HUB CITY BASSMASTERS

Monthly Newsletter

“LONG CASTS AND SHORT STRIKES”

JANUARY 2010

Awards Banquet for 2009 will be at Azteca’s on SATURDAY the 9^th of January. Cocktails 5:30PM, Order from menu around 6 or so and then the 2009 Awards will be presented. Please come, bring your families and enjoy the fellowship and help to recognize these well deserved accomplishments. This will also serve as our January meeting. SATURDAY, not Friday.

    Thanks Guys for your vote of confidence in electing me as your Club President for 2010. I promise you, I will attempt to carry us forward maintaining our tradition and good standing in our community and with the other clubs in the Panhandle. I have heard it often that we are the BEST Bass Club around, I believe it, and we should make every effort to maintain and preserve it. I look forward to working with the other officers of the club to do this and just as importantly, with you, the members. It is the member’s voice, actions, thoughts and ideas that will make the club stronger, FUN, competitive and respected. Thanks a million to our past officers for your guidance this past year and for you that are starting your second term, special thanks for your continued service. I will need your knowledge and wisdom to keep me straight.

President – Jack Bell                                            Vice-President/Treasure – Jeff Knight

Tournament Director – Rodney Brackett         Assistant Tournament Director – Michael Smith

    Let me just start with a short little history of me personally. Born and raised in Wichita Kansas. Enlisted in the USMC at 17 and somehow survived it for 23 years and 23 days. I retired here in Florida after my final tour at the Explosive Ordnance Disposal School at Eglin. I grew up Cat fishing (which I still love) and got into Bass fishing in the mid 70’s. Fished my first tournament with the Havelock Hawg Hunters in North Carolina and the rest is history. I fished with MBAA (Military Bass Anglers Association) for numerous years from coast to coast. Bass fishing is my passion although not near as serious about the hard core tournament fishing as I once was. The ole body is paying for my young- gun fighter years. LOL. It is the camaraderie and friendship as well as my competitive spirit and constant desire to learn that keep me involved. I currently work on the O&M contract at Eglin as the supervisor for the Munitions branch.

    As you can tell by this news letter, I am going to attempt to provide some new ideas and try to provide you the member with as much information on activities, tournaments, changes, ideas and just plain good ole fishing information as I get it or see it. I also want this newsletter to be a platform for you the member to contribute as you see fit or want to. I will gladly include anything that you send to me that you would like to post, discuss or present. I know that there are many media devices available to you to get the word but this will be my ole fashioned way to get it done. I am not computer literate and still can’t access ultimate bass to contribute or respond. LOL. This will be sent e-mailed only as an attachment to the address you have on the club roster. I will try not to get to long winded after this initial newsletter but I do believe in sharing information and getting the word out to everyone.

    Feel free to call me at home if you need or want to discuss club issues, suggestions, ideas, changes cancellations or whatever. This is the deal, I have to answer the phone all day long at work and I am not real fond of answering it at home. When the answering machine comes on,, just say – Jack, get off your butt its Bob or Michael or Ron or whoever and I will pick up. If I don’t I’m not here, leave a message and I will get back to you ASAP. I also monitor my e-mails both at work and at home on a daily basis and quite frequently. Feel free to use either e-mail address or both. My phone number and e-mail addresses are on the club roster. As for cell phone, I got one, usually on the kitchen counter with a dead battery. I will try and do better in carrying it. I had to use spell check for BLACKBERRY which is just not meant for my life style.

    As one of the first order of business, I encourage you all to update your information on the club membership roster. Between Rodney, Jeff, Michael and me, we will make every effort to keep this as current as possible. If you change something, let us know ASAP and we will update immediately. This is one of your guarantees of getting information and changes on a timely basis.

    One of the issues Tabled at the November 2 day tournament was how we were going to conduct and select launch orders for 2010. This issue was discussed at the December meeting and it was voted on and approved that the Tournament rules regarding this would remain the same. In short, if you want your name in the hat for the launch drawing you must either attend the meeting, (preferred) or you must e-mail or telephone one of the club officers prior to the meeting. Any commitment to fish after the meeting will be placed in the launch order as they are received. We hope that this will not be an escape for attending the monthly meeting and we all understand that many have varied work schedules, live away from Crestview and have many other obligations. We want you on the water with us is the bottom line.

