Category Archives: Bass Fishing

Bass Fishing Information

A January Club Tournament Shows Why Bass Like Jigs

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!

Bass Club Fishing Is Important To Me

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.

Getting On the Water When Its Too Cold To Go Fishing

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!!

Winter Showdown On Tap For First Bassmaster Opens Event At Clarks Hill Reservoir

Is there a Winter Showdown On Tap For First Bassmaster Opens Event At Clarks Hill Reservoir?

  • By The Fishing Wire

Evans, GA — A true winter showdown is on tap for anglers fishing the first tournament of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN season at Clarks Hill Reservoir. Even with the cold temperatures and a daunting practice forecast, the potential for big bags is high, and 2024 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off winner Tyler Campbellbelieves any section of the lake could produce winning bass.

“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.

Visit Columbia County is hosting the event.

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 ShopsDakota 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.

B.A.S.S. Announces 2025 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Schedule

B.A.S.S. Announces 2025 Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers Schedule

  • By The Fishing Wire

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.

Next up is Pickwick Lake in Counce, Tenn., Oct. 2-4. Giant largemouth, smallmouth and spots can fill a bag on this body of water which ranked ninth in the Southeastern Division of Bassmaster Magazine’s 100 Best Bass Lakes list, and bags of more than 25 pounds are the norm.

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 ShopsDakota 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.

Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry

11 Pound Guntersville Bass

Also See:

Jeff Nail’s Lake Lanier Bass Fishing Report

Lake Hartwell Fishing Report from Captain Mack

 

Lake Lanier Fishing Report from Captain Mack

Lake Guntersville Weekly Fishing Report from Captain Mike Gerry

Lake Country Fishing – fishing reports on Lakes Sinclair and Oconee, and more. (subscription required)

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Freshwater Fishing Reports

Texas Parks and Wildlife Weekly Saltwater Reports

Fishing Report 1/18/24


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



Come fish with me I am booking for the fall and would love to take you fishing call today 256
759 2270. We fish with great sponsor products Mercury Motors, Ranger Boats, Boat Logix
Mounts, Toyota Trucks, Cornfield Fishing Gear, Costa, Duckett Fishing, Dawson Boat Center,
Vicious Fishing, Power Pole, and more

Trying To Fish So Much I Wear Out and Don’t Rust Out

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!

Beau Browning Knows Bass and Qualified For the Bassmasters Classic

  • By The Fishing Wire

Z-Man® officially welcomes Bassmaster Elite Series angler Beau Browning to the family

Ladson, SC – Freshly qualified for the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series, twenty-three year old Beau Browning recently paused to reflect on his earliest fishing memories. At seven years old, little Beau was already fishing Arkansas high school bass tourneys—and winning. 

“It’s kind of funny now to remember this old cable-drive trolling motor we had,” recalls the newly minted Z-Man pro. “At the time, I was pretty little and didn’t even weigh enough to steer it with my foot. So, I’d actually hop up there and stand on the pedal with both feet or even kind of stomp on the thing just to get it to move. Somehow, I made it work.”

Indeed, he did. For even as a first-grader, the young Browning was regularly out-fishing kids more than twice his age, “winning most of them.”

Beau’s boat captain (and father), the great Stephen Browning was adamant from day-one that he’d pilot the big motor, but otherwise, let his son figure things out on his own. “He never wanted me to run the trolling motor,” notes Beau’s father, who plans to fish select Bassmaster Opens against his son in 2025. “Never wanted me to be the reason he succeeded or failed out there.”

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Stephen and Tammy Browning celebrate their son’s Elite Series berth at Lake Martin.

Even from the beginning, the elder Browning never even needed to nudge son into fishing. “For Beau, like a lot of us, something about catching bass just clicked,” notes the legendary Z-Man confidant. “Back when we lived on Lake Catherine (near Hot Springs, Arkansas), I’d often wade out onto the shallow flat behind our house and test different baits. We have a picture of little Beau standing in the water, holding a stick, pretending he was fishing with me. Couple years later when he was 5 or 6, he’d hop into a little boat with our Boykin Spaniel and go explore the lake.

“Beau tells people I wanted him to be a golfer,” Stephen Browning continues. “But back then, they didn’t yet offer college scholarships for bass fishing. So I never pressured him into tournament fishing because I thought he was a good enough golfer to get a scholarship.” A year later, following his dreams, Beau finally earned that fishing scholarship with University of Montevallo. (On the college circuits, Beau often finished in the Top 10, winning at Lake Dardanelle in 2021 and Norfork Lake in 2022.)

This past May, while somehow managing to fish a full slate of tournaments, Beau Browning graduated with a major in communications and minor in digital marketing—savvy choices for an angling professional today.

Z-Man Pro-Staff and Promotions Manager Joey Prochazka still remembers young Beau at all the big fishing events, papa Stephen’s smiling shadow and ever-curious companion. “Pretty early on, we knew we’d eventually be welcoming Beau to the big leagues,” says Prochazka. “Through our friendship with Stephen, Beau’s been a part of the Z-Man family for a long time. We’re super happy today to welcome him to our official pro team, even though he’s been an honorary member for around fifteen years.”

