Fishing Features: Tactics

Showing posts with label Tactics. Show all posts

Friday, May 2, 2014

Add stealth to spring tactics

‘Tis the growing season when seafood get wary.

They’re breeding in certain southern states and can be also within the postspawn mode on others. Up north, the ice is departing and bass are beginning to nose around within the shallows.

In many of these situations, the seafood are extremely conscious of their surroundings and fishermen have to step-up their stealth tactics. You need to think just like a hunter and set the advantage.

No matter whether you’re fishing obvious or stained water, limit the sounds you are making, the oscillations you develop and also the shadows you cast within the water.

The trolling motor will help you to sneak on seafood, but only when you're doing so very carefully. I run my motor in a slow speed and steer clear of turning it on / off. Sudden changes create underwater power that may spook a bass.

I additionally start the growing season with a brand new trolling motor prop. A worn prop can trash it of balance. Just a little filing on rough edges can deal with that. Also, make certain no fishing lines are trapped around the shaft that may create oscillations, too.

Tighten all knobs and screws around the bracket to lessen any unnecessary noise or movement. Set the shaft in a height in which the prop isn’t banging bottom or churning at first glance. Otherwise, bass will hear you originating from several ft away.

I can’t stress enough how valuable Energy-Rods are in this kind of fishing. I love to make use of the wind whenever possible, moving a couple of ft before shedding the rods for any couple of minutes as i scan the shallows. That reduces noise and allows you to obtain a good close look at what’s ahead.

I keep your sun inside my back as well as in the fishes’ eyes whatsoever occasions, but particularly in obvious water. If your bass sees you before you decide to see him, likelihood of getting him to strike will disappear.

Fishing shades are another must. I carry a number of different Oakley lens colors to support a number of light and water conditions. Oakley’s “shallow blue” is a great all-round color for seeing seafood, but any light amber base lens is preferable to dark eco-friendly or smoke. My personal favorite frames would be the “Bat Wolf” model that cover my face and peripheral light out.

Hats with brims and hoodies also help stop the side light which hampers how well you see. Remember, you rarely begin to see the entire seafood you have to have the ability to identify a fish’s fin, tail or perhaps eyeball in addition to any brown spots or scattered cover that may hold a bass.

Choose your clothing carefully, too. Avoid vibrant colors and stay with drab t shirts, jackets and hats that match the setting. Avoid sudden actions within the boat and as low of the profile as possible.

Also, if you notice skittish seafood cruising the financial institution, try casting natural-searching finesse baits well in front of the seafood and allow the lure sit. Don’t move it before the seafood approaches and just shake the bait slightly. Lower your line size whenever possible and employ fluorocarbon line anytime you’re fishing obvious, shallow water.

That’s a tactic I did previously win at Cruz Mountain Lake a couple of years back. Some bass were breeding yet others just beginning to maneuver up. I put singleOr16-ounce Shaky Mind having a Strike King 3x Finesse earthworm and allow it to sit motionless until I figured the bass were in visual selection of the bait. After I did move it, all Used to do was jiggle the earthworm slightly and they’d eat it.

If your bass is sitting stationary, cast from it therefore the splash doesn’t draw attention away from the seafood. Gradually slowly move the bait within six to eight ft after which lightly ease it into his zone.

Not every the wary seafood the thing is will to bite, but when you utilize the correct stealth tactics, you’ll catch those that will.

Remember, it’s by pointing out attitude!

Kevin VanDam's column seems weekly on Bassmaster.com. There are also him on Facebook and Twitter.

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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Keeping Senkos Simple

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Keeping Senkos Simple
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

Since joining the Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits Pro Team in 2003, I have been asked literally hundreds of questions about our various product lines. One question however seems to outnumber the rest by a 20 to 1 margin. That question is "How do you fish a Senko?" If I had to guess, I would say Senkos are probably one of the most misused baits in the fishing industry. The good thing is they still catch fish even when used wrong (if that makes any sense).

While you can rig a Senko any number of ways, the one thing you should always remember is to not "over work" the bait. Instead, let the bait work itself. Many anglers will cast the Senko and as soon as it hits the water, they start reeling it in, with one of many retrieval methods. While this will catch fish, I think they are greatly reducing their success rate. The most effective and efficient technique that I have found for fishing the Senko is done by hooking it Texas rigged without a weight.

After the bait is properly rigged, make a cast towards your selected target. When the bait hits the water, rather than tightening up the line, leave some slack. The unique design of the bait will cause it to fall vertically with an enticing little wiggle. If there is pressure on the line the bait will not fall straight down. "If" the bait makes it to the bottom without being gobbled up by a bass, let it remain stationary for a few seconds. In many instances, bass will pick up a motionless Senko from the bottom. If this does not occur, lift your rod tip to cause the bait to rise from the bottom. Once again, allow the bait to descend on semi-slack line. Repeat these steps until the Senko is out of the targeted strike zone or more likely, "in the mouth of a fish."

Another very effective and increasingly popular technique for fishing the Senko is one that has been dubbed "Wacky Rigging." This is done by hooking a Daiichi Wacky Rig hook in the center or "sack" of the Senko. The overall way of fishing this style is similar to that of fishing it Texas Rigged without a weight. One of the major differences (at least when I use it) is the addition of a little added movement. Very rarely do I ever allow a Wacky Rigged Senko to hit the bottom. The exposed hook is very easily snagged. Instead, I allow the bait to fall for a number of seconds (which will be determined by water depth), stop it just prior to hitting bottom and then bring the bait back to the surface. To bring the bait to the surface I raise my rod tip slowly while simultaneously making very slight twitches with the rod. Once again, as the bait nears the surface I let it fall back to my predetermined depth and repeat the process as needed.

In addition to these two techniques, the Senko can also be fished on a Carolina Rig, a Drop Shot rig, as a Jerk Bait and numerous other ways. These rigs require a little more effort to be effective. However, they can be easily mastered once you understand the basics of each particular technique. The versatility of the Senko is what has made it one of the hottest baits in fishing. Although there is really no wrong way to fish a Senko, there are slight adjustments you can make to your fishing style to increase your level of success.

Regardless of the technique that you choose when fishing a Senko, always allow the bait to do all of the work. These baits were born to catch fish and they don't need a lot of help in doing so. Just let the Senko work its magic and you will look like one of the hottest anglers on the water.

Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

Fishing Accomplishments Winner of 2002 Exelon's Fishing for a Cure (Charity Event) 2003 ABA D46 Angler of the Year2004 ABA D46 Angler of the YearSeveral tournament winsSeveral big bass awardsBFL regional qualifierABA national championship qualifierOff the Water Accomplishments Pro Staff member for several great companiesArticles are regularly printed in American Bass Anglers and Inside Line Magazines.Bagwell's Bass Tactics (weekly column) runs on multiple very high-traffic websites.Articles are used on websites in the United States, Russia, Australia and the United KingdomFeatured in numerous newspaper articlesIn-studio guest for a regional talk radio showIn-store promotions for retail locationsOwner of BagwellsBassTactics.comActive in the Pro Bass Networks "Ask a Pro" program for kidsProudest Fishing Moment - After winning the Exelon Fishing for a Cure charity tournament, donated 20% of earnings back to the charity.
Favorite Food - Mexican and Italian
Favorite Book - Get what you deserve (How to guerilla market yourself)
Favorite Movie - Too many to list
Favorite Song - I'm gonna miss her (the fishing song)
Sponsors - Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Pflueger Reels, All Star Rods, Daiichi Hooks, Minn Kota, Mizmo Bait Co, Lake George Boat Rental, Slayden's Auto Repair, MegaStrike, Humminbird, PowerPro, Shakespeare Supreme Line, Do-It Mold Co. OutsideHub

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: The Bachelor's Affect on Bass Fishing

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: The Bachelor's Affect on Bass Fishing
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

The weekly drama known as "The Bachelor" has ended and Bass Pro Byron Velvick has selected his soul mate. Tens of Millions of television viewers got their first glimpse of Professional Bass fishing throughout the season. This series has generated a lot of talk amongst members of the fishing community about how much Velvick's performance is going to help the industry. There is no doubt that it will have some affect on the future of our great sport, but will the attention be as great as what is predicted?

While I personally think that it was great that Byron went on television and put competitive Bass fishing in front of an outstanding number of viewers, I don't think the hype is going to affect very many anglers in the short term. There will likely be a select few that benefit from new and improved sponsorships. Velvick will obviously be one of the anglers that will see a huge influx of interest from potential sponsors, but overall I don't expect to see an obscene number of new sponsors in the upcoming season.

In a nutshell, Byron appearing on such a huge television series will have great long term implications for Bass fishing. I had a conversation with Bassmaster Classic Champion Mike Iaconnelli and we shared some similar viewpoints on the subject. During our chat, I asked Ike what affect he thought The Bachelor would have on Bass fishing. Mike said "Awesome, the more times the words Bass Fishing is brought up in main stream media, the better. It's all about awareness. There are still people out there who don't know about professional bass fishing. It's all good man." I also asked Mike if he thought the growth would be based solely on the fact that Velvick was on television so much, "No not just because of that, more like in addition to that," he said. "I've had opportunities to do stuff with Playboy, GQ, Esquire, ESPN the Magazine, etc. Other anglers are also breaking the traditional media barrier. All of this together along with the tournament organizations themselves bring better attention to the sport. FLW will be on FOX next year and ESPN is doing a great job with B.A.S.S."

What I expect to see is more individuals trying their luck at competitive bass fishing. Although the largest portion of the viewing audience was women, there were still a substantial number of male viewers. Some of these individuals may have been completely unaware that competitive fishing even existed. Now that they have been introduced to the sport, I am sure a lot of them will join our family.

In the long run the effects will be wide spread. The larger number of participants will make tournament circuits even more valuable to Corporate America. These higher numbers will attract more companies that are not endemic to the industry. If a company sees a new avenue to promote their products or services to a large portion of their Target Market, you can bet they will jump on it. I would expect to see a lot more companies start to use fishing as a promotional tool. "It's all going to take time. In the last years, there's been more main stream media attention in bass fishing than ever before. But it's like the domino effect; once non-endemic sponsors start entering the game, others will follow. Hopefully it will take the path of other sports like NASCAR and golf," Iaconnelli explained.

With the new anglers and sponsors entering the fishing community, I also expect to see an increase in tournament payouts. I would not be the least bit surprised if FLW and Genmar owner Irwin Jacobs has the first $1,000,000 Championship tournament payout in the next few years. Jacobs is one heck of a business man and he knows how to take advantage of every opportunity put in front of him. His aggressive approach with sponsors is allowing the tournament purses to increase significantly. When you add guys like Earl Bentz, Ray Scott and Irwin Jacobs to the mass marketing activities of anglers like Byron Velvick and Mike Iaconnelli, the end result will be huge. The affects of Velvick's appearance on "The Bachelor," will continue to be felt long after the "Reality Show" phenomenon has been forgotten. I just wouldn't expect to see any major changes right away.
Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

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Monday, July 11, 2011

Bagwell's Bass Tactics: It's a World Record Bass

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: It's a World Record Bass
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

While browsing the internet fishing message boards as I frequently do late at night, I came across an interesting post. An angler wanted to know if in the event a Largemouth bass was caught in California that exceeded the weight of George Perry's record fish, should it be considered a world record? Sounds like there should be an obvious answer, but the guy had a valid point. The fish in California are distant relatives of the original group of Florida strain largemouth bass that were placed in a small reservoir to reproduce offspring with a trophy class bloodline. These fish were then, for the most part, handfed trout their entire lives. Growing at nearly double the rate of a bass in Florida, these bass get big in a hurry.

Ok, so it does seem a little unfair that California is pretty much a guaranteed lottery ticket for catching a bass over the 22 pound 4 ounce mark set back in 1932. Oh well, there isn't too much left in life that is fair. I don't care if Barry Bonds grew a 30 pound bass in a pond behind the BALCO laboratories. If he catches that fish in accordance to the law, it is a world record. Just because the fish had been fed some "I didn't know they were illegal" steroids, does not make it an illegal catch or any less of a world record (unless there is some anti-doping rule that I am unaware of).

As much as I wish Perry's bass would maintain the record forever, I know it won't happen. Someday an angler in sunny southern California is going to be casting a 4 pound, 20 inch swim bait and he/she will catch a 25 pound bass. That angler may or may not even be aware that the fish had been fed a smorgasbord of trout its entire life. Even if they do know, the likelihood of them actually caring is slim to none. Besides, we don't care that our lakes are stocked with millions of other baby fish each year. We also don't care when a truckload of crawdads are dumped on the shoreline and we definitely don't feel any guilt when Tilapia are stocked into a body of water with the sole intent of feeding bass. If you happen to reside near one of these bodies of water, that is blessed with frequent visits from the drive-up food truck, then good for you. The odds of you catching bigger fish just went up.

There is one thing that is certain, the angler that catches the world record bass is going to be faced with a great deal of doubt, hatred and verbal abuse from other anglers. No matter how they catch the record fish, people are going to call foul and say they cheated. Personally, I am pretty sure that I could deal with the onslaught of player haters. While they were scheming on different ways to say I cheated, I would be hiring a Brink's truck to haul my endorsement checks to the bank.
Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Pro Bass Fishing Going Union?

