American Press Travel News–Feb.26th, Port St Lucie, FL. Bob and Barb “On The Road Again”–New Product of the week: The Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener; a Work Sharp Outdoor Product of distinction. Nothing is more frustrating or dangerous than a dull blade when doing any cutting job. A blade needs to be sharp and cut exactly where the cutting is needed in a precise way. A dull blade does cut, but it may, and often cuts and slips to the hand or the body part of the user. This newly designed product (saw it recently at Bass Pro Shops) has now been in my hands for a week and nothing in the kitchen or sporting equipment room is dull anymore. After the kitchen knives now keenly sharp and ready for any job, my hunting knife, pocket knife,scissors hand ax and even my mower blade is ready to cleanly cut for its intended usages.
A bit about the tool. The unit is sturdy, and features 5-different grits of flexible Abrasive Belts, has a sharpening guide that runs bevels from 15-30-degrees. It sharpens knives and tools and the WSKTS-KO performs as described and recommended. What I was looking for was a tool that creates precise, repeatable bevels on any knife with the adjustable sharpening guide. It had to sharpen to any angle between 15-30-degrees to get the right edge for the job I was trying to do. Just removing the guide and swiveling the cassette head to grind your lawn and outdoor tools is a snap!! I found mine at Bass Pro Shops, but they are available in most sports stores everywhere. Give a call or check them out at: Workshoptools.com 1-800-597-6170
My 10-pounder, but I didn’t enter it! I will if there’s a next time!
APtravelnews-November 17th, Port St Lucie, FL, Bob and Barb On the Road Again–This is a copy of The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission news piece.(FWC) just concluded Season 3 of the Trophy Catch citizen-science, conservation rewards program for anglers who catch, document and release largemouth bass greater than 8 pounds. One angler caught the biggest bass in three seasons and, for the first time, a woman joins the ranks of Hall of Fame winners in a big way. Now it is time to celebrate. FWC staff will honor the 15 lucky anglers who entered a total of 17 Hall of Fame bass weighing more than 13 pounds each at a ceremony Dec. 11 at 5:30 p.m. in Bass Pro Shops in Orlando.
Hall of Fame anglers receive a free fiberglass replica of their first catch prepared by New Wave Taxidermy, gift cards from Bass Pro Shops, a SpiderWire sweatshirt and sunglasses, a Fitzgerald rod and Glen Lau DVD. They also receive 10 extra chances to win a Phoenix Bass Boat with a Mercury outboard and Power-Pole anchoring system in a random drawing of all TrophyCatch registrants. Every angler who registers for TrophyCatch, whether he or she submitted a fish or not, is entered for one chance to win the TrophyCatch Phoenix Bass Boat. The drawing is typically in November and the boat given away in December.
Bass Pro Shops, host of the event, is a major sponsor of TrophyCatch (TrophyCatchFlorida.com) and awards gift cards for each of the three club levels: The Lunker Club (8.0-9.9 pounds; $100), The Trophy Club (10.0-12.9 pounds; $150) and the Hall-of-Fame Club (greater than 13 pounds; $200). TrophyCatch requires each bass to be legally caught and released after photographing the entire bass (head to tail) on a scale.
Tom Champeau, director of the FWC’s Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management, will be at the event with KP Clements, TrophyCatch director, to present the rewards.
“TrophyCatch is providing FWC biologists with important scientific information to better manage Florida’s valuable freshwater fisheries,” Champeau said. “It is a great example of citizen-science supported by corporate partners to ensure that Florida remains the ‘Fishing Capital of the World.’”
Keith Allen from the American Outdoors Fund will award the angler who caught the heaviest verified bass of Season 3 with the TrophyCatch Championship ring. Seth Chapman caught a 15-pound, 11-ounce bass last March from Kingsley Lake, Clay County, to claim not only the largest bass this season but for all three seasons. Former season winners include Bob Williams, Season 1, and Brooks Morrell, Season 2.
Porschia Gabrielse is TrophyCatch’s first female Hall of Fame winner. She did it in style with her largest verified bass weighing 15 pounds, 3 ounces. It was just one of three Hall of Fame entries she submitted. She is now the overall leader with 41 approved submissions.
