SA BASS December 2018 by SABASS

December 2018

RSA: R39.34 (VAT incl.) Other Countries: R34.21 (Tax excl.)

Issue 212

Rigging 4

GRASS

Fine-tuning

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Contents

SA BASS Magazine

is published monthly (12 issues per annum) by WJ Lindeque cc t/a BB Print (CK99/23366/23)

Office hours:

Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 08:15 to 16:15

Contact numbers:

Office: (065) 849 3264, Alternative: (083) 306 2718 Fax: (086) 234 5026

Postal Address:

SA BASS, PO Box 24938, Gezina, 0031, RSA

Editor:

Hannes Lindeque - hannes@sabass.com

Assistant editor:

John Badenhorst – editor@sabass.com

Regular contributors:

Roger Donaldson, Philip Kemp, Jay Röhm-Williams, Gary Peter, Gordon Brown

International Columnists:

Bertrand Ngim, Clint Skinner, David Swendseid, Curtis Niedermier, TJ Maglio, Matt Williams, Tyler Brinks, Joe Balog, Anthony Hawkswell

Advertising Manager:

Wilma Lindeque - wilma@sabass.com

Subscriptions:

Hannes Lindeque - hannes@sabass.com

Digital subscriptions:

www.magzter.com

Layout and Design:

Storm Deezigns - dee@stormdeezigns.co.za

Distributed by RNA:

Jannie Junius (011) 248 3536

REGULARS & FORUMS 08

FLW “Rigging for Grass” How three experts prepare their bass boats to tackle heavy vegetation – Joe Balog

FLW “Understanding the Spawn” Knowing where and when bass spawn is often the first step to springtime success. – TJ Maglio

About SA BASS magazine:

SA BASS, which is editorially and financially independent, is a monthly magazine catering exclusively for the bass angling community in Southern Africa. SA BASS is distributed country-wide by RNA to outlets, not only in South Africa, but also in Namibia, Swaziland and Botswana. SA BASS is designed as a specialist bass fishing publication and has catered for a well-defined niche market since April 2001. It enjoys the support and endorsement of non-government organisations, but is not affiliated in any way to these bodies or to any other publishing, environmental or political interest group. Our mission is to promote bass angling as a socially acceptable and popular outdoor recreational activity, and in addition, to encourage acceptable angling ethics. As such, SA BASS provides pertinent information on a wide range of subjects. These include providing a platform for informed debate on issues affecting the sport of bass angling, providing information on bass angling strategies and techniques, bass angling waters and opportunities, and also creating awareness of new products. Within this editorial mix, due consideration is given to developing the 02 SA BASS December 2018

sport among all the country’s people (including the youth), and to the practical conservation of the country’s natural resources. Copyright is expressly reserved and nothing may be reproduced in part or whole without the permission of the publisher. All enquiries regarding editorial correspondence, manuscripts and photographs should be directed to: editor@sabass.com Address contributions to the editor. Manuscripts, photos and artwork will be handled with care, but their safety cannot be guaranteed. Enclose a stamped, self addressed envelope with all editorial submissions. The publisher and editorial staff are not responsible for researching and investigating the accuracy or copy right of the material provided for publication in SA BASS magazine. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the contents of this magazine, the publisher does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors or their consequences. Readers are advised to use this information with the understanding that it is at their own risk. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher, the editor, editorial staff or SA BASS Society.

FLW “Fine-Tuning Umbrella Rigs” Take your rig game to new heights with advice from FLW Series Pro Casey Smith. – Curtis Niedermier

How to use QR-codes 1. Open the QR-code reader/scanner app on your smartphone. Most smartphones models often have an app pre-installed. If not, visit your phone’s app store and download the app. 2. Keep a steady hand while the QR-code is centred on the screen. 3. As soon as it is done scanning, whatever information should present itself for your viewing pleasure.

TOURNAMENT NEWS “Costa FLW Championship 2018” The ultimate highlight of each year’s SA BASS Cast-for-Cash Black Bass Angling tournaments is the Costa FLW Series Championship held this year at Lake Guntersville, Alabama – Hannes Lindeque

SA BASS

38 40

“Where to with spinnerbaits” Summer really does deliver some explosive bass fishing around the shallows and this is exactly where we are going to be with our spinnerbaits – Roger Donaldson

INDUSTRY NEWS

40 41

“Summer is for the frogs” Some of the most fun I’ve had fishing frogs has been on a small dam just north of Pretoria named Rust der Winter. – Roger Donaldson

“Garmin expands” Garmin International, Inc., announced the GPSMAP 8600/8600xsv series, an extension of its flagship GPSMAP 8600 series.

“A small craft angler’s road to Lake Guntersville – Part 1” It started when Hugo told us that he had some exiting news for us. Hugo van der Walt is the organizer and one of the founding members of, “The Bass Challenge”. – Vicus Horn

MASTER CLASS

TACTICS

“Dis tyd vir bo-loperase” Onthou julle nog die Cremora advertensie: “It’s not inside, it’s on top!” – Philip Kemp

46 48

INDUSTRY NEWS “New Garmin marine accessories” Garmin International, Inc., announced three new accessories built with the mariner in mind.

“Secrets of South Africa’s pro’s – Part 5: Approach to structure” Bass migrate on a very regular basis and due to a number of factors - seasonal changes being a very big one – Bass Spy

TOURNAMENT NEWS

INDUSTRY NEWS

SA BASS “From fry to lunker. The lifecycle of a bass and their behaviour” When one develops an absolute passion for something where moments of pure happiness are experienced, it is hard to think of anything else afterwards. Bass fishing is no different and once you’re in, my friend you are hooked! – Jay Röhm-Williams

SA BASS

“Team USA Wins Gold at 2018 Black Bass Championship in Mexico” After the day two weigh-in Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, at the 14th Annual Black Bass World Championship on Lake Cuchillo near China, Mexico, Team USA was awarded the Gold Medal. – Jason Sealock

“Polaris acquires minority interest in FLW” Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, and Polaris Industries Inc., the leading global power sports manufacturer, announced a strategic partnership.

KLASKAMER

COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 04

MY CAST

READERS-go-BASSING

Cast-for-Cash - Tournament Results

SA BASS “Bass + Summer = Fun!” Another South African morning has broken and she is coming in hot, from as early as 5am in fact – Jay Röhm-Williams

ON THE COVER “Caught early morning in farm dam – May 2018” Image: Riku van Wyk

SA BASS 03 December 2018

has gone digital !! GET YOUR FAVOURITE SA Bass MAGAZINE

DIGITALLY Die jaar het verby gesnel en toe ons weer sien, is ons by die Desember-uitgawe. Vir diegene wat nog nie vanjaar hulle persoonlike beste gevang het nie, is dit nog nie neusie verby nie. Desember is om die draai en soos gewoonlik is SA BASS weer propvol handige wenke om ons lesers te help om meer gereeld, en groter visse te vang. Onthou asseblief om altyd die groot teelvisse versigtig terug te plaas nadat die nodige fotos geneem is. Stuur asb vir ons ‘n kort storie saam met jou foto vir plasing in ons “Readers go Bassing” afdeling. Vir diegne wat meer kompeterend van aard is, is dit nog nie te laat om by ons maandelikse Cast-for-Cash swartbaarhengeltoernooie aan te sluit nie. In Augustus volgende jaar word die volgende rondte Suid-Afrikaanse FLW kampioenskappe gehou waar die volgende groep hengelaars die geleentheid wen om Suid-Afrika internasionaal by die Costa FLW Series Championship op Lake Cumberland in Kentucky te gaan verteenwoordig. Sien hoe word drome bewaarheid en lees die verslag omtrent die pas afgelope Costa FLW Series Championship op Lake Guntersville waar FLW Suid-Afrika weereens bewys het dat ons oor van die beste hengelaars beskik. Terwyl ons hengelaars in Alabama was, was die jaarlikse swartbaar wêreldkampioenskap gehou op Lake Cuchillo in Mexiko. ‘n Kort opsomming van hierdie kapioenskap is ook in hierdie uitgawe. Nader tuis en vir diegene wat nie weet wat om met hulle kinders, of kleinkinders, in hierdie vakansie aan te vang nie, is daar weer ons gereelde Bassin’ Kids avontuurkampe. Tydens hierdie kampe hou ons die kinders weg van rekenaar-, televisieen selfoonskerms. Hulle word besig gehou met gesonde vermaak soos toe ons nog kinders was. Die aktiwiteite sluit in swartbaarhengel, veldkuns, lantern bekruip, swem en hope ander pret binne die Dinokeng reservaat noord van Pretoria. Die kamp begin Sondag, 9 Desember en strek tot Saterdag die 15e. Skakel gerus vir Wilma tydens kantoor-ure om jou kind se plek te bespreek. Ons voel jammer vir die wat te oud is om te kom kamp en hoop dat julle ook iewers vreugde sal vind. Laastens, ons almal by SA BASS wens ons lesers, adverteerders, FLW-lede en Cast-for-Cash hengelaars ‘n baie geseënde Kersfees toe. Mag julle omring wees met liefde en vrede. Hannes Lindeque

04 SA BASS December 2018

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READERS

GO BASSING

To feature in “Readers go Bassing” send your story and pictures to editor@sabass.com All photos published in “Readers-go-Bassing” are for the exclusive use of SA BASS Magazine. Any photos previously published by other magazines will not be considered.