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Pro Bass Fishing Going Union?
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

In recent weeks, it was announced that the Professional Anglers Association (PAA) had been revived. Shortly thereafter my email account was bombarded and my phone starting ringing even more than usual. It seemed as though everyone wanted to know how I thought the current events would affect professional fishing.

According the PAA's official website, "The mission of the Professional Anglers Association is to advocate angler positions with the major tours on issues such as schedules, rules, payout and qualification criteria, as well as develop additional revenue opportunities for them. The PAA also develops educational events for our supporting members designed to advance the supporting members angling skills." While these sound like great ideas, they might be just that, ideas.

I believe that in order for the PAA to succeed this time around, the level of participation needs to be really high. Just like the old saying goes, there is strength in numbers. They need to have a strong 70 to 80 percent (if not more) of the anglers in their corner. If there is limited support, I am sure the PAA will return to a much deeper and more permanent grave.

What tends to happen when leaders in any circle attempt to bring everyone together, is many members take the "wait and see" approach. They standby and wait to see how successful the organization is before they join. While this may not be the most noble approach, you can't fault people for being cautious when it involves their jobs. These anglers have families to worry about and they are not willing to risk much to get ahead.

If the PAA is going to come back from the dead and overtake the B.A.A.C. (B.A.S.S. Athlete Advisory Council) as the voice of B.A.S.S. anglers, the group needs to be stronger and they need to be willing to do "whatever" it takes to get the job done. If these anglers are not willing to take matters to the extreme, if need be, they will not get very far with B.A.S.S. The folks at ESPN and B.A.S.S. have the upper hand in everything that has anything to do with the Bassmaster Tour. If they say the Tour season is going to last eleven months, it will last for eleven months. If they don't want anglers driving their own boats, they won't be driving their own boats. They wanted anglers wearing a Busch Beer patch and if you recall, they had to wear the patch. Unless something changes, anglers will never have much to say about anything that is affecting them on Tour.

As of right now, some of the members of the PAA are not willing to do what it takes to get what they want. Even more detrimental, is the fact that only a limited number of anglers have joined so far. If ESPN and B.A.S.S. do not want to give the anglers what they feel they deserve, then the anglers should boycott a tournament or two. Right now that will simply not take place. This is because the ties that bind are about as tough as four pound test monofilament. The only way the anglers are going to get their boats back, get higher payouts and pay lower entry fees is if they band together and show B.A.S.S. that they are not willing to give in. Until then, they are about as intimidating as a Pit-bull with no teeth. They have one heck of a mean bark, but the bite leaves something to be desired.

Right now, the officials at B.A.S.S. do not see a need for the PAA and they will not pay much attention to what they say or demand. When PAA President Kevin VanDam and Vice President Mark Davis can convince fellow anglers to join the team and standup for what they feel is right, the organization will see an increase in power. For the sake of future Tour Pros, I hope that the PAA is successful. If not, you will have to be related to Bill Gates just to be able to afford the entry fees. We will continue to have Bassmaster Classic Qualifying anglers that have been Pros for more than ten years and have an average yearly winning rate of $12,500.

If "Professional" fishing is going to exist, these anglers need to at least get paid to fish. Right now, a very select few are actually making money by fishing tournaments, the rest are barely getting by. If the PAA has their way, that will all change for the better.
Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: The Demise of the Co-Angler

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: The Demise of the Co-Angler
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

Some recent changes in the formats of many bass tournaments across the country have sparked a typhoon of debate from anglers. Those anglers are the ones that fish from the back of the boat. Although they are not the big name Pros that are hamming it up for the camera, they are still very important to the growth of the fishing industry as a whole.

B.A.S.S. is one of the biggest fishing organizations in the world and their recent changes have brought forth some of the loudest discussions. They recently changed the format of the Non-Boater division on the Bassmaster Tour as well as the newly formed ESPN Outdoors Weekend Series. Rather than being able to weigh-in a limit of fish and compete solely against other non-boaters, these anglers now face more restrictions. From now on, they will only be allowed to weigh 3 fish and their weight is then added to the weight of their "Pro" partner.

On the surface, these seem like very minor issues, but after we scrape away a few of the top layers and expose the real meat of the issue, the problems are very obvious. Two "pilot" tournaments were held to see how the changes would affect the anglers. In both tournaments, the co-angler with the most "individual" weight in his/her division did not win the tournament. Instead, the prize money and the bragging rights went to anglers whose partners had bigger weights. As far as I am concerned that would really suck if I were in a tournament, had the biggest weight in my division, and still ended up in 10th place, while somebody that I truly beat, got a $25,000 paycheck. I know, I know, rules are rules and if we don't like them, we don't have to fish their tournaments. This is very true, but that doesn't mean it's the right way to look at this situation.

I would be willing to bet a few of my paychecks, that an overwhelming majority of the "Pros" fishing both major tours, started on the non-boater side. Most anglers use this as a learning period, but at the same time, they still like to compete against their peers. Taking that away from these anglers isn't going to help them succeed in the world of tournament fishing. The true competition is what drives many anglers and it allows them to grow on a personal level. These future Pros now have to worry about beating the other non-boaters and hope that their Pro partners finish pretty high in the standings as well.

Just to make sure that everyone has a clear understanding of why this issue kind of irritates me, I will give you an example of how the new rule can affect non-boaters during these tournaments. For the sake of conversation, let's say Angler A catches the maximum 3 fish limit for non-boaters and has a weight of 5 pounds. His/Her Pro partner has a great day on the water and has a 5 fish limit that weighs in at 20 pounds. The non-boater's total combined weight for the day would be 25 pounds. Now Angler B comes to the stage with a monster 3 fish limit that tips the scales at 15 pounds. Their Pro partner, on the other end of the spectrum, had a crappy day and only weighed in 2 fish for a measly 5 pounds. This would give Angler B a combined total weight of 20 pounds. Although Angler B has a 10 pound lead over Angler A on an individual level, he/she would not win. To me, there is just something seriously wrong with that whole concept.

At the Tour events, non-boaters might think it is still worth paying the extra money, because they get to fish in the same boats with Superstars like Kevin VanDam, Dave Lefebre, Gerald Swindle, or Davy Hite. Now think about the people fishing the non-boater side of the weekend tournaments. Is it worth it to the people that get paired with some no-name "Pro" that didn't have a chance to pre-fish because he was working all week in order to make the boat payment? I don't care how awesome a person is at the local or regional level, I would not spend a week's worth of wages to gamble whether or not this person will catch enough fish to win me some money. If I wanted to take such a risk, I would go fishing by myself during the day. At night, I would take my wallet to the local casino and lay a pile of money in front of the Black Jack dealer. I probably have far better odds with the cards than I do betting on some other angler.

