Logan S

Finally able to get out and had a great day to start the 2022 season. Caught over 50 between the two of us in the boat...Most on a small swimbait but jerkbait and flatside were also players. This was the biggest of the day. It was all about baitfish, if you threw a 4" swimbait even the same model and color they wouldn't touch it...Had to be the 3".

Poles and spotlock are great, but also pretty obvious ... It's often overlooked, but having larger gauge, direct wiring for your graphs is well worth the effort. Even if your boat is new or newer, factory wiring is usually inadequate - especially for the larger screens and multiple units that are now more common. The units will be faster, have less interference, have no voltage drop, and (at least for me) produce better images from SI/DI. You can buy premade harnesses but they are pricey, I made my own with a spool of 10GA marine wire and good connectors with fuses for a fraction of the retail prices on the pre-made ones. Tools are good as well, but specifically a multimeter, some extra wire/connectors/tape, wire stripper/crimper, and cable ties...In addition to the normal hand tools. So many systems in the boat are electrical, but many do not carry anything to diagnose or fix electrical issues.

All the FLW stuff that MLF bought is still pretty good, which is now actually the majority of the MLF organization. Zeroing weights on the TW Circuit sucks though... The BPT and MLF Cup stuff? Meh...Feels more like an exhibition league now than a tournament trail, which some people like I'm sure...Just not me. BASS Elite Series is still the king of the pro trails and live coverage. BASS does need to improve it's grassroots/local stuff - They need a BFL equivalent.

I'd been taken fishing here and there when I was younger and caught various panfish and even a bass or two, but I don't really count that in my 'real' fishing time because I wasn't actively into it even though I did like it. I first got interested in fishing on my own when a friend moved into a new house that had a pond behind it. I was probably 8 or 9 (1994-ish)...And we were walking around the pond just checking it out and saw a bunch of sunfish swimming around near the bank and decided it might be fun to try fishing. Told my dad about it and he took me to the local tackle shop. He picked out some hooks and weights and such but then also threw in a Mepps Comet, the inline spinner with minnow body. Anyway...Few days later I go out to the pond for my first 'real' fishing trip and I had that Comet tied on. No joke, literally my very first cast I ever made, I caught a bass on that Comet. Was a solid 2lber or so and WAY bigger than anything we expected to catch since we had only seen the sunfish. Thought I had just caught the loch ness monster . Anyway, I was hooked from that first cast catch and became a bass head right there on the spot. Fast forward thru several years of bank beating, I scored a hand me down 40 year old 12' v-hull from an uncle when I was 13. I modified it a little to take a trolling motor and make it easier to stand and fish. My mom would drop me off at a local lake on her way to work and pick me up on her way home. That when it really took off for me. Got a 17' Tracker at 16 and started fishing tournaments, won my first tournament that year too and have been at it ever since. So...for bass fishing 'for real' I'd say I've been in it for 28 years (94 to now). Boater in some form for about 23 years. Tournament fishing for about 20 years. I'm 36 now. Fun trip down memory lane .

Destroyer Phase 3 - it was a top line MB rod series from several years back, they still hold their own very well. The Bearing Down and Nautilus are among the most sought after MB rods.

You might want to ask those asian anglers (though not sure why that needs to be specified) to advise you on models in that case. If you want THE best jig rod, try to find a Phase 3 Bearing Down...I have one and would put up against any rod of any brand past or present as a 3/8 and 1/2oz jig rod. Hard to find these days though. This was Yuki Ito's personal design and choice for jigs, so I think it would check the box of "what Megabass rods stand for"...Maybe even more so than any other ?.

From a general brand standpoint each different MB series stacks up favorably against other brands in each respective price point (IMO obviously). The recent price increase changes this a little, but it impacts the Levante negatively WAY more than the XX. I really like Megabass rods, I have almost 30 of them ?....But most of mine are XX's and I don't own an Evoluzion to give you a firsthand report on that line. If you are interested in seeing how the brand stacks up against others, you might consider starting out with the tried and true workhorse of MB rods which, to me, is the XX series....But that's your choice ultimately . What application or applications are you looking to use the rod (or rods ) for?

The BPS branded 3700 size boxes have a bigger interior dimension than any other box I've ever seen, while still being the same 3700 size footprint (IE, still fits in slots/trays/whatever that a Plano 3700 would). This is important to me because I like to cram as many baits in a single box as I can, and it nets anywhere from a couple to several extra baits per box when compared to others.

I stick the reel/part in a clear gallon-size ziplock when removing e-clips or anything that might take flight...Stick your hands in and remove whatever it is inside the bag. When it does go flying, it's still inside the bag.

Cold spell in MD so I've recently updated my list and am just about finished cleaning all the reels.

My guess is that Megabass doesn't offer a top-line sponsorship package for the US touring pros (compared to other companies)...Only thing that really makes sense as to why all their anglers gradually left over time - Martens, Evers, Clausen, and now Zaldain. Zaldain posted a pic of 35-40 new rods in the highest priced model 13 offers, which retails for $350ish...So his dollar value on rods isn't really going down . He'll be a good fit with 13, his highly technical style will probably showcase their high end gear very well. They haven't really had that until now.

