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« June 2014 | Main | August 2014 »

July 31, 2014

Reader Pics: Big Indiana River Smallie

If you've spent any time fishing our rivers and streams for smallmouth bass, then you likely know that the benchmark by which all smallies are compared is that "magic" length of 20 inches. Anything less is simply a nice fish. Anything greater is an accomplishment, very similar to the 10-lb. benchmark we commonly use for largemouth. Cliff Gerwick just crushed that standard over the weekend by landing this 22" smallie, and on a fly rod no less. Cliff was fishing Sugar Cr. using a topwater popper, and after a few heart-pounding runs, was able to subdue the beast. Cliff stated that the fish completely engulfed the popper. A quick photo on the damp streambank, and then this smallie was babied back into the river to fight again another day.

CG_Smallie

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July 30, 2014

Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World Tips - August

By Larry Whiteley


Fish the Shade for Hot Action

Shade is a great place for catching bass on hot August days.

When it gets hot, bass are no different than us. They're going to look for the coolest spot they can find. Sometimes that’s in deeper water or where spring-fed streams run into the lake, but it can also be in the shade cast by bridges, rock bluffs, trees, or boat docks.

Look for shaded areas, and then cast to them three or four times before moving on. You can cover a lot of water by doing this, plus your strikes-per-cast ratio will be better.

You can fish in the sun six inches out of a shadow and not take a hit. But sometimes, the moment you drop a lure into the middle of that same shade, a bass will attack it.


Best Bluegill Baits

Small crankbaits can catch big bluegill, especially in the summer when they are aggressive and looking up for their meals.

This time of year, bluegill feed on crickets, grasshoppers, and other flying or crawling bugs that accidentally fall in the water from nearby trees and bushes. So that means they will also attack small baits that imitate those critters. The small baits should be cast near the trees and bushes where they are likely to fall in the water and then twitched or slowly wobbled across the top of the water to imitate a struggling insect.

Of course the real thing works well, too. Just run your hook through the back collar and cast it out with no weight so it floats on top. Leave slack in your line so the grasshopper, cricket, or crawling bug can kick around naturally, stirring up the water and those big gills.


Work Crankbaits Like a Pro

Crankbaits can be deadly on all types of fish in late summer and early fall. They work on largemouth, smallmouth, striper, pike, white bass, crappie, walleye, and trout. Even catfish will strike these wobbling plugs that imitate shad, minnows, and crayfish.

Bounce your lure off rocks, logs, and stumps, creating a disturbance that draws fish. Cast right next to vegetation.

Also try shallow-running crankbaits so they run above the weeds. Locate suspended fish and then troll through the area.

Rig a shallow-running crankbait on a 3- to 4-foot leader with a 3-way swivel, then tie a jig on a 1- to 2-foot leader and work slow and steady with a stop and go retrieve.

When your crankbait hits underwater structure, reel fast to give it a sudden burst of speed so they think their prey is trying to escape, and they attack it.

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July 29, 2014

Patoka - Full Standings; IBF Classic Details

Attached are the results of the Patoka #2 Invitational. Also the points standings for Anglers and Co-Anglers.   As you can see there are a lot of close races.
 
There are more people than any recent year that have fished at least 5 tournaments. In the past Honey Creek Tackle had provided a special award to be given away at a drawing for those who have fished at least 5 tournaments.   Thank You Honey Creek Tackle and guys don't skip the last tournament if you have already missed one. 
 
Many of you are already locked and qualified for the INDIANA BASS FEDERATION FORREST L. WOOD CLASSIC.  Which will be held on the Ohio River at Vevay Indiana October 4 & 5.  We will be launching at Paul Ogle Park in Vevay Indiana and you may lock through if you desire and fish above the lock. The tube in South Hogan Creek and the Great Miami River will be off limits.  The Captains Quarters marina in Herrods Creek will be off limits also you may not fish between the Second Street bridge and the dam.

We will have a sit down Banquet Dinner on Saturday evening at The Ogle Haue Inn at Vevay IN.

The Ogle Haus is also our housing headquarters. They have a special rate for the IBF use Group Code  S1014IB when making reservations.  If you reserve two nights Friday the 3 and Saturday the 4th you will get a rate of $89.00 plus tax. There is also a $50.00 deposit that is refunded at check out.      The Ogle Haus has plenty of parking and some outside plugs.

