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It’s been a Rockford tradition for 41 years, and this weekend’s Boat, Vacation and Fishing Show at the Indoor Sports Center is starting to reel in big numbers and bounce back from the effects of a down economy.

“In the past four years there have been a lot of lookers and I reckon everybody was just worried to spend the money, but this year we’re seeing a major difference. There’s a lot of enthusiasm and boats are being bought”, says Showtime Production’s Duane Nichols.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars are expected to be spent at this year’s expo, and that doesn’t include the money spent on hotels, restaurants and businesses from those staying in town for the event. Organizers hope the effects of the show don’t stop there, giving local businesses a chance to develop a loyal customer base moving forward.

Bass-ett Baits owner Tim Hamilton says, “I reckon that’s part of being here, the longer you are here, the people are going to come and see you more. you always see new people. I’ve felt and we have seen that the dollar value is up, so they are spending more personally at this show that I have seen.”

More than 15,000 people are expected to come through the gates at this year’s expo and while businesses are seeing more people buy compared to years past, the boom in sales could be thanks to an outside source.

“The problem was the banks. the banks are loosening up now so people are getting financed again. if someone put a deposit down on a boat, it was a very hard time trying to get them financed”, says owner of Fox Lake Harbor, Warren Moulis.

The show wraps up Sunday February 19th at the Indoor Sports Center from 11 am to 5 pm.

January 27, 2012

COASTWIDE – Heavy winds are forecast to ease Saturday into some possibly decent conditions for early-morning bottomfishing for black rockfish and lingcod. however, the forecast can change dramatically, so locals can keep an eye on river bars for small trips outside, but it’s not likely worth a coastal trip for inlanders.

Ocean crabbing conditions remain poor and hazardous. Dungeness not only will be moving out of estuaries, they also will be skirting away from river mouths until estuary salinity levels improve after the flood surges abate. Crab meat condition is brilliant now and the entire Oregon Coast is open for crabbing.

The marine aggregate limit in Oregon is seven rockfish a day. New for 2012 is a rule that bans cabezon harvest until April.

Lingcod fishing has been brilliant when anglers can get out. look for lingcod to be around kelp beds and near jetties when the ocean subsides enough for jigging. the lingcod limit is two a day with a 22-inch minimum, and that is separate from the marine aggregate.

For clamming, the entire coast is open. the next minus tide series is Feb. 5-9 starting in the afternoons. Watch for sneaker waves.

BROOKINGS – the bar has been rough and at times closed this past week thanks to heavy flows in the Chetco River and surf surge during recent storms. if locals are able to sneak out Saturday morning, look for black rockfish and lingcod at near-shore rock piles and off the south jetty.

COOS BAY – Crabbing had been poor in the estuary and will remain so until a few days after heavy freshwater inflows subside. Sturgeon fishing is slow.

Lingcod jigging near Cape Arago had been very good when the weather allows. Black rockfish catches had been good along the inside of the north jetty, but look for poor fishing conditions well into next week.

Clamming has been a bust around Charleston during the current storm surges.

WINCHESTER BAY – Sturgeon fishing had improved below the Highway 101 bridge, but sturgeon fishing conditions will be poor well into next week. Crabbing had improved in the triangle area, but look for poor Dungeness catches into next week because of high water in the estuary.

AGATE – a batch of legal-sized and larger trout was stocked for the winter trout fishery. look for good fishing for them around the lower section of the lake when the weather calms down. the lake is 31 percent full. Worms or PowerBait will be best. No gas motors are allowed. Small electric motors are legal.

APPLEGATE – Heavy inflows from this week’s storms will turn trout off the bite for a while until things settle down. the facilities at Hart-Tish Park are closed and the low-water ramp at French Gulch is open and usable, as is the Copper ramp. for winter trout fishing, troll Triple Teasers or Wedding Ring lures with worms. Bass fishing was slow.

EMIGRANT – the lake is 50 percent full, and rainbow trout are available. Troll slowly with Triple Teasers or Wedding Ring lures with worms, or use PowerBait from the bank.

A standing public-health advisory continues about eating all but trout from the lake because of elevated mercury levels.

HOWARD PRAIRIE – the lake is closed for the season.

