Why Toho could define 2015 and beyond

Big Ish-ues for B.A.S.S., Poche and Monroe to come.

By now I'm sure that most of you have heard about the incident between Keith Poche and Ish Monroe that transpired at the first Bassmaster Southern Open, the opening event for B.A.S.S. in 2015.  Both anglers have recently issued statements (Keith's is here, Ish's is here) and to say that they each offer varying opinions on what transpired there in the lock would be an understatement.  Here's what you can gather from each statement:

• Keith's boat hit Ish's boat while in a lock, Keith was driving the boat under power of his trolling motor.
• A verbal argument ensued.
• Ish left his boat, and entered Keith's boat.
• Ish admitted that while he didn't strike Keith, he went over the line with an "unwanted touch".
• Both anglers ended up in the water.

In the wake of these statements, many fans and anglers have began offering opinions on each angler, and what they would do if in they had been in that situation.  Some of those responses have been incredibly disturbing, threatening physical violence and promising to hurt anyone who ever hit them, or entered their boat.  Here are some quotes from the internet:

"Way to go Ish...you just went up a couple places in my book."
"In a way you can't blame ish for jumping in Keith's boat Bc I would have to the same thing."
"Someone hits my boat they're meeting my fists.  Simple."
"DQ me, fine.  You hit my boat, I will F&%$ you up.  Period."

Seriously?

This is fishing, not football, not Ultimate Fighting.  There's no room for physical violence of any kind in our sport.  Kids of all ages are watching us all the time, reading about this, reading the responses of adults (some they know, some they don't) and being influenced by what they are seeing and reading.  It is crucial that this remain an isolated incident, and that each angler involved be held accountable for actions deemed inappropriate.  

To that end, I believe that B.A.S.S. needs to show all of us as anglers, and all of you as fans, that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated.  If you leave your boat and/or enter someone else's during tournament hours with the intent to threaten harm or to inflict harm, either verbally or physically, on another person, fan or competitor, you should be forced to sit out a full 12 months of all B.A.S.S. sanctioned events.  If you are found to have done it a second time, you should be banned for life.  People are going to argue that punishments of that level are too severe, but what does it say by not making it severe enough?  I am aware that this is how many people make their living.  I am more concerned with the precedent that is going to set henceforth.  Violent behavior is often not treated with the respect that it deserves, and while this now looks like a situation that is leaving people to debate which of these two possesses a greater level of fault, we are fortunate that neither of them bumped their head or had some other fluke injury that caused serious injury or death.  That would be an outcome that I hope to never witness or read about.

Click to WIN!

CLICK AND WIN!
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Reel Weather visit NYPENN Girl Scouts of America Amahami Festival.

Never let anyone tell you that our future is in jeopardy when referencing our youth.

This weekend I had the absolute privilege of attending the NYPENN Girl Scouts of America's Amahami Festival as a presenter on weather, fishing, and environmental stewardship.  Despite the cooler weather and early rain showers, over 200 people turned out to participate, making it the largest attended in the history of Amahami.  Being that this was my first time ever attending an event with the Girl Scouts, I had no idea what to expect.  Thankfully I had the help of fellow anglers John Malzahn and his son Michael, Dan Drake, and Dominic Sergi.  Together, these guys all did an amazing job of helping me bring Reel Weather to Deposit NY.

Who loves Weather Underground?

We began with one group of about 15 young girls.  To start we spoke about the importance of taking care of our environment, keeping our lakes, rivers, and forests free from pollution.  Then I talked about the most basic ways that weather impacts fishing, and why that's valuable, while showing my personal weather station.  I then moved to our lure selection for the day, which consisted of wacky hooks from Lazer Trokar, and Gary Yamamoto Senkos, with a demonstration on how to use this application and why it works.  After that we broke into four groups, and Dominic, Dan, John, Michael, and myself spread out across the lake to apply what we had just learned.

In no time the girls were catching fish, and all across the lake you could hear the sound of them screaming for joy.  For many, these are the first fish they've ever caught, and the first wild fish they've ever seen.  They're learning how to touch them properly, how to release them, how old they are, and why it's important to practice catch and release.  For example, a largemouth bass in NY that weighs over 5 pounds will get people's attention.  It's what's considered by those who fish a lot to be a "good fish".  That fish would be over 10 years old.  Being that bass aren't generally considered to be a delicacy, there are more reasons to keep them alive than to harvest them.

