Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Berkley NanoFil Fishing line for Spinning Reels with Skeet Reese


Bassmaster Elite Super Star Skeet Reese explains why he loves Berkley's NanoFil line for all his spinning reels. Listen as he explains to IBASSIN viewers the benefits of this unique fishing line.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

3 Bass Jigs You Must Know: Finesse and Mini Jigs

Finesse & mini jigs can be magic
By Luigi De Rose
Spinning or casting gear is ideal
for mini jigs.
Finesse or mini jigs are a junior version of a flipping jig. These bite sized jigs are ideal in a multitude of fishing conditions. Ultra shallow, clear water, heavy fishing pressure, cold fronts or cold water are all ideal mini jig situations.

In high stakes tournaments in Ontario, the success of mini jigs have secretly flowed through the ranks of the elite. Big weights and top finishes speak volumes. Many anglers have literally turned their tournament career around solely on the success of mini jigs. Once an after though, these jigs are much underestimated. Much of it does have roots in scientific research. Immature crayfish evacuate the shallows to escape scores of predators. Bass living along deeper structure are accustom to feeding on smaller crayfish making a tinier jig an ideal snack.

Compact sizes don’t always translate to dainty weights. A few companies pour finesse jigs up to 1/2oz and with strong hooks, but they’re a rare find. Skilled manufacturers shrewdly manipulated the lead head to remain minuscule yet heavy. Others have switched to tungsten, a pricy non-toxic lead alternative. Regardless, mini jigs can transform a day from hoe-hum to amazing.

Jigs are core bass tackle. Throw them more often and fine tune which type of jig will suit the fishing conditions your in will almost guarantee success.


Tuesday, April 22, 2014

3 Bass Jigs You Must Know: Football Jigs

Football jigs are more versatile than most think.
By Luigi De Rose

 
Working rocky points of islands is ideal
football jig water.
 
Football jigs, a close cousin to flipping jigs, were designed specifically for bouncing along deep, rocky bottoms. The major difference is its chubby football shaped head with the line tie at 90 to 60 degrees. This designed won’t wedge between boulders and is surprising good in thin vegetation. Most football jigs are heavy, 1/2oz to 1oz, ideal for staying on bottom. Strikes typically occur at the end of long casts so solid hooksets can be a challenge. Make sure it has an ultra sharp hook and thinned weed guard, if it has one at all. 

Football jigs are best worked around deep grasslines, bluff banks, bars, points or saddle areas between islands. Surprisingly, this technique is a quick and easy way to check expansive areas. It vacuuming up aggressive biters yet enticing fickle ones too. Work  footballs more like a crankbait or Carolina rig than a traditional jig. Dragging it with sweeping rod pulls or crawl it under a leisurely retrieve. Stick to a twin tail grub or frog chuck trailer. Olive, melon, pumpkin, peanut butter and jam, or craw colours are best.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

3 Bass Jigs You Must Know: Flipping Jigs


Jigs a must for any angler 
By Luigi De Rose

Big bass bite jigs. No one will dispute that. So you need to understand how to use them. Rubber skirted jigs are categorized into three distinct styles: flipping, football and finesse. They might seem similar but their intricacies make them uniquely different.
 
Flipping
Flipping jigs are the bread and butter of any bass nut. Poured with a stout hook and fiber weed guard, they’re meant to penetrate cover. Ranging from 1/4oz to magnum 1 1/2oz beasts, they are designed for war. Teamed with heavy lines and heavier rod actions they’ll sink into any cover.
Heavy grass bed are ideal flipping jig cover.
Teamed up with heavy action rod and braid, it is a
great method for catching giant bass. 

Focus on jighead design before tying one on. Missing minor details can become major headaches on the water. Cone shaped heads excel in weed. The line tie should be no greater than 60 degrees and the lead must mould seamlessly around  the hook eye. Any flaw will catch more weeds than bass. Being picky will have you fishing more and cleaning less. If you’re targeting wood, select a rounder or triangular shaped head. This design glides over limbs easily. The wider head also positions the hook up. Slimmer heads tend to fall on it side easy causes causing more hang-ups.  

