Table of contents for Classic Preview 2019 in Bassmaster

B.A.S.S. National Conservation Director Gene Gilliland reports that progress is being made in the fight against invasive carp in the Tennessee River. Large numbers of carp have been spotted in Kentucky Lake, with smaller numbers in Pickwick, Wheeler and Wilson lakes. Wildlife officials have not confirmed carp migration into Guntersville. “They move through the locks, so there is an open conduit there for them to move all the way to Knoxville at some point,” says Gilliland. What can stop them? The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Kentucky Fish & Wildlife Department were recently able to secure federal funding to aid commercial fishing for Asian carp in the Tennessee River system. Gilliland says those operations are already receiving interest from Nova Scotian lobster fishermen, who intend to use the carp as…

We love seeing reader images! If you’d like to be a featured in an upcoming issue, send us a picture with your magazine! We like all of it. Daddy’s favorite is “Day On the Lake!” This is our son, Jamey, checking the mailbox. He will be 5 years old on January 31 and has autism. This particular day the first thing in the mailbox was Bassmaster Magazine. Love any and all gear/bait reviews you do! Also love the stories about the anglers. It let’s us all feel like we know the pros better! You all do a fantastic job always! Watch out boys; here she comes!…

DREW COOK TOOK a shot to the face with a bullet. Well, it was a bullet weight, 1 1/4 ounces, attached to his punch rig. He had set the hook on a bass while practicing for the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Eastern Open on Florida’s Kissimmee Chain last year when the hook failed to connect to the fish biting, and slammed into his mouth. The blunt force trauma knocked out three teeth, including one front tooth, and shattered a section of his jawbone. When most people would have rushed to the dentist, Cook plowed through the pain (the nerve of his front tooth remained exposed), continued fishing and finished third in the event. He was chasing a dream of becoming an Elite Series pro, and no dental emergency was going…

Matthew Robertson of Kuttawa, Ky., will represent the B.A.S.S. Nation at this year’s GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. Robertson punched his ticket — the 52nd and very last ticket left for this year’s event — by dominating the Bassmaster Team Championship on Florida’s Harris Chain with the aid of B.A.S.S. Nation Team Trail partner Wendell Anderson. The duo posted a 29-pound, 1-ounce limit to place second in the team event, before being vaulted into solo competition against each other for the final spot in the 2019 Classic. There, Robertson posted a two-day total of 57 pounds, 9 ounces. “This is very special,” Robertson told B.A.S.S. “I’m just your ordinary working man. I represent every common man, and that’s who I’m going to be fishing for in the…

We do a pile of maintenance on our outboards but never on the bow-mount electric. What kind of stuff should I be doing on a regular basis to keep my trolling motor running in top shape? @Akrisone, Instagram Sam Carlisle, associate product manager at MotorGuide, says it’s very important to periodically inspect the motor for a variety of issues. For example, look for loose or corroded wire connections, tightness of battery cable connections, a loose prop nut or loosened deck-mount bolts. Remove the prop and check for debris or fishing line that may have gathered there. “After 100 hours of use, or annually, lubricate all pivot points and make sure all bolts, nuts and fasteners are tight,” he adds. “Be sure to keep the motor dry to avoid freezing and…

Megabass 110 Silent $24.99 | megabassusa.com Features: Silently runs to 6 feet and suspends during retrieve pauses, unleashing a covert approach that finicky bass will find hard to resist Stealthy lure that was designed to open feeding windows on highly pressured fisheries where bass are notoriously tight-lipped Reconfigured tungsten Balancer System allows for extended casting range and accuracy Measures 4 1/3 inches, weighs 1/2 ounce and is available in 13 high-definition colors Z-Man SlingBladeZ $7.99-$8.99 | zmanfishing.com Features: Intelligent design that boasts two primary applications: deep, palpable vibrations and exceptional lure balance that fully operates across the spectrum of speeds 100-percent silicone skirt that tightly adheres to the head with a hand-tied copper wire Armed with a 5/0 VMC O’Shaughnessy hook Functions perfectly at different retrieve speeds, especially burning and…

