. Free Shipping

Yo Zuri Pin Minnows For Sale

Check this listing from my ebay store Yo Zuri Pin Minnow Crankbaits
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260244115115&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Storm Lures for sale

Storm Lures for salehttp://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250241501230&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Rapala Crankbait Sale

Please checkout my Ebay Store for some fantastic Deals on Rapala Crankbaits. Rapala lures are some of the best in the industry. Also available are Arbogast ,Bomber,Norman,Yo-Zuri and many other name brands. Music City Superstore your one stop shop for all your fishing needs.

Heddon Lure Sale

Please check my Ebay Store Music City Superstore for some great deals on Heddon Lures. Zara Spooks Torpedos and others.Also available are great deals on Rapala,Cordell, Booyah,Norman,Bomber,and many more. Music City Superstore you one stop shop for all your fishing needs.

Large Sale on Smithwick Lures

Please checkout my Ebay Store Music City Superstore for a tremendous sale on Smithwick Rogues and Smithwick Devilshorse Topwater baits You can use Pay Pal personal checks or money orders.
You are one click away from some fantastic deals on Smithwick and other quality lure.
Musiccitysuperstore

After Dark Bass Fishing Tips

People hear about night fishing for bass, but they aren't sure if it will be productive in their particular lake, river, or pond. Chances are it will be more than "productive"; it will more likely than not be the best fishing of your life, if you follow some simple laws of night fishing.

First law- Don't use live bait. You will have the worst night of your life (unless you have located fish first that will feed on bait). At night, you want to use crankbaits with rattles. Not huge crankbaits, but about 3-5 inches with a medium sized bill. You want to be able to hit the bottom or be right above the bottom with these crankbaits. You need to make noise below the surface and a rattling crankbait is the best way to do it. The fish will come to it, and they will come with a reckless attitude.

Second law of night fishing- Do not use a top water lure. Top water baits will not catch you as many fish as crankbaits. The number of fish that end up attacking a surface lure at night pales in comparison to what you can catch below the surface with a crank bait. To illustrate this point, think about how much surface activity you hear at night above the water. Probably not much right? That is because all of those fish are feeding below the surface. You may be reading this and saying to yourself, but wait a second, I go topwater night fishing , and catch 3 or 4 big bass every time I go out, this guy has no idea what he is talking about.

Well, I guarantee that if you switched to crankbaits, in that same area, you would catch 3 times as many fish, if you use a proper lure. Fish just don't like to come to the surface at night, and if they do, they will miss the bait all night long.

Third law of night fishing for bass: Take a headlamp and move around, do not stand in one spot and cast for three hours. The fish are on the move, and you need to be as well to find them and catch tons of them. The best spot to start night fishing is any huge point you can find. A triangle that juts out from shore, points with deep drops on either side, or both, are the best places to catch huge bass. If you can find points that are huge and shallow, you will be in fish heaven. You don't want to fish places that gradually get deeper, like a swimming beach, you want the water to plugne off shallow points. The bass move up out of deep water and onto the shallow point at night, and they will smash your bass crankbait all night long.

Another excellent place to find tons of bass at night is stream mouths. The shallow water provides excellent ambush places for huge bass. In summation, for night fishing success, you need to follow three laws:no live bait , use bass crankbaits, no top water lures, and you must move. Follow these steps and you will be the most successful bass fisherman in your state. And if you want to be even more successful, never go fishing during the day again in your life, invest in some night vision binoculars, and stay out of the sun. Only small fish feed during the day.

This article may be reprinted will all live links. To do otherwise would be a violation of this site and illegal.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_R

Largemouth at Dawn

If you can't fish at night, the next best time is dawn. Especially, in the summer and early fall. Fish don't want to be caught broiling away in the sun, so they will go deep during the day, and cruise the shallows at night and in the early morning. The hotter it is during the day, the better the next day's early morning fishing will be. It gets the coolest right as morning approaches. So that is when you want to be on the water. Most likely, it will still be dark when this cooling process occurs.

Good baits during the early dawn are medium sized crank and jerk baits, especially suspending jerk baits. The fish will be coming off a feeding frenzy at night if it is extremely hot during the day, and as the first rays of light hit the water, they will become more cautious and less likely to eat a huge meal. They will be swimming around looking for something small that is dead or injured. That is where your suspending jerkbait comes into play. Working this jerkbait slowly, parallel to the shoreline, and pausing it, will get fish interested. Get a jerk with a rattle to call the fish into it. Most fish will take these on the pause, and they will turn and bolt once they realize that they may have just bit some hooks.

Keep a taught line to feel these subtle takes on the suspending minnow. With sharp hooks, a sudden upward sweep of the rod will be all that is needed to set the hook. No bait works as well as medium and tiny jerkbaits that suspend in the dawn.

Fishing with Plastic Worms

If you are catching a lot of Bass, then you are probably using the plastic worm. The plastic worm is a great lure for anyone looking to improve their catch proficiency and all around fun. This is a lure that can maintain a small spot in your tackle box, or a large one, depending on how well you are able to utilize this powerful bait. If you aren't using the plastic worm, then you are missing out on a lot of fun and a lot of fish.

What's in a Worm?

The plastic worm is one of the most straightforward lures on the market. If you can tie a knot, cast straight, and reel inwards, then you will catch fish with a plastic worm. The natural action is unmatched by any other baits, as they dart every which way in such sporadic motions, it's hard for a fish to resist. Plastic worms are created from a various array of synthetic polymers, making them react to every twitch and movement of your pole. The only problem with the plastic worm, is that it's not the most durable bait on the market. They will take a beating, especially if you are landing fish. However, the price is so cheap, and they are so abundant that this is hardly a negative worth mentioning.

Techniques

You can use a variety of rigs with the Plastic Worm, such as: The Texas Rig, The Carolina Rig, The Wacky Rig, and any other crazily named rig you can think of.

