Texas Bass Fishing Mag Winter 2010

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Winter 2010

FREE ISSUE

Lance Vick’s

Fihig Tric

When All Else Fails....

TRAP IT!

Angler Profile Tom Jessup



Conroe Team Series Hosted By: Stow-A-Way Marina

Tournament Director: Jim Brockman

January 30February 20March 27

April 17May 15June 12

Championship - October 01 & 02Calcutta - September

Cedar Creek Team Series Hosted By: Log Cabin

Tournament Director: Ian Coleman

February 20March 20 April 10May 01May 22June 12

Championship - October 08 & 09Calcutta - October 7th

Livingston Team Series Hosted By: Kickapoo Marina


February 12March 12 April 02May 07June 04July 09

Championship - September 17thCalcutta - September 16

Sample Team Series

Paybacks $125 Entry Fee (88% total payback)

(1 for 6 Based on 60 Paid Entries)

1st - $2,225 6th - $2402nd - $1,070 7th - $2103rd - $635 8th - $1804th - $400 9th - $1605th - $280 10th - $150

Big Bass - $300

Conroe Super Team Series Hosted By: Stow-A-Way Marina


January 16February 06February 27March 20

April 10May 22

Championship - October 15 & 16Calcutta - October 14

Sample Super Team Series

Paybacks $250 Entry Fee (90% total payback)


1st - $6,000 6th - $4752nd - $1,250 7th - $375

3rd - $900 8th - $3504th - $675 9th - $325

5th - $550 10th - $300Big Bass - $500

Sample Individual Series

Paybacks $105 entry fee w/optional $20 side pot (85.7% total

payback)


1st - $1,225 4th - $2752nd - $675 5th - $190

3rd - $375 6th - $160

Big Bass - $200

Conroe Individual Series Hosted By: Stow-A-Way Marina


January 23February 13March 13 April 03

May 01June 05June 26July 10

Championship - September 25Calcutta - September 24

N e w

Sup e r T e am Se r i e s

O V E R $ 1 0, 0 0 0 P A Y O U T ! *

BASED ON 60 ENTRIES

*

Cedar Creek

Conroe

Livingston

Jim Brockman

Conroe/Livingston

281-433-8360

Ian Coleman

Cedar Creek

972-351-2411



Publisher/EditorEddie R. Thomas

Executive EditorDoris Thomas

Graphic Designer/Illustrator

Jason Yates

ContributorsSteve PriceRuss Clark

Cody GreaneyDoris ThomasShane BeilueSarah Henry

Advertising(936) 588-4500

[email protected]

Director of Sales: Eddie ThomasSales Manager: Jason Yates

Sales: Tanner Morgan

Subscription Inormation936-588-4500

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Reproduction or use of editorial

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FEATURES

ColUmnS

Texas Bass Fishing Magazine | Winter 2010 3

Bassin Babes......................06Essential Cold Bassin’ Checklist......................05

Toyota Shaelunke Has Begun!......................08

Lance Vick’s

14 Steve Price


IT !T R A P

10Russ Clark


20 Shane Beilue



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Cody Greaney


Essential Cold

Bassin’ Checklist

he Bass don’t just stop biting when

it gets cold. Tey might eat less

oten, but typically eat bigger meals,

right? Tat tends to not just be the bass this

time o year, but the sherman as well. When

lakes are virtually vacant and sh are steadily

getting bigger why not get out there and take

advantage o some potentially record days

on the cold waters. Here is a top-ten list to

remember while shing these cooler months.Some might be obvious and some are just or

pure comort.

Socks: Ater parking the truck, you make

your way lake side and while jumping aboard

the boat the toe o your shoe brushes the water.

Cold, wet eet equal a long and potentially

dangerous day. Bring an extra pair o socks on

each outing. Might sound strange but on more

than one occasion has this been an issue.

Water: You are surrounded by water, have

downed a gallon o coee and you are shing

in 30-40 degree weather...this equals a perect

concoction or dehydration. Yup, that’s it,

drink plenty o water.

Life Jacket : Picture this... You lean over to

pick up resh bait just as your shing partner

hits the trolling motor and you stumble,

bobbling around in your sumo suit o cold

weather clothing, alling o the side and

SPLASH! By the time your partner realizes what has happened and monkey walks his way

to you, your heavy clothing is immersed with

water sinking like a 5 oz. lead weight. Scary,

but too oten are these stories o reality rom

sherman just like you.