You might think about reserving rooms early as I have been told there is a Bavarian Beer Festival in town that week.

As in the past the top 10 anglers in points at the end of the year will not have to pay an entry into the Classic. (finishing position).   The finishers from 11 to 20 will pay $50.00.  21 to 30 will pay $100.00 and 31 to 40 will pay $150.00. The guys from the Top 8 tournaments will pay $150.00.
 
The Co-Anglers who finish in the top 10 will not have to pay an entry.  11 to 20 will pay $25.00,  21 to 30 will pay $50.00 and finishers 31 to 40 will pay $75.00   The Co-Anglers from the Top 8s will pay $75.00      The Classic will pay 5 places and there will be bonus certificates from Ranger Boats.
 
More Information will follow on the classic as it gets closer.  BUT we will be taking entries and payments after the Monroe Tournament. There will be big bass pots each day and that can also be paid after the Monroe Tournament. If you are going to make the classic please give yourself a little extra time after the Monroe weigh in and relax and make your entries there.  

Thank You and Congratulations to the Patoka winners.

P.S.  I forgot to send out the number for the OGLE HAUS in Vevay, Indiana. Phone (812) 427-7777; Be sure to use code S1014IB and mention Indiana Bass Federation.

  • Download Patoka_2_Angler_Results_july_27,2014
  • Download Patoka_2_Co_Angler_Results_7-27-14
  • Download Points_after_Patoka_2_Angler
  • Download Points_after_Patoka_2,_Co_Angler

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July 28, 2014

INDIANA BASS FEDERATION INVITATIONAL TRAIL

Patoka Reservoir July 27, 2014     

The 5th tournament of the 2014 Invitational Trail was held at Patoka Reservoir on Sunday with 130 Anglers hitting the water in the Boater Division and Non Boater Division. Danny Spratt of Indianapolis bested the Angler field with 5 solid fish weighing 22.22 lbs. Danny was one of only 6 anglers who could put together a 5 fish limit on a tough lake. The day started out with passing thundershowers, then clearing as the day went forward. By weigh in at 3:00 PM it was sunny and steamy.  Justin Robison of Seymour locked in second with 17.44 lbs.  Dave Hedge of Greenfield was third with 15.04 lbs., but more importantly, it looks like Dave moved into the lead in the Angler of the Year race with just one tournament remaining.  Fourth place angler today was Jack Belt of Lowell, Indiana. In his return to the trail, Jack's 5 fish weighed 14.40.bs.   Larry Hostetler of Floyd Knobbs rounded out the top 5 with 14.18 lbs. 

The Co-Angler side was bested by Nicole Foor of  Hagerstown, Indiana.  Nicole had a 5 fish limit weighing 19.48 lbs. I believe Nicole is the only woman to have ever won an IBF Invitational event.  Only 4 Co-Angler were able to limit out today.  Second on the Co-Angler side was Gary Bowen of Mooresville with 13.28 lbs.  Tyler Mosier of Bloomington scored his second top 5 of the year with a third place of 12.40 lbs.  Ken Smith of Austin was fourth with 12.10 lbs. Rodney Johnson of Franklin locked in 5th with 11.26 lbs.

Big Bass awards went to Angler Curt Cox 5.84 lbs and Co-Angler Davie Miller 5.52 lbs.

ANGLERS:

  1. Danny Spratt - 22.22 - $2,226.00
  2. Justin Robison - 17.44 - $1,391.25
  3. Dave Hedge - 15.04 - $834.75
  4. Jack Belt - 14.40 - $667.80
  5. Larry Hostetler - 14.18 - $445.20
  6. Brad Moser - 11.76 - Rod from A2O Boating Supplies

Co-Anglers

  1. Nicole Foor - 19.48 - $1,113.00
  2. Gary Bowen - 13.28 - $695.63
  3. Tyler Mosier - 12.40 - $417.37
  4. Ken Smith - 12.10 - $333.90
  5. Rodney Johnson - 11.26 - $222.60
  6. Jason Smith - 11.04 - Rod from A2O Boating Supplies

Our next tournament will be September 14, at Monroe Reservoir. This will be the last regular season trail event before the Classic which will be held at Vevay, IN, on October 4th and 5th.                                             

Kenny Swint, IBF  Trail Director

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July 25, 2014

Do You Belong? Do You Volunteer?

