Tackling Bass
Inside The Tackle Box Randy Vining ~ page 8 Mark Lozier ~ page10 Tray Collins ~ page 12 Mark Wheeler ~ page 14 Chuck Wrenn ~ page 16
PLUS Yaktastic Adventures ~ page 20 Bigfin Tip Of The Month ~ page 23 The Fishing Chef ~ page 25 Built Barbie Strong ~ 26 Peacocks On Fly ~ 30
Wants You! Have you ever wanted to relive that big catch, tell your story, and enlighten others to how you accomplished it? Do you have a tip or technique everyone should by using? Well come aboard and contribute to The Fisherman’s Journal! All articles must be well written and contain quality photos. Unique, knowledgeable articles will be chosen for an upcoming issue. Send all inquiries and questions to editor@thefishermansjournal.com
An Old Salt Starts Fresh Editor’s Notes Darryl Barrs, Jr.
I know nothing about bass fishing. There I said it. When I moved away from the coasts of Florida I thought my world of fishing came crumbling down. Catching freshwater fish was always an afterthought and now I found myself hundreds of miles away from the “saltlife,” lost to the wonders of the lakes and rivers of Georgia. After months of no fishing my health dete-
riorated
I dr excitem into spa Man hav salty air the chal tion. Liv for I wil business salt is st was I ha
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d. I had to catch fish.
reamed of lakes and streams. The ment of tailing redfish has morphed awning bass and sunning carp. ve I changed. I still long for the r and changing currents, however llenge of stillwater has my attenve in peace for now saltwater fish ll be back. I still have unfinished s with you. But for now this old tarting fresh . The only problem ad no idea where to start.
re I could go out there with my er gear, inshore fishing tactics, and
soft plastics. I was positive I could get a bite. But I wanted to know more, understand the when, where, why, and how. I needed experts! And the April issue of The Fisherman’s Journal was born. This month’s issue is jammed packed with know how anglers, giving us clues as to what they use and how they use it. They are tournament anglers, guides, fishing radio show hosts, and shop owners. When a novice like myself wants to start fresh, these are the guys to turn to. So I hope you learn something along with me. My journey has started fresh and first on the list is bass.
Inside The Tackle Box
Tackling Bass
Plastics On The Fly Rod Randy Vining
The Ultimate Search Baits Mark Lozier
Trapping Fish Tray Collins
The Versatile Fisherman Mark Wheeler
Are You A Frog Fisherman? Chuck Wrenn
Plastics On The Fly Rod By Randy Vining
Before I begin, I should warn you, if you are a traditional fly fisherman that believes only hand tied flies belong on the end of a fly line then you may want to stop right here. But if you go fishing to catch fish and you understand the advantages of using a fly rod to do so, I am about to share something with you that will add to your success on the water. First a little background. I have been fishing all my life, or at least most of it. And while I have dabbled in fly fishing over the years, I have mostly used bait casters. I have always considered fly fishermen at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to catching fish. I am not sure why I thought that, but I did. After some encouragement from a fly fishing pal of mine, Jim Neilson, I decided to pick up a fly rod and try it. Since I don’t tie my own flies, I bought what my research said was the best flies for catching my favorite fish, the shoal bass. They worked, sort of. But I did not have the success I was having using some of my favorite soft plastics on the bait caster. Despite many of my river fishing friends throwing big baits, I have always done very well with small crawfish and baitfish imitations on my bait caster. Of course these small plastics required a little weight on the line to be able to cast them. You just can’t cast a very light weight piece of plastic very far on a bait caster. So one day I looked at my old faithful small plastics and wondered if I could cast them on my fly rod? I asked around on a few sites and I got comments from “try it, it might work” to “that’s not fly fishing .“ But my pal Jim said “try it and let us know how it does.” Thanks to Jim, I have had my best year on the river ever. Not only has my catch rate increased but so has