Honey Bun: On a cold morning every

good cup o coee must be enjoyed with this

carbohydrate, sugar engrossed, and gas station

delicacy. It’s crucial.

Reel/Line Conditioner: Line memory

nightmares can be easily overcome with a

couple sprays. Not to get super scientic, but

with the onset o cool weather comes a stier

line, more prone to memory. Not to mention

having to pull a backlash out while wearing

your wie’s snow skiing gloves.

Sun Screen: Te sun is still out. Tough

it is not literally melting your skin like thebrutal summer months in exas, there are still

harmul, cancer causing rays that need to be

blocked. Protect your skin.

Frozen Boat Scenario: Oten a night’s

rost can literally reeze the entire boat including

the latched lockers and steering. Rather than

nding this out while oating helplessly, be

sure to check your boat and release

any rozen areas beore dropping

the boat in the Arctic Sea. Do

this not only or saety issues,

like being able to steer the boat

and get to re extinguishers, but

or the more important stu like

your bait box and live wells.

Gloves or Not : It is

important to eel your line or

subtle bites during the winter

months but do you sacrice

a nger to rost bite or it?

Tere are various theoriesand suggestions that

usually oat around

this time o year about

glove selection. Te best

way to decide what works

best or you is to try them all.

Neoprene is sometimes thick but

great or water contact. Gol gloves are

popular, especially the ones that are lined

with a eece type material. You should nd

some gloves that work or your style and wear

them.

More Clothes: In the hot days o summer,

there are numerous ways to cool o. In the

colder months it is harder to warm up ater

getting cold. Pack clothes, jackets and extra

jackets that have pockets ull o clothes and

jackets. Ok, maybe I went little overboard, buthaving too many warm clothes in the boat is a

more o a comort than the contrary.

Bring ONLY the Willing : I you have

to beg, cry and pry someone to get on the

water with you, you will have to endure the

whining and constant complaining rom the

curled up ball o clothes laying in the oor o

the boat. Tis is not the time to invite

someone who is new to the sport o

bass shing, unless you never want

them to sh again. In that case,

Fish ON!Some o the best and

largest sh are caught pre-spawn

and in some lakes in the heart o

the spawn that alls during our

winterish months. Not that we

have to drill through ice to sh,

but it can still get rough out

there and a ew comorts go

a long way while on the

water. Fish hard and

sh smart.



6 Texas Bass Fishing Magazine | Winter 2010

Baiting the Hook for the Next Generation Doris Thomas

Bassin Babes Columnist

hese days the activities available or

kids are limitless. From sports, to

dancing, there is an organization or

club or just about everything out there. Te

problem with a lot o these activities is that the

participation is limited to the child competing

in the event. While we as parents

love to sit on the sidelines

cheering on our children, we

are also always in search o

activities that the whole amily

can do together. Bass shing

is something that ts the bill.

From the youngest member o

the amily to the oldest, shing

is something that everyone can

enjoy and participate in. Now

Bass Fishing is taking it to thenext level by oering tournaments

or kids to participate in.

Ignition Bass Youth Fishing League (YFL)

is an organization that is doing just that by

oering youth the opportunity to Bass Fish

on the tournament level. It provides the

opportunity to introduce kids to the world

o tournament shing, being competitive

and winning prizes. It oers the opportunity

or kids to meet other kids interested in bass

shing in a amily riendly environment.

Te Ignition Bass Youth Fishing League was

started in 2009. It is a nonprot rail, where

all money raised during the season goes to

providing awards and prizes during that season.

Anglers compete against other anglers o his or

her division. Points and prizes

are awarded on a per division basis. For the

2011 season there are three Divisions.

· Little League (6-9)

· Minor League (10-13)

· Major League (14-17)

Te division splits allow or shing ability

to be spread more equally. In the Little League

Division, the boater is allowed to help with

casting, netting, lure selections, etc. to help

the smaller anglers put sh in the boat, but

not actually catch the sh or them. In the

Major League, the boater is not allowed to sh

at all while in the Minor League, the boater

may sh but cannot help provide sh or assist

in catching sh other than net the sh. Te

boater cannot add sh to the count

in any Divisions.