The Drag and Drop

Cast your line out to a nice spot: a ledge, branches, fallen tree, drop off. Let the lure drop to the ground and reel in the slack. Raise your rod tip slightly and let drop. Reel in the slack again, and repeat.

The Sideways Retrieval

Same as before, cast at an ideal spot. Let drop mid way, and reel in the slack. Pull the lure to the left or the right, reel the slack and repeat.

Setting the Hook

It's important that when the strike occurs, that you drop the rod tip down and pull up immediately. You need to set the hook in the jaw, and avoid letting the bass swim with the bait. If you miss, allow the bait to drop and you could get a second strike, so don't give up!

Conclusion

As you can see, the plastic worm is a very easy lure to utilize and will catch you fish. If there are bass in the lake, you will find them with the plastic worm. The plastic worm has become the go to lure in just about everyone's tackle box over the years, and if you are not using one, then you are missing out!

Fishing Tips by KVD

Basic Bass Lure Choices

from BassFeed.com: The *Bass Fishing* Podcast! by admin

By Kevin VanDam
Bass don’t strike a lure because they think it’s cute.

They strike it because the artificial appears to be something worth eating. A few carefully selected lures that imitate crayfish or some kind of forage fish will take bass in a variety of situations.

Whatever lure you select, it must be “fishable” in the area you cast it to. Be sure to have lures for use in heavy weeds, moderate cover, and open water.

Retrieve speed is another crucial factor. Aggressive bass will run down a fast-moving lure, while bass in a negative mood require a slow presentation. Colors, rattles, and scent are far less important than retrieve speed.

Select a handful of baits and work them until you develop confidence. Purchase other lures as you realize what you need in specific fishing situations.

Kevin VanDam is a 2-Time Bassmaster Classic® winner

New Crankbaits Added to Music City Superstore

Please checkout the new listing in my Ebay Store Music City Superstore.Excalibur,Berkley,Storm and Other Name Brands. Listed today . Click the link below to checkout all the great deals.
Music City Superstore your one stop fishing supplies store

Large Crankbait Reduction Sale

Music City Superstore will be running sales in several categories .Check us out on EBAY.
You can click here to view our sale.

Pure Fishing relocating headquarters to S.C.

Wednesday Jul 2Pure Fishing, founded by Iowan Berkley Bedell and headquartered in Spirit Lake during its 70 year history, said it is relocating its corporate headquarters to Columbia, S.C.

Fishing World Loses Shannon Kehl

Walleye world loses a legend

Kehl lost in tragic car accident

By Brett Carlson - 24.Jun.2008

The sport of professional walleye fishing lost a true legend early Sunday morning. Veteran walleye pro Shannon Kehl of Menoken, N.D., was killed in a single-vehicle accident while traveling west on Apple Creek Road in Burleigh County.

According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, the 39-year-old Kehl went off the road at 3 a.m., struck a culvert and rolled over. The wreck was reported at 5:30 a.m. by a passing Burlington Northern train.

Kehl was in the midst of his seventh season on the Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour. After three regular-season events, he was poised to qualify for the season-ending championship on his home waters of the Missouri River in Bismarck, N.D. In 2005, Kehl finished second at the FLW Walleye Tour Championship on the Mississippi River in Moline, Ill. With five top-10 finishes and nearly $150,000 in career FLW Outdoors earnings, Kehl was one of the best walleye pros in the game.

In 1996, he won the PWT Angler of the Year award as a rookie. Kehl also won the PWT event on Saginaw Bay in 1996 and another PWT qualifier on Lake Cumberland in 2005.

“The passing of Shannon Kehl is tragic to say the least,” said Sonny Reynolds, director of walleye operations for FLW Outdoors. “Not only did the walleye industry lose a great competitor, we also lost a great friend. The thoughts and prayers of FLW Outdoors are with

B.A.S.S. Elite Series Coming to TN this week

The B.a.s.s. elite series will be fishing on Old Hickory Lake in Gallatin Tn this week.

Rapala Crankbait and Smithwick Crankbait Sale

Please check out my Ebay store at 7:00 pacific time there will be a one day sale on all Rapala and Smithwick Crankbaits.Visit Music city superstore for all your fishing needs

Storm / Rapala Wiggle Wart

Storm lures are available in my Ebay Store
http://stores.ebay.com/Music-City-Superstore

Fishing Pool 13 Mississippi River Illinois/Iowa

I learned my bass fishing skills on the Mighty Mississippi River on pool 13. Pool 13 is located between Illinois and Iowa. It runs from Lock 12 Bellevue Iowa to lock 13 Fulton Illinois. Most of the pool is shallow water 1 to 5 feet deep. The backwater areas are full of lily pads, floating vegetation,stumps and sand bars.The best overall lure I found for fishing this pool is spinnerbaits and crankbaits. Chart/white spinnerbaits work the best overall,but there are times when a Bomber Flat A Crankbait will wear the bass out.The flat a works really well early spring along rip rap,because you can pause the flat a and it will suspend .The bass will suck it in easy when you pause the lure so you need to pay close attention to your bait.When the vegetation takes over in the summer s plastic worm and snagproof mice and poppers really shine. Anyone planning a trip to pool 13 can email me for tips and strtegies. Find the lures you will need in my ebay store MUSIC CITY SUPERSTORE

Norman Crankbaits dd22's

I would like to post an experience I had with Norman DD22 Crankbaits. I used the dd22 in shallow water to get the bottom stirred up some. I cranked it down to the bottom let the crankbait hit the bottom then I paused it.The bass seem to hit the crankbait when it was floating up. Once the dd 22 comes in contact with the bottom the mud gets stirred up and the bass must think it's a crawfish. DD 22'S are available in my ebay store MUSIC CITY SUPERSTORE

Bill Dance Fishing Bloopers - Dance falls off bank

The Dean of Fishing Bloopers

Pictures from Australia

These are some fantastic pictures of Kangaroos and the countryside of Australia courtesy of my close friend and oustanding Ebay customer Dave Vasic. Thank-You Dave nice pictures.
Please be sure and check my Ebay store for all your fishing needs Music City Superstore

Another Peacock Picture from Brazil

This is another fine Peacock Bass caught by one my of customers l in Brazil with Lures purchased from my Ebay store

Music City Superstore

Arbogast The Lures of Champions

Hula Popper One of the most productive popper fishing lures of all time, the Fred Arbogast Hula Popper has been catching fish for nearly 60 years. This topwater...

