Wirth Taking It Slow In Return To Competition
Wednesday, January 13, 2021
By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor Kevin Wirth walked away from competitive fishing after the 2012 Bassmaster Classic the 11th straight he d qualified for and didn t look back for 8 years. Now the equine dentist and former Kentucky Derby jockey is back in the saddle, so to speak.
The Kentuckian fished seven BFLs in 2020, including three at Old Hickory Lake the site of his 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series victory. With a top finish of 11th place, his results weren t eye-popping, but the 58-year-old was pleased with the way he held up to the rigors of a long tournament day.
Zaldain: Bend the hook on swimbaits
Wednesday, January 13, 2021 (Editor s note: This short feature came from Alan McGuckin of Dynamic Sponsorships.)
The Megabass Magdraft rigged swimbaits Chris Zaldain uses most frequently to catch super-sized largemouth range in price from $13 to $25 each. Yet, the first thing hell tell you to do is bend one of the three shanks on the factory treble out to nearly 90 degrees, and then use your pliers to squeeze the other two shanks closer to one another.
Obviously, every facet of these baits is designed with meticulous detail and innovation, including the hook they come rigged with, but theres two great reasons to straighten the one shank to nearly 90 degrees, Zaldain said. First, by straightening it out and then reinserting it in the body, it stays anchored in the belly of the bait way better when it splashes down at the end of a long cast. And secondly, when I skip it around and under docks, it stays anchored way better too.
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DeFoe Still Stymied By Heavy Hitters Flop
Monday, January 11, 2021
Photo: MLF
Ott DeFoe had a flurry for the ages during the final period of last year s Bass Pro Tour event at Lake Fork/Lake Athens.
By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor Ott DeFoe posted Top-12 finishes in four of the five Bass Pro Tour regular-season events in 2020 and ended up 2nd on the points list to Jordan Lee. The lone outlier was the Heavy Hitters Derby at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, where he ended up 44th.
In practice, he visited the moving-water locale that was exploited by Skeet Reese, Zack Birge and Adrian Avena the respective 5th-, 6th- and 8th-place finishers. Somehow, he saw nothing there to lead him to believe that it would be productive.
B.A.S.S. releases Nation regional lineup
Monday, January 11, 2021
B.A.S.S. today announced dates and locations for its five 2021 B.A.S.S. Nation Regional Championship events. Each event will provide opportunities for everyday anglers to qualify for the Nation Championship and a shot at one of three berths in the 2022 Bassmaster Classic.
As weve seen in the past with anglers like Paul Mueller and Brandon Palaniuk, who both won Elite Series events last year, the B.A.S.S. Nation can be the gateway to a stellar career in professional fishing, said B.A.S.S. Nation director Jon Stewart. Once you reach the Nation Championship, youre fishing for a chance to fish in the Bassmaster Classic, and were excited this year to offer even more chances for anglers to do that. Weve put together a great, really unique schedule.