Please pray for our bassin' brother James Overstreet. Here's his latest FB post for more deets. Going through some serious stuff. Love 'n hugs JO! 💪🙏✝️

Also please give you a warm bassin' welcome to Amphibia sunglasses! Now owned by a couple bass pros you might know and also bros in Christ. Not sure if that's public yet...🤔

Anyhow, glad to have a sunglass company that's serious about BASS-HEADS! Check their c-lection on TW and here's their website. My wife likes 'em too so....

Also just in time for "the eclipse" are the new Amphibia Eclipse frames!

😁 Let's go!

- Bassmaster Ray-dee-o's Thom Abraham talkin' 'bout spending a day in the boat with Justin – in 2020:

> The rod had a sawed-off butt, wrapped in electrical tape to protect his forearm from getting bruised.

Amazing. Love that so many of the top guys in our sport come from humble starts, which is why so many of them stay humble. Affects our whole bassin' world, in a good way.

Here's your champ in 2021, surviving on Milo's sweet tea:

Hey – are we weird? I mean, "a sawed off butt"? Someone in our crowd is always talking about rod "butts," deep water "butting up" to a flat, hard and soft "bottoms," Minn Kota Raptors have a "bottom mode," etc. So...we weird or what? 🤣

FL's Mikey Keyso won this one with zero Scope – just pre-spawners in grass swimming a worm and fishing a JackHammer:

What the full top 10 fished broken down:

Bladed jig = 50% – all Z-Man JackHammers

Swim worm = 40% (all different)

Dropshot = 20% – Roboworm (mm)

Stick worm = 20% – both Gambler Fat Ace

10% each = Buzzbait, Lipless crank, Prop bait, TX-rig worm, Jerkbait (Yo-Zuri 3DB SP Deep), Swimbait, Jig, Crankbait, Flip plastics

Shout-outs

1. Check how Conner DiMauro (2nd) used the beam:

> "...started noticing all these fish that were crawling on the bottom off the edge of the grass. I'd be dragging that Carolina rig on the edge of the grass, and looking around with my LiveScope. When I'd see one, I would wind in my Carolina rig and flick a dropshot out at it."

2. 2nd top 10 for FL's Robert Camp (4th) partly with a West Volusia Custom Baits prop bait:

3. Bobby Bakewell (5th) scoped with a Yo-Zuri 3DB Deep Jerkbait and a 14.25" Bruiser Baits Da Big Nasty Worm! 🤯

4. Southern division Okee winner Jessie Mizell finished 10th in this'n.

Dang we need more tournaments at T-Bend! Okay no – and yes! 😁 Congrats to Tater Reynolds who has a top 10 bassin' first name fo sho!

He won this deal by 22 POUNDS on his home lake. Here's how:

> "I Scoped the open stuff, the obvious stuff – the timber, the creek channels. They weren't there. So I was like, Well I know they're not back there spawning because I'd say 80% of them done spawned. ...they've got to be traveling.

> "...I checked the main lake, the summer stuff, and they weren't quite there yet either. So I was like, Man they've got to be on the points, secondary points coming out of pockets."

> ...primarily caught them using crankbaits. In the 10-15' range he used a 6th Sense Crush 300DD.... The spot where he started day 3 was a bit deeper, about 20', and closer to the main lake. There he turned to the 6th Sense Cloud 9 C25....

> When bass stopped responding to the crankbait, Reynolds switched to a few different dragging presentations. His main offering was a 6th Sense Divine Magnum Shakey Worm, which he affixed to a 1/2-oz shakey head.

Here's a breakdown of what the full top 10 feeshed:

Crankbait = 30%

Damiki/hover rig = 30% – Yamamoto Scope Shad on a Buckeye Scope Head, YUM FF Sonar Minnow, 3.5 Cast Fishing Echo

Jerkbait = 20% – Megabass Vision 110 and 110+1

Sight-fishing = 20% – Strike King Rage Bug, 6th Sense Congo Craw, 6th Sense Panorama

10% each = A-rig, Glide bait (The Sentinel/crappie paint – I think it's this'n), Big swimbait (6th Sense Whale), Bladed jig, Jig (Buckeye Mop Jig – this bait seems to be making a comeback), Dropshot, Carolina rig (just one?? of course it was a Zoom Brush Hog), Topwater (walking bait)

Shout-outs

1. Alec Morrison (3rd) says he's from NY but by now it's obvious he's from TX. Stop fibbin' dude! 😁

2. Since Todd Castledine finished 5th you might as well hand him another AOY trophy – he seems to win 'em all there! But Russell "I WILL take your money" Cecil finished 10th in this one so it might be a battle (again).

