Category Archives: Conservation

How to recycle used BAITS to make soft plastics

What was once old is new again! This old saying could not be more true when it comes to remelting your old used soft plastic fishing lures and turning them into brand new fish-catching baits! Keep reading & watching for a great Make Your Own Lure DIY.

Remelted Soft Plastic Lures
Examples of the many recycled lures I have produced from remelting my used baits

Let’s start with the reasons why you would want to do this:
1. Reduce littering, please never intentionally throw old or used soft plastic baits back into the water. These plastic baits do not dissolve or decompose in the water, never a good idea. Plus fish have been known to digest them and it is unhealthy for them to do so. So regardless, keep them in your boat & dispose of properly one way or the other.
2. If you end up recycling or remelting your baits, this ultimately ends up doing your small part to reduce the impact on landfills, so you can feel good about that.
3. It can be a lot of fun making soft plastic baits and a good way to keep busy when the weather is not conducive to go fishing, you can be in your garage making baits & doing fishing-related activities, which can help you stay sane until your next bite!
4. In the long run, lure making can save you a fair amount of money. Most decent soft plastics cost between $3-7 per pack. So if you buy a cheap mold for $30, you only need to make 5-10 packs of new worms, craws or swimbaits to be money ahead.
5. Lastly, there is great satisfaction in catching your favorite fish on a bait that you made yourself!

Learn to Make Your Own Soft Plastic Baits

If you are interested where to find all the tools needed to get started in remelting your old, here is a list below:
Cheap Senko Molds – https://ebay.to/2WPm1Xt
Misc Cheap Lure & Bait Molds – https://ebay.to/2WOZ5Yd
Soft Plastic Injectors – https://ebay.to/2vVcZNs
Glass Pyrex Cups – https://amzn.to/2UMEotz
Mold Clamps – https://amzn.to/2ybntJf
Infrared Thermometer – https://amzn.to/2QPpeCj
Gloves – https://amzn.to/3ar7Awt
Hot Plate – https://amzn.to/2xvd9f2
Used Microwaves – https://ebay.to/2UGdlA1

Videos of Super Bass Raise Many Questions…

I recently read some press releases and watched videos of super aggressive and large “Super Bass”.  Special breeds of bass called Gorilla and Tiger bass genetically cross bread to make a bass that grows fast and is incredibly aggressive.

So after reading release which I have inserted below, here are the questions that come to my mind:
How far North can Tiger bass live, say Minnesota?
How much do they cost?
Would my wife divorce me for digging a bass pond in my backyard?

Man-Eating Tiger Bass

The Tiger Bass…big and aggressive.

BIRMINGHAM, AL – With the cameras rolling from WKRG TV out of Mobile, AL, Spencer Ross of Chatom, Alabama, slipped his fingers into the waters of the private Bear Lake. In less than 5 seconds, a 6-pound bass attacked and bit Ross’ fingers. But, the quick-handed Ross brought his thumb under the bass’ jaw & snatched the Tiger Bass out of the water. “I’ve caught these man-eating Tiger Bass that weigh up to 10 lbs numerous times using this technique,” Ross explains.

Ross had been developing his hand-grabbing bass technique for several months. He’d noticed that when he threw bread or crackers off the dock and into the water, that the bluegills there began a feeding frenzy. “I also saw the bass move-in & start to feed on the bluegills,” Ross says. When only 3 or 4 would feed on the bluegills, the bass were very timid. But, when 8 or 10 bass moved-in to feed – especially the bass that weighed 10 lbs or more – these Tiger Bass started attacking the bluegills furiously. One day I stuck my fingers in the water & moved them like a bluegill. A bass came-up out of the water & bit my fingers.” After 3 or 4 more bass attacks, Ross wondered if he could grab hold of these bass by their jaws when they bit his fingers, like catfishermen hand-grab catfish in several southern states. His technique worked. “I’ve even had bass that weighed 10 lbs or more inhale my whole hand and bite my wrist,” Ross explains.

