THE LATEST NEWS
What’s Your Favorite Thing
Power Pole is number one when it comes to shallow water anchors. FLW Tour pros JT Kenney and Luke Clausen discuss their favorite features and how they use them.
Boat U.S. Angler’s “Weigh-to-Win” Now Includes Team Trails
ALEXANDRIA, Va., — Cash bonuses from “Weigh-to-Win” are obviously appreciated, but so is the good feeling knowing BoatU.S. will be there when a torched boat trailer hub, failed outboard, or hosts of other mechanical issues threaten to ruin your tournament day.
The great news is when you sign up for an affordable membership to BoatU.S. Angler you get both mental freedom from mechanical issues, plus a shot at the “Weigh-to-Win” money too. And beginning in 2014, there’s even more good news because anglers participating in the some of America’s most respected team tournament trails will now be eligible to win cash from “Weigh-to-Win”.
In addition to continued payouts for competitors affiliated with B.A.S.S., FLW, PAA, LBAA and the Association of College Anglers, in 2014, anglers participating in Alabama Team Trail, Bass Champs, Nichols Marine Tournament Series, Platinum Team Trails, Priority Fishing Team Series, Skeeter XFL, Texas Team Trail and B.A.S.S. Team Championship will also be eligible for “Weigh-to-Win” bonuses. In fact, anglers can look forward to seeing a TowBoatU.S. vessel on the water at all Alabama Team Trail events, and Priority Fishing Team Series events.
Both the highest and second highest finishing “Weigh-to-Win” angler in the above mentioned trails will win $150 in each regular season event, and $250 each at their respective championship events – except for the higher entry fee Platinum Team Trail, where the highest and second highest finishing Weigh-to-Win angler will each receive $250.
BoatU.S. Angler is the nation’s largest association of recreational boaters, and they offer boat-owning anglers roadside and on-the-water towing assistance as well as boat insurance. Benefits begin at only $38 for a BoatU.S. Angler membership and Unlimited On-the-Road Towing, which provides services such as fuel delivery, jump-starts, flat tire assistance, lockout service, ramp winching and tow truck service for both your trailer and tow vehicle while trailering your boat.
Getting a BoatU.S. Angler membership with on water or on road towing and signing-up for their Weigh-to-Win program is easy. Just dial 918-742-6424 and ask for Kendell. For complete details regarding Towing Services, call BoatU.S. Angler membership at 866-906-0013, or visit www.BoatUS.com/towing.
13 Fishing Strikes Again with New Reel Line Up
13 Fishing took the tackle industry by storm with the release of their OMEN and ENVY series of rods at Icast 2012. Now they’re preparing doing it again with their new series of reels that will be hitting shelves March 17th.
At BassEast.com we have had the pleasure to field test the new Concept A and Concept E reels for some time now and they have proven to be flat out performers.
The Concept A and Concept E both share a similar frame design which sits low on the rod and palm perfectly which is ideal for those long days on the water.
The Concept A features a lightweight yet rugged aluminum frame, 7 total ball bearings which include 3 anti-corrosion and a Dead Stop Anti-Reverse, and weighs in at 6.7oz.
The Concept E sheds some weight of the Concept A, weighing in at only 5.78oz, through the use of 13 Fishing’s proprietary Featherweight Magnesium. This reel also features Hybrid Ceramic spool bearings, a Japanese NTN Dead Stop anti-reverse, and an Ocean Armor finish for use in saltwater.
Both reels sport 13 Fishing’s 22lb Bulldog Drag, their Arrowhead line guide design to improve casting distance, Concept cork knobs, and a 6-way Centrifugal braking system. Four different gear ratios are available in 5.3:1, 6.6:1, 7.3:1, and 8.1:1, allowing you to find one perfectly suited for any application.
The quality of these reels is apparent upon first glance. They seem to be made to tight tolerances and feel smooth and precise after 2 months of testing just as they did straight from the box. The reels match perfectly with the 13 Fishing Omen and Envy series of rods which allowed for long days fishing with minimal fatigue. Cork knobs on the reels were another pleasant addition which again was appreciated when spending long hours on the water.
The Concept A was paired with a 13 Fishing Omen 7’1” MH for and spooled with 40# Gamma Torque braided line and 10# Gamma Edge fluorocarbon during testing. The Concept A handled moving baits such as spinner baits, vibrating blade baits, and lipless crankbaits effortlessly. The gearing in the reel feels just as smooth as when it left the box after numerous fish being caught. The Bulldog Drag was extremely impressive and was very smooth yet strong.