   One issue remains on the table for discussion, Boaters vs. Non Boaters Pot money. There is a lot of pro and cons to this issue and I believe that most feel that the non boaters need to get together and decide amongst themselves whether or not they want to pursue this issue. I will bring it up again at the January meeting and ask for a final resolution. There was only (1) non boater at the December meeting and it’s kind of hard to get feedback that way,,, you need to attend the meetings if at all possible.

   A copy of the proposed 2010 Tournament rules has been sent to everyone by e-mail. I went word for word through the rules, did a little word smoothing and indicated all changes in red, highlighted in yellow. Suggested deletions are in green. I sent a copy to all the club officers for review and editing. If you have concerns, comments, recommendations or whatever, you need to e-mail or call me ASAP with those issues. Any received will be discussed with those present at the January meeting and either voted on to add, delete or leave as is. Once this is accomplished, I would like to have a vote of acceptance or not at the meeting.  That way we will have it out of the way for the year unless matters or issues arise that may call for amendments.    

    It is very important that you all remember that this is, OUR CLUB.   Your VOICE, IDEAS, CONCERNS AND OPINIONS are important to me and I consider them as the foundation for the success and unity of all of our members as well as our club.

    Congratulations to our December Tournament winners at Frank Jackson. I t was a tough, COLD, windy day to be on the water but as always, some will bite if you find them. Well done guys!!!

           1^st – Jeff Knight – 7.36 Lbs.                      2^nd – Michael Smith – 5.34 Lbs.

           3^rd – Bob Miles – 4.30 Lbs.                       Big Fish – Jeff Knight – 4.94 Lbs.

    A thought to ponder – During the tournament, one of our members went overboard while they were trying to get dislodged from atop a staub.  Water Temps in the low 50’s, already cold, heavy clothing, and now wet and REAL cold. Your partner is bigger than you and you cannot pull him up and out of the water.. Hypothermia starts to increase rapidly. Do you have a plan??? Great job and good thinking John on what could have resulted in a disaster, I am sure that David was glad you were there. I am already on line trying to locate me a Jacobs’s ladder of sort that I can stow easily in my boat. This could happen at any time and we still have several months of cold coming with low water temps. Really, a good idea for any weather, some people don’t swim so pretty good.

    There have been a few requests from the newer guys for club decals or stickers for truck or boat. I will make it an agenda item for discussion on the style, how’s, cost etc. if you would like. We might even consider club hats. Mr. Ard does a great and quick job on shirts. I was thinking along the lines of the club making the initial investment and then the treasure selling them at the meetings or tournaments to recover the investment. Just my thoughts, you decide. I would appreciate any input on how this was done in the past from those that know.

    Although I feel we do a pretty good job, I would like to reemphasize the importance and courtesy of helping each other out during launch and recovery at tournaments this next year. Those that do not have a partner for the day could use your help in backing down the ramp, holding a rope, tying off or whatever. It will reduce congestion and help us to get to fishing, what we are all there for. I would also like to have some discussion on all boats on trailer and accounted for before weigh in starts. (Unless you intend or desire to return to fishing after the tournament). During this process, others can stow gear, tie down, bag your fish and prepare for your trip home. Those interested can observe who weighs what, socialize, talk about the one’s that got away or just lie to each other. Today’s live well recyclers and aerators allow for this short time period. To me, this would give the tournament director and assistant the opportunity to fish the full day, recover and get prepared for the weigh in. It would also eliminate what happened at the Mobile delta tournament when half of the club had already departed and we discovered we had a boat and fellow club member missing.  It would also allow for photos to be taken for our web site of big fish, good stringers and place finishers. Every dog likes to be petted and praised.. I need your thoughts and ideas on this, both good and bad.

    Along these same lines, I have already received some feedback on the Proposed 2010 Tournament rules. One issue that has been raised is the wearing of life jackets during the tournament. I think the rules are pretty clear. If you are observed running or above idle speed during the tournament without your life jacket on and you are reported, you will be disqualified. SAFETY FIRST….. Let’s use some common sense during launch and recovery.

    Also, you are the manager and steward of the health and welfare of your catch. If your aerators are not working, please – please get them fixed. There are just a ton of products on the market to assist you in maintaining your fish and it would be a shame to abuse the resource that we all so dearly love and pursue. And as always, ice works wonders in hot weather in cooling the water and reducing the metabolism of the fish.

    It has been suggested that the criteria for winning and the voting procedures used to select our Angler of The Year Award be spelled out and posted either in the Tournament Rules or on the web site. What say you the membership???????