Man-eating Tiger Bass – a cross of a highly-aggressive northern male bass and a female Florida bass that has a history of producing offspring weighing 10 lbs or more – have been stocked in private ponds and lakes for the last several years. Two fishery scientists, Don Keller and Barry Smith of American Sport Fish Hatchery, wanted to solve the problem of stocking the Florida strain black bass that would grow quickly, but these bass were reluctant to bite artificial lures. “A bass in someone’s pond that weighs 10 pounds that no one can catch has very-little recreational value to the pond owner,” Smith explains. “But, if that same 10-pound bass bites aggressively, the fish can be caught and released by many anglers. That’s why Don and I developed the Tiger Bass.”

The proof of the aggressiveness of these big tiger bass is not only in these videos, but also in the catch records of Spencer Ross. “I fish the lake 3 days a week, all-year-long, and I’ve caught and released over 100 bass that have weighed 10 pounds or more from Bear Lake,” Ross reports. If you don’t believe the Tiger Bass will bite you, then check-out this video, shot by one of Ross’ friends (http://youtu.be/Mq76pbE6qDg). The news department at WKRG TV out of Mobile, Ala., didn’t believe this tale either, until they sent-out a camera crew. See the results at (http://www2.wkrg.com/news/2012/jun/05/fisherman-catches-bass-bare-hand-ar-3922721/). To learn more about Tiger Bass, go tohttp://www.americansportfish.com/?option=com_content&view=article&id=34&Itemid=60.




Bass Fishing in Virginia – Some Cool Stuff!

Cruising the web looking at bass fishing as I often do, this web page on Virginia’s Department of Game and Inland Fisheries caught my eye.  They actually have taken the time to rank their best largemouth bass fisheries by region in their state.  What a great tool for both residents and tourists of Virginia.

I wish Minnesota and some of my neighboring states would put lists like this together for largemouth and smallmouth bass.  Although somewhat interesting, Kerr Reservoir was #81 on Bassmasters’ Top 100 lakes in the country, but was only ranked 10th in the South Region by it’s own state’s fisheries teams.  Smith Mountain Lake was is #63, at least that is second in the South Region.  The Potomac River is #31 on Bassmaster list, unranked by state, probably because it is largely a border water with Maryland.

Among other cool things that Virginia has is a Virginia boating safety course.  The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is gradually
phasing-in mandatory boater education for all operators of PWCs and
motorboats over 10HP.
A new block of boaters will be added each year until
July 1, 2016 when all boaters shall meet the requirement.  This seems like a great program to create boater safety.  With all the high speed and high powered vessels on our waterways, it seems like a no-brainer!


Every now and then, it is cool to take a look at what other states are doing for fishing and boating and maybe think what could apply to our local resources.

 

Minnesotans for an Early Bass Fishing Season

The great majority of Bass anglers in Minnesota would do just about anything to get an earlier bass season in some form, whether it be experimental regulation lakes, catch & release season or just an earlier start date.  Well time to organize and unite, check out this Facebook Group and discussion board, time to get involved if we you want to see this become a reality.
http://www.mnearlybassseason.com

I am totally behind this idea, here is my general stance on the situation:
“I believe the only way this changes is to convince law makers that we
are losing money to WI & IA because of our long closed season. Tons
of guys travel out of state, spend money on licenses, gas, food &
lodging to fish bass legally, not to mention, potentially the state
could save money on trying to enforce the extended close season or use
the resources to enforce poaching or exotic species issues.

Not
to mention, an earlier season extends our tourism season, more
opportunity for more anglers to travel to MN and spend their money in
our local economy.

So in the end, we need to put a business case together!”

Hope you are interested in joining the cause!


Tired of seeing your money leave Minnesota?

As we approach another Wisconsin fishing opener that is 2 weeks before our Walleye/Pike opener and 4 weeks prior to the Bass opener, I cannot help but wonder how nice it would be to keep all that early season fishing revenue in our state.  Over the years, my buddies and I have spent thousands of dollars each just in our small group by driving our boats and trucks, renting rooms, buying food, tackle and other supplies in Wisconsin.

I have spent quite a bit of time bass fishing in both Minnesota and Wisconsin and I can tell no difference in the fishing quality; which leads me to believe that the extra closed season has no benefit on protecting the resource.  So than, I ask, why not open our season at the same time as Wisconsin and take back the millions of dollars Minnesota anglers spend in Wisconsin every year?

