Elite Series St. John's Day 2

If you didn't catch Bass Zone Wide Open last night  with J Todd and the Cajun Baby watch the replay

Sounds kind of slow today from Bass Zone.com.  Once again there is no Live Blog or Basstrakk today;  Hopefully the will do that starting tomorrow.

Bass Talk Live will be on today at 1PM

Today was to nice to sit inside to watch the weigh in.  Hung out in the Tackle Warehouse.

In the Mail: Bass Zone.com Stuff

The package arrived as I was watching Bass Zone.com Wide Open this morning.


Here is the SCORE!
Bass Zone.Com hat
6 Pack Lazer Trokar 3/0 EWG Worm hooks
5 Pack Lazer Trokar 4/0 EWG Worm hooks
5 Pack Lazer Trokar 4/0 EWG HD Worm hooks
Lazor Trokar sticker and PR literature
1/2 White/black/red Booyah Blade Spinnerbait
30lb 75yrd sample Spiderwire Stealth Braid
4 Pack of 5" Yum Money Minnow
Pack Yum Live Prey Technology Lizard Watermelon Candy
Pack Yum LPT 6" Dinger Pumpkin Purple
Pack Yum LPT 5" Dinger Watermelon Seed
Pack Yum LPT Craw Papi

How did I get all this stuff? Simple, just called into the Bass Zone.com Wide Open hotline and was on the show.

THANK YOU BASS ZONE!!!

Was On Bass Zone.com Wide Open

This Elite tournament I have really been into listening to Jeffereys and Pangrac over at Bass Zone.com Wide Open. I send in a comment tonight and Jefferys noticed it and asked me to call in on their Skeeter Hotline, so I did. They wanted to know about sight fishing in Minnesota and if we had the ice off the lakes yet. You might be able to go back and watch a replay of the show, but I'm not sure on that. They had Alton Jones as a guest and I was the 2nd caller on the Hotline.

I guess I'm getting some free stuff out of this deal. SCORE!!!

Elite Series St. Johns Day 2

(This will be updated during the day, new content on the bottom)
Well I'm up and on the blog 11:30AM CST

It appears that BassZone.com Wide Open will be on 12:15PM CST

B.A.S.S. on Facebook really doesn't have any info on the day so far.

Bassmaster.com has BassCam Video's from today...

BassFIRST also has video from this morning....

developing...

Elite Series St. Johns Day 1

Note- This thread will be updated sporadically through the day. New stuff at the bottom.

Some of the best coverage will be found all day sporatically at Bass Zone.com Wide Open.
They are suppose to be on Next at 11:45AM EST
They had live play by play of Rojas getting 8lb class toad.
Next report at 1:00PM EST

Rich Lindgren at his Bassin' Insider blog with Versus has a blog on the ethics of sight fishing.

My Fantasy Teams:B.A.S.S.- Rojas, Scroggins, Schultz, Peter T, Greenblatt
Advanced Angelers.com- KVD, Scroggings, Peter T, Grigsby, B. Lane

Another good place for tournament coverage is BassFIRST.com. Now BassFIRST doesn't have updates on how the day is going, but there video's are good for pre and post tournament days.

Just watched the Day 1 morning B.A.S.S. BassCam video's. Ole Shaw doesn't think he has found the fish to win and Scroggins claims other guys have found his key areas. There is an on the water video that claims Brent Chapman landed a 10lber.

Sad News- Don Barone has reported that Steve Kennedy's Jack Russel Terrier Louie passed away on Tuesday. Louie would go nuts when Steve would be weighing his fish and you could hear him on the live feed. That just sucks!!!

Developing...

Elite Series Harris Chain Day 2

B.A.S.S. Web Guru Angie Thompson is riding in the boat today with Elite Rookie and Federation Nation Champion Brandon Palaniuk and from a couple of fish of his that she has posted to Facebook, it looks like Brandon is having a very good day.

