JustinHoffman

Hello All, After yesterday's big fish, I needed to get out again for a few hours to see if her sister's wanted to play. Hit the water at high noon - beautiful conditions! Here is my first stop of the day - a scant 30 second boat ride from the launch.. This short section of undercut cane often holds a fish or two, but as of late, the fish haven't been moving into it, or at least getting active, until mid afternoon. Fished it quick with a jig, but no one home. Continued on to the slop and pad beds. These are on a mud bottom, and very shallow, but again, often hold fish. A few flips in and a fish comes unpegged. I then manage to spook two good fish, by letting the boat and trolling motor get too close. Had one other decent fish come out to inspect my jig, and after staring at it for a 20 seconds, decided it wanted nothing to do with it. Start the outboard and head to my next spot. This mid lake can doesn't hold a tonne of fish, but when they are there, they are usually better than average.. Average would of been better than zilch that this spot coughed up! Figured it was time to hit the deep slop that the big girl of yesterday came from. A short ride up the river and I'm at my stop. Doesn't take long to put the first of a few fish in the boat. Not as much action as yesterday, but I do see one fish over 4lbs that was pretty neutral in terms of biting the jig. The wind was blowing a different direction today, which may explain them shifting from this area, or turning off slightly. After putting five or six 2-pounders in the boat, it was time to hit another new area. Next on tap was a shallow shoreline, with isolated slop and wood strewn about. You'd be hard pressed to find water over a foot deep where I target here, but the fish are there. Finally one worthy of the camera. She had a big head compared to the skinny body.. And here is the spot she came from...pretty shallow, isn't it?? Continued to pick off another half dozen fish, but nothing of any real size. Starting to feel the burn of fishing four days straight, I decided to work one last shoreline and call it a day. Got these two little guys to finish off my four hour stint.. Another great day spent on the water. I must say, my thumbs and hands are pretty beat up from lipping fish these last few days, but getting that piggie yesterday makes it all worth it. Have to take a week out from the boat, but will be back at it shortly....I can't wait! Good Fishing, Justin

Hey Johnny, No idea on the water temp., as I still have an older model grapth that doesn't have that feature. It was a little chilly when the hands went in. In regards to how a fish hits a jig, each and every way is possible. They can easily suck up a jig, regardless of size, off the bottom. No question about that. They can smoke it on the drop, shooting out in the blink of an eye before you bait even makes it to bottom. This happens regularly when fishing a jig - even in water as shallow as 1 foot. If they don't hit it on the initial fall, I will jig it in place, six inches or so off bottom (or even right on bottom) in hopes of luring them in. I've worked a jig as long as 30 seconds in a promising spot, before a fish has swam up and sucked it in. The fish will dictate how they take it. It can happen in a multitude of ways, and that's what makes this style of fishing so exciting. Good luck on the water, Justin

Hello All, Sept. 16 (Sunday) Had the chance to get out on the Rideau River for a few hours with my bud Tim. Although the weatherman called for "calm" winds, for the most part, they were pretty much howling! Pretty chilly out there, too! I launched the boat an hour before meeting up with Tim, so checked out a few spots to see if the fish were on. First thing I notice at the launch ramp is four bass boat trailers and trucks. This is unheard of on this stretch, so I was curious what was going on. Anyways, my first spot had a bass boat on it, so I cut in front of him a few hundred yards down the shore. Half a dozen flips into some undercut cane, and the first fish (18") is in the livewell. Miss a couple more "hot" fish, and land a smaller guy. Begin thinking, this is going to be a great afternoon, but boy was I wrong. We only got three more fish in the boat for four hours of fishing, which isn't great for this stretch. Mind you, the four boats, that I believe were having a friendly tournament, were working over every bit of slop and undercuts the river has, most two and three times each. Anyways, still good to get out, and two of the best that I got were certainly photo-worthy.. Sept. 17 (Monday) Today was a beauty day, with sunny skies and relatively calm winds. Figured I needed to get out again and redeem myself. My first area of concentration.. Didn't take long for the first fish to show itself, and the shallow slop pattern was on again.. Most fish came from water less than a 1.5 feet, all on a BPS 3/8oz Black/Blue flipping jig, with Zoom trailer. Here is a typical slop spot.. Although I was picking up a decent amount of fish, I decided to head up river to some deeper slop areas I have fished in the past. The slop had moved closer in to shore since the last time I had fished here, but it still looked pretty decent. Picked up two quick fish upon arriving, then a big girl came to play!! Here are two of the "smaller" fish.. As for the big girl, I pitched four feet in front of the boat, and watched my jig slowly decend the two feet to the bottom. Reeled up six inches, and gave the bait two quick jigs. As if in slow motion, I watch a huge mouth swim out from the slop and engulf the bait! A swift hookset, and the fight is on!! She gave a good tussle, but I finally won that battle and got her in the boat. A quick weight before the livewell and photos, and she's just shy of 5lbs. Came in at 4lbs 13 oz on the digi scale, and fell for a BPS 3/8oz Brown Flipping Jig with Brown Zoom Chunk trailer. Here is the spot she came from.. And here she is.. By the way, since I was fishing solo, all fish today were shot with the tripod, keeping the fish in the livewell until their time on film. That's why these shots look the same.. After giving her a friendly once over, I bid her farewell, and watched her happily swim away.. A great day on the water for sure. Put 14 largies in the boat, and missed two fish that would of went over 4lbs...Ahhh, they'll be there for the next time I'm out, flipping rod in hand! Good Fishing, Justin