When we got back to our station and said farewell to our first group, we learned we had three more groups waiting.  By 2 we had over 50 kids fishing on the shore at once, having spent all day with over 150 young girls.  These wonderful kids were the most respective, attentive, and polite I'd ever worked with.  They were all environmentally conscious before we even began, and it was so refreshing to see and hear so many kids understand the importance of protecting our resources.  It was a testament to the NYPENN Girl Scouts of America, and to the parents of those kids, who are largely responsible for having raised such wonderful girls.  By all accounts, we were a huge hit there, and I hope that they invite us back.  Thanks again to all my friends for helping, and to Trokar, Dobyns, Fishidy, and Weather Underground.

 

Canadian Goose Hunt!

This is the video from my recent guided trip hunting Canadian Geese with Big Show Waterfowlers in Upstate NY.  I highly recommend them if you're looking to hunt any kind of waterfowl or game birds.  It was also my first opportunity to try out my new Stealth suit from Stormr and it is an amazing product.  I was warm, dry, it moved easy, the pockets were great, and the pattern is great too.  Check them out at www.StormrUSA.com!

Introduction to Reel Weather YouTube Channel!

I just uploaded a video that I put together after returning from my two-day trip to Bass Pro Shops in Harrisburg, PA.  Special thanks to the Weather Underground, the Sim Redmond Band, Dobyns Rods, Zach Meadows, Bass Attacker Lures, the whole team at Bass Pro Shops who were incredible to work with, and to the staff where I stayed at the Candlewood Suites who treated me like family for 3 days.  Hope you like it!

Come see me at Bass Pro Shops, Harrisburg!

Post by Bass Pro Shops - Harrisburg, PA.

Weather Underground to be my New Title Sponsor for 2014!

January 21st will be the debut of my new feature blog at Weather Underground, the premiere weather information provider, titled  "Reel Weather".  I'm really excited about this amazing opportunity and feel incredibly fortunate to be able to work with a company that I've been using for almost 10 years!  I'm going to be bringing live updates from Tour events including the 2014 Bassmaster Classic, in-depth interviews with friends of mine like Gary Dobyns, Allison Shaw, Claire Ansley, and some of the hottest of the Elites!  "Reel Weather" will help people of all skill levels by sharing knowledge of some of the best anglers in the world!  Don't forget to check out their website (www.wunderground.com) and app for iPhone and Android!

Fishing Report: Chenango River 9/8/13

Got a chance to get out and hit the Chenango River for a little bit last night.  Rather than float, I prefer to run to what I consider to be my favorite 5 holes that I know have a history of producing the most quality fish for me in the 20+ years I've been fishing there.

I started near Greene, on Hogsback Road.  This has always been one of my favorite holes to look at, but has produced very little.  Why I keep going there is beyond me, lol.  It has all the makings for a fabulous smallmouth location:  current, depth, rocks.  For whatever reason, they don't like it.  This particular evening was no different.  After about 25 minutes I'm on my way to location #2.

Because I'm starting to wonder if the current cold snap is going to have an impact on the fish, I decide to skip right to my two favorite locations in Oxford.  The first one is a bust.  This really hurts, as I can usually get at least one smallie here 98% of the time.  I spend nearly an hour here.  I'm throwing the new Storm Arashi crankbait in the red craw pattern (I first saw this lure when it was still a prototype while fishing with my friend Brandon Palaniuk who helped design it), and a Yellow Hammer Rig in Hammertime Shad 5 wire, bladed rig, dressed with 4 inch Yum Money Hollowbelly Minnows.  Two VERY different presentations, and neither of them produce anything.  Blanking here has me concerned, but not defeated.  I know I saved my favorite spot for last.

And luckily it's not far away.  I'm able to get there in about ten minutes and within 20 minutes I feel my first bend of the rod.  It's a heavy fish, but not fighting nearly hard enough to be a smallmouth.  I bring the fish to the shore and see it's roughly a 4 lb walleye.  I had not expected that fish to eat the Storm lure, but it tells me I'm throwing the right bait and I quickly get it back in the water.  I'm throwing into a current, bringing the bait downstream where it meets a back-current, and again I hook up.  This time it's a slightly harder fight, but again, not a smallmouth, but another walleye, this one pushing the 5 lb mark!  I get another, then another, and soon it's pretty clear that I've found a heavy school of these fish.  While I'm happy to be catching fish, they're not the reason why I came.

I pick up my YH rig and heave it out there.  It's not a light thing to throw, and it's a much larger presentation, but the results are the same and I pull one walleye after another until dark.  No smallmouth.