You can catch sporadic live on the water coverage at Bass Zone.com Wide Open
Great Quote: "We haven't seen any alligators, let alone Bikini's"


Another place that is doing a good job of covering this tournament is the website OutdoorsFIRST.com. They have video angler interviews from this morning

Bassmaster.com BassCAM also has some video coverage from today...

Here is some on the water video of Palaniuk talking about what he is doing and what he got...

Bass Zone On Facebook

As I wrote yesterday Bass Zone.com doesn't have a Facebook Page, but I learned they do have a Facebook Group.

I received a nice message on Facebook from Matt Pangrac who is one of the guys behind Bass Zone.com and Bass Talk Live

Here is some of what he told me about Bass Talk Live:

What we have tried to do is take the best features from “The BASS ZONE” and “BASS ZONE LIVE” radio programs and with the help of WebcastTV, create the first interactive show that allows fans to ask questions and call in toll-free each day during the hour-long program.

Basically, BTL allows fans of professional fishing to watch daily live broadcasts and get information as it happens – not the following day or three days after it happens.

Terry Brown of Wired2Fish actually has a segment every Tuesday on the Live BTL show called “Terry’s Tuesday Tidbits,” where he calls in and talks with the BTL hosts, and Kent Brown of Ultimate Bass Radio also joins the show every Friday to offer his West Coast perspective on tournament bass fishing.

Bass Talk Live wasn’t created to replace BASS ZONE’S “WIDE OPEN” programming that takes place on-location during the Elite Series events. Each weekday that we are in the home studio in Oklahoma, BTL will air live. When we are on the road covering the 2011 Elite Series season, WIDE OPEN will take the place of the Bass Talk Live show.

The goal here is to provide fans with the opportunity to watch LIVE programming with the latest information on a daily basis – not just once or twice a week.

I'm sure the Bass Talk Live show is good, but I have yet to see it. When I try to watch the archived shows I get a "Service Error" message in the player. Don't know if the problem is on my end or theirs. The website doesn't mention what you have to have software wise to see the show.

Out of the Loop (Not Really)

I'm chalking this one up to poor promotion and the fact that I don't pay much attention to Bass Zone.com
BTL or Bass Talk Live
If you want to know what it is all about Get Hook'd has the press release:
Z3 Media Offers New Experience for Anglers

I wonder if they sent the press release to BassFan.com and Wired2Fish and neither covered it because of the competition. Doesn't make sense as Wired2Fish has an add on the BassZone.com site.

Just checked and Basszone.com doesn't have a Facebook page.

Also just checked and BassFan.com doesn't either. Are you kidding me!!! My blog has a Facebook Page for goodness sakes.

Elite Dardanelle BassZone Wide Open- Live blogged

I don't know how much blogging will get done, because I am eating dinner right now too.


They have tournament winner Mark Menendez. Didn't fish clean today was a little concerned his weight today wouldn't be good enough. The aluminum boat was the big difference maker for him. Is confident about Wheeler, thinks he has something that is going to work. The volume on Menedez's mike isn't loud so I can hardly hear what he is saying. Said he used Internet satillite photo's to find his key area. Said a local came into his area, but when he realised Menedez was there the guy didn't fish and just watched. Menendez

Talking KVD, he struggled in the morning moved and ended up with the best bag of the day. Had some boat problems, needed back up boat. The sunlight today helped him out and he got dialed in. Caught 2 big fish while he was waiting for back up boat.

The BassZone guys are happy that they didn't have to talk about "Sexy Shad" this week.lol

Go to commercial break before final segment.

Talking Chris Lane also made a move today to stay on the fish.
Cliff Pace who dropped big time just didn't have any other area's.
They say Roumbanis "Boom Boom" fishes fast like KVD
Not sure if KVD or Alton will be in the lead of AOY points.
Someone commented that KVD is on top, had the points calculated.

Into end of the show silly season.

Will be there Wide Open next week at Wheeler.

Legend predicts a mix of cranks and plastics for Wheeler.

Saying Thank You's and goodbye.

