A lot of people think of January and early February as part of the "off-season" for professional bass anglers. That's just not true. It's actually the most hectic time of the year, especially if you're qualified to fish the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.
When I left home the other day to drive to the Greenville area, I forgot my wallet. Luckily I realized the problem before I had gotten too far from Talala, and my wife was able to bring it to me. I've had so much on my mind lately, that it's easy to forget the "little" things. The problem is, there are no "little" things. Everything is a big thing … or at least a potentially big thing.
I got my new boat — a Nitro Z21 — a little later than usual this year. It's a beautiful boat, and my wrap is different this time around. Instead of being mostly black with some white and red, it's mostly red with some black and white. I think it looks great and hope you do, too. Of course, I also got my truck wrapped to match the boat.
Ordinarily, I'd be spreading the word about the new wrap here or on social media, but we're keeping it quiet for now. Unless you see me on the road or practicing for the Classic, you likely won't have a chance to check it out until Classic Media Day (this Thursday) or the first day of competition (Friday).
On Feb. 12, I was on my way to Greenville, but stopped in Bogart, Ga., to visit one of my sponsors — Zoom Bait Company. It was my first visit to the facility, and one I really enjoyed. I was especially excited to meet Zoom founder Ed Chambers Sr. He is, without a doubt, the most innovative soft plastics designer in bass fishing history. Ed created the Trick Worm, the Finesse Worm, the Fluke, the Horny Toad, the Brush Hog (the first creature bait), the Speed Worm, Ultra-Vibe tail and on and on and on. He even invented the color green pumpkin. It's impossible to say how many billions of bass have been caught on his designs over the years. While his company is producing the finest soft plastic lures in the world, Ed focuses on a labor of love — his highly-coveted crankbaits.
Speaking of lures, I got a next-day-air shipment from Japan recently containing the new Megabass S-Crank 1.2 and 1.5. After two years of prototypes and fine-tuning, it's finally ready. Both models weigh 1/2-ounce and are super buoyant. Everything about the lures was done for a reason, from the knife-edge shape of the nose to the dimple on the head to the unusual positioning of the rear hook hanger. Everything has its purpose and helps to make the lure "hunt" like crazy! It must move 12 inches or more from side to side.
You can check out a video of the new S-Crank on my Facebook page. If the Classic can be won in shallow water, this is a bait that can do it.
And if you happen to be in Greenville for the Classic Expo, don't forget to stop by booth 5046. That's the Edwin Evers Pecans booth. I won't be there (I'll be fishing), but we'll have a Spin-to-Win game and lots of great prizes, including gear from Optima Batteries, Lowrance, Megabass, Zoom and Wild River Tackle Bags. Trust me, you don't want to miss it!
More soon!