If these tournament organizations keep adding restrictions on the non-boaters, it will eventually force them out of the tournaments all together (which might be their motive anyway). Most can not afford to fish the Pro side of these tournaments. Of those who can afford it, the majority of them probably aren't good enough. One major benefit to fishing as a co-angler, is the ability to learn as much as you can, by watching and fishing with a person that possesses a higher skill level. The ability to gauge your progress against other anglers in your own division is priceless. These anglers also deserve to be rewarded for their hard work and dedication to the sport. By taking the "real" competition out of the sport, non-boaters are being robbed of their ability to grow and succeed as individuals.

Our sport needs to enable non-boaters to fish with fewer restrictions, because they are the future of the industry. Without new blood being injected into the tournament lifeline, the sport will eventually die. So please, all of you corporate big wigs that are making all of the decisions affecting the sport we love, don't deprive these anglers of their education. Let them fish, learn and compete as individuals. For crying out loud, if they wanted a combined weight format, they would go fish a team trail somewhere.

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Sunday, July 10, 2011

Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Bass Tournament Downsizing

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Bass Tournament Downsizing
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

This fall while cleaning out my Triton for the winter, I made a huge discovery. "I had entirely too much stuff in my boat." The storage compartments were jammed full of hundreds and hundreds of bags containing various soft plastic baits. There were at least ten bags of every size, style, and color of each product that Gary Yamamoto makes. While each of these baits are very productive in various situations, having such a large selection with me all of the time led to some confusion, wasted time and second guessing.

After looking back and analyzing my past season and trying to determine adjustments that needed to be made, I decided that my soft plastic selection had to be condensed. The amount of time that I spent digging through the compartments looking for a specific color and size of a lure could have allowed me to catch one or two more fish per tournament day. Would that really make a difference? I really don't know, but as long as it is a possibility, I am willing to take corrective measures. The competition in Bass tournaments today is so good that you need to take advantage of every moment you spend on the water. A few wasted minutes here and there could mean the difference between winning the tournament and not making a check at all.

To help with the elimination of wasting valuable tournament time, I am going to choose about five or six colors of each bait. These colors will be the ones that I feel will be most productive for the body of water that I will be fishing. Factors that will assist with my selection process will be water clarity, natural forage, bottom composition and my personal confidence level. For example, if I am fishing a tournament on the muddy Mississippi River, there is a good chance that I will not use a bubble gum or white Senko. Therefore, I do not need to have them in my boat for that tournament. Past experience and common sense tells me that colors like Green Pumpkin, Watermelon and June Bug are very effective in this type of water. My confidence level is also very high in colors like Black with Blue flakes and Ox Blood in muddy water, so I would add these additional colors to my arsenal before waging war in this tournament.

Pre-fishing is a great time to determine what ammunition you will carry in the boat during tournament hours. If you take a few baits of each color and try them during practice, you can get a very good idea of what you need to have in the boat once the tournament begins. This is also a good time to determine the quantity of lures that you need to bring with you. If during practice, the bite is relatively slow and you aren't going through very many soft baits, you probably do not need to take twenty bags with you during the tournament. Just make sure that you have an ample supply so you don't run out of them, at the same time don't go overboard. Excessive quantities take up a lot of room and add unwanted weight to your boat.

Competitive Bass fishing is a game of numbers and usually the margins are very slim. By reducing your idle time, it allows you to keep your bait wet a little longer. We all know that no matter how well a MegaStrike coated Senko works, you will never catch anything on it when the lure isn't even in the water.
Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Why So Many Bass Anglers Are Seeing Red

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Why So Many Bass Anglers Are Seeing Red
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

There is an amazing phenomenon running through the fishing world faster than a Triton through an early morning haze. The new craze is the color red. Two companies with very contrasting views are leading the charge and the rest of the community is following their lead.

The company that started this fish catching assault is TTI Companies. They are the makers of Tru-Turn, Daiichi, StandOut and XPoint hooks. For several years, they have been producing red fishing hooks under the names "Blood Red" and "Bleeding Bait" hooks. Their concept was first discovered in a bait shop minnow tank. "It all started in my dad's tackle shop," explains TTI's New Product Manger, TJ Stallings. "He lowered different colored jigs into the bait tank. The minnows ignored all of the top colors, but bumped and chewed on the blood red color jig." Years later a friend of Mr. Stallings shined a laser in an aquarium and the fish began to follow the red light. Stallings said, "Every fish in the tank followed the little red dot like it was a circus act. That's when it hit me, hooks should be that color."

Biologists have a scientific reasoning for the effectiveness of Blood Red hooks. It is a phenomenon called "Gill Flash" When feeding, the gills of a fish become engorged with blood. This signals to other fish in the area that they are feeding. It is a lot like saying, "so long suckers, I have food and you don't." Nearly every hook company in the industry has attempted to jump aboard the "red hook" bandwagon, but none of the imitators compare to the innovators.

Even legendary lure companies like Strike King see the importance of the "Bleeding Bait" hooks. Strike King recently introduced its own line of "Bleeding Bait Hook Lures." They now offer Topwater baits, Crankbaits, Jigs, Spinnerbaits, Buzzbaits and Jerkbaits with TTI's red hooks.

Is this just another marketing ploy to reel in more money from anglers or do these red hooks really work? Strike King's Consumer Relations Manager, Chris Brown said, "I don't believe it is a marketing ploy. We believe that the red triggers fish, we have done tests, TTI companies have done tests, it's a deal where it becomes a confidence bait. I fish a lot of tournaments and do tons of seminars each year. I use the red hooks from my cranks to my Spinnerbaits, to my soft plastics and terminal tackle and so forth. I have a ton of confidence in the red and I believe others do too. I go back to our product offering, we grow it each year depending on popularity and how consumers respond to colors, body styles etc. It seems to be the growing trend and for good reason." I have been using red hooks for a few years now and I love them. Reason being, THEY WORK. "I know people who dive and so forth and say the red disappears and it might," Brown explained. "For us the flash of red on the hook, on the spinner bait wire, in the skirt, we believe that flash is the deal, as the bait is used more the better it gets, the flash is little different than a nickel or gold flash and we feel that has a lot to do with it. Look at our new Bleeding Premier Elite Spinnerbait. Red hook, red skirt strands, red throat, red wire and a red tab on the trailing blade of the bait. That tab gives off an awesome flash. We believe that red flash mimics an injured baitfish and thus attracts an aggressive strike."

Approaching the "red" frenzy from an entirely different angle is Cajun Line Company. Rather than using the color red to cause their line to be more visible, Cajun Line Company is capitalizing on the colors invisible qualities. According to the company, the color red is the first color to start "disappearing" underwater. In as little as three feet of water, the color red starts to fade out. What this means is that the fish are only seeing the lure and not the line. When your bait is tied to the end of Cajun Line, it looks more lifelike and natural as it swims along. The more realistic you can make your lures appear, the more productive they will be.