Swimming a jig is a neat presentation that should be add to your bag of tricks. Using a grass jig, usually a 1/4oz or 5/16oz one, float the bait over cover much like a shallow crankbait. A slow steady retrieve while pulsing and jiggling the rod tip will keep the lure lively. This method transforms it into a fleeing baitfish so colours should match local bait. A few strands of orange, green, white, or light blue will work wonders. Don’t dismiss an all white jig and trailer. It’s a great minnow mimic.

A recent trend has been giant jigs; real big boys up to 1 1/2 ounces. From inches of water to the deepest weedbeds, jigging mats is a sure-fire method to nail the biggest bass but its very labour intensive. Lighter jig lack the momentum to pierce canopied weeds so stick to be heaviest ones. Requiring long, heavy action rods and the heaviest braided line you’ll need an ice pack for your elbow at day’s end.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Matt Arey Wins the 2014 Walmart FLW Beaver Lake Tournament

Arey Arrives!
by Curtis Niedermier
FLW Press Release

ROGERS, Ark. - Prior to this week, if you tried to define the current status of Beaver Lake’s largemouth bass spawn and the career of Shelby, N.C., pro Matt Arey, you needed only one phrase: close, but not quite there.
Sticking to his strengthen allowed Arey to take win!
(Photo: FLW)
After today’s weigh-in at the John Q. Hammons center in Rogers, Ark., Arey proved that both he and the bass have arrived in a big way.
In four days, Arey hauled in a total of 59 pounds, 3 ounces of Beaver Lake bass to win the Walmart FLW Tour event presented by Rayovac and hosted by Visit Rogers.
While other pros went looking for bass stuck in those in-between transitional areas, Arey refined a perfect shallow, stained-water pattern that allowed Beaver’s prespawn and early spawning bass to come to him. Then he made the gutsy call to commit to that pattern all week despite four consecutive days of shifting weather patterns. His steadfastness earned him his first Walmart FLW Tour title as a professional and one more piece of hardware to display next to his 2006 Forrest Wood Cup co-angler trophy.
“This is what I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid,” Arey said as he choked back tears on the weigh-in stage. “I really didn’t think I had near as much as I had. I thought I might have 13 pounds, and that’s what the on-the-water crew thought. I thought I might have 14 at most. But it all came together. When it’s your time, it’s your time.”

Sunday, April 13, 2014

2014 Walmart FLW Beaver Lake Day 3: Arey Advances to Lead Beaver Lake


Tar Heel pro takes lead with tournament's biggest limit
by Curtis Niedermier
FLW Press Release
ROGERS, Ark. - Matt Arey is trending in all the right ways. This morning, the North Carolina pro bagged a nice Beaver Lake keeper in front of the FLWOutdoors.com camera crew during an on-the-water interview. The footage, available here and on the FLWFishing YouTube channel, has already been viewed by hundreds of FLW fans.
A jig on bluff walls lifted Matt Arey into the lead.
(Photo: FLW)
Then this evening, he continued the trend of showing up to weigh-in with a better limit than the day before. Arey increased from 13 pounds on day one to 14 pounds, 6 ounces on day two to 16 pounds, 4 ounces today. His day-three limit is the heaviest of the tournament thus far and only the third bag to top 16 pounds. He did it on a day when seven of the top 20 pros didn’t even crack double digits.
The eighth-year pro now has a 2-pound, 8-ounce lead over the reigning Kellogg’s Angler of the Year and current 2014 AOY favorite Andy Morgan. He’ll launch his Ranger on Sunday morning for the final day of competition at the Walmart FLW Tour Beaver Lake event presented by Rayovac and hosted by Visit Rogers with his best-ever chance at winning his first Tour title as a professional.
The scariest part for the rest of the field is that Arey has been holding back just a bit all week and trying not to pressure his areas too much.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

2014 Walmart FLW Beaver Lake Day 2: Shuffield Sack Lead!

Clear, calm conditions mix up leader board
by Curtis Niedermier
FLW Press Release


