Pimp my Ride

At last, Spring is officially here! Up here in the Northern US it doesn't exactly feel like Spring but I'm not complaining either. In fact, it could be much worse. We haven't seen snow fall at all in March and the extended forecast looks as if we won't see any in the future either, at least not till next winter. The average high this month has been in the high 40's with some high's floating near the mid 60's. The negative though is that the temp is well warm enough to be fishing but the lakes and rivers are still unfishable because the ice hasn't given way yet. Though we are days away in some areas and I'm thinking by Easter most all the lakes in southern Minnesota and around the Twin Cities will be good to go.


Since I haven't been able to wet a line since returning home from Falcon, I've been curing my fever by getting my ride ready for a full season of hardcore tournament fishing. Last weekend I spent down at my buddy Brent Haimes place, rigging my new Humminbird 998 as well as remounting my three Lowrance units. I'm very excited about my new setup, It'll change the way I practice in that I will be way more efficient with my time. Time is money and this is an advantage that I no longer could afford to ignore.

Another added feature that we installed was a LGC-4000 GPS Receiver Antenna to replace the older LGC-3000 puck. The advantage of the 4000 is that it communicates with it's satellites 5 times per second as opposed to 1 time per second with the 3000, this will definitely give my Lowrance Units a extra boost and assist in navigating backwater as well as zeroing in on my waypoints, plus it gives me a better overall GPS connection.

I also took care of some much needed maintenance by going over all my electronic connections and cleaning them as well as greasing them with dialectic grease, assuring a good connection. I put on a brand new shiny prop, with the intention of keeping it that way. Mind you that I use the word "intention", there's no guarantee with me, ask my beautiful wife Bri, she'll easily attest to that.

After all that I pulled the Ranger out and gave her a good bath as well as put in an order for a new seat skin. The boat looks great, all winter it was over at Bottom's Up Repair, getting any and every blemish in the fiberglass repaired and anyone who knows will easily back me when I say there's no one better at fiberglass work than Jim at Bottom's Up. I mean that, he matched the glitter perfectly.


Now that I got everything taken care of with my money maker, it's time to focus on the fishing. I leave in a few weeks for a Bassmaster Weekend Series tournament down on Grand Lake, in northeastern Oklahoma. I do have some experience on this body of water and am really looking forward to catching some good fish and hopefully cashing a much needed paycheck right away to start the season. Then once back home, I'll be spending all my free time down on pools 4 and 5 of the Mississippi preparing for the St. Jude Bass Classic. I'm glad I'll be able to fish this event again this year, it's an awesome fishery against an awesome class of fisherman and best yet it's for a even better cause. If you have any desire at all to donate money to a fantastic cause, please contact me either by email, josh@joshdouglasfishing.com or on my cell at 952-412-8088.

I'll also be working the Navionics booth at the annual Northwest Sport Show this weekend. I'll be working mostly nights, so if you have nothing going on, come down and enjoy the show and be sure to drop by the Navionics booth and say hi!

Summer is around the corner, be sure to follow the ice out report for your favorite body of water by following this link.

Happy Spring!

Peter Perovich for Minnesota Senate

If you know me well, you probably know my take on politics. For those that don't, let me give you the very quick run down. I don't side completely with any one party, in fact, I think it's a bit irrational to 100% completely agree with any one side. If you can't find at least one thing on each side to agree with than I think people are being a bit biased. This is one reason I never talk politics on my site, however, now I find myself making the exception. Please understand that I am not supporting any one party but instead supporting a candidate that I know can represent Minnesota well and be the voice we need in that position.

Peter Perovich, who I've come to know through the Minnesota B.A.S.S. Federation, where he does an excellent job of heading the board of directors as president. Peter's values and beliefs when it comes to the environment are what first caught my attention. When I learned that Peter was running for a seat in the Minnesota Senate, I couldn't have been more thrilled. We as bass fisherman and outdoor enthusiasts need someone who can hear our concerns and actually care to do something about them. That's when I started looking deeper into his campaign and found that some of my values, especially when it comes to the sport of fishing, aligned on the same side. Below I've pasted a article from his campaign.

Peter Perovich, a life-long resident of Anoka County, has announced his candidacy for the Minnesota State Senate, District 48. Perovich, who is seeking DFL endorsement, is a first-time political candidate who is running to give local communities a more proactive voice in state government.

“I want to work on the quality-of-life issues that I believe will strengthen our communities today and in the years to come, and that currently are receiving less-than-ideal attention and support in the State Legislature,” Perovich said.

He cited concerns with current funding and support for education, healthcare, and environmental protection as key to his decision to seek DFL endorsement, calling it “the party that most closely aligns with my positions.”

“As a citizen and as a father, I believe these are the areas government can impact for the betterment of society and also where it has a responsibility to be involved in order to protect the interests of those without a voice or monetary resources to protect themselves,” Perovich explained. He said his orientation on social issues was directly impacted by growing up in the small town-turned suburb of Anoka, which he credited with having had a strong sense of community and shared purpose.

In the years that followed, Perovich said his career as a realtor and mortgage banker gave broader insight into the challenges many families face every day as they work to secure their futures. “As a state senator, I would be committed to representing the interests of every resident in District 48 and to uniting diverse interests for the greater good,” he added.

Perovich became interested in elected office while working in support of Minnesota fishing and environmental protection. He serves on the Department of Natural Resources’ Citizens Budget Oversight Committee (BOC), Fisheries Division—a position appointed by the DNR Commissioner

In addition, he serves on the DNR’s Bass Advisory Committee and Tournament Organizers Advisory Board and, in 2009, was the lead speaker for the Annual DNR Stakeholders Roundtable.

Perovich also holds leadership positions in statewide fishing organizations. He is treasurer of the executive board of Anglers for Habitat. And, after serving as the state director and second vice president of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Bass Federation, was elected this past December as president of the organization, which represents more than 500 angler’s state wide.

“I look forward to extending my civic activities to public office and anticipate a grassroots campaign that will elevate the interests of citizens throughout our local communities,” Perovich said, adding that he wants to give voice to the issues area citizens feel demand more attention in the public arena.

Perovich resides in Ramsey with his wife, Sally, and their four school-age children.


For more information, contact: Peter Perovich, 763-421-3689 or email him at perovichforsenate@yahoo.com

el Lago de Falcon, Zapata, Tejas

Man, what a lake! Falcon is no joke and either is the size of the fish that inhabits this 80,000+ acres of ridiculously good looking water. For those who have never been, imagine flooding a national forest and calling it a lake, the cover in this fishery is beyond conceivable. Everywhere you look there's trees that could hold the bass of a lifetime! The problem, is which one?