Elite Series Dardanelle Day 2 BassZone.com Wide Open liveblogged.

Matt Herren 4th place is the guest, big thunderstorms are on there way

Says Harold told him they were going to play golf. Fish were a little different today than the 1st day. Herren won an FLW Series Tournament on Dardanelle, I did not know that. Fish are in all 3 phases of the spawn, yesterday caught spawn fish, today he caught post-spawn. Thinks he will be able to adjust to what the fish will do with the storms. Not in a crowd, only getting 6-7 keeper bites a day. Backed off the fish today and spent a couple hours practicing. The tournament he won he was fishing a pattern until the last day when flood forced him to stay in one area. Doesn't think there will be a drastic change in surface temp. Thinks if the water gets muddied up that will mess the fish up. Says in the Elites practice is so short that it's hard to tell what kind of fish he is on. When he practices he tries to fish to his strengths, doesn't think there is time to get to fancy. Has not been thinking about points, "I am thinking about the money, I need some Ben Franklin's." Thinks he will be ok in the Alabama swing (Herren is from Ala). Not a light line fishermen. Enjoys having observers watching him fish. Water has risen and with more rain tonight thinks his area will be helped as far as fish coming in but is concerned about his area getting muddied up.

Cliff Pace in 2nd Place is On

Has caught all fish on the same bait. Has found that he has to pretty much fish one stretch. It is hard to find un-used water. Thinks a lot of fish have just spawned and that he is catching post-spawn fish that are looking to eat. He is fishing for 5 bites in the 8 hours. He is not worried about KVD and the other anglers on his trail. Practices with lots of rods on the deck and tries to find what the fish want rather than going into practice with a specific idea. "All patterns in the Spring are dying" you need to cover water and find good area's. Says his better days are his longer days. He stayed and guarded his area until 2pm, but when he left someone moved in. Says the water is raising in his area and it is helping the bite and thinks rising will help, but there isn' a wild fluctation.

Coming Intern Chip who was KVD's marshal today...

Says KVD talked with him all day long. Will be with Kelly Jordan tomorrow. Kelly and KVD were in the same area today. Thinks $100 for 2 or 3 days is a great deal for the Marshals. He thinks when he was a co-angler he was in it to learn and so he doesn't think he is missing much by not fishing. Says the weather for tomorrow could be brutal with wind and cold. Thinks he is learning about the need to adapt.

Live feed goes out for the second time, first time I didn't realise it right away because they went on break.

Marshals can't aid the pro in anyway. Says he would ask question about what the pro was thinking every time they made a change. KVD says the changes he makes are mostly dictated by his experience.

And that is all she wrote

Bass Zone Wide Open from Amistad Day 3 Recap

Liveblogged

They are not on yet. Will Duckett show his face again? Will anyone else show up?

Dean Rojas
Hands are beaten up.
"They ate and they ate good"
Giving Ike a hard time about puking with the big fish.
"Practice was totally different from what I am doing now"
Livefeed goes dead
Back on with Echo.
Talking Kermit
"No lead is safe"
Apparently Rojas had a Marshal hold onto the dock to long and ended up going in the water.
I wonder if they are broadcasting and I am not getting anything. They have been off for quite a while.

Kenyon Hill
I haven't heard a good part of his interview, tech problems.
Is fishing transition spots.
Will be throwing a jig tomorrow, thinks it gives him the best shot.
"A good attitude is the best lure in your box"
Apparently Kenyon and Mark J. are gonna do an online show.

Zona is up next.

Mark Zona
"The sun is going down and Jekell and Hide are coming out of me"
"How much more does this lake have?"
"It will be interesting to see who caught big bags today can do it again tomorrow."
Picks Klien to win.
"Some guys are fishing dirt shallow"
"Here is what I have learned in Texas, anything can happen on the final day."

Apparently there is No Boyd Duckett tonight, I'll have to check his blog.

Kurt Dove
"You've got some inconsistancy at the top, except Alton Jones"
He picks Klien for the win.

