“Karma. Bad luck. You weren’t holding your mouth right. Just not your day. Wrong side of the boat. Different baits. Different techniques.” Those are just a few of the comments I got about my fishing last Saturday.
I had posted “How is it possible to fish 7. 5 hours, get three bites and land one fish while your partner using same baits throwing at rock banks and points catches 12 keepers?????? And caught them on four different baits!!”
Ignoring the comments that apparently did not see that we were fishing the same way with the same baits, that basically leaves “luck.” There is some amount of luck when fishing a club tournament. Although I was obviously around fish all day, they just did not hit my baits, waiting on my partner’s baits, apparently.
In the Potato Creek Bassmasters February tournament at West Point last Saturday, 21 members fished from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM to land 73 bass weighing about 143 pounds. Most of the bass were spots with a 12-inch size limit but there were some largemouth over the 14-inch minimum length. One person did not catch a keeper but eight members landed a five bass limit.
Lee Hancock won with five weighing 11.25 pounds and his 4.16 pound largemouth was big fish. My partner Robert Howell, insulting me from the back of my boat, had five weighing 10.66 for second. Third place was taken by Russell Prevatt with five at 10.20 pounds and Doug Acree rounded out the top four with five weighing 9.02 pounds.
I came in 19th out of 21 with one fish weighing 1.55 pounds. Fishing will definitely keep you humble!
When Robert caught his first keeper, a small spot that hit an underspin on the first place we stopped, I thought it was a bad start for me. Then an hour or so later we went around a small rock point and he caught his second fish on a shaky head worm. That got me worried.
We went back around that point and I caught my one keeper on a shaky head then Robert got another keeper on his shaky head. The third pass around that point Robert got his fourth keeper, his biggest at 3.79 pounds, on his shaky head.
Robert and I were fishing the same bait the same way, but he was using lighter line, something I did not think would matter in the stained water, but I dropped back to the same weight line just in case.
On one rocky bank we fished about 150 yards and Robert got his fifth keeper on his shaky head then culled with another keeper. He switched to a wacky rigged Senko and caught three more! I never had a bite.
A little later Robert caught three more on a Carolina rig, a method and bait I had tried off and on all day. I fished a wacky rigged Senko some, too. He even caught a four pound blue catfish!
It did not seem to matter what I did. I guess it was just “one of those days” for me, for whatever reason. I just hope it does not stay the same for me in the Sportsman Club tournament at West Point this weekend and I am not making excused for not catching fish!
The Georgia Bass Slam 2024 Grand Prize Winner and how to enter this year
By The Fishing Wire
Winner, winner, fish for dinner! Congratulations to Michael Mooney of Grovetown, GA (Columbia County) on winning the Grand Prize for the 2024 Georgia Bass Slam.
Mr. Mooney was one of 67 anglers that got a Georgia Bass Slam in 2024, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).
“What a surprise! This is the first time I have ever won anything,” said Michael Mooney, who has been participating in the program since 2018 and gotten 4 total Bass Slams. “These programs are a lot of fun every year and I appreciate the opportunity to participate.”
The Bass Slam Grand Prize Winner receives a cooler, camp chair, tackle box and a beautifully framed bass print. Are you working on your 2025 Slam?
Georgia Bass Slam: Catch (at least) five of the different black bass species found in Georgia within a calendar year and you have a Georgia Bass Slam! This program recognizes anglers with the knowledge and skill to catch different species of bass in a variety of habitats across the state, while also stimulating interest in the conservation and management of black bass and their habitats. For complete rules and more info, visit BassSlam.com.
Other Fishing Recognition Programs:
Angler Award Program: This program recognizes those who catch fish that meet or exceed a specific weight or length for that species. There is an adult, youth, public fishing area and trophy bass angler award program category. For complete rules and more info, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/anglerawards.
State Records: In addition to the angler award program, the division also maintains a freshwater fish state-record program for anglers who land a catch that exceeds the existing record catch weight by one ounce or more. More information at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/recordprogram/rules.
Trout Slam: Catch all 3 species of trout available in Georgia waters and earn a Trout Slam! More info at GeorgiaWildlife.com/trout-slam.
Kids First Fish Certificate: The division wants to recognize children across the state for catching their first fish with an online kid’s “first fish award” certificate available at GeorgiaWildlife.com/my-first.
