Fishing News and Information

Hackney just misses Top 25 Classic cut

Gonzales pro Greg Hackney gambled on deep fish today but came up 5 ounces short of the Top 25 cut when that plan didn't pan out in the second day of the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.

Louisiana’s three-man contingent in the Bassmaster Classic will watch Sunday’s third and final day from the sidelines, all having finished out of the top 25 after Saturday’s action on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell.

Greg Hackney of Gonzales, the reigning B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year, missed the cut by 5 ounces, finishing 26th with 21 pounds, 14 ounces after a disappointing day when he caught only three fish that weighed an ounce short of 7 pounds.

February 21 at 7:05 pm
2872 Views

Rojas leads after first day of 2015 Bassmaster Classic

Dean Rojas leads after Day 1 of the 2015 Bassmaster Classic after turning in a five-fish, 21-pound, 2-ounce bag on a frigid day in South Carolina on Lake Hartwell.

Doesn’t it just figure that after the coldest day in the history of the Bassmaster Classic, four anglers from warm, sunny climates are sitting atop the standings?

February 20 at 8:02 pm
2952 Views

Louisiana anglers find going tough on Day 1 of Bassmaster Classic

Sportsman TV host Greg Hackney, of Gonzales, is in 8th place after Day 1 of the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell. In frigid conditions, Hack caught four fish and weighed in 14- pounds and 15-ounces to crack the Top 10.

Louisiana’s contingent of three bass fishermen was largely disappointed in their performance on Friday’s first day of the Bassmaster Classic on South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell, but one of them is still definitely in the mix for the title.

February 20 at 6:27 pm
3251 Views

Tallulah hunter knocks down 200-class non-typical buck in Madison Parish

Craig Clark, 28, of Tallulah, shot this 200-class non-typical buck on family land in Madison Parish. The deer was scored with both 16 and 17 points, and had a 22-inch inside spread.

Craig Clark’s baby daughter wasn’t quite two months old at the time, but little Ava played a big part in her father taking down the buck of a lifetime earlier this year in Madison Parish.

February 20 at 5:49 pm
13532 Views

DeRidder angler reels in 11.90-pound Toledo Bend hawg

Lee Glass, of DeRidder, landed this 11.90-pound largemouth late Monday afternoon near the Toledo Bend Dam. He caught the lunker on an Alabama rig in about 6 feet of water near hydrilla.

A late afternoon pre-fishing trip for a weekend bass tournament was the basic plan Monday for DeRidder residents Lee Glass, Trent Manuel and Daniel Bailey - but they got a lot more than they bargained for.

February 20 at 9:36 am
9908 Views

Tips from a crappie killer

Glynn Lavergne catches tons crappie because he uses very light, sensitive tackle.

Part of Glynn Lavergne’s secret to success with slab crappie has to do with the very sensitive tackle he uses to entice fish.

February 20 at 6:30 am
1335 Views

Hackney, Crochet prepare for frigid Friday conditions at Bassmaster Classic

Greg Hackney of Gonzales, the 2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year, is seeking his first Bassmaster Classic title this weekend on Lake Hartwell. Hack thinks it will take 50 to 55 pounds, despite the frigid temperatures, to win it all on Sunday.

When the 2015 Bassmaster Classic kicks off on Friday morning on Lake Hartwell, the field of 56 anglers will be fishing against each other and the spotted and largemouth bass in the 56,000-acre reservoir lake.

February 19 at 4:12 pm
3302 Views

Five winter bass-fishing lures you need to try

February can be a tricky month to fish bass, but Strike King bass pro James Niggemeyer doesn’t have the option to sit home and wait for more-stable conditions. So he has found lures produced by his sponsor that will produce bites from fish in late-winter and prespawn patterns.

February 19 at 3:30 pm
4736 Views

How to hook a minnow

While fishing a Crappie Masters tournament several years ago, an observer asked veteran angler Whitey Outlaw about the way he hooked a minnow on his jig.

February 19 at 3:00 pm
6893 Views

'I'm living the American dream,' Hackney says during Angler of the Year speech

Gonzales pro Greg Hackney accepted his 2014 B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year Award last night during the 2015 Bassmaster Classic, and used the opportunity to honor his competitors.

When Greg Hackney stepped to the microphone last night to accept the 2014 B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year Award, he used the limelight to honor the crowd of anglers against whom he fishes.

"Honestly, for me, what a humbling experience," Hackney began. "I've dreamed of this my whole childhood. I just had no idea I could ever stand in front of this bunch of fishermen. It is the most-humbling thing ever."

February 19 at 1:31 pm
3474 Views

Hackberry angler snares 10.91-pounder at Toledo Bend

Ryan Hicks caught his biggest largemouth bass ever - a 10.91-pounder - Tuesday at Toledo Bend on a wacky-rigged purple worm in about 10 feet of water.

When the bite is on at Toledo Bend, it doesn’t matter if conditions are cold and windy - or apparently, even if the console radio is blaring while you’re fishing.

February 19 at 9:03 am
8864 Views

February is best month to load up on crappie

Crappie expert Ed Duke said this is the best month to be out on the water.

Fishermen in the Southeast who wait until March to break out their crappie rods, minnow buckets and tackle boxes full of tiny jigs and soft plastics are missing some of the best fishing of the year, according to North Carolina crappie guru Ed Duke.

February 19 at 6:30 am
4218 Views

Rapala introduces the Shadow Rap

The new Rapala Shadow Rap, which is making its tournament debut at the 2015 Bassmaster Classic this week, is a suspending twitchbait that perfectly mimics a dying minnow's final movements. It's shown here in silver.

Combining a horizontal struggle with a vertical fade that mimics a minnow’s final quivering moments, the Rapala Shadow Rap suspending jerkbait triggers bites as predator fish move in for an easy meal.

February 18 at 1:15 pm
3805 Views

Wade-fishing for big specks on Big Lake

Capt. Adam Jaynes caught this 7¾-pound speckled trout Feb. 8 wade-fishing on Big Lake with a Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow.

Hefty speckled trout are no strangers to Capt. Adam Jaynes. On Feb. 8, the Orange, Texas, resident took several on Calcasieu Lake.

February 18 at 10:34 am
5293 Views

February is for fishing and rigging

February can offer great fishing. But there are those days when it’s best just to stay home and work on your ’yak.

One of the many blessings of Louisiana fishing is that there are no closed seasons. Great fishing is available any month of the year, but February is ranked by many anglers as 12 out of 12.

February 18 at 9:00 am
3399 Views

Crappie hotspots: Des Allemands and Cataouatche offer one-two punch!

Ty Hibbs generally doesn't catch as many fish at Des Allemands as he does in Lake Cataouatche, but the fish he locates there tend to be larger. At both locations, he generally likes to fish natural colors about 2 feet under a cork.

It’s safe to say Ty Hibbs suffers from wanderlust.

February 18 at 8:36 am
5213 Views

Top 5 winter bass-fishing lures

Many bass fishermen lead double lives, torn between their bass boats and tree stands. But as the door slams shut on deer season, the choice for cold-water bass fishing becomes clear.

February 18 at 6:30 am
4535 Views