Take a step back for a second...You say that every trail has their own rules (which is accurate) and that this trail is not the one you participated in. So its entirely possible that these anglers were 100% within the rules of their trail. There's nothing inherently unethical in what I read in the post, HS fishing is not the Elite Series - There's got to be some provisions in there to allow the boat captains to provide some help/info to the anglers. That's sort of the point of the whole boat captain system, right? Also, you'd think if they put a public video out there they wouldn't do so if it showed them violating rules. The boat captain is an angler himself too, he could have been practicing for his own tournament or just fishing on his own. You can't expect these guys to be locked down outside HS events or no one would ever volunteer to do it. Finally, if you're going to keep tournament fishing you have to get used to this type of thing. There will ALWAYS be someone that gets more practice time than you and/or obtains information/locations from others (99% of the time with in the rules too)...If this situation gets to you, wait until one of the guys you're competing against starts hiring a guide the day before the tournament ?. As sort of a separate point, I personally think high school bass fishing is insanely unfair overall...Not by design or anything, but just due to the fact that some HS anglers will have clear advantages over others if their dad/relative/friend/etc in an avid angler with a bass boat and is their captain for so many obvious reasons. Nothing can really be done about it, just the way it is.

When you're good at something, you know what works and what you like - So you refine and simplify it. You don't need to experiment with new or different stuff so you don't end up with a ton of whatever it is. When you're not so good at something (IE, not catching a lot of fish on it), you probably don't do it as often...BUT, you probably keep buying new or different brands/models/whatever in an attempt to catch that lightning in a bottle moment when it finally clicks into place for you. Which leads to big collections of stuff you don't use a ton. My theory anyway. I've purged a lot of stuff over the past few years to resolve this problem for myself - But part of being a bass fisherman is hoarding tackle so at some point you just live with it . Since we live in the same state...I can confirm that deep cranking is just not as applicable in this area, even expanded out to the region. With so much tidal water we skew shallow. Obviously it can be done and I'm some other local guys can come along and tell me they smash em on 6XDs all the time...But in over 20 years of fishing everywhere around here from the NC/VA border lakes, VA lakes, all the tidal rivers, the bay, and MD lakes/rivers - It just ain't a major player overall. Chatterbaits on the other hand...It might depend on how much time you spend on tidal water around here. I catch probably 90% of my chatterbait fish in our tidal rivers, so if you spend more time on the lakes it probably makes sense .

I'll briefly join you in winter wonderland from MD . I had planned to go fishing tomorrow... The boat is saying Yes, but the truck is saying No ? ...and I know this is a dusting for most of you, but you might recall hearing about drivers stuck on I-95 in VA for 24+ hours recently due to snow and ice...I need to travel about 50 miles thru that exact location to get to the lake I was planning on. I don't risk my truck and boat with ice and snow combined with MD/NOVA drivers.

7 lbs 15 oz - July 30th - 1/2oz flipping rig w/ZCraw Jr (I weighed it a couple extra times just in case it hit 8-0, not meant to be ?) I didn't catch any noteworthy smallmouth or spotted bass this year . Biggest SM was like 3lbs and I might not have even cracked 2.5 lbs for spotted bass. Had a different schedule this year so more just a factor of where I fished the most.

Talking specifically about the guys in their teens/early-20's with high class rigs...There's not some secret out there you don't know about - Those boats are either fully/majority supported by parents or other benefactors OR they are financed OR both of those things. It's not bad or wrong, its just the way of the world. Personally, I had a 17' Tracker when I was 16. I fished out of that until I was 21 when I bought a used 20' Stratos. The Stratos served me well for many years until I recently upgraded to my Skeeter. I'm 36 now, on my 3rd 'real' bass boat. I financed that Stratos when I was 21. I was fresh out of college with a decent job but not a huge savings account so financing was the right play for me. I had been fishing out of that Tracker since I was 16 so I was ready for an upgrade to a full size rig and there was no way I could do that without financing. The trade in from my Tracker plus a little extra gave me a modest loan at a longer term that I doubled up payments on, so I had the option to fall back to the minimum payment if any financial trouble hit. That's how I did it and it worked for me without issue. Some people run into issues financing boats, but in fairness the majority of those people start out with issues right out of the gate. Financing a boat is only a bad idea if you make it one. If you are smart and responsible, it's no issue at all. It's only going to fly past you if you let it. Even without a boat there are great alternatives as co-angler in a local club, local BFL (or similar) trail, etc...Jon boats and kayaks are also good gap-fillers until you land your own bassboat. Also don't get too caught up in 'good = new & expensive'. The boat is a tool to take you to the fish and you can be just as successful in a budget rig as a $100k rig. Also don't think you NEED the latest electronics and accessories, which can really inflate prices. You need to learn the basics anyway so it best to start out with the basics, which comes with the added bonus of being more affordable.

Yes it is. I was lucky and found some for sale back when they first came out about 2 years ago. Not cheap tho!