Regardless of the reason anglers are choosing to use "Red" products, there is one aspect that remains constant, confidence. If you honestly believe that something works better than anything else and your catch ratio can back it up, by all means don't stop using it just because someone else doesn't like it. You have to use what works best for you and you only. I personally love the red hooks and I will continue to use them regardless of what anyone else thinks. They work for me and that is the bottom line.
Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: The Million Dollar Question

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: The Million Dollar Question
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

If I were given a dollar for every time I have been asked "how do I get sponsors?" I would probably make the Forbes top 500 list. Unlike many other things in the life, this question has no clear cut, single sentence answer. When you start wanting to get paid by a company to fish, the sport takes on a whole new perspective. From an angler's perspective, sponsors are there to help with the never-ending expenses involved with competitive fishing. Whether it is in the form of free product, discounts on boats or the ever-popular monthly stipend, sponsorship contracts will ideally help reduce stress. Companies however, look at sponsorships from a whole different angle. Their main objectives are to increase market share and generate additional revenue. They are always looking for new and productive ways to get more people to buy their products. Before you take the dive off of the cliff into the wonderful world of sponsorships, there are certain things that you need to do. First and foremost, you need to ask yourself why a company would even want to sponsor you. If your answer is because you win a lot of local or regional tournaments, you might want to reconsider your approach. Industry leading companies do not care that you won the 2nd annual Mayberry Open Buddy Bass Tournament. Frankly why would they care? Will this make them any money? More likely than not, the answer is No.

You need to establish what value, if any, you can bring to the table. One simple method I use for determining such value is a little trick I learned from a lady named Gwen Johnson who was one of my instructors in college. I doubt that Mrs. Johnson knew she was helping me with sponsorship contracts, but she really was. Whenever I have an idea or something that I think may be important, I ask myself the question "So what?" Then I try to answer the question to determine the actual value that the contents of my statement has. Here are a couple of examples:

I always win our company bass tournament. "So what?" Because of this, all of the people at work think I am a great bass angler.

As you can see this really has no corporate value. However, the following statement will at least draw a second look.

I host my own regional fishing radio show and I write fishing columns for three local newspapers. "So what?" This means that I have the opportunity to introduce product lines to a much larger portion of the target market. Through both verbal and written communication, I can spread the word about the products that I believe in. I also possess a high level of name and face recognition in my region.

Now these were just very rough examples, but a company might view the second scenario as a cost effective way to get their goods introduced to more consumers in this particular region.

Once you can prove that you have some form of value to a company, it is then that you have to determine what your services are worth. As a newcomer, companies are not going to pay you much, (if any) actual money. In most cases, they will offer you a very limited amount of free or reduce priced product. This is fine to an extent, but as Bassmaster Classic qualifier Ish Monroe once told me, "I can't eat a box of crankbaits and I can't pay my bills with them either." When you actually think about his statement, it really puts it all into perspective. The return received for your work has to be of some benefit to you. You should not just agree to a sponsor's terms because it will get you a couple spools of line and a cool patch on your shirt. If you apply for a "regular" job and you request $15 per hour, but the company only wants to pay minimum wage, chances are you will not take the job. Dealing with sponsors should be no different. Applying for a sponsorship is no different from applying for a job. You will have certain duties to perform and expectations that you must live up to. If you can not meet these requirements, you will ultimately be let go. The bottom line is, attempt to get a level of compensation that you feel is fair and beneficial to both parties. Do not sell yourself short or jeopardize your integrity, over a few hundred dollars worth of fishing tackle. Also, do not get extremely cocky and demanding towards your sponsors. Unless you can back up the trash talk spewing from your mouth. Even if you can back it up, there is a good chance that you will get shown to the door.

I am certain that most sponsorship seekers do not fully understand what will be expected from them by sponsors. You are not going to get paid simply to fish with all sorts of free tackle. There are a lot of responsibilities that go along with being a Pro Staff member. First and foremost, you always have to display a neat and professional appearance any time you have contact with the general public. Secondly, you must be a product expert. Your job is to help boost sales and you can not do that, if you have no clue what you are talking about. Your sponsors will request that you work outdoors shows, in-store seminars and a wide assortment of promotional activities. One show I worked was four days in length. During this time period, I talked to so many people that I nearly lost my voice. At times, these activities are a lot of fun, but they are also a great deal of work.

Probably the best bit of advice that I can give you is "Get an Education." Even if you are one of the blessed few that are able to fish for a living, a degree in Business Management, Marketing, Public Relations or Advertising will be extremely beneficial when dealing with sponsors. If your hopes and dreams happen to come up short, the degree will provide you with a well paying career to fall back on.
Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Dealing With the Off Season Doldrums

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Dealing With the Off Season Doldrums
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

Dealing With the Off Season Doldrums Here in the Northern part of the country we are barely into our cold weather season. Already my anxiety level is going through the roof. I have cleaned the basement and got all of my tackle sorted. Next year's gear has already been ordered. Now all I can do is sit around waiting for spring and dreaming about bass fishing. That is if I want all of my hard work and practice to go down the drain.

If you are one of the millions of bass anglers that reside in the northern half of the United States, the winter months can seem to last an eternity. The lakes and rivers become over sized ice hockey rinks. No matter how hard I try, I just can't figure out how to get my Minn Kota to cut through the hard water and my Senkos just lay motionless on the ice. I guess that rules out ice fishing.

The majority of bass anglers can't afford the luxury of heading south for the winter or taking trips to exotic warm climate locations. Instead, we must stay in our snow covered prisons, anxiously awaiting our spring time release date. Rather than spending four months dreaming of the bass that you could be catching, take advantage of the off-season. This is the time of year to hone some of your skills and increase your knowledge for next season.

I have a miniature obstacle course set up in my basement. There is a variety of targets obstructed by different objects. This is how I attempt to keep in stroke for Pitching and Flipping different baits. Each one of the obstructed targets serves its own unique purpose. One obstacle that has been very beneficial too me, is a small tunnel that I made out of cardboard boxes. At the end of the tunnel is a small lid from a laundry detergent bottle, this represents my strike zone. I use this portion of the course to practice pitching to low, congested targets. I designed this obstacle two years ago and it has paid amazing dividends, when it came to getting a jig under a boat dock or pitching underneath low hanging trees.

This also keeps me tuned in with my equipment. When I pull out my All Star rods and Pflueger reels in the spring, they will not feel awkward to me. That is because they will have been a vital part of my off-season workout routine. To the untrained eye, it might appear that this is just a stupid little game that I play all alone, but do you think major league pitchers just sit around all winter? Of course not, they are in a gym somewhere working on their sliders and fastballs. The time you invest refining your skills during the winter will offer huge benefits come tournament time in the spring.

