B.A.S.S., FOX Announce Expanded 2025 Television Schedule for More Viewing Time

B.A.S.S., FOX Announce Expanded 2025 Television Schedule

  • By The Fishing Wire

Birmingham, AL — B.A.S.S. and FOX have announced details of an expanded television schedule for the 2025 Elite Series and 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. The schedule includes coverage of all nine Elite Series events on FS1, with the last days of competition at Lake Fork and Lake Tenkiller being aired on the flagship FOX broadcast channel. FOX will also air the last two days of competition of the 2025 Bassmaster Classic at Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas.

“We are beginning our fifth year with FOX/FS1 and are proud of the relationship we have established with them and their dedication to bringing the best live tournament action from the biggest stages in professional bass fishing,” said B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer Phillip Johnson. “We look forward to providing even more tournament coverage from the worldwide authority on bass fishing that will reach an even broader audience in 2025.”

The new expanded schedule is the result of a 2024 season of record viewership and increased interest in Bassmaster LIVE programming and includes a massive 300% increase in hours of coverage on the flagship FOX broadcast channel, setting the stage for a monumental surge in viewership for 2025.

B.A.S.S. expects the new agreement to deliver more than 20 million viewers in 2025, which would be the biggest television audience in the history of the sport. Bass club fishermen may learn by watching.

Bassmaster on FOX 2025

Air DateStart TimeTournamentLocationNetwork
Sat 2/22/258:00AMElite Series #1: St. Johns RiverPalatka, Fla.FS1
Sun 2/23/258:00AMElite Series #1: St. Johns RiverPalatka, Fla.FS1
Sat 3/1/258:00AMElite Series #2: Lake Okeechobee Okeechobee, Fla.FS1
Sun 3/2/258:00AMElite Series #2: Lake Okeechobee Okeechobee, Fla.FS1
Sat 3/22/2512:00PMBassmaster Classic: Lake Ray RobertsFort Worth, TexasFOX
Sun 3/23/2512:00PMBassmaster Classic: Lake Ray RobertsFort Worth, TexasFOX
Sat 4/12/258:00AMElite Series #3: Pasquotank River/Albemarle SoundElizabeth City, N.C.FS1
Sun 4/13/258:00AMElite Series #3: Pasquotank River/Albemarle SoundElizabeth City, N.C.FS1
Sat 4/26/258:00AMElite Series #4: Lake HartwellAnderson, S.C.FS1
Sun 4/27/258:00AMElite Series #4: Lake HartwellAnderson, S.C.FS1
Sat 5/10/258:00AMElite Series #5: Lake ForkYantis, TexasFS1
Sun 5/11/258:00AMElite Series #5: Lake ForkYantis, TexasFS1
Sun 5/11/2512:00PMElite Series #5: Lake ForkYantis, TexasFOX
Sat 5/17/258:00AMElite Series #6: Sabine RiverOrange, TexasFS1
Sun 5/18/258:00AMElite Series #6: Sabine RiverOrange, TexasFS1
Sat 6/14/258:00AMElite Series #7: Lake TenkillerCookson, Okla.FS1
Sun 6/15/258:00AMElite Series #7: Lake TenkillerCookson, Okla.FS1
Sun 6/15/2512:00PMElite Series #7: Lake TenkillerCookson, Okla.FOX
Sat 8/9/258:00AMElite Series #8: Lake St. ClairMacomb County, Mich.FS1
Sun 8/10/258:00AMElite Series #8: Lake St. ClairMacomb County, Mich.FS1
Sat 08/23/258:00AMElite Series #9: Mississippi RiverLa Crosse, Wis.FS1
Sun 08/24/258:00AMElite Series #9: Mississippi RiverLa Crosse, Wis.FS1

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.

Growing Up Wild In Georgia

    My youth was a perfect mixture of strict discipline and growing up wild in Georgia.  It prepared me for having a balanced life where I worked hard and did the best I could at my job, but my free time was mine.  I could concentrate fully on my job during the workday but forget it and do what I wanted the rest of the time. It has served me well in retirement, too.

    From about six years old I had responsibilities on the farm that went along with my age. I helped gather eggs from our 11,000 laying hens, cleaned out watering troughs that ran the length of the chicken houses by running a broom down them from one end to the other, and putting graded eggs in cartons.

    Those jobs increased in complexity and effort as I got older.  But not all were hard work.  I loved taking my semiautomatic rifle with the high-capacity magazine that I got for Christmas when I was eight years old that was loaded with .22 rat shot to the chicken houses each morning.  Four of the houses had big open feed bins and during the night wharf rats would get trapped in them.  I would climb up to the top, shoot any rats inside, then grab them by the tail and take them to the dead chicken dump hole.

    That same .22 rifle or my trusty .410 single shot shotgun accompanied me on my morning and afternoon pre and post school and weekend trips to the woods during the fall and winter.  Most anything was fair game, squirrels and rabbits during season and birds the rest of the time.

    It was not unusual for me to leave the house on Saturday morning at daylight and return home at dark, exhausted, dirty, hungry and happy.  I took some snacks like potted meat, Vienna sausage or sardines with some Saltines or Ritz crackers but that was never enough, although I supplemented it with roasted birds and a pocket full of pecans when they were falling.

    Spring and summer were fishing times.  Rather than my .22, I would carry my Zebco 33 rod and reel or later my Mitchell 300 outfit and small tackle box with me and walk or ride my bicycle to local farm ponds and fish all day.  Or I would go down to Dearing branch with some fishing line and a small fly in my pocket. 

I made the flies with chicken feathers and some of mama’s sewing thread, and they looked awful.  I would dangle them from the end of my rod, a stick that I had cut in the woods.  And the tiny bream and horny heads in the branch thought they were food often enough to make fishing for them productive.