Johnny Bass, The weather is never too cold to use a flipping jig. In fact, they are one of your best choices as the temps. drop. Reason being - they are a verticle lure (meaning a slower presentation), they hold a big profile (great for large, hungry bass at this time of the season, as they are fattening up for the winter), and they can be worked in all sorts of cover or structure. Although I use them consistently throughout the summer, they are the one bait I pretty much use exclusively come fall time. You can certainly experiment with size, but don't get too caught up in it. Was out yesterday (report to come) and the fish were still shallow (under a foot of water). Was using a 3/8oz jig and had no worries about the presentation dropping too quick. Did have to change up to a 3/4oz model last week, as I was fishing deeper water (5 to 12) feet, and wanted my bait to get down quick to the rock structure, and stay there. I generally take three flipping rods out on the boat, but will use a 3/8oz model 90% of the time. Spiel, Yep, there are days I do get skunked! ha ha Generally for bass, however, that rarely happens. (can't remember the last time it did..) But, when chasing walleye or musky, those days do occur....just makes you try harder the next outing! Well, off to flip some more bass in the boat - the sun is shining and the winds are calm!!! Good Fishing, Justin

I'm afraid I disagree with you, Roy and Dan, that weighing fish is a thing of the past, and measurements are the new standard.. Yes, when it comes to big fish, such as muskie and pike, a tape measure seems to be the new thing. Most muskie anglers are out to break the 50" mark. However, when it comes to bass, and also walleye, weight is still the number your fish is judged on. For instance, a trophy bass in Ontario is 5lbs. That is what most are looking for. I don't hear many people say they are after a 21" bass. Same goes for walleye. The magical mark to hit is 15lbs. Again, not many folk go around saying they are searching for a 38" walleye. The problem where measuring can be misleading is when fish are abnormally girthy. Here's why - my biggest largemouth to date is 6lbs even, weighed on two seperate digi scales. Not sure on the length, but she was very fat. That is the standard I have set, and in terms of trophy hunting, I am now after a fish that exceeds that weight. The problem with measuring bass is, you could have a very long fish (which makes you believe it is trophy status), but said fish may be very lean and skinny. The only true measure, then, is by weight. Again, these are just my thoughts. With the temps. beginning to drop, you can bet I'll be out over the next few weeks, searching for that 6+ lb fish! Good Fishing, Justin

Hey Mike, Check out the Berkley Tournament Digital Scale. It is new this year, and is reported to be the most accurate on the market, to within 1/4 oz. Only goes up to 15lbs, so mainly geared towards bass or walleye anglers....(maybe not the guys that hit Quinte though..) I did a review of a bunch for OOD not so long ago, and was quite impressed. You can pick it up for around $35. I have a Mustad digi, as well as an X-Tools digi. Both are excellent. The X-Tools is a high-end product, and retails for over $100. Good Fishing, Justin

Great shots and fish...looks like a great way to spend the evening! Good Fishing, Justin

Hey Solo, I believe they are. They are called the Gulp 10" Turtle Back Worms, and are available in 13 colours. I will be definitely using them more as the water temperatures cool. Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, Have spent a lot of time on the water as of late. Changing weather and cooling temps. are beginning to affect fish somewhat, some in good ways and others in bad, depending on the body of waters I've fished. Received an invite from good friend and fellow OOD writer Tim Allard to spend a day on the water looking for big bass. Have had great success in the past on this body of water, so hopes were high. Tim had rented a cottage for the full week, but I only had a day to help with patterning the fish. Worked the usual haunts - deep and shallow rock and wood shorelines, mainly tossing a 3/4oz Booyah Flipping Jig and YUM trailer. Fish were present, but not the trophy kind. I did miss a very nice fish that sucked in my jig the moment it touched water, but my slack line (and the fish swimming towards the boat) caused me to miss on the hookset. She might of been the fiver we were looking for, but never bit again. That one was sitting up on some sparse wood over rock, in about 6 feet of water. We ended up with about 30 fish for the day between us, with a mixture of both smallies and largies making up the bag. Most came from water between four and 10 feet deep, with a few found lurking under docks. Here are two of the better fish of the day.. Berkley was kind enough the other week to send me a large shippment of their Powerbait and Gulp Alive plastics, as well as the new Gulp Alive scent. This was my first opportunity to use their Gulp 10" Worms, and they definitely produced. Fish would hold on, giving you an ample opportunity for a hookset. Although a lot of this water is prime for a flipping jig, I did toss the worm around for a bit, and landed my best largie of the day, as well as a decent smallie. The Gulp Alive scent also works well, and the spray bottle is a nice design for out on the water. Towards the end of the day, we decided to work an offshore point in about 14 feet of water. Just before packing up, a large splash happens just off the side of the boat, about 20 feet away. I toss out the flipping jig, hoping it might be a decent smallie. Reel in quickly to cast again, and a fish smacks it at full tilt! Here is the culprit.. Ended off the day with some delicious tacos, and even better tasting beer.. Have also spent a few days fishing the Rideau River. Fishing has been relatively good, and the weather hasn't been much of a factor in the catch rates. Fished solo a few times to decent success, then had the opportunity to head out with my good friend Andy for four hours yesterday. Worked some of my flipping spots and picked up a fish here and there, but nothing great. Worked some deeper water with Senkos and jigs, giving us a couple of pike and a smallie. At around 1pm, with the sun out strong and the air temps. rising, we decided to revisit some of my shallow water slop areas. The fish were definitely turned on, and I was more than surprised at how shallow they were sitting. Most came from water less than a foot deep, under floating slop over top of weeds, sand or wood. We also saw a large amount of largies just cruising the shallows, but with the crystal-clear water, they would often spook before we had the opportunity to cast at them. We ended up with 13 largies for four hours work. The best fish of the day fell for Andy's flipping jig. She was up really shallow, sitting on some sparse rock under a mat of slop no larger than three feet in diametre. She had a big head for the size body on her.. And a mouth larger than my guest's, surprisingly enough.. A good day on the water for sure. Fall is my favourite time to fish, especially when looking for trophys. The boat will be staying wet for many more trips and reports yet! Good Fishing, Justin