Take this time too learn how your lures actually work. Several colleges, high schools, and local YMCA's have indoor swimming pools. For a minimal fee, anglers can rent these pools by the hour. The crystal clear water is a perfect testing ground for seeing exactly how different baits look in action. Take several different baits and study how different retrieves and rod movements affect their action in the water. For one reason or another, each of us has developed an idea of what we think our baits do when we retrieve them a certain way. By seeing these baits with an unobstructed, perfectly clear view, we can now witness whether or not our assumptions were correct.

Boat show season can also be a huge off-season advantage to anglers. Typically, these shows offer seminars that are taught by seasoned Pros. Visit as many seminars or instructional demonstrations as you possibly can. Most of the time, these seminars require little or no fee in order to attend. B.A.S.S. holds several Bassmaster University educational programs throughout the country every January and February. These hugely popular, two day training programs are taught by the top anglers in the business. To the best of my knowledge, nobody else offers instructional seminars that feature the likes of Davy Hite, Hank Parker, Jay Yelas, Woo Daves, Larry Nixon, Kevin VanDam, and numerous other top tournament winning Pros. Although a little higher priced, attending one of these programs may just help push you too the next level of competitive Bass fishing.

When you can't get out to these seminars or other educational programs, use your time at home to learn as much as you can. Reading several magazines and visiting fishing websites can be like getting a fast track bachelors degree in bass fishing. Websites such as Probass.com, BassResource.com, AmericanBassAnglers.com, LandBigFish.com and BigfishTackle.com offer anglers a huge assortment of informative articles, as well as fishing chat rooms and message boards. After you read an article, you can then go to the forum or the chat room and discuss the various topics with other anglers. Not only will you learn more about the sport you love, but there is the potential for meeting new friends and fishing partners that love the sport as much as you. The fact that these sites are available twenty-four hours a day is perfect for everyone, regardless of their work schedule.

Another valuable tool for increasing your winter season education, is fishing related videos. From the comfort of your own couch, you can learn tips and tactics from the country's best Professional Bass anglers. Plastic Tactics and Understanding Sonar by Mike Del Visco are two great learning aids for anglers of all skill levels. Kevin VanDam's Pitching to Heavy Hitters really does a wonderful job of explaining when and where to Flip and Pitch your baits, to become more successful. Woo Daves' Structure School gives a detailed look at various aspects of fishing for deep bass. There are numerous other videos on the market that can and will help you increase your knowledge level. Take advantage of these resources and then practice the techniques that you have learned once spring arrives. You will be amazed with the results.

Rather than moping around and letting your skills diminish, take advantage of your off-season. Not only will you emerge as a more educated and highly skilled angler, it will also make the time pass more quickly.
Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

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Saturday, July 9, 2011

Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Two for One

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Two for One
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

Since this is the first installment of my new online column, I have decided to give you all a taste of the two angles from which I approach things. One being the "Tip and Tactic" format that is designed to help anglers of different skill levels increase their overall fishing knowledge. The other approach is a little more brash and sometimes misinterpreted. On occasion, it may come off as me being a self righteous, arrogant jerk, but that is not the way I intend it. My belief is to call it like I see it, without sugar coating things in order to please someone else.

With all that being said, I would like to thank all of you for taking part in the first issue of my column. It should be a lot more fun than when it was published in a magazine. The choke chain isn't nearly as tight and I can be "me" a lot more frequently. So fasten up the kill switch and let's go for a heck of a ride.

When most anglers hear the words "Drop Shot Rig," the last thing they think of, is sight fishing for spawning Bass. The truth is, in lakes all over the country there are anglers putting big limits in their boats using this killer technique. When sight fishing, there are certain factors that will greatly affect the outcome. If you can accomplish these objectives, you will be much more successful at putting these big pigs in the boat.

Approaching the fish with your boat and with your bait in a stealthy manner is probably the single most important element in sight fishing. During the spawn these fish are very gun-shy and spook very easy. When moving into position, keep your trolling motor on low. Constantly switching the motor off and on will usually scare the fish away. Once you are within range, quietly pitch your bait a few feet past the bed. This will allow you to slowly and quietly sneak the bait into the strike zone.

While bait selection is important, it is far less complicated during the spawn. Bass are not in the mood to eat. Therefore, selecting baits that mimic predators rather than prey is a more logical choice. Using lures such as Lizards, Senkos and Jigs will be far more productive. The reasoning behind Lizards and Jigs is fairly obvious, but to most anglers, Senkos don't really look like anything. With the right color selection, a Senko on a Drop Shot rig does an awesome job of imitating a Bluegill. As we all know, Bass hate Bluegills, especially during the spawn.

As I previously mentioned, Bass are not in the mood to eat during the spawn. In order to get these fish to hit a lure, you have to really make them mad. When they do strike, the fish is simply trying to kill the intruder, rather than grabbing a quick meal. Using a Drop Shot rig gives you the ability to slide your bait into the strike zone and continually move it, all without pulling it from the bed. The reason being, the weight stays stationary, while the bait moves in an erratic action on semi-slack line. This technique gives you the ability to move the bait up and down, or just shake it a few inches off of the bottom for as long as you want. Even the most laid back fish will be forced to obliterate a trespasser that has been in its bed for too long. Be sure to keep a close watch over your bait, because these fish will hit hard and fast. If you are daydreaming, your bait will be placed five feet from the bed before you even have time to set the hook.

There is always a certain level of animosity between Boaters and Co-Anglers. Some of the ill feelings are justified and others are just mentally fabricated ramblings. The different arguments could quickly fill the pages of a book. Although I would love to debate both sides of the issue, I just don't have the time. After a psychological coin toss, I decided it would be the Co-Anglers that would hate me this week. Oh fret not my back deck buddies, the Boaters will get their lashes in due time.

It is common knowledge that most Boaters put in a lot of work in the days, weeks and even months preceding a tournament. Most of their time is spent trying to find productive areas and patterns. They work very hard to keep the data they have collected, close to the vest. If the information in their memory banks were to get out, any advantage they had, would be gone. Ironically, as soon as the tournament starts, all of the secrecy goes out the window. These Boaters are paired with Co-Anglers that now get to fish in their top secret waters. This paradox is likely the single biggest cause for some of the bitter feelings between Boaters and Co-Anglers.

Way too many (not all) Co-Anglers talk entirely too much. They haven't yet learned that certain details in Bass tournaments are to be kept quiet. You don't go back to the dock and tell all of your buddies where you fished. This is especially true in multi-day tournaments. At a very big tournament at Kentucky Lake in 2002 I was about fifty feet away from two boats that were nose to nose and the anglers were ready to throw down. These guys were yelling expletives at each other for about ten minutes. All of it was because a Co-Angler with an over active mouth had told his second day Boater where the other guy's secret spot was.