Summer also brought the wondrous time of having many full days to spend wild.  My friends and I would camp out, starting near the house in the back yard at eight years old them moving deeper into the woods each summer.  Cooking food over a campfire was always an experience, and it never was cooked right, but there was never a crumb left!

We built tree houses, forts, “cabins” in the woods that kept out neither rain nor wind, and traps for non-existent animals.  We dammed Dearing Branch, sometime making a pool deep enough to come up waist high on a 13-year-old skinny dipper.

We chased toad frogs and fireflies at night until bedtime.  The adults often sat around on the porch after dinner and we kids, not tired enough from a full day of activities, would run around in the dark, chasing toads, fireflies and each other.

I hate that those days seem to be gone. I can not imagine someone 100 years from now sitting at a computer writing about a video game they played as a kid!

From Hook To Release: How Gear Can Make A Difference For Fish Survival

  • If you want to do catch and release, remember From Hook To Release: How Gear Can Make A Difference For Fish Survival
  • from The Fishing Wire

By Greyson Webb

Your odds of success on the water can hinge on the gear you use, and the same principle applies when it comes to releasing fish. From not meeting size requirements to being caught out of season, there are many reasons why you might land a fish that you’ll need to release. 

While released fish can go on to survive and be caught again, there are a variety of stressors a fish can experience throughout their landing and handling that can result in injury or death. Simply letting a fish go does not guarantee its survival, and the use of proper gear is a best fishing practice that can be adopted to help minimize stressors and improve a fish’s chance of recovery and survival. 

What makes certain tools more effective in minimizing stress and injury than others? This article explores how the tools used throughout the catch and release process can boost the survival rates of released fish to keep populations healthy for the environment and anglers alike. 

Non-Offset, Non-Stainless Steel Circle Hooks 

It all starts with the hook—the first point of contact between angler and fish. The right hook will minimize hooking injury, reduce stress, and improve the ease of hook removal—all factors that influence a fish’s chance of survival. This is where the circle hook can make a difference. Circle hooks are designed to catch a fish in the jaw, which is the safest area if release is needed. Less likely to be swallowed or snag vulnerable areas like the gills or eyes, circle hooks decrease the odds of a potentially fatal hooking. 

Not all circle hooks are the same, though. Non-offset circle hooks and non-stainless steel circle hooks go the extra mile in improving a fish’s chance of survival after release. Non-offset hooks are easier to remove than offset hooks, meaning less time out of the water for the fish, less bleeding caused by removal and less stress overall. In the case a hook cannot be removed, a non-stainless steel circle hook provides the benefit of degrading and shedding up to three times faster than a hook made of stainless steel or other non-corrodible metals. 

Pro tip: If you’re wondering whether a hook is stainless or non-stainless steel, “Tournament Approved” labeling usually indicates non-stainless steel. For a quick test, you can also use a magnet to check the material. Simply place a magnet on a hook: if it sticks, the hook is stainless steel; if it doesn’t, you’ve got yourself a non-stainless steel circle hook. 

Knotless, Rubberized Landing Nets 

While not necessary for landing every fish, landing nets are a functional tool that help shorten fight time, reduce stress on the line and rod, and prevent potential poking or piercing by hooks, teeth, or spines as you land your fish. However, landing nets with coarse mesh can inadvertently damage a fish’s delicate fins, scales, or protective slime layer—increasing their vulnerability to infections or injuries. Made from a smoother and friction-reducing material, knotless, rubberized landing nets help in preventing these potential traumas. With the protective slime layer preserved and more scales and fins intact, a fish landed with a knotless, rubberized net is a fish that has a better chance of survival after release. 

If you prefer to use your hands to land a fish, using wet hands or rubber gloves provides similar relief to that of a knotless, rubberized landing net. 

Dehooking Tools 

The clock starts ticking the moment a fish is brought out of the water—its chances of survival dropping the longer it stays out of its natural environment. This is when a dehooking tool can help fish and anglers alike. Designed to rapidly remove hooks while causing minimal injury to the fish, time is not wasted struggling with a tough hook and the risk of injury during hook removal—for both the fish and the angler—is greatly reduced. It’s a win-win. 

That said, there are situations where it is better to leave the hook in place. If a fish is deeply hooked in the gut or throat, attempting to remove the hook can often do more harm than good. In these cases, it is best to simply cut the leader close to the hook and leave it in the fish—particularly if it is a non-stainless steel hook, which has a greater chance of being shed. Research indicates this is less damaging and gives the fish the best chance for survival. 

Descending Devices 

If you land a fish and notice it has bulging eyes, bubbling scales, difficulty swimming below the surface, or organs protruding from the mouth or anus, it is likely suffering from barotrauma. Similar to the bends experienced by divers, barotrauma is an injury that can occur when a fish is brought from the high-pressure environment of deep waters to the low-pressure environment of the surface. This change in pressure can cause the gases in a fish’s swim bladder to expand, damaging organs and making it difficult for the fish to return to its original depth. Barotrauma is particularly common in deep-dwelling species, such as some snappers and groupers. Untreated, a fish experiencing barotrauma becomes vulnerable to predators, the elements, and the injuries of barotrauma itself. Fortunately, the right tool can help reverse this condition. 

Descending devices are tools that use added weights to lower fish back to their depth of capture. As the fish is pulled down the water column by a descending device, the swim bladder recompresses, and the fish is given a better chance at survival. Descending devices all work to return a fish to their original depth, but they come in different forms: inverted hooks, weighted crates, and lip clamps. 

An inverted hook is a barbless hook with an added weight that is inserted either through the original hook hole or through the soft tissue on the fish’s lower jaw. Rigged to a rod and reel, the inverted hook guides the fish back to its proper depth. Once there, a gentle tug on the rod will release the fish if it hasn’t already slid free. 