FINALLY NEW PB While pre-fishing Loskop Dam in anticipation for the first Mpumalanga FLW Cast-for-Cash bass angling tournament my son, Justin, set an incredible PB of 5.14kg. Thanks for the great magazine and all the effort you put into this fantastic sport. – André Morison

LUCKY I landed these two little beauties in our little home town river down in the Eastern Cape. The big ones aren’t as plentiful as they used to be, but every now and then, you get lucky. Both of them faught like champions, and were safely released again. Thanks for an awesome magazine, keep it up. – Jacques Koekemoer 06 SA BASS December 2018

I would just like to congratulate you guys on always having such an amazing magazine on the shelf. It always helps reading new methods and different techniques to catching bigger fish. I started bass fishing two years ago and mainly fish dams up in the Natal Midlands area. My biggest used to be a 1.1kg not until I recently went up to Witbank. I was lucky enough to be invited to a very, very private dam in the area. Upon arrival I notice about 40 to 50 bass spawning close to the banks. Some were well over 1.5kg. However I noticed a really big one swimming around that morning close to where the weed patches started. Judging by the size of this bass in the water I knew this was going to be well over 3kg and would be my PB if I could catch it. I started by throwing a fluke at it (Junebug colour) and the bass didn’t take, I then threw a 9 inch Trick Stick (Watermelon Seed with chartreuse colour tail) and no luck. I decided to carry on fishing off another jetty and caught a few just under 900g. I then headed back and saw the fish was still hanging around so I decided to throw a (Cull-em Green Pumpkin frog ) and I was on. The fish did put up quite a fight and I eventually landed it. I couldn’t believe how small the hook looked in its mouth. The fish was huge. I was very excited and quickly weighed the fish which showed 3.060kg on my scale and then released it. I didn’t measure the length although I wish I had as it was well over 60cm. This was definitely the highlight of my holiday and I can’t wait to head back to this spot and catch bigger. Later on that day I caught a 1.850kg then the day after I caught another 1.8kg, 1.6kg, 1.2kg and about 15 all under 900g and nothing smaller than 700gram. Great to fish a healthy dam. Thanks for the awesome magazine and hope I get too see my picture in it . This was a very special and proud moment for me – Brendan van der Merwe

Caught at Klipbergdam – May 2016

A beautiful small bass I caught with a hand line in the Breede River – April 2018

The same dam but a week before my cover page catch

This one I caught late in the afternoon in a farm dam – March 2017

Another one at Klipbergdam

Only some of my tackle boxes

BASSING SINCE EARLY AGE My name is Riku van Wyk and I am 6 years old. (I have asked my dad to send this e-mail). I live in McGregor in the Western Cape (near Robertson) with my dad, mom and sister. I love fishing for bass whenever I get the chance. I have been fishing since I started walking and have accumulated a large collection of all kinds of lures and other artificial bait. I probably have about eight bait boxes! I do other types of fishing also with my dad but today I want to send you some photos of bass I caught - all on my

own. (I have many photos of other big and beautiful fish I landed). I love catching bass because they always put up a nice fight – sometimes I am scared my line might break! I love all types of fish and spending time in nature. I always practise ‘catch-and-release’ because I love fish so much. I hope you like my photos – you can let me know should you want some more information or fishing stories. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. – Riku

SA BASS 07 December 2018

TAKEOFF

BOATâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;RIGGING

RIGGINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;FORâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;GRASS HOW THREEâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;EXPERTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;PREPAREâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;THEIRâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;BASSâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;BOATS TOâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;TACKLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;HEAVYâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;VEGETATION By Joe Balog

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ecember 2018

PHOTO BY ERIC ENGBRETSON

PHOTO BY CHRISâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;BURGAN

File the Prop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

THEâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;EXPERT

SCOTTâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;MARTIN Every fan of bass fishing knows Scott Martin. Growing up in Florida, the former Forrest Wood Cup champion is renowned for his prowess on grass-choked fisheries. In fact, it was his father, the legendary Roland Martin, who designed one of the first weedless trolling motor props. Mining grass is in the bloodline.

Tape it Up $=<?:9A ;@@);A ?>A 3><<@3?A =A /=;:3A 2<>/( 7@1A=?A:?;A;>4<3@ A-@@6;A3>77@3?:95A>9A?8@ ?<>77:95A 1>?><A ;8=0?+A >1@A ?:1@A =5>,A 8@ 9>?:3@6A?8=?A=A3>127@?@A;?>22=5@A>0A0><( -=<6A 1>1@9?41A :;A >0?@9A 3=4;@6A /. 5<=;;A >9A ?8@A ;8=0?,A -8:38A /4:76;A :9?>A = 1=;;:*@,A 07>=?:95A :;7=96A ?8=?A 14;?A /@ 6<=55@6A/.A?8@A/>=?+A#>A3>1/=?A?8@A37>5, $=<?:9A<:5;A=9.A3><6;A><A3=/7@;A A;438A=; ?8=?A>0A=A .6<> =*@A A/@8:96A?8@A?<>77:95 1>?><A;8=0?,A;4/;?:?4?:95A=A0477A;8@=?8A>0 @7@3?<:3=7A?=2@A0><A3=/7@A?:@;+A

Charge to the Max

Keep the propâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edge smooth to avoid hanging up in the grass.

A?<>77:95A1>?><A:;A>97.A=;A5>>6A=;A:?; /=??@<:@;,A ;>A 6>9'?A 38@=2A >4?+A #>6=., $=<?:9A<@7:@;A>9A%:?8:41A <>;A/=??@<:@;, 1@?:347>4;7.A 1=:9?=:9@6A -:?8A =A $:99 >?=A <@3:;:>9A 38=<5@<+A @3@9?A 38=<5@< =6*=93@1@9?;A 8=*@A /@@9A :93<@6:/7@,A =; 9@-A 1>6@7;A =<@A 6:5:?=77.A 3>9?<>77@6A ?> 1=:9?=:9A?8@A/@;?A;?=?@A>0A38=<5@A<@5=<6( 7@;;A>0A/=??@<.A?.2@,A2>-@<A;4<5@;,A?@1( 2@<=?4<@A0743?4=?:>9;A><A841:6:?.+ SA BASS 09 December 2018

PHOTO BY JODYâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;WHITE

Change to a Minn Kota Prop @99@.';A >+A A ?:2A :;A =A 1: (=96(1=?38A ?<>77:95A 1>?><A ;@?42+A @A <@7:@;A >9A = $>?>< 4:6@A + !&A;-@=<A:?';A 4:@?@<A?8=9A=9.A>?8@<A1>?><,"A8@A;=.;+A @?,A @99@.A4?:7: @;A=A$:99A >?=A2<>2A0><A:?;A;42@<:><A!-@@67@;;9@;;+"A#>A1=)@ ?8@A 2<>2A 0:?A >9A ?8@A $>?>< 4:6@';A ;8><?@<A 2<>2A ;8=0?,A @99@.A 4;@;A =A 6<:77A 2<@;;A ?> /><@A>4?A=A;1=77A=1>49?A>0A?8@A:99@<A84/A>0A?8@A2<>2+A @A;@34<@;A:?A:9A27=3@A-:?8A= 9.7>9A7>3)A94?+A A Minn Kota prop on a MotorGuide motor is Kenneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique setup.

THEâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;EXPERT

JTâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;KENNEY Any discussion of anglers who are masters at flipping mats has to include JT Kenneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name. The million-dollar winner owns four FLW titles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all coming from lakes choked with grass. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no coincidence â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kenney seeks the thick stuff. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I gravitate toward mats everywhere we go,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like any lake that has a lot of grass, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where the fish are.â&#x20AC;?

Install a Weed Cutter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

Change Sonar Color #8<>458A?<:=7A=96A@<<><,A @99@.A8=;A6@?@<1:9@6A?8=?A3>7><A2=77@?A >+A A>9A8:; %>-<=93@A :;A /@;?A 0><A 6@?@<1:9:95A 8=<6(/>??>1A =<@=;A -:?8:9A 5<=;;A /@6;+ 2@<:1@9?:95A-:?8A;438A;4/?7@A38=95@;A3=9A/@A)@.A?>A497>3):95A5<=;;.A;@3<@?;+A 10 SA BASS December 2018

A weed cutter is like a mower blade â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it cuts the grass so the prop wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bind.

PHOTO BY JOE BALOG

THEâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;EXPERT

MARKâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6; LUNDGREN

PHOTO BY JOE BALOG

A solid competitor in the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s T-H Marine Bass Fishing League divisions, Mark Lundgren of St. Cloud, Fla., works at Toho Marine, the famed bass boat dealer south of Orlando. There, he keeps tabs on any new trends in fishing aquatic vegetation, and has perfected his own system.

Use a Hydraulic Plate to Push Through

Upgrade Wiring

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Using a jack plate to raise the motor in heavy grass is more efficient than trimming up.

Shield All Transducers

PHOTO BY JOE BALOG

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A transducer shield is good insurance for any skinny water where wood cover, rocks or grass might cause damage.

Install a New Pull Cord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â&#x2013; SA BASS 11 December 2018

TAKEOFF

BASS SCIENCE

UNDERSTANDING THE SPAWN

KNOWING WHERE AND WHEN BASS SPAWN IS OFTEN THE FIRST STEP TO SPRINGTIME SUCCESS By TJ Maglio ILLUSTRATIONS BY RON FINGER

rocreation is the No. 1 goal of any species, as successful reproduction ensures continued existence. That’s why the spawn is the main event of the year for bass. The annual spawning cycle is also prime time for anglers, as many personal bests and epic days are scored when bass are up shallow and heeding the urge to beget more of their kind.

Regardless of where in the country the spawn takes place, every bass fisherman can identify the telltale white saucers that indicate bass beds. Yet a good many anglers don’t truly understand how and why bass spawn, which can inhibit fishing success. Here are a few insights.

Why Beds? Bass are members of the sunfish family, and nestmaking is one of the functions that ties all sunfishes together. Bedding allows bass to ensure that more of their young are successfully hatched. “Bass live in a tough neighborhood,” says Dr. Cory Suski, associate professor of environmental biology at the University of Illinois. “When a male bass sits over a bed, it’s ensuring that none of the local predators can get in and feast on the eggs. By sticking around, it’s giving the young a better opportunity to hatch successfully.” In addition to protecting the brood from predation, male bass, which remain at the bed after the female leaves, also use their fins to circulate water through the nest, removing waste products providing oxygen, and preventing siltation. All such behaviors combined give bass fry a leg up on other fish that don’t provide any parental care.

Spawning Essentials Because bass inhabit such a wide range of waters, they’ve developed the ability to spawn successfully in an extremely wide range of locations, but there are several consistent variables. “In general, they’re going to be looking for something with a fairly hard bottom so their eggs don’t sink into the sediment, and out of the current so they don’t get washed away,” Suski says. “However, in many bass waters, these types of locations are very limited, so they have to improvise. Beggars can’t be choosers, and their urge to procreate will usually overcome lack of suitable habitat.”

MOON PHASE For years, anglers have been convinced that moon phase is a great indicator of spawning activity. The truth is, across much of the bass range, there’s not much of a correlation. “The No. 1 indicator of spawning activity for bass is photoperiod [length of day],” Suski says. “As the days get longer, spawning activity will increase, regardless of the moon phase. Second is water temperature. Bass eggs need a certain water temperature to mature properly, and when those two conditions get right, the bass will spawn.” 12 SA BASS December 2018

IDEAL SPAWNING LOCATIONS

LAKES & RESERVOIRS

RIVERS

TIDAL SYSTEMS

In lakes and reservoirs, suitable spawning habitat is abundant, so most bass bed in shallow bays, coves and flats. Smallmouths prefer areas that have small cobble or pea gravel, and largemouths will fan out a nest along pretty much any shallow shoreline.

Scoured hard bottom is everywhere in river systems such as the Ohio, Susquehanna and Columbia, but heavy current makes most of that habitat unsuitable for spawning. Consequently, bass will get out of the current and spawn in marinas, backwater lakes, around manmade features such as industrial loading areas and dredge holes, and behind major current breaks such as wingdams or large boulders. Smaller current breaks such as laydowns can work as well in areas with light flow.

Siltation is common in tidal systems, and ideal hard-bottom areas often are scarce. In the Mississippi River Delta or Atchafalaya Basin, for example, bass might be compelled to nest on lily pad root masses, stumps, cypress knees and even manmade features such as dock footings.