Wayne, A very scary read, but one that needs to be instilled in all of us. I'm glad everything worked out ok, and everyone is safe and sound. Like you said, it had disaster written all over it. Stories like this need to be told every once in a while, because, sadly, accidents can, and do, happen. As outdoors folk, we often can become complacent with our actions, such as "forgetting" to wear out life jackets, heading out at dark without the required lighting, not ensuring we have enough fuel. Disaster can happen in an instant, and it can be life altering. I had the "fear" put into me a couple of weeks back, as I was staying at a cottage on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River. Out with a friend and her two kids (6 and 8), merrily trolling along for smallies. Well, the river got very nasty within seconds, with 4 to 5 foot swells, vicious whitecaps and gale-force winds. We were only a half mile from the cottage when I began to set off, but working against the waves (in a 14-foot boat) had each and every crest coming completely over the bow. We were soaked, the youngest was crying and I was just hoping to get the cottage as quick as possible. We continue on when all of a sudden "SMASH!!" I look over the side of the boat to see I'm sitting on a rock shoal, only two feet under the surface! Luckily I was in the frame of mind to shut the engine off the second I made contact, but I still tore a two-inch chunk out of one of the prop blades. Luckily, I didn't tear the whole lower unit off, as we then would of been in serious trouble. Yes, the shoal was marked with a white jug. Sadly, it was not visible in those white caps, and besides, we were a good 500 yards from shore. We managed to get back to the cottage in one piece (except for the prop), and I was extremely thankful. I wouldn't of felt so nervous or worried if I was by myself (I have been in some pretty bad stuff before), but here I was responsible for a young lady and her two kids - It was my duty to get them back safely. Thanks for telling your story, Wayne. The cost of a ruined boat or a stolen canoe is nothing compared to the cost of a life. I hope each and every member heeds your warning... Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, DAY ONE (SUNDAY) Got to spend a few days on the River lately, and fishing has been extremely good. Sunday allowed me the opportunity to get out for a couple of hours with one of my best friends, and long-time fishing partners, that was up in Ottawa for the day. The wind was howling, but we managed to put six largies in the boat (3 each), all on Booyah flipping jigs and Yum trailers. Fish were in shallow-water mode, lurking under slop and undercut cane in less than two feet of water. Jay's first fish from the slop.. Mine from the cane.. DAY TWO (MONDAY) Got out on the river solo for 5.5 hours this day. Wind was still blowing fairly strong, but the temperature was up. Decided to put the trolling motor down directly after launching, and work an entire shoreline. It paid off. In 5.5 hours I put 32 largies in the boat!! (This sets a new record for this stretch of the river, as previously my Dad and I had put 30 in the boat in a day..) All fish were extremely shallow again, many sitting in water under a foot deep, and all were caught on the flipping jig. This shoreline was a tad bit tough to fish, as it was strewn with tree trunks, stumps and branches. (Had to have a quick foot on the trolling motor!) Don't think many folk dare fish in this shallow, but it definitely paid off! Here is the water I was fishing.. This spot was no more than 10-inches deep, but held the biggest fish of the day.. Most would be surprised that such shallow water would hold fish, but it most certainly does. The more surprising fact is 75% of the fish rush out and grab the jig before it reaches bottom on the initial pitch! They are definitely built for speed! DAY THREE (TUESDAY) Got out for three hours this day before heading back to Ottawa. Winds were less severe, but blowing from a different direction. Affected the fish somewhat I found. Landed seven largies, but missed one dandy of a fish that would of went 4.5lbs + ! Again, all fish were shallow and all on the flipping jig. Catch you again, buddy.. Another great time on the river! Landed 41 largies for 10.5 hours work in total..(And the fishing is just starting to heat up!) Until next time. Good Fishing, Justin

Good work, Rich! And your new fishing partner is slightly better looking than that Sleded fella.. :lol: Good Fishing, Justin

Hey Johnny, If you haven't already guessed it, the flipping jig is my number one bait for largies. Many days I throw it exclusively, and I still believe that it will account for the bigger fish that swim in the water you cover. I use a 3/8oz jig 80% of the time. This is used to cover water anywhere from 1 to 10 or so feet deep. In terms of the slop visible in the above photos, the water depth was between 2 and 4-feet deep. We did take some fish from water less than a foot, mainly under shoreline slop and docks. Many people are surprised by how shallow of water a largie will lurk under - I've caught some of my biggest fish in less than 2-feet! The water is crystal-clear on many lakes and rivers I fish up here, and 75% of the time you will see the bass shoot out and suck in the jig. Roughly half of the bass I catch flipping will grab the jig before it hits bottom on the initial drop - the other half have to be coaxed in to hitting by repeatedly jigging the bait up and down. I have been known to do this for as long as 30 seconds if I believe fish are in the area. Rattles are mandatory for jig fishing, as they definitely help in calling fish in from afar. Scent is also always applied when I jig fish.. In the late fall, when targetting largies on deep water rock, I will turn to 1/2 or 3/4oz jigs, especially if the waves and wind is up. Hope this helps. Good luck and better fishing, Justin

Thanks for the comments, guys and gals! Looking forward to doing it all again over the next few days.... Good Fishing, Justin