It's a Japanese brand called Kaesu. That color is great because if you put a GP trailer it's more bluegill/sunfishy...White and it's a shad/shiner...and my favorite is GP/pearl like in this pic, which can be almost anything (I like the orange highlights because we have so many goldfish in the Potomac).

I think this ones pretty unique for a non-custom or handmade bait...and I bet I've caught over 100 bass on this particular bladed jig.

Its that time of year again FOBA is an easy-going club without any participation commitments/requirements, pick and choose whatever you'd like to fish. Boater and Co-Angler divisions and membership is always open for both. Monthly club meetings are now on Zoom and the first one for 2022 is on January 5th. FOBA tournaments are good mix of fun and competition with relatively low costs. Anyone interested in learning more feel free to post or PM me. We have several other members that post here on BR too.

The DNR biologists seem to be OK with traditional weigh-ins provided that basic fish care is in place...Otherwise they wouldn't allow the waivers. Their methods are confusing (as seen in this thread), but they are still allowing them. I was only trying to relate real world experience on running and participating in CWR events and why it's not just as easy as snapping your fingers and thinking CWR is a cure-all.

No, many don't want to deal with the headache of logistics and increased potential for dishonesty. Catch-weigh-release isn't an instant fix and it has it's share of drawbacks. This is coming from someone (me) that fishes several CWR tournaments per year, was involved in developing the process, and helps run the tournaments, (for a field of 20-30 boats and random draw co-anglers). It requires a lot more work from tournament staff, more investment from clubs/organizations, and it's own set of challenges for the anglers on the water. CWR is a good tool, but not the ideal method for all tournaments all things considered.

MD put in a similar rule a few years back, only 1 bass over 15". It only applies to our tidal waters (where vast majority of bass tournaments are), only applies between June and October, and specifically and only applies to tournaments. You can get a waiver for a normal limit as long as your tournament follows basic fish care protocols (which 99% of tournaments already do). It's frustrating becasue it really just amounts to another hoop to jump through in order to hold a tournament from a MD ramp (on the Potomac we can just launch on the VA side and avoid it).... It's more frustrating because as you think about it, you realize that you and 20 of your buddies can go out and catch 5 big bass each, keep and then kill/eat them perfectly within the MD regulations. But if you and those same 20 friends go catch those same 5 fish limits each, but weigh them for a tournament and release them alive? Nope, illegal unless you file all the paperwork and get permission from DNR. It's silly. At the end of the day, its not that big of a deal since the waivers are accessible, hopefully it will be that way for OK anglers too. On a related note...I went to several of the public meetings that were held when this rule was implemented to oppose it. While there we heard from the DNR biologists on the reasoning for this rule and unfortunately bass fisherman shot themselves in the foot (at least here in MD). DNR went to observe local tournament weigh-ins and said that they observed poor fish care - Noting that bass were frequently put in bags without water, kept out of the water too long, dropped and/or put on the pavement, and that a lot of these local clubs had zero organization to their weigh in process. Obviously these groups are the exception to the rule, but DNR observed this stuff and felt the need to force tournaments to adhere to basic fish care. We need to police ourselves, if you are part of tournament trail you need to preach fish care to your members and if you observe poor fish care in your ranks you need to speak up and correct it. In my club, we'll hammer any member we see doing something boneheaded regarding fish care - Wish more clubs would do that.

Running the tournament isn't really that hard, just upscale what you do for your club tournaments. Put an emphasis on organization and orderly processes for morning check in and weigh in. I would recommend practicing the 'big' event process in one of your club tournaments beforehand to get the hang of it. 4 or 5 people should be able to handle it and you've got the basics in place it seems. What do you mean by judges/marshals? If you're thinking of going the MLF-style route, well...I wouldn't . It will be hard enough just filling a 50 boat field as an unknown, 1st-time tournament org that's skimming a percentage off the top (albeit for a fundraiser)...Let alone finding 50 people to not fish but still show up. Several people have tried it locally (also for fundraisers) and fell completely flat, it's just not workable for a small scale open fundraiser event. Team tournament format is the standard for fundraisers, easier on you and the anglers. For background - I'm the Pres and former TD of an 80+ member club and we run (smaller) fundraisers 4x per year. We also run several MLF-style tournaments per year (some fundraisers, some not)

Our club used to do length-paper tournaments during closed seasons, we used a chart of length to weight conversions for every 1/4". When measuring fish anglers rounded up to the nearest 1/4". We had a pretty slick excel sheet that did the conversion automatically and added up total weight....So anglers just recorded the lengths on their weigh sheets and the TD entered them into excel at the end of the day to tally everything up. You don't have to go to that level though, it'd be pretty easy to just provide the conversion chart to the anglers and they can look up the weight values and record those to be added up (I've seen other clubs do this). We've since moved on to catch-weigh-release on scales provided by the club in each boat for paper tournaments. As an angler I don't think I'd like the format you described with points and bonuses etc...But that's just me. If doing paper tournaments and you can't use scales, I think converting length to weight is the next best option.