my success on big shoal bass. It makes a lot of sense if you think about it. This light weight crawfish imitation weighs about what a real crawfish weighs and this baitfish imitation weighs about what a real minnow weighs. On top of that, the action from these un -weighted baits is almost exactly the action of the real thing. Very erratic actions and slow falls just like an injured bait. The un-weighted crawfish just tumbles in the current like a dead or dying crawfish. What could be better? A hand tied fly you say? Not in my experience. Hand tied baitfish flies do not dart side to side like this plastic baitfish imitation. Hand tied crawfish patterns fold up when the feathers get wet and are not much more that a wooly bugger. They will catch some bass but not nearly at the rate I have found with these plastics. So what are these small plastic baits you ask? They are the Zoom Super Fluke Jr. and the Yum Craw Papi. Colors matter too. My most successful colors are the pearl white and the baitfish colors for the Fluke and the Crawdad color for the Craw Papi. Others work but these are the closest to the real thing I have found. Throwing these small plastics on a fly rod is not real easy but with a little practice you can do it. I use a 7 wt. rod. A 6wt. seems to be just a little light and an 8wt. is a bear to cast all day. A 7wt. also has just the right feel to make landing a big bass fun while not being to light
that you cannot get them to hand in strong current. I throw them on straight 15 pound fluorocarbon leaders. No you don’t need 15 most of the time but 15 pound line sure helps if you get a wind knot and it hold up to a little more abrasion on the rocks. Another little trick I have learned is using the right hook. The back cast and the forward cast can “pull the skirts down” on these baits. You need a hook that will keep them on and not slide down the hook. The best hook I have found is the Gamakatsu Skip Gap hook. This hook was designed to skip plastics under docks while holding them on the hook. They work perfect for casting the baits on the fly rod. You may not consider casting small plas-
tics on a fly rod fly fishing, and maybe it isn’t? But I can tell you one thing, if you want to catch more and bigger bass on a fly rod, these baits will do it or my name is not River Pirate. Try them and let me know how you did. I bet you catch more and bigger bass than you ever have on a hand tied fly.
To learn more about Randy Vining and book a guided kayak fishing trip visit www.georgiariverpirate.com
colors that Aqua Dream offers you can fine tune your choices. For most conditions the ¼ oz. is the ideal size for fishing average flats and shallower bay areas. Colors are something you may need to play with. Gold is always a good starting point but I also have good results with white, pink and green. One thing you should do as soon as you get any new spoon is attach a high quality barrel swivel to the split ring on the spoon. Putting your swivel inline will attract more grass then it will connect directly spoon. The swivel will prevent your line from getting twisted from the spinning motion in the retrieve of the spoon. Spinner baits are another staple for a style of lure that helps you cast far and dissect an area to find fish. Either the inline The fish may not always be where you models or the “R” bend arm style that most want or think they should be. Two of the most effective ways to dissect an area of water is with either a spoon or spinner bait. By their design for the most part both are meant to be casted, a steady retrieve back and repeat. Which lends itself great for fan casting an area to see if anyone is home before moving on to your next location. My constant of the two would have to be the spoon. Presented properly I have yet to see a Redfish turn down a spoon, so I know if I’m using the right spoon and Mr. Red is there we are about to meet. There are several good spoons on the market but my personal favorites are those made by Captain Mike Hakala, the Aqua Dream Living Spoons. Besides for the craftsmanship and durable finishes of these spoons they also come in several colors and even bait fish patterns. As I just mentioned not every day is a gold spoon day and with the variety of
Spoons and Spinner Baits, Ultimate Search Baits!