Jig and Pig - hands down... (At least for largies.. ) Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, DAY ONE Was down at my folk's place for two days earlier in the week (Monday and Tuesday), so decided to search a stretch of the Rideau for some decent bass. Launched on the river at 6:45am to a glorious morning of sunshine and calm waters.. Headed north up the river to where I had previously discovered some new water that looked promising - it had also coughed up a 4lber on a previous outing. Began working some flats and deeper water, tossing bigger baits, including the Double Wide Beaver, flipping jigs, cranks and Spooks. Although the water looked mint, the fish were not willing to play. Eventually got the first fish in the boat 1.5 hours in, that fell for a Zoom Toad in two-feet of water. Began to wonder if it would be a tougher day than I imagined. With the sun beginning to really beat down, I headed to some new slop/scum areas that appeared productive. Boated six fish over the next hour, working the edges with a Booyah flipping jig, and probing deeper inwards with a Texas-rigged Peca Craw. This was my first time using this bait, and I was very impressed! Awesome action in the water! My Dad called on my cell at this point to join me on the water, so back to the launch ramp to pick him up. Told him the new slop was holding some fish, so back up we went. Didn't take my Dad long to get his first fish of the day.. You can see the heavy scum we were working in the background. One of my better fish of the day.. A good shot of the jig and trailer I was using.. Lots of loons on this stretch of the Rideau, and these two juvenile birds let us get really close without being bothered.. Also came across an interesting sight - a solitary Tundra Swan! We saw a pair of these this past spring, making a stop on their migration route. Sadly, couldn't get close enough for a decent picture.. Decided to head over to some pad and slop areas that consistently hold fish. Picked up some fish on the Peca Craw and jig.. Working the area over with my favourite bait.. My Dad was having a tough time putting the fish in the boat, and ended up losing 5 or 6 decent fish. Sadly, for the day, he only landed one fish. (he got a bit of ribbing out on the boat in regards to his fishing prowess! ha ha) I put 16 largies over the gunnel for the day, but nothing of any great size. Was hoping for some bigger fish, but who can complain about a sunny day, good numbers of largies and even better company? DAY TWO Headed back out on the river the next day, arriving at the launch at 10:30am. Brought my Mom along for the boat ride...she gets quite scared of how fast the boat goes (it only has 20 horses!) and doesn't like the waves that other boats give off. ha ha Of course I had to hit some good waves, just to put a bit of fear in her... Headed back up to the slop and scum from the previous day. Sadly, most of it had blown away and broken up. My Dad was quick off the mark, however, and put the first fish in the boat within 10 minutes. Didn't take a photo as I figured we'd have a banner day - sadly, such as the previous outing, it was his only fish he put in the boat. Went in search of new water, and found some nice slop and docks back south down the river. A typical fish from this stretch.. And another one.. Fished for 4.5 hours in total, and I put 12 largies in the boat. My Dad got to hear good-natured ribbing from both my Mom and myself this day! All in all, a fun two days on the water. 28 largies, and although none were overly big, each and every one was fun! The big girls will be turning on soon! Until next time.. Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, Was forwarded this great article in regards to sponsorships, by one of my own sponsors. Some excellent advice and perspective for those playing the fishing game... (Was thinking of you, Misfish, while reading this...) Hope it is helpful to some! Good Fishing, Justin P.S. if you would like the PDF format to print, PM me your email and I can send it to you... Sponsorship from a Tackle Company’s Perspective In this FREE Report you’ll gain an appreciation of sponsorship from one tackle manufacturer’s point of view. It is the advice that Secret Weapon Lures® provides to aspiring tournament anglers and event organizers who contact them and request sponsorship. Before you contemplate contacting the fine folks at Secret Weapon Lures about any type of sponsorship, keep this in mind: to be considered for sponsorship, the company requires the anglers be very familiar with their product lines. And when they say “familiar,” they mean that the anglers has bought, used, and gained confidence in their products. Their rationale is simple: if someone doesn’t buy and use Secret Weapon spinnerbaits and buzzbaits himself, what chance would he have of influencing others to do so? For more information about this company and their products, visit the Secret Weapon Lures Website: http://secretweaponlures.com Introduction So, you want to secure sponsors so you can live the dream and achieve your goals. Marvelous! Good luck. It takes vast resources to compete at the top levels these days, and most serious tournament anglers need some help. If you approach your pursuit for sponsorship thoughtfully and creatively, you should be able to get it. Seeking sponsors is a lot like fishing. Prepare yourself. Learn the terrain. Take stock of your capabilities – your strengths as well as your weaknesses. Make a game plan, and then point yourself in the right direction and start casting. Don’t get discouraged if most casts return unproductive at first. Remain positive, observe, keep notes, learn from each cast, adapt, keep plugging away, and eventually your efforts will be rewarded. The purpose of this letter is to help you learn the lay of the land, benefit from others’ experiences, and offer advice that may help you land a few good sponsors. The first step toward winning sponsorship takes place in your mind. Before you set a pen to paper or make your first solicitation call, it is imperative that you have a realistic understanding of what sponsorships are all about… what sponsors can realistically be expected to provide, and what you will have to give in exchange. So, what it is you need? Is it a boat, tow vehicle, tackle, or gear? Tires, clothing, or lodging? And do you require financial backing to cover travel expenses and entry fees? In what ways can you create value for your sponsor? How much time and effort are you willing to devote to a sponsor in return for his help in meeting those needs? What are your assets? Sponsorship involves advertising, marketing, promotion, and participation. If you are sponsored, expect to work the trade shows, help with catalog layouts, visit tackle or boat dealers and appear at their promotional events, contribute your expertise to lure and rod designs, give interviews, and promote the sponsors products whenever it's appropriate. In short, you devote some of yourself to their success. In return you should expect to be rewarded (paid) in different ways. You might have signature rods and lures that provide income. You could get your entry fees paid and be supplied with product. You may also receive bonuses for tournament wins... the larger the win, the larger the bonus. Some sponsors also pay outright for the hours you spend promoting them in show appearances and seminars. The view from the sponsor’s side of the desk I've read about five hundred requests for Secret Weapon Lures sponsorship this past year. Most are pretty much the same. I will give serious consideration to you only if you prove by a personalized, focused proposal that you give our sponsorship a high priority. Generic form letters or e-mail inquiries that appear to have gone to every tackle manufacturer in the U.S. end up in the trashcan. When I spot a diamond in the rough – a likely candidate who merely did a poor job of