Georgia Wildlife Resources thanks anglers that took part in these programs and appreciates all anglers that head out to state waters throughout the year to wet a line. For more information about fishing in Georgia, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources.
Rain rain go away – and it did just to come another day for the Flint River Bass Club tournament this past Sunday. I camped at Don Carter State Park Wednesday through Monday and had no rain until late Saturday afternoon, although Linda said it rained a good bit here in Griffin. I guess 100 miles can make a big difference!
Three members of the club were brave, or dumb, enough to show up on a cold, windy, cold, rainy, cold day. Did I mention it was cold as well as rainy? Thank goodness for good rain gear and insulated clothes. My three layers on the bottom, including flannel lined jeans, and seven layers on top, kept me dry and warm enough to fish the eight hours.
In the tournament we landed four 14-inch keeper spotted bass weighing 7.58 pounds. One person zeroed but he had to leave at 11:00 due to a problem at home.
My three weighing 5.68 pounds was first and my 2.14 pound spot was big fish. Brent Drake’s one weighing 1.58 pounds was second.
Due to the cold and rain and wind I stayed in sight of the ramp most of the day, fishing banks protected from the wind. After all, I knew if I caught one keeper I would place at least in the top three, and when I saw Zane leave I knew I had at least second place points wrapped up!
I missed one small tap on a jig in a treetop in the first hour but I think it may have been a crappie or bream. Then at about 8:30 I missed a bite on the jig on a rocky hump but on the next cast caught a 14.5 inch keeper.
About 30 minutes later I saw a group of fish swimming out in 30 feet of water on my Panoptix Livescope. They acted like bass so I cast a shaky head worm toward them and watched them follow it to the bottom. But then bait and bass disappeared.
I figured like happens so often they followed my bait then ignored it. But when I raised my rod top there was weight on it and I set the hook and landed the 2.14 pound spot. I would have never known that bass was there without my electronics.
That was it for the next three hours, no more bites. And the fish I had seen suspended and moving around off the bank disappeared. I have no idea where they went unless they went to the bottom and held right against it. I did see one fish come up off the bottom and move off on my sonar as my boat went over it, so that may have been it.
At 12:00 I had fished back to the tree in the water where I missed the bite earlier. Dragging my jig through it I felt it get heavy and set the hook, half way expecting to hook a limb. Instead another two pound spot pulled back and I landed it.
That was it for the day. Even though it was cold, wet and rainy, it was fun catching those spots. It was a lot better than sitting around watching a football game to me, anyway!
The Flint River Bass Club held its first 2023 tournament last Sunday at Jackson. In it, six of us fished for eight hours in a mudhole to land 12 bass weighing about 14 pounds. There was one five bass limit and no one zeroed.
I landed five weighing 5.70 pounds for first, Doug Acre came in second with two weighing 3.36 pounds and had a 1.94-pound fish for big fish and Lee Hancock had three weighing 3.1 for third. Fourth went to Alex Gober with one at 1.71 pounds and new member Scott Smith had keeper weighing .63 pounds for fifth.
When we started at 7:30 AM I could tell the water was very muddy even in the cove at the ramp. My first cast I found out how muddy, my crankbait disappeared about two inches deep.
I fished one place in the muddy cove without a bite for about 30 minutes. When I headed up the river to try to find some clearer water to fish, I was shocked and scared when I saw all the wood floating in the water. Everything from twigs to logs twice as long as my boat covered the water from bank to bank.
That made me stop on a point and try to fish, although it was very muddy and almost every cast produced some kind of trash on my line and lure. After about 30 minutes the light breeze had moved the wood away from one side of the lake enough to run on plane if you were slow and careful.
I had hoped to go up the Alcovy River above the mouth of the South River where the water is often clearer, but when I got to the mouth of Tussahaw Creek I changed my mind. The wood going up the river covered it even worse from bank to bank and the wind had not made any open water at wall.
That condition made me go up Tussahaw Creek where there is often some clear water. And it did get better above the bridge, I could see my bait down a solid six inches!
I caught a small keeper spot by casting a brown three sixteenths ounce Bitsy Bug jig with a green pumpkin Creepy Crawler trailer to a cement seawall. Of course I dipped the tails of the trailer in chartreuse JJs Magic. There are rocks at the bottom of most seawalls and bass will hold against them to feed on crayfish and baitfish.
I kept fishing seawalls like that and every one of my fish, two more spots and two largemouth, hit the jig on a seawall. Lee was fishing the same area and caught his three on a variety of baits.