The forecast for the week was favorable with the exception of cool nights. The moon phase was also a negative strictly because this time of year you ideally want warm days and nights and a full moon phase. Some of the bass have spawned and are in a funk, the biggest group of bass are on the verge of moving up to spawn but the cooler water temps in the high 50's and very low 60's are keeping them back. The only common denominator is that these fish are scattered and if you can find the key staging areas, your liable to catch the sack of a lifetime. With all the structure and cover in this lake, that little chestnut is easier said than done.

Joining me on this trip to the Texas/Mexico border is good friends Brent Haimes and Don (Hootch) Hanson. Both Brent and I had goals of catching the biggest bass of our lives. Brent's big largemouth of his life was 6 lbs. flat and mine was 7.14, caught last April on Grand lake in Northeastern Oklahoma., barely edging out my 7.6, caught in Northern Minnesota. Falcon, known for it's gordo largemouth, gives us the best shot of accomplishing this very feat.






















Things started tough and bites where few and far between, though when we did set the hook it was a good one and Brent's second bass coughed up a new personal record at 6.33 pounds. I managed a nice 4 pounder on a 3/4 oz. Picasso Football Jig, fishing deep hard spots on the main lake. We couldn't get anything going shallow at all, which is extremely humbling when everything shallow looks better than anything I've ever seen before. So after three days of desperately trying to make the shallow trees work, we refocused all of our attention on deeper staging areas that had bigger females on it. Though the bites where scarce, the result was far worth it.

We used a combination of our Lowrance Sonar and Hummingbird Side Imaging units, to carefully dissect the deeper areas, keying in on hard bottom areas that held bigger fish. Without the use of Side Imaging, we never would have found all these areas, and that's a pretty powerful statement, but it couldn't be more true. Over the next few days we where able to find a dozen or so very small areas that when everything was right, held big fish. The key was simply being there at the right time. On one day in particular, we fished these areas for five or six hours without a bite and all of a sudden I caught back to back six pounders on consecutive casts. That's a first, never in my life has that happened to me and I have to say it's easily the most addictive feeling in the world. Then a few minutes later, Brent hauls off a new record and boats a solid 8.33 lb. giant, crushing his personal best!






















The very next day, after a really slow start I finally got bit and also got to celebrate my new record when I boated a 8.27 lb. largie, out of about 24 feet on a Hootch Plunker rig. In fact, all of our big fish came of this rig with the exception of a 4 and a 5 that came on the Picasso Football Jig. The key about this rig is that it's a heavy finesse presentation and with all the pressure these fish had, I truly believe it was the difference maker between getting bit and getting blanked. Though the heavy equipment was essential in winning the battle to the boat, I was using a G Loomis GLX (BCFR 894) Flippin' Stick with 50 lb. Power pro braided line, perfect for hook penetration and steering the fish away from all the cover.

On the last day of the trip, I joined FLW co angler Jeff Ziermann, who was on a shallow flippin' bite down lake. We where able to boat around 35 bass total by flippin' the trees, no giants but no peanuts either. Jeff caught two nice ones going five and six respectively and I managed a couple just shy of four. Both of use where using 3/4 - 1 oz. Tru Tungsten Flippin' Weights and I added the MiHatchii Pro Flip Hook and several different soft plastics. Meanwhile Hootch and Brent found success by winding a spinnerbait through the shallows and because of the stormy front that moved in the fish where in the mood to chase.

In the end, the trip was awesome and I can't wait to get back down there. I learned a lot and was able to catch some real nice bass even when the lake was fishing tough. If you've ever had thoughts to fish Falcon, GO!! You won't regret it. I'm expecting this lake to bust wide open in the next couple weeks!

Zapata, I'll see you soon....

From Smallies to LARGIES, Literally!

Being that I've been a worthless pile the last week because of my upcoming trip to both Lake Falcon and Fork, I decided I had to get out one last time and do some much needed smallmouth fishing before our season ends. I went with two of my real good buddies, Chris Campbell and Eric Aske. The bite was slower than usual, but in the end we all managed a few good ones and a couple dozen mid sized smallies as well. It's odd to think that in a few days I'll be fishing in extremely different ends of the spectrum. Instead of chasing 3 pound smallmouth in 20 degree weather here in the north country of Minnesota, I'll be fishing for 15 pound largemouth in 80 degree weather in extreme southern Texas along the Mexico border.

Yeah that's right, I said 15 pound bsndckssqld wsmndkswnd qlkdsqapjkd.

(Sorry, I couldn't type there for a second, my arm was twitching from the very thought of it.)

I'll be joining two others, one being my good buddy Brent Haimes. This trip is sure to be a good one, every time Brent and I get in the boat together we manage to catch some good fish. Late last summer on a trip to northern Minnesota's Lake Pokegama, we managed to catch all sorts of tanker smallies and had a blast doing it. This trip should be no different, all things are coming together to potentially set up for a whack fest. The temp should stabilize perfectly the whole time we're down there and the shallows should warm up quickly into the low 70's, forcing those giant Jim's (or should I say Betty's) to move up and put on a feeding frenzy preparing to spawn.




















**Above Picture: Brent and I with some Lake Pokegama tankers smallmouth.

The reports are saying that fish can be caught anywhere between 2 feet to 40 feet, but the vast majority of the fish are staging in about 7 feet and hanging tight to all the submerged trees that litter the entire reservoir. They're simply waiting for a solid week of high temps and they'll be all over the place, as long as the weather report holds true, we just may be there for the best week of the whole year. It's safe to say that both my fingers and toes are crossed.

After doing a ton of research I was able to zone everything down to about six rods, mostly all are flippin' sticks of course and if the rod blank doesn't have the word "heavy" on it than it doesn't make the trip. I made the commitment that I was after quality not quantity, I don't care if I catch one bass as long as the scale tips past 10 pounds. I've never caught a 10 before and I would love to check that off my list of things to do.

I've attached pics of my set ups that I'm anticipating will do the trick. I'll be sure to give a in depth report on what did and didn't work once I get home. Here's the starting line up.


This rig is sick!! It's a Zoom Brush Hog on a MiHatchii Pro Flip Hook, a Gambler KO Flippin' Skirt, with a 3/8 oz. Tru Tungsten Flippin' Weight pegged with a Tru Tungsten Smart Peg. I'll be using this to flip the wood on a G Loomis GLX Flippin' Stick, and a Shimano Core, lined with 65 lb. Power Pro Braid. I'll be hard pressed to set this rig down.


Here I got a 1/2 oz. Tru Tungsten Jig with a YUM Trailer. No matter where I'm fishing around the country, you can always be rest assured that I'll have one of these tied on.


With reports of some real lunkers still being caught deep, and when I say deep I mean it, up to 40 feet, there's no way I won't be employing my favorite technique of throwing heavy roller jigs. If I can catch a 10+ out of deep structure on a football jig, I don't even know what to say, I'd be speechless and anyone who knows me knows damn well it's tough to make me speechless. Here I got a 1 oz. Super K Football Jig with a Gary Yamamoto Twin Tail Grub.