Similar to an inverted hook, the lip clamp is a descending device that uses an attached weight to pull a fish back to depth by attaching to a fish’s lower jaw. However, instead of piercing the jaw, the clamp securely grips it. A lip clamp can be pressure triggered or spring triggered for release. A pressure triggered lip clamp includes a pressure-sensor mechanism designed to automatically release fish once the desired depth is reached. A spring triggered lip clamp requires you to manually open the lip clamp by pulling up on the rod once the fish reaches the desired depth. 

A weighted crate, often referred to as a fish elevator, is a crate with an open top—such as a milk crate—that has a rope attached to the closed bottom along with weights. To use one, place the fish in the crate, quickly flip it upside down into the water, and let the attached weights sink the contraption. Acting as a bottomless cage, the weighted crate will bring fish back to depth, where they recompress and can swim away on their own. 

A good rule of thumb when using any descending device is to use one pound of added weight for every five pounds of fish. 

Given their benefits, many of these tools—such as descending devices, dehooking tools, and non-offset, non-stainless steel hooks—are required to be readily available or in use when fishing for or possessing snapper grouper species in federal waters off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Eastern Florida. Interested in learning more about the practices and requirements that give snapper grouper species a better chance at survival after release in the South Atlantic? Check out the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Best Fishing Practices campaign for more information and ways to get involved. 

Why I Fish

A Yamaha Outboards ad on the Elite Series online  coverage over the weekend got me thinking about why I fish.  Then an article in Wired2fish online magazine added to my thoughts. 

The Yamaha ad has a bunch of professional fishermen saying something along the lines of “if you want to relax don’t fish with me.”  And the article gave reasons why so many tournament anglers “burn out” after a short time.

I have been tournament fishing since my first one with the Spalding County Sportsman Club in April 1974 – more than 48 years.  For most of them I fished at least two tournaments a month, and for the past six I have fished at least three club tournaments a month.

Until a few years ago I fished many more days for fun and relaxation than I did tournaments.  A few years ago I fished 443 days in a row without missing one, fulfilling a childhood dream of fishing every day for a  year.

Many hours were spent sitting on my pond dock catching bluegill and bullheads.  I would sit on the docks at Raysville Boat Club catching small bluegill for bait to run on jugs and trotlines that night. And I spent hours dabbling jigs around button bushes for crappie.

    Maybe that is why I never burned out, all fishing was fun. Although I took trying to win every tournament very seriously, I did not “have” to win to pay my next entry fee or tournament expenses. Tournament fishing was fun even if not really relaxing.

    For the past few years I pretty much go fishing only to practice for a tournament or fish one.  And most of my practice is riding around watching my electronics, trying to find school of fish and hidden structure and cover. 

    I can still make a lot of casts and work hard to catch a fish in tournaments.  Sometimes it gets frustrating that my old body won’t let me fish as hard as I want to.  But I try not to think of it as a “grind” as many tournament anglers, especially young ones, complain about nowadays.

    I will keep fishing as long as my body will let me. But I will never let it become a “grind” trying to catch a fish. If it is not fun it is not worth the effort.

Threatened Coho Salmon Return To Upper Klamath River Basin

Coho hatchery

Fisheries
Threatened Coho Salmon Return To Upper Klamath River Basin For First Time In More Than 60 Years
November 24, 2024
By The Fishing Wire
CDFW releases 270,000 fall-run Chinook salmon into Fall Creek, the first yearling hatchery salmon release following historic dam removal

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has seen the first returns of threatened coho salmon to the upper Klamath River Basin in more than 60 years following historic dam removal completed last month. Not since the construction of the former Iron Gate Dam in the early 1960s has CDFW documented coho salmon occupying their historic habitat in the upper watershed.

On Nov. 13, seven coho salmon entered CDFW’s new Fall Creek Fish Hatchery in Siskiyou County, which is located on Fall Creek, a formerly inaccessible Klamath River tributary about 7.5 miles upstream of the former Iron Gate Dam location.

“To see coho successfully returning this quickly to this new habitat post-dam removal is exciting,” said Eric Jones, a Senior Environmental Scientist who oversees CDFW’s north state hatchery operations. “We’ve already seen the Chinook make it back and now we’re seeing the coho make it back.”

Of the seven coho salmon that entered the Fall Creek Fish Hatchery last week, four were male and three were female. Two had missing adipose fins, identifying them as being of hatchery origin. The other five were natural origin fish as all hatchery raised coho salmon in the Klamath Basin have their adipose fins removed for identification prior to release.

The returning coho are being kept at the Fall Creek Hatchery pending genetic testing at the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center laboratory in Santa Cruz. Geneticists will determine which of the seven coho are the least related genetically and direct the spawning of those pairs to maximize genetic diversity.

Coho salmon in the Klamath Basin are listed as a threatened species under both state and federal endangered species acts. Coho salmon typically return to freshwater to spawn in the late fall and winter, later than the more numerous fall-run Chinook salmon.

CDFW’s Fall Creek Fish Hatchery has an annual production goal of raising 75,000 coho salmon to help restore populations in the upper Klamath River Basin post dam-removal.

Also pertaining to CDFW’s salmon work in the Klamath Basin:

** CDFW last week released approximately 270,000 yearling, fall-run Chinook salmon into Fall Creek, the last Klamath Basin hatchery release of the year and the first release following dam removal. The year-old juvenile salmon, approximately 4 to 6 inches in length, were released over four days, mostly at dusk to improve survival, and allowed to swim freely out of the hatchery into Fall Creek without handling.

“We’re releasing various life histories so that gives the fish a chance to out-migrate at different times of the year mimicking what we would see in the river naturally,” said Crystal Robinson, Senior Environmental Scientist and CDFW’s Klamath Watershed Program Supervisor.

Hatchery salmon released as yearlings in the fall show some of the highest rates of return as adults, which is attributed to their larger size at release and optimal fall river conditions with cool temperatures and strong flows.