Te top 6 anglers in each

division advance to the Year End

Championships. $8400 o prizes

was given out each year. Te Angler

o the Year (op Points Winner) in

each division is also awarded a

plaque.

ournament shing is a

great way to get the amily

outdoors and spending quality time together. Nothing beats the

look on a child’s ace when they land their

rst bass. Why not take it to that next level and

let your child compete in bass shing? Who

knows you might have the next Kevin Van

Dam on your hands.

I you would like more inormation on

Ignition Bass Youth Fishing League, along with

entry orms you can visit their website at:

w w w . y f l . i g n i t i o n b a s s . c o m

Feburary 19 - Lake Livingston - Kickapoo Marina

March 19 - Lake Conroe - Stow-A-Way Marina

April 09 - Lake Sam Rayburn - Jackson Hill Marina

April 30 - Lake Somerville - Overlook Park

May 21 - Lake Sam Rayburn - Jackson Hill Marina

June 18 - Lake Livingston - Kickapoo Marina

2011 YFL Schedule

Sept. 24 - Championship - BD




www.txbassmag.com

Send your ideas, photos & comments, to:[email protected]

Visit our Website at:

ALTON JONES Signing a fan’s copyof Texas Bass Fishing Magazine at The

2010 C.A.S.T. Classic Banquet heldon October 22, in Lufkin, Texas

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exas Parks and Wildlie

Department will begin

accepting entries into

the oyota ShareLunker

program October 1, 2010.

Anyone legally catching

a 13-pound or bigger

largemouth bass rom exas waters, public or private, between

October 1 and April 30 may submit the sh to the oyota

ShareLunker program by calling program manager David

Campbell at (903) 681-0550 or paging him at (888) 784-0600

and leaving a phone number including area code. Fish will be

picked up by PWD personnel within 12 hours.

Proper care and handling o big bass is perhaps the single mostimportant actor in their survival. Last season produced 33 entries,

and all but our survived. “I urge anglers to go to the ShareLunker

web site and review the inormation on how to take care o big

bass,” said Campbell. “It’s also important to be prepared to catch

a big sh when you go shing. ake the ShareLunker phone

number and your cell phone with you. Have your livewell lled.

Put your net where you can reach it while ghting a big sh. And

get the sh to a minnow tank at a marina or bait shop or to an

ofcial ShareLunker holding station as soon as possible ater you

catch it.”

Some tournament organizers now recognize the importance o

immediately weighing possible ShareLunkers and transerring

them to a holding tank beore ofcial weigh-ins, a trend Campbell

would like to see spread. “Holding a big sh in a livewell or hours

decreases their chances or survival,” he said. “In addition to the

stress o being held in a small space, temperature and oxygen levels

may not be optimal, and ammonia levels may rise. Commercially

available livewell additives can help, but it’s always best or thesh to be in a tank big enough or them to swim around in.”

Te current season marks the 25th year o the program. o date

504 sh have been entered into the program. Tose sh have

come rom 61 dierent public reservoirs and nearly two dozen

private lakes.

ShareLunker entries are used in a selective breeding program at

the exas Freshwater Fisheries Center (FFC) in Athens. Some

o the ospring rom these sh are stocked back into the water

body rom which they were originally caught. Other ShareLunker

ospring are stocked in public waters around the state in an

attempt to increase the overall size and growth rate o largemouth

bass in exas.

Anglers entering sh into the oyota ShareLunker program

will receive a ree replica o their sh, a certicate, ShareLunker

clothing and be recognized at a banquet at the exas Freshwater

Fisheries Center in Athens. In addition to this, i a exas anglercatches the largest entry o the year, that person will receive a

lietime shing license.

For complete inormation and rules o the ShareLunker program,

tips on caring or big bass and a recap o last year’s season, see www.

tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. Te site also includes a searchable

database o all sh entered into the program along with pictures

when available.

Inormation on current catches and other topics, along with

brie videos o angler interviews, will be posted as available

on the program’s Facebook page: http://www.acebook.com/

sharelunkerprogram.

Te oyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to

the exas Parks & Wildlie Foundation rom Gul States oyota.

oyota is a long-time supporter o the Foundation and exas

Parks and Wildlie Department, providing major unding or a

wide variety o education, sh, parks and wildlie projects.

