2016 Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake Day 2: Mid-morning Report.

Canadian Sim jumps 30 spots with 3 big fish!
By Luigi De Rose

It's 10am (central time) and the lake is some-what dead. Bright sun and no wind killed almost everyone's morning bite. No one has a limit and the fishing is starting to grind on all the competitors. Surprisingly, the mid-morning was one of the worst fishing periods yesterday but several big fish have just been boated and it might signal a new beginning.

Here's the unofficial top 5.

1. Randy Howell 25-4lb
2. Todd Faircloth 23lb
3. Jason Christie 23 lb
4. Bill Lowen 23lb
5. Greg Vinson 22lb

2016 Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake Day 1: Local Jason Christie Leads with 20lb!

Canadian Sim sits in 44th.
By Bryan Brasher
BASS PRESS RELEASE

The bass on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees are in transition, and all of the 55 anglers in the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro are doing a decent job staying ahead of them.

Jason says his best fishing is during bright, calm days. This is
the opposite of what most of the field has experience.
(Photo: BASS)

But on Friday, one angler — a local favorite who lives right down the road — did it better than anyone else.

Jason Christie, a Park Hill, Okla., pro who lives just an hour away from the lake, brought five bass to the scales that weighed 20 pounds, 14 ounces and took the opening-round lead in the Super Bowl of professional bass fishing. Alabamian Greg Vinson, who almost missed the event due to the lingering effects of a concussion, is second with 18-1, and Texas pro Alton Jones is third with 17-13.

Even after a big day, Christie admitted the fishing was tough.

“It was slow. It was a grind, but it was a grind in practice,” Christie said. “I honestly didn’t think I had that kind of weight, but the fish up here just fool you because they’re thick and heavy.

“I’m not getting a lot of bites. I think the most I’ve had in one day is nine — and that’s including practice.”

Getting just nine bites during an eight-hour day forces an angler to exercise patience and remain focused through the downtime so he doesn’t miss the next bite when it finally comes.

New Jackall Rhythm Wave Swimbait

Rhythm Wave Soft Swimbait -

           

Kicking in ‘rhythm’ with a bite-producing wobbling action when retrieved at any speed, Jackall Lures introduces the new soft plastic Rhythm Wave soft swimbaits. Offered in both 3.8- and 4.8-inch lengths, anglers can fish the Rhythm Wave rigged weightless, with a swim jig, with a weighted hooked or Texas-rigged. The thickness of its shad-like tail provides a steady rhythm action, while a top-hooking slit ensures a hidden hook for weedless applications.

Both sizes of these new Jackall soft swimbaits are offered in six colors including Bluegill/pearl White, Golden Shad, green pumpkin pepper, Holo Black, Prism Shad and Sexy Albino.

Available for the first time at the 2016 Bassmaster Classic Outdoor Expo, starting Friday, March 4 at the Cox Business Center in Tulsa, Okla., the lures will also be available that day at selected tackle retailers nationwide and in Canada.  MSRP: $4.99 – 5 Pack  (USD)

The 2016 BASSMASTER CLASSIC Starts Today!

The first day of the 2016 Classic has finally arrived. Stay tuned throughout the entire event to IBASSIN for all the latest news and results.

SHIMANO EXPANDS ZODIAS BASS ROD SERIES

THREE NEW MODELS FOR 2016

Offered in technique specific designs, Shimano adds three rods to its 14-model Zodias bass rod line-up with the new ZDS170M-G, 176MH-G and the 175H.

While the current Zodias series provide anglers with rods designed to perform as needed with all types of lures – be it worms, jigs, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits, the new Zodias rods are constructed for specific lure and situation use. The 7-foot ZDS170M-G and 7-foot-6 inch ZDS176M-G crankbaits rods have longer reargrips for long-casting leverage, and include glass composite material within their Hi Power X blank for the softer action needed. The heavy power, 7-foot-5-inch ZDS175H is ideal for braided line applications, especially when making long casts into grass. A long reargrip provides added casting distance leverage.

COMPACT SIZE HIGH SPEED REELS JOIN SHIMANO’S CURADO BAITCASTING REEL LINE-UP

Curado 70 for all your fishing needs

When the situation calls for pitching, flipping, or casting light lures, anglers are now offered the new compact size Curado 70 baitcasting reels, available in both right- and left-hand retrieve and two gear ratios.  The line-up includes the Curado 70HG and left-hand 71HG with 7.2:1 gear ratios, and the even faster retrieve Curado 70XG and 71XG, each with 8.2:1 gear ratio. All four reels feature a compact, lightweight durable Hagane body design, weighing it at 6.5-ounces for all-day, in-hand fishing comfort.