HYATT – the lake is closed for the season.

DIAMOND – the lake is closed for the season.

EXPO – Fishing is honest for stocked rainbow trout with Panther Martin lures, PowerBait and worms under bobbers.

LOST CREEK – the lake has risen about nine feet in the past two weeks as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers starts filling the reservoir while keeping an eye on inflows during recent storms. the trout bite will be slow until the water clears and water levels steady. When they do, trolling will be best near the face of the dam and upstream of Peyton Bridge near the top of the reservoir. Worms on Wedding Ring lures trolled slowly at varied depths often work well, especially with small flashers. the boat ramp at Stewart State Park is now usable. the Takelma ramp near the dam also is open, but it can be hard to maneuver large boats and trailers there.

LAKE of the WOODS – the lake’s ice is unsafe for ice fishing, and about half of the lake has open water.

FISH – the boat ramp remains accessible, and the lake is primarily ice-free.

WILLOW – Fishing is honest for legal-sized and larger rainbow trout stocked there earlier this year. Troll deep and slow, or fish PowerBait off the bottom. Access to the county boat ramp is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ROGUE – the far upper Rogue was fishable for winter steelhead Thursday, and the middle Rogue was on the cusp of what could have been good winter steelhead fishing conditions Thursday, but rains were bringing muddy water down to the Grants Pass area. the lower Rogue was turning on for plunkers using Spin-Glo’s in water two to three feet deep and close to the bank, but that option could wash out if turbidity from upstream doesn’t settle out as it moves through the Lower Rogue Canyon.

That leaves a mixed best bet. for the immediate future, it’s the far upper Rogue upstream of Elk Creek in search of early winter steelhead moving through. a few dozen winter steelhead have hit the Cole Rivers Hatchery trap and fresh fish are on their way. Fish slower water along the inside turns of gravel bars and at tailouts because these steelhead will be moving and not holding. Plugs should out-fish roe for the foreseeable future, but look for soaked yarn balls to fish well as water drops and the steelhead slow down.

Conditions in the upper Rogue were marginal Thursday, with flows of almost 2,100 cubic feet per second out of Lost Creek Dam. By the time you get to Dodge Bridge at Highway 234, the flows were up to 5,360 cfs. but the key statistics for Thursday on the upper Rogue were at the old Gold Ray Dam site, where the flow was more than 6,000 cfs and the turbidity was listed at 22 NTUs and rising. That’s too dark for decent winter steelhead fishing. When that number gets below 14 NTUs, then the rest of the upper Rogue should turn on for steelhead.

In the middle Rogue, the turbidity level was listed Thursday at 14.3 NTUs, and the plunkers started getting some action. look for the middle Rogue to pull into fishable shape as early as Sunday, depending upon how much new rain hits through today. When it does, plunkers and side-planers should see action in shallow water at Griffin Park, near the mouth of the Applegate River and elsewhere.

The lower Rogue was hot for plunkers Wednesday and Thursday from Agness all the way down to Huntley Park in water three-feet deep and shallower. but the muddy water headed downstream threatens that success. Boat anglers stayed off the water this past week.

APPLEGATE – the river was up and rolling Thursday as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers looked to dump some of the past week’s water capture, with releases at 1,300 cfs. the fish trap at the base of Applegate Dam has not yet been opened. When the water drops, fish for winter steelhead with spoons, and worms with watermelon corkies.

All wild steelhead must be released unharmed, and there is no fishing from a floating device.

UMPQUA – the North Umpqua is way up and out of shape for winter steelhead fishing, as is the South Umpqua and mainstem Umpqua. When the South Umpqua drops and clears, look for some good winter steelhead catches in the lower half of the river, but don’t be surprised if some fish make it far up into the system some time next week. Fishing will be best by side-drifting roe along the inside turns of gravel bars and tailouts. all wild steelhead must be released unharmed.

CHETCO – the Chetco was up to 12,000 cfs Thursday, and flows will yo-yo for the next few days. Plunkers could find some brilliant catches once the water starts to drop significantly. the river’s turbidity is OK, but look for plunking to really take off once flows drop below 8,000 cfs.

