Monthly Archives: August 2024

St Croix Rod and Reel Combo voted Best Rod and Reel Combo at I CAST 2024

GEAR, THE LEAD

Get Your Hands On The Best New Rod & Reel Systems For Bass

By The Fishing Wire

Voted Best Rod & Reel Combo at ICAST 2024 just two weeks ago, all-new St. Croix GXR Bass Systems are available to elevate bass-fishing experiences starting August 1. St Croix rods are my favorite rods.

Park Falls, WI – St. Croix Rod exists to give every angler the upper hand on the water with over 800 fishing rod models, engineered and handcrafted to deliver excellence in any fishing technique or presentation.

One year ago, the 76-year-old privately-owned American company introduced SEVIIN Reels, a new brand established with the goal of creating the most dependable reels available, so anglers can enjoy fishing more and worry less.

Today, St. Croix Rod and SEVIIN Reels announce the availability of St. Croix GXR Bass Systems – a carefully curated collection of eight high-performance technique-focused St. Croix rods, precision-matched and balanced with smooth and dependable complimentary SEVIIN GXR casting and spinning reels. Voted best new rod and reel combo by fishing tackle retailers and media members at ICAST 2024, GXR is the first and only off-the-rack precision-matched rod and reel system to combine St. Croix performance and SEVIIN reliability. Four casting models and four spinning models are available at an angler-friendly retail price of $200 to $225. Two-piece GXR models are also available.

GXR begins with a proven St. Croix performance platform – crisp, strong, and responsive SCII carbon-fiber blanks mated to lightweight and durable hybrid stainless-steel guide trains that promote exceptional balance and reliable performance with all line types. Handles are an angler-preferred traditional split-grip design with premium cork grips, blank-through nylon reel seats, and black stainless-steel and nylon hoods. “GXR casting and spinning rod share DNA with several of our most popular bass series, including Bass X and our retired (previous generation) Mojo Bass rods,” says St. Croix Brand Manager, Ryan Teach. “These are proven, technique-optimized rod platforms that fish light with surprising power and exceptional balance.”

A 7’1” medium-heavy power, fast action ALL AROUND model is available in both GXR casting (GXRC71MHF) and spinning (GXRS71MHF). It’s a rod that can do about anything well, from skipping docks to swimbaits to jigs, flukes, topwaters, and more.

Get Your Hands On The Best New Rod & Reel Systems For Bass 1

On the casting side, a 7’2” heavy power, moderate action REACTION BAIT model (GXRC72HM) provides a parabolic design optimized for crankbaits, chatterbaits, and other swimming lures, while a 7’4” heavy power, fast action FROG & FLIP (GXRC74HF) is the GXR model anglers will want to have in their hands when pitching, flipping, frogging, or fishing other lures in and around heavy cover.

Two additional spinning models round out GXR’s technique-optimized lineup. A 6’10” medium-light power, extra-fast action FINESSE (GXRS610MLXF) is optimized for light-line applications such as drop-shotting, as well as presenting Ned rigs, downsized creature baits, and smaller hair jigs. An additional 7’1” medium power, fast action STICK BAIT spinning model (GXRS71MF) excels in presenting wacky rigs, light Texas rigs, shaking minnows, heavier Ned rigs, and more.

Finally, Teach says GXR’s appeal is further widened by the availability of a pair of two-piece models. “Because not every bass rod lives on the deck of a bass boat full time, two-piece bass rods are trending,” Teach says. “GXR gives bass anglers two-piece convenience for travel and storage and one-piece performance in the unique GXRC71MHF2-C (ALL AROUND) and GXRS71MF2-C (STICK BAIT) models.”

SEVIIN designed complimentary GXR casting and GXR spinning reels from a blank canvas to balance and enhance the performance of these technique-optimized GXR rods. “The goal was to create a new series of bass-fishing systems for anglers of all levels that are ready to fish with heightened St. Croix performance and SEVIIN castability and reliability,” says SEVIIN Reels Product Manager, Robert Woods. The SEVIIN and St. Croix Product Teams worked together to create a series of hard-core bass rod-and-reel combinations with wide appeal and performance that exceeds their retail price, fully backed by St. Croix and SEVIIN warranties and customer service.”

