September/October 2021

Bassmaster

The Worldwide Authority on Bass Fishing

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Bassmaster
Editor-in-Chief: James Hall Art Director: Laurie Tisdale Executive Editor: Bryan Brasher Associate Editor: Mandy Pascal Editorial Assistant: Natalie Landers Designers: Breanne Jackson, Cristela Tschumy Senior Writers: David A. Brown, Michael Jones, S
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Datebook
6 Labor Day. The unofficial end to summer means one more day of the weekend recreational boating masses and more lake for bass anglers. 12 National Video Games Day. Celebrate the launch of Bassmaster Fishing 2022 on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox
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A Big Stage, Indeed
A couple of years ago, B.A.S.S. launched the mantra: “Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams.” The tagline was meant to be inspirational, a concept every angler could tie a palomar around and internalize. No matter what level an angler competes at, he or sh
Bassmaster3 min read
Sleeveless in Kentucky
“MY MOM SAID that if I win the Classic, I should buy a new trailer,” said Elite Series pro Matt Robertson after he weighed in 16 pounds, 4 ounces on Day 1 of the Academy Sports+Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk. “I told her if I pull off t
Bassmaster1 min read
On The Tournament Trail
1-3 TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Regional, Upper Mississippi River, Wisconsin 9-11 Basspro.com Bassmaster Northern Open #3, St. Lawrence River/Thousand Islands, New York 23-25 Basspro.com Bassmaster Southern Open #3, Lake Norman, North Caro
Bassmaster3 min read
On The Hook
You found yourself back in the Top 10 again this year, this time at Lake Fork. How does it feel to get back in the Top 10? Anytime you make a Top 10, it’s great momentum that carries you and boosts your confidence. It pays well, too. Top 10s are just
Bassmaster1 min read
Bass City, USA - Grove, Oklahoma
Perched on the shores of Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, the town of Grove, Okla., plays host to October’s Central Open. What began as a spring-fed pit stop beneath a stand of trees on the Shawnee Trail — a major emigration route to Texas and a thorough
Bassmaster1 min read
State Of The Nation
Last year, 36-year-old Italy B.A.S.S. Nation member Gianni Rizzo was fatally struck by lightning on Lake Bolsena, a volcanic lake located in central Italy between Florence and Rome. The incident occurred on a stretch of lakefront bordering a campsite
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Mail Call
Check out some of our favorite photos submitted to us by Bassmaster readers! Griffin Bow Wadesville, Ind. Clay Gantner Mt. Vernon, Ind. Irwin Johnson Blanchester, Ohio Taylor Esposito Cayuga Lake, N.Y. Seeing the April Lunker Club gallery on Bassmast
Bassmaster1 min read
You Write The Caption
It’s your turn to write a cutline for your favorite magazine. Follow B.A.S.S. on Instagram (@bass_nation) and comment with a clever caption on this cartoon that will be posted on our feed on Aug. 30, 2021. If your caption is chosen, it will be printe
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Facebook.com
B.A.S.S. fans react to Taku Ito’s Elite Series win at the St. Lawrence River. Congratulations. So happy to see him win. Such a charismatic and fun fella. I really appreciate his finesse style fishing as well, right up my alley. He said his boat was t
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Twitter Poll
What is your preferred big bass bait in fall? 38% Topwater 22% Spinnerbait 29% Crankbait 11% Anything I can cast from a deer stand Turn to page 54 to learn how to become a master of the fall topwater game. ■
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What’s It Worth
The images below were submitted by Bassmaster readers, and our antique tackle expert, Karl White, appraises the value of each unique find. To submit yours, email editorial@bassmaster.com. Scott Ross, email $90 Pflueger single action fly reel. Made in
Bassmaster2 min read
You Ask, Pro’s Answer
When water temperatures start to cool in early fall, the bait moves and fish follow. On my blueback herring lakes in the Carolinas, the herring will move out of superdeep water and get closer to dropoffs in 15 to 25 feet, and the fish will suspend th
Bassmaster1 min read
Bass Boating
Are bass boats OK to use in saltwater? Do manufacturers actually approve their boats for at least some light saltwater use? @Adamgonefishing2.0, Instagram It’s best to check with the boat manufacturer, but it can be done if you take necessary precaut
Bassmaster4 min read
Scientific Angle
Bryan Schmitt remembers his first tournament vessel, a 16.5-foot Cajun bass boat that helped launch his career in the mid-2000s. Schmitt loved that boat, but the man who claimed this year’s Elite Series trophy on Lake Champlain says he could have nev