The Curado 70 reels are equipped with Shimano’s innovative SVS Infinity braking system to provide easy-to-manage, consistent spool control and brake force. SVS Infinity controls spool speed especially when using lighter lures, plus the external adjustment knob allows quick, precise adjustments when conditions change or switching baits.

Through Shimano’s Stabile Spool Design (S3D) that includes a thin wall aluminum spool to provide better balance, anglers will notice less spool vibration. Add in five S-ARB anti-rust ball bearings, and a one-way roller bearing for absolutely no handle backplay, plus Shimano’s X-Ship for even more smoothness and durability, and anglers can expect enhanced casting performance for longer casts – a welcome benefit when using lighter lures.

NEW CHATTERBAIT® FREEDOM™ BLADED JIG

Freedom Tackle and Z-Man Team Up!

Z-Man Fishing Products, maker of The Original ChatterBait brand bladed swim jigs and 10X Tough ElaZtech® soft plastics, is pleased to introduce the ChatterBait Freedom vibrating jig as a new addition to its ever-evolving lineup at the 2016 GEICO Bassmaster Classic. Widely regarded as the ‘Super Bowl of bass fishing,’ the event will take place March 4-6 on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The ChatterBait Freedom launch is the culmination of a product partnership between Z-Man and Canada-based Freedom Tackle Corp. that merges Z-Man’s patented head-to-blade connection with Freedom Tackle’s interchangeable, swinging-hook design made possible by the company’s proprietary internal connection. The result is an all-new bladed jig that allows for easy hook changes, infinite lure customization and snag-free fishing. As important, the new product launch showcases the sharing of advancements and intellectual property between two tackle companies that also share the common goal of providing anglers with a unique—and genuinely better—product offering.

“We’ve been prototyping and testing bladed jigs with swinging hooks for several years now, and the best design we’ve found—bar none—is Freedom Tackle’s interchangeable hook design because it not only allows for easy customization and weedless rigging, but prevents fouling altogether,” states Z-Man President, Daniel Nussbaum. “While other companies in the industry seem intent on copying and working around the intellectual property of others, we felt that we could provide anglers with the best product possible by partnering with another innovator like Freedom.”

New Jackall Gantarel Jr!

Gantarel Jr.  Slow-Sinking Swimbaits –

Packing the same lifelike action as its larger original, Jackall Lures now offers its new Gantarel Jr. swimbait. With a 5-inch double-jointed body, a steady retrieve creates a natural ‘S’ swimming pattern, plus the lure will make a 180-degree turns when twitched to further entice a big bass to bite. To add even more realism to the Gantarel Jr. swimbaits, they are equipped with feathered treble hooks. 

     Offered in eight life-like colors – RT Bluegill, Scale Bass, Sale Sparkle Gill, Black Impact Gill, Gizzard Shad, Scale Gill, RT Ghost Gill and RT Spawn Gill, the pectoral fins on the Gantarel Jr. enhance stability, and are angled slightly to t allow the swimbait to dive down to 2-feet.

The 1.5-ounce Gantarel Jr. swimbaits feature a bearing swivel eye to eliminate any line twist. The lures offer a bottom eye so anglers can add weight to make the lures slowly sink even more, plus there’s a tail tip eye to add a stinger hook.

New Shimano Caenam 150 Casting Reel

Amazing Reel for an Great Price

For anglers looking for their first baitcasting reel, or experienced anglers who understand the word ‘value’, Shimano offers its new Caenan 150 casting reels. Three models are available – the Caenan 150, left-hand retrieve 151 and higher-gear 150HG.

            In many fishing situations, baitcasting reels “can deliver more accurate lure placement, and enable you to make quicker casts so your lure spends more time in the water,” said noted pro bass angler Jonathon VanDam. “The new Caenan reels are the perfect choice for the growing numbers of high school and college kids who are enjoying competitive fishing. I understand their passion for this sport – that fire they feel in their bellies. The new Caenan reels deliver amazing performance and value.”

Loaded with proven features, the Caenan reels deliver exceptional strength and rigidity with Shimano’s redesigned High Efficiency Gearing (HEG). Anglers can easily adjust spool speed – and dial the reel in to reduce backlashes, with Shimano’s upgraded Variable Brake System (VBS). Combine that with Stabile Spool Design (S3D) for less spool vibration and anglers can expect long-casting performance.