Jitterbug The Fred Arbogast line of Jitterbug lures are no doubt the No.1 nighttime topwater lures of all time. The Jitterbug is also a productive daytime lure,... Please check my Ebay Store for more Arbogast lures and other legendary Lures http://stores.ebay.com/Music-City-Superstore

Haynes Leads at Pickwick

Pro Randy Haynes of Counce, Tenn., caught a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 9 ounces Wednesday to lead opening day of the Stren Series Southeast Division tournament on Pickwick Lake.

Rounding out the top five pros are Ryan Rigsby of Hixson, Tenn. (five bass, 19-05); Curt McGuire of Lawrenceburg, Tenn. (five bass, 17-02); Bob Garrison of Baldwyn, Miss. (five bass, 17-01); and Shawn Perrigo of Rienzi, Miss.(five bass, 16-07).

“Today went exactly the way I wanted,” said McGuire, who has amassed more than $55,000 in career earnings with FLW Outdoors. “I have a lot of good places to fish that I didn’t get to go today. I feel confident that I will find quality fish in all of those spots.”

McGuire caught his keepers by 10:30 this morning, deep in Pickwick and Wilson lakes.

“I had some real big bags during practice that were well over 20 pounds, said McGuire. “When other anglers find offshore spots your limited to what you can call your own. That’s the only kicker, I’m not sure how many other guys fished some of my key areas.”

McGuire stated that with the water temperature reaching near 80 degrees that it will predominately be a deep bite tomorrow.

“The heat just means that more fish will be going to the ledges,” McGuire said. “I plan on sticking to the same technique tomorrow to stay in contention for the cut.”

Rigsby earned $256 for the Snickers Big Bass award in the Pro Division thanks to a 5-pound, 1-ounce bass.

Overall there were 759 bass weighing 1,509 pounds, 14 ounces caught by 159 pros Wednesday. The catch included 142 five-bass limits.

Pros are competing for as much as $65,000, including a 198VX Ranger powered by Evinrude or Yamaha if contingency guidelines are met, and valuable points toward qualifying for the $1 million Stren Series Championship in Branson, Mo., Nov. 5-8 for a shot at $140,000. After four qualifying events are complete in each of the circuit’s five divisions, the top 40 pros from each division will advance to the championship. The highest-finishing pro from each division at the championship will also earn a spot in the $2 million 2009 Forrest Wood Cup, where they will compete against top pros from the Wal-Mart FLW Tour®, Wal-Mart FLW Series®, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League® and TBF (The Bass Federation) for bass fishing’s biggest prize – $1 million.

Tournament pros aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing™, FLW Outdoors® offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.

Scotty Gasaway of Dennis, Miss., leads the Co-angler Division in the chase for a top award of $35,000, including a 198VX Ranger if contingency guidelines are met. He caught five bass weighing 15-12 while fishing with pro Steve Stewart of Donalsonville, Ga., who is currently in 23rd place.

“I credit my pro for getting me quality fish today,” Gasaway said. “He put me on fish all day and I owe everything to him. I was real lucky to have him as a partner. It was a blessed day.”

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Mike Morris of White, Ga. (five bass, 15-12); Daniel Costley of Memphis, Tenn. (five bass, 14-08); James Sharp of Leesburg, Ga. (five bass, 13-08); and Perry Kennedy of Florence, Ala. (five bass, 13-00).

Gasaway earned $134for the Snickers Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division thanks to a 6-pound, 3-ounce bass.

Overall there were 627 bass weighing 1,032 pounds, 4 ounces caught by 153 co-anglers Wednesday. The catch included 93 five-bass limits.

The top 40 co-anglers from each Stren Series division will also advance to the championship, where they will fish for as much as $70,000. The highest-finishing co-angler from each division at the championship will then advance to the 2009 Forrest Wood Cup.

Anglers will take off at 6:30 each morning from McFarland Park located at 200 James M. Spain Drive in Florence. Thursday and Friday’s weigh-in will be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 3100 Hough Road in Florence, beginning at 4 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Stren Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of two rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. At the conclusion of Friday’s weigh-in, the field is cut to the top 10 pros and co-anglers based on the heaviest three-day accumulated weights. These anglers continue competition Saturday, with the winners determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.

FLW Outdoors historically maintains a 98 percent live release rate in all of its bass tournaments.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.

Bandit 300 Series Crankbaits

Series 300

SKU: 300
Category: Lures (2 Inch)

Depth: 8 - 12 ft
Weight: 3/8 oz
Length: 2"

The 300 series crankbaits are 2 inches long and run 8 to 12 feet deep. This crankbait is primarily designed for deep water fish holding on drops or below bait schools. Great for casting parallel to steep rocky shorelines. The 300 series crankbaits can reach deep fish, yet present a small baitfish profile that can trigger strikes from fish not actively feeding. This lure is also very popular to troll for crappie.
Check our Ebay store for a complete line of Bandit and other Fishing Equipment
http://stores.ebay.com/Music-City-Superstore

Yo Zuri Pin Minnows

	PIN'S MINNOW
The Pin's MinnowTM features a detailed, etched finish complete with gill plates and a durable molded body. The treble hooks are the extremely sharp, strong VMC Cone Cut for fast penetration, and the rings are split stainless steel. This lure will dive up to 1-2 feet. All 2 3/4" Pin's Minnows have the Weight Transfer System, internal steel balls that assure long casts and balanced action. Check our Ebay store for great deals on Pin Minnows and other fine lures http://stores.ebay.com/Music-City-Superstore SIZE WEIGHT 2" 1/16 oz. 2 3/4" 1/8 oz.