I invited the spots I caught home for dinner. When I cleaned them they had parts of small crayfish in their stomachs. That is why they liked my brown jig with the twin trailer arms!
Although bass clubs seem to be a thing of the past, with young fishermen wanting to fish for money and not joining clubs, they are still very important to me. I joined the Spalding County Sportsman Club in 1974, the Flint River Bass Club in 1978 and the Potato Creek Bassmasters in 2015 and currently fish three club tournaments each month.
All three clubs start their new tournament years this month, with Flint River starting Sunday, January 8. All are accepting new members and I have an open seat in my boat for the Flint River Club if anyone is interested in joining and trying club fishing.
The Flint River club meets the first Tuesday each month at Panda Bear and fishes our tournaments the following Sunday. We have two two-day tournaments each year. Dues are $20 annually and tournament entry fee is #25 with a $5 daily big fish pot. We also have two additional optional pots, $5 for the cumulative pot that increases until someone catches a six-pound bass and a $5 points pot that is split with half going to the points winner at the end of the year and half going to a raffle for all that are paid up.
The Potato Creek Bassmasters meet the Monday after the first Tuesday and fish our tournaments the following Saturday. We have three two-day tournaments each year. Dues are $50 a year and entry fees are $30 and the daily big fish pot is $5. There is an optional $5 cumulative pot.
The Sportsman Club meets the third Tuesday each month and fishes our tournaments the following Sunday, with two two-day tournaments. Dues are $50 each year and entry fee is $25 with a $5 daily big fish pot. There is an additional $5 cumulative pot.
Both Potato Creek and Sportsman Club have Club Classics. For those a member must fish at least 8 of the 12 monthly tournaments or finish in the top 8 in the points standings the previous year. Part of club entry fees are saved all year to make a nice payout in those tournaments for the top five fishermen in them.
There is a point system in each club and the top fishermen each year get plaques. Trying to place high in each club is important to me, probably more so than for most other members. Club competition is at a lower level that other types of bass tournaments but as long as I can compete at the club level I will keep trying.
In the Flint River Club 100 points are awarded to first place in each tournament. Second gets 90 points dropping ten points per place like that to 10 points for 10th. Fishermen catching a fish but finishing lower than 10th gets five points. In addition, ten points are awarded for attending the meeting and 20 for attending the tournament.
In Flint River this past year I placed first with 1410 points and caught 46 keeper bass weighing 75.7 pounds in 12 tournaments. I was the only one to attend all 12. Don Gober placed second with 890 points and 26 bass weighing 35.63 pounds. His grandson Alex was third with 800 points, 25 bass and 32.03 pounds.
Fourth place went to Niles Murray with 660 points, 35 bass and 46.25 pounds. Fifth was Lee Hancock with 530 points, 25 bass and 35.38 points. Doug Acree rounded out the top six with 480 points, 22 bass and 28.13 pounds. My 4.19 pound largemouth caught at Sinclair in March was big fish.
Potato Creek awards 100 points for first down to 10 for tenth and five points for catching a fish if you fish lower. Each meeting will get you five points and you get an additional 20 points for attending the tournament.
In the Potato Creek club I placed first with 1015 points and 72 bass weighing 131.09 pounds. Raymond English came in second with 900 points, 65 bass and 111.44 pounds. Third was Lee Hancock with 760 points, 58 bass and 91.67 pounds.
Fourth place went to Michael Cox with 680 points, 36 bass and 65.85 pounds. Fifth was Kwong Yu with 595 points, 61 bass and 83.91 pounds. Caleb Delay completed the top six with 560 points, 44 bass and 72.60 pounds. Tom Tanner had big fish for the year with a 5.78 pounder.
The Sportsman Club gives 25 points for first dropping one point per place down to one point for 25th. One bonus point is awarded for each meeting attendance, tournament attendance, weighing in a limit and having big fish.
With 301 points and 56 bass weighing 93.01 pounds I won the Sportsman Club standings. Jay Gerson was a close second with 299 points, 56 bass and 82.17 pounds. Raymond English placed third with 289 points, 55 bass and 95.14 pounds.
Fourth place went to Kwong Yu with 283 points, 53 bass and 73.93 pounds. Fifth was Zane Fleck with 39 bass, 55.56 pounds. Glenn Anderson was sixth with 199 points, 31 bass and 48.34 pounds. My 5.63 pound largemouth caught in September at Oconee was big fish for the year.
