Preparing For a New Lake

Tomorrow I am going to go out and fish a body of water I have never seen. This is always exciting for me and I really enjoy the challenge. My mind races as I think what to bring. I like to limit my baits and gear so I can spend less time on the water changing baits and more time fishing. If I had to go to any lake in the country with just three rods and three baits...here is what I would use.

1. A heavy casting rod with braided line and a Snag Proof frog. I'd bring the new Phat Frog in black.
2. A spinning rod with 8lb Seaguar Fluorcarbon and a shakyhead. I've become a big fan of the Spot Remover by Buckeye Lures. I'd also want to use a junebug worm.
3. A medium heavy rod with 15lb Seaguar Flurocarbon and a rattletrap like this one.

These baits cover all three water columns and should catch fish anywhere in the country. What would be your go-to baits if you could only take three?

Forest Wood Cup - Day 1

Day 1 of the FLW Cup was today and it looks like the weights were much higher than they were four years ago when the Bassmasters Classic was held on these same three rivers. The weights were still pretty low considering 77 of the Nation's top pros are fishing the event.

Here is a look at the Top 10:
1. Dave Lefebre: 8-13
2. David Curtis: 8-12
3. Larry Nixon: 8-04
4. Scott Suggs: 7-12
5. Mike Iaconelli: 7-10
6. Greg Bohannan: 7-08
7. Adam Wagner: 7-07
8. Bryan Thrift: 6-10
9. Rusty Salewske: 6-04

10. Cody Meyer: 6-03

Last week I posted my picks for the tournament, here's how they stood after one day. Three in the top 10...not a bad start.

Cody Meyer - 10th
Ike - 5th
Dave Lefebre - 1st
Luke Clausen -45th
Brett Hite - 16th
Robert Harkness - 46th
Ron Shuffield -52nd

Beating the Heat - Summer Fishing

No matter where you live right now, it's summer time and it's hot! Who wants to go fishing in the heat and sweat all day when you can just sit in the air conditioning or by the pool? I DO...summer is my favorite time to fish, the hotter the better. I have always been this way and I think it has to do with my favorite styles of fishing; frogs and other topwaters, and finesse fishing with soft plastics. Here are my five tips to making your summer fishing more enjoyable.

1) Make yourself comfortable. It all starts with how you feel. Dress for the occasion; wear long sleeve breathable shirts to keep your arms from sunburning. Wear a big hat if you can, it will keep your neck and face cooler. Another trick to keep cool is to get a neckcooler like the one made by Master Vision shown here. These things work. Also make sure to wear LOTS of sunscreen, my favorite is made by Sol. I wear contacts so I have to make sure it won't irritate my eyes and this stuff doesn't. The last thing to remember about keeping comfortable is to drink as much water as you can.

2) Be Shady. If you were a bass, where would you hide from the sun? Shaded areas are key this time of year. Anything overhanging like matted grass, docks, wood, or even deeper water will shade the sensitive eyes of bass. Focus on these areas first. These are great places to throw those Snag Proof frogs.

3) Be an early riser. The summer is the longest time of the year, so you have to wake up as early as possible to beat the sun. The first hour of sunlight is usually the best for active fish also trying to beat the sun.

4) Go with the flow. Anywhere you can find moving water will be a good area to fish. The water will have more oxygen and cooler temperatures. This will attract the baitfish and the bass will be right behind them looking for the flow. Runoff from rain, rivers and creeks, and even artificial pumps in ponds will always be the first place I hit in the summer time.

5) Plastics, plastics, plastics. Summertime is definitely the time to get out your worm rod and fish. I like to have several rigged up at all times. Fish seem to key on plastic worms and there is no wrong way to fish them. A texas-rig, carolina-rig and a drop-shot are must haves for me anytime the summer heat comes around.

Don't let the summer heat discourage you. It's a great time to get out there and catch fish that are schooling and ready to eat.

Bass Tackle Thief Busted!

One thing I am always paranoid about is having all of my gear stolen. My rods, reels, and baits and my prized possessions I have accumulated over the years. A few months ago during a BFL tournament here in Florida, a thief took several rods and reels and other things from boats while the fisherman slept at the hotel. They even knew which rods were better than others and left the cheaper brands. The sad thing is that this person knew what they were doing and was probably a bass fisherman.