Norman Baby N and Deep Baby N crankbaits

Norman crankbaits have been the favorites of anglers across the country for over 25 years. Their precise balance and perfect buoyancy deliver straight running, highly responsive, extra enticing performance.

Baby N: Dives 3-5', #6 hook, 1/4 oz. Deep Baby N: Dives 6-8', #6 hook, 1/4 oz. Check my ebay store for more Norman Lures http://stores.ebay.com/Music-City-Superstore

Rapala Minnow Raps

Freshwater

Shad Rap action in a minnow profile. Built of balsa, the Minnow Rap is available in two distinct designs: The Classic Patterns feature clear deep-diving lips and VMC black nickel hooks. The Bleeding Patterns are specially patterned with bleeding gills, red deep diving lip and VMC red hooks for the ultimate in "wounded-minnow" presentation. Now available in three sizes for every application, smaller when they are finicky and larger with they are starved. Minnow Raps Available in my Ebay store http://stores.ebay.com/Music-City-Superstore

Rapala Husky Jerks

Freshwater

Perfectly balanced, the Husky Jerk can be cast or trolled at any speed and still run true. The rattle chamber transmits sound waves that amplify through the water, catching and piquing attention. And the suspending action is just more than a fish can handle. Metallic, natural and glass patterns cover the gamut of fishing opportunities. Load up and be ready for any situation. Husky Jerks are available in my Ebay Store http://stores.ebay.com/Music-City-Superstore

B.A.S.S.

BASS Elite Returns to Birthplace

from BassFeed.com: The *Bass Fishing* Podcast! by admin

With five Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments remaining, BASS heads back to the state were it was founded during the organization’s celebration of its 40th anniversary. The Elite Series makes its seventh stop of the season at Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., for the Southern Challenge presented by Advance Auto Parts.

With 1,063 miles of shoreline, Wheeler is the largest of three Alabama lakes that connect with the Tennessee River. It has been the host of nine BASS events, including the 1974 Bassmaster Classic. Elite angler and 1998 Classic champion Denny Brauer won an Open-level event in 2003 on Wheeler with a three-day total of 32 pounds, 10 ounces.

In 2007, Frank Ippoliti worked the ledges of the main lake’s banks with a green-pumpkin jig to win the third and final Southern Open of the season with 38 pounds, 1 ounce overall in the three-day event. Popping the jig off the ledges in areas that had moving shad produced limits for Ippoliti all three days, as he topped a tight field with a top-10 spread of just 7 pounds.

Elite Series pro and Alabaman Russ Lane of Prattville, who finished 10th in the 2007 Southern Open at Wheeler, said he expects to see a lot of big bags in this year’s Southern Challenge.

“Something that’s happened with that lake, as well as some of the other Tennessee River lakes like Pickwick and Wilson,” said Lane, who weighed in 31 pounds, 0 ounces in October’s Southern Open. “They’re getting a whole lot better. There are more fish there now. Creeks could come into play in that tournament.

“It’s still early post-spawn, there’ll be a lot of fish shallow, like around docks and stumps, but also there’ll be some schools of fish that’ll be found out in 10-15 feet of water. If anybody can find maybe three schools out there in 12 feet, they’re going to be really hard to beat.”

Lane said there will be a lot of techniques going on. He expects some anglers to go with topwater lures, some big crankbaits and smaller swimbaits under docks.

“I think it’ll take 65 pounds total to win,” he said. “A lot of people may laugh and think it’s not going to take that much, but when everybody gets there and practice gets going, they’re going to see a different Wheeler than they’re used to.”

Meanwhile, the Trail to the Trophy heats up as the Elite Series enters the home stretch with five events to go. Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., leads the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race and is inching closer to the $250,000 top prize. Texan Todd Faircloth lurks 10 points behind, while 2007 AOY winner Skeet Reese and three-time AOY winner Kevin VanDam are third and fourth, respectively.

Daily weigh-ins and launches at the Southern Challenge will take place at Ingalls Harbor, 701 Market St. NW, Decatur, Ala. Launches Thursday-Sunday begin at 6 a.m. CT and weigh-ins begin at 3 p.m.

Activities at the Southern Challenge include a musical performance by artist Chad Bradford at noon Saturday and Sunday. There will be a Berkley Beginner fishing class at 1:30 p.m. and a “Boat Performance with Skeeter” class daily at 2 p.m. both days, as well as Skeeter boat demo rides from noon to 2 p.m.

On Saturday, fans can talk to the Elite pros during “Ask the Experts” at Bassmaster University, set for 2:30 p.m. at the weigh-in site. On Saturday and Sunday kids can enjoy a bounce house, a coloring contest, face painting and much more.

Sunday’s activities include the live taping at 2:30 p.m. of Hooked Up, hosted by ESPN Outdoors personalities Tommy Sanders and Mark Zona. The show, which airs on Bassmaster.com, will preview the final weigh-in. Live, streaming video of the Carolina Clash’s daily weigh-ins begins at 3 p.m. CT on Bassmaster.com.

For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit Bassmaster.com. Visit ESPNMediaZone.com for ESPN’s latest releases, schedules and other news, plus photos, video, audio clips and more.

The local sponsor of the Southern Challenge is the Decatur-Morgan County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series include Toyota Tundra, Advance Auto Parts, Berkley, Lowrance, Mercury, Purolator, Skeeter, Yamaha, Evan Williams Bourbon, Longhorn, OPTIMA Batteries, Triton Boats, Costa Del Mar, MotorGuide and Ramada Worldwide.

About BASS

For 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. With its considerable multi-media platforms and expansive tournament trail, BASS is guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer and comprehensive web properties in Bassmaster.com and ESPNOutdoors.com, the organization is committed to delivering content true to the lifestyle. Additionally, television programming on ESPN2 continues to provide relevant content from tips and techniques to in-depth tournament coverage to passionate audiences.

