Today’s top bass fishing debates

Posted on
<h4>What means more, a Classic victory or winning Toyota Angler of the Year?</h4> There’s no bigger stage in fishing than the Bassmaster Classic. Just qualifying means you had to do great in the Opens or rank among the top 40 or so on the Elite Series.<BR> Two-time Classic Champ Jordan Lee knows that Classic victories are career-defining moments. And while they might mean the most in terms of public perception, when it comes to skill, Angler of the Year is the toughest trophy to win in bass fishing.<BR> Says Jordan, “The Classic is a three-day event. It’s a mental game, for sure. But to win AOY, you’ve got to be the best of the best for more than just a weekend, you’ve got to be consistent for an entire season. That’s about 12 tournaments and over 40 days of competition.”
What means more, a Classic victory or winning Toyota Angler of the Year?
There’s no bigger stage in fishing than the Bassmaster Classic. Just qualifying means you had to do great in the Opens or rank among the top 40 or so on the Elite Series.
Two-time Classic Champ Jordan Lee knows that Classic victories are career-defining moments. And while they might mean the most in terms of public perception, when it comes to skill, Angler of the Year is the toughest trophy to win in bass fishing.
Says Jordan, “The Classic is a three-day event. It’s a mental game, for sure. But to win AOY, you’ve got to be the best of the best for more than just a weekend, you’ve got to be consistent for an entire season. That’s about 12 tournaments and over 40 days of competition.”
<h4>8lb. Largemouth vs. 6lb. Smallmouth?</h4> <b>Green vs. Brown. Is it more impressive to land an 8-pound largemouth or a 6-pound smallie?</b><BR> In fishing, size matters. But there are a lot of variables that affect a lake’s ability to grow giant bass—green or brown. Florida big-bass specialist Terry Scroggins weighs-in on what makes a giant smallie such an impressive feat. “You know a 6-pound smallmouth is an old fish, whereas it doesn’t take long for an 8-pound largemouth in, say, Florida to get that big. “Because of its age, that smallmouth has got to be smart. Yes, they’re aggressive, but they won’t bite just anything you throw. It’s definitely more impressive to find and land a smallie that big.”
8lb. Largemouth vs. 6lb. Smallmouth?
Green vs. Brown. Is it more impressive to land an 8-pound largemouth or a 6-pound smallie?
In fishing, size matters. But there are a lot of variables that affect a lake’s ability to grow giant bass—green or brown. Florida big-bass specialist Terry Scroggins weighs-in on what makes a giant smallie such an impressive feat.
“You know a 6-pound smallmouth is an old fish, whereas it doesn’t take long for an 8-pound largemouth in, say, Florida to get that big.
“Because of its age, that smallmouth has got to be smart. Yes, they’re aggressive, but they won’t bite just anything you throw. It’s definitely more impressive to find and land a smallie that big.”
<h4>Top 100 Lakes, Accurate or Not?</h4> <b>Each year, B.A.S.S. releases its rankings of the top 100 bass lakes across the nation. Is it accurate?</b><BR> All three anglers we spoke with confirmed that it is...for the most part. Says Scroggins, “Yeah they [B.A.S.S.] do a pretty good job. The thing is, all lakes cycle. The top lakes tend to get a ton more attention and pressure after they make the list, which can make things tough. Pressure can make a top 10 lake one year drop to the 20s or 30s the next year.” The Lee brothers both note how big of an impact landing a spot on the top 100 can be for a lake and community. “It’s pretty close most years, and obviously there’s no perfect ranking,” says Jordan.
Top 100 Lakes, Accurate or Not?
Each year, B.A.S.S. releases its rankings of the top 100 bass lakes across the nation. Is it accurate?
All three anglers we spoke with confirmed that it is…for the most part.
Says Scroggins, “Yeah they [B.A.S.S.] do a pretty good job. The thing is, all lakes cycle. The top lakes tend to get a ton more attention and pressure after they make the list, which can make things tough. Pressure can make a top 10 lake one year drop to the 20s or 30s the next year.”
The Lee brothers both note how big of an impact landing a spot on the top 100 can be for a lake and community. “It’s pretty close most years, and obviously there’s no perfect ranking,” says Jordan. “The attention can take a toll on the lake, but it’s a great thing for the surrounding area.”