MORE TIPS FOR LOCATING SPAWNING BASS Watch for vegetation movement – If you know you’re in a spawning area and there’s emergent vegetation such as “hay grass,” cattails and small reeds, watch carefully as you ease through the area on the trolling motor. Bass sometimes reveal their location by bumping stalks and causing the plant above the water to move. Study local vegetation – If you’re not sure what areas might attract spawners, particularly in grass-filled fisheries, talk to a local fisheries biologist or an experienced angler about the types of aquatic vegetation that grow there. Some plant life grows best in gravelly or sandy areas, which are the places that bass build nests. Find those plants, and you’ll find spawning bass. Practice stealth and scan carefully – Most importantly, stay quiet in spawning areas. Don’t talk, and don’t slam compartment lids. Ease around on the trolling motor at a slow speed, without stopping and starting, and scan the water out in front for subtle movements, a “dark spot” that might actually be a bass tail or any discoloration on the lake bottom that might be a bed. ■

PHOTO BY SEAN OSTRUSZKA

By Curtis Niedermier

SA BASS 13 December 2018

GEAR

UMBRELLA RIGS

FINE-TUNING UMBRELLA RIGS TAKE YOUR RIG GAME TO NEW HEIGHTS WITH ADVICE FROM FLW SERIES PRO CASEY SMITH

By Curtis Niedermier

he luster has finally faded on the umbrella rig. It’s still a good option in certain scenarios, but it seems as if the just-tossit-and-catch-20-pounds effectiveness has worn off as bass have gotten wise to the five-wire rig. Regardless, the key to success with an umbrella rig nowadays is in fine-tuning the rig for a specific scenario. No longer will just any rig do. New York pro Casey Smith is an expert at umbrella rig adjustments. He finished runner-up at the 2016 Costa FLW Series Northern Division event on Lake Oneida with a rig, and he says he at least experiments with one at every lake he fishes. Often, Smith has as many as five slightly different umbrella rigs on the deck ready to go. “I look at an umbrella rig like Jason Lambert probably looks at a crankbait, where the bill has its own purpose and there are different bills for different situations and different hooks, rattles and colors,” says Smith. “To me, the umbrella rig is the same, where it’s got all those different parts. Hook size, jighead size, the size of the blades you’re using and the size of the wire all have an effect. I change in and out and tweak and adapt in each situation, just like someone would do with a crankbait on a ledge.” Smith’s adjustments can help any angler dial in an umbrella rig for potential year-round success. 14 SA BASS December 2018

The Base Rig Smith’s favorite rig is the D&W Customs Schooler Rig (shown above), which is available at Facebook.com/DandWCUSTOMS and costs $12.99. It’s also sold by Green Top Hunting and Fishing in Virginia (greentophuntfish.com). The rig’s head is made of layers of acrylic so that it’s light but durable, but that’s not why Smith likes it. Dean Gibbs, owner of D&W, can custom build just about any type of rig Smith wants, and will do so for any consumer. Smith performs some customizations himself; others, he leaves up to Gibbs.

10 POSSIBLE ADJUSTMENTS

1. SNAPS

Situational Tweaks

Snaps provide the key connection from the rig to the swimbaits, so the first thing Smith does is upgrade to heavy-duty size 3 duo-lock snaps that he buys from Barlow’s Tackle.

Some tweaks that Smith makes are situational at best, perhaps only being necessary for a day. For instance, at Oneida, smallmouths kept striking his “dummy” baits – the swimbaits on the top two wires without hooks. In some cases, they’d pull the swimbaits off entirely. To get the fish to dial in on the hooked baits, he made two tweaks. First, he ran 2.8-inch Keitech Swing Impact Fat swimbaits as the dummies on top, on two wires bent way up and away from the other three. Second, he bent all three of the remaining wires down and rigged them with larger 3.3-inch Keitech Swing Impact Fat swimbaits. After the changes, he hooked up more consistently. Little adjustments and experimentation can sometimes lead to great improvements in final results.

Use a high-quality snap always.

Smith runs five jigheads where legal and generally starts with 1/8 or 1/4 ounce, going only as light as 1/16 ounce and never using weightless hooks. He adjusts depending on the target depth and speed of retrieve. Pairing lighter heads on the top two wires (and sometimes the middle) with heavier on bottom can help prevent the rig from rolling or spinning during the retrieve, but Smith actually prefers for them to all weigh the same and makes other adjustments if his rig spins.

3. JIG-HOOKS Some anglers prefer light-wire hooks on umbrella rigs because they believe they penetrate easier than heavy-wire hooks. Smith disagrees. “You definitely want a fairly stout hook because those fish hit that bait so hard,” he says. “It’s beefy tackle, so they hook themselves when they eat it. There’s no need for a fine hook. To me, it’s important to have a stout hook that they’re not going to straighten.” He’s also particular about the angle of the hook’s eye. “I’m pouring my own 90-degree-eye Gamakatsu round-bend jigheads,” he says. “I feel that a 1/4-ounce jighead with a 90degree eye generally is going to stay down better than a 1/4-ounce jighead with a 60degree eye.” Smith uses a 4/0 round-bend hook for swimbaits up to a 3.8-inch Keitech and a 5/0 for a 4.8-inch Keitech, which is about his maximum size.

4. KEEPERS In the case of FLW tournaments that allow umbrella rigs but limit them to three hooks (they’re banned on the FLW Tour) and in states with three-hook limits, Smith always rigs the middle bait and bottom two baits with hooks. For the top two, he experiments with spring-style keepers, weighted spring-style keepers and his own jigheads with the hooks cut off. He settles on whichever setup keeps the bait and the particular rig running true.

PHOTO BY CHARLES WALDORF

2. JIGHEAD WEIGHT

Casey Smith’s best tip for umbrella rig success is to not be afraid to make adjustments and experiment on the fly. Even subtle changes can make a big difference in results.

Smith’s custom jighead has a stout hook and a 90-degree eye.

SA BASS 15 December 2018

5. WIRE ARM GAUGE PHOTO BY CHARLES WALDORF

The Schooler Rig comes standard with .040-gauge wire arms. They work most of the time, but Smith often swaps to a rig with thinner wires. The change reduces the overall weight, which allows the rig to be fished higher in the water column, in shallower water or at a slower retrieve speed. Since Smith prefers not to use jigheads lighter than 1/16 ounce, adjusting wire size is a good way to lighten the rig further if his jigheads are already at the “minimum” size. The tradeoff is that, with thinner wires, the rig is less durable. “At Oneida, as an example, I went to a very light wire, and the reason I did that was I wanted a bait I could keep up a little bit easier,” Smith says, “but you definitely want the heaviest you can get away with. “With a heavy wire, the arms are going to be straighter during the retrieve. When you start to get really thin wire, the arms want to clump close together and bend really easily. A fish can really tear a bait up with light wire. But there are situations that you’re not going to get a bite with heavy wire.”

6. WIRE ARM LENGTH Adjusting wire arm length is similar to adjusting wire gauge. Shorter wires are lighter. Smith tends to stick with the Schooler Rig’s standard wires unless he’s fishing shallower than about 8 feet, in which case he’ll consider a rig with shorter arms if he can’t lighten the standard rig enough by other means.

7. BLADE SIZE Blade size also impacts retrieve speed and depth, and achieving the perfect presentation is a balancing act between blade size, jighead size and wire selection. The Schooler Rig comes standard with a No. 2 willow-leaf blade on each of the four outer wires. “The smaller the blade you have, the less the rig is going to drag or the less the rig is going to lift,” Smith explains. “If you put big blades on there you’re going to have to reel slower to keep your bait down. It’s the same with double versus single blades on each wire. “Every time I throw a rig, I use blades,” he adds. “They create more flash and make it look like more bait in the school.” Also, if a rig is spinning during the retrieve, try experimenting with different blade sizes to balance it out. 16 SA BASS December 2018

Casey Smith’s Umbrella Rig Gear Rod: 7-foot, 10-inch, extra-heavy Duckett Fishing Micro Magic Pro Reel: 6.3:1 Shimano Curado Line: 20- or 25-pound-test Seaguar InvizX fluorocarbon

Bigger blades create more “lift,” which can be good or bad, depending on the situation.

8. ARM ANGLE The middle wire should point straight back nearly all the time. The outside wires can be adjusted in certain circumstances, such as when using “dummy” swimbaits without hooks on the top wires. “I want them all as close together as they can be without tangling up on the cast,” says Smith. “If I’m in an FLW tournament where I can have only three hooks, I want those three [bottom two and middle] close together and the top two bent way, way up to get as far away from those three as possible.” Since most fish that eat the rig swim up to get it, bending the wires in that arrangement increases the odds of the fish striking the swimbaits with hooks (at the bottom), rather than the dummies (at the top).

9. SWIMBAITS While there are a lot of swimbaits being used on umbrella rigs, the swimbaits made by Keitech have become the standard go-to for many pros. “I always start with four Keitech Swing Impacts – the 4inch regular, not the Fat – on the outside and one 3.8 Swing

Impact Fat on the inside,” says Smith. “The Fat has a little bit bigger profile and has a wider tail action, and the regular Swing Impact has more of a subtle kick. I probably run that 75 percent of the time, and that’s what I start with always.” Smaller baits might work better in a lake with small forage, and the opposite is true where bass are foraging on large shad. “It becomes really, really hard to keep big baits way down if fishing 30 to 35 feet of water,” Smith adds. “They create so much lift and are so heavy. And you can only put so much weight on it before it becomes too obnoxious to throw.”

10. SWIMBAIT COLORS Smith’s theory on swimbait colors might vary from what others use. Some mix and match colors, usually to make the middle bait stand out. For Smith, all five swimbaits match. “I let the bait in the lake I’m fishing dictate where I start, but I like [the color] bluegill flash. I haven’t been to a lake in this country where bluegill flash won’t work,” he says. “Ayu is always a good option, especially if perch are present. In darker water I might go to black shad. That’s one department where I keep it pretty simple.”

The 4-inch Keitech Swing Impact (top) and 3.8 Swing Impact Fat The 4-inch Keitech (bottom) bluegill(top) and SwinginImpact flash3.8 areSwing Smith’s starterFat Impact swimbaits. (bottom) in bluegill flash are Smith’s starter swimbaits.

The Nose Swivel If you’re making a homemade rig, make sure you add a quality ballbearing swivel to the rig’s nose. If you buy one from a retailer and it lacks a swivel, add one. “The swivel helps if you don’t balance the weights or arms properly. It helps ensure that the thing is going to swim upright,” says Smith.

SA BASS 17 December 2018

ANOTHER APPROACH

Ian Renfrew

Mazur, Renfrew Share Their Refined, Do-it-All Umbrella Rig Casey Smith likes to tweak his umbrella rig for any and every situation, but that’s not the only strategy that works. Fellow Costa FLW Series Northern Division pros Ian Renfrew and Larry Mazur, who fish team tournaments together throughout New York, have done a lot of experimenting with umbrella rigs to come up with a homemade rig that works just about all the time. They each used the rig to make the top five at the FLW Series event on Oneida in 2016. They’ll occasionally change blade colors or baits, or make small adjustments, but this rig covers most Northern scenarios, particularly for smallmouths. For Southern waters, Mazur recommends upsizing swimbaits and hooks. Larry Mazur

Compact build – Mazur believes the compact profile of the rig makes it a great bait-ball imitator.