Another example is a guy that fishes about ten tournaments per year as a Co-Angler. He never pre-fishes and has very limited time on this particular body of water. Strangely enough, he has new spots after each tournament and is more than willing to share them. The sad part is this angler has developed a bad reputation that is spreading faster than butter on a hot biscuit. Nobody wants to draw this Co-Angler and when they do, they often hesitate to go to their favorite fishing areas. This resentment prohibits these anglers from fishing to their full potential, because he is in the back of their boat.

Unless you want to be dubbed the "Most Hated Co-Angler," keep your lips sealed after tournaments. It is fine to broadcast what baits "you" used or what pattern "you" fished, but never disclose an area that a trusting angler took you to. The only exceptions to this rule would be if you had already been there before the tournament (community hole) or if the Boater gives you his/her blessing to do so.

Just take into consideration how you would feel if you worked your butt off, only to have some other angler troll right in and tell everyone where your honey hole is. You wouldn't like it and believe me, neither do they. Build your reputation as an honest angler that others can trust. In a lot of tournaments, the sharing of information by Co-Anglers is an explicit rule infraction. Violating this rule could possibly lead to you being served a mouthful of knuckles or even worse, being banned from tournament fishing. It is not even worth the hassle. Instead, enjoy your time on the water, learn as much as possible and be thankful that you have the opportunity to fish.
Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

View the original article here

Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Defensive Bass Fishing?

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Defensive Bass Fishing?
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

In virtually every sport that is played in this country, you have some form of defensive play. Whether it is the mind numbing quarterback sack in football or the bone jarring hip check in hockey, there is always some method used to prevent the other team from scoring. In each and every sport, these preventative actions are acceptable. Why should defensive fishing be any different?

During a recent television interview, one of bass fishing's biggest money winners admitted that he went out during his pre-fishing period and stuck every fish he could see. Most of us know that this is something that you normally do not do in practice. The reason being, you don't want to make your fish skittish and prevent them from biting your bait during the tournament. In this angler's case, he did want to prevent those fish from biting during the tournament. The only problem was the fish he was setting the hook on, were not the ones he was planning to hunt during the competition. He was trying to keep the anglers in the earlier flights from getting on the easy bed fish bite. Although this is well within the rules, many are expressing a lot of displeasure with his actions.

Come on, are you freakin' kidding me? This kind of stuff goes on a lot more than what anyone ever realizes. Partly because 99% of the anglers doing it, don't have the guts to go on National television and admit it. I am not condoning this persons logic or saying that I would personally do it, but for him to be called a "cheater" is pretty damn harsh. Do you really think this person is capable of going out and hooking enough fish, on a body of water the size of the Harris Chain, to affect the outcome of the tournament? He is good, but not that good. I think what he did was have "mind relations" with half the field. In other words, "he punked out all of them."

The psychological warfare in bass fishing extends farther than going out and sticking a bunch of fish in practice. As far as I am concerned, a large percentage of "Dock Talk" is another form of defense. If you can get into the heads of everyone within earshot, you can greatly affect how well they play the game. When anglers stand around in the morning talking about the fish they are catching on finesse worms and Carolina rigs, while in reality they are flipping Yamamoto Hula Grubs and dragging Mizmo tubes, it can really be a detriment to their competitors. The eavesdropping anglers will often second guess themselves and totally lose their train of thought. If the talkers only win this mind game for a single day or even a single hour, it can be enough to put them ahead of you in the tournament.

A couple of years back, I was fishing a tournament on a lake that I have fished since I was old enough to cast. It was common knowledge that I was a pretty hot stick at this lake and had caught more than my share of big bass from its waters. Also competing in this tournament was a guy that gets his kicks out of trash talking me. Even though I have beaten him in 75% of the tournaments we have fished against each other, he is constantly giving me good-humored crap (at least I think it's good humored). During this tournament at my home lake, I knew everyone was gunning for me, but I didn't care. Almost immediately after the tournament started, I put a few fish in my livewell. A short time later I came around a corner and fishing towards me was one of my "on the water" rivals. You guessed it, the guy that is always dishing out a mouthful of junk. In a matter of about two seconds, I decided that I was going to play a little defensive mind game on this person.

Prior to him seeing me, I quickly laid down the Pflueger flipping stick that I had been using with success and picked up my Spinnerbait rod. I hadn't even made a cast with a Spinnerbait in that hour since the tournament started. As my Minn Kota trolling motor pulled me past him, I gave a friendly hello. He then asked if I had any fish in the box yet. I said, "Yeah I have a few nice ones." With a look of disappointment, he said he had not even had a bite yet. Then he asked if I had been using that Spinnerbait in my hand. Of course, I said "yes." I knew the fish were in tight to cover and flipping was the key to getting them to bite. If this angler spent his time fishing a Spinnerbait, I knew he would not beat me.

After it was all over, I had finished second to my good friend JJ Patton. The guy that I had run some defense game on, came in with just a single keeper. Was what I did illegal? Nope, not even close. Was the recipient of my diversionary tactic upset? Of course he was, he lost. Some might view what I did as "unethical" and to a minimal extent, I would agree. Others might view what David Dudley did this past week as "unethical" and I might slightly agree with that as well. Nevertheless, when you are fishing for money, it takes the sport to an entirely different level. It is actually no longer a game, it is a business. You go into business to make money and when you are successful, there will always be those that are not going to be happy.

As I am launching my boat tournament morning, I can assure you that keeping everyone happy has never crossed my mind. The only thing I am thinking about is catching bass and winning cash. Anytime you meet your objectives and win (or even just finish high in the standings) there will always be someone that isn't happy. They are most generally the ones that borrowed Gerald Swindle's "Suck Truck" and didn't do worth a crap in the tournament. People can complain about the tactics other anglers used before and during tournaments, but the truth is "there isn't anything you can do about it." As long as these anglers are fishing within the rules, there is nothing illegal about their approach. They are doing nothing wrong. If anglers choose to talk about fictitious patterns, set the hook in practice or throw decoy baits, that is just part of that day's business plan. This doesn't make them cheaters, whether you like it or not.

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Bass Fishing's Never Ending Feud

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Bass Fishing's Never Ending Feud
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

After nearly every tournament, on dozens of message boards and in day-to-day conversations with anglers, there is an endless grumbling about Boaters and Co-Anglers. I am constantly hearing or reading things like "the Co-Anglers should have to pay more for gas" or "my Boater was horrible he didn't put me on any fish." To be honest with you, I am pretty dang sick of hearing it.