bass fisherman are familiar with. Now is where I like the arms that have one of two ways to change the jig head as opposed to the fixed freshwater style. There is the safety pin style or the split ring style for connecting the jig to the arm. This makes it easier to change weighted jig depending on the depth of the area you are fishing. Spinnerbaits are very effective because the incorporate all of the feeding methods fish use. The flash and vibration of the gold spoon, the profile of the swim bait and if you like to use scents or scented baits like Gulp you have incorporated all of the elements fish use to find their next meal, sight, smell and vibration. Both of the above I use 15-20lb braided line on my reel with a 2-3 foot fluorocarbon leader of 12-20 pound test. I will increase
the leader size if fishing around a lot structure like oyster beds and even then be sure to check the leader for nicks and frays. So next time you go to a new area to fish or not sure if one of your favorite spots is holding fish, Spoon Feed ‘Em!! www.aquadreamliving.com
st
Mark Lozier
1 Landing Kayak Fishing Service www.1stlandingyakfish.com/ www.nativewatercraft.com/
Trapping Fish By Tray Collins Most hard-bodied lures have their time and place, even when thrown at the right time, the color of the lure can keep fish looking elsewhere. Almost all hardbodied lures are depth specific; they may move a certain way, have pitch differences, and can be shaped to resemble a specific baitfish. Finding the right hardbodied lure for every situation can get expensive really fast, but there’s a solution to this. There’s a magic lure by Bill Lewis Lures called the Rat-L-Trap – okay, there’s really no magic associated with this lure but anglers often think so because of its ability to draw bites from quality fish. In my opinion, the Rat-L-Trap is the most versatile hard-bodied lure, only limited by the angler’s imagination. Decades ago Bill Lewis created the Rat-L-Trap, a lipless crankbait that was intended to entice big hungry bass into feeding. The lures work so well at imitating the forage of many different game fish that it’s not uncommon to catch fish that you weren’t targeting, even while fishing in saltwater. The most basic, but effective, way to fish a Rat-L-Trap is with a constant retrieve. You can dictate the Trap’s running depth along the majority of your retrieve by allowing the ‘Trap to sink before you begin reeling it back in. Rat-L-Traps have a sink rate of about a foot per second, knowing that will allow you to put the lure anywhere in the water column. An internet search will bring up other articles that describe advanced ways to retrieve this lure, as stated before a Rat-L-Trap is only limited by your imagination. To build off of the above statement, I want to share some of the lesser seen ‘Traps that Bill Lewis offer. If your local retailer doesn’t offer these ‘Traps, they can be ordered directly from Rat-L-Trap’s website, www.rat-l-trap.com
Pro-Trap: Upon the hook set, the lure body will slide up the line away from the hook. By separating the hooked fish from the lure, the Pro-Trap prevents the fish from using the lure’s weight as leverage to shake the hook loose. Available in 3/8 oz. and 5/8 oz.
Spin-Trap: The Spin-Trap has a willow-leaf blade added to the back of the ‘Trap that adds flash and turbulence to the lure. With the front hook guarded by the downward pointed nose and the rear hook removed, this ‘Trap can be fished in and around structure holding predator fish. Available in 1/4 oz. and 1/8 oz.
Floating-Trap: The Floating-Trap will run at a depth of 3’ with a constant retrieve, or be popped along the surface when fish are keying in on topwater lures. Floaters also work well around docks, through standing timber, or over submerged cover.
The Versatile Shaky Head
By Mark “Landingcrew” Wheeler The Shaky head, it brings visions of slow, slow finesse fishing. But it is much, much more than that. In the fishing world there are very few “Jack of all trades” lures, the Shaky head fits that bill. Let’s break down what makes a great Jig. First and most
importantly the hook has to be strong, but not bulky. The best are thin wire hooks as this doesn’t impede the action of the bait. Next is avoid all of the jig heads that have screws, wires or any extra plastic holders as this only limits the jigs uses. What you’re looking for is jig heads with multiple parts. As an example is the tommyhead Jig (www.tommyheadjig.com) it has a collar similar to what you would find on spinner bait, it also has a barb like on a basic jig head for swim baits. This allows for unlimited possibilities. The third thing is the eye, you want one that is at a 60 degree angle, and
this is what gives a shaky head its action when being pulled thru the water. So you went out and picked up a few packs of jigs, what else should you get? Well the basics are finesse worms, along with curly tailed style worms. But along with those you should get some replacement skirts, the ones that are used for replacing jig and spinner bait skirts, these, will add another dimension to your game. Creature baits and craw baits are also great choices as the arms and appendages can stay off the bottom. Any of your favorite wacky rigged baits are now weighted for a faster presentation. Those are just a few ways to rig a shaky head, now why did I mention these things?