promoting himself – I may ask what it was about our company and products that made you think we were a good match or that caused him to single us out as a potential sponsor. Don’t try to con me. I can usually tell from the answer — if I get one — whether you had to scramble to even learn what kind of lures we manufacture. If you request sponsorship but have never even used our lures, you have little chance of persuading me that you would be a good promoter for Secret Weapon Lures. After all; if you don’t think our lures are worth buying and using, how can you hope to persuade other anglers to do so? So, what does persuade me? Every sponsor is in business to make money, and for you to participate in any profits we enjoy, you must contribute to those profits. In short, you are paid in proportion to your accomplishments. Isn’t that pretty much like any other job? How much you will get “paid” is directly related to how good you are and how well you produce (and, of course, to our ability to pay). Secret Weapon Lures exists to make profits. We’re looking for people who can help us achieve that. If you have done a thorough job of preparation, have learned about us, use our lures, and have already shown some initiative in promoting us, then you have my full attention. I’ll be glad to read your mail, take your calls, and even meet face-to-face so you can convince me that sponsoring you will make money for us. Impress me… There are a few points to keep in mind as you try to land a sponsor. From our perspective, you’re coming out of nowhere. You may be a local legend, but you're an unknown quantity to us. Your introductory envelope or e-mail will be only one of dozens that we receive each week. You need to be sure yours stands out somehow and that you make a good first impression. Don't force us us to speculate whether you'd be a good investment; create a marketing campaign that shows off your credibility, effectiveness, organization, enthusiasm and knowledge of our product and what you can do for us. Have you worked in some sort of sales position? If not, at least you’ve seen a bazillion effective TV pitches, right? Then you should have a good handle on how to market products in ways that convince others to buy. That skill transfers nicely as you shift to the pro fishing ranks. If you like All Pro Rods or Triton boats or Driftwood Lures and you want to promote them, or if you like Secret Weapon spinnerbaits and want to use and promote us, then put together a sales campaign and start selling. Your product in this sales campaign is… you. The only reason we are willing to sponsor an angler, or even throw you a handful of free products a few times a year, is that we feel you can help increase sales. If you’re serious about securing a sponsorship, go all out. Take a lesson from the Desert Storm campaign in Kuwait and Iraq: build up your forces and then go in with an overwhelming campaign. Don't be timid.... just make up your mind that you are going to win and keep pounding away until we agree. Campaign Tactics Begin by identifying your goals. Set specific, quantifiable objectives. Next, evaluate your assets and liabilities. Then it’s time to plan your campaign – your plan to get where you want to be. Pick your targets carefully. If you pursue the same sponsors as hundreds of others, you may get lost in the pack. Instead, look for new ground to plow: don’t assume because you want to fish professionally that you need to limit your search to companies in the tackle and boating markets. Sure, every anglers needs fishing tackle, but what other products do outdoorsmen buy? Who makes them? These are your best prospects; whether they are local suppliers (restaurants, auto dealers, sports medicine clinics, etc.) or multinational corporations (tire manufacturers, auto manufacturers, energy drink bottlers, snack food distributors, etc.). What does a corporate sponsor want? 1. For starters, we want to be associated with winners. Not only fishing tournament winners, but people whom others respect, admire, and want to emulate. 2. People who can carry our flag – who exemplify the ideals and values that we are trying to portray through other marketing channels. For us, that’s innovative, reliable, adaptable and successful. If you’re going after a truck manufacturer, project an image of yourself as honest, rock-solid dependable, hard working, determined, good-looking, strong/vigorous... these are some of the terms I think the trucking manufacturer might use to describe itself. How can you exemplify those same attributes? The idea here is, when people look at you, they learn something about the company you keep – your sponsors. 3. Representatives who are articulate and eager to brag on us and look for opportunities to promote us with . For other sponsors, it might be their great tow vehicle, and who look for opportunities to promote them. "I drove my Dodge Truck all night to get to the lake, and that ride was so comfortable that I wasn’t a bit tired… in fact, I ready to hit the lake as soon as I got there!" How do you prove you have what we’re looking for? 1. Your track record with other sponsors. Who is already sponsoring you? Having a boat or other major account will probably be a huge benefit to you here. Can you get referrals or a letter of recommendation from you sponsors’ presidents or marketing directors? Endorsement letters are gold. 2. Accomplishments. What have you done for your current sponsors? Shows, promotional events, wearing their logos and hats, publicity shots, catalog shots, decals, public speaking, articles you may have written, interviews, articles about you... list them all. 3. Assets. Are you a recognized authority in any field? If not now, maybe you can be. The quickest way to do that is to get published. The higher your profile, the more influence you can have for us. Not everyone can write and express himself or herself well; if you’re one of those, then enlist the aid of a friend or spouse who will serve as your editor. Make a list of five or ten article ideas with a paragraph describing each. These should be on topics that you have a unique perspective on, or that you are well qualified to write about. For example, women anglers might write an article that helps men pick out tackle and equipment for their wives or girlfriends. Or write about differences in some equipment that make them easier or better suited for women than men. Women anglers are more aware of these than most men authors. I bet many magazines would welcome the perspective of competitive women anglers on a host of topics. Bounce your ideas off a few friends. Consult outdoor writers. Then float the ideas up to magazine and newspaper editors to see if any will bite. If they are interested, then write, polish, and submit the article. Presto! You’ve just become an expert. What is your specialty or unique perspective? Coach? How about articles on fishing-related sports injuries, how to train in order prevent them and exercises anglers can do to avoid them? Physical therapist or nurse? Offer advice on rehabilitating from the stress and injuries experienced by tournament anglers. Your grandpa taught you how to use a shuttle and knot your own seines and fishing nets? Excellent! You’re probably one in 10,000, so write about that. There is something you’re better at than most, and that other anglers would benefit from. Discover it, and write about that! 4. Visibility. How often are you in the winner’s spotlight at tournaments? When and where have you been featured as a seminar speaker? A Web site that promotes you and showcases your sponsors would be real impressive. Two Website examples are: a. Jack Dalzell, fishing guide and instructor: http://jdbass.com b. Randy Howell, tournament competitor: http://www.randyhowell.com/ Elements of your campaign: Pre-meeting 1. Third party referrals. For instance, ask a current sponsor to write to your prospect to say, "One of the bass anglers we sponsor will be contacting you in a few days. He has done well for us. It would be worthwhile for you to take a look at him. Here are a few things about him....” If you have a really good relationship, it wouldn’t hurt for you to provide the current sponsor with a sample note or two so they get the idea what you’re looking for. They might even pick out a few phrases and reword them so they express their own experiences with you. Make it as easy on them as you can. Be sure to set a deadline for getting that letter back from them: “I need this by Thursday.” 