** CDFW’s Fall Creek Fish Hatchery, a $35 million, state-of-the-art facility in its first year of operation, began spawning returning fall-run Chinook salmon in late October. To date, the hatchery has spawned 100 fish and collected 277,393 eggs. The hatchery has an ambitious annual production goal of 3.25 million fall-run Chinook salmon.

** Multiple state and federal agencies, Tribes and non-governmental organizations are monitoring salmon throughout the Klamath Basin, including the 420 miles of newly accessible habitat following dam removal. CDFW is particularly focused on newly accessible tributaries within the former reservoir footprints, including Jenny and Shovel creeks. To date, a video fish counting weir installed on Jenny Creek has recorded 310 adult Chinook salmon and one Pacific lamprey entering the tributary from the Klamath River. CDFW field crews are surveying regularly for salmon nests, or redds, and post-spawned adults.

The salmon work taking place in the Klamath Basin reflects all six priorities of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Futurereleased in January 2024. Those priorities are removing barriers and modernizing infrastructure for salmon migration; restoring and expanding habitat for spawning and rearing; protecting water flows and water quality at the right times to benefit salmon; modernizing salmon hatcheries; transforming technology and management systems for climate adaptability; and strengthening partnerships.

CDFW’s post-dam removal management strategy, as detailed in the recently released Klamath River Anadromous Fishery Reintroduction and Monitoring Plan, is to mostly allow these ocean-going fish species to naturally repopulate the 420 miles of newly accessible habitat as they are now doing.

Too Hot To Fish At Clarks Hill In August

    August is not a great month for bass fishing, but if you know what you are doing you can catch them. It is hot and uncomfortable for the fishermen and the bass are on very specific patterns.  If you don’t fish a lake a lot and keep up with the fish, it is hard to do well.

The Flint River Bass Club has scheduled a two-day tournament at Clarks Hill each August for the past seven or eight years, and we just don’t learn from our mistakes.  For a couple of years we caught some nice bass fishing a top water frog over the hydrilla that was widespread on the lake.

A few years ago the Corps of Engineers started a program to eradicate the hydrilla.  Coots were eating it and bald eagles ate the coots. The problem was the hydrilla had some kind of bacteria in it that was concentrated by the coots. Eagles eating them died from it. Over a ten-year period, 78 eagles were found on the lake that died from the bacteria.

After two years of spraying and putting 80,000 grass carp in the lake, the hydrilla is pretty much gone.  I am not sure what will happen to the carp, they probably will starve since their food source is gone. It is not unusual to see a 30-inch-long grass carp cruising the shallows looking for something to eat.

Without the hydrilla to keep bass shallow in the hot water, they hold in deep water and eat blueback herring. Folks over there put out cane piles, bundles of cane that stands up off the bottom.  If you can find a cane pile you often can catch bass by working a topwater plug over it.

Last year only two of us showed up for the Flint River tournament, this year three.  And two years ago nobody showed up. Last year Chuck and I fished until noon on Saturday, agreeing to go home rather than fish the second day.

This year three of us fished from 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM Saturday then agreed we had enough of the hot sun and did not fish on Sunday.  John Smith had three keepers weighing 3.39 pounds and won. My two weighing 3.02 pounds was second and my 1.76 pound largemouth was big fish. That was it!

The same time we fished there was a local Saturday Morning Open Tournament (SMOT). It produced a winning weight of five bass weighing about 13.5 pounds and second place was five at 13.2 pounds.

D.J. Hadden won the SMOT.  I did an article with him there a few years ago and another one with his son a year later.  Both showed me how they pull up on a hump or point with a brush pile on it, line up their cast and work a topwater walking bait over it.  You must know where the brush piles are and which ones are holding bass to fish effectively.  I am sure that is how the tournament was won.

I went over to my place at Raysville Boat Club Wednesday and got on the water for a few hours Thursday. The heat ran me back to my air conditioning after about four hours of looking around. 

I thought there might be some bass hanging around the bream beds in shallow water and caught one small bass. I saw plenty of bream, just no bass.  I also found a lot of fish holding on drops and old brush piles in 18 to 20 feet of water but could not get them to hit.

Friday was even hotter and I spent only three hours marking some deep brush to fish before heading in.

Saturday morning I headed to a nearby bridge and fished a topwater plug around it, catching both my keepers and a throwback before 8:00.  After that I never landed another bass no matter what I tried so I was not unhappy when we decided to not fish the second day

I spent Sunday napping at Clarks Hill with the air conditioner running!   

Fishing Is Inconsistent At Lake Guntersville

    Lake Guntersville is special. On the Tennessee River in north Alabama, it is a grass filled bass factory. The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society ranks it in the top ten bass lakes in the nation most years.

    When big tournaments are held there it is common for five bass limits weighing more than 20 pounds to come to the scales, and catches of five weighing 30 pounds are weighed in most years.

    But there are two sides to this story. Bass clubs in Alabama send in tournament results and the state compiles it in their BAIT report. That report shows Guntersville has a lower percent of anglers catching a keeper bass in tournaments than all but three other Alabama lakes.

    Fishing can be great there but the whole lake looks “fishy.”  When you stop on a point or in a cove and see hydrilla, water willow and eel grass everywhere it is hard to decide where to cast. It looks like a bass could be anywhere, or everywhere.

    The Sportsman Club fished there last weekend and our results are more like the BAIT results than the results of pro tournaments or tournaments fished by local fishermen that know the lake well.

    After fishing from 6:30 AM to 2:30 PM Saturday and 6:30 AM to 1:30 PM Sunday in very hot weather, we brought 21 keeper bass weighing about 45 pounds to the scales.  Nobody weighed in a five fish limit and three of the nine fishermen didn’t have a keeper.

    Guntersville has largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. The length limit on smallmouth and largemouth is 15 inches and in our tournament a spot had to be 12 inches long.  About 14 of our bass were largemouth, six were spots and one a smallmouth.