Police in Missouri busted a fisherman with tens of thousands of dollars in gear. At least they caught the guy. They offered the following tips for fisherman: "The Water Patrol reminds fishermen and boat owners to document and record the serial numbers of electronics and other equipment stored on boats or docks. Locked storage compartments and lighting can discourage would-be thieves. Owners should also mark equipment in an inconspicuous manner so that it can be identified and connected to them in case of a theft. Anytime you purchase used equipment, you should have identifying information for the seller. Buyers should be suspicious of any seller who hesitates to supply contact information or items that are priced considerably below fair market value." You can read the entire article here.

Photo: Bassmaster.com

My New Favorite Lipless Crankbait

Ever since I moved to Florida I have become hooked on using a lipless crankbait. The bait never lets me down. It is very versatile and can be used anytime of the year, and the best part is that you always have the chance to catch a kicker fish with it. I have a box full of them in every brand name, every color and every size you can imagine; and I'm still looking for more. My new favorite is a bait that is made by Missouri based Accent Lures....the Koza Shad.

I am really picky about the lures I use and they must pass my visual test before I even think about buying them. I was really impressed with the quality of the colors they are offered in. They come in eight great looking colors, that remind me of the most expensive brands out there, yet they only retail for $6.95.

My favorite color so far has been the Ozark Chrome. Try one out, I know you'll like it.

Ninja Fishing

One of the best finesse fisherman on the planet is Elite Series Pro Kota Kiriyama, also know as "The Ninja". He helped make Japanese techniques like the drop-shot and the flick shake popular in the U.S. His success proves that he knows what he's doing, with an Elite win last year on Erie and five 2nd place over the years with B.A.S.S, he has proven that he can compete anywhere in the country. I see him as a favorite in a few weeks when the Elite Series hits Lake Oneida in New York. Anywhere that there are smallmouth, Kota seems to do well.

I had the opportuity to talk to him and ask him a few questions. Since he is on the Jackall Pro-Staff, my first question was about the flick shake. I asked him what his favorite color was and he said Sunburn Melon because it is a great all around color for all water clarity.

Next I wanted to ask him about his new swimbait he has coming out, appropriately named the Swimming Ninja, it's a six inch bait and has some great looking colors. I asked him "what makes it different than any other swimbait?" Kota said "The thing that makes this bait so great is that you can reel it very slow and still get the same action". He also pointed out to the stinger hook, that is already attached. This eliminates the need for customization. I can't wait to try it out.

It seems like techniques like the drop-shot, flick shake and others have been popular in Japan for years before they hit the states. I asked Kota which bait or technique is next in line to take America by storm. He said to look for things like small swimbaits to really become more popular. Interesting...we'll have to keep an eye on that.

You can learn more about Kota, see some cool videos and his blog at Ninjatacklebox.com. Thanks Kota!

My 2009 Forrest Wood Cup Picks

Next week 77 anglers will fish Pittsburg and the rivers that run through the city chasing a million dollar paycheck (if they own a Ranger), if not it's only $500k. This is the same river system that produced just 12lbs-15 oz for 3 days for winner KVD at the 2005 Bassmaster Classic. Needless to say, expectations for big bass and huge stringers aren't very high. But no matter what they weigh, someone is still going to make some serious cash next week. The tournament doesn't start until next Thursday and runs through Sunday, but I wanted to narrow the 77 anglers down to my Top 7 favorites.

1. Cody Meyer - The Cup has been won by alot of young Western Pros (Clausen, Ehrler and Bennett) in just the last few years. The trend has been every other year, but I'm thinking he's gonna win this one.
   
2. Ike - He snuck into the event and should use his experience from 05 to have an advantage...plus he's Mike Iaconelli. How could you not pick him?
   
3. Dave Lefebre - He's a PA native and should do well here.
   
4. Luke Clausen - Fishes well on the big stage and when the most money is on the line.
   
5. Brett Hite - Another Western guy used to tough fishing in the desert.
   
6. Robert Harkness - Qualified through the Federation, but is basically a local.
   
7. Ron Shuffield - He was there for the Classic in 2005 and might have an edge.

What are your picks?

Bassin' on a Budget - Lamiglas Excel Bass Rods

A great bass rod for just $109.99? It sounds crazy, but even more crazy when you find out the rod is made in America. Washington State rodbuilder Lamiglas has the answer to those bassin' on a budget with the new Excel line of rods. The spinning rods are even better at just $99. They look sweet and have a great metallic copper finish. They are built with quality Lamiglas IM graphite construction and feature split grips and no-foregrip to reduce weight. The spinning rods feature Aero Comfort Touch reel seats and the casting models have Fuji exposed reel seats. The entire lineup of technique specific rods is below. I especially like the XL735C and can't wait to get one for my frog fishing! Check them out the history and quality here.