Anglers' Motivations for Volunteering with Fishing or Conservation Organizations
Michael A. Schuett, Gerard T. Kyle, Jeremy Leitz, Ken Kurzawski & Kyunghee Lee

A recently published study in the journal Fisheries looked at results from the nearly 2000 responses by licensed anglers, generated by the 2012 Texas statewide angler study. Results showed that 454 anglers (31%) were members of fishing or conservation organizations. The organization with the highest membership response was the Coastal Conservation Association, a marine resource organization, not surprising for Texas.  They were followed by Ducks Unlimited and the Bass Anglers' Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.), two groups that are also very popular here in Indiana. Of those who reported that they were members of an organization, 153 (10%) responded that they volunteer time with their respective organizations. In contrast, the volunteer percentage for those who were not members of an organization was low at just 2%.

Other stats related to volunteers were that they averaged 50 years of age, had been volunteering for about 10 years, and in the past 12 months, had donated about 33 hours of their time to volunteer efforts. As for their motivations for volunteering, the highest average scores were for;

  1.  Enrich activities that I enjoy doing
  2. See improvements in the environment
  3. Protect natural areas, and
  4. Observe nature.

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July 24, 2014

Sportfish Industry Basics

This quote covers a lot of ground when you think about it...

"I'll talk a little bit about how we're going to sell product, because the bottom line of anything in business, is somebody, somewhere, has to sell something for somebody and make money doing it, or none of us in this room are here. It's the whole bottom line! We have to sell something for somebody, and somebody's got to make money, or none of us are here. You don't have to go to business school for 4 years to understand that. It's pretty simple stuff. You got to make money. There has to be a profit when it's all said and done. Nobody is going to give you money without getting a return for something. It's all about a need or a want. That's the whole bottom line. I need this, or I want it, and I'm going to spend this money. Our job, in many cases, is to convey this thought; You need this to help you catch another walleye. You need this for a more comfortable day out on the water."

- Al Lindner, 2011 NPAA Conference

 

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July 21, 2014

2015 Indiana State Team Photo



A photograph of the 2015 Indiana Bass Federation State Team along with 1st Alternate, Walter Wynn.

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2014 State Finals Results

The 2014 State Finals were held Saturday and Sunday July 9 & 20, at beautiful Patoka Reservoir.
 
130 of the finest bass fishermen in Indiana competed for the 12 spots on the coveted 2015 STATE TEAM. 
 
As with any two day tournament some guys catch them good on one day and not the next. Only the guys that could put together two good days made the cut.
 
Ron Fravel put together two limits totaling 29.12 lbs to win.
 
2nd - David Leisman  28.01
3rd. - Greg Rude 24.26
4th - Wes Thomas 22.82
5th - Gordon Lamb 22.48
6th - Jeremy Antrup 20.90
7th  - Aaron Hochstedler 20.82
8th - Matt McCoy  20.30
9th  - Brian Hensley 19.92
10th  - Michael Bailey 19.84
11th  - Justin Robison 19.28
12th  - Tommy Stark 19.16
13th  - Walter Wynn 18.90
 
Big bass for Saturday was Ryan Pfau  6.10  and Sunday was Tommy Guiser 5.76
See Attachment for more results.
 
Proud to be your Tournament Director,
 
Kenny Swint
  • Download 2014 State Finals RESULTS

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July 19, 2014

IBF State Finals, Day 1 Standings

The first day results of the IBF State Finals:
  1. Ryan Pfau - 15.84
  2. Lewis Mallory - 15.83
  3. Ron Fravel - 15.38
  4. Patrick Chapin - 13.9
  5. Walter Wynn - 13.86
  6. AJ  Horvath - 13.72
  7. Greg Rude - 13.7
  8. David Leisman - 13.62
  9. Bill Buckner - 12.8
  10. Jeremy Antrup - 12.62
  11. Matt McCoy - 12.3
  12. Brian Hensley - 11.72
  13. Doug Ruster - 11.38
 
20. Deacon Cashdollar - 9.42
30. Michael Rees - 6.74
40. Tony Kosar - 5.35
 
Big Bass: Ryan Pfau - 6.10 

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July 15, 2014

Hoosier Open Team - Patoka

H.O.T. website has now posted the results from their tourney this past weekend on Patoka. A pretty strong showing for the lake with 16 of the Top 20 coming in with 6-fish limits. State Finals will be back down there very soon. Check out their website for the full rundown.

 

HOT_Pat

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