THE MAN UNDER that orange and white cap with a capital T front and center — to anyone even vaguely familiar with the bass fishing industry, Bill Dance is unmistakable. A gift from former Tennessee football coach Doug Dickey, the original hat came as a “thank you” for nudging a prospective recruit to UT. But after Dance wore it during a major tournament win and then on his TV show, the hat has become synonymous with one of industry’s most lovable personalities — and one of Tennessee’s biggest fans. But as much as he loves his Vols, Dance treasures every drop of the 652-mile Tennessee River. This fertile waterway he describes as boasting great water quality and loads of high-protein forage has yielded many memorable moments — from nabbing an…

IN THE LATE 1980s and ’90s, when I was editor of this fine publication, I occasionally received testimonials from B.A.S.S. members about acts of kindness done for them by fellow members. I wish I still had those letters, but I do recall one that was typical of most. The letter writer’s truck was disabled on the shoulder of a busy highway a long way from home, and as minutes ticked away, he grew more and more frustrated that no one would stop to help. Finally, another motorist drove by, but then quickly braked and pulled off the highway. As the stranded driver watched the pickup back toward him, he spotted the B.A.S.S. emblem on the left side of its rear window. “Thank you for stopping,” said the first fellow. “I…

You were a high school teacher before joining the Elite Series. How did you make time to qualify through the Opens? I was teaching finance, accounting and economics at the time, and I had it worked out with the principal. I talked to him at the beginning of the year, told him I had some dates I needed to be off, and as soon as I got back he would ask me how I did. You had a strong year in 2017 with three finishes in the Top 15. In 2018, your best finish was 22nd. Does any part of you plan on making adjustments for 2019? No. I go out there and fish the same way each time, and sometimes the lakes line up better for me. I don’t…

The images below were submitted by Bassmaster readers, and our antique tackle expert, Karl White, appraises the value of each unique find. To submit yours, email editorial@bassmaster.com. Productive Pflueger Tommy Pope, email$150 Pflueger sold out to Shakespeare in the late 1960s. The most productive lure was the Pal-O-Mine. Shakespeare continued production of Pflueger lures under the Pflueger name. The lures in the photo appear to be under the Shakespeare production, 1970s version. The value would only be around $150 because it was made in the 1970s. Borum Shrimp John Hamilton, email$350 Not a lot of history on the Borum Shrimp. This was made in the 1920s in St. Augustine, Fla. Daniel Webster Borum is credited with the manufacture. It is a very good lure. I would value it at $350.…

Explaining 100 Best Thank you for the informative article and mentioning how the Top 100 lakes are chosen. It has been my experience that the “best” lakes have no name, no ramp, no access and are way out on private property.Robert Wright New Year’s Bass My daughter was ecstatic when she caught this largemouth bass on Christmas Day in Auburndale, Fla. She wanted to share.Dana Upton Lunker Club Perspective Sometimes in our quest for the biggest fish, tournament wins and pro accomplishments, we lose sight of the importance of catching that first fish with Dad or Grandpa.Terry Helser, Maryland Eye Protection I am an anesthesiologist working at the UAB Calahan Eye Foundation Hospital in Birmingham, Ala. Once or twice a year we see a patient with either a penetrating (by…

THE BASSMASTER ELITE Series anglers will again be put to the test in 2019. The venues range from Florida to New York and from the East Coast to Texas. The fisheries couldn’t be more diverse. To qualify for the 2020 Classic and pocket substantial winnings along the way, the Elite pros must determine how to catch bass on highland reservoirs, lowland reservoirs, natural lakes, natural rivers and tidal waters. Any angler who survives this gauntlet deserves to be dubbed Elite. St. Johns River, Palatka, Fla., Feb. 7-10 Big bass and heavy limits have been the norm on the St. Johns River ever since B.A.S.S. held the first of its 20 major events here in 1973. This tournament, hosted by the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, promises more of the same.…

Congratulations to the newest members of the Bassmaster Lunker Club™. Membership in the club is free and open to any B.A.S.S. member who catches a largemouth bass weighing 10 pounds or more, a spotted bass weighing 5 pounds or more, or a smallmouth bass weighing 6 pounds or more, from Jan. 1, 2018, to the present. New Lunker Club members will receive an official certificate with holder and a Minn Kota hat. To request an application, write to editorial@bassmaster.com or B.A.S.S., The Lunker Club, 3500 Blue Lake Drive, Suite 330, Birmingham, AL 35243. A photo documenting the catch must be provided, along with the length and girth of the bass. Only suitable photos will be published in Bassmaster Magazine. We will only accept entries for bass that are released alive.…