3. Marshall Hughes (6th) seems like he's been a-rollin' lately.

4. Check the Damiki TX's Dylan Thompson (7th) threw – rigged like a line-thru swimbait. Rig was a a 4" YUM FF Sonar Minnow on a 5/16-oz Reneau Tackle Line Thru Finesse head with a Hayabusa treble:

5. Zane Parker (8th) is 18 yrs old.

6. The Strike King Hybrid Hunter Jr crank got a top 10 in this'n and at the Harris Chain...but is it me or am I seeing 6th Sense more in TX where I used to see Strike King? Either way pls lmk, no offense to Strike King.

Check this pic of Ryan Salzman with his new melon friend:

7 lbs even! 🤯 Dang son! Said he was fishing below Wheeler dam, 60,000 CFS (current):

> "...sitting on the edge of the current and swimming it back just above the rocks in 8-12' of water."

Bait was a 4.5 True Bass Little Head swimbait (99 problems) on a 1/2-oz True Lock Swimbait Head with 20-lb Yo-Zuri T7 Fluoro – with that line guess he was expecting some bigs!

Asked him if that was his PB smallie:

> "No it's my 4th biggest! Had an 8 even on the same bait on Pickwick during same time of year – mid-March."

Dang! In case you gotta see if for yourself, he does still guide.

No particular order, new to me if not to you:

Top to bottom:

1. No Live Bait Needed Mullet – You can say that again! 4, 5.5 and 7.

2. Fish or Die Warbird – It's curved like that on purpose, bladed jig trailer and other Fluke-type uses, company owned by a veteran, comes in 4 and 5.5.

3. 6th Sense Clobber Minnow – Looks outstanding, split belly, takes a jighead BUT...is only 2".

4. Longas Baits Tiny Shad – 3" shad-type bait with a tube-type tail, cool idea, can see a bunch of uses for it.

5. OSP DoLive Stick Fat Soft Stick Bait – 4.5" of sorta a pintail Senko? Pintail baits are on the rise, more about that in the next Abu Garcia Revo Top 5 Baits 'n Techniques of the Month....

1. "Code E" Huff is on Bassin'Edge Radio.

He talks about the time Rick Clunn borrowed his weedwacker and never returned it, just plum acted like it never happened. I mean, what are you gonna say – he's Rick Clunn!

Kidding!

2. Elite rookie Wes Gore is not pre-practicing...

...and is 7th in the points right now. Good BassFan post.

3. Check how tight the Redcrest cutline was.

Forgot to post it – 1 feesh! (Maybe 1.5)

4. BFL happenin's.

Dale Holler, TN – TN's Christian Nash won it with a Damiki using a Zorro Booza Zonar Jighead he designed and Lowrance ActiveTarget.

Just before that TN's Jacob Woods LiveScoped a Damiki and swimbait to win one there.

Greers Ferry, AR – AR's Justin Swayze caught 'em in 10-12' on a Larew Biffle Bug on an 11/16-oz Larew Biffle Hardhead. You know Tommy's proud!

Ross Barnett, MS – MS's John Walker caught 'em flipping a Zoom Z Craw Jr and fishing a Zoom Speed Worm on a shakey head, swimming it off rocks.

5. CA: 1st WON Bassers qualify for Nation Championship.

They need a pep talk from guys like John Murray before they head east!

6. Montevallo U College Classic winners did not use FFS.

Big congrats to Montevallo's Tyler Cory and Scott Sledge. At Keystone Lake, OK:

> The pair fished channel swings and banks in up to 6' of water. They didn't use LiveScope...preferring to "throw at the places that looked like they should have fish."

> ...shallow-diving jerkbait that imitated the shad in abundance at Keystone. Sledge followed with a shad-colored 1/2-oz War Eagle Spinnerbait with a gold CO blade and a silver willow...paired it with a 3" Keitech swimbait that was also shad color.

Btw, the HS Classic winners didn't use FFS either. They fished a new Berkley Dime 6 crankbait (river bream) and a Z-Man JackHammer (green shad). Huge congrats to Carsen Adcock and Jase White of LA's Bossier Parish High School.