When you think prespawn shallow water, a spinnerbait better come to mind and this is no ordinary spinner. It's a 3/4 oz. Biovex Stangun Spinnerbait, after I land the fish of a lifetime I want this bait to be absolutely pretzled beyond repair, it'll be a trophy all on it's own!

All for now, be sure to follow me via Facebook for updates from this trip and all others in the future. Wish us luck!

Tricks of the Trade - Swim Jigs 101

There are all sorts of different lures on the market, all offering different styles and actions, promising extraordinary results. One of these baits is the swim jig, the spinnerbait with no blades. At first glance there's really not much to a swim jig, a cone shaped head, a silicone skirt, weed guard and a stout hook, but once you couple this with an action filled trailer and add some tried and true techniques, this simple bait turns into a bass catching machine.

**Above Picture: Two Super K Swim Jigs in black chartreuse and white flash.

Being a self proclaimed jig fisherman, this technique is actually somewhat new to my repertoire. To be honest, I never really saw all the hype in the bait and just thought a crankbait or a spinnerbait would be a better bet, therefore I ignored most of the rumors and never really gave the technique a fair shake. It wasn't until this past spring when I signed up to fish the Bassmaster Weekend Series, where all the events where scheduled on different pools of the Mississippi River. A swim jig, amongst others, is known on the river to be an effective method to catch nice limits of both smallmouth and largemouth bass. Going into the season I hadn't had a whole lot of previous experience fishing the Ole Miss and after finishing 2nd in the AOY points standings the year prior fishing popular lakes throughout northern Minnesota, I was looking for any advantage I could get.

I made a sincere commitment to myself that I would take the time and figure out why this bait was so popular. It didn't take long and it quickly became one of my go to techniques and not only did I find success on the river, but also found the swim jig to be equally as lethal on lakes and reservoirs. This bait straight up catches fish and big ones at that. My first time really using it was on a trip to pool 2 of the Mississippi where I managed to catch 10 to 15 solid keeper largemouth, while my two friends couldn't buy a bite on any other bait.

A month later, I counted on a Super K Swim Jig to help catch some prespawn smallmouth at the first event of the Bassmaster Weekend Series and was able to ride the success to a first place finish. When it came to a reaction bite, I couldn't find any bait that could better perform and the quality of these fish was surprising. Being a jig fisherman, I've always said that jigs are big fish baits and the swim jig is no different.

The key to a swim jig is that it's a finesse bait that can be power fished. Not a lot of flash and a very subtle action that can catch pressured fish. Rich Lindgren, my good friend, tournament competitor and fellow Tru Tungsten Pro Staff member agrees, "Swim jigs are one of many great baits or tools in my arsenal. I also catch fish on spinnerbaits, lipless cranks and chatter style jigs, which often cover the same water column. I like swim jigs when the fish are more pressured because it's a more subtle presentation that gets a bit overlooked by other anglers."

Another factor in a swim jig is its versatility, you can truly fish them almost anywhere. They come through snags and vegetation better than any other bait. I' m able to fish this bait in areas that the only other option I'd have is a topwater frog. Rich couldn't agree more, "The swim jig really shines around thick vegetation and slop where other baits would foul up and if your bait is consistently fouled then you're not being efficient with your casts." He continues by saying, "When I have a wide variety of cover I lean toward the swim jig strictly because of its versatility; if I come to a stump, dock, laydown or hole in the grass that I feel like needs more of a vertical presentation, I can pitch and hop my swim jig like a normal jig through it and not have to switch baits or rods, plus I can skip a swim jig into places that would be tough with other baits."

Since this is generally a shallow water presentation, you'll want a rod with both a light tip capable of throwing 1/4 oz. swim jigs, as well as a strong backbone capable of pulling big fish through thick vegetation. Both Rich and I use a 7' heavy action baitcasting rod (G Loomis IMX MBR 844), and a fast 7.1:1 gear ratio reel. I find most often that 15 or 17lb. Seaguar Invizx Fluorocarbon line works best, but if I'm in the real thick stuff I'll opt for 30lb. Power Pro Braid, to insure that I get the fish through the mess without breaking off. Also a sensitive rod is real important to me because depending on the bite, a swim jig strike can feel awfully similar to that of a worm bite. All you feel is a "tick" as the bass engulfs the bait from behind, knocking slack into your line. This is also why line choice is so important, you really only want to be using fluorocarbon or braid, because mono has way to much stretch, making hook sets a real gamble.

When it comes to river fishing, the swim jig has turned into a staple for fisherman because it consistently catches fish. Brent Haimes, well known river rat and Bassmaster Classic qualifier, uses this technique every time he's on the water. Sure he admits that there can be other ways to better catch them, but says when the conditions are right, there's no better bait than a swim jig. "When fishing secondary channels, a guy would normally need a buzzbait (tight to the bank), a spinnerbait and a jig to cover all the areas that fish hold, where a swim jig covers all these." explains Brent. He adds, "What I really like about the Super K Swim Jig is the weed guard is soft enough where hook ups aren't an issue, but stiff enough that it doesn't get hung up in the wood."

After having much success throwing swim jigs on the river, I decided I needed to start incorporating this method on some natural Minnesota lakes. I really wasn't too surprised with my findings, swim jigs catch fish on any body of water, the key is to match the forage that the fish are biting. Usually rivers and southern reservoirs require your standard shad colors as well as darker hues when the water muddies up. Lakes on the other hand, require more of a bluegill or perch presentation. Gregg Kizewski, a Wisconsin tournament angler and creator of the Super K Swim Jig, has daily success fishing swim jigs in lakes and has really turned me onto the tactics in which he approaches this style of fishing. "On natural northern lakes, I look for weight in regards to my swim jig fishing", explains Gregg. "Many of our northern lakes have weeds in 8 to 20 feet, soft plastics and plunking jigs are not the only methods to pull fish out of these deep weeds. Often times the fish will want a moving bait and a 3/4 oz. swim jig with a FG30 weedguard is made to order for this application."

For this deeper style of fishing, Gregg suggests to beef it up with a 7' 11", heavy action graphite rod, a slower 5 to 1 gear ratio reel with 50 lb. braided line. I particularly find this deep bite to be more productive in the middle of the summer and into the fall when bass are relating to deeper water. This is also where some of the gnarliest vegetation is as well as some of the lakes biggest bass, it's essential to have beefed up equipment to get the job done. I do my best with a 7 ' 5" G Loomis GLX Flippin' Stick and a fast 7.1:1 Shimano Core Reel with 20 lb. Seaguar Invizx Fluorocarbon. I like the faster ratio reel for catching up the slack before setting the hook, where as a slower reel is better for presenting the bait during the retrieve.

Swim jigs are made of five key elements, a weighted head, weedguard, skirt, hook and some sort of trailer. In my opinion, Super K offers the best version on the market. Some of their qualities include a weedless cone shaped head along with a custom hand tied skirt. The hook is all muscle using a 5/0 Gamakatsu Round Bend that Gregg custom bends to 28.5 degrees.

