Fishing in this year’s WON BASS Pro-Am Championship was exciting.  The tournament (known as the “Western Classic”) is one of the West’s most high-profile events.  WON BASS does a great job hosting and covering the event (from a media perspective) and 2011 was no exception. 

This year the format and location was different.  Day 1 was on Lake San Antonio and Day 2 was on Lake Naciamento; both lakes are located in Central Coast California.

Well I’m happy to be going back to the Bassmaster Western Divisional for the third year in a row.  The California league has really been getting better and better and this year was the best turn out we’ve had in a long time. 

As the tournament came near, we realized the weather was going to play a major factor in this event.  Cold temps, high wind, and rain was in the forecast.  I can’t remember seeing so much wind and rain on a Southern California lake ever before!  

This was the first TOC (tournament of champions) that I have fished in California.  I haven't tried to qualify for one until this year and it’s pretty easy to do if you fish enough events. 

The WON BASS Tri-States is pretty cool.  It’s the best team tournament guys from the Southwestern three states (CAL, AZ, NV).  90+ teams (over 180 anglers) came out to try their luck at winning the grand prize…a brand new boat!

Just got back from Lake Mead near Las Vegas for the WON BASS Pro-AM. Fun event. I was leading the event on day one and finished in third place overall and had big fish of the event.

I never fished on Lake Mead before so I gave myself 2.5 days to practice and learn it. All I knew was there was bushes in the water and 10lbs a day was a top5 finish on this lake historically. So here's how it went...

Well at the 2011 Oklahoma Bassmaster Tour Open, I basically got schooled.  I decided to fish 55 miles down river which means using the river’s locking systems to get down there.  That only left me with out 3.5 hrs to fish each day but I knew I found something special in practice. I had three patterns going…

Well the weekend warrior fishing is on hold for me for a little while.  The next 2.5 weeks I’ll be prepping for the Oklahoma Bassmaster Open which will include mental, physical, and mechanical preparation.  I see these events as preparation to maybe one day tour full time so I try to take them as serious as I can.

Well I’m re-united with a great company who’s products I grew up fishing with long before I ever thought about sponsors.  Back when I was club fishing and winning small no name, jackpot, tournaments 10+ years ago my favorite fishing line was called Izorline.  Their Platinum brand amazed me b/c it was super smooth to cast (both spinning and baitcasting), very strong, and very very low stretch which I loved in a monofilament line.  Also…the price point was literally as good as it gets.

Been able to take my boy fishing recently.  I took him fishing for the first time a month ago and he loved it.  He’s been learning to cast in the back yard and I’m amazed but he’s gotten really good.  He can cast his Skeet Reese casting combo probably 30 yards on a good cast.  So once he got that down, I started taking him out on the boat and letting him throw crankbaits w/o hooks on them.  Pretty amazing to see my little boy loving what I love.  I couldn’t ask for more.