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Beyond his undeniable angling skills, Prochazka emphasizes Browning’s natural ability to connect with people: “Everyone who meets Beau comes away impressed. At just 23, he’s got the bass dialed in, of course. But it’s his positive energy and laidback, approachable personality that continues to make him a fan favorite. Beau’s a good soul who takes the time to treat everyone like a friend.

“Let’s just say we’re happy Beau took up fishing, rather than golf,” Prochazka laughs.

It’s a sentiment not necessarily shared by the bass or his fellow competitors. In just his first full year on the Bassmaster Opens Elite Qualifiers (EQs), Browning qualified for the prestigious Elite Series. Helping secure his spot, Browning earned four top 20 Opens finishes, including 13th at Leech Lake, Minnesota and 9th at Okeechobee—both with Z-Man baits.

“I made the Elites thanks largely to two Z-Man baits. One was a Mag FattyZ™, customized with strands of silicone for a larger fuzzy dice profile. That thing worked everywhere,” noted Browning. 

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Browning says the new Tungsten ChatterBait Elite EVO has become his go-to bladed jig.

“The other one’s the lure everyone’s talking about these days, the Tungsten ChatterBait® Elite EVO™. I get asked about this all the time, and while the JackHammer™ and EVO both have their days, I now throw the Tungsten EVO ninety percent of the time. My dad’s the same way.

“For me, it comes down to how well I’m able to stay in tune with the bait, when the blade hits the head. The vibration’s so powerful and sharp that it tells you everything, like when you hit a blade a grass, or when a bass comes up and just nudges the lure. The tungsten is the ultimate transmitter of underwater sound, and it goes both ways— attracts big bass and transmits messages straight to your rodtip. It’s also the perfect ChatterBait for a newbie because you feel everything.”

Watching his son ChatterBait his way to success brings a smile to the elder Browning’s face. “I’ve always been a shallow water power fisherman who likes to catch the easy ones. But even though we both love the ChatterBait, Beau’s really on the other side of the spectrum: He excels at catching finicky fish, often with a spinning rod. I think there was only one day he didn’t weigh a limit during all the (BASS) Opens. That shows me he truly understands the game. And we’re so excited to go along for the ride and watch Beau grow in the sport he loves.” 

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In Bass Fishing, What A Difference A Day Can Make

Last weekend produced two very different results at Jackson Lake for me.  Although the weather was very similar, cloudy and cool with little wind both days, a lucky guess made a big difference for me on Sunday.

    On Saturday 20 members of the Potato Creek Bassmasters fished our final 2022 tournament at Jackson. After fishing from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM we landed 42 12-inch keeper bass weighing about 58 pounds.  Three people had five fish limits and six did not weigh in a bass.

Mike Cox made it two wins in row with five weighing 8.76 pounds and his 3.02 pounder was big fish. Buddy Laster had five at 6.88 pounds for second, Lee Hancock placed third with five weighing 6.49 pound and Kenny Delay came in fourth with five at 6.27 pounds.

On Sunday 13 members of the Flint River Bass Club and the Spalding County Sportsman Club fished our last tournament of the year at Jackson in a two-club tournament. We fished from 7:30 to 3:30 PM and landed 34 keeper bass weighing about 40 pounds.  There were two limits and two zeros.

My five weighing 8.97 pounds won and I had a 2.84 pound largemouth for big fish. Raymond English had a limit weighing 5.66 pounds for second, Jay Gerson was third with five at 4.08 pounds and Zane Fleck came in fourth with three at 3.64 pounds.

Last Friday I went to Jackson after lunch to look around a little. I wanted to see how much the heavy rain on Wednesday had affected the lake.

I was surprised to find clear water in coves at the dam but the river was stained, and got very muddy going up past the mouth of Tussahaw Creek.  Tussahaw Creek was clear as it usually is and the Alcovy River upstream of the mouth of the South River was clear at least up to Rock Creek.

I found fish with my electronics in a couple of places in Tussahaw Creek and the Alcovy. One group was on a sandbar point with a creek channel running by it and another on a creek mouth point. Another school was on bluff river wall where the rocks dropped almost straight off into 30 feet of water.

Saturday my partner, Robert Howell, and I started on a shallow seawall and he quickly caught a keeper on a shaky head worm.  A few minutes later a keeper spot hit my wacky rigged Senko on rocks about a foot deep.

I moved out to the creek mouth point and could see suspended fish that I though might be bass about ten feet deep over 30 feet of water, with more on the bottom under them. I cast a Carolina rig and as it sank it took off. A keeper spot hit the worm on the way down.

At 9:00 we ran to the dam and I caught another keeper on the wacky rigged worm on shallow rocks. That made three on that pattern so we though we had something going. As I fished to another shallow seawall, a keeper hit my DT 6 crankbait right at the boat.  I had four in the boat before 10:00 so I felt pretty good.

