Reviews & How-To's
Free rod building seminars offered at 2010 International Custom Rod Building Exposition. The annual International Custom Rod Building Exposition is slated for February 20 and 21 in High Point, North Carolina. The 2010 event will be the largest in the event’s seven-year history with a greater number of vendors and exhibitors on tap than ever before. The “Expo,” as it has come to be known, is the world’s largest event for the custom rod building craft and features over 70 booths filled with every rod building item imaginable. Over 25,000 rod blanks will be on display and for sale at the 2010 event, most at special show pricing.
Featured seminars on both Saturday and Sunday mornings will pertain to building your own custom fishing rods. It is geared for the first time or aspiring rod builder and will teach you everything you need to know to successfully build your own custom rod. In addition to being the premier event for the world’s custom rod builders, the event also serves as the rod building industry’s yearly trade show. Additional information can be found online at the official “Expo” website at www.rodexpo.com. |
Continuing education is also a mainstay of the “Expo” with over 25 seminars and demonstrations on tap. The seminars are free with daily admission and run the gamut from beginning rod building classes to advanced techniques and methods. The seminar presenters include many of the world's best and most talented rod builders and include industry legends such as Gary Loomis (Founder G.Loomis, North Fork) and Jason Brunner (St. Croix rod designer).
The event opened at 10 AM on Friday, January 21st and a large crowd surged through the doors. Vendors stayed busy up until near the first day's closing at 9 PM. The show's exhibits were spread out between two large floor areas with one devoted to mostly boat dealers and another to angling interests. Organized by NC Boat Shows (www.ncboatshows.com), a series of gatherings happens in three of the major cities in North Carolina, as well as Richmond, VA in January and February.
According to Russell Gray, one of the organizers, even the weather cooperated. A rainy Saturday and blustery winds kept fishermen off the water and in the Coliseum. Large crowds turned out each day. NC Boat Shows moves on to Charlotte Convention Center today and runs through the weekend. One final event is scheduled for the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh on February 19 through 21. All events last three days. For more information, visit the NCBoatShows.com web site listed above. |
If timing means anything, the Central Carolina Boat and Fishing Expo at the Greensboro Coliseum this past weekend hit it on the nail head. Staged just prior to the start of most clubs' regular seasons and after hunting seasons are done, the event drew large crowds of excited anglers all three days.
A combined event, NC Boat Shows brought both recreational boaters and anglers out. Numerous boat vendors and their company reps filled the largest floor area. A variety of pleasure, bass, and saltwater boats were on display. Booths of interest to anglers included a host of tackle shops, custom rod and lure companies, NC Wildlife, NC B.A.S.S. and other vendors. 
In essence, RBBC is a wildcat once a month. Each tournament pays out first,
second, and third place along with Big Fish for the day. The club uses a
points system to determine the year-end winners, which again, pays out
first, second, and third places for the year, along with Big Fish of the
year. 
Starting time for the meeting is 7:30pm to allow everyone to be there. The club has only one meeting a year in order to make it more convenient for the anglers involved. 
“If you are interested, we look forward to seeing you there. We fish one tournament a month, mostly on the Yadkin Chain, with the exception of our annual Buggs Island trip in May,” stated Nix. “We have been fishing Buggs in May for as long as the club has existed, and it is a great time, so I”m sure we will be there again this year. Everything in the club is voted on, lakes, dates, etc.”
Two bass fishing clubs announced their 2010 schedules this week and both include special events for the coming season. According to Don Newsome, secretary for the Montgomery Bass Masters, and Jody McRoberts, director of the Triple H Bass Club, their regular seasons will add open events for North Carolina anglers.
The Triple H Bass Club, a group that fishes on Sundays once a month, will add three charity events this year. Their regular schedule of eight events beginning February 28th at Jordan Lake, will end September 19th at Buggs Island. The group also fishes the Yadkin Chain, Philpot, Falls, and Smith Mountain lakes. A charity event to raise funds for Girl Scout Troop 40853 for their Orlando trip will happen March 6th at High Rock Lake and the Southmont Access off Highway 8. Sixty percent of the $50 entry fee will be paid back in the 7 AM to 2:30 PM competition. For more information, contact McRoberts at 336-215-4402 or by email at jmcroberts@triad.rr.com. Information is also available on the club's web site at www.triplehbassclub.com . The group plans to host two other specials to be announced at a later date.