Other anglers with bass over 15 pounds this season included Len Andrews, George Smock and George Canova. Among the 15 Hall of Famers, four of them are out-of-state residents, emphasizing how important recreational fishing is to tourism.
Join the FWC Dec. 11 to celebrate these great anglers and their willingness to provide important data to FWC for conservation and releasing what for many would be a catch of a lifetime. Also “Like” us at Facebook.com/TrophyCatchFlorida to see more about each of these anglers and the latest TrophyCatches as well as to learn who the finalists are for this year’s random Phoenix boat drawing and to learn when and where the boat will be given away. Subscribe to YouTube.com/TrophyCatchFlorida to check out past winners and be notified when the new winners’ videos are posted.
An Alabama Guide shows a nice bass, not a monster, but any bass is a gudin!!!!
APtravelnews-Port St. Lucie, FL.–February 20th,— According to Kevin Van Dam, a big winner at the Bass Masters Tournaments, the following Power techniques and baits will work all four seasons ..if you’re using the right baits—Jerkbait “This is my favorite choice for lakes that have clear water, says Van Dam! “Bass are focused on shad during the winter, and I prefer a suspending jerkbait for fishing around vertical structure, like main lake bluffs and bridges, this time of year. When the water is colder, the shad suspend in the water column and if I see shad dying and gulls diving on them, that tells me the suspending jerkbait is the best choice. I will snap it a few times and always experiment with the action until I know how they want it.
Red Eye Shad The lipless crankbait can be dynamite on cold, lowland reservoirs or natural lakes, especially if there is vegetation. It’s very efficient for covering a lot of water. However, I do slow the retrieve down and keep the bait in contact with the bottom.
Flat-sided crankbait There’s something about a flat-sided crankbait that neutral bass react to better in cold water than they do to rounded-body lures. My favorite is the Strike King KVD 1.5 Flat that has a long bill and no rattles. I love to fish this bait parallel on channel swings close to the bank in major creeks and even along bluffs, riprap and laydowns. I throw it on 10-pound line and it runs about 10 feet deep. It has a subtle action they can’t stand when the water is cold, so use a steady, slow-to-medium retrieve.
SwimbaitI really like the Strike King Shadalicious in either the 4 1/2- or 5-inch sizes, opting for the larger one in lakes with big bass and big shad. These baits are very efficient for covering deeper zones of lakes where bass hold off main lake structure.Also, hollow-body baits have a paddle tail that kicks and moves a lot of water, which is very important in stained water. And, like flat baits, they wobble seductively from side to side.
Blade baits and jigging spoons Blade baits are good for fishing edges of deeper flats. I cast and work it similar to the way I fish the Red Eye Shad, except the blade bait is more efficient in deeper water. Use a lift-and-drop retrieve, feeling the good vibration from the lure each time you lift. And remember: both blade baits and the Red Eye work best this time of year on heavier line because it slows the fall and reduces problems with it burying in the grass. The jigging spoon is a bait I primarily fish vertically. Our electronics are so good that, while graphing creek channels, you’ll see pods of bait and mark fish around them. With the spoon, you can fish through the bait. It’s even good along timber and doesn’t snag as much as you think. If it does, jiggle it and it shakes free.”
Note**Bottom line is; Bassmaster anglers fish for a living and have far more experience going after largemouth bass than the average angler. So, we believe following some of these techniques will help you catch the “bigun!” Also, remember bass are fun to catch, but release them, crappie and perch are much better eating!!!
American Press Travel News–Feb.26th, Port St Lucie, FL. Bob and Barb “On The Road Again”–New Product of the week: The Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener; a Work Sharp Outdoor Product of distinction. Nothing is more frustrating or dangerous than a dull blade when doing any cutting job. A blade needs to be sharp and cut exactly where the cutting is needed in a precise way. A dull blade does cut, but it may, and often cuts and slips to the hand or the body part of the user. This newly designed product (saw it recently at Bass Pro Shops) has now been in my hands for a week and nothing in the kitchen or sporting equipment room is dull anymore. After the kitchen knives now keenly sharp and ready for any job, my hunting knife, pocket knife,scissors hand ax and even my mower blade is ready to cleanly cut for its intended usages.