Small swimbaits – Matching the hatch can be the key to success. At Oneida the fish were feeding on tiny baitfish, so they opted for 2-inch Optimum Baits Opti Shad swimbaits on the outer wires and a 3.3-inch Keitech Swing Impact Fat on the middle wire. Mazur says a bit of chartreuse dye on the middle bait’s tail can help fish dial in on it.

18 SA BASS December 2018

Wire – They prefer .040-gauge wire rather than the light stuff. This helps extend the life of the rig when targeting feisty smallmouths, which often double or triple up on a rig and can really do some damage to it. Mazur says that some anglers use light wire so that the rig will “pulse” when twitched, but he doesn’t believe he misses out on any bites with this setup.

Blades – No. 3 blades are small and continue with the compact concept. They’ll upsize to No. 3 1/2 blades on occasion.

Staggered jigheads – Renfrew and Mazur use Revenge jigheads. The top two jigheads (the hooks are cut off when hooks are limited in competition) and the middle jighead are lighter than the bottom two to help “level” the rig. At Oneida, they used 3/16 ounce on top and 1/4 on bottom.

Staggered wire lengths – The inner wire is 5 inches long. The outer wires are 4 inches long, and they’re bent out a bit past what’s considered the “normal” angle. This setup helps fish dial in on the bottom two baits and the middle bait, which are the three with hooks in FLW Series competition. ■

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Costa FLW

Championship 2018

FLW South Africa team and supporters L-t-r: Wilma, Vicus, Juan, Robbie, Neels, Christine, Peet, Michaela, Shaun, Elri, Hendrik

The ultimate highlight of each year’s SA BASS Cast-for-Cash Black Bass Angling tournaments is the Costa FLW Series Championship, held this year at Lake Guntersville, Alabama. FLW South Africa was represented by no less than seven FLW champions >> Hannes Lindeque

y the time an angler comes to a tournament like the Costa championships, it is no longer a matter of whether he can fish ... but rather, how good are his nerves? This year there were 396 anglers from around the world who were competing for two brand new Ranger bass boats, prize money and slots at the Forrest Wood Cup in 2019. Last year, Mike Matthee of South Africa made history by finishing under the top ten on day three and also qualifying in the international division for the prestigious Forrest Wood Cup. Will our anglers do it again? Our two ‘skippers’ Neels Beneke and Shaun John left for America ahead of the group to explore the venue. Lake Guntersville is a long, relatively narrow lake that pushes 75 miles up into the Tennessee River. Three species targeted during the competition were small mouth-, large mouthand spotted bass. 20 SA BASS December 2018

What makes the lake difficult to fish is the enormous water grass banks that appear to be great fishing spots and the large schools of bait fish, of which our anglers are not used to. During registration at Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge everyone was welcomed and gift packs were handed out to the anglers. A summary of the competition rules were provided, international anglers were interviewed and all present were spoiled with a great meal. The weird weather patterns were unfamiliar to the South Africans. With great disappointment, day one of the tournament was called off for safety reasons. A tornado formed near the lake, on the west side, and heavy rain poured down, followed by a thick fog blanket across the lake. The weather on day two was considerably better and anglers took off with high expectations. Neels and Shaun both had great pre-fishing sessions and their chances were

Overall winner on the pro side; Kyle Walters

good to fly to Hot Springs next year where 2019’s Forrest Wood Cup will take place. Robbie had a local guide as a skipper and after day one, finished in overall eighth place among the top ten ‘coanglers’. Peet’s efforts paid off and he weighed three fish, placing fifth among international co-anglers. Shaun and Neels both came in with very nice bags and were among the forerunners with Shaun in second place among the international anglers. He was just behind Nuno of Portugal, but Erik Luzak from Canada was breathing in his neck. Now it was a mental game! That evening we had a great international dinner and the anglers were awarded with souvenirs. Everyone went home early to prepare for day three’s fishing session. Day three; the International Friendship anglers took off after all the teams had left and had to be back at 12:00. Michaela Rickhoff stood in for Peet van der Schyff who was still competing in the Costa championship. She was paired with Hendrik Brand and Gregg, an American guide. Their winning bag of five fish weighed 14.11lb. A big kicker placed Mexico in second place followed by Vicus Horn, Juan du Toit and Archie, also a local guide. Their total bag of five fish weighed 8’11lb, placing them third. Unfortunately, Shaun could not land the right size fish and came in empty handed. All eyes were now on Neels Beneke and Robbie Olivier. Robbie was very upset! His skipper had a lot of nice things to say but once on the water he didn’t have a clue on how to fish grass banks. Fishing grass banks is our strong point but the skipper didn’t listen to Robbie. In the process, Robbie lost a couple of healthy kickers and couldn’t weigh a single fish for the day. Neels had four fish, one unfortunately one millimetre - literally one millimetre too short - but still he was the in a good position to win. In anticipation we waited for the anglers from Portugal and Canada. Nuno, like Shaun, did not weigh any fish, and then Erik Luzak of Canada came with his winning bag and pushed Neels into second place. Ai, so close but still so far!

Erik Luzak from Canada won the international division

At the end of the day’s proceedings, Archie took the South African anglers for dinner and fishing on Sunday morning.

How to qualify: Every month there are Cast-for-Cash and small craft black bass angling tournaments all over the country. At the end of the season the best of each region compete at the FLW South Africa championships for sponsored slots to the Costa FLW Series Championship in the USA. (You cannot claim to be best if you didn’t prove it.) Next year, the FLW Series Championship will be held at Lake Cumberland, Kentucky. In addition to the big cash

Vicus Horn having a good time

Shaun finished 2nd on day one in the international division SA BASS 21 December 2018

International Friendship Tournament winners; Michaela, Gregg and Hendrik

prizes and two boats at stake, we compete against anglers from Canada, China, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and South Korea in the international division for a slot at the Forrest Wood Cup. This is the Olympic Games of bass fishing where every competitor wins at least $10,000! (Good news; from next year the overall winner in the co-angler side will also win a slot in the Forrest Wood Cup.)

What FLW means: As mentioned, FLW South Africa has some of the best black bass anglers in the world and proved it once again. Last year, Mike Matthee won the International Division at the Costa FLW Series Championship and participated in the Forrest Wood Cup in 2018. South Africa also won the International Friendship Tournament last year and did it again this year. The opportunities that these achievements create for our local anglers are underestimated. FLW makes it possible for every angler to live his (or her) dream because the international arena is the place where talent is noticed by potential sponsors. Participation in the Costa FLW

Sunrise on day one, just before storm set in 22 SA BASS December 2018

Peet van de Schyff

Series Championship cannot be diluted to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;just another club competitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. At this level you will be competing head on against international celebrities and the best of the best across the globe. Also, you are representing your country officially in an international championship! Without the support of our sponsors, this great opportunity for our South African anglers will not be possible. Many thanks to SA BASS magazine, Garmin South Africa, Laboria and Yamaha SA.

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South-eastern division

Kyle Walters (1st place)

Western division

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South-western division

Zack Birge (7th place)

Central division

Ryan Salzman (11th place)

Northern division

Cory Johnston (12th place)

International division

Erik Luzak (37th place; FLW Canada)

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Costa FLW Series Championship

International division – co-angler – Robbie Olivier

1st place

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2nd place

Costa FLW Series Championship

International division – pro-angler – Neels Beneke

3rd place

International Friendship Tournament

Juan du Toit & Vicus Horn

4th place

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5th place

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International division – pro-angler – Shaun John

Robbie Olivier taking the lead on day one

Peet taking out his fish on day one

Who would have thought that Juan will be shaking Bryan’s hand?

Juan and Hendrik are studying an online map of Lake Guntersville

Neels Beneke on stage on day one

Robbie and Neels are interviewed SA BASS 23 December 2018

24 SA BASS December 2018

October

SA BASS 25 December 2018

26 SA BASS December 2018

October

SA BASS 27 December 2018

>> SA BASS

A SMALL CRAFT ANGLER’S ROAD TO

LAKE GUNTERSVILLE

PART 1

Juan du Toit crowned as TBC’s Angler of the Year

>> Vicus Horn* It started when Hugo told us that he had some exiting news for us. Hugo van der Walt is the organizer and one of the founding members of, “The Bass Challenge”. We were all sitting in assorted kick-boats, kayaks, rubber ducks, and small fibreglass boats, waiting for the tournament to start. Hugo was into his pre-launch speech: “Hannes Lindeque, of FLW South Africa, has contacted me, and he is offering TBC anglers four slots to go and fish the FLW International Friendship Tournament in the USA!” Stunned silence followed for about five seconds. We were all absorbing the implications of what he just said. Hugo then said that the final details still had to be hammered out, but what it came down to, was that at the end of the season, all registered FLW Small Craft competitors, who have fished at least six small craft tournaments, will have the opportunity to compete in an FLW South Africa National Small Craft Championship. And the anglers who finish in the top four positions will win a sponsored trip to the USA to fish in the FLW International Friendship Tournament on Lake Guntersville. “The Bass Challenge”, or TBC, is a bass fishing tournament in Gauteng, aimed at accommodating competitors fishing from small craft, like kick-boats, small fibreglass boats, kayaks and even float tubes. We fish our regular tournaments every first Saturday of the month from September to April. At the last regular tournament of the season in April, the angler who ends up at the top of the 28 SA BASS December 2018

points log, is crowned Angler of the Year. The season culminates in a classic tournament in May, where the top 15 anglers compete for the title of Classic Champion. The regular monthly tournaments are very affordable, and any person, who intends to fish off a small craft that complies with the competition rules, and who has a life jacket, can just “rock up” and compete. Just about any type of craft will do as

long as it is no longer than 4.5 metres. One should also note that although your craft is allowed to have a petrol outboard fitted, you are not allowed to use it during the competition. Craft is only to be driven by fins, paddles or electric motors. It is run in an informal way, and newcomers will find regular competitors friendly and helpful. I say “we”, because as soon as you have fished a couple of TBC