ILLINOIS – Winter steelhead fishing conditions should be good by Sunday based on forecasts, and plenty of winter steelhead should be available. Side-drifting yarn balls should be good. No bait is allowed. Anglers may keep one wild steelhead a day and five per year.

ELK/SIXES – Both rivers were way up and out of shape for winter steelhead fishing this week. the Elk’s water clarity remained good, but flows were too high for most fishing. When they drop into shape, these rivers both will fish well for winter steelhead. Anglers can keep one wild steelhead a day and up to five per season on either river.

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Early sign-ups for the Lake County Chamber of Commerce (formally Holder Ford) bass tournament scheduled for March 17-18 open at 9 a.m. on Monday at the Lake County Chamber office in Lakeport, 875 Lakeport Blvd. The blast-off numbers for the first day of the tournament are issued in the order fishermen sign up.

Entry forms are available at all local tackle shops as well as at the chamber office. The entry fee for the tournament is $150 and there is a $50 huge-fish option. For more information call the chamber office at 263-5092 or the Tackle it tackle shop at 262-1233.

The fishing forecast for Clear Lake is beginning to sound like a broken record. “Keep moving and use either an Alabama Rig with swimbaits or jumbo minnows.” Really the past week has seen so few fishermen out on the lake that it’s hard to get an accurate report. in fact, so far this winter the number of fishermen on the lake is at a record low. Even the fishing guides have been booking few trips. that should all change this weekend as two bass tournaments are scheduled.

What is considered a successful day on the lake? Most fishermen say if you’re lucky enough to catch five or six bass it has been a very good day, but, a few fishermen have had 25-fish days. The trick is to keep moving until you locate a school of bass. that means dozens of casts before you get a strike.

What is surprising is that despite the low lake level in the north end of the lake a few of the fishermen have been successful and that means catching bass in less than 3 feet of water. The official lake level is 2.32 feet Rumsey. The normal for this time of the year is 3.67 feet, which means the lake level is 15 inches below normal. Bass are also being caught near Shag Rock, Anderson Island and Monitor Island. The Clear Lake Bassmasters held a club tournament on Saturday and out of seven boats only two bass were caught. Most of the fishermen said they didn’t get a single bite.

Cold water has been a factor in the slow fishing. The water temperatures have been starting out at 42 degrees in the mornings and only rising a couple of degrees by late afternoon. It’s a well-known fact that bass, such as other fish, adapt to their surroundings. when the water temperature decreases, the metabolism of a fish slows down. whereas fish won’t feed as much or as often when the water is warm, they still eat. this is illustrated by the condition of the bass that are being caught. They have been stout and healthy.

Angler’s Choice will hold a team tournament Saturday and American Bass will hold one Sunday. The weigh-ins for both tournaments are at Konocti Vista Casino starting at 3 p.m.

Lake County residents will be happy to know that the written test required to obtain a quagga mussel sticker for your watercraft has been suspended until further notice.

Catfish action is rated fair for the few fishermen out after them. A few catfish are being caught off the docks at Indian Beach Resort in Glenhaven. One angler reported catching three catfish near Shag Rock. Cut bait has been the top producer. there are still no crappie and very few bluegill. A bass fisherman did report catching a 2-pound-plus crappie on a drop-shot near Henderson Point.

Trout are being caught at Upper Blue Lake. Trollers rigging a nightcrawler behind a set of flashers are having most of the success. Fishermen report getting a lot of bites for the few fish they really catch. A few bank anglers are scoring using salmon eggs or bait balls. Bass action has been slow.

A sleeper could be a trip to Indian Valley Reservoir. The lake has seen few fishermen the past few weeks and the lake level has been holding steady. this would be a good time to target smallmouth bass along the rip-rap at the dam. The only problem is that it has been bitterly cold at the lake.

Waterfowl hunters go into their final two weeks of the season (it closes Jan. 28) and the hunting has improved slightly at the refuges in the Sacramento Valley. Most of the public shoot areas are averaging about two birds per hunter. Teal and gadwalls are making up most of the bag. Hunting at Clear Lake remains very slow.

