Seaguar Fishing Line Angler's Tips

Last week we covered some of the issues going on with anglers on our lakes and waterways. We talked about the confrontations taking place daily as guys compete for water space. Every angler, of course, wants an area of the lake to themselves. Twenty-five to thirty years ago, this might have been possible but not in 2024! Since the Covid pandemic, it is crazy how many people have taken to the outdoors, and specifically the water, for either fishing or just pleasure boating.

So, with so many people on our lakes and rivers, competition for water space is at an all-time high. Today, I'm going to grab my whistle and put on my coach's cap and teach anyone willing to listen (boat captains and high school anglers) on the unwritten rules of tournament bass fishing. Actually, these rules should apply to all anglers!

Rule #1: Don't back your boat down the ramp if you're not ready to launch. This is a major sore spot with anglers as so many times some anglers will block the ramp by loading all their gear, putting on the running light, loading their rods, removing the trailer bar and unhooking all the trailer straps. Do all this before you get to the ramp! Same goes for pleasure boaters; do all your prepping away from the ramp. Now when you get to the ramp, you're ready to drop the boat in the water and get out of the way.

Next, brush piles....Rule #2: You don't own a sunken brush pile. This might be the most controversial topic among tournament anglers and can be a major source of tension. But you must understand, that even though YOU spent hours sinking brush piles all over the lake, in reality, you do not own them. Once anything is sunk on a public waterway, it is no longer YOUR personal fishing spot, it's public. YOU DO NOT OWN THAT OR ANY OTHER BRUSH PILE! Anyone and everyone have just as much right to fish that brush pile as the person that put it there.

Now, with all this being said, if I know that an angler in the tournament put out a particular brush top, I'll honor him by not fishing it. Also, if I see a good friend fishing a particular brush pile, I'll check it off my list of places to fish out of respect for him.

Here's the thing about brush piles; most lakes have hundreds of brush piles all over the lake. All you have to do is use your electronics and go find them. Which leads us to Rule #4: Go find your own fish! Don't rely on another angler to find fish for you! Find them on your own! You'll get a greater satisfaction from fishing when you do it on your own.

Rule #4: Don't cut another angler off! This is the most controversial unwritten rule there is and the one that has created the most verbal wars on the water. Nothing sets a bass fisherman off quicker than another angler cutting them off. If you see a boat going down a stretch of boat docks, grass line or tree line, don't run in on him and start fishing a few hundred feet in front of him. THIS IS A MAJOR NO NO! Give the angler his space and go at least 300 yards or more before dropping your trolling motor. Or start behind the angler and go away from him which is what he would prefer anyway.

Rule #5: Don't run up on another boat and shut down on top of them. This is more of a problem on lakes that have a defined boat lane with little to no wiggle room. If another angler is fishing close to the boat lane, shut down at least 40 yards from them and idle by him a few yards before getting back on pad.

In some cases, anglers will motion you with a hand signal waving you on to stay on pad and run by them. I personally would rather have someone just run by me on pad rather than shutting down and throwing a 2-foot wake on me. A running boat produces a smaller wake than one with a fast idle. But it's always good to be courteous and let the other angler tell you what they want you to do.

Rule #6: Never drop waypoints with your GPS of another angler's fishing spot. This one is a major issue with all tournament bass anglers. Just because you see one of the local favorites on a particular body of water fishing a specific spot, does not mean you should idle by him and drop a waypoint. I've seen anglers go out of their way to mark another angler's location only to return and fish the same spot. If you can't find your own fish, don't enter the tournament!

Rule #7: At no point should an angler have a pair of binoculars in their boat! This really makes an angler using them look pitiful. It shows you're spending time sitting and watching other anglers catch fish while you're waiting for them to leave so you can fish that spot. Don't do this! Binoculars have no place in a bass boat!

The next two rules (#8 and #9) apply mainly to anglers fishing a pro/am tournament. Rule #8: Don't throw past the front of the boat. This is actually a written rule, but also the most overlooked or ignored rule by co-anglers. Some co-anglers think they can cast anywhere they want, but that's not the case. The co-angler should fish the water from the imaginary line from the middle of the boat to the back of the boat. My advice to co-anglers...if you want to fish in front of the boat, then sign up as a boater/pro.

Rule #9: Make sure to help the boater/pro with gas on tournament day. Most guys will never ask for the money, so it's up to you (co-angler) to offer. It's pretty much understood that unless gas prices are high, $40 is a good offer. Some boater/pros may not take it, but it's a courteous gesture on your part to offer, especially if you covered a lot of water that day.

Finally, Rule #10: Your bass boat is not a rocket ship! You're not impressing anyone on the lake by going fast. So SLOW DOWN and be courteous and respectful of all boaters. In the words of former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Jimmy Johnson...speed kills! Now obviously he was talking about football, but the same rule applies for going too fast in a bass boat.

Whether we think it or not, we (anglers) do not own any portion of the lake. Everyone is entitled to all areas of any public lake or river. So be respectful of all boaters using the lake. As hard as it can be, exercise patience and try to be nice.