Matt agrees, “Living on Guntersville, that whole town survives off bass fishing and the influx of people who come to fish the lake. It’s great when one gets named number one, but you’ve got to manage it to keep it healthy to keep it ranked that high.”
<h4>Were Micro-Guides a Fad?</h4> <b>When micro-guides hit the scene, demand skyrocketed. Was it a fad?</b><br> While “fad” might be a bit extreme, it certainly seems that anglers are starting to revert back to mid-sized or macro offerings. Matt Lee believes micro guides will always have a place in a rod locker, but notes there is not as much focus on them today, “Everyone wanted the hot new thing—they always do. But I don’t think they help you catch any more fish. The micro- guides don’t give you any specific advantage over other sizes, you still have to go out and catch the fish.”<br> Scroggins, who experiments with various guide sizes, says the micro-guides are smaller, lighter and allow you to put more on a rod blank for added sensitivity. That said, he still opts for intermediate guides. “Micro guides are so small that you can’t run a braid-to-fluorocarbon leader because the knot won’t make it through the guides. The same thing goes for cold weather or vegetation. Micro-guides can freeze up in cold weather or get ‘mossed up’ when fishing in lakes with heavy vegetation.”
Were Micro-Guides a Fad?
When micro-guides hit the scene, demand skyrocketed. Was it a fad?
While “fad” might be a bit extreme, it certainly seems that anglers are starting to revert back to mid-sized or macro offerings.
Matt Lee believes micro guides will always have a place in a rod locker, but notes there is not as much focus on them today, “Everyone wanted the hot new thing—they always do. But I don’t think they help you catch any more fish. The micro- guides don’t give you any specific advantage over other sizes, you still have to go out and catch the fish.”
Scroggins, who experiments with various guide sizes, says the micro-guides are smaller, lighter and allow you to put more on a rod blank for added sensitivity. That said, he still opts for intermediate guides. “Micro guides are so small that you can’t run a braid-to-fluorocarbon leader because the knot won’t make it through the guides. The same thing goes for cold weather or vegetation. Micro-guides can freeze up in cold weather or get ‘mossed up’ when fishing in lakes with heavy vegetation.”
<h4>The Alabama Rig: Good or Bad for Bass Fishing?</h4> <B>There may be no more polarizing debate than that of the A-Rig. Is it good for bass fishing?</b> <BR>Matt Lee can’t deny that the rig catches fish, but he thinks it takes away from what has made the process of catching fish such an art. “The coolest thing that draws us all to bass fishing is we have a gazillion different baits in the boat, and somewhere there’s a bait that’s going to work better than the rest. It’s up to you to find it. But the A-Rig took a lot away from that. Why bother throwing a jerkbait, spinnerbait, or even a deep crankbait when an Alabama rig will catch ‘em better. It just took away from the science of figuring the fish out.” <BR>Scroggins isn’t a fan of the rig, either, saying he’d like to see states limit presentations to two baits at time.
The Alabama Rig: Good or Bad for Bass Fishing?
There may be no more polarizing debate than that of the A-Rig. Is it good for bass fishing?
Matt Lee can’t deny that the rig catches fish, but he thinks it takes away from what has made the process of catching fish such an art. “The coolest thing that draws us all to bass fishing is we have a gazillion different baits in the boat, and somewhere there’s a bait that’s going to work better than the rest. It’s up to you to find it. But the A-Rig took a lot away from that. Why bother throwing a jerkbait, spinnerbait, or even a deep crankbait when an Alabama rig will catch ‘em better. It just took away from the science of figuring the fish out.”
Scroggins isn’t a fan of the rig, either, saying he’d like to see states limit presentations to two baits at time.
<h4>Is Mono Dead?</h4> <B>Is monofilament line dead?</b><BR> With advancements in flourocarbon as a semi-stretch option, and braided line offering high sensitivity, strength and zero stretch, is there still a place for mono?<BR> Jordan Lee thinks so. “I run a braid-to-mono leader for my walking baits, and I think I catch more fish because of it. Straight braid will straighten out hooks and pull fish off. Mono will give you that little bit of added stretch, and that can be the difference between hooking fish and losing ‘em.”<BR> “The mono will keep your topwater from fouling up in the hooks as much,” adds Matt Lee. “I also use mono as backing on many of my reels. But I definitely think you’ll continue to see flourocarbon get better and better. I run Seaguar line, and the strength of that 6–8-pound Tatsu fluorocarbon is unbelievable. Expect that to continue to improve.”
