Innehållsförteckning för Classic Preview 2017 från Bassmaster

When it comes to slow-moving, weedless surface lures, you can either throw a frog or a frog. Poppers, walking baits and prop baits have dangling trebles that simply will not slide over and through matted or thick vegetation. The fix is easy and effective. Make these modifications and you can cast your favorite topwater lure wherever you darn well please. 1 Remove the trebles from your favorite topwater bait. 2 You will not want to put a hook in the middle of the bait, but you do need to add a little weight there so the balance of the lure is not negatively affected. We decided to get an old feather-dressed treble and cut the hooks off at the bend. This not only adds the needed weight, but also extra…

Hometown: Auburn, Ala. Birthday: April 19, 1969 This is the annual Classic preview issue, so let’s start there. What are your thoughts on the Classic and Lake Conroe? It’s got big fish, but it’s a relatively small venue. But with the reduced field, that’s good. The big fish should be up where we can catch them. I guess we’ll be seeing spawn and post-spawn fish. I expect big bags, but I don’t know if it will hold up for three days. Weighing in at the baseball stadium is cool; that’s going to be interesting for sure. It’s going to be about catching big fish, and I like that aspect of it. You worked as a mechanical engineer before jumping into fishing full time. What possessed you to leave a solid…

In a state as big as Texas, you could develop a seriously long playlist of Texas musicians to provide a sonic backdrop for your trip to Houston. Instead, here’s a sample of several Houston songsmiths for your listening pleasure: Rodney Crowell, “The Long Journey Home” Barbara Mandrell, “I Was Country when Country Wasn’t Cool” Chamillionaire, “Ridin’” Blue October, “Hate Me” ZZ Top, “La Grange” Lyle Lovett, “If I Had a Boat” Robert Earl Keen, “The 5-Pound Bass”…

7 th Conroe’s rank among Texas lakes for number of fish contributed to the state’s popular ShareLunker program 20,118 Size in acres 2.5million Number of Florida largemouth bass fingerlings stocked in Lake Conroe from 2007 to 2013 55 Miles from Lake Conroe to Minute Maid Park 15.93 Weight in pounds of the lake’s record largemouth bass, caught Jan. 30, 2009 51 Percent of Lake Conroe anglers who target largemouth bass 50 Conroe’s rank among Bassmaster’s 100 Best Bass Lakes in 2015 anchored with concrete blocks were placed in the oldest harbor on the Great Lakes. | Pennsylvania is now using Save Our Susquehanna (SOS)…

LAKE CONROE PRESENTED a sneak preview of the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods last November when the lake hosted the Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan. Louisiana’s Ryan Lavigne won the championship with a three-day weight of 58 pounds, 3 ounces, including a 24-pound limit on the final day. Local experts are predicting Conroe’s bass fishing and weight totals will be even better March 24-26 during the Classic. Five-time Bassmaster winner Zell Rowland says B.A.S.S. picked the ideal time to hold the Classic on Conroe. “Don’t be surprised if you see five bass that weigh over 35 pounds,” said Rowland, who lives at the lake. “If they hit the weather just right, you are going to see a lot of bags heavier…

IF IT WIGGLES, jiggles, sparkles, vibrates or rattles, you probably have it in your tacklebox. That’s how bass fishermen are wired. We think a lure has to have action, create some kind of commotion or look sexy to get fish to bite. But not always. For example, you’ve probably had those days when you swore you were fishing the Dead Sea. If you say you haven’t, then either you don’t fish often or you’re good enough to compete on the Bassmaster Elite Series. For those who have faced those dreadful days when the usual smorgasbord of lures is ignored, it’s time to start thinking outside of the box. Try something polar opposite: a stealthy, no-motion approach. That’s what Mike Iaconelli and others do when the bass go into a funk,…

Congratulations to the newest members of the Bassmaster Lunker Club™. Membership in the club is free and open to any B.A.S.S. member who catches a largemouth bass weighing 10 pounds or more, a spotted bass weighing 5 pounds or more, or a smallmouth bass weighing 6 pounds or more, from Jan. 1, 2016, to the present. New Lunker Club members will receive an official certificate with holder and a Minn Kota hat. Curtis Bohlman Oklahoma 109 Bellcow Lake, Oklahoma ◆ soft jerkbait (green pumpkin) ◆ Water Clarity: murky ◆ Depth: 6 feet ◆ Weather: clear Mark Everett Illinois 101 Private lake, Illinois Bomber A-series (green and chartreuse) Allan Ranson Tennessee 81 New Bullards Bar Reservoir, California Strike King 10XD pro-model crankbait (sexy blueback herring) Thomas Mainville Florida 116 Lake Harris,…