The Montgomery Bass Masters have included two popular events each season for a number of years now. While their regular season will begin February 20 at their home lake, Tillery, the group will take a break from monthly events to host the 4th Annual Spring Open on the same lake April 3rd. That event will blast off at 7 AM and weigh in at 3 PM. Their annual fall event will take place September 25th on Tillery and the Swift Island Access off Highway 24/27. The group fishes a variety of lakes across the state during its eight-event season. A switch from the normal approach, the schedule includes a number of night competitions during the hottest months of the year. June, July, and August events will take place beginning in the evening. For more information about the club and its two open events, contact tournament director Michael Maness at 910-571-0022. General information about the club can be found by contacting Newsome at 910-572-7695. Both team's regular season events, special events, and club information can be found on the Fishbyte.Net Calendar and Forums. |
Fishbyte.Net To Exhibit At Fishing Expo Looking to start your 2010 season off right and need some lake tips and bait tricks? Fishbyte.Net will be on exhibit at the Central Carolina Boat & Fishing Expo January 22 through 24 at the Greensboro, NC Coliseum. As a new season of fishing competitions draws nearer, every angler needs an edge and the show will feature the best of vendors from across the state.
One in a series of events, the NC Boat Shows group (www.ncboatshows.com) will roll across the state in January and February, appearing in many of the major cities. A schedule of those events appears on the front page of Fishbyte.net. Looking for a good luck charm to add to you boat? A limited number of Fishbyte.Net hats and decals will be available for purchase on site. Orders will also be taken. Here's your chance to get an up-close look at the boat that chases you out on the water during tournaments! Be sure to go to www.ncboatshows.com/discount.php/eventId/5 to print out your coupon for an entry fee discount! |
NC Boatshows.com Kicks Off Angling And Boating Season With the Holidays over and lakes about as quiet as they can be, the annual NC Boatshows.com folks plan to light things up again. Less than a week away, the first of a series of angling and boat shows across the state will kick off the 2010 water season. Southeast Productions of Greensboro, NC has been offering the annual events for 35 years as a way to remind us all that fishing and boating are just weeks away.
This year, the celebrations will begin in Raleigh, NC at the NC State Fairgrounds. Fishbyte.net will be exhibiting at the Greensboro show. Below is a list of this year's events, locations, and details. For more information on each event, visit their web site at www.ncboatshows.com. Raleigh Bass & Saltwater Fishing Expo Richmond Fishing Expo Central Carolina Boat & Fishing Expo Mid-Atlantic Boat Show Carolina Powerboat Show & Sale |
NC Boatshows.com (
2010 is going to be a great season! If you'd told me back in November of '08 that the upcoming fishing season would have me covering as many as eight tournaments on one Saturday in June, I might have pulled the transom plug, trailered the boat, and slipped off to something quiet and simple. Plans for Fishbyte.net had begun that summer and we were busy researching and making contacts as winter rolled in. Simply put, we had no idea there were so many fishing clubs and wildcat groups out there!
When the last boat roars away, I can focus on my own boat. I wait until everyone is well gone before I start hauling gear from the truck to the boat. It's always best to stay out of the way and, well, it's a whole lot easier to slide the boat in when there's no line up to contend with. The day belongs to the anglers and I can't slow them down.
Plans are usually to be back on land all squared away at least an hour before weigh in. I can usually count on no one coming in before then and I have to reckon with recreational traffic at the ramp. They usually get out of the way when 20 to 50 bass boats roar in, but a single craft is in with the mix. Jumping from weigh in to weigh in as they happen at a ramp can't be choreographed. Plan it as carefully as I might, a good day slows it down. Some clubs are fast, some take all afternoon. Getting to know the character and process of each helps get me to the next one on time. It's when Fishbyte.net is covering multiple tournaments on different lakes that it gets real interesting. I look forward to the weeknight tournaments when I cover only one event.
2010 will be an exciting one for us at Fishbyte.net. We begin the season so far ahead of where we were a year ago. With over a hundred clubs and groups represented on our site, we know there are more to be found. You all have made us the #1 clearinghouse of fishing information and event coverage in the state. It's your encouragement and support that drives us forward. We know we are delivering something of value to you, and our commitment to supporting our clubs is stronger than ever. This site belongs to each of us and it will make fishing stronger in North Carolina. We owe so many of you our deepest thanks for all the well wishes, thoughts and prayers for our son serving in Iraq this last year. He will arrive home in late January and step into Fishbyte.Net... and probably out-fish his old man on occasion. His presence will mean more coverage, newer ideas, and even more on our web pages this year. This is a family business and the gang will all be here soon. 2010 is going to be a great season! |
A typical weekend for us begins with our arrival at a boat ramp somewhere in the state at least an hour and a half before a scheduled launch. We need to get there before the first boats arrive so that the colored tape can be given out to every team in the water. What we've come to learn is that if we expect to greet one or two clubs at a landing, there's apt to be one or even three more not on our list. Fishbyte.net has five colors of tape to use and we've often had to have one club tie it to the trolling motor shaft and another to the foot control wiring harness.