Club fishing is a lot of fun and can be educational. Contact me at [email protected] for more information on the clubs in Griffin.
Someone jokingly said “lets go fishing” last Saturday. With a low of 8 degrees and a high well below freezing at my house, not nearly enough degrees out there, I declined. But I have been out there fishing in weather about that bad.
In a January Sportsman Club tournament more than 20 years ago I drove by First National bank at 5:30 AM on the way to Sinclair. The bank thermometer read 11 degrees. About a dozen of us showed up at Little River landing just before sunrise but the lake was so low we could not use that ramp.
Rather than giving up we all headed to Sinclair Marina where the ramp is much steeper and goes out into deeper water. The first boat was launched with no problem, but when the trailer was pulled out the water running off it froze on the ramp.
The next person backing down the ramp warned it felt slippery and when he pulled out he had to spin his tires to get up the ramp.
By the time I backed down the ramp I started sliding before my trailer tires hit the water. Luckily I slide straight, and as soon as my van tires hit the water I stopped. The ice ended at water’s edge. Then I had to “burn rubber” all the way up the ramp, melting through the thin layer of ice all the way to the top. Everyone after the first two had the same experience.
It was miserably cold but I ran the few miles to the Highway 441 Bridge where I felt I had my best chance of getting a bite. Every cast I had to dip my rod in the water to melt the ice out of the guides. The water temperature was in the upper 30s, as low as I had ever seen it.
Since I knew the bass would be very sluggish I tried casting to the pilings and reeling my crankbait very slowly by it. I had to slow down to a crawl, just barely keeping the bait moving, but I caught seven keeper bass, enough to win the tournament!
Luckily the sun on the ramp melted the ice so we had no trouble pulling out. But when I went by the bank on the way home at 5:00 PM it showed the high for the day, 17 degrees!
A February Flint River tournament at Jackson gave me a thrill but not from catching fish. When we took off I headed up the lake on plane, running about 40 MPH just before sunrise.
Suddenly there was a horrible grinding sound. I stopped the boat, just knowing I had blown a power head. But then I saw the sheet of ice running from bank to bank. It was only a half inch thick, but when the boat hit it the sound was awful. That is one of the few times my bass boat was an ice breaker!
For some reason on my Christmas trips to Clarks Hill, every year the weather seemed to get much worse after Christmas Day. On year back in the 1990s I woke to howling wind and sleet. It was not comfortable, and everywhere I tried to fish the wind made it impossible.
I finally pulled in behind an island where a rock pile was protected from the wind and caught an 8.2-pound bass on a crankbait. It was the only bite I had in the four hours I forced myself to fish.
One year I took Linda to the Augusta Airport the day after Christmas to fly to Salisbury MD to visit her folks. My dog Merlin and I went back to the lake. We were staying in my small camping trailer and the only heat was a small electric heater.
During the night Merlin jumped up in bed with me. She always slept on the floor by the bed so that was strange. But when I got up the next morning I saw why, her water bowl on the floor was frozen solid.
The little heater kept it tolerable about three feet above the floor at bed level, but the uninsulated floor was below freezing.
That got me worried. Back then I heated my house on Rebecca Circle with a wood burning insert. There was no heat in the house while I was gone. I called my neighbor and ask her to check to see if she heard water running. She called back and said she did not hear water but my well pump was running steadily.
I knew what that meant and headed home. I learned how to solder copper pipe the next day, there were 11 split pipes under the house. The well pump had pumped the well dry and that is why it was still running.
I have been ice fishing one time in my life. One January a hard freeze got my upper pond hard on top. I went out to the end of my dock, knocked a small hole in the inch thick ice with a pipe, and dropped a piece of fish food on a small hook into the water.
After a few minutes a small bluegill hit it and I landed it through the ice. That remains and probably will always remain the only ice fishing fish I have caught.
I think I will hook the boat up and head to the lake!!
“You typically see some solid weights this time of year,” the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour qualifier said. “There is a potential for 25- to 30-pound bags, and once every couple of years there is a double-digit-class bass caught. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a mega-bag, but low to mid-20s is about the average winning weight this time of year.
“Six of the Top 10 anglers could be doing something completely different from one another,” the Emmanuel University graduate added. “It is a very diverse fishery, and I think it will show out. I’m excited about it.”