2. Personal note from you (not a generic form letter) that briefly explains your interest and offers an overview of what you bring to the table. a. Pay attention to spelling! You would be surprised at how many requests we get butcher the word “sponsor” (e.g., sponser, sponcer or even sponcor). It couldn’t hurt to spell the name of our company correctly, too. Extra points for accurately spelling the name of the person to whom you’re writing. b. If you say you use our products, at least mention them by name. "I use your products with great success," smacks of generic form letter phrasing. If you claim you have used them for many years, I know you’re blowing smoke, since we hit the market with them only a couple years ago. It makes a stronger impact if you can honestly say… "I really feel that Secret Weapon’s Buzzrbait sets the standard for lures of its type. I have relied on it as my go-to bait for a top-water bite since I discovered it last spring.” Or… “My last three tournaments I placed in the money, most of my fish were caught with your spinnerbaits.” Or… “I have a reputation as a spinnerbait fan, but I gave away all my other brands and now have nothing but Secret Weapons on my boat.” Just make sure you’re telling the truth. Lies often come back to haunt you. c. Close with an invitation to get together in person or via teleconference in order to answer questions, provide more details of your plan, and present your sponsorship proposal. State that you will call to set an appointment. 3. Initial phone call. Brief, professional, businesslike. Convey that you are respectful of my time and would like a few minutes to meet to discuss some ideas on how you might be able to help Secret Weapon Lures as a Prostaffer. If a face-to-face isn't possible, set up a time to call back for a longer phone call. If our next conversation will be by phone, let me know you will send a portfolio and proposal that I can review before the call to make better use of the time. (See Q&A later in this document for components of that packet.) I may tell you I have a couple of minutes to spare and ask you to go ahead and take your best shot now. Frankly, it would be better for your sake to make an appointment, send me your packet, and then schedule time for a longer call or face-to-face meeting for the sales pitch. Elements of your campaign: Meeting 4. The sales meeting or conference call. a. Dress professionally — as you might when you represent us at sports show, or in business or business-casual attire if you meet at corporate headquarters. b. Be on time, well rested, neatly groomed, energetic, and enthusiastic. Assume you are being evaluated from the moment you enter the parking lot. c. Offer your business card. This demonstrates that you mean business and suggests how you will present yourself to people on our behalf. d. Relay personal greetings from the person who referred you, if the person you’ll be meeting knows him. That establishes rapport. e. Get to the point. Don’t beat around the bush or be bashful. Say, “Thanks for clearing time in your schedule to meet with me. The reason I’m here is because…” and then state your objective. f. Provide an outline or presentation graphics so the prospective sponsor can follow along and make notes. Rehearse a convincing presentation, with visuals, that lasts no more than five minutes. A lot of it is basic sales technique. Ask questions that you anticipate I will answer affirmatively to get me in the “yes” mode. Mention the things you know I want (the company’s goals) and how you can make them happen or at least move the ball down the field. g. Show me the money. Convey that you are sensitive to business pressures, and that you will be able to deliver a good return on the company’s investment. Business people love positive ROI. h. Emphasize promotion opportunities you bring to the table. For example, "I typically speak at four or more bass club meetings each winter, as well as working at sport and outdoor shows. I’d enjoy promoting your products at these events; and of course I would make myself available to assist your sales or promotional staff whenever the need arises." i. Present your proposal and portfolio. Do this after you’ve spoken, not beforehand. I’m easily distracted and may start leafing through your documentation and miss what you are saying. j. Summarize. “And that’s why I think working together would benefit both of us.” k. Learn from your attempts. If you don’t score a knockout in round one – if my answer is no – find out why. What would you need to add to your package or skill set to make you an attractive candidate? What am I looking for that you didn’t offer? You may already have it, and it just didn’t come out in the presentation. Learn from the experience so you will be better prepared in round two. l. Plan your next move. No matter what happens after that, be prepared with “next steps.” If I say yes, be prepared to lay out in detail what you will do next. Present a list of resources that will help you be more effective in promoting us (e.g., tackle, caps, logo-wear, brochures, business cards, boat decals, etc.). Ask for events or opportunities in your region of the country where you can help promote us, such as dealers’ customer appreciation days or grand openings, trade shows, company-sponsored fishing tournaments and events. Elements of your campaign: Post-meeting 5. Follow-up note. Have a “Thank You” note card in the truck with you. Ones with a fishing theme emphasize how much into the sport you are. Before you leave the parking lot, write a short, personal, hand-written note expressing your appreciation for my having given you my attention and time. Mention something specific about the meeting so I won’t think it was pre-written, then drop the letter in the nearest post box so it will be delivered the next day, while my memory is fresh. Do this no matter how the meeting turns out. Even if I say forget it… in Sales, “no” doesn’t mean “not ever;” it just means “not now.” Your follow-up letter lays a foundation for your next assault. 6. Persistence. Touch base periodically. When a magazine or newspaper article mentions you, when you place well in competition, or when you get a good photo of you promoting a sponsor, send it with a one or two-line note to your company contact. For instance, write that you’re doing well for yourself and your sponsors and hope Secret Weapon Lures is prospering, too. You might mention that you’re still interested in working together… although the note says that clearly enough. Take a lesson from Luke 11:5-10. Do you think the neighbor would have received the bread he requested if he had given up after the first knock? The squeaky wheel does get greased. 