T o y o t a S h a r e L u n k e r

S e a s o n H a s B e g u n !

SHARELUNKERTEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE




ShareLunker Program Accomplishments

In the course o caring or more than 500 largemouth bass weighing over13 pounds, the ShareLunker Program has:

1. improved knowledge o proper handling and care o big sh;

2. developed and communicated to anglers recommendations orhandling sh in ways that improve survival;

3. established weigh and holding stations at major reservoirs aroundthe state to improve the survival o big sh by providing the properenvironment or them until pickup by trained PWD personnel;

4. generated nationwide interest in exas bass shing and increasedtourism, as evident by 74 ShareLunkers having been caught by residentso 20 states other than exas;

5. documented the number o lakes producing 13-pound or larger bassrom one in 1980 to 61 by 2010;

6. created awareness o the value o catch-and-release shing;

7. developed a selective breeding program that produces broodsh usedthroughout the PWD hatchery system, helping spread ShareLunker-derived genetics to all public waters stocked with Florida largemouthbass by PWD;

8. generated ree publicity or bass shing in exas worth millions o dollars by providing the basis or thousands o newspaper, magazine,television, radio and electronic media stories;

9. provided unding to develop cutting-edge genetic ngerprintingtechniques that makes it possible or PWD to identiy ShareLunkersand their ospring stocked into public waters. Tese techniques alsomake possible:

· genetic identication using a minimally invasive n clip;· positive identication o ShareLunker ospring andconrmation o previously caught ShareLunkers shouldimplanted tags be unreadable;

· more accurate identication o intergrades (crosses betweenFlorida and northern largemouths) and easier determinationo parentage and relatedness among ShareLunkers,including identication o sisters submitted to theShareLunker program;

· genetic analysis o scale samples archived rom ShareLunkerssubmitted to the program beore the DNA ngerprintingtechniques were available;

· the search or genetic markers associated with ShareLunkers

and or gender determination. Samples are being analyzedin an attempt to determine i there is a specic gene thatinuences growth dierences.

10. Using genetic ngerprinting techniques developed in the last veyears, PWD has begun studies in selected public reservoirs using taggedShareLunker ospring (reerred to as Operation World Record or OWR sh) to determine the growth rate o OWR sh compared to otherlargemouth bass in those reservoirs. Results so ar show OWR sh growbigger aster.

Tese accomplishments have all been made using program sponsordollars and without additional sta over and above those required or

normal operation.

Texas Bass Fishing Magazine | Winter 2010





IT !T R A P

hroughout time, we have all been overwhelmed with

trying to understand article ater article on what

to do during the winter months. Water temps are

in the 40’s, wind is typically strong out o the north, and just

thinking about hitting the water sometimes takes all the energy

we have knowing the conditions we will ace. It’s been written

time and time again that the best technique is to slow down your

presentation during this time o year. I agree, and maintain this is

the primary technique to apply. However, there is one exception

to this rule and that is the Rattle rap, now commonly andaectionately known just as “THE TRAP” .

I’m not saying give up on that big black and blue jig around the

end o a deep dock, or that shaky head nessed down the rocks

on your avorite rip rap or even a weightless uke darting slowly

through your avorite timber spot. However, i you add the rap

to your arsenal this winter you may be surprised at the results.

Te rap bite is typically specic to grass this time o year, and

locating grass at dierent depths will increase your odds o having

a very productive day on the water. Tere are a couple o key

points to concentrate on when looking or the right grass. Shallow

grass growing rom the bank out, should cover main lake and

secondary points airly thick to a depth o 5’ running down bothsides o the bank rom the point. Mid depth grass will be in the

12’ range growing up rom the bottom, topping out about 5’ to

6’, and deep grass will top out around 12’ to 15’ on top o creek

bends and adjacent deep points.

Tere are three techniques that work best when it comes to shing

grass during the winter.

Feature by Russ ClarkIllustrations by Jason Yates



R IPPING

TICKING

Y O Y O


Is a technique that really works well at the

mid depth and deep grass locations. When shing grass at depths

deeper than 8’ eet, make long cast counting down to the top o

the grass then retrieving the rap airly ast back while ticking and

slightly maintaining contact with the grass, i the rap hangs then

sweep it, rip out and hang on!