Small craft anglers enjoying the unset over Boskop Dam

tournaments, you will feel included into the TBC-family. A sense of comradeship pervades these tournaments the like of which is seldom encountered elsewhere. There was no time for much discussion, as the tournament had to start. But as we launched, voices could be heard, creating a buzz of excitement. Personally, I felt only mild excitement at that point, for it immediately dawned on me that I would have to beat anglers from at least three provinces to earn one of those coveted prizes. And there were some very good anglers among them. It just seemed a very remote possibility at the time. But at the same time, while fishing my tournament, I could not help but start to think FLW SA, and tournament strategy. A few weeks later, it was confirmed that the FLW South Africa National Small Craft Championship would be contested at Boskop Dam on the first weekend in September, between anglers from Gauteng, Western Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal. Immediately, I started thinking of ways to best use my home ground advantage. In the end I put in two days leave, making a long weekend of a normal weekend in the middle of June. I spent four

days on the dam to try and improve my knowledge of the dam, and form a strategy that I thought could just possibly have some semblance of a chance to win one of those four prizes. I soon realized that the water temperature would still be somewhere between 14Â°C and 16Â°C at the start of September. Boskop is one of the cooler dams we fish. By my reckoning, big fat females would only just be starting to stage around deep structure points close to deep water. I spent a lot of time looking for what I thought would be the best staging point. As only trolling motors would be allowed to be used, it would not be possible to cover a lot

of water. I decided to designate one area which I thought would be the best staging point, and fish that area in the tournament. The plan was to stick to my guns and not move around, no matter what. The designated area was an approximate circle of no more that 60m in diameter. I guess I was swinging for the proverbial fences. A go big, or go home mind-set. It also became apparent that the large weed beds that pervade the dam would be submerged approximately 1m to 3m below the surface. It would be very hard to pinpoint weedlines and pockets, as they would be largely invisible. It occurred to me

By this time, the author knew he was in a good position SA BASS 29 December 2018

The first ever FLW South Africa Small Craft Championship took place at Boskop Dam

that because I could not see the weed beds, I would not be able to target so called “high percentage” spots with a slow moving bait. I needed a bait with which I could fan-cast, and cover the area around me effectively. Although my designated area was relatively small, I just felt that trying to plumb the unseen grass with a slow moving bait was just not going to cut it. So I decided that a square-bill crank and a jerk- bait fished fairly slowly just skimming the top of the weeds was my best bet. So after four days, sleeping in a small tent in the freezing

30 SA BASS December 2018

winter cold, I have identified my spot, and my battle plan was set. I left for home, satisfied that I have prepared as well I could. The days passed, life went on. Soon competition day was approaching, and my excitement grew. My wife was mildly exited with me, for she knew I prepared as well as I could, and she knew the stakes. But still, for both of us, actually winning still seemed only a remote possibility. She would say: “Wow, just imagine…” We would sigh and then put the thought out of our minds and just got on with life. In the

end I was still only a small craft angler, giving it a shot. On the evening of the last day before the competition, my household was all hustle and bustle, as my wife helped me pack. I left the next morning with a feeling of mild excitement. After a ninety minute drive, arriving at Tanglewood Nature Estate, and settling in my tent, I mingled with some of my Gauteng fishing friends, and also made a point of chatting with some of the anglers from the other provinces. “A stranger is just a friend you do not know” my dad once

told me. We all attended the captains meeting later that evening. And we were entertained by “Oom” Hannes’ dry humour. Soon a few chuckles and good spirit pervaded the meeting. Hannes spelled out the rules, and answered a few questions. When the meeting ended, we prepared for bed. I slept fitfully that evening. The next morning, championship day, found us all on our craft, on the water, waiting for launch. Some friendly banter mixed with last minute preparations passed the last few minutes before Hannes launched into his pre-launch speech, which was again punctuated with a quips of dry humour, that I later discovered was very much a character trait of Hannes. Soon we were off, and I headed for my spot. At the last minute, I decided to start fishing about 100m before I reached my spot. Why I decided that, I still do not know. As it turned out, I would have been better off just sticking to my original plan. I spent about an hour and a half fishing my way to the spot. Not a bite,

not even a bump. When I arrived at my area, I started fishing my way into the area slowly. Roughly twenty minutes later, I was into my first fish. A decent start. She weighed about 1kg. There was no need to measure her and straight she went into the live-well. I switched on my fill pump, and soon heard the water flow out of the overflow. After another few minutes I was into another good fish. She tipped the scale at 1.25 kg. It was a decent start… could I really be in the hunt here? It was quiet for about thirty minutes, and I moved only about ten metres, determined to stay in the area I had identified in June. I was just starting to get a bit edgy, when my square-bill got hit hard. The fish bored straight down, and even with 20lb braid, I could not keep her out of the grass. But after some sustained pressure, she came out of the grass, and was soon in the boat. She tipped the scale at 1.75 kg. Excitement started building some more. For small craft tournaments, the bag limit is only three fish. And winning bags at Boskop has

always been somewhere between 3kg and 4.5kg for small craft tournaments. I had 4kg in my well, and it was only about 10:00. By this time, I knew I was in a good position. In the next issue: I kept methodically fan-casting my square-bill. After some time had passed, I managed to cull the 1kg fish with a 1.3 kg. Then things got really quiet. It this it? I wondered… *Vicus Horn is an FLW South Africa small craft bass angler and represented South Africa at the Costa FLW Series Championship in 2018 at Lake Guntersville, AL.

SA BASS 31 December 2018

>> SA BASS MASTER CLASS This flooded timber in Hartebeestpoort Dam is an ideal area to target with a spinnerbait as the lure is surprisingly weedless

Where to with

spinnerbaits Summer really does deliver some explosive bass fishing around the shallows and this is exactly where we are going to be with our spinnerbaits

t’s always the first question I’ve been asked and like with all lures there’s actually there is an answer to it. Whether you are fishing off the bank, or from a boat, or float tube there are specific areas that will demand a spinnerbait. These adaptable lures will provide you with the easiest manner in which to dissect the area you are targeting. In fact we’re right on time with this article because summer really does deliver some explosive bass fishing around the shallows and this is exactly where we are going to be with our spinnerbaits. Quick hint: Maybe the “shallows” will deter you from fishing in water deeper than 15ft. This is by no means what I meant. If there is key structure (trees, boat dock, and floating or rooted water plants) in deeper water then the tops of these areas can certainly be targeted. Taking a look at spots, certain areas are begging for a spinnerbait: Bass are opportunistic feeders and they often hide amongst and in the shaded areas of vegetation, jetties, brush piles, tree branches and stumps, boat docks/houses, and the like. Most plastic lures will automatically start to sink once you have cast them out. However, spinnerbaits depending on the weight of lure you choose will swim very close to the surface, or even right beneath the surface if you need it to. This provides many benefits as anglers can now fish these bulky lures subtly and strategically around those key structures mentioned above. It really is a unique style of fishing and does take a little practice getting used to. The bites however are aggressive and like no other. Let’s use some structures and walk through the retrieval technique to make the situation more real.

32 SA BASS December 2018

Flooded trees:

>> Roger Donaldson*

Trees may be sitting as deep as 40ft out in the water, but their branches and the main stem itself are providing much desired protection from the harsh sun and from predators. I particularly like those trees in around 15ft of water. Plus, throw in a creek/river channel to the mix and you could be looking at some very exciting fishing. Considering you were out fishing off a boat, tube or canoe try to position yourself down wind and within easy casting distance. Make your cast past/over the structure you are targeting and careful note not to let your line catch on to any high branches – that will defeat your ability to retrieve and strike effectively. As your spinnerbait hits the water you can start your retrieve. The quicker you do the shallower your lure will swim beneath the surface. Start shallow on your first cast as it is always easier to retrieve your fish from shallower depths, as this gives them less chance to snag on all the branches deeper beneath the water. Don’t be wishing that your spinnerbait doesn’t touch a branch on its way back to you during the retrieve. It’s the opposite – you want the lure to bump into the branches. There is a little technique though; often you will feel the line tighten up just before the spinnerbait hits the branch. You can slow down your retrieve ever so slightly and then just twitch the bait over the branch – this should ensure that your lure doesn’t hang up. Keep in mind that this is the most likely time that the bass will attack so be at your most ready!

Brush piles, lily pads and shallow vegetation: Rod tip up! That really is a key statement and will help you keep the bait swimming shallow. You can also move

your rod tip from left to right as much as you need in order to negotiate the baits treacherous passage through the structure or cover that you have chosen to fish. It is important to remember that you should slow down your retrieve when you feel the line tightening up slightly and then just twitch the lure free of the structure gently before continuing with your retrieve. You’ll notice that there really isn’t just one style of retrieve that will be demanded of you. You will need to adapt according to the spot you are fishing on the day. Quick hint: There is a particular time of the day that I have had tremendous success more than other times and that is when there is a little, or even a lot of breeze on the water surface. When a reasonable ripple starts the bass tend to feed more prolifically and a spinnerbait will help you cover water very quickly during this time while in search of productive areas. I suppose you have also noticed that there are many styles, colours, weights and types of spinnerbaits to choose from. I’ve tried mostly all of them to understand the advantage of each. We’ll take an in depth look at this next issue. *Roger Donaldson is an experienced journalist and knowledgeable bass angler who has enjoyed many enlightening hours with many of South Africa’s top, competitive bass fishermen. As a competitive angler himself, he also enjoys sharing his expertise with fellow bass fanatics in the hope that they find the same joy in this unique sport.

Model ZͲ ͲϲϲϮD, R-C-ϳϬϮD, R-^-ϳϬϮD,

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Bank angling on Dagama Dam outside Hazyview provides anglers with grassy areas perfect for a spinnerbait

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>> SA BASS

From fry to lunker The lifecycle of a bass and their behaviour When one develops an absolute passion for something where moments of pure happiness are experienced, it is hard to think of anything else afterwards. Bass fishing is no different and once you’re in, my friend you are hooked!

>> Jay Röhm-Williams

mages of huge, beastly bass possibly lurking below submerged trees float through your mind while at work. Your wife catches you watching hours of bass fishing videos on YouTube alone in the garage or when driving to the shops and realise you have included your local tackle shop in as part of the route. These are all signs that you indeed are in love with bass fishing and that’s ok, in fact it’s great news! For thousands of freshwater anglers across the globe bass fishing is more than just an odd, occasional, weekend past time. It provides guaranteed adventure, jaw-dropping thrills and a test to ones angling skills. Commitment and dedication are but a few attributes required and ultimately it becomes part of your lifestyle. This is the world of bass fishing and you want to be part of it. Now as with any sport one loves you begin by diving straight in with extreme enthusiasm. Hours of endless research, days of constant practice and having your thoughts consumed by millions of angling questions are completely normal to experience during your bass fishing career. All this could lead us to possibly think that surely if we want to be the best bass anglers we can be then it would be advisable to take a closer look at the life cycle of this top, carnivorous and beautiful game fish. Not only will this give us clearer insight to how bass live but perhaps a greater, deeper understanding of their behaviour overall. Micropterus Salmoides, more commonly known to us freshwater angling enthusiasts as the large-mouth bass is