If you're a walleye lover, the Chenango is on fire right now.  If you're like me, then you'll hope the next time out is better for the smallmouth.  Good luck!

Oneida Lake Northern Open 2013

The second Northern Open of 2013 is over, and I can tell you that it's probably gonna be awhile before I can fully get over the sting that still exists from not having had done as well as I know I should have.  I had very few bites, I knew the lake would fish like that going in, but I didn't deliver.  I really needed to stay focused, not miss fish, and I didn't.
Day one I fished with Randal Tharp, FLW legend.  We began out deep, targeting smallmouth.  I really needed to do a better job of trying to get those fish to bite.  We were hovering over them in 25 feet of water, and I didn't do enough to fire them up and get them to eat.  I saw them on the screen and I threw all the things that I would normally throw, but when that didn't work I really needed to dig in and start going through everything else until I found what it was they wanted.  I didn't do that.  Instead I sat there for almost two hours, waiting for them to bite the things I'm really accustomed to catching them on at that lake.  It's almost as if my knowledge of the lake betrayed me, because it prevented me from doing what I do best:  finding what the fish want to eat.  I did the one thing I always pride myself on not doing:  I was stubborn, and I only used what I was used to using.  I wish I could have it back.  I didn't manage to get my first fish until noon, I missed two fish flipping grass, and caught my second fish on a drop shot at 1:30.  Although I was lucky enough to catch two good fish, one of which was the big bass up until the last 10 minutes of day 1 and have my picture taken and posted here on Bassmaster, not having the third fish I needed left me 4 pounds off the lead.  Had I been able to bring in any of the fish I missed I might have found myself in the lead or in the top five.
Day two I was paired up with Greg Pugh.  We began the day targeting smallmouth and I did the same thing:  I threw the same things, with the same results.  None of the fish we saw on the graph ate the things I threw at them, and I didn't try to throw anything else.  We left those fish after two hours, flipped grass, again I didn't catch anything.  We left there, flipped docks, I got frustrated and shut down a little, my knowledge of that lake and drive to win it got the best of me because it was noon and in my mind I was already defeated.  I caught my first fish at 2 pm on a drop shot, caught a good fish at 3 cranking, and lost (sadly) what might have been the biggest fish of the tournament with less than ten minutes to go on a crankbait after the fish buried me in some deep weeds.
Both of my boaters were great guys, and I had an excellent time fishing with both of them.  All my fish were caught on soft plastics made by Bass Attacker Lures.
Probably the highlight of the tournament for me was getting to see my friends I've met this season.  I got to spend a lot of time practicing with John McGoey and we even got to have a special evening at a local bait shop where we were fortunate enough to meet some great people.  We talked fishing, shared stories, and gave away some gear to some really deserving people.  The looks on their faces was incredible, and it made me feel really great to be able to share my love for this sport with men and women and children.  I also got to spend a little bit of time with Brandon Palaniuk again after meeting him at the James River when we were paired up on day two.  We didn't get out this time, but I'm sure we'll fish together again.  Probably not out of the same boat in a tournament (this is my last year fishing off the back) but we'll get out again.
With just one tournament left (Northern Open #3, Lake Erie, Sandusky Ohio, September), it's really important to me that I thank all my family, friends, and sponsors for their support:  Dobyns Rods, Citizens Bank, Rahfish, Schuler-Haas Electric, Bass Attacker Lures, and Quantum Fishing.

Dive into these Medium Diving Crankbaits!

How do you choose which medium-diving crankbait to throw?  Is it color?  Price?  Availability?  Reputation?  Let’s accept that all things are relative, and everyone has their own interpretation of what a “medium diving” crankbait is, so for the sake of saving that argument for another time we’ll say that a medium diving crankbait is anything that runs from 8-12 feet.

On the upper end of the price scale is the Lucky Craft series.  It’s hard to deny that these are made of quality components.  They tend to swim perfect out of the box, and have great hooks that touch each other (an essential aspect of crankbait selection).  These hard baits have a sound design that offers great movement and noise combinations to support the color patterns that come with them.  In a nutshell, they don’t just look pretty, they deliver.  The downside to these baits is of course the obvious price tag.  At $16-20 and up, they can be hard on your wallet!  Especially when you know you have to fish them in tight areas with the need to constantly resist the fear of losing them in submerged structure (I always tell myself “You can’t marry them, dude”).  They also can be a bit fragile, as I’ve broken a few bouncing them off rocks, bridge pilings, docks, or (ssshhhh) maybe even a boat or two parked in a slip. 