Competition days are scheduled for Jan. 23-25 with daily takeoffs and weigh-ins to be held at Wildwood Park in Appling, Ga. The full field will compete the first two days of the event before the Top 10 competitors vie for the trophy on Championship Saturday. The winner, given they are signed up for all four tournaments in Division I of the Opens, will punch their ticket to the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
Those registered for all of the Division I events will also earn points based on their finishes throughout the season, with the Top 50 anglers from Division 1 as well as the Top 50 anglers from Division II of the Opens qualifying for the Elite Qualifiers Series, a three-tournament series that will determine the nine anglers moving on to the Elite Series in 2026.
Straddling the border between South Carolina and Georgia, the Savannah River impoundment has hosted plenty of Bassmaster events in the past, from the 1973 Bassmaster Classic won by Rayo Breckenridge to several Bassmaster Elite Series events in the early 2000s. Last February, B.A.S.S. returned to Clarks Hill as the College, High School and Junior Series took on the massive reservoir and brought impressive bags of largemouth and spotted bass to the scales.
Depending on how much rain the lake receives, Campbell anticipates that anglers will be able to spread out and fish their strengths.
“You will see some guys run to the very north end. The cool thing about Clarks Hill is you can win in any region of the lake. Guys will catch them deep and shallow. It is really weather-dependent. If we get a couple of good, bright, sunny days, you will see the shallow bass turn on.”
This is the first time in a long time Elite Series veteran Jason Williamson, who won the last Elite event that was held on Clarks Hill in May 2010, will be fishing a true winter tournament. December was mild across the region, but as soon as the calendar turned to the new year, Old Man Winter made his appearance.
“It’s been cold. So, the water temperatures are going to be pretty low,” he said.
He isn’t going away for this tournament, either. While this coming weekend is supposed to be relatively mild temperature-wise, forecasts call for heavy rains to accompany a cold front on Saturday and Sunday. When anglers start practice on Monday they will be greeted with 20-degree air in the morning.
It will only get colder, as another weather system is expected to move into the area with the potential to drop several inches of snow. Whether the snow forecast actually comes to fruition is yet to be seen and likely won’t be accurately determined until one or two days out, but it could throw a wrench into some competitors’ game plans before some milder weather moves in for the tournament days.
With this set of ingredients, Williamson anticipates plenty of spotted bass being caught in deeper water. Those bass will likely be chasing blueback herring, a staple baitfish in the Savannah River. Natural rock in deep water and deeper brushpiles will be key elements. Shaky heads, drop shots and minnow-style baits like a Zoom Winged Fluke will all come into play.
“The spots are going to bite. The herring are going to be out deep,” he said. “The consistency will definitely be with the spotted bass. Guys that are good with their electronics, finding bait and structure, those are the guys who are going to shine. Sun and clouds are going to make a big difference. Cloud cover hanging around early in the mornings will change the game big time.”
While largemouth may be more lethargic that time of the year, Campbell anticipates whoever wins will likely land some of the better largemouth the lake has to offer.
“(For the top half of the field) I would say it is going to be predominantly largemouth, but there will be plenty of quality spotted bass too. But guys near the top will have all largemouth or three or four largemouth and a spotted bass or two.”
Natural rock on top of deep humps will hold largemouth offshore. On the bank, meanwhile, Hurricane Helene provided plenty of new laydowns for the bass to hunker down around. Shallow crankbaits, jigs, spinnerbaits and ChatterBaits could all produce quality bites if the conditions are right.
“Conditions will be set up for power fishing,” Campbell said.
Daily takeoffs are scheduled for 7:15 a.m. and anglers will return for weigh-in beginning at 3:15 p.m. Full coverage of the tournament will be available on Bassmaster.com.
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota 2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha 2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
Birmingham, AL — B.A.S.S. has announced the schedule for the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers series, and the slate offers up three of the hottest fisheries in the country for anglers to compete for the opportunity to walk across bass fishing’s biggest stage.
For the 2025 season, the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN evolved into an eight-event season comprised of two divisions, each featuring four tournaments. Anglers placing in the Top 50 in each division’s Angler of the Year race will advance to the newly installed Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers series. This stand-alone series will feature three events, spanning from September through November, to qualify anglers for the Bassmaster Elite Series.