Running around a landing area touching bases with multiple directors sometimes means helping coordinate, like it or not. It's part of my job to collect information, and letting each group know what another's plans are can smooth blast offs and weigh ins. Traffic control on blast offs and weigh in times wasn't something I expected to be doing, but it certainly helps everyone in the tournaments.
From then on, it's chasing boats around a lake, finding anglers tucked away in coves, and slipping in for the photo shoot without running over their fish. Some of them pose; some barely note my presence. Only twice all season did I have someone wave me off. The fish were hitting hard and they wanted no additional impact on the hole.
Get home, sort out the photos by colored tape, and get them uploaded to each club's Gallery... the day stretches well into the evening. If it's a Saturday, a little sleep before the same process is repeated on Sunday is always nice. Sometimes I just slept on the strange little boat of ours.One-On-One With Steve Sink
During this down time, I had the opportunity to sit down with someone I consider to be the best bass fisherman, period. Steve Sink has not only proven that he is the best by winning numerous tournaments, at High Rock and nationally, but is one of the most respected bass anglers in the country. His reputation is undeniable, and on top of that, he is a super nice guy. This man has more knowledge about bass fishing than most of us will ever come close to having. I made it a point not to “dig” for information while talking with Steve. I am not a big fan of trying to get information from other anglers. Most of us had to learn on our own. So I asked Steve some general questions about life and fishing. |
Owning a Triton just got a whole lot simpler for anglers in the central part of the state. According to Tommy Roach, owner of Badin Lake Boating Center (www.badinlakeboatingcenter.com), the full service marine dealer has just added the Triton fiberglass line of boats to their lineup. Already the only dealer in the state to carry the Legend line of bass boats, traffic to the shop just off Highway 49 is bound to get busy.
A rapidly growing dealership. Roach and wife, Danielle, just opened for business last summer. In July, the line up of custom-built, Legend (www.ridewithalegend.com) models out in front of the shop was nothing less than stunning. Prior to the opening, an angler would have traveled hundreds of miles to see such a sight, as the Badin Lake Boating Center folks were the only dealer in NC. Legend models, the only line that comes fully rigged for fishing, boasts custom paint schemes and standard features far above other manufacturers.
Located just off the intersections of Highways 49 and 8 just to the north of Badin Lake (248 Badin Lake Road), the new facility is a full-service boat center with certified mechanics on site. Customers visiting the store will find boating accessories, parts, financing, and even boat detailing available. Pick up and delivery services are also provided. The center also carries the Cypress Cay – Triton (www.discovercypresscay.com) pontoon boat line along with the Triton and Legend boat products. Hours of operation for the boating center are Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5:30 PM and Saturdays from 9 AM to 2 PM. Stop by and check out a Triton, Legend bass boat, a Cypress Cay or one of the many used boats on the lot. For more information or to speak with Hop, Tommy, or Danielle personally, call the Boating Center at 336-859-2013 or visit their web site at www.badinlakeboatingcenter.com. |
“I am really excited to offer the full Triton line (
Hop Chandler, on-site manager for the dealership who has nearly seventeen years experience in the industry, showed off a 2010 Triton 18XZ Tournament model outside the showroom last week. “These bass boats are quality all the way through,” stated Chandler. “We have several more models on the way and I expect it to get even busier here.” The 18XZ was outfitted with a Mercury OptiMax150. “Offering Triton will broaden what we have available to anglers and everyone knows they are a top name in the bass boat business.”