At a slightly less damaging cost is the Rapala DT series.  These baits come in a variety of sizes, depth ranges, and color patterns.  While the name hasn’t changed, the design of the DT has had some small adjustments over the years (size, hook type, color scheme), and while I’m not sure of the reasons behind these changes,  I can tell you that I strongly prefer the previous generation of the DT series, and I’m not alone in that opinion.  The older DT series baits flat out caught more fish.  These are still an effective lure, but their stock fell in my opinion.

Next we have the Bill Norman series.  I started using these baits (roughly) three years ago at the advice of a guy whose opinion I really admire.  They always swam well out of the box, cost half as much as Lucky Craft, and had a great, tight wobble that I really like when I crank.  The baits hold up well to being bounced off of hard surfaces, have great hooks, and even offer color patterns that I can’t find in other baits.  And while they’re not made of the same materials that Lucky Craft are, they’re hard to beat for the price (you can find them for $5-10). 

The Storm Wiggle Wart is probably one of my least favorite in the medium diving category.  That being said, Storm does make other baits that I absolutely LOVE.  This series just doesn’t happen to be one of them.  While the colors are great, and the wiggle (the tightest, and loudest in my opinion) will nearly shake the rod right out of your hand, they just never have produced for me at a level that would put the confidence I need to say it’s a “go to” for me.  Again, other products—absolutely—just not this one.

Last but not least is the Live Target series.  Falling at a price range of $12-17, they’re one of the more expensive models, and it’s hard to argue how beautiful they are.  Live Target has perhaps the most impressive appearance of any crankbait in terms of detail and lifelike imaging.  They were also the first company that I found to produce a craw-style crankbait that accurately displayed a craw realistically swimming in the backwards way they swim in real life (crayfish don’t swim quickly in a forward direction, they dart backwards).  When these baits first came out I went all in, buying everything and anything they made, and I quickly sold them all, with the exception of those crayfish lures because those are the only ones I could get the fish to eat.  But they ate them well.  Especially in the green color.

In closing I know there are a lot of different opinions on crankbaits, and I know I mentioned only a very few of the many different brands there are to choose from.  These are just a few that I get asked about the most.  I know other guys who say they've caught HUGE fish on this lure or that lure, and you’re always gonna have that.  Maybe you're the kind of guy that only buys Lucky Craft, or maybe you only buy Norman’s because you refuse to spend $20 on a lure.  Myself, I find that I have a mixed bag of things depending on color patterns that I have had success with, rather than marrying one manufacturer. 

Besides, you can’t marry them anyhow, J.  So throw whatever feels best to you.

5 In The Box with Stephanie Hemphill

Stephanie Hemphill is sitting on her couch in her pj's editing fishing videos.  Having seen a couple myself I imagine it being really difficult for her to edit.  Big fish, huge Texas smile, I think Bill Dance might see a decline in his ratings in the near future...

Q:  Stephanie, why do you fish?

Because it's the love of my life.  It is every great memory I have growing up.  I can be myself and admire all the beauty the way I want to see it.

Would you say you were "born" with it, or you got it over time?

I was born with it.  My whole family fishes, women included.  At six months old I was in a playpen with my mom on her pontoon boat.  Every weekend from the time I was 2 I was in my dad's boat bass fishing.

Are you fishing competitively now?

I am, but I'm selective about what I enter.  I'm paying my own way, so I have to use my money wisely.  I don't enter a tournament unless it's one I imagine I can win.  Nobody cares if you finish 20th or 50th.  I'm trying to do what's best for my career.

Does that change it at all for you, the sport of fishing?  Are you able to go out and just relax and fish with your buddies or are you disappointed if you come back having caught less than 17 or 18 pounds?

I'm OK with not always catching them.  I love fishing with my buddies and just enjoying the beauty that God made.  Wow if only everyone could experience that, then everyone would fish!  But I don't complain when I catch a big girl now and then!

We all love big girls!  And speaking of catching them, what's your favorite technique?  Flippin'?  Swimmin a jig?  Burnin' a crankbait?

I have a few.  Swimmin' a jig and carolina rigging for sure.  I love a good football head jig too.  

You hunt too?

I used to hunt as much as I fished, but I figured out I was missing some of the best fishing of the year in the fall and now I don't hunt anymore.

Do you ever think guys underestimate you and your ability and say to themselves "She's hot but she can't fish to save her life"?

Yes, but I don't let it get to me.  I know I can fish, and I can prove it!