OUR LOCAL baseball heroes may have been skunked last season, but 2011 was still a year of giants. some of the largest fish ever seen of multiple species were caught in local and West Coast waters in 2011, from Bay sevengill sharks to blue water tuna to brilliant late-season salmon off the Marin Coast.

Happily, the largest fish of them all is still out there. it was caught last spring by Sean Treacy, now a party boat captain of the Mini-Me, and may be one of the largest sturgeon ever pulled to the side of a boat by a sport angler south of Oregon. Treacy hooked the fish — described in the Marin IJ in April — near the Pumphouse. after a two-hour fight on 80-pound-test line, he roughly measured it at almost 13 feet long and guessed it weighed close to 1,000 pounds. after a few grainy cell phone photos, he unhooked the fish and let it go.

Later, on July 1, an angler named Francisco Rivera, of Camarillo caught a California halibut fully four times larger than the average jackpot-winning flattie caught on local party boats. it weighed 67 pounds and became a new state sport fishing record. Two days later, the same boat, Mirage, landed a whopping 59-pounder. Each halibut was landed off of Santa Rosa Island.

In recent years we’ve watched white sea bass make an exciting comeback, keeping a strong summer-fall presence in Monterey Bay and even, at times, just off the south Marin Pacific coast, especially near Point Bonita and sometimes in Tomales Bay. these are huge fish — often averaging 30 to 40 pounds — and in 2011, some right giants were caught. in April, a 76-pounder was taken near San Diego — a new record at the time. but in October, Justin Barry reset the record with a 79-pounder caught in Monterey Bay. White sea bass have staged a revival due in large part to a breeding program in San Diego, and we may hope that this fishery continues to grow and prosper in 2012 and beyond.

In the striped bass sector, rumors of 40-plus pounders in 2011 came from the reed-riddled shorelines of northern San Pablo Bay — but the largest striper verified, according to Keith Fraser at Loch Lomond Bait Shop, was 32.5 pounds. Nice fish — but “huge” for a California striper is one thing; “huge” back east is entirely different. consider Rhode Island, where last June Peter Vican caught a 77-pounder.

Incidentally, a few Marin anglers have been informally discussing the thought of placing a maximum size limit on striped bass with the thought of better preserving the breeding population. It’s a thoughtful gesture, though the Department of Fish and Game is probably not likely to consider imposing such a regulation given that it’s busy enough really trying to eliminate the species from state waters, as was reported in November.

And if size doesn’t matter, then sheer numbers must — and anglers may take solace in the fact that salmon numbers are up. The ocean season was a smash in 2011, especially late in the summer as the real smokers — many in the 40-pound-range — fattened up in their final weeks of life at sea, and by all accounts, next year is expected to be just as spectacular.

In more current events, the sturgeon bite has gone wild again in San Pablo Bay. at each round of extreme tides this happens, and, more than any other local angler, it seems, San Rafael’s Sean Daugherty has mastered the trick of hooking these fish. last weekend, on Friday and Saturday, he and a couple of friends caught 16 sturgeon as long as 79 inches. All were released. in a few days the first extreme tidal cycle of 2012 arrives — so, if last week may tell us anything about the next, buy some mud shrimp and hold onto your rods.

Alastair Bland is a Ba

y Area fisherman. Send him tales, photos or video to or call the IJ sports desk at 382-7206. Check out his blog at blogs.marinij.com/fishing_in_marin/

Posted September 29 2011 – 10:02 PM

Names Chris. I've been bass fishing seriously(as seriously as a broke college student without a boat can…) for about 3 years now. My interest in fishing has spiked recently, and I've chose to place other activities and money aside to get more serious about his leisure activity. I've been reading alot about the "logistics" and methods around catchin' bass lately, which lead me to this site. I'm a member of several gun forums, and that information has proved helpful, so I thought that would also apply here.Been fishing forever, but getting on a few of my buddies bass boats has given me the "itch" as they say. I can see this becoming an addiction Looking to get a boat soon(start cheap and upgrade over the next year and a half as money builds up), so ill probably be asking about that alot (ill try and avoid the "which should i buy" questions). I feel like I have a excellent grip on tactics and presentation and can read conditions well, but their is always more to learn.I look forward to learning here and hopefully giving some information back when i can. ThanksChris

The recent obsession of Clear Lake bass fishermen with the swimbait called the “Trash Fish” is a good indication of just how vital new types of fishing lures are to fishermen, especially the tournament anglers.