SEVIIN GXR casting reels are crafted on a compact, 100-size lightweight graphite frame. Castability and operation are enhanced by anodized aluminum spools with Japanese stainless-steel spool bearings, magnetic cast control, and 6+1 stainless-steel bearings that support key moving parts. Strong and exceptionally smooth drag comes from a carbon fiber and stainless-steel drag stack, while a versatile 7.3:1 retrieve ratio provides optimal performance in a wide variety of bass presentations.

Lightweight and strong SEVIIN GXR spinning reels feature 3000-size carbon fiber bodies and rotors with anodized and ported aluminum spools. 8+1 stainless steel bearings yield silky-smooth operation, while a carbon fiber and stainless-steel drag stack ensures slick, consistent, and reliable drag performance in all conditions at all settings.

St. Croix GXR Bass Systems Features

• Precision-matched high-performance rod and reel systems (4 casting and 4 spinning), optimized for popular, technique-specific bass presentations
• Premium SCII carbon fiber blanks with FRS (Fortified Resin System) for increased flexural strength with reduced weight
• Lightweight, black stainless-steel guides with aluminum-oxide rings for reliable performance with all line types
• Traditional split-grip premium-grade cork handles with premium EVA accents
• Nylon reel seat with black stainless-steel hood and nylon and stainless-steel locking nut
• 5-year rod warranty backed by St. Croix Superstar Service
• 100-size SEVIIN GXR casting reels feature 6+1 bearings, durable and lightweight graphite frames, aluminum spools and accents, high-performance carbon fiber + stainless-steel drag stacks, soft-touch rubber paddles, and versatile 7.3:1 gearing.
• 3000-size SEVIIN GXR spinning reels feature 8+1 bearings, lightweight and rigid carbon fiber bodies and rotors, ported aluminum spools, high-performance carbon fiber + stainless-steel drag stacks, premium EVA paddle, and versatile 5.1:1 gearing.
• 1-year reel warranty backed by SEVIIN
• Designed in Park Falls, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
• Retail price $200 to $220

St. Croix GXR Bass Systems Models

• GXRC71MHF-C / ALL AROUND – 7’1”, medium-heavy power, fast action, casting / Retail $210
• GXRC71MHF2-C / ALL AROUND 2 – 7’1”, medium-heavy power, fast action, 2-piece casting / Retail $225
• GXRC72HM-C / REACTION BAIT – 7’2”, heavy power, moderate action, casting / Retail $210
• GXRC74HF-C / FROG & FLIP – 7’4”, heavy power, fast action, casting / Retail $210
• GXRS610MLXF-C / FINESSE – 6’10”, medium-light power, extra-fast action, spinning / Retail $200
• GXRS71MF-C / STICK BAIT – 7’1”, medium power, fast action, spinning / Retail $200
• GXRS71MF2-C / STICK BAIT 2 – 7’1”, medium power, fast action, 2-piece spinning / Retail $220
• GXRS71MHF-C / ALL AROUND – 7’1”, medium-heavy power, fast action, spinning / Retail $200

Get Your Hands On The Best New Rod & Reel Systems For Bass 2

Put simply, GXR Bass Systems are the right tools for the job – a collection of premium, technique-optimized rod-and-reel combinations designed and crafted to give bass anglers of all levels a series of synergized tools that move them forward towards new wins on the water, including more and bigger bass, and more exceptional fishing moments and memories. Embodying trusted St. Croix performance and SEVIIN reliability… right off the rack… all-new GXR Bass Systems are available at St. Croix dealers and online at stcroixrods.com starting today, August 1, 2024.

Interested in becoming a St. Croix Dealer? Email dealersupport@stcroixrods.com.

#stcroixrods

About St. Croix Rod

Headquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Best Rods on Earth” for over 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with skilled craftsmanship, St. Croix is the only major producer to still build rods entirely from design through manufacturing. The company remains family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing facilities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With popular trademarked series such as Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all types of anglers from around the world.

Gun Control Lies Lies and More Lies

“We have got to do something.”

Any shooting like the one in Uvalde, Texas where innocent children are killed is horrible, but do not blame me and other law-abiding gun owners. Blame the low-life evildoer that did it.

Unlike the gun ban vultures that started circling and crying the “do something” mantra before the first body was recovered from the school in Texas, I tried to listen to all the conflicting reports and wait for valid information.

The “something” gun banners always demand is “common sense” gun bans. There is nothing “common” about their demands and if they made “sense” they would not have to exaggerate and tell half-truths to outright lies.

I have been disappointed and amazed, but not surprised, by the bald face lies and stupid comments to uninformed babbling from everyone from personal friends to the president.