I imagine you having that grin on your face thinking to yourself "just wait until I shove a 7 pounder in your face, buddy!"

HAHA, YES!!!

What is your favorite lake?

Falcon.  Because at any time you can catch a BIG girl.  That's what Texas bass fishing is all about!

Least favorite?

Sam Rayburn because it's my home lake.  I grew up (basically) being taught how to fish Big Sam so I'm supposed to be awesome here.  So when I don't do well on Rayburn I feel like I not only let myself down but my family as well.

The internet is such an amazing resource for information, but is there anyone who has shown you different techniques or who has helped improve your knowledge of the sport?

Yes, Elite Series angler Clark Reehm.  I live with him and we always have new baits being mailed to us.  So I get to not only see lures that aren't even out yet but I get to try them too.  I'm very hardheaded so when he tries to correct me on techniques I have to force myself to listen (but I don't always like too).

I believe everyone has their own way of doing things.  Sure a certain pro may say to do it this way or that way but it may not work for everyone.  So I basically listen to what Clark says, but add my own personal touches to it.

And on that note, let's jump into our 5 In The Box!

1.  What's it like on a Sunday when you and Clark are both at home and not on Tour?

I'm fishing and he is at home on the computer.  He is also the cook at our house.  You may die if you ate my food...

(I'm laughing)

It's true!

2.  Do you have any pre-tournament rituals or superstitions?

I eat a pickle during the tournament.

Why?  (I'm laughing)

First time I did it I caught a 7 and three 5's.  So eat a pickle every time and see if there's something to it.  

(I'm not laughing)

Oh, and I love them.  :)

I'm gonna try it.

Watch, you're gonna message me and say you caught a double-digit!  Also I fish with some of my pawpaw's rods.  He died on the lake a few years ago and he was the best fisherman I've ever known and I feel like they're lucky.  He would catch fish when nobody else could!

3.  If you had to guess where your best finish would be in 2013, where would it be and where would you struggle the most?

My best would be at Red River in September.  Worst I have no clue.  It all depends on if my little green friends like me that day.

4.  What's the one body of water you would pick to fish in 2013 if you had your choice?

Amistad.  My fishing style suits me well there.  I have a lot of confidence there (the big girl I caught there last year in the tournament helped a little with that...).

5.  What's one thing people might not know about Stephanie Hemphill?

When I was a little girl I told my dad that I wanted to be a pro fisherman.  I knew that at 7 years old. He told me that a girl couldn't be a pro fisherman.  Well I want to prove him wrong and become exactly what he said I couldn't.  I want other women to know that this isn't just a guy's sport anymore.


Thanks so much for your time.  I appreciate you giving me an opportunity to talk with you about this wonderful sport!  Good luck to you!

Thanks, Jim.  Good luck to you, too.  I'd also like to thank Omega, Dobyns, rahfish.com, xx2, and Tackle Center.

No Glove, No Love!

The Rod Glove is where it's at!

There are a lot of hot new rod protection items on the market right now, and with so many choices it can be nearly as confusing as shopping for a new car.  Lucky for you I've done a little research and I can narrow the field with what I have personally found to be the best product, the shortest order processing and shipping time, with by FAR the best customer service:  The Rod Glove by VRX Fishing.  With a team that is friendly, fast, and accurate, you can depend on them to get your products to you fast and without mistakes, at prices that won't leave you feeling stranded on the water. 

That does NOT mean that they are short on selection.  The Rod Glove offers over 20 standard colors as well as the ability to make custom products to your liking.  What I also find appealing is that while they come in different sizes, the sizes are general, and don't tie you down like other manufacturers do.  Meaning I can buy the Shorty (5'6-6'6), Standard (6'6-7'6), or XL (7'6-+) Sizes, and easily use them to fit a multitude of sizes.

For guys who demand a little bit more protection there's the Pro Series Rod Glove which is made of high quality neoprene and offers the highest level of rod protection available in its class.  With a slightly sturdier shell, the Pro Series will give that added support and protection that you need in inclement weather.

While you’re at it don't forget to wrap-up your reels with The Reel Glove!  With 2 available sizes, small and large (Small - fits new style, small frame, LP baitcasting reels. i.e. Curado E200, E50, Lews, Quantum Smoke and EXO etc. and Large - fits older style, large-frame, LP baitcasting reels i.e. Shimano CU-200) the Reel Glove protects your expensive reels.  Durable, Easy to put on, quality made from 4-way stretch neoprene with all edges finished for long life.  It fastens to your rod and will not kink your fluorocarbon line.

