Happy Mother's Day!

2013 Bassmaster Elite Alabama River Day 3: Chapman Still Leading but River Levels Drop

By Deb Johnson

BASS Press Release

Brent Chapman is on a tear.

Saturday, the reigning Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year led the four-day Alabama River Charge presented by Star brite for the second consecutive day.

Brent Chapman is leading as leader board has mixed.
River levels dropped making Sunday's fishing
unpredictable. (Photos: BASS)

Chapman also came close to tearing up his bass rig. During a stomach-churning run upriver against Coosa River rapids to reach the big spotted bass in Jordan Dam tailwaters, his boat struck a rock.

“Where I’m fishing, my Triton-Mercury isn’t supposed to go,” said Chapman on the Bassmaster Elite Series stage as he weighed in 18 pounds, 3 ounces, enough for the Day 3 lead by 1 pound, 3 ounces over Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla.

“I didn’t rip anything off, but I’ll have it checked out,” said Chapman, who brought 59 pounds, 4 ounces to the scales over three days, much of it from his sweet Coosa set-up.

It might dry up on him on Sunday in the event’s final round. The water level of the entire Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa river system is dropping. That means the boat-eating rocks might be too close to the surface to make a run to the dam come Sunday morning.

“I’m going to go as far as I feel I can safely go, and that’s where I’m going to start fishing,” the leader said. “There’s still good, fishable water up there in many places. And there’s still some great fishing down here (near Montgomery). If I have to go fishing, I’ll go fishing.”

In bass-speak, “go fishing” is the equivalent of starting over.

It looks like Niagara Falls but it isn't. Many won't fish on
Sunday if water levels by the dam continue to drop.

Chapman had company on the Jordan Dam tailwaters. On the way up Saturday morning, he and Jared Miller of Norman, Okla., met near the first set of rapids. After a consultation, Chapman said he’d lead the way. They both got through, and then Miller took the point. Chapman pulled up to his spot, and Miller crept closer to the dam. (Waiting on land, Bassmaster cameramen shot Miller’s wild ride as he tried to navigate the churning water below the dam. See it here.)

2013 Bassmaster Elite Alabama River Day 2: Chapman Tames White Water and Spots to Take Lead

By Deb Johnson

BASS Press Release

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alton Jones and Brent Chapman stood side-by-side. They were the first two Bassmaster Elite Series pros in line to weigh in Friday, the second day of the Alabama River Charge presented by Star brite.

The white water below the dam has be producing the best
bass of the tournament.   (Photos: BASS)

Jones sized up Chapman’s weigh-in bag. “I'll go first,” Jones told Chapman. “I want to lead for at least one minute.”

Jones had it right. His 20 pounds, 4 ounces earned him a fleeting look at the hot seat. Chapman’s 23-5 handily beat him. Chapman’s two-day total was 41-1 to Jones’ 36-10 — a 4-7 difference.

Jones had nothing to feel bad about. Together the two squashed the hopes of the other 98 Elite pros who followed them to the scales. No one knocked them out of first and second.

The reigning Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Chapman, of Lake Quivira, Kan., weighed five spotted bass to move up from sixth place on Day One. In his bag was the day’s largest bass, a 5-11.

Chapman rode Coosa River rapids in his bass rig to reach his fish.

Chapman easily took the lead with his big bag. 

“It was a fun day. Things could not have gone better for me,” Chapman said. “But it was a little nerve-wracking getting there (to his fishing spot).”

“Knowing what’s under the water is kind of scary,” he said. “If the water drops at all …” He shook his head. “There’s literally times you feel the boat go up and then feel it go down because you drop so much.”

The ride was worth it to get to a sweet spot he has going below the dam.

“I’ve got ‘a cast,’ a really neat little spot where they’re sitting up in one little eddy,” he said. “I caught a good one to start the day, and within a hour had a 20-pound bag.”

2013 Bassmaster Elite Alabama River Day 1: John Murray Captures Lead with Spots.

By Deb Johnson

BASS Press Release

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Bassmaster Elite Series pros could have given themselves sore throats Thursday if they’d hollered every time they hooked into an Alabama River spotted bass.

John Murray holds off the pack with a strong
limit of spotted bass.
(Photo: BASS)

Among them was John Murray. Spot-on his game, the pro from Phoenix, Ariz., brought in five spotted bass that weighed 18 pounds, 9 ounces. It was enough for the first-day lead by 5 ounces in the May 9-12 Alabama River Charge presented by Star brite out of Montgomery, Ala.

He has his challengers lined up for the remaining three days of competition. The first and sixth anglers on the leaderboard were separated by only 13 ounces.

Two anglers tied for second place at 18-4, both with limits of spotted bass: Paul Elias of Laurel, Miss., and Jason Williamson of Aiken, S.C.

In fourth was Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., with five bass that went 17-15. Fifth was Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla. His weight was also 17-15, but with four bass that did not survive because his livewell wasn’t on, he slid one spot below Lane.

Sixth place was taken by reigning Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Brent Chapman of Lake Quivira, Ka., with 17-12.

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Skeet Reese Wins 2013 Bassmaster Elite West Point Lake Event with Heroic Last Day!

By Deb Johnson
BASS Press Release

Skeet Reese is on fire — again.

The Auburn, Calif., superstar of bass fishing was victorious Sunday in the Bassmaster Elite Series’ West Point Lake Battle after starting the final round in seventh place, almost 2 1/2 pounds behind leader Tommy Biffle.

