Do you want the good news first?

If you've been keeping up with my “Becoming a Fit Fisherman” column, you'll know that I issued myself, and all of you, a 21-day challenge where we all tried to form a habit and break a habit over a period of three weeks. My bad habit, fried food. My good habit, daily exercise. 

Let's start with the bad news. As these things tend to go, I did great... until. Until I hit the road again headed to fish the Ross Barnett Central Open last week. The first 10 days or so before the Open, I was spot on. I started walking every day walking a little farther each day until I was up to about 3 miles. Then I fished a tournament on Saturday near home and drove to Ross Barnett afterward. 

I was up at 4 a.m. to fish the local derby; and by the time I had made it to Ross Barnett and setup camp, it was 10 p.m. I missed my exercise for that day, and so began the snowball effect. 

The next few days of fishing were a grind, and I turned to fried food for comfort and neglected my exercise because I was "too tired" from being on the water.

Excuses, excuses, excuses. I'm not proud to be making them but I am human as all of you reading this are. I thought initially in doing this blog, that I would have no problem with my will power since I would have the whole bass fishing community to hold me accountable. Even then, it's not easy. 

The good news, I am down 6 more pounds. That makes 20 overall. Definitely not where I wanted to be by now but I'm still moving in the right direction. Slow and steady wins the race right? 

I spent a couple days at home and got back into my walking. I’m on the road again now working the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship this weekend and I have a new found determination to hit the gym at the hotel every day and eat right. There's not a lot of extra time when I work a tournament either, but the stress level is a lot lower knowing that no matter if someone takes better pictures than me or not, I still get paid on Saturday. That's a lot better than knowing I have to catch more fish than someone to get paid when fishing a derby. More fun in front of the camera, but more steady behind it. 

I'm going to be bringing in more outside information in my next column. Many of you have offered various websites, apps and workout routines that have helped you. I also spoke with Elite Series pro Cliff "Cajun Baby" Crochet at the Open, and he offered up a quick workout tip that I'll be sharing. 

I'm looking forward to incorporating more and more content from other anglers and personalities from the bass fishing community. So stay tuned!

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Walmart FLW Tour Field Eyes Lake Hartwell For First Major Of Season

ANDERSON, S.C.- The last time FLW Tour anglers visited Lake Hartwell, there were more than a few who found fish spawning. Oklahoma angler Jason Christie found what he called "Oklahoma" water in that 2011 event - shallow, dirty water that suits his style of fishing - and targeted staging and spawning fish for a total of 70 pounds, 11 ounces. But fishing fans looking for a repeat performance from Lake Hartwell in March may find different circumstances resulting in an exciting shootout of the world's best pros.

The Walmart FLW Tour on Lake Hartwell presented by Folgers will visit Anderson/Greenville, S.C., March 8-11 for the first major of its 17th season. Hosted by the Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Greenville Convention & Visitors Bureau, the tournament will feature a full field of the world's best bass pros and co-anglers casting for top awards up to $125,000 cash in the Pro Division and up to $25,000 cash in the Co-angler Division.

"I think (fishing's) going to be a lot different this year," said Folgers pro Scott Suggs of Bryant, Ark. "Last year (the fish) had moved up and got on beds, but I don't think they're going to be up that far this go-round. It's going to be more of a pre-spawn type deal."

The 2007 Forrest Wood Cup winner said anglers will have a wide variety of techniques to employ at the Hartwell event and anglers will be able to play to their strengths.

"They're going to catch them cranking, on (Sworming Hornet) Fish Head Spins and jerkbaits," Suggs said. "And then the (anglers) who are going to stay in the creeks are going to be throwing jigs, chatterbaits and spinnerbaits.

"Luckily the lake's big enough that we'll be able to get away from each other quite a bit," Suggs added.

Suggs said he believes it could take 16 pounds a day during the four-day event to take home the trophy.

"If those big females move up and get in there somewhere and get to staging adjacent to flats it may even be better than that because you'll catch some that haven't spawned out yet," Suggs said. "The weights could be even better."

In FLW Tour competition, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2012 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. This year's Cup will be in Duluth/Gainesville, Ga., Aug. 9-12 on Lake Lanier and anglers could win as much as $500,000 - the sport's biggest award. Anglers are also vying for the prestigious 2012 Walmart FLW Tour Angler of the Year presented by Kellogg's title that will be determined by the most points accumulated over the six Tour Majors.

Anglers will take off from Portman Shoals Marina located at 1629 Marina Road in Anderson at 7 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning and at 7:30 a.m. DST Sunday morning (Daylight Savings Time begins Sunday). Thursday and Friday's weigh-ins will be held at Portman Shoals Marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday's final weigh-ins will be held at the TD Convention Center located at One Exposition Drive in Greenville beginning at 4 p.m.

Fans will be treated to the FLW Outdoors Expo at the TD Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday from noon - 4 p.m. prior to the final weigh-ins. The Expo includes Ranger boat simulators, the opportunity to interact with professional anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by sponsors, and fans can learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public. On Saturday the first 300 children 14 and under who are accompanied by an adult will receive a free rod and reel combo courtesy of The Greenville News. On Sunday one lucky fishing fan will win a Can-Am ATV courtesy of WESC 92.5. The ATV giveaway is free to enter but the winner must be present at the conclusion of Sunday's final weigh-in to win.

