Triton boat owners who fish ABA tournaments can earn contingency dollars under the Triton Gold
program. Eligible participants must enroll at least 14 days prior to the tournament and the event
must have at least 60 boats to earn $1,000 bonus or if the event has no less than 30 - 59 boats earn
$500 bonus
The ABA Trail is also recognized as a qualifying trail for the BASSFAN/Skeeter Weekend Warrior
Championship (WWC). During this annual championship event qualifying weekend anglers will square off
against each other to determine the best of the best. For more details click the banner add to the left
The Flat CB series crankbaits are my summer time go to bait for open deep water bass relating to grass lines, ledges and humps. When the fish in these natural
northern lakes set up on their summertime deep water patterns these diving baits are more than up to the task.
I've found for most of my open water weed edge fishing I prefer the Flat CB-DR or the D-12 presented with a slow retrieve 5.4:1 matched to a medium action rod and I
use 20 lb. power pro line. I've found this thin diameter braid works very well for ripping the bait out of the tops of the vegetation and the medium action rod absorbs the
shock of the strike allowing the fish to take the bait well and it gives me better hooksets. I still loose the occasional fish, but I believe that switching to this low diameter
braided line has improved my hook-to-land ratio allowing me to land almost 100% of the fish I hook on these baits.
During our season opener I secured the win running a Flat CB, D-12 in Aurora Black. I located a school of fish relating to a weed edge of cabbage leaf & milfoil that
topped out at 8-12 foot on a ledge that dumped into a 17-21 foot basin. Each time I cranked down and made contact with the tops of this vegetation, I'd pause, rip the bait
free, pause and crank again. The majority of strikes occurred on the pause after the bait cleared the weed edge and stopped in open water, but some days the strikes
occur shortly after you start the bait moving again.
Remember if one retrieve isn't working for you then change it a up a little, the fish will always let you know how they want the bait presented. It's your job to recognize
what they're telling you and then repeat that same presentation to as many fish as you can.
I hope you find these crank bait tips helpful and if you haven't tried the Flat CB Series you need to and soon. Lucky Craft has a size and color to match almost any
forage fish that swims in your favorite lake.
The winner of the "BIG BASS" contest at each ABA tournament this year will receive a $100 bonus
prize, if that winner's boat is currently insured by Anglers Advantage insurance and the winner is
wearing the AAIP patch that comes with the policy. (minimum requirement is 15 Anglers in the event)
(click photos for enlarged view, to return to this page click back button on photo page)
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New York Thousand Islands - Division 124
When the ABA Region 4 Championship concluded on 15 Sep 2007 the ABA tournament staff stayed on one more
day to provide a very special event for the Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum NY... read more
These fish fell victim to a FlatCB DR & D-12
during the Henderson Harbor tournament held
23 June 07
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This 6.44 lb. fish was taken on a Flat CB D-12
and won the Day Two Big Bass Award @ the
ABA National Championship on the Harris
Chain of Lakes 7-10 Nov 2007
in Leesburg, Florida
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FlatCB D-12 in Aurora Black
Secret Weapon Lures (SWL) products have really changed the way I use my horizontal blade baits. I truly believe their product line of quickstrike
& sidearm spinnerbaits and their buzzrbaits are some of the finest lures every assembled. Over the past two seasons I've had the opportunity to
use this family of baits under varying conditions all across northern and central New York state with great success.
The original quickstrike series allows anglers to make on the water rapid blade changes without having to retie. Have you ever found yourself
on a good spinnerbait bite along the weeds where a Colorado or turtleback blade is needed to produce that extra lift? And what happens when
that grass line ends adjacent to a rip rap shore, those same blades will certainly work, but usually switching to willow leaf blades in open water
is more productive because the larger flash of the willow leaf blade will draw fish from greater distances. With the SWL quickstrike spinnerbait
a blade change can be accomplished in less than half the time it takes to dig out a different spinnerbait and retie. This results in more casts
during your fishing day which most often translates into more strikes when the day's all said and done.
For cooler water temps in the 50-55 degree range I turn to the SWL sidearm spinnerbait dressed with a Zoom Swimming Chunk. My favorite
color in this lure is all white. When the water gets cool and the bite gets tougher I'll use my SWL sidearm to put a few extra fish in the box.
There's just something about a slow rolled sidearm that bigger bass find hard to resist. Too read more spinnerbait tips
Another SWL bait I've come to rely on is their buzzrbait. Unlike standard buzzbaits the
SWL buzzrbait allows for the attachment of an additional quick strike blade to help
create more lift & more flash when desired. Take it from me , when you talk about
giving an old bait a new look the SWL buzzrbait does just that and it's helped me
win a few ABA Division 124 tournaments.
During the 2008 Great Outdoor Expo in Watertown, NY I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff
Maxon from the Wingman Lure Company. Jeff and I spent a good while reviewing this new
revolutionary bait and I have to say I was pretty impressed. Those of you that know me know I
don't impress easily when it comes to my fishing or the lure companies that I'll place here for
our readers. Having said that I can tell you without hesitation I will fish the Wingman during our
2008 tournament season and beyond. Watching this bait in action in the demo tank and
feeling first hand the supple texture of this bait I know from years of on the water experience it
will be a steady producer and welcome addition to my personal arsenal of angling techniques.
To watch the video of this bait click here