A variety of structure providing the perfect habitat for large-mouth bass 34 SA BASS December 2018

a highly fascinating, intelligent, freshwater fish. To truly grasp the absolute magnificence of the predatory design that genetically makes up this species of fish it is best to start at the very beginning. From the moment bass eggs are laid the game of survival commences as these eggs are targeted as great snacks by many hungry creatures prowling the waters namely birds, insects and amphibians. Spring is the season that announces spawning time for Largemouth bass where the males prepare the nest sites for the generally, larger females to lay their eggs. These circular like shaped nests are created preferably along hard sandy, clay or gravel banks in shallow water usually surrounded by some form of aquatic vegetation to provide cover and shelter. Here the water temperature will gradually warm quicker as summer approaches which is optimal for the eggs and young. Many nests can be located close together down a stretch of shoreline resulting in the male bass becoming quite territorial and defensive. During these sunny months of spring females will mate with more than one male before making their way back to deeper, cooler water where the water temperature fluctuates less as the days grow hotter. It takes only a short period of between two to five days for the eggs to hatch and this is where the male bass assumes the role of parental guardian. He will literally protect his brood against any other would be predators with an aggressive attitude. Unfortunately this stage of parenting is soon phased out over a week or so before his appetite takes over leaving the males unable to resist feeding on

their own young. It is from this early stage in a baby bass’s life that they learn to hide and seek cover very quickly. A super, effective tactic to employ in a world where it seems everything is out to eat you. This could provide us with a possible explanation as to why they adopt this strategy through the remainder of their adult lives. The young fry, who themselves are only up to an average of 5cm in length, now have to defend for themselves learning to survive by sticking together in small schools, feeding on tiny creatures like insect larvae and mastering the art of ducking for refuge when danger approaches. If the bass fry can manage to make it to the yearling mark of roughly 10cm in length, the chances of survival have increased. Well almost, there’s still a long list of eager mouths waiting to feed higher in the food chain, including mammoth sized bass themselves! Now naturally largemouth bass are a curious species because the predator inside them reckons anything resembling food is worth checking out once or at least before the fish next to him does. Explaining possibly why sometimes it’s a ‘dink fest’ out there on the water with the younger bass eager to try anything. Fortunately to better the odds in surviving bass have also been gifted with the ability to exercise caution and be sceptical of danger, maybe suggesting that they can learn from their mistakes and avoid certain areas or creatures in the future. Along with these qualities bass in general have excellent eye sight, brilliant hearing and a heightened power of sensitivity allowing them to detect then analyse

any slight vibrations moving through the water. Been cold blooded means they have an in tune sense of gauging water temperature and can feel any sudden changes that may occur for what-ever reason according to season or weather. This promotes the observed patterns of increased activity over summer, fattening up phases through autumn and a near hibernation state during winter. As the bass yearlings continue to grow they tend to group together with other bass similar in size creating even smaller schools than when they first hatched. Their need to feed increases as with all growing things and there are new additions seasonally to their diet. By now they have learnt that it is better to stay in shaded, sheltered areas rather than in the open, broad daylight so naturally they only spend a small amount of time each day feeding. Favourably early morning and late evening are times where shadows or faded light provide the illusion of camouflage giving bass the impression the coast is clear for them. They will eat nearly anything but mostly insects, amphibians, reptiles and tiny baitfish. By looking at the body shape and design of the large-mouth bass we quickly begin to understand why they are such efficient hunters. Bass are generally quite firm and muscular fish with a strong head built to poke and forage for food. Generally they can be found around all kinds of structure whether it is a pile of rocks, submerged logs or amongst dense, aquatic vegetation. They have a very broad tail which allows them to propel themselves quickly from hiding to attack or cut

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SA BASS 35 December 2018

Highlighting the distinct features that make any bass a formidable hunter

1. Broad tail for powerful swimming 2. Muscular body providing strength off prey that dare cross their path. Although very fast, bass lack the endurance of speed over distance leaving them more as professional ambushers rather than track all stars. This is where the incredible feature of their large mouth

3. Large pupils allowing excellent vision 4. Extendable jaw to swallow prey whole comes into brilliant use. A large-mouth bass can widely open its mouths while extending the jaw which operates by the use of its intricate bone structure and muscle design, allowing the bass to consume prey whole. That combined with an adaptable stomach means they can attack and feed on potential, bigger meals than normal. A bass will perform a well-practiced, suction technique inhaling the helpless quarry into their mouths with the vacuum effect created. Another amazing thing which is worth noting is that bass are very hardy and tolerant of various water conditions. Ideally every living thing would love to have a well-balanced and secure environment to reside in with a little bit of everything to make it perfect but unfortunately that’s not always the case. Bass have the ability to make the best out of any state their home waters might be in. If preference is not an option then they make do whether it’s shallow or deep, clear or stained, muddy and jam packed with vegetation, somehow bass find a way to survive. So as the bass begin to grow older and bigger with growth rates depending on length of seasons, water conditions and food supply in ratio to current fish populations they tend to establish a tiny gang and hang around their chosen hideout. They in turn are now the next generation of adult bass who have reached the average length of 30cm and will begin mating hopefully and successfully from here on. Through study a bass can live for about sixteen years on average giving them a chance to perfect their survival skills and achieve that top spot in the food chain. Larger individuals will linger around in two’s and three’s; fearing very little at this era of life. If good fortune and angling stewardship smiles in their favour they will continue to live out their lives intimidating smaller bass, feasting on only things deemed worthy to the elite and enticing frustrated anglers trying to out-smart them for years to come. Rods out and safe fishing everyone.

36 SA BASS December 2018

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A VARIETY OF HOOKS

>> SA BASS TACTICS

Summer

A hollow body frog

is for the frogs Some of the most fun I've had fishing frogs has been on a small dam just north of Pretoria named Rust der Winter. I also recall an incredible day on a o private dam near Malelane just before the Maputo border post where an old friend, Erwin Schroeder, and I coaxed really large farm dam bass with Horny Toads - we got that action on video too! Genee Larew’s three legged frog fr

>> Roger Donaldson*

ass love the summer time and more so the top water action delivered by the frog variety of lures available to us. It’s no surprise that you’ll find bass right up in the shallows hunting in the early hours of the morning when the sun is still low. This is a key time to rig up with your favourite frog. Better yet, rig up the night before and make sure when you arrive that you get the first cast. Often the first one in is the first one out. Frogs have become so popular over the years that bass anglers can now select from a massive variety of colours and models. I’ve really had all my successes with three types of frogs which I would suggest done your tackle box, namely the Horny Toad type frogs (sinking), Gene Larew type frogs (floating), and the SPRO Bronzeye frog. Frogs have a few easy retrieve techniques which make them effective bass magnets and with these in mind you will guarantee you a few monumental strikes. 38 SA BASS December 2018

Horny Toad (sinking):

Gene Larew (floating):

I don’t want to stop reeling this bait in. The split second this lure hits the water I want to be winding in already. Don’t give it a second to sink, because when those legs aren’t kicking the water surface wildly then the bass are not keying in. My friend Erwin would add a small bullet weight to the front of his toad and then while holding the rod tip elevated he would retrieve just fast enough to make sure the legs were kicking at their peak whilst the bait stayed in contact with the water. Erwin landed two fish over 4kg in just ten minutes using that method. Without a weight on the front (weightless) you can effectively fish over lily pads and stop the lure for a split second when you reach open patches / holes. This strategy is a killer way to get the attention of any resident fish and chances are you’re going to lock into the bass as your lure hits that little open hole – beware!

These lures were an ingenious idea as none in the soft plastic variety of this kind were available that could float when not being retrieved. Countless times has this played to my advantage when the structure and vegetation I’ve been fishing in was simple too thick and gnarly for the lure to sink into. Also, I needed just those extra few precious seconds to allow the bait to sit, floating above the strike zone while the cruising bass made its way bow wave and all toward my lure. With your rod tip elevated the legs of this bait also kick just the same as the previous one, happily frothing up a trail of bubbles as it swims towards its demise. Come to think of it I have never seen a live frog crossing a dam or any part of it, have you? Shame, even the nimble winged dragon fly can see its early passing should it land too near to the water.

The SPRO Bronzeye frog: So carefully engineered is this lure.

The popular Horny Toad frog

Some clever, mastery clearly applied in the design so that this frog can be just as desirable in motion as it is when floating stationary on the water surface. Anglers can apply all their creative genius at their chosen patch of water when fishing the Bronzeye Frog. I’ve witnessed very large bass swim curiously up behind the lure and pause, almost as if they were marvelling at the lures magnificence, or authenticity and then breach the water surface in order gain the most perfect angle from which to drown its prey. When retrieving the Bronzeye Frog you can quite easily dip your rod tip toward the water. As you twitch the rod tip downward and retrieve at the same time the frog magically pops its head up and drops immediately down again. Keep the same motion of “retrieve-and-twitch” and the

frog dances its way back to you in a graceful, yet purposeful scuttle for safety. Once you’ve mastered that you may as well elevate your rod tip and notice that you can actually apply this inverse method to obtain the same result. So pick your fancy and hold on tight, as top water fishing with frogs will likely deliver the record personal best catch that you’ve so long awaited. There are some tweaks that frogs need when fishing them so let’s take a look at this in another issue. *Roger Donaldson is an experienced journalist and knowledgeable bass angler who has enjoyed many enlightening hours with many of South Africa’s top, competitive bass fishermen. As a competitive angler himself, he also enjoys sharing his expertise with fellow bass fanatics in the hope that they find the same joy in this unique sport.

A typical point covered with vegetation perfect for targeting with a frog - note all the casting angles SA BASS 11 March 2018

>> SA BASS INDUSTRY NEWS

Garmin expands

armin International, Inc., announced the GPSMAP 8600/8600xsv series, an extension of its flagship GPSMAP 8600 series that brings premium features like built-in sonar and new BlueChart g3 coastal cartography and LakeVü g3 maps with Navionics data and builtin Auto Guidance to smaller, more affordable display options. Available in 10-, 12- and 16-inch displays that feature full HD in-plane switching (IPS) screens with multi-touch control, the GPSMAP 8600/8600xsv series is Wi-Fi enabled and offers full connectivity and networkability so mariners can completely customize their marine electronics system based on their needs and preferences. The new GPSMAP 8600/8600xsv series is being announced at the 2018 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. “Garmin was the first to create a glass-helm design, and we’re excited to bring this stunning appearance to smaller, more affordable displays without compromising the premium

performance our customers know and depend on from our award-winning GPSMAP series,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin worldwide vice president of consumer sales. “The GPSMAP 8600/8600xsv series offers unmatched sonar, cartography and connectivity capabilities so fishermen, cruisers and sailors can feel more confident at the helm, and spend more time enjoying their passions on the water.” With built-in support for Garmin’s industry-leading sonar, the GPSMAP 8600xsv series includes support for dual-channel 1kW traditional

CHIRP, CHIRP ClearVü and CHIRP SideVü scanning sonars, plus Ultra High-Definition scanning sonar, giving anglers the greatest sonar detail available from a Garmin system to date. These chartplotters also support the full Garmin Panoptix™ all-seeing sonar product line, including Panoptix LiveScope™, the first and only live real-time scanning sonar available on the market today. Transducers are sold separately. Non-sonar capable versions of each new display – the GPSMAP 8610, GPSMAP 8612 and GPSMAP 8616 – are also available.