The trailer is important because it's what gives life to the swim jig, by imparting a vibrating action into the water. Dan Elsner, owner of Get Bit Baits, and founder of the popular Hypertail Grub, insists that the action of his grub when used as a trailer will elicit a feeding response from all game fish because of its unique vibration. "Bass feed off prey by detecting vibrations in the water column through use of their lateral line." he explains. "The Hypertail Grub will trigger their natural instinct to grab an easy meal."

Although grubs tend to be the most popular choice amongst swim jig fisherman, there are other options that can be more effective depending on the conditions. When the water's dirty, I like to use a bait with dual appendages like a Sizmic Toad or a Zoom Speed Craw, largely because these baits will disperse more water, making it easier for a bass to locate it. Also baits like a Basstrix Paddle Tail or a Lake Fork Live Magic Shad, provide a great look when bass are hitting larger prey like gizzard shad or tilapia.

When retrieving these bait's it's important that you play with your speeds. Most of the time I get 'em by using a slow standard retrieve and occasionally killing the bait and letting it free fall as if to suggest it's injured, yet at times burning the bait will get the best response. Smallmouth are especially vulnerable to this tactic, a fast retrieve can really activate a school of rogue smallies in a quick hurry.

**Above Picture: Me with a Old Hickory largemouth, caught on a 1/4 oz. Super K Swim Jig (Darin's Shad)

Next time you're out on your favorite body of water, pick up an extra rod and tie up a swim jig. If you're not a believer now, you will be in no time.

Tight Lines!

Vamos Pesca de la Lubina en el Lago Falcon!

Yeah, that's right! If your not up to date on your espanol than I'm sure you'll understand this, We're going bass fishing on Lake Falcon! The mecca of giant 10+ pound largemouths located on the Texas and Mexico border.

In a few weeks, myself and two buddies will be making the long 23 hour haul from ice covered Minnesota all the way to the border for what could set up to be some of the best fishing any of us have ever experienced.

Lake Falcon is the hottest lake in the world right now for the chance of catching true lunker bass and numbers of them as well. Every tournament held there seems to break records and if your not holding a 30 pound bag every day of competition than you ain't cashing many checks. I mean a 40 to 50 pound bag is a definite possibility. It's crazy, but it's true! I just got done watching this video on YouTube of a guy catching donkey after donkey and when he was done his best five tipped the scales at more than 56 pounds! Could you imagine if he did that four days in a row? He'd have a four day total of over 200 pounds!!??

My only goal for this trip is to catch a 10+ pounder. My personal record is 7 lbs. 14 oz, caught last April on Grand Lake, in Oklahoma. My previous big bass was 7 lbs. 6 oz. caught in Northern Minnesota which my Dad had gotten a replica made for me. I've always said since that I wouldn't get another replica until I caught a 6 pound smallmouth or a 10 pound largemouth and I'm hoping this trip is the one that yields that award.

Mid to late February on Lake Falcon is a great time in that we should see all three stages of the spawn, the pre spawn, spawn and post spawn. During this time, large females are up and moving making them a easier target for a self proclaimed "trophy hunter" like myself.

I decided I am going to make the most of this trip by adopting the "don't bring a knife to a gun fight" type of attitude. I'm throwing big baits for big fish, something I don't get the chance to do everyday living in Minnesota. I'm stocking up on baits like the Weedless Huddleston and the Tru Tungsten Tru Life Swimbaits, heavy 1 oz. Super K Plunking Jigs and plenty of large 1 oz. Biovex Stangun Spinnerbaits. I'll also have plenty of 20 pound Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon as well as a few spools of 65 lb. Power Pro Braid to handle all the flooded trees that Falcon is known for. The last thing I need is to hook into a fish of a lifetime and then break it off.

With all this I've also been preparing for next season. I'm especially anxious for my trip to Oklahoma's Grand lake where I'll be competing in the Bassmaster Weekend Series. Grand is an excellent fishery and I've managed to do well there in the past. My Dad is also driving out from the Rocky Mountains to join me in practice and then he plans to compete on the am side. I've never visited a lake that fishes to my strengths as well as Grand, it's a jig fisherman's dream!

I also put in my order for a new Hummingbird 998 SI Combo, to compliment my two Lowrance Units. There's no doubt the addition of side imaging to the fishing world has some serious advantages. I plan to be out on my favorite lakes the day the ice breaks getting accustomed to all that the Hummingbird has to offer. I'll be able to accomplish so much more during my practices and I'm hoping better practices will help get me a spot this year at the Silverado Championship, held on good ole' Lake Minnetonka. Last season I felt I struggled a bit in a couple tournaments and the difference between cashing a check and getting a early start on your ride home, was done in the few days leading up to the event. Tournament day should simply be execution.

All for now, stay warm!

Sights Set on 2010!

With only hours remaining in 2009, I can't help but look back at this past year and reflect on both the good and the bad times. Economic times of our sport have been tough, but being a "glass half full" type of guy I look at this as a plus. I work hard everyday for my money and making sure my head stays above the water in both fishing and family alike. With the country in a bit of a downward spiral financially, sponsors are tough for pro anglers to get, let alone keep. Being a up and comer in this industry I use this to my advantage. I'm using this time to continue to learn and the best way to do that is time on the water. Big money sponsorships are fading a bit but this means there's more opportunity for guys at the semi pro level like myself to build relationships with companies. Opportunities that may not have been there a few years ago are available now and if I continue to do my part, these relationships can really grow.

With this said, I am really picky on what products and what companies I align myself with and put next to my name. I use products that give me an advantage on the water and more importantly give me the edge over my competition. Honestly I see no reason in representing products that don't absolutely dominate when put to use. With the exception of being a good husband and son, my only goal in life is to be the best bass fisherman I can be. Life is short and the competition is stiff, I need to be able to trust my equipment when chasing this type of dream.

Biovex - One of Japan's most popular tackle manufacturers. Although not well known in the US, that will change in the future once these baits find their place in other angler's boats across the country. Biovex, leads the way in both lure design as well as lure action, thanks to well known designer Katsushi Umeda. I'm really looking forward to some of the new products that will be released in the near future. I'll be sure to post these baits as they become available.


Tru Tungsten - When on the water, I stop at nothing to give myself every advantage available to me. If your not using tungsten, than your missing the boat. There is no denying all the hype that comes from using tungsten tackle, in fact the hype isn't opinion, it's fact. Tungsten is much more dense than lead, which is better in that it is more sensitive and smaller. I get hung up much less and the hardness of tungsten relays information much better than that of lead.