Bass fishermen will go to any lengths to gain that slight advantage over their competitors and once they find the “perfect” lure they will do practically anything to keep it a secret. For example, the winner of the recent FLW Outdoors tournament held at Clear Lake said he caught at least 75 bass on the Trash Fish. The result is the lure has been selling like crazy.

Clear Lake Outdoors is the only tackle store in the county currently carrying the lure and they can’t keep it in stock. The lure isn’t cheap, costing $16 for two, but the price hasn’t deterred the fishermen. in fact, the lure is so well loved that the manufacturer, Benno Heune, can’t keep up with the orders.

I am always amazed how bass fishermen guard their secret lures and their favorite places to fish. they have been known to completely buy out a particular lure from a local tackle shop in order to keep it away from their competitors. Bass fishermen also rarely tell what lure they have been using. When the announcer at a tournament weigh-in questions a fisherman how he caught his fish, the fisherman often roll his eyes, looks up at the sky and gives a vague answer, and it’s usually a lie. I have seen fishermen say they caught their bass on topwater lures even though it’s mid-January and there is snow on the ground. This happened a few years ago when I interviewed the winner of a pro/am tournament. He said he caught his bass on topwater lures in Rodman Slough. Now most fishermen know it’s rare for a bass to take a topwater lure during the cold winter months.

Later, when I spoke with his amateur partner, he said they actually caught all their fish on a jig over a rockpile in the south end of the lake. Tournament fishermen often say they caught their bass on the tackle made by their sponsors. in truth, a tournament fisherman will use any lure that catches fish regardless of who makes it.

Bass fishermen hate it when outdoor writers reveal what the fish are biting on and where they can be caught. I have had more than one fisherman refuse to even talk with me. last year I was fishing near the Lakeside County Park when I came upon two fishermen prefishing for an upcoming tournament. One of the fishermen recognized me and said to his partner, “Don’t say a word, that’s the local outdoor writer and he will place it in the newspaper.”

One well-known bass pro would always stop his boat out in the middle of the lake on the way to the weigh-in and change all his lures so that everyone would reckon those were the lures he caught his fish on.

As for secret locations, forget it. there are no so-called secret spots on Clear Lake. on any given day just about every spot that is holding bass will see at least two boats there. This is especially true during a tournament. during a recent tournament the area around the Skylark Shores Motel in Lakeport was holding bass. I counted seven boats fishing within a few yards of each other.

Is the Trash Fish the secret lure that everyone is seeking? hardly. whereas it has been catching bass and selling like crazy, its popularity will pass and another lure will take its place. actually, there are at least 25 different brands of swimbaits on the market. It’s not only swimbaits drawing the attention of tournament anglers. Remember the Banjo Minnow or the Helicopter lure that was touted a few years ago. Nowadays you rarely see one. it goes to prove that the fishermen are often not much smarter than the fish they seek.

Posted September 29 2011 – 10:02 PM

Names Chris. I've been bass fishing seriously(as seriously as a broke college student without a boat can…) for about 3 years now. My interest in fishing has spiked recently, and I've chose to put other activities and money aside to get more serious about his leisure activity. I've been reading alot about the "logistics" and methods around catchin' bass lately, which lead me to this site. I'm a member of several gun forums, and that information has proved helpful, so I thought that would also apply here.been fishing forever, but getting on a few of my buddies bass boats has given me the "itch" as they say. I can see this becoming an addiction Looking to get a boat soon(start cheap and upgrade over the next year and a half as money builds up), so ill probably be asking about that alot (ill try and avoid the "which should i buy" questions). I feel like I have a excellent grip on tactics and presentation and can read conditions well, but their is always more to learn.I look forward to learning here and hopefully giving some information back when i can. ThanksChris

Is there a john boat or similar boat I can buy for cheap that will allow me to stand to fish for bass?