ROGERS, Ark. - It’s Beaver Lake Marathon Week on the Walmart FLW Tour, and the angler at the front of the pack is Arkansas pro Spencer Shuffield.
The 24-year-old Shuffield (son of veteran pro Ron Shuffield) brought in a day-two limit that weighed 13 pounds, 11 ounces today to boost his two-day total to 29 pounds. He goes into the weekend with only a 1-pound, 1-ounce lead over Andy Morgan, though it seems like Shuffield is hitting the right stride to take home his first Tour title at this event, which is presented by Rayovac and hosted by Visit Rogers.
Running a jerkbait in the clear water is working for Spencer
but others have suffered with lack of wind.
(FLW Photo)
The key to Shuffield’s success thus far has been a prespawn pattern that looks like it can produce no matter what conditions Mother Nature throws at the field this week, assuming Shuffield can make the minor adjustments necessary each day to continue catching limits that break into the “teens.” That’s what he managed to do today.

Friday, April 11, 2014

2014 Walmart FLW Beaver Lake Day 1: Thrift on Tear!

Beaver Lake a wash with small limits 

by Curtis Niedermier
FLW Press Release


ROGERS, Ark. - Confidence is effective medicine in professional bass fishing, and right now Chevy pro Bryan Thrift is benefitting from a heavy dose. The FLW millionaire took the early lead at the Beaver Lake Walmart FLW Tour event presented by Rayovac with a 16-pound, 2-ounce limit. Thrift’s success today comes on the heels of his final-day come-from-behind victory at the Sam Rayburn Tour event just two weeks ago, where Thrift broke out of an early season slump that began with finishes of 59th and 107th place at the first two events.
Bryan is on a hot streak after a win on
the Big Sam!
(Photo: FLW)
It wasn’t a pattern or a place that boosted Thrift into the lead today on a blustery Beaver Lake. It wasn’t even anything in the lake. It was all between the ears.
“After winning at Rayburn, that kind of lifted a weight off me,” said Thrift, who rotated through 40 or 50 spots today. “I can relax. I don’t have to worry about paying the bills. I can just have fun and take what the good Lord gives me.
“I think confidence definitely plays a key role in tournament finishes,” he continued. “I just went fishing with an open mind. Today was a great day. I don’t think I’ve ever caught this many fish on Beaver.”
The confidence effect was evident in Thrift’s catch today. He weighed a Beaver medley that included one largemouth, one spotted bass and three smallmouths. The latter three were the first smallmouths Thrift has caught all week – one of those nice unexplainable surprises that tend to occur when you’re making good decisions.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Learn to Master the Jerkbait with Megabass Pro Edwin Evers and IBASSIN





The recent Elite event on Table Rock Lake was won on a jerkbait. Megasbass pro, Edwin Evers finished 6th. Check out this video as Edwin discussed how to be a better jerkbait angler.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Mike McClelland Wins 2014 Bassmaster Elite Table Rock Lake Tournament


Arkansas Pro Flips Tables to Win!
BRANSON, Mo. — They call him “McStick.” As of Sunday, they can call him “McRock” too.
Mike used his signature jerbait and wiggle
wart to take the win over super hot pro Mark Davis.
(Photo: Bass)
Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., added a seventh Bassmaster title by a nail-biting 13 ounces over Mark Davis in Sunday’s final round of the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Table Rock Lake.“This is where I cut my teeth fishing,” said McClelland, now with four victories in his Bassmaster Elite Series career. “I’ve never had the opportunity to win a big one here before.” To do it, McClelland sacked 61 pounds, 15 ounces of bass. His prize was $100,000 and an instant-in for the 2015 Bassmaster Classic, his 10th qualification for the world championship.
McClelland broke a six-year winner’s drought. His most recent victory before Sunday was in March 2008 on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes, when he added a sixth Bassmaster event title to his record. That was the end of a streak he had going from 2005 to 2008, with a win in each of those seasons.“I seem to go in these spurts where I win a few, then I go years without winning one, and it really can get under your skin,” he said. “To win at Table Rock in front of all my friends and family and people who have supported me through the years is a phenomenal feeling.”  “And I just realized I’ve got a berth for the Bassmaster Classic. That’s an awesome feeling,” said McClelland, who missed out on the 2014 event last February. McClelland said that “fishing by the seat of my pants” was one key to winning.“I didn’t try to slow down and finesse fish into biting. I chased the wind,” he said. “On this clear lake, you always have to look for at least a little ripple.”  McClelland said he’s been fishing Table Rock since he was 8 years old. What he learned over the years helped him considerably in the Elite event. He knows the lake so well, he was able run his primary pattern through areas he had not tried out during the three-day practice. And that pattern was fishing windy, rocky banks close to channel swings in creeks or main-lake pockets.“This time of year, these fish want to be on the biggest, gnarliest rocks,” he said. “Some people get frustrated trying to fish that stuff, but it was key for me.” He used his his signature series stickbaits made by Spro, a McStick 110, mostly in a natural herring color, and a McStick 115 in clear chartreuse for shallower presentations.When the water surface became slick because the wind died, he turned to a 4-inch paddletail swimbait near docks or over brush.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