Lamiglas Excel Bass Rods
Spinning	Length	Line	Lure	Price	Technique
XL 702S	7'	4-10	1/16-1/2	$99	Drop Shot, Lt. Shaky Heads
XL 703S	7'	6-12	1/4-1/2	$99	Drop Shot, Shaky Heads, Tube & Gitzit
XL 704S	7'	8-15	3/16-1/2	$99	Senkos, Lt Jigs, Flukes, Texas Rigs
Casting
XL 703C	7'	8-17	3/16-5/8	$109	Crankbaits, Jerkbaits, Topwater
XL 704C	7'	10-20	1/4-3/4	$109	Spinnerbaits, Lt Jigs, Lt Texas Rigs
XL 705C	7'	12-25	1/4-1	$109	Jigs, Texas Rigs, Senkos, Carolina Rigs
XL 705 Glass	7'	8-20	1/4-1	$99	Crankbaits, Jerkbaits, Topwater
XL 734C	7'3"	8-20	1/4-3/4	$109	Jigs, Senkos, Small Swimbaits, Carolina Rig
XL 735C	7'3"	12-25	3/8-1 1/2	$109	Frogs, Small Swimbaits
XL 711C	7'11"	15-30	3/4-2	$119	Swimbaits, Frogs, Pitchin', Flippin'

Buckeye Lures - Flick It!

If you haven't heard of the flick shake technique, you are definitely missing out. It has become popular across the country as a great way to catch bass. Many companies are now coming out with hooks designed specifically for the technique.

One of these companies is Georgia based Buckeye Lures, known mostly for their Spot Remover shakyheads and their famous Mop Jigs. Their version of the flick shake head is called the Flick-It.

It comes with a premium Gamakatsu hook and is available in three sizes and three colors. My favorite is the 3/32 oz size in black. One thing they did was to make the head a regular football head, so it has great action and versatility if you plan to fish it on rocky bottoms. All of the jigheads come with a single wire weedguard that will last longer than some of the other brands I have tried that just have a single fiber strand. I have found that those will often break off after just a few fish.

With a Pro-Staff that includes Davy Hite and Anthony Gagliardi, you have to take a good look at Buckeye and their great products.

Brand New from Black Dog Bait Co.

Black Dog Baits burst onto the bass fishing scene a few years ago with premium wooden swimbaits like the Shellcracker and Lunker Punker. They are a Northern Cali company but have become popular across the country. Grant Olguin and Jeremy Anderson have cornered a niche in the swimbait scene but are continuously coming up with new ideas for baits.

The first new bait released was the Small Cracker, a mini size of the popular Shellcracker. This bait will be great for Northern locations where a big bait isn't always necessary. The small cracker will be injection molded in plastic but will have the same characteristics as the big bait but will have a retail of just $19.99.

The popular Weed Slinger soft plastic swimbait has also gone under a re-design, with a reduced tail fin to make the bait retrieve better at slow speeds.

At the last of the new additions, is a soft plastic bait meant for flipping and pitching: Mr. Flippy. What an appropriate name for this cool new bait! The claws on the bait are a patent-pending design that is meant to pound back and forth as it is retrieved.

Black Dog continues to be innovative and will no doubt continue to do so. Check them out when you need that kicker fish.

Seaguar AbrazX

I remember when fluorocarbon starting becoming popular on the West coast in the early 2000's. I was fishing deep clear lakes like Mead, Mohave, Havasu and Shasta in California. I was skeptical and didn't think the added cost would make a difference. I started using it just on my spinning gear for drop-shotting and became a believer.

Now I'm living in Florida, and it is all I use. There are so many benefits to fluorocarbon; the abrasion resistance, invisibility underwater, knot strength, and the low stretch. You can read all the truths about the fluorocarbon myths here.

Today let's talk about abrasion resistance. How many times have you fished around rocks, a dock or brush pile and had to retie every few casts because the line would get nicked and frayed? Fluorocarbon reduces the amount of times you have to retie and waste fishing time. My favorite line for these situations is Seaguar's AbrazX. Seaguar invented fluorocarbon in 1971 and is still the leader. I have some buddies who tried the cheapest stuff they could find and had a bad experience, now they hate fluorocarbon. When you buy your next spool, try the best.