Is Mono Dead?
Is monofilament line dead?
With advancements in flourocarbon as a semi-stretch option, and braided line offering high sensitivity, strength and zero stretch, is there still a place for mono?
Jordan Lee thinks so. “I run a braid-to-mono leader for my walking baits, and I think I catch more fish because of it. Straight braid will straighten out hooks and pull fish off. Mono will give you that little bit of added stretch, and that can be the difference between hooking fish and losing ‘em.”
“The mono will keep your topwater from fouling up in the hooks as much,” adds Matt Lee. “I also use mono as backing on many of my reels. But I definitely think you’ll continue to see flourocarbon get better and better. I run Seaguar line, and the strength of that 6–8-pound Tatsu fluorocarbon is unbelievable. Expect that to continue to improve.”
<h4>The Next Generation of Pros: Opens or College?</h4> <B>Local jackpots, B.A.S.S. Nation, Opens, high school, college and more—Where will the next generation of pros come from?</b><br> Ask any angler or fishing fan to list their top 25 professional anglers, and you’ll receive a wide variety of answers. But one constant will be the presence of young guns such as Jordan and Matt Lee, Jacob Wheeler, Brandon Palaniuk among others.<bR> But where do these perennial contenders come from? What’s the best path to the Elite Series for young anglers? The pros weigh-in. “College is the way to go now,” says Jordan Lee. “The Carhartt College Tour gave me the opportunity that I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else. But the best thing to do is to do it all, fish college and whatever BFL or local tournaments are available.”<BR> “The rising competition level of the college tours is nothing but a good thing,” says Matt Lee. “Kids are making the decision to go to school and get a degree because of these teams. But they can’t forget the value of experiencing as many fisheries as possible. When they get to the professional level, they’ll be fishing against guys who have spent years competing on countless bodies of water.”<BR> “It used to take 4-5 years before an angler hit their stride on a tour,” says Terry Scroggins. “Because of the internet and online resources available to these college kids, you’re seeing the learning curve speed way up. You’ll continue to see the college kids rise the ranks because of how much info they soak up.”
The Next Generation of Pros: Opens or College?
Local jackpots, B.A.S.S. Nation, Opens, high school, college and more—Where will the next generation of pros come from?
Ask any angler or fishing fan to list their top 25 professional anglers, and you’ll receive a wide variety of answers. But one constant will be the presence of young guns such as Jordan and Matt Lee, Jacob Wheeler, Brandon Palaniuk among others.
But where do these perennial contenders come from? What’s the best path to the Elite Series for young anglers? The pros weigh-in.
“College is the way to go now,” says Jordan Lee. “The Carhartt College Tour gave me the opportunity that I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else. But the best thing to do is to do it all, fish college and whatever BFL or local tournaments are available.”
“The rising competition level of the college tours is nothing but a good thing,” says Matt Lee. “Kids are making the decision to go to school and get a degree because of these teams. But they can’t forget the value of experiencing as many fisheries as possible. When they get to the professional level, they’ll be fishing against guys who have spent years competing on countless bodies of water.”
“It used to take 4-5 years before an angler hit their stride on a tour,” says Terry Scroggins. “Because of the internet and online resources available to these college kids, you’re seeing the learning curve speed way up. You’ll continue to see the college kids rise the ranks because of how much info they soak up.”
<h4>10 Foot Rods: Does the Rule Change Matter?</h4> <B>What’s the impact of 10 foot rods?</b><BR> All three pros largely agreed you won’t be seeing a heroic rise of 10-foot rods.<BR> Matt Lee laid out the limitations of such a long rod. “I don’t see it making a difference in competition,” he says. “I know some folks were curious enough to try it, but there are reasons it won’t explode in popularity. For one, it’ll cost rod companies more to ship a 10-footer than it does to make it. Also, you can’t fit it in any boat’s rod locker. There are barriers to it becoming popular to the masses.”