“This schedule is strong and will be a challenge for the group moving from the Opens to the EQs,” said Executive Director of Tournaments Hank Weldon. “It’s a diverse schedule, and I think we’re catching each of those fisheries at a really good time for anglers and fans alike. I’m looking forward to seeing how the new EQs shake out this year.”
The first EQ event is scheduled for Sept. 18-20 at Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y. Champlain checked in at No. 6 in the Northeastern Division ofBassmaster Magazine’s 2024 100 Best Bass Lakes list. Both largemouth and smallmouth bass are abundant in this lake that features everything from shallow grass to deep, rocky structure.
The third and final EQ stop on the slate will be Nov. 13-15 at Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla. Okeechobee is known for giant largemouth — just ask Bassmaster Elite Series pro Scott Martin who, in the 2024 St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN season-opener at Lake Okeechobee set an Opens record for the heaviest one-day bag with the massive 33-pound, 2-ounce limit he weighed in on Day 1 of the event. Martin went on to set another Opens’ record at the same event for heaviest winning catch with a three-day total of 90 pounds, 6 ounces.
In addition to the 100 anglers qualifying from both divisions of the Opens, all current Bassmaster Elite Series anglers will be eligible to compete in the Elite Qualifiers, as well as the second- and third-place finishers from the 2024 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance.
B.A.S.S. remains committed to the “win and you’re in” concept for the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. Anglers who fish every event in a division of the Opens will receive a berth to the Classic if they win an event. The same applies to the three-event EQ series, taking the total to 11 berths to the Classic, which is an increase of two berths from years past.
Also new for 2025, the number of anglers who will qualify for the Elite Series has been increased to 10 (nine qualified in each of the past two years). Additionally, the EQ series rules will mirror those of the Elite Series, meaning the “no-info rule” is currently in effect and soliciting information for these bodies of waters is now prohibited.
EQ entry fees will be $3,500 per event. For full details please visit Bassmaster.com.
2025 Elite Qualifiers
Sept. 18-20, Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Oct 2-4, Pickwick Lake, Counce, Tenn.
Nov. 13-15, Lake Okeechobee, Clewiston, Fla.
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: St. Croix
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Presenting Sponsor: SEVIIN
2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota 2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha 2025 Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
I was on the water just a couple times this past week as the cold and wind were just not my preferred fishing conditions. We did have some success, but it seemed like every time we located fish the wind would blow us off the location and force us to have to move to make the trip enjoyable.
We were preparing for the rattle trap season so all we fished, was the SPRO Aruka Shad rattle bait the entire time we were on the water each day. The results were great for size and average for numbers but getting ready for trap season that was a great result.
It’s time to set up your spring fishing days for bass or crappie, I believe it’s going to be a great year as the numbers of small fish caught this past fall was impressive. Leaving me assured that the lake is healthy and full of fish.
Come fish with me we have days available for the spring we wish with great sponsor products Mercury Motors, Boat Logix mounts, Vicious Fishing, Toyota Trucks, Duckett Fishing, Missile Baits, Tight-Line Jigs, Lowrance Electronics, Costa Sunglasses, Dawson Boat Center, Power Pole, Lew’s Fishing and more. Looking to entertain your customers we do corporate trips, family trips and have a group of guides available to entertain your customers, or family so you can thank your employees for the job well done or entertain a family affair. Call me today for details!
Bait Size Matters
As winter slowly moves on it is a time of year where size matters; at no time during the fishing year is the size of your bait more important than now! If your wanting to catch big quality bass, fish with big baits, like 7 inch swim baits, ¾ oz. jigs with large trailers that give the jig a bulky look; even ¾ to 1 oz. spinner baits with large willow leaf blades will produce that big bite.
The thing many fishermen do not realize is that slow lethargic large bass pick their prey and the bigger the better as their feeding is very selective and large presentations entice that big fish. I know you all have heard that saying that this time of year (winter) you’re fishing for a few bites; I believe this is true so if the bites are limited than the presentation of large bait becomes even more important. Size does matter; large bass are selective, they want slow moving baits, easy prey and that large presentation as they can lead you to that 30-pound sack we all hunt in winter fishing. Large baits do have some negatives as some days it can reduce the number of bites, but the bigger fish make it all worth it. Be color aware as wintertime fishing color does matter!
