GIVING THANKS

It’s Thanksgiving Week, and it’s time to give thanks.

If you fish, you are thankful for many things. Here are a few things I’m thankful for this time of year:

1. I’m thankful God created fish and that He gave us dominion over the fish, (and I’m glad He didn’t give them dominion over us!) Fishing is an incredible lifestyle. Even though I’m in my upper 50s, age-wise, I still have a hard time sleeping the night before I go fishing. Some of it is anticipation. Some of it is getting my game plan together. And some of it may have been the late coffee!
2. I’m thankful I live in the U.S.A. If you live in the U.S.A., this time of year is a great time to be fishing. Our waters are cooling down, and fish are very active as they feed up for the winter. If you live on or near a river system, such as the Arkansas, Tennessee, Ohio or Mississippi River, now is a great time to be fishing.
3. Being a river fisherman, I’m thankful for the Bandit 200. It is my go-to crankbait this time of year. It resembles a two-inch threadfin shad and dives to 5-6 feet on 17-pound test line. Since I’m mostly fishing rock jetties and jetty cuts right now, I like a crankbait that will be in this depth range. On the Arkansas River, baitfish are still hanging around current breaks, and bass are still chasing them. Our water is in the mid-50s this week. If I think about that temperature during pre-spawn in the Spring, I know bass are really starting to get active with the warming water. While the water is cooling this time of year, the bass are still active and ready to eat. 
4. I’m thankful for the great colors in the Bandit 200! Most rivers have a little bit of stain or color to them this time of year. Because of that, I like pearls and chartreuses. They resemble threadfin shad and show up well in stained water. My top colors are: 88, Pearl/ Chartreuse Belly; 15 Pearl/ Chartreuse Back; 09 Pearl Red Eyes; and RS10 Chartreuse Shad. Pearl/ Chartreuse Belly is probably my No. 1 color and the one I have tied on most of the time. But I’ll use all of these. Typically, if I’m fishing with someone, we’ll throw two different colors to see which one is working best.
5. I love cold-water fishing, and I’m thankful for cold-water fishing gear. The advances in technology to keep you warm are amazing. We have better hats, toboggans, coats, bibs, undergarments, gloves, socks and boots than we did 40-50 years ago! Don’t forget to take a few moments to dress warm. You won’t get cold if you don’t let yourself get cold.
6. I’m also thankful for the family, friends and co-workers I get to share fishing with. While I love fishing alone and enjoy the solace it brings, I also love fishing with my wife, my three boys, my friends and the people I work with. If you shop at Lurenet, I can guarantee you the people who make and market your lures share the same passion you do for fishing. This is a dream job for so many of us because we love fishing so much. There’s still nothing like sharing time on the water with others and catching a few fish together. New memories are made every time you go.
7. I’m thankful for you, our Lurenet consumer. We appreciate the time you spend with us, and we are committed to helping you catch more fish and make more memories!