Is a great dying shad technique which is best

suited or a deep grass presentation, but can also be utilized other

times o the year as well. Make your long cast and count down to

contact with the grass, once you eel the grass then stroke the rap

hard straight up, then let it utter back down and repeat. Tis

technique is not much dierent rom stroking a jig, and more

times than not the strike will happen on the all.

Is a technique that is best utilized when

shing shallow grass, but has its place in mid depth grass as well.

Cast the rap towards the bank retrieving it at a steady pace

gradually coming in contact with the grass, and at the last couple

o eet beore clearing the grass let it sink down while retrieving

into the grass and with a sweeping action, rip the rap ree. Te

strikes you will encounter shing a rap out o the grass will be

very aggressive.

oday’s market can be conusing at best when it comes to choosing the right rap. Model numbers seem to be endless when it comes to

keeping track o all the dierent size, types, and styles. My avorite rap when working grass has a rounded head like the Lucky Crat

LVR D -7 or LVR D – 10 in any variation o red, and the Sebile Flatt Shad 54 Rouge Craw.

Tings to consider when shing grass patterns:

· Locate the right grass (on points, around timber)

· Look or grass with new growth i possible.

· Work dierent depths and not stay to long at any depth that’s not producing.

· Current or ow is a plus i present.

· Be patient and condent, sh will be there.

As always, be sae on the water, think conservation, and introduce someone to shing!!!



Missoui PAA Po Angle Bian Snowden all alone on Lake

Conoe seaching o the eve elusive lagemouth. Snowden

was one o fty po angles that competed in the Toyota

Texas Bass Classic this Octobe. Snowden went on to win

the TTBC with a fnal thee day weigh-in o 48 pounds, 4

ounces.





P h o t o

b y

S a r a h

H e n r y



L a n

c e

V i c k ’ s

F i s h i n

g T r i c

k s

Veteran Lake Fork guide Lance Vick

doesn’t remember the exact date he

rst shed a Big Joe Flutter Spoon,

but does remember where he shed

it: at the end o Little Caney Point,

not ar rom the dam, where the

water drops rom 20 to 24 eet. He

caught enough bass that day, six years

ago, that the point is still one o his

regular spoon shing guide stops,

even though everyone else also knows

about it.

“It’s not so much the point

as it is the lure itsel,” laughs Vick,

who’s been taming Fork’s giants or

15 years. “During the cold weather

months, literally rom early October

ater the lake turns over, until pre-

spawn activity starts in January, a big

futter spoon is my preerred lure on

Fork, and it’ll denitely catch bass on

other Texas lakes, too.”

b y

S t e v e P

r i c e



Today, a number o lure makers sell their utter

spoons at tackle stores around the lake, but the

Big Joe, produced by Joe Spaits, owner o The

Tackle Factory on FM 17 in Alba, is the original. He’s been

selling them since 2003, and today they are sold and used

all over the world, not just or bass, but all reshwater and

some saltwater species.

“Flutter spoons dier rom jigging spoons in that

they are usually larger and have a wider, curved design so

they actually ‘utter’ or swim as they all,” explains Vick.

“That type o action imitates a shad or small orage fsh, and

because o its weight, the lure is easy to fsh in the deeper

20 to 35-oot range where bass and baitfsh stay in the

winter.”

“The Big Joe comes in both 5-inch, ¾-oz., and

6-inch, 1 ½-oz. sizes, and I just use trial and error to

determine which one the fsh preer when I start fshing.

The larger spoon has more surace area so it has a lot o

side-to-side sashaying action, but the smaller spoon alls a

littler slower. Some days the bass preer a larger lure and

other days they want the smaller one, so I always have both

rigged and ready to try.”

Because winter bass

requently gather in large,

tight schools near contour

changes, Vick concentrates

on humps and high spots

that break up a wide at or

the ends o long points that

drop into deeper water or creek

channels. Oten, however, the actual depth change may

be less than our eet, and the high spot itsel smaller than




the size o a bass boat. Vick regularly hauls in spoon-caught

bass in the our to 10-pound class at just such a high spot in

Mustang Creek, one o Fork’s most heavily fshed tributaries,

and he’s also caught his share o fsh on what’s locally known as

the Public Hump, a high spot south o the 2946 bridge where

the water drops rom 16 to 22 eet.