Is there a way to rig a john boat or whatever to build a standing platform?

had a client who's husband rigged a john boat for shrimping. it's a wrongful death and products liability case. her husband is dead now. seems he died after his modified john boat capsized and he drowned. why not just buy a bass boat. it's not woirth the risk. but if you want to risk it, build a raft. their sturdier than a rigged john boat. just despise to see you get hurt.

jon boat. spell correctly

yes go t

johnboatsideas.com

Hey everyone! my friends and I like to go fishing and we are going to start going out on the lake bass fishing. We normally just fish from the bank at a dam for channel catfish and other fish. what are some must have things for someone just starting to fish for bass? Things like lures, line, bait, etc. also i have a cheap rod that i got for like 10 bucks so im going to need a better rod, this one sucks… So any excellent beginner rod and reels would be fantastic to. Im not trying to spend a boat load of cash since i dont know how much we will like this. thanks!

Boat. Bait. Beer. And rods with reels and line and hooks. Maybe a bobber. Gas in the boat. Fishing license. Life jacket. Float plot. Fish finder. another fish finder. Plugs in the boat. Batteres charge. Third fish finder. Trailer. Truck to pull boat and trailer. Fishing partner to pay for gas, bait, beer. anything else just question. O…..and a whistle.

Everything Jordan said is excellent advice. Try spinnerbaits. they are very versatile lures and can work in nearly any situation. Just throw it out and reel back in. as you move on and learn new things, you will become much better. Read ALOT if you want to take bass fishing seriously. I started to in the last couple years and know a honest amount now.

I agree with Jordan as well, except for the Hideous Stik suggestion; I'm not a fan of Hideous Stik rods. also, I would add a couple of top waters, like frogs and buzzbaits, and some ribbon tailed worms that you can Texas Rig. Culprit and YUM both make fantastic worms and lizards. I personally like 7.5 inch worms and lizards the best.

To get you set up with everything would take more room than you are allowed on here. you might try this web site baitcastingreelsandmore.com and see the Articles section for some tips. Hope you get set up and delight in fishing.

For lures best bets for bass are Hula Poppers, Jitterbugs, Wiggle Warts, Rat-L-Traps, and Rapala's should work fine.

I'm starting to get into using crankbaits, and can someone recommend what crankbaits for me to buy? (what depth). also, the river I'm fishing in is stained water. also, what's the deal about inflatable boats? Are they trustworthy? I'mn thinking of buying them because they're cheaper, but they look like they cound pop. lol

Well I honestly don't know anything about crankbaits but I do use inflatable boats myself and have had absolutely no problems with them. In fact I reckon people don't realize how incredibly sturdy they are these days. if you get a decent one it is pretty hard to "pop" it and even if you did get a leak there are normally more than one air chamber so there is no way you would sink.

They are in fact some of the safest boats on the water. Depending on the type of inflatable boat you are looking for you might find some good info here: inflatablekayakworld.com as they give comprehensive reviews on many of the different inflatable rafts, inflatable fishing boats and inflatable kayaks. good luck!

Rapala, Norman, Rebel, Bass Pro Shops, and Cabela's all have their own Crankbaits. Bass Pro Shops has some cheaper $3 Crankbaits which would be fantastic to try. Rapala DT04's or DT06's in crayfish and firetiger colors would be excellent choices as well. Here's just a few good Crankbaits to take a look at –

Rapala® DT® (Dives-To) Series – basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores…

Bass Pro Shops® XPS® Lazer Eye Nitro™ Shad – basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores…

Cotton Cordell® big O® – basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores…

Rebel® Crawfish™ – basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores…

Just a few different Cranks for you to look at…

If you have anymore questions feel free to e-mail me.

hooks and sharp fish fins don't work so well around inflatable boats. i agree with the BOBBER. Buy a used Jon boat or canoe. you can usually find them on sale in your local newspaper or on Craigslist on the net. i got a nice 16 ft Jon with a 15 Horse motor and a trailer for $650. if you don't want to spend that much get a canoe. I find canoes on Craigslist all the time for under $250.

On the inflatable boat question check out allinflatableboats.net/ That should answer a lot of your questions.

I would try like a #5or7shadrap or an Xrap. As far as inflatables I would get a jon boat instead. they are more stable. I got a used12 footer for 100$