I am sure resort, gas station, and bait shows in Minnesota are wondering the same thing…..

I feel only slightly better after writing this

Vote or Don’t Complain!!!

This will be as close to a political message or rant as you will ever see on this blog.  I will keep it short……
Get off your duff & VOTE!!!!

Don’t just sit at home and gripe, make the effort and vote.  Also, encourage your friends and family to do so as well.
Your vote counts
Message specific to MN outdoors people, please vote on the Clean water, land and legacy amendment.  I don’t care which way you vote, but just be informed and make a vote, that is all I ask!!!  A non-vote, is a no vote, so make a vote.  Find info on this amendment here

Rich
RichLindgren.com 
Rich’s Bassin’ Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog

Bass Tackle Depot - Free Shipping $50 Orders - Great spot for hard to find Bass Fishing Gear!!

Help Out Recycled Fish!

 Teeg from Recylced Fish asked me to help spread the word, they are looking for a few volunteers for the following events! This winter, Recycled Fish will be on the ice at some of the biggest events in Ice Fishing, and we hope you’ll be there, too.

Brainerd Jaycees Ice ExtravaganzaJan 26 – Brainerd Jaycees $150,000 Ice Fishing Extravaganza / Gull Lake, MN

18th Annual event has raised over $1.5Million for Brainerd-area charities. This festival on ice gives you a shot at over $150,000 in prizes, including a Ford 4×4 truck and 8 Suzuki 4-wheelers! The top 150 slots are good for a prize, and even if you’re not in to ice fishing, there’s something for everyone. Plus – it’s a Catch and Release event, so bring a bucket or bag and join in to let ‘em swim!

Ice Fishapalooza Feb 16 – Fishapalooza Ice Fishing Contest/ Forest Lake, MN

Top prize is a Ford F-150 4×4 from Forest Lake Ford, last prize is a 2008 Skeeter boat. Close-in to the Twin Cities, this one will be action packed whether you’re fishing or just there as a spectator. This one is a C&R event, too!

Ice Leaders March 1 – Ice Leaders “Cool Cats” / Horseshoe Chain, Richmond, MN

Less about competition and more about a fun gathering, you’ll have a great time chasing CATFISH of all things through the ice. Complete with a fish fry, come learn some new stuff from the pros and make some new friends.

If interested, contact Teeg Stouffer at www.RecycledFish.org

Bass Fishing Randomness from Mar 26

Oh where to start.  I have not cashed in on any individual tournament fantasy prizes but I am #6 overall in the cumulative standings.

Overall Leaderboard
RANK TEAM, OWNER POINTS
1 ShadRap Matt, bass boy 1814
2 Big Bayou Bass, Jessie Davis 1788
3 Knoxville Youths, Thomas Truett 1784
4 Hope U take an I.O.U., chad whiting 1767
4 Ottawa Nitro_Basser, Chris Weed 1767
6 Lakeville HellaBass, Rich Lindgren 1723

  I have also decided to not adjust my roster between the Delta & Clear Lake. 

Team   Totals   Value
ANGLER HOMETOWN   RANK POINTS   MARKET LOCKED
VanDam, Kevin Kalamazoo, MI   3 320   16.5 15.7
Remitz, Derek Hemphill, TX   1 392   5.2 4.4
Monroe, Ishama Phoenix, AZ   12 177   10.3 9.8
Reese, Skeet Auburn, CA   2 335   15.7 15.3
Roumbanis, Fred Auburn, CA   31 112   4.8 4.4
Total Rating   52.5 49.6
Available Rating   50.0 50.0
Difference   -2.5 .4

Do not forget to get in your FLW picks for Fort Loudoun-Tellico Lakes.

Congrats to Aaron Martens on getting his first big win with BASS, even though he has won a lot of big tournaments in the past, this had to mean a lot.  Also note, Derek Remitz continues to impress all with a runner up finish at the Delta.  Derek just needs to keep making Top 50 cuts and he will be fishing the Classic again as well as the Major’s.  They have yet to update the ROY or AOY standings from yesterday yet.  The coverage of the weigh-in and the new pre-game show “Hooked-Up” was pretty good on Bassmaster.com yesterday.

