It’s simple math really: Zero eggs equals zero fish for future stocking programs.
So, the spring walleye and steelhead egg collections by the Michigan DNR are critical components of the strategy for maintaining world-class fishing opportunities in the Great Lakes State.
Nearly fifty years have now passed since the first paddletail swimbaits splashed down in U.S. waters, the earliest designs having likely originated in France. Today, paddletails have almost singlehandedly rewritten the rules of soft plastics engagement. Fans of catching bass, crappie, walleye and inshore slams nearly always cast these ingenious tail-driven baits, each version capable of different retrieve speeds, actions and the almighty thump.
Abu Garcia has added a new model to the Zenon spinning selection with the Zenon X.
This new model fills the gap by offering the flexibility to fish lightweight finesse style baits while also providing the power to handle heavier baits when needed.
BASS Report
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — With guests soon arriving for the grand affair, the Tennessee River’s table is set for peak potential as a field of 55 anglers make their final preparations for the 2023 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.
Competition days will be March 24-26 with daily takeoffs from Volunteer Landing in downtown Knoxville at 7:15 a.m. ET and weigh-ins each day at Thompson-Boling Arena on the University of Tennessee campus. Doors open at 3:15 p.m. with weigh-in starting at approximately 4:15 p.m. The winning angler will take home the coveted Ray Scott Bassmaster Classic Trophy and $300,000.
Bassmaster LIVE kicks off tournament coverage Friday morning at 8 a.m. ET on Bassmaster.com, Tubi and the FOX Sports digital platforms. FS1 will broadcast live with the tournament leaders on Saturday and Sunday mornings before afternoon action from Championship Sunday picks up on FOX. A full viewing schedule can be found at Bassmaster.com/how-to-watch.
Tournament waters include portions of the Holston and French Broad rivers, the confluence of which forms the Tennessee River headwaters. The dominant waters are Fort Loudoun Lake — the first of nine reservoirs on the Tennessee — and Tellico Lake, which links to Fort Loudoun through a canal passing beneath the U.S. Highway 321 Bridge.
While the long-range forecast shows the potential for rain all three days, Bassmaster Elite Series pro and Tennessee River standout Brandon Lester has a largely optimistic outlook. In his view, seasonal patterns should be ripe for an impressive show.
“I think the fishing is going to be really good; honestly, I think it’s going to be about as good as it can possibly be,” Lester said. “Loudoun has plenty of good fish, but it’s not on par with, say, a Guntersville. But if you were to look at the calendar and pick one week for us to be there, I think the third week of March is the best week of the year.
When it comes to the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees has more than lived up to its name.
The 46,500-acre fishery provided some of the grandest moments in the history of the event when Classics were held there in 2013 and 2016 — and now, the picturesque reservoir located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains will add to that grand lore when it plays host to the 54th renewal of the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing March 22-24, 2024.
B.A.S.S. made the announcement at a press conference in Tulsa on Tuesday morning, nearly 13 months before the event will take place.
“Planning the Bassmaster Classic, the greatest celebration of the sport of fishing, is a never-ending process,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “The B.A.S.S. team has been working with the people of Tulsa for well over a year to make this a reality.
“Now that it’s official, we couldn’t be more excited to be headed back to a city and fishery that already hold a special place in Classic history and is such an important area to the fishing community.”
As with past Classics held in Tulsa, daily weigh-ins will be held at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa, with the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo across the street at the Cox Business Convention Center, which boasts 275,000 square feet of event space. Daily takeoffs will be held about 90 miles away at the Wolf Creek Park and Boating Facility on Grand Lake.
Previous Bassmaster Classics drew phenomenal crowds lakeside and to packed venues around the “Capital of Route 66,” and more than 105,000 enthusiastic fans are expected for Classic Week festivities.
“When you saw 3,000 fans standing out in the freezing-cold weather every morning to watch the competitors launch their boats, that pretty much told you everything you needed to know,” said Eric Lopez, director of operations for B.A.S.S. “The people in that area love B.A.S.S. and bass fishing — and for those traveling in from out of town, the area has a fabulous selection of restaurants and hotels to choose from.
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