Some anglers fish to put food on the table. Other anglers go for the excitement of reeling in a monster fish. Then there are still others who fish for the competition and the money. For the most part, I have always been in group number three. I always had the most fun when I was on the water trying to out fish other good anglers. While tournament fishing, whether big or small, is still my motivation to get up early and fish hard all day, this past Sunday gave me something else to look forward too.

The weekly drama known as “The Bachelor” has ended and Bass Pro Byron Velvick has selected his soul mate. Tens of Millions of television viewers got their first glimpse of Professional Bass fishing throughout the season. This series has generated a lot of talk amongst members of the fishing community about how much Velvick’s performance is going to help the industry. There is no doubt that it will have some affect on the future of our great sport, but will the attention be as great as what is predicted?

On Monday, January 3^rd, a new Weekly Column will invade the internet. “Bagwell’s Bass Tactics” which originally appeared monthly in the now defunct Bass Journal magazine, will be available on a select few websites.

            With the extremely large number of fishing reel choices available in today’s market, anglers can have a tough time deciding which reel is the best product for their money. A large percentage of fisherman and fisherwomen would love to have a high quality baitcasting reel with 10 bearings and lightweight design. The problem is most of the reels of this caliber cost more than the average person earns from working a full week. Thanks to the folks at Pflueger, now everyone can own one of the most awesome reels on the market without taking out a personal loan to pay for it.

Look out lunkers, here come the 5.5” Grande tubes from Arkansas’ Mizmo Bait Company. This big dog is perfect for Flippin’ or Pitchin’ into the heaviest bass holding cover you can find. They are also excellent for fishing along the edges of Lilly pads and grass lines. The gentle, yet sporadic falling action of the Grande is irresistible.

After spending a very long period of time as the undisputed champion among fishing lures, the production of the legendary Yamamoto Senko will cease. The Senko burst onto the scene several years ago and quickly became an industry altering bait. Never before had anglers seen a bait do so little and catch so much. It had a tantalizing wiggle that drove fish crazy.