In the professional tournament world, whenever you are taking precious time to tie on a new lure that is time that you are not putting a lure on the fish. That could mean the difference between bringing home a check or well not. So when you have a system that you can rig once but present it different ways without taking the time to search out a new bait, and rig it. In the Kayak fishing world, space is a virtue, this is the key to success as the jig now replaces other baits. Meaning you now have room for other baits to round out your tackle selection. Versatility is what makes a great bait selection. Let’s talk how to present it. The old thinking is to shake the bait, and that is an effective technique, but let’s talk other ways that work equally as well but can cover more water. The way I run the shaky head two ways with finesse plastic. The first way is to make a long cast, then I keep my rod tip low and drag it, when I feel some structure I will shake it for up to 10 seconds then hop it over the structure and immediately start dragging it again till I hit the next piece of structure. If I am working an area that has not structure for me to bounce the bait off of then I will ‘swim’ the bait back to me. This is my favorite as I can really work an area quickly, what you are going to do is make a long cast, then you are going to start popping your rod tip and reeling at the same time, what you need to do is visualize the bait hopping along barely touching the bottom, the key is to hit the bottom on every hop, this technique is one that will illicit some vicious strikes. The Shaky Head technique is one that you want to throw on spinning tackle plain and simple. Many of the jig heads are very light and with bulky baits can slow the
lure in the air to the point that if you threw it on a bait caster you would be picking out the birds nest all day along with limited casting distance. Fill your spinning reel with 10lb fluorocarbon, this will give you the sensitivity and will also help you keep the bait presenting right, braid wants to float and will change the style, mono sensitivity is awful and you won’t feel the bottom or the bite so fluoro. Next is the rod, and this is where you are going to want to pay attention; any medium heavy, light
weight rod with a very fast tip is what you are looking for. It seems like every technique out there uses that rod style so you shouldn’t have to buy a specialized rod. The cool thing is that no matter what plastic or presentation style you choose you can fish it with the same setup and be extremely effective in putting a big ole pig in the boat! So grab your favorite spinning reel, sensitive rod and throw a shaky head, use your imagination and try new baits new styles and GET YOUR FISH ON MAN!
Mark "Landingcrew" Wheeler is an avid fisherman, whether from pier, shore, kayak or boat, if there is fish to be caught he will most likely be fishing for them. Mark is currently fishing the Weekend Series on the BASS tour, as well as many kayak fishing tournaments up and down the east coast. Mark is the host of the LOW SODIUM SHOW on kayakfishingradio.com, is an elite team member with ORCA COOLERS, and is on the pro fishing teams with Jackson Kayak, yakangler.com, Bull Bay Rods, Unfair Lures, and Tommyhead Jigs. Mark lives in Virginia and is joined in his life long passion with his wonderful wife and two children. As mark says, GET YOUR FISH ON...MAN!.