    Everyone be thinking and looking at a tournament schedule for this coming year. I would like to get the tournament sites at least suggested for the entire year as soon as possible and then be able to adjust as we need to. I have tried to compile a listing of other tournaments in Florida and the surrounding areas to try and be able to allow all to fish these tournaments; such as ABA, Fed Nation etc. if they would like without interfering with our schedule and hopefully to reduce multi-event congestion at the ramps. If conflicts occur with your other series, it will just have to be your choice as to what you want to fish. I do not have a problem scheduling alongside other tournaments to help each other out as long as it is voted on and approved by the membership. If you know of any tournaments or schedules, please bring them with you to the next meeting so we can hash it all out. It was voted on and approved that we will start 2010 in January on the 23^rd at beautiful Lake Seminole. Hope for a mild winter and maybe there will be fish on the beds. We also voted and approved Deer Point for February, date still to be determined at the next meeting. REMINDER: Seminole Lodge does not sell Georgia fishing licenses anymore if yours has expired. I am not absolutely positive, but I don’t believe that the bait and tackle store across the river does either. Plan accordingly..

    I would like to THANK Bob Miles for attending the brief that was hosted by the Miracle Strip Bass Club with a guest speaker from the Blackwater River Fisheries Research Center. As you can see, I have attached the handout with this newsletter for you to read. They are asking for public opinion and are seeking ways to improve the fisheries for Bass for our future. I will spend time reviewing this document as I would like you to also and then try and find ways that our club could assist in the endeavor. A lot more to come on this issue in the near future.

    Welcome back Jay Smith from an extremely long tour in Europe. I understand that Jay was one of the original Firsts members of the club and has already hit the water with us in December. Also, welcome Charles Georgi as a new member. I had a great day on the water with Charles at Frank Jackson and look forward to many more. Glad to have you both with us for this next year.

    I read in the December issue of Bass Times where the E15 proposal was dropped from the 2010 environmental protection agencies appropriations bill. This is good news for us with boats. I have read with nightmares the damage that is being caused to outboards by ethanol and have started using Sta-bile marine ethanol Treatment in mine every fill up. They say the issue is not dead, just delayed for further evaluation and research. If you own an outboard, this is something you want to keep up with. Especially if your insurance will not cover a blown motor.

    For those of you that have not paid your dues for 2010, both Club and Federation please have them available at the January meeting if at all possible. If this is not possible, work with Jeff. Also, if you have paid, make sure you check with Bob to ensure that he has your BASS number to register us.

    Anyone interested in a quarterly, no points, pay and fish tournament at a hat drawn place like Seminole, Talquin, Ghant or wherever???? Could even be a team event. Should be used as a learning experience and a sharing of methods, tactics and patterns.. No points or club money, just good friends, camaraderie and fun fishing. 100% Payback from what is taken in from those who elect to fish... We could limit Michael to a half day if it becomes too expensive on everyone. LOL,LOL Just an idea, let me know….

    And yet another point, it has already been suggested that Michael write a column in the newsletter each month explaining how, where and on what he used to beat us the last tournament and how we should prepare for the next tournament to try and achieve a somewhat respectable second place. So what say you Michael??? LOL,LOL

JANUARY TOURNAMENTS

   2^nd -- Winter Bass Trail – White City

   9^th – C&R Bass – Wingate’s Lodge, Seminole

  17^th – ABA District 114 - Seminole Lodge, Seminole

  23^rd – Hub City Bass Masters – Seminole, Seminole Lodge

  30^th – Deer Point Team Trail -Bay County Bass Club – Deer Point

  30^th – X-treme Bass - Lake Jackson, Sunset Landing

  31^st – ABA District 114 – Talquin Lodge – Lake Talquin

  31^st - C&R Bass – Wingate’s Lodge, Seminole

   This is all I could find, if any of you have or know of a tour, club you want added each month, send me the name and dates and I will add them for everybody’s info and benefit.

Moon Phases for January for those of you that use them:

New Moon – 1-15-2010 – 0712 AM    Full Moon – 1-30-2010 – 0618 AM

    Well, I don’t know about the rest of you but I have had absolute blast fishing with the club this past year. I cannot wait to get 2010 started and to continue the friendships and camaraderie that I was so lucky to have found with the club. Here is wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May all your ornaments be Lucky Craft crank baits and hung with Gamakatsu EWG hooks, delivered by Santa in a brand new Nitro powered with a Mercury OptiMax and may the coming year bring you solid hook sets, screaming drags and a live well full of kickers every tournament. Be safe and be Thankful.

Bass Wishes,

Jack