Badin Lakes Boating Center is offering a $300 clothing package for any Triton fiberglass purchased between now and December 31st. According to Chandler, “If they are a Bass Federation Nation member, there is a special package that is up to $700 in cash and clothing for purchasing a new Triton/Mercury boat package.”Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation Launches Governors Sportsmen's Caucus July 20, 2009 (Biloxi, MS) - The Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation announced Friday the formation of a bipartisan caucus of governors that will work to protect the interest of America's hunters and anglers, and advance sound wildlife management policy. The Governors Sportsmen's Caucus was launched at the National Governor's Association Annual Meeting in Biloxi, Mississippi, and will facilitate communication and information exchange between participating offices in support of policies and regulations that promote and protect hunting and fishing. At the official launch, members selected Gov. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Gov. Mike Rounds (R-SD) as the inaugural Co-Chairmen and also selected Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS) and Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D-WY) as the inaugural Vice-Chairmen. "The quality of life in this country continues to rely on the outdoors opportunities we provide, and we don't want these rights and freedoms taken away from the next generation," said Gov. Rounds. "I'm committed to do anything I can with the federal government and all of our state legislators," said Gov. Manchin. "Throughout our various states, we can really help each other work through important hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation issues." The GSC is patterned after the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus and supported by CSF, both of whom have served the interest of outdoorsmen in the halls of Congress and federal land management agencies for 20 years. The GSC will work closely with CSF and state legislators in their home states and through the 38 state legislative caucuses that make up the National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses. "Building upon the success of CSF and the Caucus in Washington and the NASC in state legislatures around the country, the addition of a Governor's Sportsmen's Caucus creates an unprecedented network of pro-sportsmen elected officials," said CSF President Jeff Crane. "It's part of our culture, our tradition, our economy," said Gov. Jim Douglas of Vermont. Sixteen governors from across the country have joined the caucus as inaugural members, including: Gov. Joe Manchin, West Virginia; Gov. Mike Rounds, South Dakota; Gov. Dave Freudenthal, Wyoming; Gov. Sonny Perdue, Georgia; Gov. Phil Bredesen, Tennessee; Gov. Rick Perry, Texas; Gov. Haley Barbour, Mississippi; Gov. Bobby Jindal, Louisiana; Gov. Butch Otter, Idaho; Gov. Mitch Daniels, Indiana; Gov. John Hoeven, North Dakota; Gov. Ted Strickland, Ohio; Gov. Brad Henry, Oklahoma; Gov. John Lynch, New Hampshire; Gov. Jim Douglas, Vermont; Gov. John Baldacci, Maine. "We're from all over the country. This group just goes to show that hunting and fishing, the sportsmen's life, really is America from one side to the other," said Gov. Barbour. |
Nix Knowledge: Practice – Is It Worth It? The answer is simple, ABSOLUTELY! In the world of tournament fishing, the one thing you will never be able to overcome is time on the water. Now, with that being said, it obviously comes easier for some than others. A high percentage of the men and women, who fish regularly in bass tournaments, have a full time job, so that makes it more difficult for them to put time in on a lake prior to a tournament.
I have been fortunate enough to have time to practice for most tournaments I fish and, when I do practice, I have one goal, learn something. I know that sounds elementary, but when I say learn something, I don’t mean catching fish. Some of the best practices I have had, I hardly caught anything. I eliminated a majority of areas, so I knew not to waste my time in those areas during the tournament. The most important thing to remember when practicing, or while fishing in a tournament, is to not waste time in dead water. If you have been fishing for a while, you have a natural sense that will let you know when things just aren’t right. Whether it’s the water temperature, or that the bait fish aren't in the area like you want them to be, you should know. If you are an experienced angler, go with your gut feeling and leave. I can’t tell you how many times I have started in one area and couldn’t put anything together, left , went to a totally different area and pattern, and immediately started catching fish.
If you only have a few days you can take off work for practice, use them in the spring and fall. Post-spawn bass usually stay on the same pattern through out the summertime and early fall, so if you caught them in a certain spot the weekend before, you should be able to catch them fairly close to the same spot the next weekend. However, fish change like the wind in spring and fall. The lures you use stay the same, but fish are forever changing locations, especially right after they spawn. I practice more during the time right after the spawn is over than any other time of year. These fish are the most difficult to catch. The females become extremely difficult to catch for a period of about two weeks when they finish laying their eggs, and they normally suspend making them even more difficult to put in the boat. They still have to eat, so at some point they will bite. You just have to know where they are. Don’t look at practicing the same as you look at a tournament. Try to find the fish during practice, and then start looking for similar places where you can use the same pattern. Practice is not about how many fish you catch, but about locating the fish and eliminating water that just isn’t productive. A lot of guys don’t like to actually “set the hook” during practice. I disagree. I want to know what size fish are in the area. A limit of fourteen inch fish on High Rock isn’t going to do anything for you but get your feelings hurt at weigh in, so you need to make sure you are on bigger fish rather than just “keepers”. If I find a place where I know there are big fish, I will spend all day in that area just to get five bites. You better make the best of those bites when you get them, because you probably won’t get another chance! So the next time you have a tournament, it might be a good time to “get sick” at work and have to leave that afternoon, only to immediately start feeling better when you get home and get the boat hooked up. Like I said earlier, even if you can only go fishing for an hour or two Friday evening, go. It could make all the difference in the world come tournament time!! See Ya on the water! |
Many things change overnight when it comes to catching bass, but the one element stays the same is that you will never consistently beat someone who has had two or three days of practice on a lake before a tournament. I see a lot of guys shaking their heads at weigh in, wondering, “How did they catch those fish”? Again, the answer is simple... the guys who “caught those fish” probably found those fish a day or two ago and stayed on them. You can bet there wasn’t a conversation at breakfast that morning trying to figure out where their first run should be; they knew where before you got out of bed the day before.