    Raymond English had bad/good luck and won and had big fish. His boat motor would not go into gear so he had to fish around the ramp both days, but caught six keepers, four largemouth and two spots, weighing 15.14 pounds for first and his 5.40 pound largemouth was big fish.

    My six, three largemouth, two spots and one mean mouth, weighing 8.80 pounds was second, Zane Fleck had three largemouth weighing 7.97  pounds for third and Billy Roberts had three largemouth weighing 6.13 pounds for fourth.

    I went up on Wednesday and camped at Guntersville State Park, a beautiful facility with good shower houses.  As usual I was shocked at the number of huge motor homes and fifth wheel trailers that came into the campground, were set up and the folks went inside. 

I seldom saw anyone else outside except midmorning when some came out to cook breakfast and then came back out late in the afternoon to cook dinner.  I guess it was just too hot to leave the air conditioning in their home away from home, but I don’t understand driving to campground on a beautiful lake and staying inside almost the whole time.

I spent Thursday and Friday riding around looking for deep fish on ledges on my electronics. Guntersville is famous for its deep ledges as well as its grass beds. I found many schools of fish but could not get them to bite. One local guide told me they were inactive and would not feed unless current was moving from power generation, and there was no current the whole time I was there.

Saturday morning I started on a grassbed a guide had suggested, and caught two short bass and one barely 15 inch long keeper.  At about noon I was fishing down a bluff bank, mainly keeping my boat in the shade, and caught a keeper spot. Then a little later on another bluff bank a good keeper largemouth it my small jig in a treetop. Those three put me in third the first day.

Sunday the grassbed produced only one short fish so I headed to my shady bank early.  I caught an unusual looking fish, it looked olive green, not green like a largemouth and not brown like a smallmouth.  I looked it up and it was a cross between a spot and a smallmouth, called a “meanmouth.”  It had a patch of “teeth” on its tongue like a spot and, according to what I found on the internet on my phone and a text to a local guide, it was considered a spot for size limits so I could weigh it in.

I stayed on that shady bank the rest of the day and lost a keeper spot and caught two short spots. Then, with ten minutes left to fish, I caught a keeper spot.  At 1:17 I thought to myself I could make two more cast before running in. That cast produced a hit on my small jig and I landed a barely keeper largemouth, giving me second place. 

I didn’t have time left to make my last cast!

Late Fall Walleyes

Late Fall Walleyes – Quick Q&A with seasoned walleye professional and Whitewater Fishing pro staffer Jason Przekurat

  • By The Fishing Wire

Muskegon, MI – Walleyes are still on the brain. Sure, the ponds and potholes are filling with ducks and bucks are getting frisky, but it’s tough mothballing the rods when the biggest walleyes of the year are on the move. 

With that in mind, to scratch that itch, we reached out to Whitewater Fishing pro staffer Jason Przekurat for some quick pointers on late fall walleyes. The two time National Walleye Tour Champion and two time FLW Walleye Tour Angler of the Year shared some time-honored intel on how to maximize your time on the water.

1) Given a wide range of water and cover types available, what do your ideal spots consist of for targeting big fall walleyes? 

“Excluding the Great Lakes, the one thing I’ve learned over the years when looking for big walleyes in the fall is to focus on areas that have steeper breaklines adjacent to deep water access. This would include areas that have either weeds or rock, but if focusing on weeds, make sure they are still green. All of these areas must have one thing in common and that is bait. Without the food they will not come.”

2) Lures and bait…what are your favorite lures for late fall walleyes and what are the best applications?

“Here are the two main presentations I focus on during the fall bite: First, for negative or finicky fish, I focus on live bait primarily some type of chub, be it a creek chub or redtail chub. If the water is too clear and the fish are boat shy, I will cast to them with a jig/minnow combo. If the fish don’t mind the presence of your boat, it’s time to go vertical use the old standby live bait rig and slowly pull it over them with your bow mount trolling motor. The second option for me is to get aggressive with any type of glide bait. Many times, I’ve seen fish ignore a big minnow but will react to the glide baits fishing them both vertically or by casting”

image 184

3) What are the ideal conditions for fall walleyes in terms of water temp and any other climate conditions? What days jump out and you think, “I better go fishing!”

“I’m a big fan of waiting for your lake to “turnover” before heading out for the fall bite. In most places, turnover occurs with water temps in the upper 50’s, so when the temps hit the mid to low 50s is when I consider the fall bite to begin, and that is all the way until ice up. Wind is definitely your friend this time of year, too, so don’t head for the calm side. Put on your Whitewater Great Lakes Pro suit and head to the windy side, you won’t be disappointed. And if it’s cold, the new Whitewater Great Lakes Pro Insulated suit has made fishing in the fall so much more enjoyable. It’s super lightweight but keeps you toasty warm so you can stay out longer.”

4) Walleyes are found with other species that are also in fall feeding mode. Do you ever fish for other species at the same time and if so, do you adjust your presentation and lures to take advantage of other species such as bass?

“I’ve found bass quite often on my walleye spots and fall is the best time to take advantage of the situation. Always carry a dropshot in the boat as smallmouth really group up this time of year. I’ve seen 50 fish schools of smallies and who wouldn’t want to have some fun with those when looking for walleyes?”

5) Boat handling…how you approach a given spot, and how do you prefer to target them with a boat?

