THE LATEST NEWS
9 Pounder for Drew
Fred “Boom Boom” Roumbanis makes big impact with a Guntersville Giant for his first fish of the day.
Yesterday during Media Day, Roumbanis and a number of other Elite Series Pros gave a shout out to a very special 6 year old named Drew Clarke. Drew is battling cancer and really loves fishing and is excited for the Classic. In the video, Fred said that he was going to catch his first fish for Drew and he made it a good one.
WOW, This is amazing! Drew was smiling so big and so was I. We had posted who Drew thought would do good in the classic today but after watching this video, Drew wanted me to delete that post because he didn’t want to leave any of these guys out!! Such a big heart. We can’t thank the guys in the video enough, this is truly unreal. Drew’s pick for the classic winner is still KVD.
Day 1 Bassmaster Classic
Day 1 of the Bassmaster Classic is well under way, Guntersville is starting to live up to the hype a few big fish are showing . Follow Bass East is throughout day.
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Cliff Crochet Day 1 2014 Classic
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Jonathan VanDam Day 1 2014 Classic
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Chris Zaldain Day 1 2014 Classic.
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Fred Roumbanis Day 1 2014 Claasic
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Keith Combs Day 1 2014 Classic
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Randall Tharp 27-8 Day one bag. Wow!
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Edwin Evers Day 1 2014 Classic
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Jeff Lugar Day 1 2014 Classic.
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Todd Faircloth Day 1 2014 Classic.
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Brent Chapman Day 1 2014 Classic.
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Aaron Martens Day 1 2014 Classic.
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David Walker Day 1 2014 Classic
LEGEND INTRO’S NEW 20’ BOAT AND REDESIGNED WEBSITE
MIDWAY, AR — As the 2014 Bassmaster Classic kicks off in Birmingham, AL, Legend Boats today announced the release of its new flagship, the V-20. The V- 20 is a product of 10 years of R&D and a boat the builders call “perfected”. The V-20 is a 250 HP-rated 20’5” boat with a 96” beam, and has the largest front deck in the industry; one that’s 73” wide across the carpeted area of the front deck at the pedestal, 84” at the consoles, and over 105” long.
“This boat is everything we’ve ever heard that our customers desired” said Kody Bradbury, Legend Brand Manager. With over 52 square feet of room on the front deck and more storage than most could ever fill, the new V-20 is a sharp contrast from the current Legend lineup in terms of deck space, though remains very similar in style and overall look.
Highlights of the new V boat aside from the sheer amount of deck space include a 50-gallon belly-mounted fuel tank, a new Legend Infinity Tackle Storage System, built-in storage for up to 30 rods in individual tubes, room for up to 12” units flush-mounted in both bow and console, redesigned seats with improved Shock-Tec gel fill, an engine compartment that will make maintenance effortless, and a refined hull that keeps the incredible ride that Legend is known for while offering an extremely stable and fast running surface.
“This boat has absolutely everything a die-hard tournament bass fisherman could ever want, while simultaneously offering the comfort that a customer who demands the finest would expect” said Dean Smith, Legend CEO.
The V-20 was unveiled today at the start of the Bassmaster Classic Outdoor Expo in Birmingham, AL. More information and details can be found on Legend’s newly redesigned website here: http://ridewithalegend.com
About Legend Boats
Legend Boats LTD is a custom bass boat manufacturer with a focus on building
the absolute finest bass boats on the water. With four models ranging from 19-
21 feet and a reputation of building the smoothest riding rough water boat in
the industry, Legend Boats has the immediate attention of die-hard tournament
anglers across the country. For more information on Legend Boats, visit
ridewithalegend.com.
Don’t Give Me No Lip
Casey Ashley, Terry Scroggins, Gerald Swindle and Gary Klein answered independently to the same five Bassmaster Classic related questions at Media Day. Their answers differed, of course – except when asked what lure will be most popular on Lake Guntersville this weekend during the 44th Bassmaster Classic.
Name one lure that will get the most work among the entire Classic field?
Casey Ashley: lipless crankbait
Terry Scroggins: lipless crankbait in some shade of red/orange craw
Gerald Swindle: ½-ounce lipless crankbait
Gary Klein: lipless crankbait
Estimate the daily average weight the winning angler will need to catch to win this Classic?
Ashley: 25-pounds a day
Scroggins: 27-pounds a day
Swindle: 25-pounds a day
Klein: 27-pounds a day
Your favorite personal Classic memory thus far in your career?
Ashley: The 2008 Classic at Lake Hartwell, SC. It was 40 miles from my hometown, and it was my very first Classic to qualify for– it doesn’t get much better than that.
Scroggins: I’d say Day Two in the 2006 Classic at Lake Toho, FL. I caught a 30-pound limit that day pitching a YUM Dinger to lily pads. The next day, the wind blew 40-mph and messed-up the whole area where I caught ‘em the day before.
Swindle: Can I choose two? First, would be the very first Classic I qualified for at High Rock Lake, sitting there in that tunnel, backstage at the weigh-in, hearing that loud music, and the fans cheering. You never forget that. Second, 2011 – learning what it feels like to share the weigh-in stage with a true champion – Kevin Oldham.
