B.A.S.S. To Move Back To Alabama

B.A.S.S. was founded by Ray Scott in 1968 in Montgomery, Alabama. Their office remained in Montgomery until moving to Orlando in 2005. The organization had been purchased by ESPN in 2001 and they decided on the move to Orlando. Now after new ownership purchased the organization back from ESPN (November 2010), B.A.S.S is moving back to Alabama, this time to Birmingham.

When asked why the move back to Alabama, there were lots of reasons sighted including being more centrally located to their sponsored events, as well as the fact that more bass pro fishermen live in the state than any other. In my opinion those are valid points, but the real reason is that the new owners needed to show they are creating a new identity. In this case they may be trying to create the old identity that people missed.

Guide to Catching Bass by Kevin VanDam

Kevin VanDam shares some incredible information about the 6 seasons of bass fishing. It is probably the most comprehensive and helpful guide I have read. I think you'll find this information helpful, although it may be of greatest benefit when you fish in unfamiliar waters. The 6 seasons of bass fishing are Winter (48 degrees and below), prespawn (48 to 55 degrees), spawn (55 to 70 degrees), postspawn (70 to 75 degrees), Summer (75 to 90+ degrees), and Fall (75 to 55 degrees). The details in this article will definitely make you a better bass fisherman. Click on the link to read the article published in bassmaster.com.

I'm going out this afternoon so I will follow KVD's advice and look for vertical structure as suggested for the Winter season. Thanks for your advice. I'll let you know how I do.

Fishing T-Shirt Of The Week - Redneck Bass

Since I was born and raised in redneck county, that would be Texas, this is one of the best t-shirts I've seen in a while. A creative image that is available in both long and short sleeve t-shirts as well as in a sweatshirt. Multiple color options are also available.

Click on the link or the image to find more information about the Redneck Bass shirt.

Hunting and Fishing Help the Economy $730 Billion

If you're like me you like to hunt and fish simply for the enjoyment of the outdoors and the camaraderie of being with friends and family (plus I'm much better at fishing than golf). However, from an economic standpoint, the industry is BIG business and has a tremendous impact on our economy.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced recently that the hunting and fishing industry pumps $730 billion into the economy annually. And, one out of every 20 jobs is related to the recreation industry. So let's continue to protect it and teach our kids how to enjoy the outdoors as much as we do. 
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Nanofil From Berkley - Review

Several weeks ago I decided I would give Berkley's new fishing line, Nanofil, a try. I've fished with it three times now. It is known as a uni-filament and is designed to be used on a spinning reel. I would say it does live up to the hype and that it is definitely different than anything I've thrown before.

The first thing I noticed is that it casts farther than any line I've used previously. It is very light and has almost no drag, so it casts a country mile. Also, it doesn't seem to stretch at all. I could feel every movement and bump of my lure as I retrieved it. I fished with 8 lb. test, it was certainly strong, but I still managed to break it a few times as I snagged some structure. I would rate the strength similar to braid. Another good feature is that it didn't seem to have any line memory which I really like.

The only negative I can say about it is that because it is so slick and has no memory, it spooled a little loose on my spinning reel. It didn't cause a problem, but it appears to be loose at times between casts. Berkley does recommend a special knot be used. See the video below. I used a cinch knot and it worked fine. Next time I'll try this one.

All in all, I give Nanofil very high marks. The new technology continues to amaze me.

Asian Carp A New Delicacy

Prior to 1980, redfish was not particularly popular and certainly wasn't served in restaurants. Then renowned chef Philippe Parola created a recipe he called "Blackened Redfish" that became so popular that it strained the population of the species. Wow, what if the same could be done with Asian Car? Could that species become a popular food so that commercial fisherman would harvest them and they wouldn't do so much damage to our fisheries?

Well, Chef Parola is at it again. He is working to create demand with a customized processing method and re-branding Asian Carp to be know as Silverfin. He hopes to popularize the brand with value added, boneless, pre-cooked and flavored Silverfin fillets. This re-branding has been done before such as Chilean Sea Bass which was known previously as Patagonian Toothfish. That is the power of marketing.

So look for Silverfin to show up in stores soon. Not only can you enjoy its unique taste, you will also be ridding our fisheries of this pest.

This post is brought to you by RecycledFish.org.