Clearly, Western fishermen have their favorites. You read the message board chatter, all the back and forth over “What’s the best so-and-so product” and the same list of recommendations seems to come up every time. But really, do those guys know what they’re talking about?

How do those products really stand up in popularity compared to the national scene?

Once again, Southwick Associates’ AnglerSurvey.com announced the brands and products anglers preferred most in 2009. This list has been compiled from the 34,185 internet-based surveys completed by anglers who volunteered to participate last year in AnglerSurvey.com polls.

Survey says… (more…)

Above: The 'Smoothie'

When Lake Elsinore’s Pat Keniry teamed up with Riverside’s Rob Dickson, you had to expect good things would happen on the team fishing scene. But I don’t think anybody thought it would be quite as good as it was on Saturday.

That’s when the pair lugged 42.3 pounds of bass to the ABA stage on Lake Perris and became the talk of the Southland for days. But it was obvious, the bass community was itching for more (more…)

I’ve talked about the wacky jig and the Flick Shake worm from Jackall before, but sometimes it takes awhile to see the full scope of any technique. When I was lucky enough to hook up with Ty Ono several years ago when Jackall was introducing the Flick Shake worm, the tungsten jig heads featured a smaller hook and no weedguard.

When Ono, Curt Arakawa and I hit the old, hard bottom Irvine Lake so I could see the baits in action and learn about the technique, the hook size did not seem to be an issue. And since the Flick Shake worm tended to hold the hook point up, (more…)

UPDATED–To finish off business from this past weekend and the fate of the seven western-rooted  Bassmasters Classic qualifiers, we just drew from the 11 viewers who picked Aaron Martens to finish highest. If the viewer shown will contact me by email with a mailing address, I’ll get your Sebile prize out to you.

Thanks to all for playing and leave it to Aaron to finish strong and cause this drawing.

SUNDAY–I don’t know about other media sources, but I was lucky. I only have file photos for KVD, Klein and Rojas. Can you imagine if somebody else had won? (more…)

Man, I hate being right. But looking at the day two standings of the 2010 Bassmasters Classic–it is so over.

Oh, there may have been a cosmetic change or two in the top 10, but unless a contender weighed nearly as much today as yesterday and has no more than five pounds to make up, this tournament is history. Face it, with the top three running 32-1, 31-15 and 31-14, who would you count on closing from 8 to 12 pounds out (in other words, seventh down to 12th place)? (more…)

Put it on the trailer, boys (& girl). It was nice of you to come, now go home and try again next time.

That’s all you can say about this year’s Bassmasters Classic on Lay Lake. Fifty-one went out today and 40 limped back. In fact, giving the guys tied for 10th place a chance (5 pounds behind the leader)–is about as hopeful a prediction as I can come up with. (See for yourself.)

And what about our storied western mainstays? They disappeared faster than David Copperfield. They must have left with Elvis. (more…)

UPDATED–I guess it’s time to change gears. The Bassmasters are out on the water at Lay Lake, the CBC’s are out on Lower Otay today {actually, they would be on the water on Saturday} and in a few hours I’ve got to help fix a roof before that storm front gets here.

Hey, it’s all good. Isn’t that what they say? But then the alarm suddenly went off this morning at 4:30–a setting from yesterday’s prefish. (more…)

UPDATE: ONE HOUR LEFT–With the Bassmasters Classic coming up Friday through Sunday this week, I thought it was time to have a little contest.

How about you tell me (more…)

Funny what gets you motivated–or better, that you really can learn something new every day.

Back on Jan. 2o (Features), Brent Ehrler shared the importance of the braid/fluoro combination for finesse fishing and especially the critical knot. He said double uni. Practice until you can tie it in the dark (or at least the wind) and do so consistently, every time. The reason, you need to rely on that connection between two diverse materials. But I was nervous about my skills.

I went on the web, checked the Power Pro package and found some instruction. But every night as I sat in front of this screen I just couldn’t get myself to step into untried territory…. When suddenly, Jayhawker Ned Kehde, (more…)

You know me. I’m a Bassmasters Classic honk. I like this one-event means of crowning a World Champion. Heck, I even got to ride along for eight of them. This was the event that started it all for the sport at Lake Mead, and by next Sunday at Lay Lake, B.A.S.S. will, indeed, crown a Classic champ.

But it won’t be pretty. Of all the Classics since 1971, none will have less to do about fishing and more about survival. (more…)