10 Foot Rods: Does the Rule Change Matter?
What’s the impact of 10 foot rods?
All three pros largely agreed you won’t be seeing a heroic rise of 10-foot rods.
Matt Lee laid out the limitations of such a long rod. “I don’t see it making a difference in competition,” he says. “I know some folks were curious enough to try it, but there are reasons it won’t explode in popularity. For one, it’ll cost rod companies more to ship a 10-footer than it does to make it. Also, you can’t fit it in any boat’s rod locker. There are barriers to it becoming popular to the masses.”
<h4>Bassmaster LIVE: Good for The Sport? The Lake?</h4> <B>Technique, lake pressure and elevating the sport to a new level of spectator exposure—is Bassmaster LIVE good for fishing?</b><BR> The overwhelming majority of anglers and fans support LIVE, though the anglers lay out pros and cons.<BR> Top competitive angling has joined other popular sports in touting live coverage of competition. You’re seeing hundreds of thousands of views on LIVE events. To put it bluntly, it changed the sport for the better. Too, viewers are getting never-before- seen, real-time lessons on an important element of bass fishing: Decision making. That skill is invaluable as an angler.<BR> The Bad: top anglers can't keep secrets any more. LIVE exposes their techniques and location on a lake. Local angler pressure during and post event can be an added strain on the lake.<BR> Scroggins notes that when specific spots get LIVE exposure, especially offshore, they can get more pressure. “They’ll turn into community holes, and before long they won’t be as good as they’d been,” he says. “Thing is, the lake doesn’t just make more spots like it.”
Bassmaster LIVE: Good for The Sport? The Lake?
Technique, lake pressure and elevating the sport to a new level of spectator exposure—is Bassmaster LIVE good for fishing?
The overwhelming majority of anglers and fans support LIVE, though the anglers lay out pros and cons.
Top competitive angling has joined other popular sports in touting live coverage of competition. You’re seeing hundreds of thousands of views on LIVE events. To put it bluntly, it changed the sport for the better. Too, viewers are getting never-before- seen, real-time lessons on an important element of bass fishing: Decision making. That skill is invaluable as an angler.
The Bad: top anglers can’t keep secrets any more. LIVE exposes their techniques and location on a lake. Local angler pressure during and post event can be an added strain on the lake.
Scroggins notes that when specific spots get LIVE exposure, especially offshore, they can get more pressure. “They’ll turn into community holes, and before long they won’t be as good as they’d been,” he says. “Thing is, the lake doesn’t just make more spots like it.”
<h4<On-Stage or On-The-Water: The Future of Weigh-Ins</h4> <B>The Bassmaster Texas Fest begs the question: Will on- the-water weigh-ins replace the stage?</b><BR> For the past two years the Bassmaster Texas Fest and the Classic Bracket tournaments have used a new weigh-in format, calling on marshals (or judges) to weigh each of the competitors’ keeper bass on the water. As a result, the BASSTrakk leaderboards were typically 100 percent accurate, and the majority of the fish were released immediately after being caught.<BR> Missing was the excitement, hype, and dramatic reveal of on- stage weigh-ins.<BR> Jordan Lee believes the idea behind the new format is a good one, but should never be used on the Elite Series. “I definitely see the good when it comes to fish care, but there are just too many variables when you are competing at the Elite level. When it’s a game of ounces, can you really trust 108 different marshals or competitors with different scales? There’s just too much on the line to not have everyone weigh on the same scale.”
The Bassmaster Texas Fest begs the question: Will on- the-water weigh-ins replace the stage?
For the past two years the Bassmaster Texas Fest and the Classic Bracket tournaments have used a new weigh-in format, calling on marshals (or judges) to weigh each of the competitors’ keeper bass on the water. As a result, the BASSTrakk leaderboards were typically 100 percent accurate, and the majority of the fish were released immediately after being caught.
Missing was the excitement, hype, and dramatic reveal of on- stage weigh-ins.
Jordan Lee believes the idea behind the new format is a good one, but should never be used on the Elite Series. “I definitely see the good when it comes to fish care, but there are just too many variables when you are competing at the Elite level. When it’s a game of ounces, can you really trust 108 different marshals or competitors with different scales? There’s just too much on the line to not have everyone weigh on the same scale.”