It's no secret that castable umbrella rigs hold big-bass potential, but when Pflugerville, Texas angler Donnie O’Neal cast his YUM Flash Mob Jr. into Lake Austin on April 28, his rod loaded up with what he thought was the stud he was seeking for the Texas Sharelunker Program, which recognizes bass over 13 pounds.

Bad news: It wasn't a baker's dozen bass. Good news: The catch weighed 19.6 pounds. Cool news: It was a massive double-header that included a 7.8 and O'Neal's personal best bass that weighed 11.8. Both were released after O'Neal's big catch photos. [ Read Full Post ]

It’s known as “The Land of 10,000 Lakes” and Minnesota now has a strategic road map for looking after its vast waterways. Addressing the fish-rich tapestry of lakes, rivers and streams, the state’s Department of Natural Resources recently launched a new fisheries habitat plan aimed at maintaining the abundance.

Dirk Peterson, who heads up the Minnesota DNR, said that while the state has done well with stocking and regulation, the new plan will place a long overdue emphasis on habitat protection and restoration. Complementing attention to aquatic habitat, the DNR will also focus its effort on the broader picture of watershed dynamics – ensuring clean water flows into those lakes, rivers and streams. [ Read Full Post ]

Spawning bass are already difficult enough, what with shallow water and their procreation priority making the fish profoundly nervous. But add in the daily depth fluctuations of a tidal habitat and you'll need to factor the area's ebb and flow into your calculations of approach, distance and presentation.

First consider that bass will establish their nests in spots that retain sufficient depth through mean low tide, so note the low-water marks on shoreline wood, rip rap, docks and seawalls. In the sprawling California Delta, vast stands of tules (tall, wispy vegetation) provides much of the spawning habitat, so anglers note the mud line on stalks as a depth gauge. [ Read Full Post ]