“With the use of forward-facing sonar, we can now see how the fish are reacting to our presence. I’m a believer in getting as close as possible to the fish before casting or dropping a bait, but if the fish are spooky, boat control becomes crucial. Trying to point the bow into the wind helps with boat control, but it also makes a lot of “noise” from boat slap. If the fish are wary of your boat, always fish downwind to avoid that.”

image 185
Late Fall Walleyes 1

JASON’S COLD WEATHER WALLEYE GEAR

image 186

Great Lake Pro JACKET Features:

  • Adjustable 3-piece hood and stiff brim to block rain
  • High collar for extra protection and adjustments
  • AquaGuard® Waterproof two-way main zipper
  • Waterproof/windproof breathable 20k/30k lamination and taped seams
  • Durable 3 layer design, stretch poly/spandex shell and polyester lining
  • 4 AquaGuard® Waterproof zippered external pockets and 1 interior pocket
  • 2 Sewn-in D-rings
  • Adjustable hook and loop cuffs and adjustable waist
  • Reflective logo tape for visibility

MSRP $349.99

image 187

Great Lakes Pro BIBS Features:

  • Adjustable suspenders with silicone grip
  • Waterproof/windproof breathable 20k/30k lamination and taped seams
  • Durable 3 layer design, stretch poly/spandex shell and polyester lining
  • AquaGuard® Waterproof two-way main zipper
  • Dual high-strength molded waist adjusters
  • 2 Sewn-in D-rings
  • 6 AquaGuard® Waterproof zippered pockets (2 chest, 2 waist, and 2 thigh)
  • AquaGuard® Waterproof waist-high leg zippers
  • Hook and loop cuff adjustments
  • Reflective tape for visibility

MSRP $349.99

About Whitewater

Whitewater performance fishing apparel gives anglers distinct advantages whenever Mother Nature’s unpredictability conspires to ruin angling adventures. Whether faced with wind, rain, snow, sun, or extreme temperatures, Whitewater apparel equips anglers with the ability and confidence to overcome the elements, so they apply their focus and energies on fighting fish, not the conditions. Whitewater is a brand by Nexus Outdoors, headquartered in Muskegon, Michigan, USA. Learn more and order at whitewaterfish.com.

Cold Water Crappies

  • Fishing Tips, The Lead

  • Southern anglers can capitalize now as crappies are aggregating and settling in for the winter.

By Noel Vick

Muskegon, MI – Boats are fewer and farther between. The oftentimes obnoxious manmade waves produced by recreational boaters are largely gone. Some sun on your back feels good again. And above all, crappies can be easy to pattern and catchable in the right zones with precision presentations.

A crappie’s preferred temperature range is 55- to 75-degree, give or take a few points. And if you’re launching in the southeast, south, or south central states, you’re in that window right now.  

A clutch of southern crappies often consists of blacks and whites – white crappies usually being predominant. To that, especially in fall and winter, they’re intermixed with bream – bluegills, greens, longears, and redears, so it can be a busy bite.

image 131

The south is reservoir country – largely, rivers dammed from the 1940’s through the 70’s to produce hydroelectric power. The bountiful byproduct being the creation of expansive reservoirs numbering in the hundreds.

Crappies flourish in many of these reservoirs. The flooding of valleys, even farms and towns, via the damming produced astonishing and varied habitat. Left on the bottom were standing trees, brush, buildings, rock formations, and roads. Over the years, much of the standing timber and brush have broken down, but the rock structure and some roadbeds remain. Moreover, replacement brushpiles are continuously being added by local fishing organizations and ambitious anglers. And these brushpiles are the linchpin for fall and winter crappies.

Historically, the best brushpiles are associated with creek channels. Creeks became submerged channels when the reservoirs were formed. Their beginnings are easily spied on a terrestrial topographical map, too, areas where valleys taper into what’s now an arm of the reservoir. Switch to a topographical reservoir/lake map – paper or digital, and you’ll see the deeper, carved out creek channels meander into the basin.

image 132

These arms and associated creek channels are the best areas to begin your quest. For one, you have a natural edge, a break, that fish and forage of all stripes utilize. Secondly, if the original brush has deteriorated, oftentimes the replacement brushpile build-ups have been placed within or along the creek channels.

An inside-out exploration of the arm and creek channel is recommended. Start by checking brushpiles in the 10- to 20-foot range nearest the back of the arm. If you have previously pinpointed and logged brushpiles, approach slowly and make long casts. Motoring over them and probing with electronics can blow fish out or send them deep into the brush. But rest assured, they’ll reposition if it’s a favored haunt. Just give it a rest.

Said resting period is also important when you discover a new brushpile. In shallower water, there’s a strong chance the crappies bugged out before you passed overhead. So, log it in your electronics and come back later. Old-school markers still work, too. Chuck out a jug and let things resolve a bit before fishing. Multiple markers are effective for physically mapping a larger brushpile. Toss a few around the perimeter so you don’t inadvertently cross back over the top. Having a visual reference of a brushpile’s shape and size lets you maximize every cast.  

image 133

If the shallower brushpiles aren’t producing, continue searching deeper along the creek channel. Finding fish in 30- and 40-feet of water in the fall and winter isn’t rare. Plus, deeper crappies are less easily spooked. And as a rule of thumb, the higher crappies stage on a given brushpile, the more active they are. In the best case scenario, they’re milling overtop it. 

The last word on brushpiles associated with creek channels is locating ones on channel turns. These curves are natural fish aggregators. Typically, too, they’re associated with a steeper break, which as mentioned earlier, is preferred by panfish. 

Note, too, that we’re in drawdown season. The water levels in most reservoirs are lowered in the fall. One reason is to expose overgrown aquatic vegetation – especially invasives – and kill or reduce them. Drawdowns also afford wintertime shoreline cleanups and give operators an opportunity to make dam repairs. But the most consequential reason is to prepare for spring thaws and rains to reduce the chance of flooding.  

Why are drawdowns important to you as an angler? Because a brushpile you marked in 20-feet over the summer might be sticking out of the water in November. 

image 134

TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

Finding fish is first, followed by weaponizing yourself with jigs for casting and vertical fishing lures, and maybe live bait and slip-bobbers. (More on floats in a bit.)

Jigs are to crappies what popcorn is to movies. Any crappie angler worth a salt carries an armory of them. And for brushpile maneuvers, you want a mix of slow fallers and depth charges. And, when fish are high above the wood or working the flanks, nothing beats a naked feathered jig.  

