3 Hot Bass-Fishing Trends

If you love bass fishing then you have to pay attention to these 3 Hot Trends in bass fishing. Silent jerkbaits, chatterbaits and ultra-thin braided line will help you catch more bass like a pro.

3 Finesse Smallmouth Presenations with Yamaha Pro Dave Chong

One of the best smallmouth anglers in North American, Dave Chong knows how to catch them. Here are his 3 best finesse presentations that will work anywhere you are after smallmouth in lakes, rivers or reservoirs.  Listen as he tell IBASSIN.com viewers which 3 finesse presentations he relays on when after smallmouth.

New Diawa LT Series of Spinning Reels with Dave Chong

The Diawa LT series of spinning reels were designed lighter and stronger in a more compact package. The strength of the Zaion housing is an example of the LT design concept of Light but Tough. At the heart of the reel is a machined Aluminum Alloy DIGIGEAR designed for smoothness, strength and durability. The main shaft utilizes the Magseal, which prevents water and debris intrusion. The reel is long-casting and extremely smooth.

3 Scorching Hot Bass Tactics for Right Now!

Here's the video that explains in detail my article in July's issue of Ontario OUT OF DOORS magazine. If you love smallmouth and largemouth but hate the heat, if we ever get some, then this is for you. Learn how to target the shadows and use the blinding sun to heat up your trophy bass fishing.

Spybaiting Simplied!

There is a lot of press on the spy baits and how to fish them. Simplicity is key to making the most out of your spy baiting. Teamed up with a medium to medium light spinning rod and mono or fluorocarbon line cast these baits along flats, points, bars or at targets. They excel in clear water and with smallmouth but they work well in most situations where cover is sparse.

Drop Shot Rigging

Rigging is key to success!
By Luigi De Rose

The drop shot is one of the best rigs at catching bass. It might be the best for smallmouth especially when they're deeper than 10 feet. Learning how to rig a drop shot is easy once you get the hang of it. Follow these rigging tips for amazing success regardless of the time of year.

2 Must-have Bass Baits for Covering Clear Water

Here's a video I did for Ontario OUT OF DOORS Magazine. It features the speed worm and the whopper plopper; two super baits for shallow clear water. These baits are fantastic at covering water and catching big bass.

Frog Fishing Gear with Dean "The Machine" Rojas

Who doesn't love to frog fish? Everyone has their own preferences when it come to gear. BASS Elite angler and frog fishing expert Dean "The Machine" Rojas has some tips for you. He'll help you become an expert.

Trolling Motor Performance: Installing a Ram Mount & TH Marine Troll Tamer

Here's a great video I did for Ontario OUT OF DOORS magazine. Having one of these on your desk is a must. Installing is not a difficult as one might seem plus it will extend the life of your trolling motor.

The EverGreen / Z-Man Jackhammer Chatterbait Unboxing!

The EverGreen JACKHAMMER Chatterbait lures was IBASSIN.com's #1 searched post in 2016 and for good reason. A cloud of interque grew as BASS Elite angler Brett Hite scored numerous Top 10 in Elite tournaments with a secret Japanese lure. The mystery grew deeper as it was declared illegal to sell in North America due to Z Man's patent. Everyone wants what they cannot have so as demand intensified smarter heads prevailed and the two companies joined forces. As of 2017, Z Man and EverGreen USA have developed the most refined chatterbait ever.

Videos
https://www.zmanfishing.com/cms/chatter/introducing-chatterbait-jack-hammer/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx-Ixg8TLEs

Z-Man Site
https://www.zmanfishing.com/cms/chatter/introducing-chatterbait-jack-hammer/

Let's review its many quality features.

The patented coffin style blade is thin, tough and perfectly cut from stainless steel.
Available in brilliant silver and green pumpkin
which is Brett's most favourite blade colour. 

Just look at that hook! A wide, heavy wire Gamakatsu hook
with 2 wire prong trailer keepers is amazing. The original chatterbaits
had smaller, cheaper hooks. This thing is a beast. The trailer is a huge part
of the chatterbait's success. Fighting to keep it on is a drag.
This should easily take care of that problem.

A sleek fish shaped head is very compact. It will slip through cover with ease.
I really love that the weight of the bait is labelled on the head of each bait.
Always hated trying to determine which size I was fishing.  The bottom of the head
is white with a splash of red for dark and light coloured skirted jigs.
MORE BELOW

Advanced Jerkbait Fishing with Megabass Pro Nick Cousvis!

Jerkbait fishing is one of the best lures ever invented. Learning to fish one is more difficult than you think. Learn from expert angler and Megabass pro Nick Cousvis. He knows his stuff. Nick explains how to adjust the leader length to get greater depth, more action and how to target giant smallmouth bass. Jerkbaits work well on both smallmouth and largemouth. You simply have to know how to fish them.