Biden’s comments have been weird. First, he said something about the 2^nd Amendment not really meaning “shall not be infringed” because citizens could not own cannons when it was passed. When he was told by constitutional scholars like John Turley that he was wrong, in fact you can still own a cannon today, he continued to tell that lie.

He then began babbling about how a .22 caliber bullet would lodge in the lungs, but a 9 mm “big caliber” bullet would blow the lungs out. That is an inane comment by anyone familiar with guns and bullets.

But somehow it relates to banning “assault” weapons, meaning the AR-15. AR stands for the company that developed the gun, Armalite, is in no way an “assault” weapon, no military in the world uses it. And the most common caliber for it is .223, apparently less dangerous to Biden than the dreaded 9 mm.

One TV commentator said it was ridiculous an 18-year-old could go buy an automatic rifle and more than 300 round of ammo without a background check. Fortunately, a guest on the show pointed out the rifle was not automatic, he went through a background check and it is not uncommon, especially in that area to buy large amounts of ammo.

Personally, I have purchased more than 1000 rounds of 7.62×39 ammo at one time for target practice to save money. Shooting more than 100 rounds in one target shooting session is not uncommon. And common .22 long rifle bullets I shoot in my semiautomatic squirrel gun I have owned since I was eight years old come in boxes of 525 rounds.

Calls for extended background checks are another “common sense” waste. The background check in place for years did not work this time so let’s make you get one on your child before giving them a gun for Christmas with an “extended” background?

All guns bought from licensed gun dealers must go through the current background check. The proposed “extended” check would have made no difference since the shooter in Texas bought his gun from a licensed dealer, already covered in the current law.

The sale of over 100 brands of rifles defined as “assault” guns were banned for ten years, from 1994 through 2004. One liberal commentator told this lie: “Mass shootings dropped by 40 percent during the ‘assault weapons’ ban.”

Here is what Factcheck.org says: “A RAND review of gun studies, updated in 2020, concluded there is “inconclusive evidence for the effect of assault weapon bans on mass shootings.” Seems a 40 percent drop would be pretty “conclusive” evidence, if it was true.

It didn’t work the first time, lets lie about it and do it again.

I keep hearing “Nobody needs an assault weapon.” Yet they can’t define what they consider an “assault weapon,” it is a constitutional right and there are many reasons to own one. That is why there are somewhere between 10 and 20 million correctly called “modern sporting rifles” in the US.

One senseless murder is too many, but if these guns were the problem such shootings would be much more common.

Confiscation of all guns is the ultimate goal of some. But if you confiscate all rifles, from my old .22 through all deer rifles to modern sporting rifles, you might somehow eliminate guns that are used in 2.9 percent of all homicides in the US.

The most recent data I can find from the FBI shows homicides by all rifles in 2019 was 364, compared to 1476 by knives, 1591 by blunt objects and 600 by fists and feet.

If you want to have a rational discussion on gun control, don’t exaggerated, tell lies and make up numbers to try to push your agenda. I will rely on facts, not emotions.

If you just have got to do “something,” go spit on the insane murderer’s grave. It may make you feel better and it will be just as effective as all the proposed gun control laws put together.

Poles Down For More Fish

Poles Down For More Fish, you can catch more fish by using yourshallow water anchors correctly

By The Fishing Wire

By Mike Frisch

Various innovations designed for helping anglers control their boats while trying to effectively present baits has been a part, or maybe better put, a challenge, of anglers for decades. Recently, shallow water anchors, which deploy from a boat’s transom and spike into the lake bottom, have been gaining popularity. These anchors, often working in pairs with one on each side of the transom, do a great job of locking a boat in place, allowing anglers to fish and not worry about boat control. I have been using a pair of Power-Pole anchors this summer and have been very, very pleased with how they help my fishing. Here are some examples.

Bluegills on beds

This past June, our Fishing the Midwest TV crew headed to Big Stone Lake on the Minnesota/South Dakota border to fish bluegills and crappies. We fished with guide Tanner Arndt. Tanner used the side scanning technology on my boat’s sonar to “look” to the boat’s sides to see spawning beds the bluegills were using. When a good number of beds were found, we would “pole down” a casting length or so from the beds and start fishing. We caught a bunch of bluegills and the poles contributed to our successes. Using side scan, we could stay away from the beds to avoid spooking the fish as we located them. Then, with the poles down, we could cast to the beds and concentrate 100% on the fishing and not worry about the boat drifting over the beds.