The Concept E was paired with a 13 Fishing Envy 7’1” H and spooled with 60# Gamma Torque braided line for fishing Lake Okeechobee. The reel performed flawlessly across a range of weights from pitching a 1 ounce Jig to casting a near weightless swim bait great distances. The 22lb Bulldog drag easily handled all the fish caught of which the largest was over 5 pounds and the Ocean Armor finish held up nicely.
13 Fishing’s new line of reels are definitely worth trying out. The Concept A and Concept E will retail for $170 and $380 respectively and will be available March 17th, 2014 and are currently available for pre-order. For more information on the reels and 13 Fishing’s other products check out www.13fishing.com
Find out how you could win a new Concept reel from 13 fishing by visiting our Facebook pages.
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Chris Lane Fishing Announces Partnership with Mustang Survival
Guntersville, AL – Chris Lane Fishing, Inc. announced a partnership today that makes Mustang Survival the official water safety sponsor of the 7th Annual “Reeling in Future Pros” Kids Camp and Chris Lane’s 2014 fishing season. Lane’s competitive season will consist of the Bassmaster Classic, Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Southern Open events.
In 2013 all 150 campers at Lane’s camp received a brand-new life jacket from Mustang Survival. The event was held at the Guntersville Harbor – site of the most recent Bassmaster Classic launch. The 2014 camp will again be held at the Harbor on July 26th. Sign-ups for the camp will begin in April at www.chrislanefishing.com.
“Chris Lane and the whole Lane family promote water safety, boating education and the joy of fishing together as a family at the Camp. The event showcases some of the values that Chris and Mustang have in common, including quality, integrity and respect,” said Shannon Ward, Director of Business Development & Marketing of Mustang Survival. “Our entire team is excited to work with him on both product design and community initiatives. Our goal is to make products that people want to wear so we can keep on saving lives for a living.”
In addition to supporting anglers, Mustang Survival is also a trusted source of personal protective equipment to the Coast Guard, fighter pilots, law enforcement agencies, commercial mariners and others.
“Companies like Mustang that promote safety are very high on my list of respected companies. Mustang’s products are head and shoulders above their competition,” added Lane. “Their support of the Kids Camp means everything to my family. I’ve personally worn Mustang for many years and am proud to announce this official partnership.”
Visit www.mustangsurvival.com for more information on Mustang Survival products and solutions.
About Chris Lane
Originally from Lakeland, Florida and now residing in Guntersville, AL, Chris Lane is the 2012 Bassmaster Classic champion and a 5-time B.A.S.S. winner. He won the final Bassmaster Elite Series event of the 2013 season. Chris writes a regular blog titled Life in the Bass Lane on www.bassmaster.com and is active on Facebook (ChrisLaneFishing) and Twitter (ChrisLaneFish). His website is www.ChrisLaneFishing.com. The Reeling in Future Pros Kids Camp is a Lane family endeavor held each summer at Lake Guntersville.
Six Strategies for More Cold-Water Bass
How to Welcome Chilly Temps, Bag Both Smallies and Largemouths with ‘Jack of All Trades’ Bait
When the water temperatures plummet , tournament bass angler Rich Lindgren employs numerous cold-water tactics, relying largely on one “jack of all trades bait” called the Kompak Craw for finicky bass in waters below 50 degrees.
“You can fish the bait a lot of different ways, depending on the situation,” says Lindgren. “I typically have rods rigged with the bait on a shaky head, football head jig, finesse rig, Neko rig…just for starters. I like having one bait that I can fish so many different ways. Let’s me concentrate on fishing, not lure selection.”
SHAKY HEAD RIGGING
Lately, he’s been fishing Evolve Bait Co.’s Kompak Craw on a thin wire 3/0 or 4/0 EWG shaky head and says it recently out-fished the stalwart tactic of dragging tubes over rocks for fall smallmouth an impressive 13 to 1.
“Dragging tubes definitely catches fish—from the Great Lakes to southern smallie waters—but there’s something about the Kompak Craw on a shaky head that lights up smallmouth bass. Rather than a horizontal drag, a shaky head orients the bait at 45-degrees—mimicking a fighting craw or goby feeding on the bottom. A simple drag, shake and dead stick is typically how I fish it. More sitting, though, than shaking.”