And don't let yourself get confused any longer with which rod is which.  With the technique tags you'll have no doubt in your mind where your shaky head rod is when you need it fast!

Used my more Pros than any other brand and made in North America, I really cannot stress to you how great a product this really is!  VRX Fishing has a great line of products and you don't want to miss out on them!  Visit their website at www.therodglove.com to check out all of their great fishing products.  I personally guarantee you won't be disappointed!

5 In The Box with The 2013 Bassmaster Classic Champion Cliff Pace

How has your life changed since winning The Classic?

It really hasn't "changed", I mean it's busy, but I wouldn't say it's really changed at all.

Did you know it was going to be like this, that it would be as  busy as it is?

Yes absolutely.  If you win The Bassmaster Classic it's gonna be busy for you for a while.  But I enjoy it, people want to talk to you and it's been great it really has.

 

Did you think you had a shot to win it going in?  Did you have a great practice or great luck on that lake, or did it just kinda come together for you all at once?

I had a great practice so I thought I had a shot but you never know.  I thought what I was doing was the right thing to do but there's a lot that needs to go right, the fish have to be there when you need them so you can get the bites you need. 

 



How did you manage to get into fishing?  Was it something you did as a child with a family member or did you find it later via some other avenue?

Yeah I've always been into fishing.  I grew up doing it and always knew I wanted to make a career out of it.

Is it still relaxing if you're tournament fishing?

 

I love fishing no matter what.  Now I'm happier when I'm catching a lot of fish than I am when I'm catching just one but I still love fishing.

 

 



 

Is there anyone that you look to as a teacher or that you can turn to for advice, tips, help with new lakes or are you completely self-taught?

 

Nobody is 100% self-taught.  Everybody has people they meet along the way who give them tips or pointers or things of that nature but with the amount of information that is available today you can learn from just about anybody.  I never stop reading magazines or things on the internet.  Our sport is always changing and I think that's part of why I enjoy it so much.  You never know what's going to be the next Alabama Rig.

 

 

 

 What's your favorite technique?

 

I really don't have one.  But I prefer to fish for schools than for one or two bites up shallow in a bay.  It's harder to find schooling fish, but when you do find them you can usually find lots of them.

 

What's your favorite lake?

 

Louisiana Delta.

 

Least favorite?

 

Old Hickory.

Other than life as a Professional Angler, what is your "dream job"?

I don't know if I'd say it's my dream job but I'd be doing construction work, that's what I was doing before I began fishing full time as a pro.  I really enjoyed it and I still miss it.  I miss the interactions you get to have with the people.

 

 

 

Ok Cliff, time for five in the box!

 

 

 1.  What's it like on Sunday morning when you're not fishing?

Probably go to church, have some friends over, spend some time with my wife.  I'm always fishing, even in the off season.  We have such long off-limits on the Elite Series that anytime you have to prefish a place you need to take it.  I hunt a lot too so I might be doing a little hunting.  I love to bowhunt.

2.  Do you have any pretournament rituals or superstitions?

Nope.

3.  Where do you think your best finish will be in 2013 (other than winning The Bassmaster Classic)?

I have no idea.  It's really so hard to tell because so much has to go right or wrong.  I will say that I'm looking forward to getting to spend some time fishing some of the lakes up north.  St. Clair, Champlain, the St. Lawrence, they're all places that are tremendous fisheries.

4.  What's the one body of water you would fish in 2013 if you had your choice?

Probably Big Sam (Sam Rayburn) because it's got the potential for such big fish.

5.  What's one thing that nobody knows about you?

Absolutely nothing, lol.  There's nothing about me that people don't already know.

Thanks for your time and good luck out there!

 

 

5 in the box with Jonathan Carter

Why is it Maine gets no love in the Bass Fishing world?  I spent my summers there as a teenager and some of my fondest childhood bass fishing memories came from that great state!

I have no idea but you're absolutely right, there is great bass fishing in Maine. 

In your opinion is it harder to compete with anglers who live in the South because they have the benefit of fishing all year in warmer weather?

Yes and no, I'm usually able to find open water in December and then again at the end of March/beginning of April, so I don't lose as much time as I did a few years ago.  Plus I really felt like living in Maine gave me an advantage at The Classic because I was just used to fishing in weather like that and a lot of other guys weren't.

Speaking of The Bassmaster Classic, was it at all intimidating for you to be there with guys like KVD and Ike?

I thought it was going to be, but as soon as I got there Skeet Reese and Brandon Palaniuk came up (to me) and welcomed me which was really great and after that I wasn't nervous at all.



