RICK CLUNN still draws media attention...

UPDATED (10-20-11)– The question has been answered. Rick Clunn will be at the Bass-A-Thon!

In that crazy world of bass promotions, two stories are circulating about this year’s Bass-A-Thon, Nov. 19-20. One is Rick Clunn, who moved from Lucky Craft to Luck-E-Strike with a signature line of crankbaits, will be an added attraction to the show’s all-star line-up. The other story is, somebody forgot to tell Rick he needs to be there.

According to Anglers Marine owner Rick Grover, Clunn told him last week, “It’s not all that unusual.” In other words, with calendars in flux, not all appearance plans are set in stone, especially this off-season.

However, it’s still possible Rick will be in Anaheim along with the legendary Bill Dance, (more…)

A LOOK at the marina plans...

Finally got hold of that blueprint of the new launch ramp being built at the city campground at Lake Elsinore. While the fine print is tough to read, it does give you an idea of how large a project will be.

The two primary elements are building up the ground so the whole facility and lot will be above potential flood levels and secondly, the demolititon and then reconstruction of the ramp. (more…)

LOCAL SHELLS common...

UPDATED 10-21–Irrespective of their potential threat to water systems or their unproven threat to local fisheries, quagga mussels have changed the way people fish in Southern California (and probably elsewhere in the state). Instead of perpetuating widely traveled, open-minded fishermen, the difficulty in lake-to-lake (even county to county) access has created a culture of one-lake specialists.

Now we have lakes that get heavy pressure adjacent to lakes that get almost none. And while that used to happen in the past– (more…)

Since you really can’t do anything about it until you look out the window and decide you’re going, for now I can tell you that the latest ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) forecasters are somewhat divided regarding the intensity of this winter’s predicted “dry” conditions.

Yes, La Nina is present world-wide, but as we saw last winter, that didn’t stop the rain in Southern California. However, for those who want the Readers Digest version of the winter forecast, (more…)

Maybe you noticed, but a recent “FeedBack” comment on bassfan.com touched on the core issue of what’s wrong with professional bass fishing at the highest level. Among several insightful comments posted, Scott Wall a former B.A.S.S./ESPN employee wrote, “…bass fishing is really the only one [professional league] which its fans can actually participate in at a fairly competitive level.”

Bingo. There is the problem. (more…)

GRADING UNDERWAY on north shore...

UPDATED, 8:50 a.m.–Always hopeful and looking forward to better things at Lake Elsinore, the previously proposed marina at the City’s campground on Riverside Drive (north shore) is now under construction.

Located in the same acreage as the old State Park marina and launch ramp, the primary difference is the entire facility, including the parking lot extending back to the park boundaries, is being raised to a higher elevation.

The reason is obvious. Since 1981, no one has actually seen (more…)

NO FISHIN' today...

Twice a year I’ve got General Conference weekend committments in church and here it is that time again. Not that I haven’t worn this uniform at the Bass-A-Thon a few times, or at the U.S. Open, for that matter, but I’ll be well off the water in this case.

Still, with fall on us and for our area, some significant temperature drops forecast for early in the week, I’m wondering if the fish are responding already, or are they just eating like crazy and letting the winter get here when it does. Anyway, sometimes the best way to make that assessment is to hear from several different sources. (more…)