The organization oversees the prestigious Bassmaster tournament trail which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Women’s Bassmaster Tour and the Bassmaster Classic, the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing. Through its grassroots network, the BASS Federation Nation, BASS sanctions more than 20,000 events annually.

BASS also offers an array of services to its more than 525,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

Fishing Docks

Fishing the Docks

from BassFeed.com: The *Bass Fishing* Podcast! by admin

By Edwin Evers

Docks are great places to catch bass, but some docks are better than others. Docks in clear to moderately clear lakes are better than those in stained or algae-laden waters.

Those with constant foot traffic are less productive than those used less frequently. For example: resort docks and gas docks are usually poor prospects.

On docks with a lot of use, morning might be the only time the fish will be there. Windswept docks are never as good as those in calm water. Three or more warm days in a row tend to draw more fish to docks than post-cold front conditions and midday is usually better than morning or evening.

Docks with barking dogs or crabby owners are usually not worth the bother.

Martin Wins 3rd

Martin-Wells Grabs 3rd Victory

from BassFeed.com: The *Bass Fishing* Podcast! by admin

Two lures she nicknamed “Randall” and “Bobby” helped Pam Martin-Wells of Bainbridge, Ga., to a winning overall weight of 36 pounds, 1 ounce, Saturday at the second stop of the 2008 Women’s Bassmaster Tour presented by Academy Sports & Outdoors.

“Randall is a friend of mine who taught me how to swim a jig, so a ‘Randall’ is a jig, and Bobby is my sister, and she taught me how to use a weightless Wave Worms Tiki Stik, which I used to catch all my biggest fish Thursday, so that’s a ‘Bobby,’ ” said Martin-Wells, who netted $1,000 and a $50,000 Triton/Mercury boat rig in the three-day competition on Alabama’s Neely Henry Lake.

She won by a margin of more than 9 pounds over two pros who tied for second place at 26-15: Juanita Robinson of Highlands, Texas, and Lucy Mize of Ben Lomond, Ark. Placing fourth with 26-10 was Kim Bain of Alabaster, Ala., the winner of the season opener last month on Texas’ Lewisville Lake.

Fifth with 25-4 was the 2007 Toyota WBT Angler of the Year, Sheri Glasgow of Muskogee, Okla., who recovered from a slow start — 33rd place on the first day — to make the top five.

Fans can go to Bassmaster.com for all the details of the Neely Henry competition. The site has photo galleries, stories, standings, and the latest on the season-long race to capture the 2008 Toyota WBT Angler of the Year crown and a Bassmaster Classic berth.

This season’s Angler of the Year will make history, becoming the first woman to earn a much-coveted berth in the 2009 Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 20-22 on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La.

Bain held on to her lead in the standings, and Mize and Robinson moved into the top five. Martin-Wells racked up enough points with her win to push her from 17th place into fifth in the standings.

“This entire year with the WBT and BASS is huge with the announcement of the Classic berth,” Martin-Wells said. “I was disappointed because I didn’t have such a great start at Lewisville, so this win is a step in the right direction.”

Saturday’s victory was the third WBT win for Martin-Wells. She holds the titles to the 2005 WBT Preview event and the 2006 WBT Championship — the circuit’s first — on Mitchell Lake, which like Neely Henry is a Coosa River impoundment.

Martin-Wells said much of her weight came from grass along the shallow shorelines of Neely Henry, but she used a combination of techniques.

“After I caught one fish this morning, it was on. I was culling by 6:30 this morning,” she said. “But every day, the fishing’s been different, even though I started in the same place each day, a 20-minute run from the launch ramp all the way to the southern end of the lake.”

She took her Saturday limit in 40 minutes, after which she culled to improve her weight to 13-11.

“I started out each morning in grass,” Martin-Wells said. “I had some deep patterns, but they weren’t panning out because there was no current, no water moving. But today a ski boat kept running back and forth, and I thought, ‘Maybe a fish will think that’s current.’ So I pulled over and caught a 4-pounder.”

Mize was in 24th place after Day 1, but she put it together to jump into the tie for second place.

“I was fishing chunk-rock banks, riprap and retainer walls early in the day when it was overcast, all on the south end of the lake,” said Mize, who holds title to the 2007 WBT stop on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. “Then I would go to a Carolina rig and a deep-diving crankbait as the day wore on, working humps and ridges.”

Robinson, who won the 2007 WBT event on Texas’ Lake Amistad, said lack of current during competition hours was an obstacle to beefing up the weight of her daily bags.

“I had limits early. Today I was culling by 7 in one spot,” she said. “But I just didn’t get a big bite. I knew I had to get to them before the sun came up, and when it did, the bass disappeared.”

In the co-angler division, the winner of the first-place package of a Triton/Mercury rig valued at $25,000 plus $500 was Marilyn Biszmaier of Louisville, Ky., who led Day 2 and closed for the win with 16 pounds, 8 ounces.

Second in the co-angler competition with 16-2 was Stacy Zhelesnik of Hoboken, N.J. Lesli Lively of Palestine, Texas, had a total of 15-12 for third place.

The next stop for the WBT will be June 19-21 on Old Hickory Lake out of Gallatin, Tenn. The tour’s presenting sponsor, Academy Sports & Outdoors, will host the final-day weigh-in at the Madison, Tenn., store. All WBT events are free and open to the public.

Sponsors of the Women’s Bassmaster Tour include Academy Sports & Outdoors, Toyota Tundra, Advance Auto Parts, Lowrance, Mercury, Skeeter, Yamaha, OPTIMA Batteries, Triton Boats, Legend Boats, MoGills and Mustang.

Local hosts include the City of Gadsden Parks & Recreation Department.

