Lurenet.com is now offering a 3-Pack of tournament-winning lures for less than half price, and will donate $1 from every sale to the Future Fisherman Foundation (F3). For less than $10, anglers get an XCalibur Zell Pop, a Bomber 4A crankbait and a Booyah Ajig, in the color patterns that won national tournaments, as well as the satisfaction that $1 from each order goes to benefit the Future Fisherman Foundation, which administers the Hooked On Fishing Not On Drugs, Physh Ed and Boys & Girls Club’s C.A.T.C.H. fishing programs.
The Future Fisherman Foundation recently lost its funding and it’s up to companies like Lurenet.com and Plano Tackle Boxes, which produces a special F3 Tackle Box, and you the angler to keep these programs going. These programs reach youngsters by working through the school systems, much like the anti-fishing crowd, which, you can bet, have deep pockets and will do whatever they can to brainwash our youth into believing our way of life is wrong. We must counter attack and F3 is our front-line army.
“Since its inception in 1986, the Future Fisherman Foundation has provided fishing education programs for more than 1 million children nationwide,” said F3 executive director Keith Sutton. “This wouldn’t be possible, however, without the generous support of companies like PRADCO and the customers who buy their products. The 3-pack of tournament-winning lures PRADCO developed is a win-win deal for everyone. The consumer gets a great deal on some great bass lures, plus the satisfaction of knowing their purchase supports programs that lead to a life-long love of fishing in our children. We’re proud to have PRADCO as a partner.”
The foundation of this Tournament Winning 3-Pack is the jig Alton Jones used to win the 2008 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell, the Booyah A-Jig. Add in the Bomber Model 4A that Terry Butcher used to win the 2008 Bassmaster Open, Southern Division on Lake Texoma, and top it off with the XCalibur Zell Pop Chad Griffin used to win the 2009 BASS Elite event at Lake Oneida. Three baits that proved to be go-to lures when big money was on the line.
Specifically, you get:
One ½-ounce Booyah Ajig BYAJ1249 (Ozark Craw)
One XCalibur Zell Pop XZ208 (Bone Chartreuse)
One Bomber 4A B04AFS (Foxy Shad)
Your price? Only $9.99 plus shipping. The Zell Pop alone has a retail price of more than $10! In fact, if you purchased these three lures separately you’d pay more than $20. The anti-fishing zealots are already working against us to brainwash your children that fishing is wrong. Let’s do what we can to ensure that we get equal time.
Order the Tournament-Winning 3-Pack here.
Smithwick Devil’s Horse
Part 1 of a Series on the Most Underrated Lures
If it wasn’t for a 30-minute delay the last day of the 2009 Bassmaster Southern Open on Santee Cooper, chances are Cliff Prince would have won the event. He was catching the bulk of his sack during those first 30 precious minutes. The bait? A Smithwick Devil’s Horse. Not your typical, glamorous tournament lure, but one that stands the test of time and continues to catch bass for smart anglers across the nation.
Pro Jimmy Mason also fished a Devil’s Horse in that tournament and turned in a 30th place finish (CONGRATULATIONS TO JIMMY ON RETURNING TO THE ELITE SERIES!!!). The Devil’s Horse is a prop bait with a propeller on both ends.
“Where a Devil’s Horse really excels is when fishing shallow visible targets because you can work it so slowly,” Mason said. “Holes in lily pads, cypress tree knees, wood cover – any target you know bass are holding on. The most effective retrieve I’ve found is as slow as you can work it.”
Mason says that after the cast, let the rings settle, then give it a short, hard rip and let the rings settle again. Most strikes come while the bait is just sitting there. The Devil’s Horse is not a locating bait, but one you can utilize once you know where the fish are holding in relatively shallow water.
“I mainly fish two colors,” Mason said, “black/chrome/orange belly and Perch, which is a lime green with darker green stripes. In the Santee Cooper tournament I fished lily pads and mixtures of eel grass and lily pads.”
Mason likes a 20 pound braided line to cut the pads after the strike.
“It’s a bait that takes a while to develop confidence in,” he said, “but once you do you’ll keep them on hand all the time.”
Five Questions for Elite Pro Dave Wolak
When did you decide you wanted to become a pro fisherman?
I started competing when I was 15. I always fished, but that first bass tournament really hooked me. I was always competitive and playing sports and I enjoyed the competition. I realized when I was in college fishing regional events that I wanted to make it my career.
What has been your biggest win or high-placement in a tournament?
The 2006 Bassmaster America, and it was at a critical time in my career. I'd just had a baby and I hadn't won anything at the time. This was a unique event -- a 6 hole course -- and I adapted to the day and different parts of the lake and won. I had to adapt to situations. It was a lot of things coming together at once and it gave me confidence. It was just 12 days after my son was born and I just kindof winged it and just fished. I'd never been on that water and I made decisions on what the water dictated. I learned that it's not about getting information or preconceived notions.
What's your go-to lure?
It's changing because of tournament scheduling. What used to be my least favorite lure is becoming my go-to. I was a jig fisherman, but now the Bomber Fat Free Shad BD6 is my go-to.
What's the biggest five-fish limit you've ever brought to the scales?
I weighed in 30-pounds, 1-ounce at Lake Fork on a 6-inch Money Minnow in AYU color pattern. That was in a Texas Bass Classic PAA tournament.
What's something few people know about you?