Gamma - Every good fisherman knows your no better than the line your using. My opinion is that line is the most important part of your fishing arsenal. This is why I trust nothing but Gamma to get the job done. I use Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon for almost all my fishing. It's the strongest and most sensitive line on the market. I'm excited to announce the release of Gamma Touch Fluorocarbon for 2010. This fluoro is made for the spinning reel and is exceptional on dropshot and shakey head rigs. It provides all the benefits as it's well known brother Edge, but also is extremely manageable on spinning gear where other brands of fluorocarbon lack.


MiHatchii - Truely the most unique and efficient hooks on the market. Just when I thought that they couldn't make hooks much better than they already where, Fish Harder Companies teamed with some of the top tour level pros and the outcome has be awesome. Take one look at the Pro Flip Hook and you'll see what I mean. Use it once and you'll be hooked for life, no pun intended.


Super K Swim Jigs - Swim Jigs are one of the most deadly baits on the market and Super K is leading the way. These are finesse baits that can be power fished through anything and catch pigs. All Super K Swim Jigs come with a hand tied skirt that match any forage you can think of and best yet each one comes equipped with a stout 5/0 hook, bass bite and don't let go or should I say Super K bites and doesn't let go?!


LSD Designs - When your on the water as much as I am you find yourself in all sorts of different elements. LSD designs is who I trust to protect me and my gear. LSD's products protect in the harshest of conditions yet still have plenty of style. When your business is establishing a name in the fishing industry, appearance is very important and this is what separates LSD from it's competition.


Tacklesmith - There's no denying that internet is the way of the future, it's where I go to buy all my gear. www.Tacklesmith.com is where I go to buy my hard to find products at the best prices. Check them out for all your tungsten needs!!


Ranger Boats - Is there anything more important than your ride? I've dreamed of owning a Ranger since I was a little kid and you could imagine just how thrilled I was the day I brought my first one home. There's no denying that Ranger Boats are the mold in which every other boat manufacturer strives to produce, why use any less?


Looking forward to 2010, I'm very excited for what's to come. This upcoming year is sure to be a test. My tentative plans are to fish the Silverado Pro Tour and some select local and Bassmaster Weekend Series tournaments as well. I'm looking real forward to the 2010 MN BASS Federation State Tournament held on Lake Minnetonka, where a top 12 will insure me a spot on the divisional team, which is one of my biggest goals for the season. Another goal I have my sight set on are competing in the Bassmaster Opens starting in 2011. I really want to make the push for the tour level and this is the most efficient way there. To better prepare myself for this level and everything that comes with it I've decided to enter into a couple this year and fish them on the Am side. Some of the lakes I'm looking into is Lake Amistad and Lake Texoma, both are regulars on every tour and good ones to learn from. I feel I'm ready to take the jump and begin to close the gap between mid level pro tourneys and tour level events. I've never fished on the Am side before and a couple events would be good for me. I'm hoping it will quickly excel my learning curve and give me a better shot for quick success competing against the best of the best in 2011.

Well I have a lot to be excited about for the upcoming year, but now it's time to go out and celebrate the end of a year to remember. Here's to 2009!

Have a Happy and Safe New Year. See you in 2010!!

Record Breaking Christmas from Minnesota!

It's almost unbelievable how quickly things can change. My original plan for Christmas Eve was set to be a perfect one. I was going to be headed to one of my favorite winter fishing holes to tug on some brute smallmouths before heading out to spend the rest of the time with my entire family. Thank mother nature for ruining my plans. Now I'll be trading a G Loomis for a snow shovel and instead of excersizing smallies, I'll be the one getting the workout by shoveling up to a foot of snow from a blizzard that is set to break a 65 year old record in our region. Though disappointed, I do take some satisfaction in that our lakes are low and I was hoping for a lot of snow this winter to help fill them back up. I wasn't expecting it all to come at the same time though!

I did get out last Friday and thumped the smallies once again. Joining me where my good friends Rich Lindgren and Ryan Brant. The bite was consistent though there where no giants caught the overall size and numbers where good. I did manage a couple that where trying desperately to push the four pound mark, maybe in another month or so they'll be there.



Well I'm off to make sure the snow blower is locked and loaded. I want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday! Merry Christmas!

Lights, Camera, Action!

My excitement level is already through the roof with the upcoming 2010 tournament season. First off, I'm ecstatic about my new relationship with one of the most influential tackle developers to date, Tru Tungsten and the rest of Fish Harder Companies. Included under the Fish Harder umbrella is not only the leading developer in tungsten made tackle in Tru Tungsten, but also well known companies, Picasso and Mihatchii. I have depended on a endless number of products from all these companies for years now, so to actually represent them out on the water is a feat all in it's own. I seriously can't say enough about what Fish harder has done for our sport, knowing I'll be using their products gives me a distinct advantage over the competition. What more could you ask for?


I'm also very pleased to announce that Josh Douglas Fishing, is now equipped for video. Recently I have been a guest for a couple episodes for "All About Bass" with Rich Lindgren. I've added our first episode which was shot over the 2009 MN Bass Opener and soon will be uploading the newest episode in which Rich and I head out for some early winter smallies.

This upcoming year I'm planning on adding a new "how to" style of episodes, little 6-10 minute shows where I'll be showing off the baits and teaching the techniques that have proven successful for me.

Well on another note I finally managed to get out and do some much needed smallie fishing. The temp never broke 20 degrees but the fish still managed to cooperate. With the cold snap that took over our region it definitely put the bass in a funk and it took some patient finessing to get them to bite. I managed to catch most of my good fish on a 3" Yum Tube (Green Pumpkin) with a 1/8 oz. Kalin's Tube Jig Head, and 8 lb. Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon. I also got to break in a new rod and am more than impressed with the outcome. The G Loomis Bronzeback GLX spinning rod (SMR822S-SP-GLX) may be the best smallie rod on the market. With a fast yet sensitive tip and a powerful mid section, this rod offers all the advantages one could ask for and is surely worth every penny. The reel was a Shimano Sustain 2500. When I found myself around thick cover I would change to a Strike King Coffee Tube (Green Pumpkin) and a 1/8 oz. Tru Tungsten Ikey Head Jig, with 8 lb. Gamma Edge Fluorcarbon. For this I went with a bit heavier action rod in the G Loomis GLX (BSR852) and again had it equipped with a Shimano Sustain 2500 Spinning Reel. Check back soon to the "Video" portion of this site to view all the action from that day on the water.

Stay Warm!

Tackle Update: L.S.D. Designs

Things have been great! First off, the weather around here has been more than terrific. Being that we're just days away from December and I live in Minnesota, yet there's not a single speck of snow in the whole state. The lakes are no where near ready to freeze and best yet the smallmouth bass have been just chomping!