Wrap Up:
Legend goes with Alton Jones
Mark predicts 2 bags over 30.
Tommorrow the Legend will be on the water.

Elite Series Battle on the Border Amistad Day 3

Catch the Bass Zone Wide Open Broadcasts today 10-Noon.

The Legend is reporting that Niggemeyer and Ike are fishing right on top of each other. Within 30 feet of each other. Niggemeyer fishing with baitcasting gear and Ike with spinning gear with both fishing vertically.

Conditions: Windy NE to 15mph and sparce cloud cover

Saw Steve Kennedy drop-shotting. He had 1 small fish and broke off 4 using 6lb test.

Boat traffic is light for a Saturday.

Heard Gary Klien is struggling so far.

Apparently yesterday Jami Fralick took off without his rods in the boat.

Water Temp 56.1 main lake.

Legend Just saw Aaron Martens fly up to the area Niggemeyer and Ike are in take a look and then take off again.

They think most anglers are on the Texas side and with the way the wind is, the Mexican side is getting beat up.

Doesn't seem to be a whole lot of boat movement.

Legend says the Marshals in Ike and Niggemeyers boats are talking to each other but Ike and Niggemeyer are not.

Niggemeyer has 4 and lost a big one that broke him off.

Legend is now on Kevin Short- Kevin just caught a 3lber or so on a swim bait. He did not cull. He has 3 fish as of 11:30am Central.

Looks like it is clouding up a bit on the water rather than clearing out.

They didn't answer my question about whether or not Marshals are allowed video camera's.

Now watching Skeet Reese who gave the Legend a thumbs down. Is covering a lot of water. Not a whole lot of boat traffic.

Legend tells story about hitting seagull on Champlain after report that Bill Lowen got hit by a bird yesterday.

Now with Todd Faircloth, who is struggling today but does have a limit. He is now fishing a big swimbait (1:10pm Central)

Rumors are that the fishing has gotten tougher today. Lots of boats are running and gunning. Wind about 10mph so it is not as strong as it was in the morning.

Elite Series Battle on the Border Amistad Day 2 Part 2

Looks like the Live Leaderboard actually worked today, here are the Top 11

1 Gary Klein 5 25- 4 5 29- 3 10 54- 7
2 Boyd Duckett 5 21-10 5 25- 5 10 46-15
3 Alton Jones 5 24- 0 5 22- 4 10 46- 4
4 Michael Iaconelli 5 27- 9 5 15-15 10 43- 8
5 Todd Faircloth 5 17- 0 5 24- 3 10 41- 3
6 James Niggemeyer 5 21- 2 5 19-14 10 41- 0
7 Mark Tucker 5 12-10 5 28- 0 10 40-10
8 Matt Reed 5 23- 2 5 16-13 10 39-15
9 John Murray 5 22- 1 5 17- 9 10 39-10
10 Kelly Jordon 5 18-11 5 20- 5 10 39- 0
11 Kevin VanDam 5 19- 9 5 17-14 10 37- 7

Looks like Gary Klein is in command. I called Klein a bad deal as far as fantasy value goes, but I did say both he and Kelly Jordan could be factors at Amistad. It is cool to see that BassNblogger Boyd Duckett is catchin' em up pretty good.

My fantasy team improved ever so slightly with the jump Faircloth made, Evers was my biggest dropper. I am very disappointed that Matt Herren did not make the cut. I don't know who else among the low value anglers I could have picked but Herren I don't think is nearly as experienced at Amistad as a lot of the guys. Still I would really like all my fantasy picks to be in the top 50%.

BassZone Wide Open- Recap Show
4 out of the top 5 refined their pattern from Day 1 today.
No Rookies made the cut. Speculation that the rookies weren't able to make adjustments.
They have an interview tournament leader Gary Klien, but the video cuts out on me just like the one with Ike did yesterday.

They are gonna have Mark Tucker who caught 28lbs today and Boyd Duckett who is in 2nd.