“I think bass concentrate around high spots because

these are places where they can actually shorten the water

column,” he explains. “Baitfsh regularly swim over the tops

o these high spots, and when the bass are on top o the

hump, they’re several eet closer to the orage when they start

eeding.

“I’d say at least 90% o the bites on a big utter spoon

come as the lure is alling,” he continues, “so creating alls is

usually the best way to retrieve around a high spot, and you can

do that either by reeling ast or with your

rod tip.”

“When I graph fsh, I throw out a

buoy but I don’t fsh the Big Joe vertically,

dropping it right on top o the bass. Instead,

I back away, then cast beyond the school and

let the spoon all to the bottom. Then, with

my rod at about 10 o’clock, I’ll crank the

reel as ast as I can fve or six times. This

causes the spoon to climb several eet o

the bottom, and then I lower my rod to let

the spoon utter back down. I repeat this

as I bring the spoon through the school o

fsh.”

This ast reeling presentation oten

works best when bass are active and holding

two to three eet above the bottom. I it





doesn’t produce any results, Vick uses his rod to lit the spoon,

and he tries dierent lits, depending on the aggressiveness o

the fsh. Just barely raising his rod tip may lit the spoon only six

or eight inches and produce more o a hopping retrieve, while a

swit, upward jerk o the rod may jump the spoon fve or six eet

o the bottom.

“You just have to try dierent things,” Vick emphasizes.

“It’s almost like fshing a jerkbait and trying to determine the

correct jerking rhythm bass want that day. Bass moods can

change day to day, too, but once you do get a bass to bite, you can

trigger a whole school into activity with a big utter spoon.”

“Even catching a yellow bass or white bass, which also

gather in large schools during the winter, can activate largemouths.

With one o these spoons, you’re liable to catch anything, and i

you hook a yellow bass, a big largemouth may even hit it as you’re

bringing it in.”

Vick fshes the Big Joe spoons on 15 and 20-pound

uorocarbon and with a 7-oot or longer heavy action rod,

primarily because o the weight o the lures and

the depth o water he’s fshing. Fluorocarbon

has very little stretch, making it ideal or deep

water hook-setting, and the stier rods can

certainly handle Fork’s big fsh.

Overall, the guide has recognized

that his spoon fshing success seems better

on bright, windy winter days, and that

it’s also better in the aternoons than in

the mornings. Vick thinks this may be

related to algae blooms, shad eating the

plankton, and larger orage species eeding

on the shad, which in turn generates more

largemouth interest.



THE MAN BEHIND THE BIG JOE

FLUTTER SPOON

The way Joe Spaits tells the story, it onlytook two years and one weekend for his Big JoeFlutter Spoon to become an overnight success.

“I was shing a jig one day down by the dam,”recalls Spaits, whose love of shing promptedhim to move to Lake Fork in 1991, “when Isaw a 12 to 14-inch gizzard shad leap out of thewater, immediately followed by a bass at leasttwice that long. I realized I needed somethingthat looked like that big shad.”

“I tried different materials, and nally settledon brass, because it had the best action. Mostof the utter spoons were, and still are, made of steel. They don’t cost as much, but they don’thave the same action, either.” Spaits wanted aspoon that would fall fairly slow but still have

plenty of uttering action, like a dying shad. Healso wanted his spoon to swim when he pulled itup off the bottom.

Spaits orders the spoons, either silver or gold plated and in both 5 and 6-inch sizes. Whenthey arrive he then adds a line-tie split ring and amylar-covered VMC treble before putting themout for sale. Even after he had the design andweight he liked, and had spent weeks shingthem successfully, he still hesitated to sell them

because he wasn’t sure bass shermen would buy them.

“One Friday afternoon, two shermen cameover from Dallas to spend the weekend shingat Lake Fork and each skeptically bought one of the lures,” remembers Spaits, who had namedhis creation the Big Joe Flutter Spoon, “and thenanother friend, who was also in my shop at thesame time, also bought one. I didn’t think muchmore about it until the phone started ringingMonday morning.”

“The rst callwas from the twoDallas anglers,who declaredthey’d had their

best shing tripever, and askedme to save adozen moreBig Joe spoons

for them. Fiveminutes later my other friendcalled and toldme he’d caughtan 8-12 on hisrst cast withthe spoon andan 8-14 on hissecond cast.”