**Above Picture: Owner of Biovex and L.S.D. Designs, Katsushi Umeda, with a nice Minnesota smallmouth bass.

A couple weeks back my wife Bri and I got the opportunity to do a photo shoot for Katsushi Umeda, owner and founder of Biovex and L.S.D. Designs, a tackle and apparel company based out of Japan. As most of you know, I've been with Biovex now for a couple years and have all the confidence in the world in their tackle, and for the record some of the new products that will be coming out will surely take the industry by storm. Unfortunately I'm not at liberty to talk about these new products just yet but I assure you they'll be worth the wait. The photos we took are going to be used for both companies 2010 catalogues but even better, will also be used in some of Japan's most popular fishing magazines. I decided on one of my best smallie spots for two reasons, one that Katsushi had never caught a smallmouth bass and two, maybe more importantly, I'd be very hard off to be holding a small fish for all of Japan's die hard bass anglers to see. I mean come on, I have a reputation to withhold here.

Lucky for us the fish where biting and the size was good. Katsushi also managed to catch his first smallmouth and a good one at that. We got some excellent photos and got to try out some of the new lures that will be released this year. Bri and I where also impressed by the outdoor gear that L.S.D. has been creating. We sported a new line of waterproof boots, as well as sunglasses and hats. Bri loves their new jackets, the Amsterdam Series, that offers a lightweight, breathable, waterproof, yet stylish look that is sure to be a big hit anywhere. I've always been a big fan of their tackle bags. There's none better on the market, they offer all sorts of sweet styles yet have all the efficiencies one could possibly think of. More importantly the quality of all these products are second to none, when your in the elements as often as I am this is something you don't take for granted, it's a must.

**Above Picture: Bri and I on a L.S.D. Designs ad as seen in many of Japan's popular fishing magazines.

Well with the weather forecast still staying favorable for days to come, I'm planning to get out and exercise some bass over the holiday weekend. I just can't get enough of those brown fish, as a good friend of mine always says, I'm diseased!

Oh yeah, did I mention the Vikings are 9-1??!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tricks of the Trade - Autumn Small River Smallies

Fall is quickly turning into one of my favorite times of year. As the weather forecasts shift, bringing in cool temps and cold rains, our northern waters start to go through a rather dramatic change. The biggest change that occurs is the drop in water temperature making the lakes abundant vegetation and forage start to die off or hibernate. This pushes the bass out of their deep summer haunts and schools them up in large groups in the shallows, gorging themselves for the long winter. Over the past few years, the fall has produced some of my best fishing of the entire season. No matter if it's largemouth in a lake or smallmouth in the river, these fish all move to relatively shallow water and put on their feed bags, making them all more susceptible of falling for one of my baits.

While in Tennessee last month, I found the largemouth to be in big schools in less than a foot of water on the shallow flats in the creek channels. These fish where feeding up for the winter and they where wreaking havoc on the many schools of shad that where doing their annual migration up the creeks to spawn. Now back home Minnesota, I've been spending every extra hour out chasing smallmouths in some of our local rivers. The success is been good and the size has been rewarding, but the key to catching them has been to trigger the school. Once the school gets excited, it can result in fish after fish for cast after cast.

Targeting small river smallmouth this time of year I find micro ledges off flats to be especially productive. There will be times when the fish roam the flat chasing baitfish but the majority of the day you can find them hanging off that immediate first drop, for instance where the 1 foot flat drops to 5 feet. The fish tend to stack in these areas, and when fished correctly can result in check cashing bags at the scales.

**From left to right: A picture of my front deck Lowrance Unit as I'm am Paralleling the ledge break.

One river in particular I found the ledge to go from two feet down to seven rather quickly. I fished my bait thoroughly along the 7 ft break concentrating on the bottom. Once I caught a good smallie I would instantly slow down, or better yet, I STOP! It's critical to not spook the school. Once I release the fish my next cast is to the exact same spot that the last one came from and more times than not I'll get met instantly with another bite. It's not uncommon for me to throw back 10 times and get bit on 9 of those casts.

I find bait choice not to be to big a deal this time of year. The bass are not always that picky to what they eat. Mother nature says it's time to fatten up for winter so they do, they start eating anything and everything that comes there way. Not to mention the competition to eat because of others in the school. Although I do still have my favorites that have produced so well for me over the past few years.

Early in the fall I like to throw crankbaits like the Biovex Micro Crank and Biovex Mid Runner, these work real well at impersonating baitfish and can be fished fast on shallow ledges. When there's a presence of baitfish or fish are busting bait on the flats, there's nothing better than a topwater spook, or my favorite, the Reaction Innovations Vixen. Another great reaction bait this time of year is a Super K Swim Jig, which subtle action locates these schools of bass rather quickly. Last but not least, there is no bait better at catching cold bass than a jerkbait and lately I've been using either a soft jerkbait pegged with a 1/32 oz. Tru Tungsten sinker to keep the nose down or a hard plastic jerkbait like the Megabass Ito Vision 110.


Once I've caught one or two from the school on the reaction bait, I slow down and pick up a bait like a tube or a beaver and continue to pick apart the ledge. I like the YUM 3" Tube and a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver. The tube I usually rig hook exposed with a light tube jig. Last weekend my buddy Rich Lindgren went out with me and had success by rigging a stupid tube, which you can read in one of his recent blog entries. Basically, the stupid tube is a texas rigged ball head jig, which when rigged correctly works it's way through cover with relative ease. I've also been finding success with this method and the Tru Tungsten Ikey Head Ball Buster is extremely effective for the job. The Beaver, I texas rig with a 4/0 Mihatchii Hook and a pegged Tru Tungsten Sinker, size ranging from a 1/8 oz. to a 1/2 oz.

The rod and reel I feel are critical to your success in that once the schools are located, it's important not to miss hook ups or drop fish during the fight. Just as a fighting smallmouth can fire up the school, a spooked smallmouth can turn them off in a second. To better combat this I use a G Loomis 843 casting rod with a Shimano Core 100MG lined with 12-16 lb. Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon for the beaver and the tube I go with a G Loomis SMR822 GLX spinning rod paired with a Shimano Stella 2500S and 8 lb. Gamma Touch Fluorocarbon.

Lastly, not all ledges are created equal, in fact some never hold fish. This time of year I stick to the main river channel. If I was on a big river with larger creek channels than those may prove productive, however the rivers I've been fishing are northern rivers that are not that wide and don't offer much for creeks. I look for turns in the river where current has made these ledges over time, then the key to really dialing them in is the bottom content. I look for rocky areas on these main river turns, in my opinion the more snags the better. This is where tungsten comes into play, it's smaller diameter allows it to be worked through the rocks and snags without getting hung up. When the sun is shining, any emerged wood in these areas can be especially productive, for this I like to pitch a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver with a 1/4 - 3/8 oz. Tru Tungsten Sinker. I use 16 - 20 lb. Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon for this to assure I get the fish out of the laydown, and there's not a stronger line on the market than Gamma Edge.


With the next week showing a very favorable weather forecast, try taking a break from raking leaves and try these tips on your favorite river. Maybe, just maybe, when you mix football, brats and trophy smallmouth together you'll see why fall has become my favorite time of year.

See you on the water!

What Lies Ahead?