Are You A Frog Fisherman? By Chuck Wrenn Are you a frog fisherman? If not, have you ever thought of trying it but were scared you didn't have the right gear? At first, it may seem intimidating when you walk down the aisle at your local tackle store and see an entire section dedicated to soft plastic frogs. If that wasn't enough, you simply have to turn around and then take in the multitude of hollow-bodied frogs, popping frogs and other diving or floating frog variants on the opposite side of the aisle. So where do you begin? Before we get started, it is important to understand that this article is geared more towards those that have never frog fished or have had some struggles. To the seasoned or veteran frog angler, the items discussed below are old hat and are pretty much automatic. The other key point to understand is that every body of water is unique and may require you to adjust not only your tactics, but also the gear you choose to utilize. With that said..... The first thing you need to understand is that frogging requires some sturdier equipment in the way of rod, reel and line choices. That means you will most likely need at least two complete setups to target fish using a frog. This will make more sense
a little later. For the rod, you want to find a good medium-heavy rod with an extra fast action in a length between 6'6" and 7'3". For most kayak anglers, this length is sufficient for reaching around the front of your kayak and playing the fish to either side yet still stout enough to handle some big fish and short enough to fit inside your vehicle for transport. A key point to remember here is that as kayak anglers, we do not need to invest in those heavy technique specific frog rods, because we can go to the fish if it gets hung up whereas a traditional bass angler in a boat does not always have that luxury. Sensitivity is not as key in a frog rod here, so don't get hung up on how sensitive it feels. You should be more concerned about the strength of the rod's backbone and the action of the tip. When it comes to reel choice, this is typically a personal preference when it comes to reel brand or gear ratio, but the one recommendation I can offer is one that can stand up to the rigors of frog fishing and has an IPT (Inches Per Turn) of at least 2830". This typically means handling heavy cover and the torque or flex of the reel under load. Low quality reels do not hold up well
other quality in the reel that needs to be tested thoroughly is the drag rating and the drag action. Any reel with a minimum drag rating of 12-15lbs should be fine, but you should have it tested first to know the reel's limits. The action of the drag should be smooth under load and not jumpy or inconsistent. The next piece of your arsenal is the line choice. Just like reels, there are many preferences in this area as well. You can use anything from 15lb fluorocarbon to 65lb braided line. The key here is understand what cover you will be fishing in and around before making your line choice. For open water or light cover like sporadic lily pads or grass mats, you can use 15-25lb fluorocarbon and be fine. For the waters like I fish where the lily pads are super thick and lay downs and timber are knotted like spaghetti, I prefer to use a dark green 50-65lb braid, because when I get a fish on, I know I can keep the fish hooked without fear of the fish breaking the line on the cover and give me enough time to get closer to it if needed. The one caveat here is for those that are using the lighter small profile frogs on spinning gear. You can use 30lb braid with a 20lb fluorocarbon
leader and be fine. As said before, the cover will dictate what line to use. Now that you have your "frog combo" ready, you need to arm yourself with some frogs. I recommend keeping it simple at first with regards to types of frogs and colors. You have to remember, the predatory behaviors and actions of the fish will clue you in on what is the right cadence and retrieve to use, so don't focus so much on color variation. After all, the profile of the lure underneath the water and the noise profile it emits are what entices the strike, not whether the frog was green, red, brown, white or black. The fish could care less what intricate pattern or frog like graphic was painted on the top or side of the lure - they can't see it from below!! For your first set of frogs, I recommend three colors: a watermelon pearl, a brown/ orange and a black. If you stick to these three colors, they will be get you started and will do perfectly fine. I have caught the majority of my frog bass on either black or the watermelon pearl. As for the other types of frogs, I also recommend a couple popping frogs in black and a green; a few walk the dog soft bodied frogs in the same two or three color patterns. The only other things you need at this point are 4/0-5/0 EWG or unweighted swim bait hooks and a good frog scent. The reason for the frog scent is enticing the fish to hold onto the frog a split second longer to increase your chances of a good hook set.