Bait shop shelves are juiced with options, from locally tied nuggets to universally loved offerings. Fishing what the locals use is a sagely start. Nearby tyers know what sizes and colors trip triggers. And, running a few local makes through the cash register is good for small businesses and can open the door to insider information.

image 135

From the widely available realm, consider Northland Fishing Tackle’s Fire-Fly Jig and the original Flu Flu feathered jig. Both are reliable fish catching machines and available in an array of colors. With Northland Fire-Fly Jigs, proven patterns include Parakeet – especially if bream are in the mix – and the ‘ol reliable Pink/White.  

The magic of a feathered jig is its seductively slow fall and natural looks. Aggressive jigging is not required, either. Fling it out there and let the jig fall on a somewhat tight line, telegraphing any interceptions, which can range from a slight tick to a pull, or even stopping in its tracks – a fish rising to gobble. Line management is required or risk missing bites.  

1/16th-ounce jigs are the benchmark in most brushpile situations. Lighter, and casting distance suffers. Heavier, and it drops too rapidly. 

Tungsten is timely, too. The dense, eco-friendly metal lets you fish smaller sizes with the equivalent weight of lead. Meaning, a 1/16th-ounce tungsten jig is smaller than its lead counterpart. Northland’s Tungsten Crappie King Fly sets the bar in tungsten hair jigs. Crappie craving colors include Super-Glo Pinky and Olive, which is one of the coolest panfish producers to come around in a long time.  

image 136
image 137

Vertical swimming jigs are crackerjack in 20-ish feet and beyond, or anytime you can hover over the fish without disturbing them. These are the baitfish-shaped, horizontal aquanauts that are widely employed in the north for walleyes and multispecies through the ice. They are lights-out on reservoir crappies, too, and should be part of your assortment. 

The gold standard for decades has been Rapala’s Jigging Rap. The W2 (1 ¼-inch) and W3 (1 ½-inch) sizes being ideal for panfish. In clear conditions, consider the Bluegill and Rainbow Trout patterns. Go to Glow Green Tiger and Green Tiger UV when it’s murkier. Northland’s 1/8-ounce Puppet Minnow is another contender. 

Working a swimming jig is simple and highly entertaining with electronics, you monitoring the action in real-time. Drop it down a couple feet above marked fish and start popping. The lure’s shape and fins cause it to swing and swim with each motion. Crappies tend to take it on the fall. Sometimes, tiny twitches or even a full stall will do the trick. These are best fished on light braided line with a fluorocarbon leader to get the full feel. 

image 138

Seldom is live bait necessary if you’re sporting hair jigs and swimming jigs. But if bait breeds confidence, carry a scoop of local run minnows, sized as suggested by bait shop staffers.

Now, it’s slip-bobber time. A fixed cork won’t cut it at these depths. A slip-bobber with its line-tie/knot lets you adjust to any depth. There are plenty of videos on YouTube if you’ve never worked one. Also, most online tackle sources sell kits that come with the slip-bobber, beads, and knots. A #6 or #4 hook and split-shot (bobber straight and balanced but not submerged by the weight) is all you need on the business end.

For southern anglers, there’s no reason to mothball your boat like they do to the north. Take advantage of those warmer and calmer times to chase crappies. The ducks and bucks likely took the day off anyway. 

image 140

COLD WEATHER CRAPPIE GEAR

image 139

Buoy™ HD Fishing Hoodie FEATURES:

  • Comfortable, durable cotton/poly blend
  • DWR treated to repel moisture
  • Adjustable shock cord & locks for hood adjustments
  • Front & back shoulder reflective tape for visibility
  • Zip closure kangaroo pouch pocket
  • Rib knit cuff and waist for a secure fit
  • Available in Charcoal, Breaker Blue, and Buoy Red

MSRP $99.99

image 141

Wool Fingerless Glove FEATURES:

  • Performance fit
  • Durable
  • Naturally antimicrobial for odor prevention
  • Naturally regulates body temperature
  • Silicone print on palm for grip
  • Hand: 50% Lambswool/49% Nylon/1% Spandex
  • Cuff: 49% Lambswool/48% Nylon/3% Rubber

MSRP $29.99

About Whitewater

Whitewater performance fishing apparel gives anglers distinct advantages whenever Mother Nature’s unpredictability conspires to ruin angling adventures. Whether faced with wind, rain, snow, sun, or extreme temperatures, Whitewater apparel equips anglers with the ability and confidence to overcome the elements, so they apply their focus and energies on fighting fish, not the conditions. Whitewater is a brand by Nexus Outdoors, headquartered in Muskegon, Michigan, USA. Learn more and order at whitewaterfish.com.

Tanner Hadden Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional

Georgia’s Hadden Wins Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional on Watts Bar Lake Presented by recteq
Boater winner Tanner Hadden of Appling, Georgia, and Strike-King co-angler winner Corey Smith of Hazard, Kentucky.
Kentucky’s Smith Tops Strike King Co-Angler Division

SPRING CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 21, 2024) – Boater Tanner Hadden of Appling, Georgia, caught a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 47 pounds even to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Watts Bar Lake Presented by recteq . The tournament, which was hosted by the Rhea County Department of Tourism – Fish Spring City, concluded Saturday. For his win, Hadden earned a prize package valued at $65,805, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard, $10,000 and the lucrative $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus.

The Watts Bar event served as Regional championship for BFL Region 5. Originally scheduled for Clarks Hill Lake in Appling, Georgia, the event moved due to the impacts of the recent hurricanes. The field included the top 45 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each of the tournament winners, from the 2024 Choo Choo, Music City, Piedmont and Volunteer divisions. The top six boaters and co-anglers have qualified for the 2025 BFL All-American, which will be held on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, May 29-31.

Hadden is a senior business management major at the University of South Carolina-Union. He actually signed up to fish the entire Choo Choo Division for the first time this year just for a shot at making this Regional, since it was originally scheduled for nearby Clarks Hill. Obviously, the storms changed the plans, but that didn’t slow down Hadden.