Bobby Lane on Flipping

Bobby Lane is one of the best in the world at flipping and pitching baits in heavy cover. I witnessed this first hand when I drew him in a tournament earlier this year. I had the chance to talk with him recently and asked him what advice he would have for someone new to flipping, here's what he had to say: "People really underestimate flipping. You need to make sure you do it right if your going to do it. Don't use anything less than 65lb Spiderwire Ultracast Braid. You also need to realize that with flipping you are never going to get alot of bites, you should be fishing each day for 5-7 bites. If you are in an area where you are getting alot of bites, it's the wrong area and the fish won't be big enough to win." He went on to add that people should "change up weight sizes and colors, one day it might be a 1 oz black weight, but the next day the fish would bite better with a heavier weight or a shiny weight". Great advice Bobby, Thanks again!

Bobby also told me about his latest project, an online tackle website with all of the best gear that the Elite guys are using. It is a great site with hard to find baits at great, low prices. Check it out. It's called the Fisherman's Toybox.

The Phat Frog

I just got my first look at the Phat Frog....WOW! This bait is awesome. Snag Proof came out with 8 new colors for the bait, with a few more on the way. Bassmaster Elite Pro Ish Monroe designed the colors and came up with the names, and they are quite unique.

How can you make a great frog even better? The biggest improvement Snag Proof made was to make this bait sinkproof. The way they did it was very innovative, with what they call I.T.T. (Inner-tube Technology). There is a enclosed tube that runs the length of the hook from the line tie to the hook exit that is entirely closed off from the main body of the bait. By doing this, it makes it impossible for water to enter the body chamber. This eliminates the need to squeeze water out of the frog every few casts and makes the bait sit like it is supposed to, right on top.

Ish also wanted to make the bait a little heavier so it could cast further. Instead of the standard 1/2 oz size, this bait weighs in at .67 oz, just enough extra weight to get longer casts.

The legs are also positioned closer together in between the hooks. This makes the bait walk better and eliminates the problem of the tails wrapping around the hooks when skipping the bait under trees and docks.

One more improvement was flattening the entire body, which also allows for greater walking action. When the bait is sitting still, the front of the bait tilts up slightly, so when you start walking the bait it will make a subtle splash as it walks side to side.

The baits are due to go into production in the fall, just in time for that late season frog action. I almost forgot to include the awesome color names, they are from left to right: Iced Out, Purple Kush, Sexy Ish, Chronic, Buck Nasty, Da Man, Platinum Plus, and Papa Midnight. Get with your local tackle store and tell them you want the Phat Frog!

Stay tuned for a complete review once I can get on the water.

Clark Wendlandt - FLW AOY

Clark Wendlandt did it again and won the FLW Angler of The Year award. Congrats Clark! Tanya interviewed him a few years ago and got some great tips.

Ft. Myers Bass Club - Caloosahatchee River - 1st Place

Today was hot! I just got back from the tournament and I'm really glad to be in the air conditioning. July in Florida is hot and humid. This makes the bass very lethargic, but summertime fishing has always suited me well. I like to fish plastics and finesse so this is where I always seem to do the best. Today I finally won a club tournament in Florida after four 2nd's and four 3rd place finishes since I moved here last year.

We fished the backwaters of the river in an area small lake that went back two miles. The water was flowing good from the oxblow, making the hot water seem more bearable for the bass. I caught all of my fish, 6 keepers in total, from an area smaller than the boat. Every time we would come by we would catch at least one from the running water. We would leave it and come back a few minutes and catch another one. My total weight was 7.98 lbs and my biggest was the big bass of the tournament at 3.48 lbs. It was tough out there, and only two limits were brought in.

I caught my biggest fish on a shaky head, one keeper on a texas-rigged worm, and the rest of my keepers came on a drop-shot. I was using 8lb Seaguar AbrazX.

FLW Tour - Lake Champlain

Day 3 made the race for the Pro Angler of The Year pretty exciting with Luke Clausen and Clark Wendlandt battling it out for the top spot. The Co-Anglers wrapped up today and Justin Lucas from California finished 2nd place and took home a nice check of almost $10k. That's a long way from home Justin...great job!

I thought this would be a good time to share a Tanya Tyler interview with Justin. It has some great tips for co-anglers.

2010 FLW Schedule

The FLW Tour just announced their 2010 schedule today. It looks like a great schedule with some new lakes and old favorites...but where's Florida? That's two years in a row without Toho or the "Big O". I'm disapointed, I would love to fish one as a co-angler.