Over the years, I fished roughly two dozen tournaments as a Co-Angler and more than that as a Boater. During that time, I had the opportunity to fish behind and in front of some really great anglers. There was also a couple that you couldn't pay me to share a boat with again. Some anglers somehow get the idea in their heads that the Co-Anglers are a nuisance and are there only to serve as a personal net operator. The anglers in this category are a very small minority. They feel as though the Co-Angler should have to pay them a lot more money for the privilege of fishing from the back deck of their boat. After all, Boaters have to pay their monthly boat loan payment, boat insurance, gas, oil, truck payments (they have to have something to tow the boat), truck insurance, maintenance on the truck and boat, storage fees, ramp fees, expenses incurred during 2-4 days of pre-fishing and numerous other related expenses. Therefore, it is only fair to add all of these expenses together and divide the total by the number of days in a month. By doing so you are able to come up with an average daily expense. This expense is what should be charged to the Co-Angler for being blessed with the opportunity of fishing behind someone all day, right? Come on give me a freaking break!

We all know that the Boater would incur the same expenses whether he/she had a Co-Angler or a volunteer observer. Co-Anglers are not required to make my boat payments, pay the insurance or cover the gas in my tow vehicle. In most cases, they aren't even "required" to pitch in money to help with the gas expenses for the day. This is more of a courtesy than a prerequisite for being a back deck angler. However, most Co-Anglers pay this money because they know that it is the right thing to do. Never mind the fact that they just spent the last 8 hours casting towards the middle of the lake because Johnny Bass-Pro was sight fishing all day. I will not even go in detail about the fact that the Co-Angler typically has no say in the matter when it comes to running 150 miles round trip so they can watch their Boater catch a limit and leave. However, they are still expected to be thankful that they got to ride in a beautiful, sparkly bass boat with some jerk that feels he is owed $50 for "guide fees."

Last year I had a person call me one night before he was going to fish a small local tournament on an "electric motor only" lake. This greedy idiot had the nerve to ask me how much money he should charge his Co-Angler for gas. I said, "none you moron, you won't use any gas during the tournament." His response was that he had to drive to the lake. Big stinking deal, the Co-Angler has to drive there too. People like that aggravate the crap out of me. They are the small group that account for the largest amount of the drama between Boaters and Co-Anglers.

While issues like this give columnists something to write about, it gives the sport a black eye. Just imagine how it must look to outsiders or new anglers when they see or hear the constant bickering. Life is short and so is the fishing season. Don't waste your valuable time fighting about stupid things that aren't even important. Instead, go out, have a great time on the water, and give outdoor journalists something positive to write about.
Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Taking the Plunge Into Tournament Fishing

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Bagwell's Bass Tactics: Taking the Plunge Into Tournament Fishing
by Jeremiah T. Bagwell

You have conquered your local ponds, lakes, rivers and everything else in your area that looks like it can hold a bass. You have a nice boat, tons of tackle and enough rods to stock a large tackle store. The time has finally come, you now feel as if you are ready to take the tournament world by storm.

Fishing competitively is an entirely different animal than fishing for fun in your spare time. It requires putting your money on the line so you can test your skills against a large number of other highly skilled anglers. Tournament fishing also introduces a long list of new variables to the equation. Now you must fish with time constraints, follow very specific rules, and endure the mental pressures that accompany tournament fishing. In larger tournaments, you also have to deal with spectator and media boats following you all over the place. The stress added simply by having a lot of people watching you fish, is enough to cause most people to crack.

Starting in local club tournaments, you will not have to deal with some of the additional baggage. These tournaments are typically small and have a fun laid back atmosphere. However, don't think these anglers are just going to stand by and watch you take their money. Club anglers are as competitive as anyone else is in the tournament world. They may not be competing for hundreds of thousands of dollars, but they are competing for bragging rights which to some is equally as valuable.

Draw Tournaments and Open tournaments "typically" offer a higher level of competition for anglers. Several of these competitors have dreams of making it to a higher level. The entry fees are almost always higher and the number of competitors per tournament is greater. They give anglers the opportunity to fish with and against other fishing fanatics of varying skill levels. These tournaments are a great stepping stone for making it to the big leagues. The amount of time you spend fishing with new partners can greatly improve your fishing skills, if you use this time properly. Whether your partner is the non-boater or the person controlling the boat, pay attention to what they are doing. Watch how they cast and how they use certain lures. You can learn enormous amounts of information simply by watching others. If you have a question about why your partner did something a certain way, ask them. Most anglers are easy going great people that will try to help you grow as a fisherman.

If your practice time is in short supply or you just haven't purchased a boat, you can join these tournaments as a co-angler. Fishing as a co-angler means that you will be paired with a person that has brought his or her own boat. In some circuits, the co-angler must fish from the back deck. However, this is not true for every circuit. Some tournament trails have distinctions between "boater" and co-angler. Co-anglers will only be competing against co-anglers. Once again, this is not the case for every circuit. There are circuits where it is everyone against everyone regardless of your registration type. Both formats are great and I really can't say one is better than the other. It is up to each angler to determine which format they feel most comfortable with.

In order to stay competitive during tournaments, you will need to continually learn and increase your skill level. The best advice I could give to any angler would be to keep an open mind and don't ever think that you know everything there is to know about bass fishing. As soon as you start thinking that way, your results will begin to diminish. Your goal should be to try to learn something from every angler that you ever fish with. By this, I don't necessarily mean learn a new technique every time, but if you see your partner do something you typically don't do or have never seen before, ask them why they do it and determine how it can help you become a better angler. The best anglers on any circuit are the ones that continue to get better year after year. They do so by constantly learning as much information as they can absorb into their brains.

Time on the water is another aspect of tournament fishing that you must have. The more you can fish, the better you are going to be, period. It doesn't matter if you only have a few hours before or after work, you need to be on the water. Everyone has heard the saying "Practice makes Perfect" well this is especially true in Bass fishing. There is absolutely no replacement for on the water experience. You can read as many books and articles as you want, but actually going out on doing the things you have read about is ultimately going to make you a better angler.

If your dream is to fish competitively, follow that dream and don't ever let anyone hold you back. Build your confidence level and feel comfortable about each decision you make on the water. The only way to get better at anything is to actually do it. Tournament fishing can be a great way to make new friends, increase your skill level, and make a lot of money. Just don't expect to be a Dave Lefebre, Kevin VanDam or Gerald Swindle overnight.
Author: Jeremiah T. Bagwell
Email: jt_bagwell@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://www.qcbassfishing.8k.com/
Details: Nickname - JT
Birth Date - March 13, 1976
Hometown - Rock Island, IL
Family - Elisabeth (wife)
Fishing Influences - Arnold and Juanita King (Grandparents)
Years Fishing - 25+
Biggest Strength (on the water) - Pitching jigs
Biggest Weakness (on the water) - Finesse fishing

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