“It all worked out in the end,” he said.

Getting the W started with adapting to conditions.

“From all the flooding, a lot of the lake was blown out,” he said about Watts Bar. “There were only a few areas of the lake that were clean. One of them was by the boat ramp, so I pretty much figured I’d stick around in that area.”

In addition to the muddy water, anglers had to deal with a cold front – a tough combo anywhere, anytime of year. The cold, muddy conditions pushed the fish off the bank. Hadden relocated them about 50 feet out suspended on the edge of some grass over about 15 feet of water. Schools of bait were suspended in these areas, too.

“I fished two half-mile banks for three days pretty much,” he said. “That was it. And they were in the same pocket. I pretty much fished one creek arm all week.”

Hadden used Garmin LiveScope to find and target his fish with a white jerkbait and a Greenfish Tackle Bad Little Dude (BLD) Jig.

The mornings were slow all week. In fact, most days the fish didn’t turn on until after 11. On day two, it was closer to 1 p.m. The most interesting part was how defined the bite window was each day. Hadden saw fish on his sonar all day long, but they just wouldn’t bite until after the sun got up and something triggered them to get active. Each day, he experienced a similar flurry of activity.

“At 11 the first day I went through one stretch and caught three 4-pounders within like 30 minutes to an hour,” he said. “And then the second day, I struggled until 1. They didn’t start biting until 1 because it got colder the second day. At 1 o’clock, I caught two 3 1/2-pounders back to back off that same stretch.

“The third day it was like 11 o’clock when I got on one stretch and just started catching them. I caught pretty much everything I caught in like 15 minutes. It was a timing deal.”

Hadden’s limits included a mix of species. Day one, he weighed four largemouths and a 4 1/4-pound smallmouth as part of his 18-pound, 11-ounce limit. Day two, his three biggest keepers were three different species – largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. Hadden weighed 14-11. The final day, he weighed in a 13-10 limit of five largies to move into first place for the win and his shot at the 2025 All-American.

The top six boaters who qualified for the 2025 All-American finished:

1st:        Tanner Hadden, Appling, Ga., 15 bass, 47-0, $65,805 (includes $7,000 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd:       Dustin Dyer, Johnson City, Tenn., 15 bass, 45-3, $9,805
3rd:       Jeremy York, Conyers, Ga., 14 bass, 45-1, $5,829
4th:        Nathan Reynolds, Nashville, Tenn., 15 bass ,45-0, $3,642
5th:        Dillon Falardeau, Hixson, Tenn., 12 bass, 44-14, $1,761
6th:        Parker Batts, Dandridge, Tenn., 13 bass ,44-8, $1,585

The rest of the top 12 finished:

7th:        Jonathan Dagley, Wartburg, Tenn., 15 bass, 43-5, $1,409
8th:        Vince Botts, Bluff City, Tenn., 15 bass, 43-0, $1,233
9th:        Josh Womack, Gallatin, Tenn., 15 bass, 42-10, $1,057
10th:     Jake Gardner, Lenoir City, Tenn., 15 bass, 42-8, $969
11th:     Hunter Bouldin, McMinnville, Tenn., 15 bass, 42-6, $881
12th:     Riley Faulkner, Jacksboro, Tenn., 14 bass, 37-14, $881

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The top-finishing boater from each division (not including the winner) earned a $1,000 bonus for placing highest in the event. Those anglers included:

Music City:       Nathan Reynolds, Nashville, Tenn., 4th Place, $1,000
Choo Choo:      Jeremy York, Conyers, Ga., 3rd Place, $1,000
Piedmont:        John Wiese, Charlotte, N.C., 24th Place, $1,000
Volunteer:       Dustin Dyer, Johnson City, Tenn., 2nd Place $1,000

Matt VanMeter of Grant, Alabama, won the Berkley Big Bass boater award and earned the $1,000 prize.

Corey Smith of Hazard, Kentucky, won the Strike King co-angler division Saturday after bringing a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 39 pounds, 1 ounce, to the scale. His $50,000 prize package included a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The top six Strike King co-anglers who qualified for the 2025 All-American finished:

1st:        Corey Smith, Hazard, Ky., 13 bass, 39-1, $50,000
2nd:       Ernest Stephens, Orrum, N.C., 12 bass, 38-13, $4,946
3rd:       Dewayne Drummonds, Gray, Ky., 11 bass, 30-2, $2,719
4th:        Luke Shrader, Monticello, Ky., 11 bass, 30-0, $1,984
5th:        Brad Sampson, Knoxville, Tenn., 11 bass, 29-8, $889
6th:        Cy Matlock, Crump, Tenn., nine bass, 27-11, $1,300

The rest of the top 12 finished:

7th:        Wayne Crouch, Jamestown, Tenn., 10 bass, 26-14, $811
8th:        Konnor Sweet, Abingdon, Va., 11 bass, 26-13, $622
9th:        Kenny Botts, Alvaton, Ky., 10 bass, 23-15, $533
10th:     Darren Kelly, Wartburg, Tenn., six bass, 23-11, $489
11th:     Justin Stephenson, Jasper, Ala., eight bass, 23-10, $945
12th:     Joshua Green, Cartersville, Ga., seven bass, 19-14, $445

The top-finishing co-angler from each division (not including the winner) earned a $500 bonus for placing highest in the event. Those anglers included:

Music City:       Luke Shrader, Monticello, Ky., 4th Place, $500
Choo Choo:      Cy Matlock, Crump, Tenn., 6th Place, $500
Piedmont:        Corey Smith, Hazard, Ky., 2nd Place, $500
Volunteer:       Dewayne Drummonds, Gray, Ky., 3rd Place $500

Justin Stephenson of Jasper, Alabama, won the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award and earned the $500 bonus.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.