DYI Line Thru Swimbaits!

Here is a video I did for Ontario OUT OF DOORS magazine that explains how to rig a Line-Thru swimbait and create your own versions of line -thru. The second part explains how to make your own line-thru from your favourite swimbaits. Converting a regular bait is easier than you think. So, check out the vid and enjoy better hook ups using this method.

2017 Bassmaster Classic Lake Conroe Day 2: Brent Ehrler Leads with 43-4lbs!

Ehrler leads for second straight day.

By Luigi De Rose

Ehrler commands the Classic!
(Photo: BASS)

Not everything in Texas is bigger could be the theme of Day 2 of the 2017 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Conroe.  Under ideal conditions, the entire field fumbled to find true Texas trophy bass which the lake is known for.  

Brent Ehrler had little to worry as he leads the field after another stellar day with a 5 bass limit for 20-01 lbs and a two day total of 43-04lbs. Ehrler maintained a steady rhythm of working brush rows and surrounding flats in the mid-section of the lake.  Brent isn’t in any secret location as many other competitors fished close to him without success. Ehrler caught the majority of this bass pitching and flipping creature baits. He also caught several key fish on a vibrating jig in mid-morning.

Dave Lefebre jumped to second with a 20-11 pound limit. His 41-01lb two-day total is only 2 pounds off the lead. He is also fishing the shallow bays and cuts in the mid to upper section of Lake Conroe.

Edwin Evers, 3^rd with 39lbs for two days, was the quickest to reach 20 pound today as he cashed in on a hot shad spawn bite.  Edwin seemed to spend the rest of the day experimenting with shallow and deep presentations with minimal luck. James Elam has 4^th with 37-10 lbs and Bradley Roy round out the 5^th position with 37-07 lbs. 

Interestingly, 6^th place Mike Iaconelli, scrambled after a horrible morning fishing deep and pieced together 16-06 pound limit by moving in close proximity to Ehrler. Social media was a buzz as BASS LIVE commentators questioned the moral justification of fishing the Day 1 leader’s prime areas. Expect fireworks if the two clash over territory tomorrow especially as Ehrler has been in command of the lead the entire tournament.

Berkley Big Bass went to Skylar Hamilton who landed a 9.01-pound brute. Saturday definitely saw a steep drop in big bass being caught. Six anglers got skunked today showcasing that not everything is big in Texas as they were shut out of landing a 16” keeper bass.   

2017 BASSMASTER Classic Lake Conroe Day 2 Mid-Day Report

Pleasant Saturday bad for anglers
By: Luigi De Rose

Ehrler working his magic.
(Photo: BASS)

It's just past 1pm central time and a lot has happened. Actually, a lot has not happened and anyone catching a few is moving up the leaderboard. Most expected the leader board to flip flop but change is happening very slowly. Most anglers have a few while many are still searching for their first keeper.

Shad Spawn
Shad spawn was amazing for Evers who quickly sacked 20 lbs. in very quick order. He did well yesterday doing the morning shad pattern but the added wind today seemed to helped him catch quality. Van Dam exploited the shad spawn yesterday yet today it was a failure. It took Kevin a few hours to get his first keeper. He is sitting in 7th with 4 bass for 11 pounds. Edwin seems to have been the only one to capitalize on the shad spawn today.

Flipping bites/wood
Brent Ehrler is fishing this pattern and it continues to work very well. Brent hit a flurry while flipping brush and using a vibrating jig in more open water. He quickly advanced pasted Evers for the unofficial lead. Several anglers are also in the same section of the lake and pattern Ehrler is on but Brent is out fishing them.  Steve Kennedy, who is sharing water with Ehrler, has moved up to 4th with almost 15 lb today. Dave Lefebre has limit for 17lbs and is sitting in 3rd. Remember that most anglers stated the best action has come in the afternoon, so anyone in the Top 10 can grabbed the lead with one giant.

Surprises
Keith Coombs only catching 3 bass for 7-11 on Day 1 was a shocker. Today Alton Jones has zero. Not one! He was heavily favoured and an IBASSIN.com pick to win but things are falling apart. Clifford Pirch said he caught multiple limits yesterday but currently has 1 bass for 2 lbs. Mike Iaconelli is struggling and abandoned his deepwater fishing. He is flipping brush but only has 5 pounds with 2 bass. Wesley Strader and Matt Herren have zero so far according to BASSTrakk. This might be a computer glitch but it could be just rough fishing.

Casey Martin Smashed 40 Pound Limit to Win by 20 pounds.

Mega bag wins Guntersville Tournament

by FLW Communications

Casey Martin of New Hope, Alabama, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 40 pounds, 11 ounces, Saturday to win the first T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Bama Division event of 2017 on Lake Guntersville. Martin’s catch was the second-largest single-day limit to ever be weighed in at a BFL event, and the third-largest all-time across all FLW tournament circuits.

