Well, what can I say? I’m out there fishing again and I’m really happy to be fishing again.

You know, the life of a tournament angler is rough sometimes; staying home for a month and a half and working on sponsorship stuff, then have to get out and fish at a high level.

You know, it’s pretty much work on the sponsorship side of things, which is not always a bunch of fun. But, I’m back to the fishing again.
Lake Champlain was last week with FLW, and this week it’s a B.A.S.S. Northern Open on Oneida Lake.

Things have been pretty interesting lately, I got kind of stir crazy just kind of hanging out and wanting to do something so, I’m back out fishing; back on the road.

Again, 3500 miles one way; the trip wasn’t so much fun; but overall, it’s nice to be back on the road ; going up north; catch some of those northern bass that love the PHAT frog and you can definitely Punch them on the one and half ounce River2Sea Trash Bomb. So, I am really excited about that; other than that, just keeping things going with the clothing line and TEAM BASS ADX, we are getting a woman’s line there so we’ll hopefully have that ready by spring of next year.

I’ve been working on getting my head ready for the Classic and the things that I need to do to be ready for the Red River. I may even go out and practice the Classic now and then. I’ll be heading back home after my little northern swing, then I will be home for a while; time to sort things out and get the Ranger Boat ordered and ready for next year.

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All I can say is, on the road again, packing for Lake Champlain and B.A.S.S. Open on Oneida. So next week, not this Sunday but next Sunday, I will be on Lake Champlain practicing for the FLW Tournament.

I’m actually excited about it, ready to get back on the water and fish a tournament and try to capitalize on it and make some money! Right after that on the fifth is the BASS Open. I know I can’t qualify for the Classic through the current rules, but at the same time I am already qualified, so that is good.

I have been working on Team Bass ADX Gear getting into some new stores: Gone Fishin’ Marine in Dixon, where I just did a seminar for them; Angler’s Marine – did a seminar for them too. I’m also working on some new clothing designs; Ike Wear and the Crews Line with John Crews, so a lot of things are going on!

I have been out doing a little bit of fishing and filming some video and fishing on those has been okay and the frog bite has been alright, so life has been kinda grand; catching them on a frog and punching them on the punch baits so not much else there to say.

I’m really looking forward to those two tournaments and from there I will be heading back home to hopefully finalize sponsorship stuff and hopefully be ready for the 2012 season!

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Work is Never Done

Just because the season is over, doesn’t mean a Professional Angler’s work is done for the year. Now I’ve been on the road as usual, getting things done; visiting with sponsors, I went to the Ranger factory – and I sold my boat; taking care of business out on the road trying to promote Team Bass ADX and just kinda also still having fun.

I haven’t been getting much fishing in because I’ve been busy with promotional work. I did the FINS Seminar at Angler’s Marine the Santee, Calif. store. Angler’s Marine is SoCal’s largest Ranger Boats dealer and they do a large amount of tackle sales each year too.

After FINS then I did a Fisherman’s Warehouse top water seminar there and then to the 10th Annual Snag Proof on the California Delta - to work, not fish, which I think sucks! But, you know it wouldn’t be fair because you know, for me to go out and win the thing on my PHAT frog; yeah, it wouldn’t be fair.
But as you can see, a Professional Angler’s work is never done. And then hopefully, after that get some R and R, but at the same time still hit the gym; you know, four to five days a week, cuz you gotta be in prime shape, especially going in to the 2012 Bassmaster Classic.

Also, if you guys haven’t heard that I’ve signed with two new sponsors.
The first one is River2Sea which I’m really excited about because they are letting me design some new hard baits that I think are really gonna catch ‘em in the upcoming years. The manufacturing capabilities of River2Sea are tremendous, and along with new stuff we’re working on; they’ve got a great product line.

And then I also signed with SIMMS Outer Wear, so yes, I have Team Bass ADX gear, but SIMMS Outer Wear is the stuff that keeps me covered up when it rains and when I’m out there on the water and it’s a little cold and misty.

So that’s pretty much it on my end, if you get a chance, check out the Team Bass ADX Gear and see you next time!

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Wheeler Wrap Up

I’ve got to tell you that it feels really good to make the Bassmaster Classic.

I finished in the Elite 12 at Wheeler Lake last weekend and it was my fourth top 12 finish in the last five Elite Series tournaments. It was the kind of run that I had been wanting to get on for a while; I’ve had good tournaments, and some difficult ones over the past couple of years, but this was a roll that I really enjoyed.

So far…

I’ve got ICAST coming up in a couple of weeks, and I’ll be there for Snag Proof, Lowrance and Daiwa; meeting with the media and business in general.
The Elite Series season is over, but I’m going to keep fishing. I’m on my way home to spend some time on the Delta and get back to throwing the Phat Frog and Punch and keep myself in fishing mode until I can get to the U.S. Open or the Pickwick Lake FLW Tour event. I haven’t decided which one I’m going to fish yet, but it will be one of them.

Back to Wheeler; I really fished two different ways. When I knew I needed a solid check to make the Classic; I went to the bank; picked up the Steez XBD Frog Rod; Zillion Type R reel spooled with 55-pound Daiwa Samurai braid and my Snag Proof Phat Frog in Papa Midnight Color.

I got an 11-14 limit on day one and wound up in 38th place. I did the same thing on day two and caught a 12-5 limit and moved up four places. On day three; figuring I had made the cut; I caught another 12 pound limit on the Phat Frog and then took a gamble.

At 11:00 I went offshore, and picked up a deep crankbait and a big flutter spoon and culled them all out. The crankbait was my buddy John Crews’ Little John DD in Nasty Shad color on an 7’2” Steez Fle-X-lite rod with a 4.9:1 Zillion Crazy Cranker reel and 10-pound-test Maxima Fluorocarbon and I threw a 5” Big Joe Lake Fork Spoon on an 8’ Steez Compile X rod and the Zillion Type R reel with 20-pound-test Maxima Fluorocarbon.

By 11:30 I had culled out all of my fish; including a four pounder that I had caught on the Phat Frog that morning. I ended up with 22 pounds in the livewell of my Ranger Z521, and the warm water caused a couple of them to die; so I went back to the ramp early to check in and take care of my fish.

It turned out to be a good week; I had a lot of fun, and I’m really happy with my 4th place finish. Like I said; it was my fourth top 12 of the season, and only three of us did that this year. KVD had five of them and Alton Jones and I did four times; that’s pretty good company.

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