As part of the FLW Tour's community outreach initiative, select FLW Tour anglers will be volunteering at Homes of Hope located at 3 Dunean St. in Greenville from 9-11:30 a.m. March 7. FLW Tour anglers will be assisting Homes of Hope interns in building porch rails at Homes of Hope for the new LoCAL home project. FLW will also be donating 50 three-pound cans of Folgers Coffee and boxes of 3M Blue Painters tape at 11 a.m. following the anglers' volunteer efforts.

Coverage of the Lake Hartwell tournament will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network when "FLW" airs April 15 from 1 - 2 p.m. ET. "FLW" is hosted by Jason Harper and is broadcast to more than 559 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWOutdoors.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

ABOUT FLW

FLW is the industry's premier tournament-fishing organization, providing unparalleled fishing resources and entertainment to our sponsors, fans and host communities. FLW is offering anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money nationwide in 2012 over the course of 191 tournaments across five tournament circuits, each providing an avenue to the sport's richest payday and most coveted championship trophy - the Forrest Wood Cup. FLW is committed to providing a lifestyle experience that is the "Best in Fishing, On and Off the Water," through a variety of platforms including tournaments, outdoor expos and the world's richest fantasy sports game - FLW Fantasy Fishing. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com and look for FLW on Twitter and Facebook.

www.FLWOutdoors.com

Media Contact
Chad Gay, Director of Public Relations, (270) 703-3346 or cgay@flwoutdoors.com

Julie Huber, Communications Specialist, (612) 337-1810 (w), (612) 812-9512 (m) or julie.huber@jacobs-mgmt.com

Joe Opager, Communications Specialist, (612) 337-1989 (w), (218) 434-0748 (m) or joseph.opager@jacobs-

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RedRam Everyday Merino Thermal Undergarments: First Impressions

RedRam is part of the already established Ice Breaker family of merino wool products. Together they share a passion for creating garments from sustainable and ethically sourced merino wool. If you’re not familiar with merino wool, you should know that it’s a fantastic organic insulator and wicking material perfect for high-performance athletic wear. RedRam and Ice Breaker ethically harvest their wool from sheep farmers in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. In this environment the sheep will experience temperatures from 95F (35C) to -4F (-20C) and grow an enormously dense coat of wool, without such a heavy-duty insulator the sheep would not survive.

I received both the long sleeve and short sleeve top, as well as the companion shorts and long johns. Upon pulling them out of the package and feeling the material I was quite pleased, they’re not itchy at all, the seams all flat-lock stitching so you hardly feel them, the waistband is stretchy but comfortable even the tag looks nice. They really do look and feel nice on your skin. After trying them on my girlfriend pointed out that they’re slightly see through, and that she now understands why guys are so fond of girls that wear “tights as pants.” Don’t worry, I have no plans on leaving the house without real pants on.

I will be testing these over the next few weeks with some fall fishing, and maybe even some camping. Most of all, I’m going to put this ‘everyday’ moniker to the test. Going from the cold streets of Toronto to a stuffed and humid TTC streetcar for an hour and then back in to the cold should test both its warmth and wicking powers in a very real world scenario.

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Phantom Lures: First Impressions

In the past few years I have fished with a lot of great muskie anglers and they have all had one thing in common besides their love of muskie – they all had Phantom Lures in their tackle box.

Phantom Lures are high quality glide baits that are made in the good ole U.S.A. They feel like they are made of wood but are made of a solid, high impact polymer. The moment you lay eyes on these lures you can tell they are built to endure. Each lures is hand painted, covered with thick epoxy and assembled with heavy duty triple split rings.

The good folks at Phantom Lures have expended upon their great lineup of lures recently and offer several sizes ranging from a bite size 4 inches to a legendary 14 inches. As far as I know all size are available in each of the 15 patterns and with or without a soft tail.

*14 inch Phantom not pictured here.

Of all the glide baits I have used over the years, the Phantom Lure is one of the easiest and most fun to use. I’ve spent a lot of hours casting these beauties and they have earned a spot as one of my all time favorite lures!

Phantom patterns

My first Phantom Lure muskie!

October 24, 2011 by Clive Mathias

Filed Under: Enthusiast, Fishing, Fishing Lures, Gear, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Reviews
Tagged: Big Lures, First Impressions, glide baits, Made in the USA, muskie lures, Phantom Lures, Preview

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First 1000 Powerfish’n Hybrid Reels to be Numbered for Collectors

With ten thousand Baby Boomers a day turning 65 and having more time for the joys of fishing, Rock Island Equipment Company has introduced Powerfish’n, a new Hybrid Reel that gives senior anglers a unique choice -- Manual or Automatic. Each of the first 1000 reels will be numbered to enhance its value to collectors of historic fishing equipment.