With the tournament season all wrapped up and winter just right around the corner, I find myself wasting no time preparing for what lies ahead in 2010. My plans are to step it up and really concentrate on tournaments that can take me to the next level and eventually pave the way to accomplishing my life goal of competing at the tour level. To be fortunate enough to actually obtain this goal would be incredible. I plan to continue to fish in the top circuits throughout the midwest, at the same time start preparing for larger national level tournaments. My next major move would be to enter the FLW Strens and the Bassmaster Opens, in an attempt at earning my way onto either tours, the Bassmaster Elite Series and/or the FLW Tour. The lakes that host these national pro tourneys are scattered throughout the United States and to consistently finish at the top requires an extremely versatile angler. I do have some knowledge of lakes outside Minnesota and Wisconsin, but really want to spend the next year or two learning how to fish other lakes throughout the country before I make the commitment and take that plunge to the next level. I want to be sure to give myself the best opportunity to succeed. Which also leads to the question of what happens if I do make it to the Elites? Being financially secure enough to compete at the Open level is manageable for a younger guy like myself, but having the financial security to compete at the tour level is a whole other thing. I could really use the next few years to save money and even more important, continue to develop business relationships with companies that have the same visions and the means to offer that security.

This year I plan on fishing a Weekend Series event as a non boater on Kentucky lake in either May or June in an attempt at helping me get more familiar with classic ledge fishing. This style of fishing is not something that we do here in Minnesota and there is no better place to get a crash course than Kentucky or Tennessee in the early summer. I've also got plans to fish the Bassmaster Weekend Series event on Grand Lake, OK, in mid April on the Pro side. I've been down there the past 3 years in a row and every year I've managed to do well. Going down there and competing against locals on their water would be a great test for me. I've also not decided on which one, but I will be registering into a Open tournament as a non boater. Before I put up the cash I want to be familiar with all that goes into one of these tournaments. Most of it is basic tournament bass fishing I would imagine, but in the long run I think it would prove beneficial.

I'll be fishing the Silverado Pro Tour again next year with my sights set on both winning an event, as well as the top honor of winning the Angler of the Year title. I'll also be competing in the Bassmaster Weekend Series with the main goal of qualifying for the National Championship. In the two years I've fished this circuit I've been fortunate to do well, my first year I finished second in the Angler of the Year points and managed to cash a check in 3 out of 5 tournaments. This year I won the first event of the season against an 88 boat field and both seasons qualified for Divisionals. Neither year though have I qualified for the National Championship. Accomplishing this definitely is at the top of my list. Plus to sweeten pot, the championship is being held on Alabama's pride and joy, Lake Guntersville.

This winter I'm looking to have the most productive off season yet. I want to establish a few successful habits that will assist me on the water. One is preparing for tournaments off the water by studying maps and using tools like Google Earth and getting better familiar with the body of water before I ever even launch my boat. This will help develop better game plans well before the first day of practice.

I also think it's very important to be in the best physical shape I can be. Tournament bass fishing requires extremely long hours in less than perfect conditions. The amount of wear and tear on both your mind and body can be debilitating. I've been spending a lot of time at the gym working on my strength and endurance. The more reps I make in the weight room the further I'll be able to cast that spook and the more accuracy I'll have flippin' a jig to a tournament winning largemouth. The biggest benefit is the more you work out the healthier you are in both body and even more importantly, the mind. To a tournament bass fisherman, mental strength is the biggest asset, it's what separates the pro's from the legends.

Though with all this, you know I'll still be spending time on the water! Chasing around smallies this time of year is as addictive as it gets. I've managed to get out a few times the last week and had some pretty good success. Look for pics to be posted soon.

To My Loving Family

With the tournament season starting to wrap up for the year, I think back to all the ups and downs I've had throughout the past seven months. Some where real good and others not so good, either way they where all worth it. The bad times gave me something to learn from and made the high notes all the better.

Through these times though I've been extremely fortunate to have someone with me every step of the way, my lovely wife Bri. Baby, I cannot begin to express how much you mean to me and I know that I couldn't do any of this without you. You have turned my goals into our goals and continue to push me to higher levels.


Since I was a little kid all I've wanted to be when I grow up is a professional bass fisherman. I want this more than anything I could ever imagine. I'm 29 years old now and am getting ready to make an even harder push at accomplishing these goals. Long days on the water, away at nights for tournaments, financial commitments, and through all these you are right there standing next to me, pushing me and believing in me every step of the way.

Bri, I know in my heart the level of committment you bring to our family and every time I'm on the water, every cast I make, I'll be pushing to accomplish these goals we've made for us. I blog about myself and my career all the time, this one's for you. Thank you.

I love you,

Josh

American Legacy Fishing Company

Last Saturday, I was paired with Adam Daywalt for the final day of the Bassmaster Weekend Series Regional Qualifier. Even though the fishing wasn't great, the conversation through out the day made up for it. This guy's just as big of a tackle freak as me! Adam was telling me about the company he works for American Legacy Fishing Company, www.gloomis.us, an internet based company that carries full lines of G Loomis and Shimano. Being that I'm a 100% G Loomis and Shimano junkie, he instantly had my attention. Not only do they carry G Loomis but they have EVERY rod in stock. I'm especially interested in the brand new G Loomis Topwater Rod (TWR802C), a 6'8" Meduim action rod perfect for throwing around poppers like the Megabass Pop-X.


They also will accept warranty rods and offer a trade in program. They'll give you the going rate for your used rod, so you can use that to upgrade into the rod you've always wanted. Who does that?

American Legacy also is up to date with all the new Shimano and Diawa reels that are on the market. I've already been putting together an order and am getting really close to pulling the trigger on that new Shimano Core 50MG. I just love the Core 100 MG and MGFV that I expect big things out of the 50 MG. I'll pair that up with the new topwater rod from Loomis and have the sweetest set up imaginable. It'll cast those light poppers a mile!

They also have the complete line from Megabass, which is actually incredibly difficult to find specific baits here in the states. Lately I have been really catching the smallies on the Megabass Ito Vision 110, this jerkbaits the real deal, crazy action and mimics a baitfish to perfection.

With Christmas right around the corner, remember to check out American Legacy Fishing Company. Not only do the cater to bass fisherman, but have a full selection of walleye, muskie and fly fishing rods and reels.

Just for the record, Adam was the first non boater partner I've had that paid me gas money in Megbass lures and custom cranks! How sick is that?!!

BASSMASTER Weekend Series Regional Championship

Old Hickory Lake, Hendersonville, TN

My anticipation for this event was through the roof. Being that both my wife Bri and I want to move to Tennessee, it made this trip all the more special. Bri was even dedicated in that she put aside four of the first five practice days to be out on the boat with me. In the end she got pretty good at throwing a buzzbait as well as feeding the ducks our granola bars.