So, now that you have your "froggin' combo" and your first frog arsenal ready for the fight, what do you do? How do you get started? First and foremost, you need to have your two frog rods rigged with different frog types. The first combo should have your moving presentation. The second should have your popping or walk the dog presentation. The first thing I do is target the outer edges of the lily pads, grass line or lay downs with the moving frog. I typically burn the frog first creating a nice bubble trail. I'll work the lay down or cover edges quickly and follow up with a slightly slower retrieve where the frog barely disturbs the surface. These fish are typically the most aggressive and are relative easy targets. The reason you want to start at the outer edge first is to not spook any potentially larger fish that may be lurking deeper in the cover or closer to shore. Once you have worked over the edges fairly well, make a cast about midway deep into the lay down or cover and repeat. Once that is done, then I cast to the shore and hop my frog into the water and start working it back to me. If I miss the strike or get a short strike, I immediately get my second frog rod and cast back just beyond that spot. Only this time, I'll let the frog sit there for a bit before I give it a subtle twitch and let it rest. After 20-30 seconds, I'll give it a couple more twitches. The primary purpose of the second combo is as a "throwback lure" for a missed strike. If you aren't getting any strikes on the moving frog, the second combo can be used in conjunction with the first combo and worked into the mix when you are casting. For example. the first cast you made earlier was to the outer edge of a lay down and you worked your frog quickly. The second cast was to the same general area but with a slower retrieve. Now pick up the second combo and throw that frog to the same outer edge and work it slowly twitching the frog every 20-30 seconds. As you move your target area, work your second combo into the mix as the last step before cycling back to the moving presentation on your first combo. The key concept to understand here is to provide the target species with alternatives. If all you are doing is power fishing with a moving presentation, you might be missing some quality fish by not offering them something different to think about. At the same time, if the fish only sees and hears one thing, they will tune it out and likely not strike it. For the budget conscious angler, you can achieve the same goals by only using one combo. You just have to be self aware enough to know when to switch it up with your retrieve cadence or how you work the frog. For example, on some days I will only take one frog rod, but it is worked using all three retrieval speeds - fast, medium and slow. The last concept to understand and often times the hardest is the hook set. There are three key elements to the proper hook set on a fish that strikes a frog. First and foremost is rod tip angle. When working the frog, you need to keep your rod tip at approximately the ten to eleven o'clock position. The second is lowering your rod tip immediately when the strike occurs - don't try for a hook set here! You'll most likely end up with a frog flying straight back at you at quite a high rate of speed and with hooks exposed! Yikes! Third, count to yourself a two count (thousand one, thousand two) as you reel the slack in and then give a quick firm hook set over your shoulder. If you try
a side hook set, you could pull the frog right out of the fish' mouth. The hardest part of the three-part series of events is not setting the hook immediately. Simple right? In all seriousness, it is actually that simple, but it takes practice as with any fishing technique. I'll leave you with two helpful tips that I personally can attest to as helping me land more bass using frogs. First, when rigging soft plastic frogs on the hook of your choice, work the hook through the body of the frog a couple times to loosen the passage way for the hook shank. It only takes one missed fish and seeing your hook still rigged perfectly to remember this tip. Second, if you use a frog scent attractant, stick to the gel or wand-style attractants. They remain on the frog longer than the sprays.
Have faith in your ability and go try to catch some fish on a top water frog - I can tell you that there is nothing quite like the thrill and adrenaline rush of a top water frog strike. It gets my blood pumping all the time!
About Chuck Wrenn I started kayak angling in April 2010 in a SOT (Sit On Top) purchased from Appomattox River Company. I have always been a freshwater angler primarily targeting Largemouth Bass. Since that time, I have ventured out into the saltwater more and more and have enjoyed my days chasing Speckled Trout, Summer Flounder, Striped Bass and hope to eventually catch a bull red, some Spades, Tautog and Sheepsheads. Currently, I am a member of the Hobie Fishing Team as a Local Pro and have fished out of three of their kayaks - the Hobie Revolution 13, Pro Angler 12 and Pro Angler 14 and find them to be more useful for the type of fishing I am doing than a traditional paddle-based kayak. Especially since I can venture out further without fear of arm fatigue in heavy current and wind. Not to mention the relative ease of maintaining one's position using the Mirage Drive. You just point your bow in the direction of the current or the wind and pedal slowly. I am also a member of the PowerTeam Lures Pro Staff and actively fish their soft plastics anytime I am in the freshwater.
