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Published: 25 July 2024

BFHOF Report 

The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame (BFHOF) has awarded scholarships under its Fishery Management Scholarship Program for the second year in a row.

This program aims to provide financial support and encouragement to high school and college bass anglers pursuing careers in fields that will directly contribute to healthy fisheries, essential access, and clean rivers, lakes and reservoirs, consistent with the BFHOF’s mission.

The 11 selected applicants will each receive $2,500 to pursue their studies. The recipients include:

• Alex Avery, Missouri State University
• Brady Horton, Drury University
• Bradley Howell, Trent University
• Luc LaRochelle, Carleton University
• Nate Hull, Oklahoma State
• Justin Lombardo, University of Illinois
• Tom Miles, Tennessee Tech University
• Morgan Noffsinger, Central Michigan University
• Marcus Prull, Auburn University
• Levi Umland, University of Missouri
• Samuel Vazquez, University of Arkansas–Pine Bluff

“The response to this program was immense and impressive,” said BFHOF Board President John Mazurkiewicz. “Our dedicated Conservation/Education Committee, led by Board Member and BFHOF inductee Gene Gilliland, the growth of this scholarship program aligns perfectly with the Hall’s mission of celebrating, promoting, and preserving the sport by investing in the future of healthy fisheries, accessible waters, and clean aquatic ecosystems.

The awardees consist of high school seniors committed to enrolling in a four-year college or university program, as well as undergraduate and graduate students currently enrolled in a four-year college, university, or accredited graduate program with a declared or planned major in biology, aquatic ecology, fisheries, marine science, or a closely related natural resources field.

“We were amazed by the quality and seriousness of the applications and the young men and women who expressed interest,” Gilliland said. “The applications were reviewed by an independent panel of distinguished individuals involved in fishery management across the U.S. and Canada, including: Phil Morlock, Director of Government Affairs for the Canadian Sportfishing Industry Association; Chris Horton, Senior Director of Fisheries Policy for the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation; Ross Self, Chief of Inland Fisheries for the South Carolina DNR; and Dr. Mark Rogers, Tennessee Cooperative Fishery Research Unit Leader at Tennessee Tech University. The future of our sport, our fisheries and this program remain bright.”

The financial support for this program is made possible by the support the Hall receives from past inductees, professional anglers competing on the B.A.S.S and MLF tournament trails, bass anglers nationwide who support the Hall’s annual online auctions, and many leading companies involved in the bass fishing industry.

The BFHOF Board will announce details and application requirement for the 2025 Fishery Management Scholarship program later this year

The Bass Fishing Hall of Fame will honor the Class of 2024 at its annual induction ceremony on September 26th at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium adjacent to the Bass Pro Shop flagship store in Springfield, Mo. Fred Arbogast, Mike McKinnis, Skeet Reese, Alfred Williams and Mark Zona will be inducted.

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Published: 23 July 2024

USA Bass Report

Kevin VanDam has agreed to be head coach of the USA Bass team which competes in World Championship and Pan American Championship events.

The team will compete in Italy, South Africa and in 2026 at the Bass Fishing World, Arkansas on Hamilton Lake. He joins top figures in the sport such as Scott Martin, Jacob Wheeler and Dustin Connell who are representing USA Bass and expanding bass fishing worldwide.  

The officially sanctioned Bass Fishing World Championships are the most important bass fishing tournaments ever held because of their contribution to the sport’s Olympic recognition. Plans are also underway for a Youth Bass Fishing World Championship in 2026. This event will highlight the growth of youth bass fishing globally and inspire younger angler/athletes to pursue the dream of fishing for their country. 

These efforts are consistent with Kevin VanDam’s legacy and passion for the sport. Also joining the movement is USAngling Global Sponsor Bass Pro Shops. These two giants of the sport provide a huge boost for the millions of global angler/athletes being evaluated by the International Olympic Committee. The Olympic recognition process is in the last stages of review.

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Published: 12 July 2024

By Louie Stout

Cody Steckel

You probably don’t know Cody and Mike Steckel but you will want to meet them someday. They are a couple of Nevada anglers who visit Michiana each summer.

Cody is a Bassmaster Open angler and Mike is his dad, who fishes the Open as a co-angler. They fish major western circuits, so when they’re here visiting family in southwest Michigan, they try to find time to fish a tournament or two.

For example, they fished Arjay’s events on Diamond and Templene a couple years ago and finished in the money both times. They also have won big bass and finished third in a SMAC tourney on Millpond.

IKA Rigs

And, they do it largely with western tactics, like Neko rigs, Slim Senkos rigged wacky on drop-shot rigs and a lure rarely mentioned around here – the Yamamoto Ika.

“A lot of guys in this area throw Chatterbaits or some kind of frogs, so we try to show the fish something different,” says Cody.

The Steckels have been fishing the IKA for about five or six years. It’s one of their favorite lures on grass lakes.

The bait is similar to what you might call a solid tube bait with a skirted end. When rigged weightless, the bait glides as it falls. As goofy as it may look, it’s got good action and fish seem to love it.

Texas-rigged IKA

They rig it Texas style with a 4/0 EWG Gamakatsu. The hook goes in through the skirted end and the eye of the hook is completely embedded.

“When Texas rigging and pushing the hook through the body of the bait, don’t put the hook in the center of the bait,” explains Cody. “The hook-up ratio is low when you do that. If you go to 1/3 of the side, the bait will fold and get a better hook-up. I skin hook the barb in the top of the bait to keep it weedless.”

IKA with Open Hook

When fishing open water and away from potential snags, he also will rig it with screw lock (like a hitchhiker) and an exposed circle hook with a weed guard. It will give it free motion and limit line twist.

He fishes the Ika on 20-pound PowerPro Super Slick braid with a 10 to 12 pound fluorocarbon leader. He likes throwing it in pads or over weed beds, twitching it so the bait rises and falls.

“The bites are a little ‘tick’ or the line starts swimming off,” he says. “It’s amazing how many bites you can get on that thing.”

When he’s fishing eight feet or less he doesn’t add a weight to the rig. It’s heavy enough to cast without weight. Anything deeper than eight, he will put a 1/32-ounce nail weight in the non-skirted end.

Like most Yamamoto Baits, it tears up easily and you’ll catch a variety of species with it. But it is as fish catcher than can make a difference when the bite is tough or you want to show the fish something different.