Bassmaster2 min read
Tackle You Must Buy Now
$11.79 | spro.com • The very popular Bronzeye Frog gets a bit of a makeover this year with the new Blade 65. Instead of having silicone skirt strands for legs, two small willowleaf blades take that position• Reel this bait steadily for a subtle buzzi
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Cherry Enters the History Books with Second Consecutive Classic Win
MOMENTS AFTER COMPLETING his victory lap in Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena to celebrate winning the 51st Bassmaster Classic, Hank Cherry sank into a private studio sofa, his head buried in his hands. His wife, Jaclyn, sat beside him sobbing softly, while
Bassmaster7 min read
Classic Patterns Detailed
A MEMBER OF the media asked Hank Cherry after the first-day weigh-in of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk why he seemed so calm. “Because when I go out there, I’m still the defending champion,” the North Carolina pro s
Bassmaster7 min read
Land Of Giants: Temp Late-Season Lunkers
THE SUMMER-FALL TRANSITION can be a disjointed time when hunting whopper fish often becomes a frustrating exercise of hit or miss. Bassmaster Elite Series pros know how to remove the random and leverage well-conceived strategies that maximize consist
Bassmaster8 min read
Brock Mosley After The Storms
EVERYONE’S LIFE HAS storms — those moments when things go to hell in a handbasket and the future looks grim. The most important thing isn’t what happens during the storm, but more so, what we do afterward. Bassmaster Elite Series angler Brock Mosley,
Bassmaster8 min read
Shane LeHew
EARLY SEPTEMBER 2020: A vaccine for the coronavirus may still be in developmental stages, but the sport of bass fishing recently received a tremendous shot in the arm thanks to ESPN2’s televised coverage of several recent Elite Series tournaments. Mi
Bassmaster5 min read
Humminbird Goes Live
EARLY ON DAY 3 of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Lake Champlain, Chris Zaldain was busy fighting a feisty 3-pound smallmouth. In typical smallmouth fashion, the fish was going crazy on the left side of Zaldain’s boat. But the popular Texas p
Bassmaster5 min read
The Big Blast: Fall Smallmouth On Top
EVERY FALL THERE’S this thing in northern Michigan the locals call “lake-effect rain,” and boy, does it ever suck. Ordinary thunderstorms may soak you for an hour or so, but then they move on, the sun emerges and you dry out. Not so with this cursed
Bassmaster6 min read
Marking Your Grass Calendar
IT’S JULY, AND while it seems summer has arrived with a vengeance, hotter days lie ahead. The fishing choice seems easy: Fish early and late and concentrate on vegetation, flipping and punching worms or creature baits. Now it’s October. The days are
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Lineberger’s Toad-ally Awesome Buzz Tactics
It’s no secret what Bassmaster Elite Series angler Shane Lineberger will be throwing at this year’s Central Open on his home lake. In late September, you’ll find the North Carolina-based pro on the shores of Lake Norman in the shallowest of shallow w
Bassmaster1 min read
Lunker Club
Congratulations to the newest members of the Bassmaster Lunker Club™. Membership in the club is free and open to any B.A.S.S. member who catches a largemouth bass weighing 10 pounds or more, a spotted bass weighing 5 pounds or more, or a smallmouth b
Bassmaster3 min read
“Cool” Fishing On The Way
Water type: Summer/fall transition on a TVA reservoir Water temp: Upper 60s to mid-70s Clarity: 1 to 2 feet Depth: 6 to 12 feet Structure: Bars, points, isolated rock, stumps Cover: Deeper grass, laydowns, docks, overhanging trees Forage: Threadfin s
Bassmaster1 min read
The Classic Exhale
Bassmaster LIVE host Mark Zona once described Hank Cherry as “that tough kid on the playground who gets hit in the mouth, laughs and keeps coming at you.” He’s a picture of toughness — and that unshakable disposition was on display all week at the Ac
Bassmaster2 min read
Hank Cherry’s Wisdom
ALL OF A sudden, Hank Cherry is all grown up. The former Bassmaster Rookie of the Year, who was known for the longest time as that guy who lost the winning fish right at the boat during the 2013 Bassmaster Classic, is an icon. But we all know that by
Bassmaster4 min read
Understanding Fall Bass
Fall is a great time to get outdoors, especially if you’re a bass fisherman. Many Elite Series pros switch to fall patterns once the lake surface temperature drops 10 degrees below its highest point in summer — 75 degrees is a good benchmark. Use the
Bassmaster1 min read
More Power!
Drained. You overestimated your motor-powered yak’s battery charge and now you’re dead in the water. Drained is how you might feel when you pedal or paddle back to the launch site, too. Certified electrician Josh Pierre of Kalamazoo, Mich., says a po

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