Walleyes on the rocks

Earlier in the fishing season, I fished some lakes that have off-colored water and shallow walleyes. These fish often relate to rocky shorelines or rock piles along shallow to mid-depth flats. In either case, holding the boat out from the rocks to be fished and casting to them is usually a good technique for targeting these fish. With the poles down off the boat’s transom, a partner and I would share the front casting deck on my boat and make casts to the rocks and hopefully the fish. Once again, we could concentrate fully on fishing and not worry about boat control. This came in handy for presenting jig and minnow combinations or slip bobber rigs, particularly on windy days when this bite often peaks. The poles were especially advantageous when a fish was hooked because the angler with the hooked fish only worried about fighting the fish and leading it to the net, while the other angler could concentrate fully on netting the walleye.

Bass on the docks

Dock fishing for largemouth bass is often a move down the shoreline while skipping, pitching, and flipping baits under and alongside docks coming out from shore. When targeting docks as a right-handed caster, I like to keep the docks to the boat’s left side and present my bait to the dock while slowly moving along. When a bit past the dock, I angle the bow of the boat to the shoreline and use roll casts where I skip the bait along the lake’s surface and under the dock. From this angle I can target the face of the dock and the entire length of the dock as well. Plus, an angler fishing off the back casting deck has good access to the dock too. If a fish is caught, or I know a dock is a “good dock” from previous fishing trips, I will often deploy the Power-Poles and hold in place while making multiple casts the entire length of the dock.

The above are just three of many examples of how I use my shallow water anchors to help me better present my baits. After all, better presented baits, often lead to more fish in the boat. And more fish in the boat usually makes for happy anglers!

As always, enjoy your time on the water and remember to include a youngster in your next outdoors adventure!

Mike Frisch hosts the popular Fishing the Midwest TV series available on the Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, and more. Visit www.fishingthemidwest to learn more.

Correcting Lies About So-Called Assault Weapons, Hunting and Bullets

I try to listen to both sides, I really do. But on some issues, like guns, it is almost impossible to hear both sides.

When trying to read Jesse Jackson’s Griffin Daily News July 14 Editorial “Assault weapons are weapons of war” I had to stop in the second paragraph. When he wrote “They are useless for hunting” I knew I was wasting my time.

That proved to me he was clueless about his topic and was just pushing an agenda. Nothing that came after such an inaccurate statement could be relevant. When I read something patently untrue, I cannot keep reading.

First, the 2^nd Amendment has nothing to do with hunting.

Second, “Assault weapons” are a fake term given to what sportsman call “Modern Sporting Rifles.” One of the most common designs is the ArmaLite Rifle Model 15, usually shortened to AR 15. It is a type gun that comes chambered in more than 60 different calibers. The vary from rimfire calibers like the .22 long rifle, bullets usually used for squirrel hunting, to .30 Remington, specifically designed for deer hunting to even larger calibers.

The .223 caliber is one of the most common in the AR platform and it has been legal for deer hunting in Georgia for years. That cartridge is a relatively small caliber and does not have a lot of powder, so it has much less kick than rifles like by old Marlin 30-30, but it is legal and efficient for killing a deer.

It is a good choice for young hunters and those that don’t want a gun that kicks hard. I am using mine for deer hunting rather than my 7 mm Mag since I have a port in my right shoulder and am afraid to expose it to too much recoil.

It scares me that, in a recent PEW poll of “journalists,” 55 percent say every side of an issue DOES NOT deserve equal treatment. The same poll found that 76 percent of all Americans say both sides SHOULD get equal coverage.

Maybe that is why a recent Gallup poll shows only 11 percent of Americans trust television news and only 16 percent trust newspapers.

Almost as bad is a PEW poll showing 64 percent of US adults approve the recent gun control laws passed by congress, but 78 percent say the law will do little or nothing to affect crime. But 63 percent say they want more useless laws like the one passed that they know will do little to no good.

Maybe the reason they support useless laws is they hear only one side. Most mall shootings are hyped 24/7 for days, but the recent shooting in Indiana got little coverage. Was it because a good guy with a legal gun killed the shooter before he could kill many people?

As long as only one side is pushed by the media, I will adamantly oppose any gun control legislation, not matter how often those pushing the agenda call it “sensible” or “reasonable.”

Their call for compromise always means “do it my way” even if you know it is useless.