After fishing a couple more shallow seawalls near the dam we ran up to the bluff wall and fish were everywhere on my electronics. I missed one bite on a shaky head but it was the only bite I got. 

We fished hard the rest of the day but never caught another fish. My four weighing 4.36 gave me 8th place in the tournament.

Sunday I ran straight to the bluff bank since there were so many fish there.  I quickly caught a keeper on the crankbait but could not get another bite.

I decided to try for shallow fish and caught the big largemouth at 9:00 on a jig back in a small creek. For the next two hours I tried that pattern but never got another bite. At 11:00 as I fish a main lake point coming out of a small creek I caught my third keeper, on a shaky head.

I tried several things for the next four hours with out catching anything else.  At 3:00 I decided to hit one more rocky point near the weigh-in site.  I caught my fourth keeper at 3:10 and my fifth one at 3:15 on a shaky head.

With five minutes left to fish I got my shaky head hung and broke it off. Rather that re-tie I picked up a Carolina rig and caught a two-pound keeper that culled my smallest fish!

That last fish would have helped me a lot more on Saturday than it did on Sunday, but that’s fishing.

What Is the Most Important Improvement In Bass Fishing?

Unlike my picture taken in 1994 that accompanies my Griffin Daily News article, I have aged a lot in the past 30 years.  I have also seen many changes in fishing, especially bass fishing, during my life.  Some I like, some others like but I don’t appreciate.  To each his own, I guess.

    I think the most important change in bass fishing is the development of the electric trolling motor.  I will never forget the fun I had sculling an old wooden jon boat for my uncles.  Back then one person sat up front and fished while the other in the back used a paddle to move and position the boat for casting.

    That back seat job often went to us kids. We learned a lot watching and listening, but it was frustrating, too.  Sometimes we got to make a few casts, with the adult taking over the paddling, but usually it was expected our turn fishing would come when we were adults.  We were not spoiled like kids nowadays.

    Sometimes we tried fishing by ourselves and sculling from the front. It worked pretty well, but it meant positioning the boat, putting the paddle down, picking up your rod and reel and trying to get a cast in before the wind or waves moved the boat out of position.

    Now with the touch of a button and rock of the foot you keep the boat in position perfectly, freeing your hands to cast at all times. Newer trolling motors even allow you to push a button and the trolling motor will hold you in one place, allowing you to move around the boat to fish or sit and tie on a new lure without worrying about where the boat will go.

    My first ‘depthfinder” was a heavy cord with a used spark plug on the end. Knots were tied every foot, and every yard a double knot marked it.  I even used freezer tape to put a numbered tag every yard to keep up with how much string was out.

    My newest “depthfinder,” a Garmin Panoptix Livescope, shows everything in front of the boat out to 100 feet in detail, even showing fish as they move in the water.  With a little practice I have learned to identify the kind of fish I am seeing and make a pretty good guess if they will bite. Most of the time.

    The Panoptix cost a bit more than a ball of cord and spark plug weight.  A paddle is a little cheaper than a spot-lock 36 volt trolling motor.

    Fishing line is another huge improvement.  I will never forget Edgar Reeves, Mr. John Harry’s son who was 15 years older than me, taking me with him to Clarks Hill in May. I mostly skulled his boat while he cast a Devil’s Horse topwater plug to flooded button bushes and sweet gum trees.

    He told me I could cast some but when I picked up my Mitchell 300 spinning reel loaded with monofilament line, he said it would not work with topwater. The new-fangled line was not any good compared to his braided line.

    He was right in a way.  Monofilament has improved a lot over the past 60 years since my trip with Edgar. It is much thinner, stronger and limper than the old stuff.  But I use much more fluorocarbon line when fishing since it is not visible underwater and does not stretch as much.

    Unlike monofilament, fluorocarbon sinks so it is not suitable for topwater baits.  But I seldom use mono for topwater, new kinds of braid, very similar to what Edgar used, are now the best line for topwater most of the time.  What goes around comes around!

    Spinning reels were introduced to eliminate the problems with bait casters. The first bait caster I tried to use had no free spool, the handle revolved backwards when you cast. It was called a “knucklebuster” for a very good reason.

And there was no level wind, you had to move the line with your reel holding hand thumb across the reel spool as you reeled in to keep it even.  And there was no drag system.

Spinning reels had problems of their own, from loops forming when you cast that made a mess on the next cast to line slipping under the spool and jamming.  But they were much easier to use.

Then spincast reels, also called closed face reels, were developed to make casting even easier but the first ones jammed way too often, and dirt and debris collected inside the closed face.  New ones are much better.

I fell in love with bass tournament fishing the first time Jim Berry took me to a Sportsman Club tournament in 1974.  I still fish three club tournaments each month.  But the intensity of many young fishermen, “grinding” it out and not having fun but turning it into work while fishing, worries me.  There are hundreds of other great developments in fishing. I hope I am around to witness a few more!