The bait’s design lends itself to shaky head rigging, as there’s a bump in the plastic that holds the hook barb just barely under the plastic, eliminating the need to expose the hook. “Even during tough, short bites, hook-up percentages are super good.”
Lindgren says the shaky head routine is a go-to for cold, clear waters less than 15 feet deep. Anything deeper and he’ll fish the Kompak Craw by itself on football jig head or as a trailer on a tungsten football head jig.
FOOTBALLIN’
There’s nothing like knocking helmets with bass in deep water. Football head jig aficionados will tell you they live for the ‘thump.’ And while effective on deep structure bass all season long, the football head bite definitely comes alive in fall and early winter, typically around sunken islands, isolated rock piles, points and ledges in waters from 15 to 40 feet.
To find these high-probability areas, Lindgren says he studies digital GPS mapping and uses Humminbird Side Imaging to look for fish on these deep water spots, marking waypoints for precise casts.
“During summer months I’ll fish a football head jig with large, flappy craw trailers, but as the water temps go down, you really need something subtle. Fish are moving slower and they won’t eat if it takes too much energy. The Kompak Craw is precisely the thing, whether I skewer it onto a bare football head, a football head jig with silicone skirt, or my favorite, a combination silicone and hair football head jig. Hair moves in a way that mimics life even at a standstill,” says Lindgren.
FINESSE JIG TRAILER
On natural lakes – especially those of the Midwest – Lindgren searches for remaining green weed clumps in 8 to 10 feet of water, relying on a finesse jig to slowly and methodically find willing largemouth bass.
“I’ll idle just off of weed flats, using Side Imaging to find isolated clumps, funnels and spaces in the larger beds. Again, I’ll mark waypoints and go back and strategically work those areas with a tungsten finesse jig with Evolve Kompak Craw trailer, which pulls through the weeds without collecting debris. I have a rod rigged with blue and black jig and Leech Fleck or June Bug Kompak Craw, and a rod with green pumpkin jig and Pumpkin Oil or Cali-Melon Red Kompak Craw.”
He’s also a big fan of fishing finesse jigs on reservoirs. “In fall and early winter, I look for areas of chunk rock and gravel around secondary points that transition into coves and creek arms. You can intercept a lot of fish in these locations with finesse jigs as bass move in and out.”
NEKO RIG
A lesser-known, yet very effective, late season tactic is called Neko rigging. Basically a highly-refined finesse tactic that takes wacky-rigging to an extreme, it excels in shallow waters and around docks. Although typically used with stick worms, Lindgren says the Kompak Craw is perfect for the Japanese finesse technique. “I invert the bait, insert either a nail or small tungsten screw weight into bait’s head and run a weedless wacky style hook through the side of the bait. When retrieved, the vertically-oriented bait puffs the bottom much like a cat – “Neko” in Japanes – in a litter box, hence the name.”
Lindgren says the Neko Rig is ideal for dock skipping and bottom-hopping shallow flats, shoreline cover and points, even when water temps are extremely low. “Especially in stained waters, you’d be surprised how many fish you’ll find shallow in late fall and winter.”
PUNCH BAIT
During cold bluebird skies and cold fronts, bass will cling tight to cover – especially weed mats and clumps – for warmth. That’s when Lindgren turns to the Kompak Craw for punching right into the bedrooms of big, lethargic bass.
“Florida waters are a good example of where cold water punching can definitely pay off. And rather than using a bait that’s too obtrusive and can spook fish, the Kompak Craw is streamlined and punches great. It’s thick enough that it displaces water and fish know it’s there but it doesn’t flail; the appendages stay close to the body, moving just the right amount to draw strikes.”
Lindgren fishes the bait on a straight shank 4/0 flipping worm hook with weight stop and ¾ to 1 ½-ounce tungsten bullet weight, tied to 25-pound fluorocarbon for clearer waters or 50-65 pound braid in dirtier waters.
DROP SHOT
Yet another way Lindgren likes to fish the bait is on a drop shot, particularly over deep brush piles that he spies with his electronics. “I simply nose hook the Kompak Craw and let it flutter as I ply deep brush, barely shaking it, keeping my eyes on my Humminbird 2D, which I set to 200/83kHz for the widest transducer cone, with my chart speed jacked up all the way to ten. That refreshes data the fastest. It’s like sight fishing with electronics.”
Get the Kompak Craw here.
By Jack Busby