Make the best of your practice time! Again, if you have been fishing tournaments for awhile, you have a good idea where you need to fish and where your normally productive areas are, so don’t waste your practice time beating those places to death. Chances are, you will be able to put a few in the boat at your normal spots, so try to figure out new places to fish during practice. Even if you are only able to run down to the lake for a few hours the evening before the tournament, try to find a good top water bite or shallow bite late in the evening. There is a good chance those same fish will be there first thing the next morning before they get gun shy for the better part of the day.Abshire's Picks: What's In Your Boat? The first thing that I thought about when I chose this title was the commercial, What's in your wallet. I recently purchased a new 2010 Bass Cat Puma FTD from Greene Boat & Motor (www.greeneboats.com) in Spindale, NC. Now the task at hand was to try to put everything in the new boat from my old boat. A task indeed. I had an entire tackle shop in my old boat! As I was going through everything, I realized this would be a good subject to write about. It's time to clean up and clean out.
With the cold months coming on, I would suggest you go through your boat and get rid of the things that you haven't used all year. I suggest taking everything out at one time and see how much you have accumulated. Just don't do it in front of your wife! Then she will know how much tackle you have been buying!!! By taking inventory of what you need and instead of getting the shirt and tie from the relatives, why not give them all your fishing or wishing list to shop from? I do it every year. I emptied 4 Plano trays and combined them with 4 others. I know that I have now saved 30 plus pounds in plastics. This can slow you down on the water and help you on your gas mileage if you think about it. It is unreal what I have not put back in my boat this time. I just hope that I can now keep it this way! I label all of my boxes and number them as well. I put the label on scotch tape so that, if I need to change what is in the trays, I can always peel the tape off and put another on, writing on them with a Sharpie. The reason I number my boxes is that I will always know what is in them and by numbering them, they are in order and I will always know my 1-4 are hard baits and my 5-9 are plastics and jigs. Believe me if you try this, it can make a big difference when you or your partner are looking for something. You don't have to stop and get them out for your partner now that you have them labeled and numbered. On the safety side of the house, this is also a great time to check your fire extinguisher and ensure that it is fully charged. Check your throw cushion and life jackets as well. It could save a life or a ticket in the future! I also carry a small Tupperware box with first aid supplies and this is also a great time to ensure that everything is fresh in it. Hal Abshire |
Sauce Lovers Discovering North Carolina's CB's Hawg Sauce
From the get-go, I'll be up front. I am one of the ones who had some interest in trying one out, but hadn't stepped to the counter and laid down any cash. There's a lot of reading out there about the olfactory (sniffer) sense of fish, and I had read many of them with interest. It seemed to make sense that predatory fish might use their smell skills to hunt down food. I just hadn't heard tons of guys saying they used it.
I got thinking, maybe it was the difference between two different anglers throwing much the same baits in the same locations. Fishermen keep secrets, but they also fish the same holes and throw identical, off-the-shelves lures. Sure presentation is important; it make all the difference. Covering tournaments every week I see good fishermen doing the right things, but coming up empty handed or ending up with a small catch at best. I do hear plenty of guys talking about the bass that spit out their baits. It doesn't take much of a leap to realize what we throw tastes like plastic! We need to mask that taste! So, who uses bass sauces? I guess you could wander around a landing and sniff boats. Some of the residue has to land on a boat's carpet and it would certainly be noticeable. I guess spending a few dollars to try one would be a safer bet and probably not get those boat owners quite so upset. I field tested a North Carolina product made by a little company in Olivia, NC that I had heard some chatter about. CB's Hawg Sauce, www.cbshawgsauce.com, seemed to be the right candidate for some field testing. After all, wouldn't an NC company know a little more about NC bass than some outfit thousands of miles away? It was worth a shot, so I contacted the owner, “Crossbow”, and set up some product to review.
According to the owner, “There is no doubt my products will, in fact, put more fish in your boat. I worked many months, days and hours in my lab to come up with a product that is a lot stronger and will stay on longer than any other products on the market.” The package arrived just a day before I headed to the coast and the Neuse River for a few days rest. I brought it along figuring to do a test or two in salt water just for grins. Much to my astonishment, fish had no interest in anything I threw unless I used the hawg sauce. I could throw most anything in my armory at them with not even a bump, but when the sauce was applied, I'd get interest and caught a variety of fish. That got me interested in trying it out back home on the local lakes. What I was most impressed with was the fact that the sauce stayed on the bait cast after cast. I wasn't having to reapply it after a dozen or so throws. Most sauces are gone in that amount of time. My fishing time is few and far between with all the coverage assignments each week. I've had the chance to use the CB's Hawg Sauce on a number of occasions that ranged from just a few minutes to an hour or two at a time. First off I can tell you the catfish love it. Good golly I've caught a pile of catfish with it. Didn't take much “testing” to convince me of that. CB may call it “hawg” sauce, but it's “cat” sauce, too!