For more information, visit www.garmin.co.za or follow them on facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/garmin

New Garmin marine accessories

armin International, Inc., announced three new accessories built with the mariner in mind – the Reactor Autopilot Remote, GRID™ 20 Remote Input Device and GC™ 200 Marine IP Camera – as part

of its new marine product line up being introduced at the 2018 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. These new accessories provide added convenience, control and security onboard, and will be on display at the Garmin booth.

For more information, visit www.garmin.co.za or follow them on facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/garmin

40 SA BASS December 2018

Polaris acquires minority interest in FLW

ishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, and Polaris Industries Inc., the leading global power sports manufacturer, announced a strategic partnership that will extend and expand the outdoor brands’ complementary relationship. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The partnership leverages both companies’ consumer base, market presence and industry expertise, and will include collaboration across the organizations as well as enhanced activation and cross-marketing opportunities at select FLW and Polaris events. In particular, Polaris will have an increased presence at all FLW events and within the competition’s television programming. “Our anglers, members, and loyal fans are always looking for more ways to enjoy the outdoors, and Polaris’ innovative products, along with their similar values and target audience make them a natural partner for FLW,” said FLW President of Marketing Trish Blake. “We’re excited to announce this partnership with Polaris and look forward to leveraging our respective customer bases, cross selling, and mutually growing our businesses.” “Our portfolio of products offers an array of options for those looking to create lasting memories in the great outdoors,” said Bob Mack, senior vice president of Corporate Development & Strategy, and president of

Adjacent Markets & Boats for Polaris. “With recreational fishing being a popular and growing sport in the U.S., this strategic partnership allows us to leverage insights and more deeply engage with FLW’s networks, fishing consumers, and outdoor enthusiasts across the globe to promote our products and brands.” FLW will continue to be operated under the leadership of Blake and FLW President of Operations, Kathy Fennel, in their current Benton, Kentucky and Minneapolis, Minnesota locations. Polaris will continue to be represented in FLW competitions by 23-year Tour veteran David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia, the 2003 Forrest Wood Cup champion and FLW’s all-time leading money winner with more than $3.6 million in career earnings. Dudley, who has represented Polaris on Tour for the past two seasons, is fresh off of a 12th place showing at the 2018 season-ending Forrest Wood Cup championship on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and is already making preparations to kick off the 2019 season Jan. 10-13, on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Brookeland, Texas. For more information on Polaris or to locate an authorized Polaris dealer, please visit http://www.polaris.com For more information about FLW, their tournaments and sponsors, visit www.flwsouthafrica.com

SA BASS 41 December 2018

>> SA BASS

BASS +

Summer = Sun, rods and water is all that you need

>> Jay Röhm-Williams

nother South African morning has broken and she is coming in hot, from as early as 5am in fact. It is that time of the year where vacations are planned, schools are on holiday and the boss is getting ready (in some cases hopefully) to close up shop for the year. December is here again and for most, it arrived more quickly than ever. Oh yes it is summer folks and the season to get jolly is upon us! With Christmas around the corner the general, summer holiday hive of chaotic activity begins which in the end leaves a lot of us needing a longer holiday in January more than any other month of the year. Everybody from your long, lost uncle to your neighbour’s dog is up and about trying to get it on that sacred bit of time you might have carved out for yourself or the family, making it hard to unwind. Fortunately we have bass fishing to save the day and I guarantee in more ways than one would think. Whether you are looking for a weekend away or just to get out for the day, bass angling can put a smile on anyone’s frown and can be an awesome activity for the whole family. It includes the complete package from heart pumping excitement to tranquil relaxation and all while experiencing mother-nature first hand at her best. Boys and girls, moms and dads, brothers and sisters, it doesn’t matter who you are actually, a day spent bass fishing is bound to keep everyone entertained for the better. If the ladies don’t fancy grabbing a rod, which I find is quite rare these days so good on you girls, then taking a moment and some time to unravel from the stresses of home outside in the wilderness is a sure all crowd pleaser. Life in the city can absorb our energy levels at nearly every stop street and although the children might not be driving yet it is important for them to experience the natural outdoors amongst our amazing, South African fauna and flora as much as possible. Whether you are part of 42 SA BASS December 2018

an angling family already or completely new to the concept of this incredible sporting activity, I can almost promise that once you give bass fishing a go, in the future it’s going to be hard to say no. Right so how do we do this? Well, first picking a day with an averagely, warm temperature predicted is going to suit everyone, including the bass. Next thing required is a location which offers a little bit of everything, meaning facilities like public ablutions or allocated braai areas. Safety first is a badge everyone should wear so choosing well known dams that have creditable, camping grounds, picnic sites or chalets is a great first start. No matter where you are in the country the chances are very good that there’s a stretch of water holding bass close by with your name on it. A small amount of research on Google or a quick pop in at your local tackle shop will immediately point you in the right direction on where best to head for. If you do not have rods, reels and some lures already at home then while you are out and about make that stop at the tackle shop. Besides some helpful advice from your friendly, fishing gear merchant an array of assorted items await your selection tailor priced to suit your wallet. Rule of thumb is good advice here so choosing a flexible, short rod with a reliable reel, a spool of light line along with a few packets of soft plastic lures and a couple weedless hooks are some of the best, basic investments one could ever make. There’s no need to go all super fancy and high tech at this fun level of the outing yet so focus more on the whole actual, exciting journey itself while keeping possible future trips in mind. Who knows, your lightie might just end up been a South African bass angling champion! Okay so we got some gear, whether old or new. We have our location plotted and planned with the date set. So all

thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needed is some refreshments, food for the picnic or braai plus whoever is up for adventure to be ready, packed and loaded in the car. Getting friends, family and loved ones excitedly amped about all the possibilities that the day ahead might hold is sure to have everyone wriggling with anticipation as you embark on an epic, fun road trip. So the initial concept behind the idea is to introduce both the young and old to the world of bass fishing and everything that goes with it. An idea sparked usually by one already passionate, freshwater angler in the group of friends and family. I am speaking from experience of course as I am now that person in my family tree and circle of mates. This means that you are going to have to explain a tad bit to everyone about some beginner tips and hints before getting started. Those that would prefer rather just taking in the beauty of the vegetation and surrounding wildlife can enjoy walking trails, supervised swimming, bird watching or simply kicking back comfortably under some shade while summer does her thing. For the first timers who are willing to cast a line on the other hand a whole new world of shrills, thrills and worth-while fishing bills is about to hopefully show her big, large-mouth to you! After making sure the sunscreen is on those faces we are ready to do some bass fishing. It is important to exhibit a couple of casting examples and point out how to rig the soft plastic lures on the hooks to ensure the best chance of success. The experienced elders can assist the little guys or girls to avoid any danger and

then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s off to the water. Some folks have boats while others prefer good old, bank bassing but whatever your entourageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approach is remember to express a few key fundamentals to ensure everybody is having fun. There are going to be lots of questions so patience and the willingness to assist are vital, especially with our younger ones. Encouraging your friends and family is part of life normally so bass angling is no different. Making sure to keep an eye on everybody around the water is good safe practice and helps your group feel like a team instead of individuals fending for themselves. Hopefully after some time with a bit of luck added in the mix, someone is going to get a big knock or a smashing hit and then you are going to see big smiles. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m talking about smiles so huge photos wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even do any justice. Aiding in correctly landing any bass caught is crucial so make sure to demonstrate this and then release the fish back gently after that memory, making snapshot has been taken. After a few hours of cruising around the water having the time of your life you can head back to base camp while picking up any litter that you may come across. From here on it is all about the skottle or braai, chips, snacks and slaai. Cold ones can be cracked open and while the flames are hot the stories wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop whether they are tales of woe or songs of triumph. Someone just had a taste of bass fishing leaving a day in summer well spent along with friends, family and rods bent! Merry Christmas Rods out and safe fishing everyone.

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SA BASS 43 December 2018

Whopper Ploppers

>> SA BAARS KLASKAMER

TYD BO-LOPERASE

VIR

DIS

Onthou julle nog die Cremora advertensie: “It’s not inside, it’s on top!” Baarshengelaars wat hulle bo-loperase wegpak na die lente, mag dalk net hulle kanse verspeel om regtig mooi, groot baars op sulke warm somersdae vas te trek. >> Philip Kemp*

en van die belangrikste ase in my arsenaal is ‘n bo-loperaas. Of dit nou ‘n Zara Spook, eierklitser (buzzbait), knalprop (popper), Crazy Crawler of paddas is, ek sal altyd ‘n stok met ‘n bo-loperaas gereed hê op die boot. Wat hengelaars nie altyd besef nie, is dat nuwe areas altyd gefynkam kan word met ‘n boloperaas wat vinnig gehengel word. Tydens dae wat dit werklik warm word, sal baars soms in die oop water inbeweeg van oorgangspunte af om kleiner skole vissies aan te val. So het my seun Maurice en ‘n goeie hengelvriend van my, Evert Laubscher, dit agtergekom na ‘n besoek aan die bekende Letsibogodam in Botswana. Groot baars het skole klein vissies sommer in die middel van die dam, ver weg van enige struktuur, aangeval. Die eindresultaat was ‘n pragtige vis van 5,8kg en menigte baars swaarder as 3- en 4kg. Hulle het net toevallig by die areas in die middel van die dam verbygevaar toe hulle

die aktiwiteit bo-op die water sien. Hierdie aktiwiteit sal gewoonlik naby aan ‘n oorgangspunt of ‘n skielike verandering aan die bodemstruktuur wees; soos byvoorbeeld ‘n rif in diep water. Die baars kan met ander tipes aas ook gevang word, maar ‘n boloperaas is ‘n natuurlike aas om mee te hengel as baars op die oppervlak jag. Bo-loperase kan dus oor dieper water ook gehengel word. Ek het al ‘n menigte baars in dieper water (15 voet) gevang met min struktuur en soms geen struktuur op die bodem nie. Baars sal soms uit dieper water wat skoner is, ver na die oppervlak swem om ‘n prooi uit te oorlê. Dit is juis dan wat ‘n aas soos die Zara Spook skitter. In skoon water het ek al baars op die Spook vasgetrek in water dieper as drie meter. Ek probeer ook ok om die Zara Spook vinniger te hengel in warmer water. Anders as wat baie hengelaars glo, stop ekk nie die Spook nie. Ek hengel hom om so vinnig as wat moontlik is tot ot by die boot of oewer.