A current political ad says the recent “Constitutional Carry” law in Georgia makes it easier for criminals to carry loaded guns in Georgia. I question any law enforcement officer that claims criminals would not carry guns if it was just against the law.

A good example of the mindset of the gun banners is New York Governor Hochul. When the Supreme Court overturned a state law that made it almost impossible to get gun or carry it in her state, she got laws passed to make it a felony to carry guns in almost every building in the state.

Her reason? In response to a reporter’s question if she had any data to prove her claim that citizens carrying guns would endanger millions of New York residents, she said “I don’t need to have numbers. I don’t need to have a data point to say this.”

I will fight “feelings” from gun banners like her with facts and truth, if I can be heard.

Easy-swimming Z-Man® Guppy GrubZ™

Z-Man’ New Guppy GrubZ

By The Fishing Wire

Easy-swimming Z-Man® Guppy GrubZ™ sports serious longevity in its genes.

Ladson, SC – It’s the question all anglers eventually answer: If you woke up on a deserted island and had to pick just one bait to catch fish for the foreseeable future, what would you choose to cast?

Hypotheticals and shipwrecks aside, you’d likely want something versatile, proven and universally appetizing to a wide range of fish. (All the better if said fish tickled your own tastebuds, in turn.) Like many anglers, you might opt to tie on a good old curly tail grub and cast away. But which grub would grab your attention?

On make-believe islands, casting a bait that holds up to dozens of fish is a matter of survival. In the real world, softbait durability means more fish in your livewell, less time rigging and fewer baits in the trash can—all of which highlights the new ElaZtech®-enabled Guppy GrubZ™, the newest softbait to join Z-Man’s trending Micro Finesse system.

The new 2″ Guppy GrubZ offers exceptional swim action and durability for days.

While traditional curly tails made from PVC plastics catch fish aplenty, the baits’ unfortunate fragile nature means they’re equally likely to sacrifice their tails after a mere strike or two. It’s why cutting-edge crappie and panfish anglers continue converting to Z-Man’s Micro Finesse baits and a radical, made-in-the-USA superplastic known as ElaZtech.

“The new Guppy GrubZ is anything but just another curly tail bait,” notes Z-Man brand manager and multispecies angler Ryan Harder. “Not only does this bait swim and tail-spiral at the widest range of speeds, but it’s also designed to withstand numerous bites from toothy critters and those little machine-gun tail bites from smaller panfish.”

For its 10X Tough ElaZtech durability alone, the 2” Micro Finesse Guppy GrubZ might be the most valuable crappie-sized curly tail bait ever made. (Picture limits of crappie, perch and sunfish, all on a single, game-used Guppy GrubZ . . .)

Next-level details begin with the bait’s purpose-driven, paper-thin curly tail. “The Guppy GrubZ’ softness and expanded tail surface area empower it to activate and corkscrew at even the slowest retrieve speeds,” notes Harder.

“Foremost in designing the bait, however, we first addressed several common curly tail issues. To bolster its soft, razor-thin tail, we implemented a slightly thicker, semi-rigid ‘spine’—essentially a thicker slice of ElaZtech, which extends into the initial (dorsal) section of the curly tail.

“You might not even notice it’s there, but this seemingly minor enhancement serves two functions,” Harder explains. “One, the little spine helps prevent the tail from fouling during faster retrieves, which is often an issue among traditional curly tails. And two, to reinforce and strengthen the tail section, the specialized spine prevents it from being prematurely cut or sliced, allowing you to deploy a single bait for hours of fish-catching action. That’s a huge bonus when you’re catching and sorting through dozens of fish in short order.

“Just caught over a hundred white perch on a single Guppy GrubZ this morning. That’s pretty incredible for a curly tail grub—or any softbait.”

Further empowering the bait’s allure and water-thumping action, the Guppy GrubZ’ natural minnow torso and head boost the bait’s physical presence among crappies, perch, trout and all panfish. “We built the bait with a flattened face, which matches right up with either a Micro Finesse ShroomZ™ or Micro Shad HeadZ™ jighead,” adds Harder. “The result is a clean, seamless profile that presents fish with a totally natural target. Alternatively, try rigging it on a ChatterBait® Flashback® Mini for incredible underwater action.”