I've caught some bass when using it. The disbelievers would say I might have caught them anyway, and they might be right. I will say that on one day, after not getting a bite for the entire first hour, I began to use CB's Hawg Sauce and did catch a few after that. Again, might have been just a coincidence, and maybe not. If those who don't believe in using sauces have read this far, I haven't convinced them to buy any brand of sauce. Hopefully, for those interested or already using, they'll consider giving CB's Hawg Sauce a try. If there's a reasonable chance something will give me an advantage over bass, I'll use it until convinced otherwise. A quick look at their web site will show you a number of tournaments won while using the product. If you can jump that one spot from just outside a paying position in a tournament to “in the money”, you've made a big step. Visit www.cbshawgsauce.com and do some investigating. Send Crossbow an email at crossbow@cbshawgsauce.com and ask him some questions. Do tell him I sent you! You'll see all his offerings for sale via his web site, but there's a good listing of dealers across North Carolina there as well. I think you'll find one of your favorite bait and tackle shops listed. |
This review is only for the guys who use sauces to find the extra bite. If you don't believe all the bass sauces make any difference, this review isn't for you. But, if you've been thinking about trying one out, or already use them, you might be interested in reading on.
Abshire's Picks: Take your G-Splash to School
Bass tend to start moving to the shallow areas more in September and October. They are starting to fill their bellies with shad and anything else that gets in their way! This is when I like to start throwing top water baits and watch for the action to start. I just took a guy out on a day-long, fishing trip that he had won with me through a promotion with CC Top Shop in Fayetteville, NC. The promotion took place in July of this year. When I met Mike, the first thing he told me was that he had never caught a fish on a top water plug. I knew that July would be tougher with the heat the way it is during the summer. So, I told him to be patient and we would go when the top water bite would be better. By the way, Mike got his wish. He caught his first bass on top water plug. He worked hard at it and enjoyed watching a bass come out of nowhere and slam his bait. Not only was the bass hooked, but now Mike knows how and what to do for his topwater fishing!
Now when it comes to top water fishing, the first lures that I think of are made from Lucky Craft. My favorite top water bait is definitely the Lucky Craft G-Splash and my second in line would be the Lucky Craft Gunfish 115. What I like about the G-Splash is that it spits when you pop it, not like other baits where you just hear a popping noise. If you need to work it fast, you can with no problem in case you get into a school. I look for fish schooling up on baitfish, if you are lucky to find them! I put the G-Splash to use in a hurry if I get in a school. The problem is this time of the year your baitfish will move around and the bass that you find in practice will most likely be gone the day of your tournament. Why, because the baitfish are moving, so guess what, Mr. Bass is going to be following his next meal around and he is not waiting for you!!! My second choice is the Gunfish 115. This bait will make them come to you if you don't have a lot of baitfish around you. Marty Stone, BASS Elite Pro, once told me that the Gunfish was like a top water bait on steroids! I take this bait and walk it like a Sammy top water bait. It is more slender in profile and will twitch up and down and sideways. It will drive the bass crazy. When the bass hit this bait, they will try to kill it!
Remember, during this time of the year, you have to be willing to move around a lot to look for the baitfish. A lot of times you will see the balls of baitfish moving in and I start looking for either a Wolfpack moving in or a lot of times you will see a v-shape in the water moving around. When you see this, believe me something is getting ready to get eaten! This is when you should pick up the top water bait and help get them stirred up. Speaking of Wolf Pack, a big congratulations goes out to the NC State Team for winning the 2009 College Bass National Championship on the Arkansas River. Take a look at the Lucky Craft G-Splash and Gunfish 115 when you go to your favorite tackle store or go to http://www.luckycraft.com/luckycrafthome/default.htm, and click on USA. Believe me, these baits are worth the extra bucks that you might spend. Visit me at my revised website at www.liprippin.com and take a look at what I have been doing on the water. |
Badin-Tillery Evening Groups Field Test Deep Creek Lures Products I read a lot of product reviews. Seems there are hundreds of sure-fire gadgets and gizmos out there that guarantee you'll win every tournament you enter, but most take your money and leave you with an empty live well every time. A few seem to live up to their promises. I had heard a bunch about Deep Creek Lures, http://deepcreeklures.net, plastics and decided it was worth a test. But, how do you go about giving a fair test to a product in the middle of the summer?