Being a co-angler is a great way to fish with some top level pros. I have fished with Bobby Lane, Brent Ehrler, Brett Hite, Tim Klinger, John Murray and Greg Gutierrez all from draw tournaments. It is a great idea to learn from the best. If the tour is stopping close to home, don't miss the chance to fish it. You won't regret the decision. Since the Elites stopped allowing co-anglers, the FLW Tour is your best bet.

The full 2010 Walmart FLW Tour Schedule is listed below:

Feb. 11-14 Red River Shreveport, La.

March 4-7 Table Rock Lake Branson, Mo.

March 25-28 Lake Norman Charlotte, N.C.

April 15-18 Lake Chickamauga Chattanooga, Tenn.

May 27-30 Lake Ouachita Hot Springs, Ark.

June 24-27 Lake Guntersville Huntsville, Ala.

Aug. 5-8 Lake Lanier Atlanta, Ga.

What do you think of the new schedule?

The Flick Shake

For me 2009 has been the year of the flick shake. I have been using this technique heavily since January and have found it to be a great way to catch a limit quickly. There have been a few times where I caught a limit in the first 30 minutes of the day on a 3/16 flick shake jig head like the one pictured. I like to use the middle size worm, the 5.8 inch (it also comes in 4.8 and 6.8). It comes in a variety of colors, but my favorites have been junebug, watermelon candy, and green pumpkin.

Until a few months ago I saw this technique as just a way to catch a small limit of keepers to settle me down, but then I caught a kicker fish in the 4 pound range on Lake Walk-in-Water here in Florida.

I fish the technique on a spinning rod, with 8 pound fluorocarbon. Just cast it out and let the bait do it's thing. It has great action as it falls slowly, wiggling all the way down. Most of the fish hit it on the fall. Try them out if you haven't they work!

Bass Fishing Michigan Style

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend....I know I did. Tanya and I went to Michigan to visit family and enjoy the nice weather. We stayed in South Haven, Michigan right along Lake Michigan. It was beautiful weather and a great time seeing family. We flew into the home of KVD, Kalamazoo, Michigan...so we had to stop at the best bass store in the state. D and R sports, which is owned by Randy Van Dam...Kevin's brother. They have a great selection of baits that are hard to find down here in Florida. I picked up a bunch of flick shake worms and Skinny Dippers to stock up for the season.

Even with all the events and family gatherings, my mind was still on bass fishing. My uncle lent us his aluminum boat and we hit Scott Lake in Breedsville for a few hours Sunday morning.

It was a beautiful morning, with cool temps in the 60's, the water was warmer than the air so we had a nice steam coming off of the water as we launched the 10 foot boat. We borrowed my cousins neon green rods with bright yellow line and caught a few fish. This goes to show that you don't have to have the best and most expensive equipment to get out there and catch bass. Sure it's nice to have all the latest gear, but we had fun with what we had. We ended up catching 9 bass that morning (Tanya beat me 5 to 4) on Reaction Innovations Little Skinny Dippers. The bass were really active in the morning but it died once the sun came out. I tried shaky heads and a drop shot, but most of the fish came on the skinny dipper fished right below the surface.

Tanya beat me all around, she had the first fish, the most fish and the biggest fish (which was about a pound and a half). You can see her sweet rod and reel in the pic. This type of fishing brings me back to my roots, before all the madness of expensive gear and hi-tech lures...but I can't wait to get back to tungsten weights and fluorocarbon lines on magnesium reels.

New World Record Bass?!?!

There is news that the world record bass may have been caught in Japan today. It supposedly weighs 22lbs 5oz, which is an ounce more than the current record of 22lbs 4oz caught in 1932. If this is true, this is HUGE news! 22-4 is a number that all bass fisherman know, and that could all be over with this bass caught by Manabu Kurita of Japan in Lake Biwa. I can't wait to hear if this is true. You can read more about it here.

Mike Iaconelli Interview

Seeing that Men's Journal article reminded me of this interview from 2007 by Tanya Tyler.

Ike in Men's Journal Mag

Mike Iaconelli continues to generate "mainstream" press for the sport of professional bass fishing. First he gets mentioned in GQ's Top 10 Most Hated Athletes and then he makes it on Jimmy Kimmel, and now an article with Men's Journal. He is truly brilliant with marketing. Good read for all those who bass fish.

You can see the whole article here...or digg.




Mike Iaconelli
Photo credit: Courtesy Michael Engelmeyer