Creating extra fish-attracting visuals, the Guppy GrubZ is imbued with bulging eyeballs and accentuated ribbing all along its torso. “The rib cages produce subtle vibration, but also generate micro bubble trails that predatory fish easily detect and track back to the source,” Harder explains. He also suggests adding dabs of scent, such as ProCure Crappie & Panfish Super Gel, which adhere especially well to the bait’s 3D ribs.

If you happen to awaken on a random island, pray your pockets include a pack of Guppy GrubZ. Or, slightly more likely, for impromptu outings to your local panfish pond, this is one grub you can’t live without.

Landing at fishing tackle retailers in November, the new Z-Man Guppy GrubZ delivers freewheeling action, lifelike buoyancy and the toughness to survive countless panfish attacks. Crafted with care at Z-Man’s South Carolina based bait labs, the 2” Guppy GrubZ features ten alluring crappie/panfish colors, including glow and high-vis hues as well as earth tones for tricky bites. MSRP $4.99 per 8-pack. For more updates and intel, check Z-Man’s website or social media.

About Z-Man Fishing Products

A dynamic Charleston, South Carolina based company, Z-Man Fishing Products has melded leading edge fishing tackle with technology for nearly three decades. Z-Man has long been among the industry’s largest suppliers of silicone skirt material used in jigs, spinnerbaits and other lures. Creator of the Original ChatterBait®, Z-Man is also the renowned innovators of 10X Tough ElaZtech softbaits, fast becoming the most coveted baits in fresh- and saltwater. Z-Man is one of the fastest-growing lure brands worldwide.

Would You Rather Be Lucky Than Good When Fishing?

“I’d rather be lucky that good.” Kenneth Hattaway, one of my mentors in the bass clubs back in the 1970s and 80s, used to say that a lot. He was one of the best club fishermen in the area back then and did well in bigger tournaments, too. In many ways he was both good and lucky.

Over the years I have come to believe what he meant was you can be good consistently, but when you are lucky you do even better. Anyone can win a tournament with the right luck, but it won’ be consistent over time.

All the pro fishermen on the Bassmaster Elite Series are good. I have fished with more than a dozen of them and they have all the details and mechanics of fishing down pat. They can skip a jig under a dock into places most of us never reach. They can read electronics like a printed report. And they keep all their equipment in top condition.

But to win an Elite tournament when competing against 87 other fishermen just as good as you are takes some added luck.

Boyd Duckett sitting on the porch of his cabin after the first day of a tournament, seeing fish schooling and going there the next day and winning is mostly luck.

Leaving your bait in the water while eating a sandwich for lunch, and your boat drifting over an unknown rockpile and getting a bite, then winning the tournament on those rocks is a lot of luck. My partner in a BASS Regional in Kentucky did that.

When I do well it is a lot of luck. To do well one day of a two-day tournament is luck, to do well each day takes some skill. There have been multiple times I have done well one of two of the days in our state top six, but I have done well both days only five times, making the state team each time.

Sunday I got lucky enough to stop first thing on a bank with a little current moving, and caught six bass in the first two hours. The next six hours produced only two more fish. Stopping on that particular bank was as more luck than skill, and the current died before 8:00 AM.

In the Flint River Bass Club tournament Sunday at Sinclair, eight of us fished from 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM to land 18 12-inch keeper bass weighing about 28 pounds. There were two five-bass limits and three people did not have a bass.

My five weighing 10.42 pounds was first. Niles Murray had three at 6.45 pounds for second and his 3.34 pound largemouth was big fish. Doug Acree had five weighing 6.22 pounds for third and Lee Hancock came in fourth with three at 2.83 pounds.

My first stop was on a deep bank with docks and grassbeds and I started casting a buzzbait. When I came to a shallow seawall a cast with a weightless Trick worm produced my first keeper, one that was very skinny and barely 12 inches long.

A few minutes later I skipped a wacky rigged Senko under a dock and landed my biggest bass, a 2.94 pounder. Then another good keeper hit my buzzbait between docks. Another dock produced my fourth keeper on the Senko at 7:00. I was pleased with the fast start.

A few docks later I caught another good keeper, filling my limit, then, right at 8:00 caught my sixth keeper, culling the small bass. I was happy with my catch and started trying to find something else that would work.

At noon I had not had another bite, then I caught my seventh keeper on the Senko on a dock and my eighth, my second biggest of the day, on the Senko on a shady seawall.

Other than hooking a 20-pound blue cat on a shaky head near a dock at 1:00 PM, I did not get another bite until weigh-in.

I wish I could be that lucky every trip.

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