How did you manage to get into fishing?  Was it something you did as a child with a family member or did you find it later via some other avenue?

Yeah I've always been into fishing.  We had a camp up north and I would go out and fish in a canoe with my mom.  I'd fish and she'd paddle.

Is it still relaxing if you're tournament fishing?

I love fishing, but I'm very competitive, so it's most relaxing when I'm catching good fish.  I'm the type of guy who, and this actually happened, I'll win a tournament but be disappointed because I lost a fish that I know would've increased my weight like two more pounds.



Is there anyone that you look to as a teacher or that you can turn to for advice, tips, help with new lakes?

I'm mostly self-taught.  I joined a club when I first started and there were two guys, Mark--who's actually a sponsor of mine now, and Dan who taught me some things and my current fishing partner Joe Holland is a big help.  We push each other and encourage each other to learn new techniques or styles.

What's your favorite technique?

Without a doubt, runnin a jig over deep structure.

What's your lease favorite?

Believe it or not finesse fishing, which is odd because that's how I fished all the time when I first started.

What's your favorite lake?

China Lake.

Least favorite?

Mystic and Charles Rivers(laughing).

(I'm laughing too) Why is that?  Did you do poorly there?

No not at all, in fact I've won there, there's just very few fish.  Or at least it seemed like there were very few fish.

Other than life as a Professional Angler, what is your "dream job"?

You mean other than fishing lol?

Yes, that's everyone's response, lol.

I guess maybe a writer for an outdoor magazine.

Ok Jonathon, time for five in the box!

 1.  What's it like on Sunday morning when you're not fishing?

I'm always fishing.  If I'm not it's very rare, and I'll be at church, but I'm always fishing.

2.  Do you have any pretournament rituals or superstitions?

No.  None at all.

3.  Where do you think your best finish will be in 2013, and where do you think you'll struggle the most?

I would have to say that my best would be either Oneida or Erie because I'm most familiar with them and I'm really looking forward to them both.  I think I'll struggle the most at the James River just because I don't know as much about it yet.

4.  What's the one body of water you would fish in 2013 if you had your choice?

Right now it would be Lake Chickamauga.  They're catching like 30lb bags right now, it's unbelievable!

5.  What's one thing that nobody knows about you?

There's really nothing.  I'm a teacher who's been very fortunate to have been given the opportunities that I have.

Thanks for your time and good luck out there!

5 In The Box with Casey Martin

Casey is on the road when I call him.  Is there truth in the rumor he has a golden horseshoe in his pocket right now?  Maybe.  But it certainly wasn't given to him.  And while he's so nice he might very well give you the shirt off his back, don't expect him to give you that horseshoe...

What's it like, being so hot that it's rarer that you don't place in a tournament?  You're hotter than a two dollar pistol right now!

HAHA well I put a lot of hard work in.  I've spent the past two years fishing as a co-angler and trying to learn from the best of the best in the sport.  I've been fortunate to have fished with some really amazing anglers like Gary Yamamoto and Jason Christie and that can really cut down your learning curve.  I've learned so much in the past two years and it probably would've taken me over a decade to learn all that on my own.  I was never a great flipper and I got paired up with Jason and he was flippin the day I was with him and I just watched him, watched what he was doin, and he told me a little bit about what he was lookin for during practice and stuff like that.  You can go from not really having a clue to bein' way ahead of the game on a certain technique.  When I was on Lanier I was with Brent Ehrler, and I set my rod down and he let me come to the front of the boat and he showed me on his graph:  this is brush, this is fish inside the brush, things like that, and you would never know that unless somebody pointed it out to ya.

It certainly helps to have people who are willing to teach you what they know, that's for sure.

Yeah it's really just been an amazing couple of years, I'm still kind of in awe of it really.

So what are you planning to fish in 2013?

I'm fishing the FLW Tour, The Southeast Everstarts, and possibly The Northern Opens.

You're from Canada, so you grew up fishing cold water like I did, and when I say cold water I mean lakes that either freeze over, or that just don't provide year round bass fishing the way that Guntersville or Armistad or Okeechobee do.  What do you find to be the biggest difference?

Well to me the biggest difference is pressure.  In the south you can find fish on a ledge or a rock pile and you might pull up and fish it for an hour and not get bit but those fish are there and someone else pulls in after you leave and they catch 30 pounds.  Whereas up north on St. Claire or Erie I mean it just seems like when you pull into a spot like that if those fish are there they're gonna eat, the fishing up there is just so good but there's not the same kind of year round pressure up there that you have in the south.  Okeechobee, where I just got done, you better have them dialed in:  what kind of bait, what time of day they eat, where and when they set up; cuz if you miss it then you can go from having 30 pounds to not getting a bite.