I also read a very interesting note in my latest FLW mag.  Vermont has banned all lead sinkers & weights less then 1/2oz not including jigs, spinnerbaits, etc.  So basically if you want to fish a texas rig worm, you need to be using steel, brass, bismuth or tungsten sinkers in Vermont.  Add Vermont to the growing list of states with Lead Bans, which also include parts of Canada & New Hampshire.  States like Maine & New York have banned the sale of sinkers weighing less then 1oz.  MN has similar current legislation, but they do not have clear language that would exclude jigs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, etc.  That could make bass fishing in MN very expensive if that is not clarified.  We should all be contacting our representatives about this.

Also cool, Stay’nCharge.com has added a new discussion board to answer questions about product, troubleshooting & installation.

My trip to Charlotte last week was frustrating because it left no time for blogging, and put me behind when I got back to the office.  I also in one day, drove over Lake Wylie, then by a big new Bass Pro Shops and then over lakes High Rock & Norman

Rich
RichLindgren.com 
Rich’s Bassin’ Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog

If you enjoy this Blog, consider making a PayPal donation to help keep it going. No Donation too small, Thanks!

 

Minnesota bass anglers crowned top Federation for 2006

Minneapolis -­ February 7, 2007 ­ Minnesota bass anglers crowned top Federation for 2006.

 

The Minnesota B.A.S.S. Federation Nation was named Federation of the Year at the recent B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship held in Gadsden, AL. The prestigious annual award goes to the state organization that best puts together a well-rounded program involving conservation, youth and community service.

 

“This is really a great award and we are honored to receive it”, said Federation president Paul Becka. “Our goal was always just to run the group as professionally as possible in a politically difficult year, but it is also nice to get recognition for our youth and conservation activities.”

 

The Minnesota B.A.S.S. Federation Nation is compromised of 400+ amateur bass anglers of all ages and genders from Minnesota and bordering states. Besides fishing competitively, its members participate in a variety of activities that benefit the outdoors.

 

Federation regional director John Murphy, “It was quite an honor to accept this award on the behalf of all my fellow members.” Murphy represented Minnesota in Gadsden.

 

The Minnesota Federation hopes to leverage this award and publicity into augmenting efforts that are already in place focused on growing membership. Membership is the key to being able to do more and bigger projects.

 

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release visit www.mnbf.org

 

About Minnesota Bass Federation:

The Minnesota BASS Federation Nation is committed to promoting fishing for all ages and skill levels. We offer our assistance to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to improve fishing opportunities, habitat, water quality and preservation of public access to Minnesota¹s waterways. We work with state and local government, lake associations and other outdoor organizations to protect our fishing heritage. Through our youth initiatives, we provide education and on the water experiences to foster youth involvement and sustained interest in our sport. Skeeter Boats, Fig Rig Rods, and Lowrance are major sponsors of the organization.

 

Contact:

Rich Lindgren, Marketing Director

Minnesota Bass Federation Nation

http://www.mnbf.org

Rich
RichLindgren.com 
Rich’s Bassin’ Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog

If you enjoy this Blog, consider making a PayPal donation to help keep it going. No Donation too small, Thanks!

Trend vs. Mirage: PETA’s real motives….

Came across a few good articles shedding some unfavorable light one what PETA really does.  PETA would like you to believe they are all about animal protection, but I ask you to read the following entries that I will link to below and make your own judgment.  I have never been a fan of this organization nor will I ever be.

Check out Jim Braaten’s Sportsman’s Blog and read about how PETA was caught for killing animals and dumping them in a NC dumpster.

See here where the Governor of Colorado calls “PETA are a bunch of Losers and frauds”

More good stuff on Outdoors with Othmar Vohringer and his findings on PETA

and one more fun site…. PETA KillsAnimals.com

I could have ranted on my own, but these guys have done a good job already and I just wanted to raise the awareness on a few of these things so that it does not get swept under the rug

Rich
RichLindgren.com 
Rich’s Bassin’ Forum
Bass Fishing Tackle Blog

If you enjoy this Blog, consider making a PayPal donation to help keep it going. No Donation too small, Thanks!