Klein: 2003 in New Orleans, the tournament officials checked our livewells backstage, and indicated they were pretty sure I was going to win. I allowed myself to believe that long enough to experience all the emotions of finally winning a Classic – before reality came moments later when I finished second.
Amid the sensory overload of the Bassmaster Classic, what do you do in the 10 minutes before your boat number is called at morning take-off to clear your head?
Ashley: I clear my head on the way to the ramp by listening to Kenny Chesney or Eric Church.
Scroggins: Ten minutes before take-off, I’m thinking about whether I need to go to the restroom – that depends how strong the coffee is that morning.
Swindle: I pray. And not for fish. God has way more to take care of than me catching a bass. I pray for peace and safety during the competition day.
Klein: Idling out to blast-off is one of the greatest parts of my job. The loud music fades, Dave Mercer’s voice fades – and mentally you start leaving it all behind.
There are a lot of weather risks associated with having a Classic in late winter. If you were a 1-man planning committee, what week of the year, and on what fishery, would you host a Classic?
Ashley: The second week of September, anywhere in the southeastern U.S., except Florida.
Scroggins: Mid-June. The kids are out of school, so more families could attend the Classic. We could go anywhere that time of year and the fishing should be good, but if I was picking one – it might just be Guntersville.
Swindle: Early April on Lake Guntersville. The weather would be better. It’s my favorite lake. And just about anybody could win on Guntersville at that time of year because there are a lot of patterns that work well then.
Klein: There are so many factors to consider when picking a Classic site – hotels, weigh-in arenas, the fishery. But, honestly, aside from the long commute and the added expense of tow vehicle fuel – this one right here is hard to beat. Birmingham is a great host city – and it’s a privilege to compete for a Classic title on Lake Guntersville.
Livingston Lures Stickmaster: Review
Last month, I was fortunate enough to get a break in the unusually cold winter weather in VA to head out and fish during prime jerk bait season. I had recently won a Facebook contest from Livingston Lures, whose products “feature our proprietary EBS technology that emulates Natural Baitfish Sounds with the ability to generate more strikes even while completely motionless in the water”. Sounds like a perfect technological addition to a long pause on a jerkbait retrieve, so I made sure that part of my contest winnings included their “Stickmaster” jerkbait, and I put it to the test on the water.
DESIGN: The Stickmaster is a 4.5” ½ ounce floating jerkbait, outfitted with Mustad ONYX treble hooks and stainless steel split rings – quality terminal tackle with the right weight and size to cast accurately and with some distance. Two hooks are present on the bait. The Stickmaster does not contain a weight transfer system, as the interior of the bait is occupied with the EBS system. The Stickmaster is available in twelve different colors with enough variety to imitate most bait fish bass fishermen are concerned with. The body is similar to most jerk bait designs, with a slightly wider body when compared to other jerk bait bodies (Ima Flit, Megabass Ito Vision 110). The colors tested where the “Purple C Shad” and the “Beauty Shad”. I fished the bait on a Denali “Michael Murphy” Series jerkbait rod with a Diawa Tatula 100H reel spooled with 12 lb Izorline monofilament.
PERFORMANCE: The Stickmaster is reported to dive to 3-4 feet when retrieved, and I was able to easily get it down to the 4 foot depth in water temps of 46 degrees. The bait rose VERY slowly when paused, which was a pleasant surprise on monofilament. The Stickmaster, lacking an internal weight transfer system (it has a small ball bearing in the head of the bait that rattles but does not influence weight transfer on the cast), did not cast as far when compared to jerkbaits with that design feature, but the casting distance was certainly adequate to fish clear winter water without “boat spooking” the fish. The Stickmaster created quite a bit of vibration when moved quickly, and I was able to feel the tight wobble of the bait being drawn through the water, creating a decent amount of flashing when retrieved. Slowing the bait down did not decrease the sense or observation of the bait wobbling in the water column upon retrieve, so the angler can be confident that the baits intended action is consistent throughout various retrieve speeds.
FISHABILITY: The very first cast with the Stickmaster produced a “hit” to the bait, which I subsequently missed. After cursing my inattention, I immediately threw the bait back into the same spot and a 4 pound largemouth picked it up. The bait hooked the fish very well, with both treble hooks securely penetrating the fish’s mouth, and I was able to land the bass without any complication. Making accurate casts was not an issue with the Stickmaster, and although it shares the same vulnerability to wind that other jerkbaits possess, the ½ ounce weight makes wind adjustments easy to handle.
OVERALL: Its really impossible to tell whether the EBS system of the Livingston Lures Stickmaster had any effect on the fish I landed using it, but it is somewhat telling that it produced a large fish on the second cast to an area that is largely considered a community hole. I can say this : it certainly didn’t hurt. With a solid design, quality components, proven colors, and an EBS system to add another stimulus to entice bass to strike, the Livingston Lures Stickmaster will add another very unique option to every angler’s jerkbait arsenal, and should not be overlooked.
By Chris Murphy.
Keep up with Chris on his Facebook page and web site.