While “off the shelf” fishing rods are good for basically anyone and work just fine. For the avid bass tournament angler, custom rods often become an ending to a search for the perfect fishing rod. Making that personal choice! Getting something specific to the kind of fishing you really do! Sure I can catch fish with an ugly stick but, you can’t feel that “extra sensory power” of a JB custom rod if you only have an ugly stick. Just ask the college bass fishing team from North Carolina this past year, they choose custom fishing rods. The NC bass fishing team uses JB Custom fishing rods, and believe me, they know the difference between them and your average off the shelf rod for bass. The custom bass rods made by John Ballard are well worth the step up when you’re ready. (read more about the college bass win)

Get the length/action you want, get the colors you want and feel more of everything while bass fishing. You can see in the picture below some examples of this years custom line of fishing rods by JB Custom Rods. The looks of your new custom rod are just the beginning, there is so much more that goes into making just the right rod for you and it begins with your inquiry. If you ever wanted more information about a custom fishing rod, John Ballard will give you answers. His fishing rods are top notch and he can build that perfect rod just for you like he did for Guido Hibdon and many other professional bass anglers around the country.

Feel free to check them out, these fishing rods are the ticket. You can visit JB’s website right here: CustomBassRods.com for more detailed information about his line of rods, custom rod building services and contact information.

If you are interested in one of his 2009 line of custom fishing rods, you can also view and purchase them online here: Cast Away Fishing Supply.

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Just yesterday, I ran across two magazines with interesting reading worth mentioning. I’m sure there is plenty other great things I missed elsewhere but, these two articles are our focus today. One thing is for sure; when I page through a magazine and find reference to or an article about a bait I use, I’m ecstatic about it. In-Fisherman and Bassin’ both had great issues this month and the two articles that were great to see in print.

Feb. 2009 In-Fisherman article by Gord Pyzer. Giant Gators Galore! page 53

Seeing the Scrounger get referenced to in this article was great. It’s just more proof the Scrounger works, this I have known and talked about for two years now. If the Scrounger can produce so well for Gord Pyzer for these giant Pike on his trip to Kesagami Lake, imagine what it could do in your hands.  Gord has aslo supplied photos of big lake trout caught using the Scrounger months before through the wintertime ice.

The Scrounger Jig makes swimbaits extra special. The action of the jig alone is enough but, when you add your favorite swimbait, it’s magic in the making. These giants and this article are just scratching the surface of what this lure can do.

Quite a few guides report increased crappie and Striper using the scrounger jig. I personally have used a scrounger and caught Lm/Sm bass, crappie, pickerel, perch and sunfish and have seen pictures of catfish caught using scroungers. They even work for saltwater species of fish.  Add your plastic bait and go fish it once, the most interchangeable, universal or versatile jighead on the market by far. The bait can be what ever you make it; skirts, hair and any kind of plastic can be added as a trailer to build a bait that works for you, for any species of fish.

What kind of fish do you catch using a Scrounger?

Feb. 2009 Bassin’ Special Issue “Bass Baits”. 50 Best New Baits page 21

The article references 50 new baits to be on the lookout for this year. There sure is some great new baits listed in this article and I respect their opinion but, I can think of a few other lures that could have been mentioned or substituted. There is only one product listed that I currently use and I only see a handful of lures that look to be a significant improvement over something already available to anglers. The one product listed that stands out for me is the Ragetail Anaconda.

The Rage Tail Anaconda was released last fall and to describe it in a few words, One Excellent Worm!  The Anaconda in either a 7″ & 10″ length is available in enough colors to trigger that bite on a lake near you. The Rage Tail lineup of baits by Strikeking has changed things across the board for plastic baits, and the Anaconda is just one of them. Be sure to give them a look, the Rage Tail lineup may have just what your looking for.

Do any of the baits listed in the article make a difference to you? Do you think they missed something?