7. Try, try again. When you have something significantly new or different about yourself to offer, call again and say you would like to remind him of your continuing interest in the company, and update him on your accomplishments and new ideas for promoting it. Do you have to follow this advice to win a sponsorship? No… of course not. I’ll admit there are excellent anglers out there who do a terrific job of promoting their sponsors, yet who never did what I suggested and probably would have trouble doing so. Things seem to just work out well for some folks; they get a few lucky breaks and capitalize on them. If you catch some breaks, too, that’s great; but don't count on them. You're not competing with the top pros, who are courted by manufacturers — you're competing with 10,000 other guys in the employment line. So pull out all the stops, promote yourself first, and you’ll increase your chances of promoting others. Q&A Q: What materials should I provide to prospective sponsors? A: One element of your marketing campaign should be a professional-looking presentation packet or portfolio that includes: • Your resume, emphasizing your credentials as a successful tournament angler and evidence of your ability to influence people • News clippings, club standings, past achievements • Photos that show off your camera-appeal • References from reputable people who can convince prospective sponsors that you have good standing and possess the virtues they're looking for in people who will represent them. • Plans for upcoming year. Or even better, a 1-3-5 year plan. Sponsors may not want to lock into a long-term commitment to unknowns, but we are more interested in people who have a plan that shows their intent to be in the running for several years at least. • A business plan, including financial summary and projections. Outline what we, as sponsors, should reasonably expect in terms of ROI. This enhances your image as a businessman, and as businessmen ourselves, we will find some reassurance in that. Just creating the packet, in and of itself, will put you heads and shoulders above 98% of your competitors for sponsorship. It will create the impression that you will put the same energy, thought, and professionalism in promoting them as you do yourself. If you can't promote YOU, why should they believe you can effectively promote them? Q: How can I make my presentation or mailing stand out? A: Be creative. Become a Guerrilla Marketer. (The books of that series will jump-start your imagination. Also subscribe to their newsletter.) Present your story in a unique way that makes people pay attention. For example, send an envelope with three smaller envelopes inside, numbered sequentially. In envelope 1, have an empty lure package (interesting, but of no great value empty). In envelope 2, enclose a lure (effective, good quality, but not properly presented to buyers). In envelope 3, present yourself - maybe a good photo of you holding up a winning bass at a weigh-in, wrapped around lure, visible through the packaging sleeve) and make the point that you complete the process that they intended when they put thousands of dollars into packaging design — i.e., establishing a strong, favorable impression of their products. You're the answer to their problem... not merely a guy with problems of your own that you're hoping they can fix. Q: How can I get a sponsor to provide a boat or tow vehicle? A: Fast, reliable, functional transportation, both to the lake and on the water, is a huge asset to any tournament angler. A very few anglers can swing deals where a boat dealer or manufacturer will provide a new boat or SUV each year at no cost. Most anglers with boat or vehicle sponsorships receive a boat or truck at a discounted price, use it for a period of time, and then attempt to sell it at or above the price they pay. There are several different ways this can be structured. One is a straightforward, discounted sale, where a dealer or manufacturer simply sells you a boat at or below dealer cost. You’re free to keep the boat or sell it the next year when it comes time to buy another. You own the title to the boat or vehicle until you sell it. When the buyer acquires your boat and motor or vehicle, it’s one year into the warranty. A common arrangement is a “memo-bill” or “due-bill” deal, where the pro is considered a very low volume boat dealer or salesman for the boat manufacturer. Usually the pro uses the boat for one season, and then he must sell it at or around cost in order to be granted a boat the next season. He must sell the boat or pay for it out of pocket. If you’re fortunate, you might find a buyer who agrees in advance to take your used boat or vehicle from you before you even pick it up. If you settle on a price at or above what you owe, then you essentially get free use of the boat for a season. In many cases, the person who buys it from you is the first title-holder. He gets the full factory warranty on the boat, motor, or vehicle, too, because until he buys it, they’re considered demo units. Q: How about rods, reels, lures, and other tackle? A: At Secret Weapon Lures, we provide three levels of sponsorship. In tier one, Prostaff and Field Staff can purchase lures at discount, or they earn points that they redeem for tackle. In tier two, we provide lures to the Prostaffer at no cost. Those lures are for his use and for use as promotional samples. Tier three involves free lures, plus sponsorship cash payments or entry fees. Besides tackle manufacturers, consider picking up other sponsors to defray your expense for lines, reels, rods, lures, apparel, foul weather gear, and so on. A large fishing tackle retailer or chain might provide those to you directly in return for your promotion and marketing work. Or, a company that agrees to sponsor you, but which provides no goods or services you use, might pick up the tab for those expenses. For example, a sports medicine clinic, insurance company, or real estate developer that seeks to attract outdoor enthusiasts might provide a tackle allowance each year in return for the business you drive their way. Q: Should I wear only logos of companies that sponsor me? If I wear a lot of logos, won’t I improve my image as a well-connected Prostaffer? A: A salesman and successful tournament angler asked me about the appropriateness of wearing the logos of companies whose products he uses, but which do not sponsor him. That trend seems to be as popular among tournament anglers as it is among NASCAR fans. The answer depends on whether you want to be a fan or part of a company’s professional staff. To be successful in business, you sometimes are forced to make distinctions between business and personal preferences. If I owned a billboard, I'd be looking for companies that wanted to advertise, convince them that my billboard is where a lot of people will pay attention to it, and rent space only to companies that were willing to pay me. That way I'd make a profit on my investment. Until I had all my bills paid, I would postpone offering free billboard space for public service announcements. In the professional fishing tournament arena, you are the billboard, and there is just so much of you to go around. The better you perform, the bigger you will grow, and the more space you will have to offer. But at the outset you'll be operating on extremely slim margins, so you can't afford to give anything away. My advice is to not dilute your effectiveness in promoting your sponsors by also promoting companies that don’t sponsor you. Q: You make tackle… I use tackle… why won’t you sponsor me? A: I may, if it’s economically feasible. In most cases, it’s not. Let me give an illustration. Suppose I make 50 cents on each lure I sell. If I agree to pay you $100 each month, in one year, I have to sell 2,400 additional baits before I break even on the relationship. To stay in business, manufacturers must make a profit. For our illustration, assume a 25% return on investment. I should expect to increase my sales by 3,000 units to break even and make a profit. Can you do that for me? How? You may be a great angler, with several BFL, Federation, or ABA tournament wins and a couple of top-10 finishes in BASS or FLW. By hard work and vigorous self-promotion, it’s possible for you to pick up a number of sponsors. Before you approach a potential sponsor, ask yourself if you can increase sales for this company. Will your influence increase sales to more than pay for your sponsorship? If not, the sponsor will lose money on the deal.