Kelly Jordon, aformer Lake Fork guide and multiple Bassmaster tournament winner, then nished 7th using theBig Joe spoon at Kentucky Lake, and withinthree weeks more than 25 other pros orderedspoons, including FLW veteran Mark Rose, whoattributed much of his FLW Stren championshipwin to the Big Joe.

“It just grew from there,” says Spaits, whoreadily admits he has been surprised at boththe success of his lure as well as its longevityin the market. An original order of 200 spoonswas quickly replaced by a weekly order of 500;that soon increased to 1,000 per week, and then2,000.

Today, the Big Joe Flutter Spoon is solddirectly at The Tackle Factory in Alba whereSpaits makes them (3205 N. Hwy. 17; 903-765-3398); at nearby Lake Fork Marina(903-765-2764); and on the marina’s website(www.lakeforkmarina.com). The spoons, nowavailable in a dozen color congurations and in

both the 5 and 6-inch sizes, are shipped aroundthe world for both fresh and saltwater species.

It may have taken two years for Spaits to perfect the Big Joe Flutter Spoon, but it only

took one weekend to become an overnightsuccess – and that success seems likely tocontinue for years to come.


Occasionally, Vick uses a Big Joe spoon to catch

schooling bass. Again, the trick is making long casts,

but letting the spoon all only about two eet below

the surace instead o all the way to the bottom. He

adds steady rod tip motion as he retrieves to make the

spoon rise and all as it swims through the bass.

“There are a lot o dierent ways to fsh a big

utter spoon,” concludes Vick, “and I’m sure the lures

will also work in warm weather when bass are deep,

too. Right now, however, when the water is getting

colder and the fsh are becoming less and less active, I

don’t think you can make a better lure choice.”





In Pursuit of the Classic...

E very tournament bass angler has

dreamed o the chance to fsh the

Bassmaster’s Classic – the pinnacle

o tournament angling. The winner o the

sport’s premier event is an instant household

name with the guarantee o multiple product

endorsements leading to thousands o dollars

in prize money.

The pursuit o that dream has two

avenues: qualiying through the

proessional BASS Elite and Open

tournament series or via the BASS

Federation Nation route. The latter

allows local bass club members,

afliated with BASS, the chance

to qualiy or the Classic through

an arduous series o qualiying

tournaments throughout the season.

Though not considered ull time

proessionals, these anglers arepremier amateurs that hold down

regular jobs while pursuing the

dream o fshing the Classic.

One such angler that has represented

the great state o Texas in pursuit

o the Classic rom the club level

is Tom Jessup. Though he’s yet to

qualiy or the “big dance”, Jessup

has been on the cusp by qualiying

or the Federation Nationals,

the fnal qualifer prior to theClassic. What makes Jessup’s story

particularly interesting is he is not

located anywhere near the traditional big

bass waters o east or south Texas. Rather,

Jessup is located in tiny Dalhart, Texas at the

ar northwest corner o the Texas Panhandle.

How does such a remote location allow

an angler to successully compete against

the nation’s top amateurs? Jessup answers

this question and more in the ollowing

interview:

TBFM : What is the process or qualiying

or the Bassmaster’s Classic through the

Federation Nation?

Jessup: The top 6 anglers rom any state

club afliated with BASS are eligible to fsh

at the State Chapter tournament. From this

event, a 12 person state team qualifes to go

to the Federation Nation Divisional event.

The top fnisher rom each state team in

that event moves onto the Federation Nation

Championship tournament. From there, the

top angler rom each o the 6 Regions will

advance to the Classic.

TBFM : How long have you been fshing at

the club level?

Jessup: I started fshing with the Tip Top

Bass Club in Dalhart in 1987 and became

interested in fshing at the state level in

1990.