Some of the baits I like with large profiles are ¾ to 1 oz. Spinner baits with big willow leaf blades that get to the bottom easily and becomes a great large profile bait to slow roll on the bottom this time of year. I also like ¾ oz. football jigs you combine that big jig with a Missile Bait D-bomb trailer or Drop Craw, or big Missile Craw and it will produce big bites with this jig as it really entices those big females. Don’t underestimate the power of a big swim bait, some of those very expensive large swim baits when worked slowly over shallow grass can become your best friend; these baits can be very expensive, but wintertime proves their worth.
Big baits produce big fish, and you’ll have a big time on the water; you just have to get on the water to prove it; call me I’ll help you become a big bait fisherman!
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
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I always said I would rather wear out than rust out, but sometimes I overdo it. In the past three weeks I have camped at and fished club tournaments on Lanier, Oconee and Bartletts Ferry and spent a day on Seminole for a Georgia Outdoor News article. Sixteen days camping and on the lake out of the first 21 this month was almost too much!
On November 1 I went to Don Carter State Park, one of my favorite campgrounds in Georgia, and set up my slide in pickup camper. The next day I met James “Lanier Jim” Harmin and he fine-tuned my Humminbird depth finders and showed me how to use them to find deep fish. He installs Humminbird electronics and is an expert on them as well as catching Lanier spotted bass.
Friday I looked around some of my old fishing spots but did not find anything that looked good. Saturday I got up and drove to Bolling Mill ramp, it was closed to my surprise, then on the way to another ramp my brake caliper tore up a rim and two tires. It took the rest of that day getting back on the road and back to camp.
Sunday seven Flint River Bass Club members showed up to fish our tournament, but two had trolling motor problems and went home. After seven hours of casting two more went home early. I caught two keeper fish the last hour of the tournament to win with 3.86 pounds and my 2.62-pound spot was big fish. Don Gober had two at 3.05 for second. That was it!
After getting a lot of help from Oakwood Tire finding a rim and getting a tire mounted so I would have a spare on my trailer, I came back to Griffin, dropped my camper and boat off and took off to Big Jim’s Fish Camp on Seminole. I had a nice cabin there and a great fried shrimp dinner that night and Tuesday night.
Tuesday morning I met guide Chris Taylor and got the information and pictures I needed for my article. After a good nights sleep, I came home Wednesday, got up Thursday morning and wrote the article, then loaded camper and boat and headed to Oconee.
I camped Thursday through Sunday at a great Georgia Power Campground, Lawrence Shoals, and went out for a few hours on a miserable day Friday. Saturday in the tournament 18 members of the Potato Creek Bassmasters fished for eight hours to land 48 keeper bass weighing about 96 pounds. There were six five bass limits and four people didn’t have a keeper.
Mike Cox won with five weighing 12.40 pounds and Kwong Yu had five at 10.21 pounds for second. I came in a close third with five weighing 10.14 pounds, Doug Acree came in fourth with five at 9.66 pounds and Tom Tanner had big fish with a 5.36 pounder.
I rested at home Sunday through Thursday morning then went to Bartletts Ferry to stay in another Georgia Power campground, Blanton Creek, where they do not allow boats in the camping area. It was miserable cold so I fished very little Friday and Saturday.
Saturday practice messed me up, though. I didn’t go out until 11:00 and went exploring in a creek I seldom fish. In a little over an hour I caught four bass on a jig on the two bluff banks I fished in that creek. One weighed close to four pounds.
At 3:00 I went to a local tournament weigh-in and the winner had just over ten pounds with five bass. He told me he caught them off bluff banks in the creek I had caught mine.
I had a plan for the Sportsman Club tournament the next day – fish bluff banks in that creek all day rather than fish the usual places there.
In the tournament eight members landed 28 bass weighing about 36 pounds in seven hours of casting. There were three limits and no one zeroed.
Kwong Yu won with five weighing 6.87 pounds, Zane Fleck was second with five at 6.50 pounds and Raymond English came in third with four weighing 5.62 pounds. Jay Gerson was fourth with five at 5.59 pounds and Wayne Teal had a 2.33 pounder for big fish.
I fished buff banks hard for more than four hours and caught one small keeper spot. I finally went to some of my old places the last two hours and landed three keepers. My four weighed 5.12 pounds and I came in fifth!
So much for figuring out something in practice!
No more tournaments until the first weekend in December when all three clubs finish up our years tournaments. I will be “Thankful” this week for some rest. But maybe I will go to Jackson and practice a few days!