Items for Sale in my Ebay Store Music City Superstore

Pam Martin Wells Leads

Martin-Wells Leads Day 2

from BassFeed.com: The *Bass Fishing* Podcast! by admin

More than 22 pounds of bass over two days shows that Pam Martin-Wells of Bainbridge, Ga., has Coosa River impoundments figured out.

She took the lead with 22 pounds, 6 ounces, Friday in the Women’s Bassmaster Tour presented by Academy Sports & Outdoors event on Neely Henry Lake, a river-run impoundment of the Coosa.

Martin-Wells won the 2006 WBT Championship on another Coosa River fishery, Mitchell Lake, adding a big victory to her previous win, the 2005 WBT Preview event in Texas. Moving up from second to first place in the Neely Henry tournament, she put herself in position to take her third WBT victory.

Saturday will be the final day of competition, when just the top 20 pros will compete for the first-place prize of $1,000 cash and a Triton/Mercury boat rig valued at $50,000. Fans can watch Saturday’s finale at http://www.Bassmaster.com. Live video and a real-time leaderboard will begin at 2:15 p.m. CT. Bassmaster.com also will post final results, stories and photo galleries.

WBT pros are competing this season in a points race to become the first woman to qualify for a Bassmaster Classic, bass fishing’s most prestigious competition. The one pro with the most points at the end of the season will win a berth in the 2009 Classic, Feb. 20-22 on the Red River out of Shreveport/Bossier City, La. The points race winner will be the 2008 Toyota WBT Angler of the Year crown, an honor that comes with a 2009 Toyota Tundra.

Leading the field along with Martin-Wells was one-time WBT winner Juanita Robinson of Highlands, Texas, who had a two-day weight of 18 pounds, 11 ounces.

Right behind Robinson with 18-3 was Kim Bain of Alabaster, Ala., who was the winner of the season’s first event and leads the AOY points race. Fourth was one-time WBT winner Lucy Mize of Ben Lomond, Ark., with 18-0. Bonnie Johnson of Weatherford, Texas, had 17-12 for fifth place.

The 2007 Toyota WBT Angler of the Year, Oklahoma’s Sheri Glasgow, shot up from 33rd into sixth with a two-day total of 16-2.

Martin-Wells said she returned Friday to her first-day spot for the 10-4 bag she brought to the scales.

“And there are still fish there,” said Martin-Wells, a fishing guide on Georgia’s Lake Seminole as well as a pro angler. “I can see them come up and miss my bait. It’s just a matter if I can make them bite tomorrow.”

Although she was guarded about revealing specifics on productive patterns, she did say she was looking for bright and sunny conditions Saturday. And, like the rest of the field of 94 pros, she’d also like to see a release of water from the upstream dam, which would create current that often turns on a bite from larger bass.

“Lack of current isn’t hurting what I did to catch what I’ve brought in, but lack of current is hurting the bite for the better fish I’d found in practice,” Martin-Wells said. “I’ve had to adjust to fish that aren’t current-oriented, a variety of patterns.”

Moving up from third to second place, Robinson said the bite wasn’t quite as good Friday, but she adjusted. She said she’s hitting four areas she discovered in practice, getting her limit early and culling.

“They were really pushing shad and biting a whole lot better yesterday,” she said. “Today, as soon as the morning cloud cover went away, they shut down on me. If the weather changes and we get some rain, and they turn the turbines on, that should turn on the bite.”

“I’m starting out with topwaters, then going to a crankbait, then to a shaky head or a Carolina rig, and I caught some flipping to laydown trees,” she said.

In the co-angler division, in which the first-place prize is a Triton/Mercury rig valued at $32,000, Marilyn Biszmaier of Louisville, Ky., climbed from 33rd place to take the lead with 11-13. Close behind her were Lesli Lively of Palestine, Texas, with 11-3, and Linda Walker of Beebe, Ark., who with 10-12 maintained her first-day standing of third.

Pros will launch Saturday at 5:30 a.m. at Coosa Landing, 200 Lake Street in Gadsden. Daily weigh-ins will be at 2:15 p.m. at Academy Sports & Outdoors, 601 George Wallace Drive
in Gadsden. All WBT events are free and open to the public.

To view related images of the event, click here.

Sponsors of the Women’s Bassmaster Tour include Academy Sports & Outdoors, Toyota Tundra, Advance Auto Parts, Lowrance, Mercury, Skeeter, Yamaha, OPTIMA Batteries, Triton Boats, Legend Boats, MoGills and Mustang.

Bass Fishing Tips III

How To Catch Large Mouth Bass

from *Bass Fishing* Tips by mike

Six strategies for a good day’s fishing

(1) Largemouth Bass like plastic worms. Purchase a variety of colours from clear to bright and in varying shades. If fish don’t seem to be biting on one colour then switch for something lighter, and if they’re still not biting, go for a worm darker than your original. Generally, it depends on the water colour, time of day and temperature.

(2) Largemouth Bass like man-made or natural structure so look for them around jetty pylons, treefall and rock formations. They also like lots of weed so keep your eye out for a variety of spots.

(3) Largemouth Bass like baitfish. Herons like baitfish too. Look out for flocks of birds diving. Quite often where you find one you’ll find the other.

(4) Largemouth Bass like it quiet. Fish in areas away from frenzied activity or at dawn before activities begin. Be aware though that some activity can be a bonus as the wake from passing boats can wash out the baitfish from their hiding places in the rocks and, therefore, attract the bass.

(5) Largemouth Bass like deep water and shallow. Keep a variety of deep-diving lures and surface lures in the tacklebox depending on time of day, currents and water temperature.

(6) Largemouth Bass like it cool. Fish early in the day if possible. If the sun is high, aim for shaded areas.

To catch a Largemouth Bass Light tackle with fast-retrieving lures is usually the best, and remember, once the fish is landed, the best method of preparation for cooking is to ice immediately.