While we're talking about north and south, I have always insisted that the smallmouth bass up north are different than they are down south, that they just seem to have an attitude up here and are generally a lot meaner and when I tell people that who haven't fished up here they look at me like I have three heads.

(Laughing)

Would you agree?

Oh yeah absolutely I don't know why they're like that but smallmouth up there seem to be 10 times stronger than the southern smallmouth even though smallmouth like at Pickwick and Wilson Damn down here in Alabama--they're strong, but they are nowhere near as strong.  Those smallmouth up north just never quit.  You can get them to the boat and they'll just start runnin' again.  I don't know why they're so mean maybe it's from living under the ice.  I had one on Erie that went from being down 25 feet to the top of the surface in like 2 seconds, jumped like 6 feet in the air, spit my lure, and was gone just like that and there was nothing I could've done!  It's almost like Tarpon fishing!

 

Was fishing something you did with your dad or siblings or did you just kinda find it on your own?

I grew up fishing with my Dad and my Grandfather.  I fished with my mom a little bit too but mostly it was my Dad and Grandfather.  Most of the time when we went out we went walleye fishing.  I mean the Detroit river system is great for walleye, it's great for bass too don't get me wrong, but it's a great walleye fishery and that's really what we fished for.  That or perch.  I didn't really start fishing for bass until I got into high school.  I'd fish with a couple of buddies and we'd go look for bass after the walleye shut down just for fun, not like any kind of tournament.

Is there anyone now that you look at and try to learn from or call for advice since you've been fishing competitively?

Oh definitely the way I kinda came up through the ranks, fishing the BFLs, having to make it on my own so guys like Jason Christie or Bryan Thrift, I look more towards guys like that.

What's your favorite technique?

I'd have to say whatever the fish are biting!  Honestly that's the truth.  I think the co-angler deal kinda helped me become versatile.  The problem is I'm not an expert at anything.  Let's say I go out and I catch 'em all on a 5XD, I'm in LOVE with the 5XD after that!  And then I'll buy every one I can get my hands on.  I think I have a short-term memory, so whatever's working at that point, that's kinda what I'm focused on.  If they stop eating whatever I'm throwing I'll lose confidence in it fast, but I gain confidence in something else fast too so I think that helps me.

What's your favorite lake?

I'd have to say my favorite lake to fish is St. Claire in Michigan.  I've had horrible, well, not horrible, I've had really not great tournaments up there, so I kinda have a passion for revenge.  But it's also a great place to just fun fish.

What's your least favorite?

I'd have to say any shallow/stumpy place, like the Washita River.

Like Santee Cooper?

Exactly, Santee Cooper is another one (laughing).  I hate that place.  Driving around there is hard enough.  I was there last year and it was one of those deals where I either cashed the last check or just missed it but I was just happy to get out of there!

If you weren't on the Tour, what would your dream job be?

You mean other than fishing?  My dream growing up was to be a professional hockey player but that doesn't turn out for too many, HAHA.

OK Casey, time for 5 in the box!

1.  What's it like on a Sunday morning when you're not fishing, and it's just you and your girlfriend?

Church, watch a movie, maybe go to dinner.  I really like to cook, I think another profession I might've chosen would've been a chef.  I spend a lot of time grilling out and just enjoy being in town.

2.  Do you have any pretournament rituals or superstitions?

I don't really have any that carry over, but if I catch 'em real good one day I'll try to do the same thing the next day like get up at the same time, eat the same thing, not mess up the routine.  I don't have a lucky t-shirt or anything like that.

3.  If you had to guess where your best finish would be in 2013 where would it be, and where do you see yourself struggling the most?

I'd have to say probably I'll struggle the worst at Beaver Lake or Seminole.  I've never been to Beaver Lake, but last year I bombed at Seminole.  I found some fish but they weren't there in the tournament.  I'd have to say my best would be Chickamauga because it's a Tennessee River lake.

4.  What's the one body of water you would fish in 2013 if you had your choice?

 Lake Champlain or someplace down in Mexico like Sugar Lake.

5.  What's one thing that nobody knows about you?

I dunno, I'm a pretty open book.  I speak French, not many people know that.

Thanks, Casey.  Good luck to you in 2013!