Is it just me, or does having the schools start back in August make Labor Day irrelavent? After all, doesn’t this enigmatic three-day holiday mean the end of recreational fishing in California? Or is the whole world upside down? (more…)

While bass fishermen have mostly been waiting for the new lure, tradeshow introductions to hit the shelves, other information, which emanated from ICAST, may portend higher bait prices.

Reminding us of the likelihood that “low priced” lures may soon cost more and high-priced ones may go even higher is the September 2011 issue of Angling International. In the “Communique” section of the latest issue, we find that while everyone was fiddling with new gear, as stern warning was being issued to the trade by Michael Colopy, a global economist. (more…)

LONGER CASTS may need longer leaders...

There are a number of reasons to adjust leader length: to separate bait from weight, place the bait higher in the water column, allow the bait to trail and swim more naturally after the sinker hits.

But here’s another. Whether you’re tying fluoro to braid or as I often do, fluoro to mono for dart heads, when fishing on the bottom, the farther you have to cast the longer your leader really needs to be. It’s all about your line leading or preceding your bait through the cover. And you know what they say in boxing, “Don’t lead with your chin.”

The longer the cast you make, (more…)

THE ROD means now I need all the rest of the stuff...

I know. Wasn’t it just last week I was saying what you didn’t need to buy? But then, if you want to expand your range of methods, there may come a time when you need a specialty rod–and more than that–when you do, you’ll actually find lots more opportunities to use it, once it’s in the locker. Say for frogging.

And, of course, when you have the rod; you’re also purchasing the reel, the braided line and foot locker full of hollow and solid frogs and wide gap or weighted hooks–you’ve just taken three more people off the ranks of unemployed as they service your latest fetish. (more…)

I saw the fuss over some apparent sub-standard practices by one Upstate tournament organization. Around the same time, Kent Brown (Ultimate Bass Radio, Aug. 20) went on the air hosting former San Diegan Terry Foreman of the DFG, talking on the same subject: handling of tournament caught bass.

Foreman’s charge: all participants (and organizations) need to heed the details specified in the tournament permit– (more…)

UPDATED, 6:37 a.m.–ARRRRrrrrraaaaaaaghhhh! Lake closed for blue-stoning. Tell me it ain’t so.

Was that a collective yawn I heard? National pros slumped in their easy chairs waiting for the next big deal; or local guys savoring their last night tournament? Skeet Reese told me I could call him “any time” same for Klein or Clunn. And yet, what am I gonna ask?

School is back in, the temperature is still pushing 100 and things are about as exciting as the Spanish soccer league going on strike. I just don’t have anything that exciting to tell you–even the Anglers Marine guys have gone to Lousiana for a week to fish for redfish!

What the heck, I’m going fishing today. By the time I get back, my Tackle Warehouse order should be in and at least I’ll have some new toys to play with.

Catch you later….

I'M AT THE END of my rope for a quick comeback of Elsinore bassin'...

If I haven’t invited you to come fish the pond across the street recently–it’s been for your own good. It’s been that tough. The home water, Lake Elsinore, is barely recovering from one of its worst slumps since 1978, despite the highest water level in a number of years.

I base that, not just on the many hours I and other lake regulars have spent in 2011. Nope, the latest scientific data says the bass fishery–along with crappie and wipers–have all but been erased. (more…)

QUAGGA CONTROL only has a chance if we follow the rules.

When it comes to quagga mussels, no one has been any more aggravated by the demagoguery or inspection process than I have–as water districts try and keep at least a few cows in the barn. But as former Lake Wohlford ranger Jay Cowan acknowledged before his retirement in 2009, until we know otherwise, they (water districts) have to do all they can–and thus the private boat ban there, and other measures not as stringent, exist on our waters.

I do my part. I don’t take my boat to DVL, for example, since I don’t want the anxiety of preparing for the inspection or the frustration of getting turned away. (more…)

Just got some information from Southwick & Associates as they continue to survey fishermen around the country as to what they are doing and what they are buying, and it always clarifies a broader view of the nationwide angler as opposed to the hopeful bass guy at the local pro shop.

According to AnglerSurvey.com, when it comes to freshwater fishing, it doesn’t matter how important we might think (more…)

UPDATED, Aug. 16, 10 a.m.–If it’s possible to make better decisions on the water, how do you do that? Is there a formula that works, or is there so much luck involved? If you don’t have a process you go through, maybe we can look to another sport and see how they do it.

On the NFL Channel, they talk about (more…)