Thanks, MJL... Have always stayed with Mono line for my flipping applications. Never had any real issues. The type I use is BPS Excell Mono, 20lb strength... Good Fishing, Justin

Hey Deg, The flipping rod in the pics is a BPS "Tourney Special" 7' 6" Heavy Action.... Good Fishing, Justin

Hey Rich, The Rideau can be a changing fishery, that's for sure... As for the last pic - my Dad was just shooting a bunch of film from the back of the boat. Captured a real hookset, but alas, I failed to capture the bass... Good Fishing, Justin

Hey Deg, Maybe we can swap techniques? I miss doing the downrigging thing back in the day when I lived in Whitby... Johnny - the jig and pig gets thrown absoultely everywhere.. Good Fishing, Justin

Hello All, Spent the last two days of my holidays down at my folk's place just south of Ottawa. Hit the Rideau River for a couple of hours yesterday afternoon to gusting winds, cool temperatures and only one largie to show for our efforts. Headed out late this morning to try to redeem ourselves... The temps. were warm and the winds were down, but the fish still didn't seem to want to play. Worked a bunch of new areas that had excellent slop, undercuts and pads. We connected with a couple of small fish, but the miles that we covered left us scratching our heads. I began to think that the cold days and nights of the last week had shut the fish down, or driven them to deeper water... Here is a decent fish that was hiding under some shoreline slop, situated in 2-feet of water.. Headed to the back of a new bay I had never fished before. The shoreline was sporting some nice shade, deep water and overhanging trees. One flip of the jig and the fight was on! She was long and lean - can't wait to see her put the feedbag on come fall. A nice 3lb 13oz largie.. The release shot.. Some action shots of the areas we covered.. My Dad lost a nice largie after a brief tussle, and only brought a small pike into the boat. I ended up with 7 largies and 2 pike. Not a banner day for this stretch of the river, but the 3-13 is a good fish to come out of this area... Was certainly a fun day spent with Dad. Until next time..good fishing! Justin

Hello All, DAY 1 Headed out bright and early Sunday morning in search of some bass on one of my local lakes. Arrived at the launch to calm waters and an empty parking lot - thoughts of a productive day started filling my head immediately! Began working my first stretch of water - a large bay with a mixture of weed, rock and sand, that sits in approximately six to 12-feet of water. Tossed around a SPRO Chug Minnow 45. Man, this bait is awesome! A cross between a Spook and a Chug Bug, it has an amazing "walk-the-dog" action while spitting water on each turn.. Didn't take long for the first fish to show itself - it being a pound-and-a-half largie. A dozen or so casts later, and another one. This area usually holds some bruiser smallies, but not today. Head further down the lake, picking off the odd bass here and there. Although the conditions appeared favourable for a banner day, I began to realize I had my work cut out for me. The topwater bite pretty much ended for me then. Decided to fish some water I have never tried before. First spot was a sand/rock bay and shoreline that has quite a few laydown trees and wood. Began tossing a YUM 5" Houdini Shad. Fifteen minutes in and my line begins travelling sideways....Hook Set!....and she's on. A very respectable smallie, with a considerably larger friend following it, trying to steal the bait. Beauty colours on this girl.. A few casts later and I miss another decent smallie. This fish shot out of nowhere and clobbered the bait as I was lifting it out of the water. Continue to work along and notice that it gets deep fairly quick from the shoreline now. Another hit on the Shad, and this little guy comes into the boat..He certainly had an appetite! Head over to the other side of the lake, to a little bay that is mainly sand and wood. Began casting over the fallen trees (working water in roughly 6 feet) when I see a long shape swim up from bottom and suck the soft plastic bait in. My first thought is Mr. Pike. Nope. This beauty of a fish.. It appears that the walleye in this lake enjoy the sand/wood locations during the sunny days of summer.[LOL] Worked over my productive flipping haunts, but the fish were really tough to locate. Did get a few in the boat, but nothing of any real size. Packed up the boat at 2:30pm and headed over to my folk's place. Day 2 would begin from there.. DAY 2 Load up the boat with my Dad at 9:30am and set out to fish a stretch of the Rideau River. An extremely hot and very calm day greets us. I head over to a couple of small islands that have a great mixture of undercut cane and slop. My Dad gets into the action straight away with a small largie. Then a fish for me. A lost fish for Dad. Then a photo opp. for me.. The water was one to two-feet deep and crystal clear. Stealth was key, as were splashless approaches with the jigs. Both of us were using 3/8th oz. flipping jig, my Dad a black/blue BPS model, and myself a craw/brown Booyah type. Since the water is so clear, you generally see each fish shoot out and suck in your jig. Fishing a prime stretch of undercut cane, I had a slight surprise when Mr. Pike made his presence known.. A few boats were working some of my prime slop spots, so we opted to work some secondary areas I've had luck at in the past. My Dad had some great action working a frog on the slop, but failed to drive the hooks home. I did pick off one or two of those fish with a jig, pitching to the hole left in the slop when they missed his offering. A largie for Dad.. Another one for son.. The heat was beginning to get a bit sticky out there, so we decided to take our bass thumbs over to the local pub and enjoy a couple of cold pints. All in all, a great two days of fishing! Put plenty of fish in the boat and shared some good times... Until the next day on the water... Good Fishing, Justin

Hey Roy, The hook is a 5/0. Most companies don't make a ultra-light jig head with a large hook - that is what I like about these Fin-tech jigs. As for the scent - whenever I am fishing verticle-style baits (flipping jigs, tubes, grubs etc..) scent is always part of the equation. Confidence? Probably so.. Good Fishing, Justin

Looked like a great day, Brian!! Man, I miss the days of fishing Simcoe.... Good Fishing, Justin