TBFM : What are some o the destinations

you’ve fshed outside o Texas and how do

you prepare or these events so ar

rom home? Jessup: I’ve been to Harris Chain

o Lakes in Florida twice, the Red

River in Louisiana, Table Rock in

Missouri, Greer’s Ferry, Arkansas

to name a ew. Pre-fshing these

locations is a must i you want to do

well because they are so unamiliar;

thereore, learning to navigate the

waterways saely is a big reason to go

pre-fsh a new lake. Secondly, just

being able to move around without

getting lost on a system like the RedRiver takes a lot o time. It’s also

important to fgure out local trends

that work on a particular body o

water that we may not typically

use here in Texas. For example, at

Table Rock during certain times o

the year they catch a lot o bass on

Redfns, which is an old jerkbait

rom years ago. In Florida the locals

throw a Devil’s Horse topwater lure

a lot. These are things you just don’t

know about unless you go spend a

lot o time on the water prior to the

tournament.

TBFM : Do you eel that your distance

rom the state’s typical big bass reservoirs is

a limitation?

Jessup: Not really. You just have to be able

learn with whatever is available to you. The

lakes in my area are Meredith (TX), Ute

(NM) and Conchas (NM) and I can learn to

Interview by Shane Beilue



fsh dierent types o water in each o those

reservoirs. Meredith, or example, has some

vegetation in it now, so that has helped me to

become more comortable fshing that typeo cover.

TBFM : Do you believe it’s important or an

angler to specialize in one technique and look

or places to utilize that specialty?

Jessup: I know some anglers do this, but I

believe being versatile is my biggest strength.

I can throw just about anything in the tackle

box and eel confdent that I can catch bass. I

don’t particularly like to throw a Carolina rig,

or example, but I will i that’s what it takes

to catch bass. I make mysel learn dierenttechniques on the local lakes and take those

techniques to new water. I believe most

anglers don’t spend enough time learning a

new technique or lure. You really have to

commit to fshing an unamiliar lure and not

put it down until you start catching fsh with

it. I also try to stay up on the newest lures and

techniques across the nation and try them out

on my local lakes.

TBFM : How do you develop a game plan

when going to a new lake?

Jessup: I frst observe the water clarity and

temperature and try to select my lure color and

speed o retrieve based upon these variables.

I really study the topo map in advance and

fnd a specifc area o the lake that I can really

ocus on and learn what the fsh are doing in

that area. Then I can expand the pattern to

other parts o the lake.

I also think the new sidescan sonar

technology is a huge advancement or fndingfsh on a new body o water. The ability to

fnd an isolated piece o oshore cover can

really be the dierence in fnding a group o

tournament-winning fsh.

TBFM : How close have you come to

making the Bassmaster’s Classic?

Jessup: I fnished just one place out o

qualiying or the Classic this year. It’s a long

process to get that ar and not make it!

Texas Bass Fishing Magazine | Winter 2010




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Marina: 409.584.2624

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Shaded RV Sites - Cabins Boat Slips - Camping

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Annual RV Sites • Bait & TackleGroceries • Refueling Dock • Camping • Boat Ramps

Lake Fork

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275 County Road 1558

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Phone: 903.765.2764www.lakeorkmarina.com

Fisheman’s Cove Maina resot2712 N. FM 17 • Alba, TX 75410

Phone: 903.765.2943 • Lake Fork

www.fshermanscovelakeork.com

Lake Fork Resort Located 1/2 Mile South o Hwy 515 on Hwy 17

5004 North FM 17 • Alba, Texas 75410

Phone: 903.765.2987 • Toll Free: 800.230.4367

Oakridge Resort and Marina

“Eat, Sleep, Fish” Lake Fork

2919 W SH 154 Quitman, TX 75783LAKEFORK, TEXAS 903-878-2529

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15152 US Hwy 190 W

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RV Reservations: 936.646.3824Resturant: 936.646.4734www.lakesideresort.net

Lake Palestine Resort

Tyler, Texas

8900 ruby LaneFankston, TX 75763

Phone: 903.876.2253www.lakepalestineesot.com

CHokE CAnyon

Choke Canyon Lodge141 Jeff Street (Corner of Jeff Street & SH 72)

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FOOd - FishiNg supplies - RV paRk

[email protected]

p.O. Box 846

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pon: 361.786.2685

Falcon Lake Tackle2195 South Highway 83 • Box F-10

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Tackle, Live Bait, Guide Service, Motor & Trailer Repair

2425 S. Hwy 83 • Zapata, TX 78076Phone: 956.756.1442 • Falcon Lake

Robert’s Fish N’ Tackle

FAlCon lAkE

Texas Bass Fishing Mag Winter 2010

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