Sometimes fishing is fickle. You can take the best product out on the water and sling it all day with no luck. Or, you might happen to hit it right and the lure seems like a miracle. When I do field testing of a product I don't have an entire season to use it; time would be a great way to tell if a bait is worth the cost. For Deep Creek Lures' trial, how was I going to get that time factor in? One simple idea gave me the answer. Deep Creek Lures sent me a box of their latest plastics. I knew when the box arrived there was something different inside. It smelled funny. I suspect the Post Office was most happy to be rid of that parcel! Inside was a pile of plastic baits of every shape, color, type and smell. Garlic... lots of garlic emanated from the bags. I took the entire lot to the Friday and Saturday Nights on Badin and Tillery clubs and handed them out. This is a crew that hits the same waters every week and includes some real talent. If anyone could judge the worth of a bait, it would be these folks. The event was their all-nighter on August 1st that would have the crews going at it from 11 PM to 7 AM the next day. The anglers gobbled them up before blast off reading the various bags and sniffing them cautiously. Using something that didn't work meant not finishing in the money, and this group was competitive. I watched boat teams opening the bags and hooking them on their rigs. They'd be brutally honest at the end of the evening and over the next couple weeks. Most of them wanted to try something black, but settled for other colors when that shade ran out.
The result? It wasn't a good night of fishing for anyone. Bag weights continued to slump and they were on Tillery, not noted to be a good bass lake in summer months. The highlight, however, was when Big Fish was weighed in for the night early the next morning. Steve Dyer of the Southfork Bassmasters, an angler who often slips over from the Concord area, nailed the solo biggy on a Deep Creek Lures bait and finished in second with partner, Frank Arnold, on the night! He caught it on a 7.5 inch Green Pumpkin Curlytail. “I threw it up next to some weeds and that bass took it hard,” stated Dyer. “He was on solid because he wanted all of it.” The Curlytail is noted as a great plastic to be used on a Carolina rig.
A week later, we heard from Ronnie Blankenship, who was thrilled with one particular Deep Creek Lures bait. He had been throwing the Chartreuse Scented Stump Thumper and swore by them. Blankenship has finished in the money nearly every week this season and is considered one of the best on both series. “I'll always have some of the Deep Creek baits on the boat,” he stated. “I've been catching all mine on that Stump Thumper.” He spoke of it in front of many in the group, and he doesn't often speak his mind.
“If Ronnie says it works, you know it works,” stated Todd Street, co-director of both series. “He knows what he's talking about and he can prove what he says.” A number of the other boats continue to use the baits during the weeks when bass seem to have little interest in anything. Each of those anglers know it'll happen once the fish begin to feed in earnest again. As for our field test... during the worst months of fishing, by some of the best anglers in the area, over a number of weeks... I'm convinced. When I look for plastics off the rack, I'll reach for Deep Creek Lures. The yellow bags will be my pick. If they work for these guys in the worst of conditions, they're a good choice. If you can't wait to get to a fishing tackle shop, go to www.deepcreeklures.net and buy some online. The postman loves the smell... really! |
Abshire's Picks: Corn Or Gas At Your Next Fill-Up? The Federal Government mandated the addition of ethanol in gasoline in 2006. We didn't think much of it then, but now boaters are concerned as more outboard motors are breaking down. It does make me think a lot about what I am putting in my 225 outboard at every gas station that I pull into now!
I have started filling up with 92 or 93% octane fuel to help eliminate problems. Plus I have been adding a fuel additive from Protect All. I talked with Junior Nance owner of Pit Stop Marine. He suggested staying away from the 87% octane and go to 89% octane or higher for the added additives. The 89% octane burns cooler than 87% octane fuel. Nance sells the fuel additive, PRIG and tells me that he purchases it by the cases and can not keep enough of it in stock. Another fuel additive on the market is Stabil. It is now making an additive to help with the ethanol situation. Each of the major outboard companies offer gas treatments. Again, check with your local boat dealer or contact your outboard manufacturer to see what they suggest you as a boat owner can do to prevent a possible motor breakdown. Nance stated that he is seeing more outboard problems with fuel problems this year. You can contact Junior Nance at his website www.pitstopmarine.com or by phone at 919 639-4869. The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) has set up an Action Alert link on its website at www.nmma.org. This will allow you to send a prepared opposition e-mail directly to the EPA. Boaters, we all need to be heard or you will soon be seeing the possibility of Ethanol 15 coming to your nearest gas station!!! Reviewed by Hal Abshire, www.liprippin.com |
What is ethanol? Ethanol is made from corn or cellulose. This causes engines to run hotter and less efficiently. Ethanol will absorb water. Your boat's fuel tank is vented, this will allow air to continually breath in and out. This is bad if your boat sits for weeks. The ethanol can cause phase separation. This happens when fuel is the top layer, while the ethanol and water are in the bottom of the fuel tank. Well guess what, the fuel is drawn from the bottom of your fuel tank and now your engine has the possibility of getting more than fuel..... You can check with your marine dealer for more information on this.
