Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
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Z-man Report
Z-man Mini Max
Behind the scenes, even before anglers tasted success with the ChatterBait JackHammer and its now-legendary bass vibes, the Z-Man architects were already on the water and at the whiteboard, conceiving the next phase of the bladed bass jig. On the magnum end of the hex-blade spectrum, Z-Man pro Bryan Thrift constructed the rod-pulsing Big Blade™ ChatterBait.
Z-Man champion Luke Clausen sang a different bass-attracting tune— a little ditty dedicated to small-fry forage, JackHammer-level lure quality and a slightly different vibe.
The ChatterBait MiniMax is already being heralded as an intelligent fish catching design with bulletproof componentry.
“One of our primary goals in designing the MiniMax was to give anglers a high-performance bladed jig in a compact package that handles big bruiser smallmouths and 5-pound-plus largemouths just as effortlessly as the JackHammer,” says Clausen. “When you examine the MiniMax’s hook, blade, skirt, and overall design, its pro-grade construction comes shining through.”
Bladed Jig Dissection
A tournament-quality bladed jig in a bite-size package, the ChatterBait MiniMax employs a premium heavy-duty 2/0 black-nickel hook for easy jaw penetration and maximum holding power. Dual molded conical keeper barbs lock soft plastic trailers tight to the jig. While wire-tied silicone skirts extend the life of each vibrant strand, even when big bass wolf it down.
As Clausen further explains, the ChatterBait MiniMax performs new and different bladed jig presentations, made possible by the lure’s subtle, refined frame.
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St. Croix Report
Cranking for bass
Cast out the lure, start reeling, set the hook, fight the fish. That’s how many of us view fishing crankbaits, and the simple system works. The reality is, however, that more fish are lost on crankbaits that any other style of artificial lure.
Why is that? How is it possible that a bass can come unhooked from a lure armed with six separate hook points?
Reaction baits are named as such because they trigger a predatory reaction from gamefish.
Because these baits are moving when a bass hits them, it places special demands on the angler and the tackle. Specifically, the rod is already loaded when the fish hits – often violently – so there needs to be enough forgiveness in the tackle to keep the hooks from tearing free. This forgiveness can come from drag or from line stretch, but most significantly from the action of the rod itself.
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Bassmaster Classic
When it comes to the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota, Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees has more than lived up to its name.
The 46,500-acre fishery provided some of the grandest moments in the history of the event when Classics were held there in 2013 and 2016 — and now, the picturesque reservoir located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains will add to that grand lore when it plays host to the 54th renewal of the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing March 22-24, 2024.
B.A.S.S. made the announcement at a press conference in Tulsa on Tuesday morning, nearly 13 months before the event will take place.
“Planning the Bassmaster Classic, the greatest celebration of the sport of fishing, is a never-ending process,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “The B.A.S.S. team has been working with the people of Tulsa for well over a year to make this a reality.
“Now that it’s official, we couldn’t be more excited to be headed back to a city and fishery that already hold a special place in Classic history and is such an important area to the fishing community.”
As with past Classics held in Tulsa, daily weigh-ins will be held at the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa, with the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo across the street at the Cox Business Convention Center, which boasts 275,000 square feet of event space. Daily takeoffs will be held about 90 miles away at the Wolf Creek Park and Boating Facility on Grand Lake.
Previous Bassmaster Classics drew phenomenal crowds lakeside and to packed venues around the “Capital of Route 66,” and more than 105,000 enthusiastic fans are expected for Classic Week festivities.
“When you saw 3,000 fans standing out in the freezing-cold weather every morning to watch the competitors launch their boats, that pretty much told you everything you needed to know,” said Eric Lopez, director of operations for B.A.S.S. “The people in that area love B.A.S.S. and bass fishing — and for those traveling in from out of town, the area has a fabulous selection of restaurants and hotels to choose from.