Kayak fishing film makers Yaktastic tell the story of Mike Conneen, a dis everything on his own. “He is a real and to everyone working on this pro kayak angling world. It deserves to
The movie is yet to be named and w
Rob Devore on set filming.
Yaktastic Adventur
c Adventures has announced their new project that will sabled kayak angler from southeast Florida who does lly good guy and a true inspiration to me, his community, oject. We are looking forward to bringing his story to the be told,” says Rob Devore.
will be released Fall 2013.
res
Be sure to “Like” Yaktastic Adventures on Facebook for more updates.
Bigfin Tip of the Month: Tournament Preparation Whether you are an avid tournament angler or plan to participate in an upcoming tournament, properly preparing for the challenges that will be presented can only provide a positive outcome. I actively participate in kayak fishing tournaments around the state and from experience I have found several tactics and preparation methods that have made the experience more enjoyable, if not rewarding. I approach life everyday reminding myself that I can only control myself and my own actions, taking this attitude in to the tournament scene allows me to focus on where my efforts should be directed. Every tournament can be structured differently so be sure to read through the rules before assuming you know what to do. I like to break my tournament preparations in to three categories including the pre-tournament research, gear preparation and mental status.
Pre-Tournament Research: Several weeks out from a tournament I like to begin the research process which includes scouring local fishing reports from that particular time of year and comparing with reports from the previous several years. While reading these reports, I take in to account tournament weather conditions and how they align with that of the previous year reports. Generic guide fishing reports may help provide some guidance, but the reports one can find on the local fishing forums and from calling a few local friends can help paint a much better picture. I like to create a folder with printouts of fishing reports, wind and weather predictions, tide predictions, tournament rules and a list of required gear. I will take screen shots of aerial maps I have marked up with desired fishing locations and include the print-outs in the folder. Continued on Next Page
While many may have quality electronics to reference while on the water for this information, it is always good to have a hardcopy since we all know electronics can be your best friend and worst enemy. It’s easy to get caught up in the fishing research and forget all about making lodging arrangements; I like to stay as close to my launch location as possible, even if it means staying in the BIGFIN Bunker at the actual launch location. Gear Preparation:
Review the rules of the tournament and make sure you have all of the required safety gear on board; I suggest keeping it all in one convenient location to streamline the check-in process. Additionally review fishing gear such as rods, reels, line, lures, tackle and tools. Make sure everything is in working order, hooks are not rusted, pliers can still cut, reels are not locked up or running low on line or frayed line and your rod guides are all accounted for. Having a hand written or typed checklist can help bring peace of mind.
Mental Status: If you are anything like me, the night before a tournament you are still up until 1 a.m. rigging your lines and getting everything in order to wake up in a few hours and hit the water. Lack of sleep, food and drink the day before a tournament can be detrimental to the point where I have seen anglers faint at the launch. Mentally preparing for a tournament can be like mentally preparing to take a standardized test. There’s plenty of studying, sleep, ample food and water, but no need for the sharpened #2 pencils. Once you hit the water plenty of other factors can cloud and angler’s judgment however the prior preparation can help the ability to adapt while on the water. Tournaments can be stressful, but should be fun at the same time. If the fish aren’t biting, that can be completely out of your control, but knowing you did everything in your power to prepare for the event should bring serenity in even the worst fishing conditions. Whether you win or lose the tournament, always remember that a bad day of fishing always beats a good day in the office.
Nick Dyroff BIGFIN Apparel Pro Coordinator Malibu Kayaks Pro Staff Tailin’ Toads Pro Staff FINS Braid Pro
The Fishing Chef
Salmon Mashed Potatoes
INGREDIENTS:
PREPARATION:
3 1/2 lb Red Potaotes
3 cloves Garlic, minced
Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with cold salted water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook for 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain well. Place potatoes in a large bowl and add the sour cream, butter, and milk. Mash until almost smooth. Mix in the cheese, garlic, salt, petter and salmon. Sprinkle with the remaining dill and serve.