7. $50K for winner at Humminbird/Minn Kota owner tourney!

I think that's what it says? It's a big bass derby so that's for the biggest big Bertha/Larry:

Click it 👆 to get the deets. Wanted to fish it but hopefully I will be about to head to FL then! Will try anyhow....

8. Study claims a couple livewell additives don't work.

> Our results suggest that the livewell additives tested did not enhance recovery or reduce confinement stress of LMB retained in livewells under the tested circumstances. Additional research on live-well additives is needed .... We suggest that anglers intending to retain fish in livewells should use fresh, well-oxygenated lake water.

BUT it's just one study with narrow parameters, like all studies. Some good summaries of past studies relative to water temp, etc in there.

9. CO: New Pueblo gate will allow boaters to leave late.

You can leave after hours but not enter.

10. Mark Copley landed in some ducks.

Former Strike King marketing man now at the South Carolina Waterfowl Assn. Hate to see him leave the bassin' biz – big loss for us – but stoked for him.

11. Michael Sullivan new sales chief for BKK Hooks.

Comes from 13 Fishing, he will report to Magnus Gunnarsson, GM of BKK America.

Been hearing a little buzz about BKK's trebles....

12. FL: County wants $3 mil from feds for West Lake Toho...

...hydrilla removal.

13. SC: Sounds like a little battle over boat taxes is on.

SC boat owners have to title/get taxed on BOTH their hulls and motors?? Crazy! The state wants to clean that up and will lose a little $, but the counties say they will lose more and don't like it. Tough! #notaxes

14. ME: Fees for boaters are increasing to fund...

...partly the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund. They are paranoid about milfoil. And bass. And lead tackle. And probably other stuff. Maybe too much granola in their diets...😆

15. ID: McCall might intro launch fee for Payette ramp.

16. Crayfish shells have a natural antifreeze (study).

Makes sense!

17. WA/OR: Feds giving $60 mil via "Inflation Reduction Act" for salmon.

Headline of the Day

Perfect Pants for the Boat

Boats wear pants?? Mine doesn't...😁

Line of the Day

The struggle between conserving biodiversity and relying upon economic benefits from fishing for introduced species is a wicked problem likely to continue into the future.

Wicked?? Strange word for a study. Not sure if that's "wicked" like evil or "wicked" like the person who wrote it is from MA. 😆 It's talking about the popularity of largemouths in other countries vs them being invasive.

Matt Stefan: How to find good pre-spawn spots

From the MLF site. Matt is a good teacher, has a good YT channel. Quick excerpt:

> "Springtime is when the fish are in a transition phase. Some are moving toward the shoreline to spawn, and some are moving away because they've already spawned. Those travel routes are high-percentage areas...usually either in the backs of pockets or shallow flats. On reservoirs it could be creek channels."

> ...finding the route is simple enough, but the key is pinpointing the areas within these routes that will encourage fish to pause along the way.

> "A creek channel itself could be miles long, so you'll want to find the high-percentage areas along them. It might be a channel swing with a steeper bank, isolated boulders or timber. Just something where the fish may stop, either coming in or on the way out."

> Natural lakes are a different story, but Stefan looks for similar locations. "A lot of times I'll look for steep-breaking contours outside spawning flats...might be places where deep water butts right up to a flat or a shallower sloping break that drops into deeper water. I'll also look for isolated weeds or rocks because fish will move there first before moving to the flats."

"...somewhere in the vicinity of 95% of the rules in bass fishing have to be self-enforced."

- Word! That's Bassmaster writer Shaye "Cookie" Baker talkin' in another real good 'n transparent post where he fesses up to breaking a tourney rule.

Check this 12-lb ditchie caught at Allatoona, GA! 👀 Congrats to bass-head Jonathan Ray. GON said he caught it on a NetBait T-Mac Worm on a shakey head. Released it right away because the lake record is 16+:

Ace Frehley goes shopping at Walmart – "I don't look like a plumber today, do I?"

Look like a plumber?? 😂 WTHeck does that even mean!

Ace was my first guitar hero – the reason I picked up the ol' 'lectric fiddle in the first place. Didn't know he has a new album, here's the title track. Nothing will beat his first album though, still rawks! GREAT drumming, always key, and you can hear the sheer volume in everything – speakers distorting, hitting the skins hard – also KEY!

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