Nationally recognized angler John Fox, Fishing Hall of Famer, winner of Ten World and National Bass Fishing Championships and popular host of the TV series The Senior Outdoorsman, is a big fan of the Powerfish’n Hybrid Reel and uses it to catch up to 13.5 pound fish. He says “This incredible spinning reel performs flawlessly and is a “MUST HAVE for seniors and handicapped or disabled fishermen.”

Like anglers of all ages, every one of the tens of millions of senior fishing enthusiasts throughout the world has strong opinions -- on the best places to fish, the best equipment to use, the most effective lures and techniques, the best types of fish to catch, even the best times of day to fish. But one thing they all agree on is the benefit of having choices. Now there’s a new choice to that makes “catching the big one again” by seniors even more enjoyable and less tiring: manual or automatic. Senior anglers everywhere are choosing the remarkable new hybrid reel that gives them that choice.

The PowerFish’nTM Pro from Rock Island Equipment Company is the first in a new line of hybrid reels for fresh water fishing. The PowerFish’n Pro features a traditional Shakespeare spinning reel fitted with a strong, quiet, electric motor to enhance the fishing experience. It gives users the choice between manually hand-cranking the line in or retrieving it automatically with the touch of a switch. Users can now fish longer without getting arm or shoulder fatigue, have more options and techniques for trolling, bass fishing, ice fishing and generally enjoy their fishing experience even more.

The new PowerFish’nTM hybrid reel is now available exclusively at www.powerfishn.com for $199.95. In addition to being able to conveniently purchase the PowerFish’n reel, visitors to www.powerfishn.com are also able to get daily Fishing Almanac information, learn to tie various knots, see detailed Fish of the Day information and study a comprehensive Fishopedia. Visitors can also enter a Big Fish Story photo contest to win a charter fishing trip. The site also features a video demonstration of the Powerfish’n hybrid reel along with links to environmental organizations and some of America’s best charter fishing boats.

Specifications
Model Capacity
(yds./lbs.) Gear
Ratio Weight*
(oz.) Class
PF-100 170/10 5.2:1 29.9 oz. Light
* Includes batteries.

The Powerfish’n Reel Features:

? Instant Anti-Reverse Feature
? Graphite Body
? 1 Ball Bearing
? 1 Needle-Roller Ball Bearing
? Smooth Multi-Disc Drag System
? Precision Die-Cast Gears
? On/Off Anti-Reverse
? E-Z Power Switch
? Stainless Steel Guides
? Graphite Reel Seat
? Rotor and Metal Side Cover
? Operates on 4 AA Batteries
Standard or Re-chargeable
? Spooled with 10 Lb Line
? One Year Limited Warranty

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Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement Program Funds First Wenatchee River Salmon Fishery in 25 Years

The Wenatchee River salmon fishery-recently opened for the first time in at least 25 years- is the latest result of the Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement program.

Since April 2010, all anglers 15 years and older fishing for salmon or steelhead on the Columbia River or its tributaries have been required to purchase an $8.75 endorsement to support management of those fisheries. The endorsement pays for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fishery management activities including scientific monitoring and evaluation, data collection, permitting, reporting and enforcement.

The endorsement has generated more than $1 million annually to avert recreational fishery closures and increase fishing opportunities throughout the Columbia River basin.

"This program has made it possible to maintain existing opportunity and open new fisheries such as the Wenatchee River hatchery summer salmon season," said WDFW Fish Program Assistant Director Jim Scott.

The Wenatchee River fishery opened Aug. 1 from the river mouth at the confluence with the Columbia River to 400 feet below Dryden Dam. Anglers are allowed to retain two hatchery-marked (adipose-fin-clipped) adult and jack summer chinook salmon per day. The season runs through Oct. 15 with selective gear rules and night closure in effect. Anglers are required release fish other than hatchery chinook salmon.

Another section of the Wenatchee River, from the mouth of Peshastin Creek to the Icicle Creek road bridge west of Leavenworth, will open Sept. 1 through Oct. 15 for retention of hatchery summer chinook salmon under the same rules.

Season and rule details are listed on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) website at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/erule.jsp?id=1077.

The Wenatchee River fishery is allowed because hatchery summer chinook returns to the river are expected to exceed spawning escapement needs, WDFW's Northcentral Regional Fish Program Manager Jeff Korth explained. Hatchery summer chinook are not listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, but Upper Columbia River spring chinook are listed as endangered and steelhead and bull trout are listed as threatened. The majority of spring chinook and bull trout have already migrated to the upper Wenatchee River, but a few steelhead remain in the area of the recently-opened fishery.

"Monitoring the impacts of the fishery on listed stocks is essential, but monitoring and other management activities for this fishery are expensive," Scott said.

Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement program was created by the 2009 Washington Legislature (Senate Bill 5421). A board of citizens representing four regions within the Columbia River basin reviews fishery proposals and has been instrumental in the success of the program.

Besides the Wenatchee River fishery, the endorsement program also supported salmon or steelhead seasons on other rivers in the Columbia River system, including the Snake, Entiat, Methow, Okanogan and Similkameen.

Media Contact
Jeff Korth, (509) 754-4624, ext. 224

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