One thing you should know is that fish are naturally attracted to blood. They can see red and this means an injured bait to fish. Remember... the weak get eaten really fast in the underwater food chain! I also use the Bleeding Bait Hooks on my spinnerbaits and buzz baits as well. One tip: When you are using these two baits and you are not in an area where you can get caught up a lot on structure or anything else, try turning the trailer hooks upside down. It will be opposite from your hook on your baits. It will give you an advantage over the fish that you are trying to put in the boat.
Get Ripped, |
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Hal Reviews Tru-Tungsten Weights
The design of their weights will allow you to penetrate cover much easier than traditional weights. During a strike, the tungsten's hardness keeps bass from holding onto the weight, causing a better hook-up ratio for you. Their weights are insert free. This maximizes the sensitivity and allows a better pegging on your line as well. How many times have you felt the roughness around your traditional weight and thought, what is this doing to my line?
Tru-Tungsten weights are composed of 97 percent, pure Tungsten. This is why their weights are so small in profile. They allow you to feel a greater sensitivity while fishing with them. Most of all, I believe that Tru-Tungsten weights have helped me detect more bites than I normally would have felt before.
To me the biggest advantage to using Tru-Tungsten weights is the profile of the weights. By having a smaller profile, I have fewer hang-ups. I can penetrate through grassmats with more ease. I also employ the colors of their weights to my plastics. Whatever advantage I can use to catch another bass in a tournament or when just having fun, I want it!!! POINTER: When I throw a plastic with a Tru-Tungsten weight on it, I will always try to have a bead on it to attract more bass. I believe that the bead clacking against the weight allows the fish to find the bait faster, plus I believe that it makes the sound of a Crawfish clacking their claws together. Tru-Tungsten makes a fantastic bead called Peter "T" Force Bead. It is coated with Duraseal and is shatter proof when using Tru-Tungsten weights. These beads are a lot of louder than other beads that I have used in the past. Try the Peter "T" Bead along with a Tru-Tungsten weight and see what a difference these two products can make for you on the water. |
My fish see RED..... If you look at most of my crankbaits, you will find a red treble hook on the front of each bait and some will have both hooks in red. I fish Daiichi Hooks from Tru-Turn Industries (
I have been asked about the red hooks and how come certain lines were red and why they disappeared under the water, but not the Bleeding Bait Hooks. My answer is quite simple. The reason is the lines are transparent and the hooks are metal and won't let light through them. I have done seminars at Bass Pro Shops and showed people how the lines would disappear but you could still see the Bleeding Bait Hooks. Their water is gin clear, so this gives you a good birds-eye view of everything.
You can go to 
Tru-Tungsten... is it worth the extra bucks, or should I say, are Tru-Tungsten products worth the extra fish? I have been associated with Tru-Tungsten (
A Great Addition To Your Boat And It's Pocket Change
June 23, 2009
When wading through the piles of fishing gear and accessories available these days, I have to work hard to get beyond the glitz and fancy of something. Failing to do that means I end up with worthless junk and less money in my pocket. There are two criteria I keep in mind when looking at possible purchases... will it really catch me more fish, or will it actually save me from an ongoing frustration when fishing. The amount I'll spend is related to the chances of upping my fish catch or how big a frustration it'll make go away.
Dang, I just found a great one! Here's the picture... you are competing in your favorite fishing tournament and luck is on your side. You begin to catch fish, but all the livewell buoy lines you have on your boat are stored upfront and are a tangled mess. You have to take precious fishing time while sorting them all out. You've just found a great hole and now you are floating by while you get your first fish in the livewell. Maybe your buddy caught them all.
Picture two... another good day on the lake. There's five fish in your livewell, but they are all tangled up in the long buoy lines and can't move around. One or two are dead because of this. You just lost out on a competition payday when a few dollars invested would have brought you a win.
There's an answer and it's so inexpensive, you'll wonder why you hadn't used it before. The Cull-Buddy system (www.cull-buddy.com) is designed to be attached on the lid of your livewell. Problem number one resolved... you now have more room in your other storage compartment! The rugged rack takes only minutes to install and puts every buoy line where you need it, when you need it... right there in an open livewell. You're back fishing in seconds. You can smile at your fishing partner, knowing he didn't catch all the fish while you battled gear.
Your present lines are often buoyed with Styrofoam, causing the fish to be forced upwards in your livewell. Eventually they fall onto their sides and their health declines rapidly. Your lines are also too long. Fish get tangled and can't move around freely and, again, their health goes belly up.
Spend $34.99 and a few bucks shipping. I'd advise going online and buying one before this company realizes they are charging too little! The units are heavy duty, install simply and will resolve a bunch of issues on your boat immediately. Heck, they could even earn you money when your fish stay healthy for weigh ins. Visit www.cull-buddy.com to see how they work and why they work. You spend a lot of money getting fish in the boat; invest a little to fix some problems once they are there.