Pinch of Salt/Pepper
Serves 8
1/2 cup Sour Cream 1/4 cup Melted Butter 1 cup Milk 2 cups Harvarti Cheese
1/2 cup canned Salmon 1/2 tbsp chopped Dill
Built Barbie Strong The Barbie Rod Challenge initially was thought to be just a fad. This past month has proven it is here to stay and only continues to grow stronger. Last month’s challenge was clearly one for the books, gaining over four hundred new members of The Barbie Rod Militia. The “Locked & Loaded Challenge” allowed the participant’s imagination to run wild and create the most interesting modified Barbie rod. Only two rules applied to this challenge: 1. The rod must still have pink on it. 2. No altering of the Barbie rod length. The submissions were so impressive that photos could not do them justice which lead to a series of hilarious and outrageous video submissions of participants modeling their creations. All entries were to be submitted by a certain date, allowing the Barbie Rod Militia a week to vote on their favorite submissions and participants to market their creations. To really gain a full appreciation of these submissions I encourage you to view them on the Barbie Rod Challenge facebook page. www.facebook.com/groups/ barbierodchallenge
All of the submissions left me breathless and longing for more. The winner earned their name on the Barbie Rod Challenge trophy and a free pair of Costa Sunglasses generously donated from Fishing Florida Radio. The voting was very intense and remained neck and neck all week between Austin Rouse and Tammy Wilson. The winner was finally announced at the traditional monthly get-together, all entrants won some great prizes provided by the sponsors. Austin Rouse and his Pro Staff Barbie ended up taking the cake with Tammy Wilson’s fly rod closely trailing behind. The current challenge is the “Alternative Challenge,” where participants much submit photo/video of the best alternative use for a Barbie rod other than fishing. Come join in the fun and see what everyone is talking about! Nick Dyroff Barbie Rod Challenge Founder Malibu Kayaks Pro Staff Member BIGFIN Apparel Pro Coordinator Tailin’ Toad Pro Staff
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1 WINNER
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1. Tammy Wilson’s Barbie Fly-Rod: The first ever Barbie Fly Rod with glittered guide wraps and a custom pink matching fly.
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2, Paul Rivera's Bumpin' Barbie Rod: Custom décor and a sound system with iPod dock. 3. Shawn Scribner’s Locked & Loaded Barbie Rod: Bedazzle, laser sighted, strapped and a custom LED light show. 4. Austin Rouse’s Pro-Staff Barbie: Bedazzled and full of hand laid gems.
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5. . Tyler Vollmer’s Barbie Rod Cannon: A new take on the traditional potato gun, this first ever Barbie Rod cannon can launch lures up to fifty feet away. 6. Steve McNerney’s Multi-Purpose Barbie Rod: With intricate beading, a bottle-opener and a custom made lure.
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7. Jara Lipman’s Blinging Barbie: Wrapped in gems and a matching Barbie bikini and protective Tailin’ Toads gloves and shield.
Show Off Your Catch Share Your Story Make The Front Cover Be A Part Of Something Great Just send us your fishing photos and share your story with us for a chance to be featured in a future issue of The Fisherman’s Journal. Who knows, you may be the next famous face to grace the front cover and spotlight our Angler Profile. Send all photos and articles to editor@thefishermansjournal.com
Peacocks On Fl
Jason Fernandez prepares himself for a day of canal fishing.
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Daniel Diez takes us on a tour of pictures as he pursues Peacock Bass in the local lakes and canals of Miami
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1.Warren Chin z e d n a n r e F n o s a J . 2 / z e d n a n r e H l e i n 3. Da Daniel Diez
Daniel Diez
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1. 1.Lared Lared Fernandez 2. Daniel Hernandez/ Daniel Diez 3. Eric Estrada