Developed outside of the West, you could say the shaky head was an out-of-zip code attempt at finesse fishing. Sort of like wearing suspenders and a belt, the shaky head allowed anglers fishing cover (often brush piles under docks) to have a compact jig and worm–but do it in a weedless fashion.
Not that anyone on tour ever fished an exposed hook, but now they don’t have to. Because the shaky head is similar enough to a round head in presentation, (more…)
Anticipation of the completion of the launch ramp extension and reopening of Diamond Valley Lake, scheduled for February, is the hot topic among bass fishermen. But a much wider look at the efforts of (and the costs assumed by) the Metropolitan Water District demonstrate how small the recreational interests are in the scheme of things.
The big item, the Inland Feeder, (click here) as was announced Oct. 1, has been completed and waters are flowing. But even in spending $1.2 billion dollars on the effort, does not insure recreation, merely the tools to redirect water from the Colorado River or from the California Delta, when environmental issues are finally resolved.
Yet, thanks to bass fishing advocates, fishermen will get to defray (more…)
Okay, I think I’ve made it abundantly clear, there aren’t enough pros in the West to make a sandwich, er…field a tour. And those who compete (from what I read) seem to be good with that. They’re not going to change professions. For them, fishing a pro tournament is like going to a carnival where they hope to break even on the cotton candy and stuffed animals.
But why would anyone think a sponsor would get involved with a tournament organization just to support tournament fishing? (more…)
(This post has been updated) Nobody wants to talk about it, but the impact of dominant teams on their respective regions has been dogging team fishing for years. When the “guns” take to the water, the opportunities for “just any team” to cash drop off significantly. So much so, in fact, they often quit showing up, or pick another circuit that fits them better.
But what happens if you take away the powerhouse teams? Or what happens if you find a level playing field that accommodates the techniques that most team fishermen use throughout the various regions, which lessens the advantage of the barracudas. (more…)
Maybe you’ve heard of it, maybe not, but Jamie Howard’s fascinating new video, “BASS The Movie” will be showing Saturday, Oct. 17 at the Silver Screen Theater at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.
The premiere showing will take place at 3:15 p.m. and tickets are available, according to Bill Calhoun of the Orange County Fly Fishers. You can get yours at Bob Marriott’s Flyfishing store (714-525-1827) or Fishermen’s Spot (877-785-7306).
Basically, this new work was a labor of love for Howard and it’s centered right here in the Golden State, home to 22 of the 25 IGFA bass world records. Castaic, Casitas, the Delta, (more…)
While we see innovative new lures, reels and rods every year, I pretty much thought we had the sliding sinker figured out. But then Jewel Bait Co. in Bakersfield, Missouri just came out with something so new, I can’t find it on the company website. It’s called “The Rock,” but it’s not what I thought.
It’s made of the conventional material and density–but the shape is clearly the big difference. It’s a football head sinker, with an angled hole running through the “laces” of the ball (more…)
A quirk in personnel scheduling at WON Bass has me heading out to Lake Mead later this week to cover the annual Tri States Team Championship South. Since it hasn’t been all that long since I regularly did this sort of thing, it should be a nice reunion.
All the top teams from the Colorado River, Inland Empire, Nevada, San Diego, Southern California and WONdering south divisions are slated to be there, and I think they are in for a big surprise, as conditions have suddenly made a turn for the better! (more…)
Just reading over the 2010 schedule for the Bassmaster Opens, where nine events as near to us as Denison, Texas will make up that tour, the focus of the news release was the potential upward “movement” by professionals. The top two points finishers from each of 3-event division of the Opens will qualify for the Bassmasters Classic, while the “top seven pro anglers will qualify for the 2011 Bassmaster Elite Series.”
However, as I read deeper into the material, I saw that the co-anglers (more…)
For so long, tournament pros have relied on the bass boat/motor industry to carry their careers, until the largest organizations were able to tap the non-endemics to get involved in the game. (more…)