2014 Bassmaster Elite Table Rock Day 3: McClelland Become the Third Leader of Table Rock


Arkansas native McClelland uses his skill and consistency to tame Table Rock. 
BRANSON, Mo. — Mike McClelland, an Ozarks lakes angler since he was 8 years old, took his time this week before he stepped into the limelight in the April 3-6 A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Table Rock Lake.
A solid 17 pound limit leaps Mike into the lead.
(Photo: BASS)
After the first day of competition, the Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Bella Vista, Ark., was in 12th place. In Friday’s second round, McClelland found surer footing — and a better size of bass. He pushed up into fourth place.
And then he made his biggest move. McClelland grabbed Saturday’s lead by weighing 17 pounds, 9 ounces for a three-day total of 49-13 and an almost 4-pound lead.
“It was fine for me to start in 12th. As a ‘local,’ you’re going to get so much more attention if you are leading,”  McClelland said. “I kind of like to stay behind the scenes as much as I can and just let it happen.”

Saturday, April 5, 2014

2014 Bassmaster Elite Table Rock Lake Day 2: Mark Turns Tables!


Veteran Davis Claims lead in tournament and AOY
BRANSON, Mo. — Everyone’s saying Mark Davis is on fire.
Indeed he is. Friday he fanned that flame by taking the lead on the second day of the April 3-6 A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite on Table Rock Lake.
Inferno, anyone?
Experience and determination has made
Mark Davis super keen to win it all.
(Photo: BASS)
Davis moved up from second place by adding another 15 pounds, 3 ounces to his first-day weight of 18-8. The Mount Ida, Ark., pro’s two-day tally was 33 pounds, 11 ounces.
If Davis, who already owns three Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles, goes on to win Sunday, he would cement his early lead in the race for the 2014 AOY title. He earned the AOY lead by finishing in third place in each of the first two Elite events of the season.
“It’s been really, really hard to keep it going, but so far, so good,” said Davis, who also owns a Bassmaster Classic title from 1995.

Friday, April 4, 2014

2014 Bassmaster Elite Table Rock Lake Day 1: Aaron Martens Lead on Stormy Day


Aaron naps 8 pounder to grab early lead
BRANSON, Mo. — Aaron Martens called it a “picture-perfect day.” Mark Davis said he was “singing hymns all day.” Chris Lane landed inside his “comfort zone.”
Aaron has done well on Table Rock. He won his
first Angler of the Year on this lake.
(Photo BASS)
And that’s how it was for three of the hottest pros in bass fishing on Thursday, the first day of the April 3-6 A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite on Table Rock Lake.
Martens, the 2013 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year, took the Day 1 lead at Table Rock with 18 pounds, 11 ounces of largemouth bass. Davis, currently in the lead for the 2014 AOY prize, was second with 18 pounds, 8 ounces. Right behind them with 18-5 was Lane, who won the most recent Elite Series event less than two weeks ago.
The three leaders have lots of company. Weighing 17-4 to tie at fourth place were Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., and Jamie Horton of Centreville, Ala. They were 1 pound, 7 ounces, behind Martens.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Rapala Concept Series Reels with Davis Viehbeck and IBASSIN



Rapala has a new fishing reel that you just got to see. The Rapala Concept is a great reel that offers all the top level features. Find out from Davis why this reel is so good.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

MERRY-G GEECRACK Alabama rig with IBASSIN



The Alabama rig has evolved into many forms. Check out this quick change version from GEECRACK. It solves the problems of conforming to local laws and storage issues.