Bass Fishing Tips II

Corraling Cruisers With A Floating Worm

from BassFeed.com: The *Bass Fishing* Podcast! by admin

By Jay Yelas

If you spend time at the lake, either at the marina or around the boat slips, undoubtedly you’ve noticed bass cruising around. You’ve probably been on the water since before sunrise, made a long run to an end of the lake and all the while there are bass within a short walk of a hot cup of coffee and an indoor restroom. It can be frustrating.

But to experience true frustration, try your hand at catching one of these cruisers. The frustration seems to ratchet up even higher as the cruising bass get bigger. Sure, they’re swimming around and you can see them, but it’s hard to make them bite. There’s no shortage of ways to try to target these cruisers, but one of the most effective ways I’ve found is to use a floating worm. A floating worm can help you catch fish whenever they are refusing to eat, but only if you know how to use it.

What could be so hard about using a floating worm? A lot of people just cast it out, let it fall and twitch the bait a little. But there’s more to it than that. First, I like to use floating worms in shallow water (5 feet or less) or when the bass are high in the water column around structure - like boat slips. I use them a lot during spring and fall because the differences in water temperature between day and night draw more bass into shallow water. As the sun gets higher on these spring and fall days, the shallow water warms faster than the deeper water. So, the bass will migrate into these areas mid- to late morning (that’s why you see them cruising the boat slips when you come back to the marina for a sandwich), so focus on areas around the docks, heavy vegetation and willow trees.

I don’t consider the floating worms a go-to bait. I usually reserve these for really tough days. When the bass are shallow, I’d much rather be flipping or throwing a spinnerbait. But when I am seeing them cruising and they won’t eat, the floating worm is my last resort. When the bass seem to have lockjaw, it can be because the conditions are tougher than normal. But if the conditions turn windy, I prefer a spinnerbait.

When using a floating worm, the most important thing to do is establish a cadence, a walk-the-dog-type rhythm like those used on big top-water baits. As the bait passes cover, pause your retrieve and hang on: stopping the bait sometimes drives bass crazy and strikes can range from dead weight to a slight tug or violent flash and boil.

My floating worm rig stays pretty much the same wherever I go: I use a Berkley Power Bait 6-inch Bubblegum Pink Floating Steelhead Worm. I use 14- or 20-pound Fireline mainline (depending on the amount of cover in the area) and use 8-pound Trilene XL as a leader, connected with a Double Uni Knot, and spooled on a Size 3 spinning reel and a 6-foot finesse-action spinning rod. I never weight the floating worm (so it will float) and rig the bait with a 4/0 offset worm hook.

Sometimes the fishing gets so tough that you run out of ideas. When that happens, try a floating worm in shallow water around cover and see if you can entice a big cruiser to come crash into your bait. Once you figure out how to make the floating worm work for you, you’ll be hauling in fish while everyone else struggles.

Berkley Pro Jay Yelas is the reigning FLW Tour Angler of the Year and a former Bassmaster Classic champion from Corvallis, Ore.

Fishing Tip

Catch More Bass on a Carolina Rig

from BassFeed.com: The *Bass Fishing* Podcast! by admin

By D.B. Jackson

The Carolina Rig is one of the most effective bass fishing techniques on the planet. Two top 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series pros - Peter T and Kenyon Hill - consider it a mainstay in their arsenal on the tour. Between them they have banked over $1,000,000 using the technique.

And, the great thing about Carolina rigging is that you don’t need to be an expert to use it effectively. It’s easy to make and even easier to use.

The basic rigging is as follows: Thread a sinker and a bead to the main line running off your reel. Then, tie a swivel to the line. The bead should be between the sinker and the swivel.

Tie a leader to the other ring of the swivel and a hook to the far end. Attach your favorite soft plastic lure. Toss it out over your favorite structure or near your favorite cover and you’ll should be good to go.

Those are only the basics, however. To make your rig more effective give these refinements a try.

1. Sound: Beads are made from different materials. Each has its own unique sound as it smacks against the weight; some are loud and clank, others are soft and barely tick. Change beads to create a different sound.

2. Line size and strength: The line running from your reel to the swivel is important but isn’t visible to the fish. It’ll have no effect on lure action or movement. Heavy fluorocarbon or braid increases feel and sensitivity while reducing break-offs. Give one of them if you haven’t already.

3. Tie knots carefully: There are three knots in a Carolina rig - two on the swivel and one on the hook. That’s three places for trouble to develop. Take your time, tie your knots carefully and retie frequently throughout the day.

4. Adjust leader length: The length of your leader directly affects the way your lure looks to a bass. Short leaders tend to keep your bait near the bottom and restrict its action. Longer leaders do just the opposite.

5. Hook size and design matters: A round bend model is not an offset worm style. And, neither is a circle hook. Make sure your selection suits your style of fishing and the bite pattern of the the day.

Buy good, high-quality hooks. Keep them sharp and make sure they’re big enough. Bass have very big mouths. They can handle a big hook.

6. Get creative with your lures: You can rig darn near any bait available with a Carolina rig. Hill used a 10-inch worm on his during the Pride of Georgia. And, don’t think plastic lures are your only choice.

Small, shallo

Porter Prevails on the Delta

Porter Prevails On The Delta

from BassFeed.com: The *Bass Fishing* Podcast! by admin

Pro Kyle Porter of Acampo, Calif., caught a five-bass limit weighing 31 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to win the Stren Series Western Division tournament on the California Delta with a four-day total of 20 bass weighing 100-08. For his victory, Porter earned $25,000 cash.

“This is an awesome feeling,” said Porter, who now has his first FLW Outdoors victory under his belt. “It’s like you try for so long and finally all of the pieces come together.”

Porter threw a jig with a pork trailer all four days to catch his quality bass.

“I fished different spots all week, because my areas were getting beat up so bad,” Porter added. “Today, I fished 10 different spots until I got my limit. I caught a total of nine keepers today.”