Tucker:
"It was one of those days I could do no wrong"
Caught 2 4lbers on a single crank at one time and landed them. One of the fish got thrown back cause it wasn't big enough.
Saw a bass spit up a shad and it clued him in and the bass were just choking his bait.
Found the fish that he caught today on Tues.
Thinks his fish are pre-spawn.
On the Marshals: His guy came from WI and had a great day. Says it really helps him with boat positioning because he would always try and give co-anglers a shot at the fish sometimes to the detriment of optimal boat position.
Sounds like he was fishing a crank, but the fish that clued him in came on a jig.
Was saved on his big fish by a softer rod when he had to put the breaks on to keep a fish out of a tree.
"I turned back two 18lb bags of fish today"
Says tomorrow he will know quickly where his fish are because in his area they will be in one of two places.

Duckett:
Thinks there is good chance somebody will make the century mark but upcoming weather could make it tough.
Has 2 deals going: Drop Shot and hollow belly swimbait. Today was the swimbait.
Using about 5 area's in 2 creeks. Big area's.
Having to move around to catch fish, no magic tree.
You need cloud or wind or both for the swimbaits bite.
On a sunny day the fish will bite early on the swimbaits
Is fishing 17lb Berkley 100% Flouro which he considers light.
Thinks lots of fish will be spawning next week.
Talking about Ducketts superstition point, the shoes.
It will be cold tonight and cloudy tommorrow so water won't really warm up till Sunday at the earliest.
His expectation coming in was that it was gonna be a site pig fest, but the weather knocked it back. Thinks it will blow open next week.
Thinks tomorrow will be good for the swimbait.
Key for swimbait in clear water is a long cast.
Prefers 7:1 reel for pick up when the fish is on.

Wrapped up for the night.

Elite Series Battle on the Border Amistad Day 2

Don't miss Bass Zone Wide Open web broadcast from Del Rio today from 10-Noon. (Actually I have missed the 1st hour)

Update: I just went to watch and they were not broadcasting.

Update: They are on as of 11:18AM

Looks like there is no Bass Cast live streaming or Bass Trakk unofficial standings at the BASS/ESPN site. From what I understand there was some Bass Cast transmission early in the day, yesterday but it didn't last very long and I am unsure if the video that was there was from Amistad or not. Apparently they had Skeet idling around at the take off and KVD fishing.

The Live Leaderboard now has the standing but whether it will work or not come weigh in time is anyones guess.

On BassZone Wide Open "The Legend" Harold Allen is reporting good fishing conditions. It is warming up, cloudy, with a light wind. Apparently Fralick and Snowden are fishing the same water which they also did in the 09 Classic. Reporting that Jamie Fralick has about 10lbs, Evers has a little over 10lbs, Bobby Lane has 12-14lbs.

BassZone Wide Open is supposed to be on again sometime pretty soon just after noon.

BassZone Wide Open next on just after 1PM Central.

Word is Amistad has gone slick, the BassZone guys are saying weights may go down today, but in the morning they were saying weights would go up.

Elite Series Battle on the Border Amistad Day 1 Part 2

Not a great day for my Fantasy Team, but it is only Day 1 which don't mean Jack Squat! My order of Angler value was the same order of today's placement.

KVD 11th with 19-9
Evers 15th with 18-05
Faircloth 21st with 17-00
Hackney 36th with 14-06
Herren 58th with 12-06

Note- It is somewhat incomprehensible to think that the top weight at the FLW Table Rock Day 1 was in the same league as the Elite Series top Day 1 weight at Amistad. No wonder David Walker was grinnin' ear to ear today.

I watched the BassZone Wide Open recap show from Del Rio and they had Matt Reed 4th and Boyd Duckett as guests. I was kind of nodding in and out so I didn't pick up a whole lot. Reed and Duckett were very vague about what they were doing. They had an interview with IKE after he had just weighed in but the video didn't hardly run on my computer. I don't know why that is but certain video's just don't work right, but the live streaming was just fine.