The first day of practice I put aside for fishing down in the river and decided I would spend all day in Spring Creek. I had done a lot of research prior to launching and had an idea where the bass would be, but really wanted to dial them in early and instead of running all over the lake I figured I would work this entire cove and once I felt I had them dialed in, I would duplicate that pattern all over the lake and start looking for more and more productive areas that held bigger fish. In the end this concept sounded a lot easier than the reality would be. I managed 4 keepers and a dozen or more shorts. The fish where shallow for the most part but the keepers where scattered around different structure and came on different baits. I caught a 15" largemouth on a bluff wall on a Rapala DT Flat 3 (Parrot), I caught another 14" largie on a Biovex Stangun Spinnerbait, as well as another 14" on a Biovex Micro Crank Shallow Runner (Fune Orange Belly), and my best keeper, a 18" largemouth came off a laydown in 7 ft. of water on a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver (Xmas Pumpkin) with a 1/4 oz. Tru Tungsten pegged sinker. I caught most my shorts by throwing a 1/4 oz. Super K Swim Jig in a Pro Staff only color (mostly white with a bit of black and green pumpkin).













After day one I was pretty convinced of one thing, I was going to have to move water and make as many casts as possible. This is a bit out of my comfort zone, just in that I like to locate good fish and then slow down to catch them. I don't like feeling that I'm leaving good fish behind me. This is something I know I need to work on to continue to develop into a versatile angler. So I was more than happy to step up to the challenge.

Day 2 and 3 of practice I continued to spend my time up the river and fished the Bartons Creek area as well as some other smaller, less known creeks and pockets in the area. Fish where easy enough to catch but finding keepers where more than difficult. Both days I believe I caught 4 keepers each day with none being more than 15 inches. Most of these keepers came on one of three different baits, a 3/8 oz. Chatterbait (White), a Strike King 1 XS Crankbait (sexy shad or chart. blue back), and the Biovex Micro Crank Shallow Runner (Fune Orange Belly).

The final two days of practice I spent closer to the dam in Cedar Creek, Drakes Creek, Station Camp Creek and several other smaller creeks in the area. Both days I managed my standard 4 keepers but had a kicker each day. One day I whacked a healthy 4 pounder from a boat dock in Drakes Creek on a 3/8 oz. Tru Tungsten Jig (Green Pumpkin) and then went on to fish another 100 or so docks in the creek and never got another bite. Then the last day I managed another 4 pounder by throwing a homemade football jig on a secondary point in about 12 feet of water. I went on to fish a dozen in a half other points and never got a bite. I guess this is standard on Old Hickory. Like I said before, trolling motor down chucking and winding as fast as possible for 8 hours and maybe I could get myself in contention to qualify for nationals.

Day 1 of the tournament started out tough near the dam, so around 10:30 I decided to make the run up river to Spring Creek where I finally manged a keeper off that same laydown but instead of a toad 18", I got a barely bumper 14" rat. In the box it went. After another 2 or so hours with nothing more than a handful of non keepers I ran back toward the dam and managed to catch another 14" largemouth on the chatterbait. Day one I weighed in a very disappointing 2 fish for 2.88 lbs. and was sitting in 108th out of 169. The good news was that I needed to make the top 50 to qualify for nationals and was only 4 pounds back from 30th. So I knew I still had an excellent chance of making up ground. The bite was tough for everyone which I was quickly learning was common place for Old Hickory.






















Day 2 came and I ran to a spot in Cedar where I had missed a big one in the last minutes the day before and managed to catch two small ones and dropped a good 3 plus pound largemouth. It was still pretty dark and I was throwing my chatterbait threw the tulle grass, when I realized it was on. The problem was that it was all to common to hang up on the stem of the plants which felt the same as a fish grabbing the bait. By the time I realized I had a fish on it was way to late and she got off.

From there I ran up a creek arm close by where I had seen a lot of shad up in the dirt shallows, literally dirt shallow, 6 - 8 inches. I got a few short strikes but ended up catching a barely 14" largemouth on the Strike King 1XS. The fish choked the bait and was bleeding real bad, I quickly sunk the fish in the livewell by employing a heavy ice fishing weight to keep the bass from turning on it's side and added a bunch of Please Release Me.

I fished and fished all day and in the end only managed small ones that wouldn't cross the 14" mark. At weigh in I checked my keeper and because of all the blood loss was just barely touching the 14" mark, I wasn't sure if it would go, it was the closest I had ever seen. Since I had revived the fish and it was healthy I just let it go instead of risking a DQ and it wouldn't of helped me get to Nationals, it would of only made me look a bit better on the final standings. With a 15 hour drive ahead of me back to Minnesota it seemed like the most logical decision. In the end the lake proved to be as tough, if not tougher than I had thought, to make the top 50 a guy only had to catch a two day total of 11 pounds and was in. To make the top 25 I only needed a two day total of 14 pounds. That's a tough bite!

I had a lot of time to think back on the week while I was driving home and really don't have many regrets. I learned a lot of solid info that will pay huge dividends in the future. I learned a lot more about shad which is the primary forage in that part of the country and even better I feel a lot more comfortable with a crankbait in my hand. Being a die hard jig fisherman and topwater guy, this was much needed. From here on out, I'll always have a crankbait tied on and on the deck of my boat. My strength is slowing down and flipping cover, whether it's wood, docks, mats or milfoil, and if that's the pattern of any given tournament I have all the confidence in the world that I'll be in the top when it's all said and done. I also feel more than comfortable with smallmouth gear like spinning rods, 8 lb. test and a 3" tube or shakey head and my most favorite way to catch them would be throwing a football jig probing deepwater for giants, but crankin' just hasn't been my thing and I know if I can incorporate that technique as a go to strength I'll be able to contend with the best all over the country. Challenge accepted!

Now back home, old man winter is letting us all know he's right around the corner. Most people start getting all ready for hunting and or ice fishing, not this open water junkie. No not at all, it's time to go whack some schooled up smallies and toad smallmouth at that. Rivers and small creeks this time of year get chucked full of smallies that school up for the long winter, where the current keeps the water from freezing solid you will find me. This is the only way I know how to recharge my batteries after a long grueling tournament season.

This winter keep checking back as I'm looking at adding a lot more tips and techniques for others to try. I've been getting a lot of emails and am humbled by all that read and follow my blog all over the country. Really I can't believe how many are out there that frequent my site. Thank you. Being that I am a tournament fisherman I can't always give to much information that can be used against me, however while out fun fishing working on new techniques on non tournament waters, I'm going to break down what I look for and what works for me so that it may help another angler out there looking to sharpen their skills. If anyone has any ideas or questions please email me and I'll be sure to address them personally or do a blog entry on the topic.

Good luck to all the hunters coming up, even though I haven't been doing much hunting the past few years I can still smell it in the air. I just can't seem to put down the rod and reel. Also hats off to all the fisherman that where able to weather the storm that is Old Hickory and qualified for nationals on Lake Dardenelle.