I had hopes it might help push back the heartbreak his death was causing me. Call it a selfish act of literary reflection. “I SELL FUN.” That is how Wade Bourne described his job as an outdoor journalist. It’s difficult for me to write about him in the past tense, as Wade was a longtime friend, fishing companion and hunting partner. He was the writer that I try to be. He was the family man other men look to emulate. On Dec. 15, at 69 years old, Wade suffered a massive heart attack and died while cutting down a Christmas tree on his Tennessee farm. He is survived by his wife Becky, son Hampton, daughter Haley, and brother Joe. As for selling fun, nobody was better at it than Wade.…

Houston is the fourth-most-populous city in the U.S. and the epicenter of the country’s energy industry, but there’s more to H-Town than energy companies and congested freeways. Houston lays claim as one of the United States’ busiest ports and home of the NASA Johnson Space Center, multiple professional sports teams and the world’s largest livestock show and rodeo. For a week in March, it also lays claim as host city of the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK'S Sporting Goods. It’s the Classic’s first visit to Houston and second to Texas. Here’s a Classic visitor’s guide to the city. For more information, see visithoustontexas.com. The Final Frontier "Houston" was the first word spoken from the surface of the moon in 1969, and NASA’s Johnson Space Center continues to play a…

Lake Conroe is known for big bass. The lake record weighed nearly 16 pounds, and fish approaching double digits are seen often. With a little help from Mother Nature, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kevin VanDam’s 2011 Classic record fall. The Toyota Texas Bass Classic was held on Lake Conroe several times. Although those events were held in the fall, the winning weights shed light on what Classic anglers might need to win this GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK's Sporting Goods. 76-12 Keith Combs in 2011 53-4 Bryan Thrift in 2012 62-12 Keith Combs in 2013…

Aquatic vegetation is famously controversial on Conroe. Efforts to control invasive hydrilla with grass carp have been effective through the years, improving recreational access but reducing fish habitat. Recent collaboration by Texas Parks and Wildlife, other agencies and angling groups, including B.A.S.S., has shown promise in restoring native aquatic plants on the lake. (Five miles of the Caney Creek arm shoreline was planted in 2012-2013.) But according to a Texas Parks and Wildlife lake report, native vegetation has decreased sharply as a result of carp that were stocked for hydrilla control, and overall vegetation is considered “low density.”…

Fiberglass bass boats have been the tool of choice for bass pros for decades, but Elite Series rookie and Classic qualifier Skylar Hamilton will opt for an aluminum bass boat during this year’s season. According to a news release from Xpress Boats, an aluminum boat manufacturer based in Hot Springs, Ark., Hamilton will fish this season out of an aluminum Xpress X21. Hamilton said his decision marks the beginning of an “epic” paradigm shift for the Elite Series and competitive angling. “I am ecstatic to be part of the Xpress Boats family and the future of high-performance aluminum bass boats at this level,” he said.…

THE EXTREMELY TALENTED anglers who have qualified for the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods make picking potential winners from the Fantasy Fishing buckets more challenging than ever. The Elite Series pros and industry insiders that we tapped for their picks struggled mightily with their choices. GERALD SWINDLE This is the toughest bucket to choose from. It’s hard to not pick Keith Combs or Todd Faircloth because of their local advantage. It’s hard not to pick Kevin VanDam because he is who he is and the conditions could be right in his wheelhouse. It’s hard to not pick Greg Hackney because somewhere in his psyche he has a score to settle. But in this one, I’m going with my heart: Gerald Swindle. I think he’s beat away…

MINN KOTA AND MotorGuide electric-steer motors that “lock” a boat in place via GPS technology do for offshore fishing what Power-Poles and Minn Kota Talons do for fishing in the shallows. These electric motors can automatically hold your boat over deep water while you cast to a money hole, land a bass or fiddle with tackle. The reason electric-steer motors haven’t caught on with bass addicts is that their foot-steering mechanisms are too sluggish for the precise boat control needed for maneuvering close to shallow bass cover. A bow trolling motor that has cable-steering quickness and the ability to lock in place over deep water would be a game changer according to pros who have experimented with both models. If that’s the case, be notified that the game has changed.…

