I’m writing my first column for Bassmaster.com and what better time than now, with the West Coast swing in full effect. Needless to say, I’m pretty pumped about this western adventure over the next couple of weeks.
I have already enjoyed the many calls I have received from my Eastern and Central U.S. buddies during their long journeys out here:
Hey Brett, is the Joshua Tree National Park worth a stop?
How many days does it take to see the Grand Canyon?
What’s a good hotel in Flagstaff?
What’s the deal with that California boat inspection deal?
Where’s the first In-N-Out Burger we come to?
I have enjoyed being the “On-Star” of the West, and I’m glad some of these guys are getting the most out of their trip out here.
Hats off to the Bassmaster Elite Series for having a true national fishing tour that extends far beyond eight states in the Southeast. Obviously, being from Phoenix, I might be a little partial to the upcoming Cal Delta and Havasu tournaments, but I’m also looking forward to going to New York and Michigan later this year just as well.
Yes, in all, it’s a crazy amount of travel in one season. But here is what I like about it: The guy who wins that Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year trophy this season will have earned every last bit of it. The 2015 schedule is no doubt a rigorous test of the best. No one will be able to say, “Well, three of the tournaments were in his wheelhouse.” This schedule doesn’t stay in anyone’s wheelhouse very long in terms of location, species of bass or phase of the spawn, and I like that.
Also, I’ll go ahead and admit it, I might take just a little bit of pleasure in seeing some of my East Coast buddies have to put in a few thousand miles behind the wheel.
In all sincerity, I want everyone to arrive out here and return home safely; I honestly mean that. All I am saying here is that us Western pros have to make that drive to the East a lot more than the Eastern pros ever have to come out to the West, and for the most part, you don’t hear us complain about it. But when the shoe is on the other foot, well…let’s just say I’ve heard some squabbling about the long drive. Hey, in my book, you’re not a true pro angler until you have whooped a flat in the desert.
In terms of the fishing, the Elite Series has been to the California Delta before. It’s a pure power fishing venue – heavy line, heavy cover – total shallow-water close contact slugfest.
The one I think is the sleeper is Havasu. I think a lot of people have this idea that Havasu is a barren dessert impoundment that only has a few bass in it and you have to use 4-pound test on a drop-shot to catch those bass. I think a lot of Havasu first-timers are going to be pleasantly surprised at just how diverse and productive this fishery really is.
Lake Havasu City has spent a great deal of money sinking structure in the lake. They have a cool program in place where they take the trees and brush that people cut out of their yards and sink it in the lake. Instead of hauling your trees and limb trimmings to the dump, you take them to a special brushpile-making facility, and they bundle it all up, put it on a pontoon boat and sink it to the bottom of the lake. We call them “fish hotels,” and believe me, those hotels are booked up like Caesar’s Palace!
The brush sinking plus the stocking of smallmouth bass years ago has made Lake Havasu a much better fishery than most might expect. And it’s diverse, too. Havasu is not just about deep drop-shotting. Anglers do well here fishing the shallow tules as well. What’s that? Never heard of a tule? Guys from the east might call them bulrushes, reeds or buggy whips – out here they are called tules.
So there is a little western fishing lingo for you – fish hotels and tules – you just might be reading about them on Bassmaster.com in the coming weeks.
Safe travels to all.