I have a master's degree in physical therapy, but all through college I felt very confined. I wanted to be outside. I felt like college was holding me back from what I wanted to do. If I had only two hours between classes I'd launch the boat and fish.
Christmas Gifts for The Angler or Computer Geek
(or Both!)
The old Heddon Punkinseed is a highly sought-after collectible lure, and this Christmas the angler or lure collector in your life can hang a dozen or two on his Christmas tree with the new Collectible Punkinseed Decorative Ornaments. These hand-painted Punkinseeds are replicas built to original specifications and feature dual hanging options by either the mouth or back. This is Collector’s Edition 1, and only 5,000 will be made.
Each decorative package comes with 12 replica Heddon Punkinseed Lures Model number X9630. The color patterns are: JRH (Frog Scale/Red Head), BF (Bullfrog), SO (Spotted Orange), DGLF (Dark Green Luny Frog), BHBG (Bone/Blue Head/Blue Scale), BFRHG (Bull Frog/Red Head/Gold Gill), S (Strawberry), RG (Red/Gold Gill), GDRH (Gold/Red Head), PRH (Pearl/ Red Head), YRH (Yellow/Red Head), XWBR (White/Black/Red Gill).
Also in limited supply is an item perfect for computer savvy anglers. This USB Flash Drive in the shape and look of an XCalibur Foxy Momma XR Rattle Bait features a 3.5 GB storage capacity and is a perfect stocking stuffer. It is high-speed USB 2.0 compliant and Windows and Macintosh compatible. Looks so good it should come with hooks!
Both of these limited-time-only products are available at www.lurenet.com. Order now and we’ll throw in a new Heddon Rattlin’ Spook with every Punkinseed Ornament order and a free XR Rattle Bait with the USB Drive.
Fall Jig Fishing Tips
By Lawrence Taylor
The purpose of this article is to get you to open your mind to the versatility of the bass jig and jig fishing. By letting go of the “flip, shake, reel…flip, shake, reel” rules of how to fish a bass jig, you’ll open your horizons to a whole new level of bass fishing.
The typical image of a bass jig fisherman is one with a pool cue rod, line the size of parachute cord and a giant black-and-blue jig and craw trailer flippin’ cover in a Southern reservoir. No doubt, big bass fall to this technique, over and over again, and a lot of money has been won using this short-line presentation. But in addition to short line, it’s also short sighted.
Alton Jones won the 2008 Bassmaster Classic working hisA Jig in wood cover in deeper water, proving that short line is not a requirement. He was working specific cover, like flippin’, but doing so with a lot more line out. Big traditional bass jigs are great for probing deeper cover during fall, too, but they also can be cast and swimmed back at any depth or speed.
Most pro anglers use the swimming jig technique in pressured areas with lots of cover. It’s perfect for active bass holding in wood, and some say it’s a great alternative to a crankbait, especially when the cover is too thick for an open-hooked lure or when everyone else is throwing a crankbait.
Two situations in fall when swimming a jig is a great option is when you have several feet of new water flooding shoreline brush and when fishing a relatively shallow bar, hump or submerged island. For the first situation, simply beat the bank, casting to the new shoreline and reeling through the willows and buckbrush, bumping into as much as possible. In the second situation, position down-current (if there is current present) and make long casts, engaging the reel as soon as the jig hits the surface and beginning a steady medium-speed retrieve.
Mitch Looper, innovator of the swimmin’ jig technique who helped design BOOYAH’s Swim’n Jig, says to use the largest size jig and craw trailer you can find and to “bulge” the water with it just under the surface. “It’s a reaction strike,” he said. “Don’t let them get a good look at it. The best trailer I’ve found is the 4 ¾-inch Money Craw. Those big paddle pincers really move the water and make that jig wobble.”
“Fall is a time for big bites and big lure presentations,” said Tom Braaten, a dedicated jig fisherman and guide from Minnesota. That’s right, Minnesota. Jigs are not just for Southern largemouth. If he’s fishing a lake with both smallmouth and largemouth bass he’ll throw a big jig, but he does downsize a little if he’s focusing solely on smallies.
“In the fall, fish are moving up shallower to feed,” he said. “That’s where I’m going to start the day – shallow. Often, green weeds are the key – where there’s grass there’s bass. A black-and-blue or green pumpkin Boo Jig is always a great choice.”
He looks for the subtleties within the grass, the clumps, pockets, small turns or points on the inside edge and focuses on pitching to those areas. He says the most important component, though, is baitfish. He’ll focus a lot of attention in an area with plenty of active baitfish or panfish.
When fishing grass Braaten works the jig by pitching it, letting it hit bottom and shaking/lifting/dropping it in a traditional fashion. If he’s fishing strictly for smallmouth he’s normally fishing rocks or sand, and he downsizes his jig or uses a jighead with a 5-inch Gonzo Grub threaded on and drags it along the bottom like a Carolina rig.
As far as weight goes, Braaten says to use a jig heavy enough to maintain bottom contact. On his skirted bass jigs, he uses scissors to trim the skirt in a “C” shape just past the bend of the hook to keep the big profile yet let the trailer work its magic. While refining your pattern, let the fish guide you to the correct size, color, trailer, etc.
“If the bass are aggressive, a YUM Chunk or Wooly Hawgtail will give your jig a large profile and move a lot of water,” he said. “If they’re more lethargic, downsize your jig and try a YUM Dinger wacky rigged on the back. Sounds crazy, but it works. This is a great jig for around grass, docks, lily pads and wood – all the classic fall bass areas.”