For future reference Do I need to winterize my outboard 2-stroke motor here in Georgia to prepare for winter months? It is a 2003 Johnson and will be staying indoors. @chan_the_man_, Instagram Jason Eckman, global product manager at Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), says that while the risk of damaging the engine is minimal, there are some other steps in the winterization process that should be considered for long-term storage. Fogging the carburetor and the cylinders will prevent corrosion. Also, adding fuel stabilizer to the tank and running it through the engine will prevent issues in the spring. Stick to what you know I’ve been told to always use the same oil for my oil-injected Yamaha. Does it make a difference to use different brands of oil? @stacyhorakfishing Instagram David Meeler,…

Fans are part of fame, and Elite Series anglers are appreciative of those who follow them — especially from a distance. The Classic Regatta SPECTATOR BOAT TRAFFIC wasn’t always a given on competition days of the GEICO Bassmaster Classic. But it had already become a factor by 1990, when B.A.S.S. held its third-in-a-row Classic on the James River out of Richmond, Va. Rick Clunn had won three world championships and a Toyota Angler of the Year title by then, and if anyone in the field could expect a spectator fleet to follow him, it was Clunn. Inexplicably, no one was shadowing Clunn on the final day of the Richmond Classic that year. True, he was so far back in the field that he was essentially out of the running, but…

“I fish uphill a lot, and I’m not afraid to throw a big bait all day for just a couple of bites.” — Elite Series pro Chris Zaldain TOP TIPS FOR SMALLIES What’s the secret to catching smallies on topwater baits? @Reed.fish, Instagram Elite Series pro Seth Feider First, you need to only throw topwaters when the smallies will eat ’em. The primary time frames are postspawn and fall. I work topwater baits a lot faster for smallies than I do for largemouth. You never want the lure sitting still. And since you are usually fishing clear water, make really long casts. To help with this, I use braid with a mono leader. This will also help with hook sets on long casts. Pick brighter colors, as well; something with…

It’s been called Space City, Bayou City and H-Town, but for a week in March, Houston will be a B.A.S.S. city. 1 Number of times the Classic has been held in Texas prior to this year’s tournament (Lake Texoma in 1979) $24 million Estimated economic impact of the Classic on the host city 40,963 Seating capacity at Minute Maid Park 5 Number of Texas anglers fishing in the Classic (Keith Combs of Huntington, Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Alton Jones Sr. of Lorena, Alton Jones Jr. of Lorena and Takahiro Omori of Emory) Conservation and bass fishing news Smallmouth and largemouth bass received a habitat boost in Lake Erie’s Presque Isle Bay early this past fall, as 126 vertical plank structures…

Many factors affect a tournament’s outcome, but first the 52 Classic contenders must figure out the playing field itself. • An impoundment of the San Jacinto River, Conroe covers 20,000-plus acres. Half a dozen tributary creeks are evenly divided between the lake’s east and west sides. • The upper third of the lake is mostly surrounded by national forest with no development. While the lower two-thirds are extensively developed, more than 50 percent of Conroe’s shoreline containing bulkhead or docks. • There’s riprap habitat around bridges and the dam, and the upper section of the lake has standing dead timber. • Bluegill, longear sunfish, gizzard shad and threadfin shad are the lake’s predominant prey species. • In late March 2016, Conroe’s average water temperature at the dam was 66 degrees.…

Three anglers will represent the B.A.S.S. Nation in this year’s Classic. In a change from past years, the Top 3 overall finishers in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship earned berths, instead of the top finishers from various Nation regions. Here’s a look at the anglers who’ll be carrying the weight of the Nation on Lake Conroe. Ryan Lavigne Hometown: Gonzales, La. Age: 35 Home club: Ascension Area Anglers Occupation: process technician, Marathon Petroleum Co. How he qualified: Lavigne did the almost unimaginable by qualifying for the final of the Nation Championship as a non-boater and then crushing the competition in the all-boater final, winning by 16 1/2 pounds. Darrell Ocamica Hometown: New Plymouth, Idaho Age: 40 Home club: Boise Bass Busters Occupation: apartment complex maintenance manager How he qualified: Ocamica finished…

“Like a tightrope walker carrying a long pole, the product provides initial stability through weight distribution.” AT FIRST GLANCE, a river runner might look at the Wingman Outrigger and wonder how on earth this contraption could be navigated down a waterway, especially one with major rapids. A 72-inch-long, 24-inch-wide frame rests astride the gunnel of a canoe. On both sides of the frame exist slots where coolers, gear boxes, dry boxes or some other container can be dropped. The end result is a boat that looks very little like the craft used to ply rivers. Yet, amazingly, the concept not only works, but it also may even be said to revolutionize and enhance canoe and kayak fishing — especially if anglers relish going on multiple-day floats for bass and…