Its been a while!
(Photos: James Overstreet BASS)

But when Reese weighed 15-4 Sunday, he squashed the other 11 finalists’ hopes of winning the four-day Battle out of LaGrange, Ga. Closest to catching Reese was Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., who finished second with 44-6, exactly 2 pounds back.

Reese won $100,000 and his 14th Bassmaster Classic qualification. He also racked up points in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, rising eight steps in the standings into third place.

“We play for the win — and the money’s always nice. But I fish for one title — Angler of the Year. For me, it doesn’t get any better than that,” said Reese, who has won the AOY crown once, in 2007.

The West Point event win, the seventh of his Bassmaster career, was his first since he won two Elite competitions in 2010. He was in contention for the AOY title throughout 2010, but Kevin VanDam took it.

2013 Bassmaster Elite West Point Lake Day 2: Biffle Bounds into Lead

By Deb Johnson

BASS Press Release

LAGRANGE, Ga. — Saturday was a rainy day in Georgia, but Tommy Biffle was not singing the blues about the West Point Lake Battle.

He managed to fill a five-fish limit after falling one bass short on both Day One and Day Two of the Battle.

Biffle eeks out a lead with 33.09 for three days.
(Photo: BASS)

Biffle of Wagoner, Okla., seized the third-day lead in the four-day Bassmaster Elite Series’ Battle with a total of 33 pounds, 9 ounces. Seventh after Thursday, he popped into third Friday before taking the hot seat Saturday.

The loss of a “good keeper” early Saturday had him wondering if he’d even weigh four bass.

“I was a little bit worried I’d only have three, because I’ve been getting (and boating) four bites a day,” he said. “Today I had six, but I didn’t catch the quality I’ve been catching. As tough as the fishing is, I was glad to catch five.”

Biffle liked Saturday’s wet, wet weather. He said he actually hoped for a thunder and lightning storm on the water to change the barometric pressure.

2013 Bassmaster Elite West Point Lake Day 1: Combs Leads on Stingy First Day

By DEb Johnson

Bass Press release

Zero. By 1:30 p.m. Thursday, that’s how many bass Keith Combs of Huntington, Texas, believed he’d end up weighing in on the first day of the West Point Lake Battle, the fourth event of the Bassmaster Elite Series season. In six hours of casting, he had not had one bite.

Suddenly, “Things just started to roll,” he said.

Combs catches enough to lead on
very difficult first day.
(Photo: BASS)

Combs ended the day leading the tournament after weighing 15 pounds, 14 ounces. He was 4 ounces in front of Greg Vinson of Wetumpka, Ala., who turned in 15-10. Behind Combs and Vinson was the 2013 Bassmaster Classic champ, Cliff Pace of Petal, Miss., who was third with 14-2

“I have some sight fish, I had some flipping fish, I had some fish in the current, I had some cranking fish — and I ran all that stuff and didn’t catch any. I thought I wasn’t going to catch a fish today,” Combs said.

Fishless, he re-ran all the same water, trying all his different techniques again and again. His breakthrough was a largemouth off a spawning bed. Then he moved and was able to fill his five-fish limit with smaller spotted bass for about 7 pounds total, he estimated.

Jackall Pro Jared Lintner on Bed Fishing the Clone Gill

Regardless of where you bass fish, bed fishing is exciting. IBASSIN got to chat to Bassmaster Elite pro Jared Lintner. He shared in wisdom on how he catches bedding bass.

“I and the bass look for the pockets that are quiet and out of the way. Stay away from areas that get heavy boat traffic or high waves.” Explains the 8-year touring pro.  The pockets that face east warm up quickly and draw in a majority of the bass, especially the biggest ones.

Jared Lintner knows the value of the
Jackall Clone Gill.

One bait that shines the brightest for bed fishing is the Jackall Clone Gill. This soft plastic bait perfectly duplicates annoying panfish.  The Clone Gill is the perfect shape and size of a Blue Gill. “These fish raid bass beds. They are the worst enemy of the bass and bass will chase them off their bed.” Explains Jared, a California pro.

“The key to fishing the Clone Gill is to drop it right on the bed and shake it.” Advises Jared. After he makes the perfect cast and adds a few shakes the bass should eat it. It can be that simple.

Jackall’s line of clone baits perfectly matches natural prey. Jared loves the fact that these baits are compact yet solid enough to handle a solid hook.

He rigs the bait with a 2/0 Gamakatsu hook and teams it with a 1/4oz to 1/2oz bullet weight. It might seem heavy but it helps make great casts and assists the bait's glide.  Jared rigs this bait Texas style with the bait on its side. Having the bait rigged sideways really makes it spiral.

Another great rig is drop shotting the Clone Gill. Jared switches from the EWG hook to the Weedless Wicked Wacky hook. He nose hooks the bait and plops it on the bed. The Clone Gill is firm enough to be re-rigged several times yet hold its integrity.  This well-made bait becomes a real asset when working a big bass on a bed.

Here is Jared Lintner’s gear list:

Rod: G Loomis 895 JWR casting rod

Reel: Shimano Core 100mg 7

Line: 20 Lb Sunline Shooter

Best colours: Baby Blue Gill, Blue Gill and Crappie

(Make sure local laws on bed fishing are always followed)