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I just have to wonder, how many more nails can be put in the coffin of B.A.S.S. before ESPN is done tearing down the “grass roots” values B.A.S.S. was built upon by Ray Scott so long ago. I would imagine even Ray thinks some of these changes are ridiculous at times. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t understand the Elite angler position. Elite Anglers are fishing as a job, they face hurdles everyday out there; they have hopes of cashing a check, earning points and staying in the upper tiers of the bass fishing spot light. Who could blame them, they worked hard to get there and they earned their place as an Elite.

Now I admit, a co-angler can certainly have an impact on an “Elite Anglers” day on the water but, the co-angler is not your competitor. Quite frankly, you’re the “Elite Angler” (in the front of the boat) and if you missed that LM Bass that your co-angler caught, you had your chance, too bad! Things like that happen and that is why it’s called “Fishing”.

In the above ESPN blog, there are quite a few quotes from anglers and manufacturers that I would like to share with my personal opinions below them.

Greg Hackney was quoted as saying, “It’s the greatest thing to ever happen to the sport of bass fishing”

I personally find that really hard to digest when I think about the co-anglers and some of their dreams to maybe rub shoulders with the Elite by fishing as a co-angler some day. Am I to assume he (Greg Hackney) never fished as a co-angler climbing the ranks, I couldn’t really tell you. Does he forget that he was just an angler nobody knew at one time to?

“I certainly understand how the pros feel,” said Eric Naig of Pure Fishing, who has competed as co-angler. “But as a manufacturer it’s a little disappointing, because it’s been a great way for us to grow our pyramid of influence. I do understand, though.”

Not only will co-anglers feel the brunt of this decision but, manufacturers will also suffer from this imo. Most all the tackle companies rely on anglers for promotion, product visibility and education about their products at these tournaments through personal interaction. Let’s face it, without your aspiring bass angler buying their products, where would you and they be. Most of these same co-anglers are the bass fisherman that; cover the cost of your ELITE SPONSORS PAYCHECK, these same anglers are working with children and the public to ensure this great sport for future generations in their hometowns, while you fly or drive around to appear for a commercial or special event that revolves around sales.

“This is our job, though,” said Kevin Short, an Elite Series competitor who has been outspoken in his blogs on ESPNOutdoors.com about the role co-anglers play in the outcome of these events. “None of those guys are showing up trying to make their house payment or take care of their bills. They get to fish, possibly win, and go home. But in the process they can also change the outcome of one of our tournaments and impact a pro’s career.”

This is the one quote that I feel is really insensitive, careless & just plain ridiculous. What color are the clouds where you come from Kevin? Fact is, everyone is fishing in the competition to win, because they are competitive. I would also venture to say that most of the co-anglers face more of a financial burden to fish these tournaments than you and the other Elite Anglers dollar for dollar. Your entry fee might be more but, you have contributing sponsors helping you along. Most of the co-anglers are doing it all out of pocket and I’m sure there has been quite a few that have gone so far as to re-mortgage a house just to fish tournaments at this level and get a chance to fish with you Elite Bass Anglers. Don’t think for a minute that just because your an Elite, that you have it that much worse than the other guy that is supporting your sponsors and paying his own way.

“You’ve got to be careful with what you’re doing here,” said Elite Series angler Peter Thliveros. “Co-anglers are the guys that have perpetuated the myth of a lot of the top guys.

“Their word of mouth is how a lot of this industry was built to this point. Maybe so many of the stories don’t get out the way they used to and it turns into NASCAR where everybody knows you, but they don’t know you.”

Well said Peter! This decision will just add to the list of ways ESPN/Disney is loosing sight of what B.A.S.S. was once made of.

In Closing

As much as I would like to start adding quotes from the responses to this article and comment about them, I will leave that up to you to read and think about.

I would hope that someday soon, the bass fishing public can find out just where each of these ELITE ANGLERS stood concerning this decision. Maybe some of their sponsors should think about what kind of guy they are sponsoring and the possible snow-balling effect may have on them. As for the major B.A.S.S. sponsors, I hope it’s all worth it in the end without a following of anglers. It may be a good time to stock up on FLW Anglers. It is no wonder so many anglers have gone to FLW and I imagine many more will be making the switch soon enough.

If you would like to comment on this decision here, feel free. This is one topic that people should talk about.

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