Casey Martin claims big win on G-Ville.
(Photo: FLW)

“It was pretty insane to weigh in those bass,” said Martin, who took home $6,859 for his win. “I’m still in disbelief. It happened so fast that it hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

Martin said he started out targeting both largemouth and smallmouth bass in different areas, and was able to put together a limit fairly quick.

“At that point, I figured I had enough weight to earn my entry fee back,” said Martin. “So, I decided to swing for the fence at that point and run to some deeper water, near causeways. They can be good this time of year.

“I came across a school of fish at one point, looked at my graph and it was lighting up,” continued Martin. “I caught one bass that was close to 7 pounds, and within 10 minutes I had three more in the boat – a 9-pounder, and two in the 8-pound range.

Martin said he used a Picasso Double Barrel ½-ounce underspin with a 4-inch Smoky Shad-colored Z-Man DieZel Minnowz to catch all but the 9-pounder. For that, he said he used a swimbait on a 3/4-ounce Freedom Tackle Hydra Hybrid Jig.

“Later on I made a run to an area near Goose Pond and caught another 7-pounder out of some grass on a Rat-L-Trap,” said Martin. “I didn’t think I had 40 pounds, I thought I only had 33 or 34. I’ve seen those kinds of limits come in at BFL tournaments before.”

Three Tips on Shallow Water Cranking with Adrian Avena

Shallow water cranking is an awesome technique from late winter, throughout the hot water months and into late fall. We just witnessed this at the 2017 Walmart FLW Tour event on Lake Gutnersville. Most of the Top 10 were shallow cranking.
Bass are always shallow and ready to munch a shallow crank bait. Learn from Adrian Avena on how to do it. He's a fan of the new Berkley crank baits. IT might be wise to pick up a few new crank baits from Berkley before you launch the boat.
http://www.berkley-fishing.com/berkley-bait-hard-bait/

https://www.facebook.com/ibassincom-265989363495983/?fref=ts

Spring time techniques with Shaw Grigsby BASS Legend

Spring time in Florida is the kick off to a new year of bass fishing. One of the very best at catching bass, including giant bass, is Shaw Grigsby. This Florida legend and TV host knows how to find and catch bass during the pre-spawn and spawning periods. Listen to the master as he explains spring time techniques for catching big bass.

2017 BASS Southern Open Harris Chain of Lakes Day 2: Justin Lucas Take Lead with 43-09lbs!

Field cut to Top 12 for Saturday. 

By Andrew Canulette

BASS PRESS RELEASE
The sun was about to slip below the horizon by the time Justin Lucas came to the stage for Friday's weigh-in of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open No. 1.

Lucas leads with back to back 21 pound limits.
(Photo: BASS)

At that point, about 360 of the 400 anglers already had weighed their bass in front of a healthy crowd at Venetian Gardens. If you had asked just about any of them, they probably would have said it was practically certain that Thursday's leader, Marty Robinson, would hold onto the top spot heading into Saturdays' final day of fishing on the Harris Chain of Lakes.

But Lucas had other plans.

The Guntersville, Ala., resident and California native swooped in at the 11th hour with a five-fish limit that weighed 21 pounds, 14 ounces. That gave Lucas a 43-9 total for two days, and has him more than 2 pounds ahead of Robinson heading into the final round.

Lucas was the only angler of the 200 in the pro division who caught 20-pound bags the first two days of the tournament. He's never won an Open, and he told the crowd he's itching to add to his trophy collection.

"I already have two on the mantle from the Elite Series," Lucas said, referencing his wins on the Potomac River in 2016 and the Sacramento River a year earlier. "But no Open trophies ... We want them all."

Why You Need To Invest In a Great Baitcasting Reel!

Casting reels are one of the most important parts of bass fishing. The price tags seems to get higher and higher but the quality of these reels is amazing!  Sure, there are cheaper reels out there but buying a great reel really is a wise investment. Check out Mike "IKE" Iaconelli at the Abu Garica booth as he tells you why you need to buy the best reels you can afford.

Non-Boater Ryan Lavigne Wins 2016 Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Conroe.

Three going to 2017 Classic!

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Ryan Lavigne of Gonzales, La., pulled off a major upset at the 2016 Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Sunday on Lake Conroe.

Darrel Ocamica, Tim Klinger and Ryan Lavigne are Classic bound!
(Photo: BASS)

Lavigne won the tournament as an unlikely candidate — a nonboater — and won it by an enormous margin, 16 1/2 pounds.

The Ascension Area Anglers bass club member bested the field with 58 pounds, 3 ounces over three days of competition, including a 24-0 bag on Sunday.

As part of his win, he earned a berth in the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro, March 24-26, along with his two closest competitors, Darrell Ocamica of Idaho and Timothy Klinger of Nevada.