Porter opened the tournament in second place Wednesday with five bass weighing 28-07. On Thursday he added another five bass weighing 18-12. He then caught five bass weighing 21-14 Friday to make the crucial top 10 cut in third place.

“It was really tough this week but it was all worth it in the end,” Porter said. “I can’t even describe what I am feeling right now.”

Rounding out the top five pros are Jeremy Zipton of Discovery Bay, Calif. (20 bass, 96-00, $9,299); Chris Raza of Roseville, Calif. (20 bass, 86-00, $8,370 plus $5,000 Ranger bonus); Timothy Venkus of Wilton, Calif. (20 bass, 85-09, $7,439); and Hunter Schlander of Modesto, Calif. (20 bass, 85-08, $6,509).

Dugan Mcintosh of Palermo, Calif., caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division Thursday – an 10-pound, 3-ounce bass – that earned him the day’s Snickers Big Bass award of $280.

Overall there were 45 bass weighing 181 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 9 pros Saturday. The catch included 9 five-bass limits.

Charles Peak of San Jose, Calif., won the Co-angler Division and $5,000 with a four-day total of 20 bass weighing 75-00.

“This is my first big win,” Peak said. “I really owe everything to the boaters I had this week. I really learned a lot.”

Peak was throwing a wacky-rigged watermelon-red finesse worm to key in on quality bass.

“I put a small nail in the head of the worm that creates a different fall which triggered the bite,” Peak said. “This was the key to my success.”

Peak caught five bass weighing 10-14 Wednesday while fishing with pro Scott Koehler of Galt, Calif., to open the tournament. He then caught five bass weighing 23-08 Thursday while fishing with pro Ryan German of Fairfield, Calif. On Friday he added five more bass weighing 19-12 to make the top 10 cut in first place while fishing with pro Mark Casey of Fairfield, Calif. Finally, on Saturday, he sealed the win with a five-bass catch weighing 20-14 while fishing with pro Mike Andrews of Oakley, Calif.

Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Kyle Baker of Lancaster, Calif. (20 bass, 73-06, $3,779); Chris Hughes of Orangevale, Calif. (20 bass, 70-03, $3,071); Aaron Reitz of Soda Springs, Calif. (20 bass, 54-08, $2,362); and Roy Desmangles Jr. of Lincoln, Calif. (20 bass, 54-06, $1,891).

Tommie Goldston of Gardnerville, Nev., caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Thursday – an 9-pound, 13-ounce bass – that earned him the day’s Snickers Big Bass award of $142.

Overall there were 45 bass weighing 147 pounds, 11 ounces caught by 10 co-anglers Saturday. The catch included 8 five-bass limits.

After four qualifying events are complete in each of the Stren Series’ five divisions, the top 40 pros from each division will advance to the $1 million Stren Series Championship in Branson, Mo., Nov. 5-8 for a shot at $140,000. The highest-finishing pro from each division at the championship will also earn a spot in the $2 million 2009 Forrest Wood Cup, where they will compete against top pros from the Wal-Mart FLW Tour®, Wal-Mart FLW Series®, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League® and TBF (The Bass Federation) for bass fishing’s biggest prize – $1 million.

Tournament pros aren’t the only ones winning big this season. With the introduction of FLW Fantasy Fishing™, FLW Outdoors® offers anyone the opportunity to enter for their chance to land the catch of a lifetime with the opportunity to win $7.3 million in cash and prizes. Players can become a virtual pro angler by signing up for Player’s Advantage, providing them with exclusive insider information that could guide them to a $100,000 victory at every Wal-Mart FLW Tour® stop and the Forrest Wood Cup. Player’s Advantage will give them an edge over the competition and increase their shot for a $1 million cash grand prize that will be awarded to the FLW Fantasy Fishing cumulative points winner. Those who visit FantasyFishing.com today can sign up for Player’s Advantage and FLW Outdoors will include a $15 Wal-Mart gift card.

The top 40 co-anglers from each Stren Series division will also advance to the championship, where they will fish for as much as $70,000. The highest-finishing co-angler from each division at the championship will then advance to the 2008 Forrest Wood Cup.

FLW Outdoors historically maintains a 98 percent live release rate in all of its bass tournaments.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.

Fred Wins on Murray

Fred Fires A Frog To Win On Murray

from BassFeed.com: The *Bass Fishing* Podcast! by admin

Four hours into day one of the Carolina Clash on Lake Murray, Fred Roumbanis was worried he might actually blank. He miscalculated on a big bedding bass and then missed his chance to tap into the blue back herring bite that the rest of the Elite field was chasing.

But in short order, Fred went from “zero” to “zeroed in” on a topwater frog bite. He found a remote part of the lake that he describes as “full of life” and went to work on a nice population of largemouth bass that were feeding on bluegill.

Bass Fishing Tips

Bass Fishing Boats: Advice for the First Time Buyer

from *Bass Fishing* Advice by admin

Bass fishing is a great past time that many people, both young and old enjoy. Once you get the taste of bass fishing, you might decide that you want to venture into buying your first bass fishing boat. This is truly an exciting experience, so it is best that you get some advice, being a first time buyer of a bass fishing boat.

One of the first things you want to make sure you have when you go to get your new boat is the right kind of vehicle for towing the boat. There are many vehicles that are just not made for towing something behind them. When you have your boat fully loaded with your gear as well as gas and attach it to your trailer, you can expect to be towing over 3500 lbs. behind your vehicle. You need to be sure to get a car or truck that can take that kind of load and pull it up a mountain or a hill.

When deciding on what size of a boat to get you will want to consider the size of the body of water that you will be fishing in. In larger bodies of water it is best to go with a boat that is at least 19 feet long where as if you are going to be fishing in a smaller body of water then you can go with a smaller outboard motor on a smaller boat. You can also choose which material your boat is made out of. Bass boats are generally made from aluminum or fiberglass. Each type of material has its good points as well as its bad points. For instance, if you were going to be doing most of your fishing in a small lake then you may want to go with the aluminum boat.

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