Bo-loperaas soos ‘n knalprop behoort beslis in jou rondritstassie 44 SA BASS December 2018

Hierdie is natuurlik ‘n “walk-the-dog” aksie. Wat ek probeer doen, is om die aas so ritmies as moontlik in te bring. Die baars is soms geneig om die aas dan sommer hier voor jou by die boot te gryp... daarvoor moet jy seker maak jy het jou hartpilletjie gedrink. Die spoed van jou aas kan jy ook bepaal deur verskillend te hengel. Soms, en in veral skoner water, wil jy jou bo-loperaas so vinnig as moontlik hengel en nie die baars werklik kans gee om die aas te bestudeer en agter te kom dit is nie wat hy gedink het dit is nie. Met al die reën op hande sal die water egter verkleur en kan aas wat dryf gebruik word. Die holpaddas van SPRO, en veral die wat soos ‘n knalprop lprop werk, vaar skitterend in omstandighede. hierdie oms eierklitser, (of “buzzbait” soos Die eierkli hy beter bekend staan), werk ook goed troebel is en rondom areas as die water troebe waterlelies. Hier gebruik ek met baie waterlelies spoed as ek die aas ook ‘n konstante spoe eksperimenteer inkatrol. Ek sal egter ek met die spoed totdat ek ‘n spoed Oor kry waarvan die baars hou. h werk onderwater-plantegroei die eierklitser net so

‘n Smithwick Suspending Rattlin Rogue tiger

Die geheim van naghengel vir baars

goed. Die baars grawe hulself diep in die watergras in, maar die geraas van die eierklitser sal hulle gewoonlik uit die donker kolle lok. Die Whopper Plopper werk ook goed in sulke gevalle en daar is verskeie aasvervaardigers wat hulle vervaardig onder verskeie name. So het ek op die Choppo afgekom, soortgelyk aan die Whopper Plopper, maar net onder ‘n ander bekende handelsnaam. Een van die mees produktiefste aas is beslis langwerpige ruk-en-plukkunsvissies (jerkbaits). Ek verkies die Smithwick Rogue en Long-A-Bomber. Hulle gooi lekker ver en maklik teen die wind en so kan ek groter areas met een gooi dek. Hierdie tipe kunsvissies kan dan op die oppervlak gehengel word, geruk en pluk word met intervalle, of soos ‘n harde kunsvissie net onder die oppervlak geswem word. Hierdie harde kunsvissies is ook ‘n baie goeie opvolg-aas as die baars na die Zara Spook of eierklitser gryp en mis. Moet in die geval nie weer dieselfde ser gooi aas, die Spook of eierklitser nie en probeer eerder die ruken-pluk-kunsvissie as ‘n ok opvolg aas. Indien dit ook n nie sou werk nie, sal ek ‘n sagte gewiglose plastiek-aass aars in die area gooi waar die baars sy posisie verraai het. as gryp en Baars wat jou bo-loperaas mis is ‘n algemene ding in baarshengel en gebeur gereeld. Daar is egter so ‘n paar “kulkunsies” om diee probleem

Die skrywer met ‘n baars wat met ‘n SPROpadda gevang is

op te los. Die hengelaar kan ‘n groot hoek se oog oor die weerhakies van ‘n eierklitser (buzzbait) skuif gevolg deur ‘n rubberpypie of ‘n treilerhoek soos die wat ons op swaailemme (spinnerbaits) gebruik. Ek verwyder ook die drie-angel hoeke aan die lyf van die Zara Spook en heg hulle met spleetringetjies. Die hoek hang sodoende laer in die water en verbeter die kans om ‘n baars vas te trek. Vinnigbewegende bo-loperase is die beste manier om te bepaal of daar baars in ‘n area is. Jy gaan dalk nie ‘n baars vang wat na die vinnigbewegende aas gryp nie, maar jy gaan dan ten minste weet waar die baars hulle bevind. Nou kan jy die area meer sorgvuldig hengel. Ek moet herken dat ek bo-loperase net vir een rede hengel. Daar is net nie ‘n ander tegniek wat my meer plesier en opwinding verskaf as die van ‘n bo-loper aas wat skielik deur ‘n baars gegryp word nie. *Philip Kemp is ‘n gesoute swartbaarhengelaar en ‘n gereelde bydraer.

‘n Eierklitser (buzzbait)

>> SA BASS

Secrets of South Africa’s Pro’s – Part 5

Approach to structure Finding this type of flooded structure when the water levels are low can make the difference between a bad day and a miraculous one

Bass migrate on a very regular basis and due to a number of factors - seasonal changes being a very big one. The top anglers are constantly in tune with the factors which arrive along with the seasons, including water temperature, migration of and change in forage, weather conditions, water clarity, air pressure and more >> Bass Spy

mentioned it right in the beginning of the series; it will be necessary for you to combine all the factors that you have learned on the day you go fishing, or pre-fishing, along with everything you know about the water levels which we discussed last issue and now consider too the seasonal changes. Bass migrate on a very regular basis (even many times during one day) and due to a number of factors - seasonal changes being a very big one. The top anglers are constantly in tune with the factors which arrive along with the seasons, including water temperature, migration of and change in forage, weather conditions, water clarity, air pressure and more. Some items of structure will tend to attract bass at different times of the day depending on the seasons. A good example is the lay-down logs in the picture provided. This is Hartebeestpoort Dam, but it could quite easily be any other fishery. In summer you would very likely find fish here at all times of the day. In fact, if you were to catch one or even two fish there in the morning you could wait a few hours and return again in the afternoon to find that another bass had migrated to the area in search of food. The area regenerates and this is the typical strategy that experienced anglers will use to enhance their limit of five fish which they are allowed in a day of competitive bass fishing. 46 SA BASS December 2018

However, in winter you would likely only find bass moving in to this shallow structure around the midday and afternoon hours. Being shallow, the bass will prefer to forage when the water temperatures warm up compared to summer when the water temperatures and fodder activity is very high in the shallows. Now go and find this type of structure in deeper water where the temperatures in both summer and winter maintain a fairly constant range – say around 10 to 20ft deep, maybe even deeper if you like. This area could hold bass throughout the day and often bass anglers will sit on these spots for many hours as it reloads within minutes of catching a fish. These areas are treated most delicately during the prefishing stage as there is good reward for not bruising the fish which are frequenting the spot. How do anglers do this? Firstly, they often don’t strike the fish which they feel biting. Interestingly, you would be surprised to know how easily the bass hook themselves due to the amount of pressure they inflict when biting, swimming and headshaking. So often anglers will see the fish break the surface as they breach in an attempt to rid themselves of the hook, or they will simply feel the pressure of the pressure pulling on the lure. Another clever little modification the anglers will make is to squash the barb of their hook. This makes sure that

the bass can exhale the bait far easier than one which has a barb. Some go even further and bend the hook completely inward to make absolutely sure they do not have the point of the hook finding purchase in the fish’s mouth. Locating the fish is biggest task of all, so when you’ve found them be sure to look after them. Looking at the same item of structure we can also start to determine the angles at which to approach with your cast. You may ask why this is necessary. It really will make a marked difference from numerous perspectives, including the following: - Strike angle: imagine if you were casting over a limb of the log and attempting to strike at the bass on the opposite side. Chances are the bass will head you straight into the structure and hang you up on that limb, or your line will give in to the abrasiveness of the structure. Rather approach from the angle on the other side and give yourself the best opportunity to pull the fish out successfully. - Spooking the bass: more than often you will spook the bass when you hook the first fish. This means that after the fight and commotion in the water the other bass will not be so keen to bite, or they may even vacate the area entirely. So you want the first fish to count and you want it to move away from the structure area as quickly as possible. Approach from the angle where you know you will be most successful.

Trade enquiries only Pieter Bezuidenhout pieterbez@mweb.co.za

- Sweet spots: in my opinion and after many experiences I’ve noted that the bigger bass in the area like to hold in the boldest part of the structure – the thickest stem, most protected and often most inaccessible spot. Finding that “sweet spot” during your practice outing would be highly beneficial and be sure to get your first cast bang on target!

013 243 9401 082 892 3029 www.olifants-river-lodge.co.za

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3.75”/4.75”/6”/7” Wild Minnow

5.5” Drop Shot Worm

4.5” Curly Tail Stick

Frogs

3”/4” Swimming Frog

4” Hollowbelly Swimbait

4.5” Big Foot Toad

SA BASS 47 December 2018

>> SA BASS TOURNAMENT NEWS

David Dudley and Terry Bolton hold up 4 of their 25-pound bag on day two

Team USA Wins Gold at 2018 Black Bass Championship in Mexico

>> Jason Sealock

fter the day two weigh-in Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, at the 14th Annual Black Bass World Championship on Lake Cuchillo near China, Mexico, Team USA was awarded the Gold Medal in the competition with a total weight of 61,400kg (135.36 pounds) for two days and a total of 49.5 penalties. There were fifteen countries represented in the world bass fishing championship. Each country could have three teams of two anglers each. Each team is assigned a group and penalties are assigned based on performance. If you finish first for the day you get one penalty point. If you finish 10th you get ten penalty points. On day two, the team of Terry Bolton and David Dudley led the charge with a five bass limit that weighed 11,525kg (25.41 pounds). Bolton was subbed in by team captain Scott Martin for David Fritts on day two after Fritts had boat issues on day one. Scott Martin and Scott Canterbury followed up their amazing day one catch of 34 pounds with another limit weighing 10,716kg (23.63 pounds). James Watson and Fred Roumbanis fell off their 30-pound-bag pace from day one with a day-two catch of three bass that weighed 4.6 pounds. On day two, the USA teams finished second (Bolton and Dudley), third (Martin and Canterbury) and 32nd (Watson and Roumbanis). And the USA teams finished the event in first (Martin and Canterbury), third (Dudley and Bolton/Fritts) and 8th (Roumbanis and Watson). The combined team effort was enough to win the event by 34.5 penalties and nearly 40 pounds (18,045kg) over the teams from Mexico who had a strong second day (finishing 1st, 13th and 29th on the day) and a grand total 48 SA BASS December 2018

of 84 penalties and 43,355kg (95.58 pounds) for the event. Team USA won the gold medal with a strategy that included a combination of flipping trees in 8 to 12 feet of water and fishing out deep with crankbaits and worms offshore. In this format you want to make sure all your teams finish high in the standings so strategy has to be planned around all teams catching fish. Scott Martin flipped a Googan Baits Trench Hog and Slim Shake Worm and cranked a little with a deep crankbait while Canterbury flipped a Dirty Jigs Canterbury Flipping Jig in 5/8 ounce. His big seven pounder the first day came on a Âž ounce Canterbury Flipping Jig. Fritts caught his fish the first day on Berkley Dredger 14.5, 20.5 and 25.5 crankbaits. Bolton hopped a Redbug Zoom Ol Monster and cranked Rasta-coloured Rapala DT14 and DT16 while Dudley threw a Berkley Dredger 25.5 to catch the big bag on day two. Fred Roumbanis cranked a couple different deep crankbaits including an IMA Beast Hunter while Watson cranked and caught them today on a Luck-e-Strike Ring Worm and a Jewel football jig.

Top 5 standings Team

Penalties

Total Weight

United States

49.5 - 61,400kg

135.36 pounds

Mexico

84 - 43,355kg

95.58 pounds

Italy

89 - 34,360kg

75.75 pounds

South Africa

93 - 38,915kg

85.79 pounds

Canada

114 - 29,365kg

64.73 pounds

R16 900

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