The rules listed above have been passed down to me by previous generations of anglers during my many years of tournament experience. These are things that all bass fishermen need to be reminded of from time to time.

We all get frustrated, but today our lakes and waterways are overrun with boaters and it's up to us to educate each other as to what is considered acceptable behavior on the water. If you know of anyone, like a boat captain, high school angler or someone new to tournament bass fishing, please share this information with them. Till next time, good luck, good fishing and when in doubt...set the hook!

Steve Graf
Angler's Perspective

Attention all anglers, if you believe in scent, here's a great tip to make it more effective. Every bag of soft plastic lures I own, gets scent added to it before it's ever hung on my peg board. Over time the scent added to the bag will seep into the soft plastic lures and create a better bond that will last much longer when you start to use those baits. It also helps to conserve those expensive bottles or cans of scent by just adding a small amount to the bag. Whether you're using an aerosol spray or a squirt bottle, either will help to hide or eliminate any unwanted odors. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Tip of the Week!!!

Save those fingernail polish bottles.... That's right, tell your wife or daughter or co-hosts to save one of their fingernail polish bottles for you. Last week we talked about a way to eliminate wasting your scent. Fishing scents are expensive but effective.
Take the fingernail polish bottle, clean it out really good and then pour your favorite scent into the bottle. Now instead of wasting your spray on scent, you can use the brush to apply the scent and have zero waste. This has been your Seaguar & Avon Fishing Line Tip of the Week!!!

Are you one of those old school anglers who still uses a toothpick to peg your sinker? Come on man, don't risk losing that fish of a lifetime by pinching your line with a toothpick!!!
Use a bobber stopper from Elite Tungsten. Maybe one of the best inventions ever for bass and crappie anglers. So the next time you want to peg your sinker, use the Pro peg system from Elite Tungsten. Your fishing line will thank you and maybe reward you!!! This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Tip of the Week!!!

Dip-N-Dyes are great and can make a big difference in getting bass to bite a lure. The most common and popular dye color is chartruse and is very effective. But don't be afraid to try other colors like black, blue, orange or red. Bass see chartruse daily, so use something the fish aren't seeing. It just might be the key to catching a lot more fish by showing them something..... they aren't seeing. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Tip of the Week!!!

Well, it's that time of year when lakes start their annual drawdowns. Some lakes start earlier than others but just check the current lake level before you go. Once on a low-level lake, be careful!!! Stumps and other debris can be just under the surface of the water and will cause major damage to your boat or lower unit. Most damage occurs while taking off or coming off plain. My advice is similar to anyone who fishes the Red River for the first time. If you're not sure where you're at... IDLE!!! It may take you a little longer to get around, but your risk of damage is a lot less. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Tip of the Week!!!

The purpose of a spinnerbait is to imitate baitfish and the flash of the blades is crucial. During the Fall transition months, bass gorge themselves on baitfish in order to fatten up for the winter months. One problem with spinnerbaits is how over time, the blades can become dull and tarnished. Bring those blades back to life with a good jewelry cleaner. Take the spinnerbaits and immerse the blades for a minute or two in a good jewelry cleaner. Remove from the cleaner and wipe dry and BAM!!! Spinnerbaits that look like new!!! So rather than replace or even worse throw good spinnerbaits away, clean the blades. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Tip of the Week!!!

As we enter September, that means the bass will be starting their fall migration up the creeks and chasing shad. If you want to put the odds in your favor, match the hatch, tie on shad-colored traps, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. This fall migration can be some of the best fishing of the year. So pick up your favorite crankbait,
Rat-L-Trap or spinner bait and have some fun...just make sure they are a good shad imitator. This has been this week's Seaguar Fishing Line Tip of the Week!!!

With hot temperatures, anglers are waiting on cooler weather to wet a hook. Now is a great time to organize your tackle in the boat and your fishing man cave. Whether you're a tournament angler or a weekend warrior, being organized can save you time and frustration looking for a certain bait. A good label maker is worth its weight in gold and is essential in labeling your tackle boxes. So stop wasting time looking for tackle...get your boxes labeled. This has been this week's Seaguar Fishing Line Tip of the Week!!!

With daytime highs hitting the 100 degree mark, now is a great time to push your bass fishing into the nighttime hours. Cooler temps at night make not only the fishing more tolerable but the bite can be awesome. Toledo Bend can be a great place to go for a good night fishing trip. So beat the heat and treat yourself to some great fishing by launching your boat after the sun goes down. This has been this week's 13 Fishing Tip of the Week!!!

With summer temperatures reaching the upper 90's, it can make fishing absolutely miserable. Nothing is worse than fishing with sweat rolling off your nose. But there's one way to beat the heat....fish at night!!! Bass become a lot more active after the sun goes down which can make night fishing very rewarding. It's also a great time to catch a big fish as bass move up in the shallows and feel more secure by the cover of darkness. Buzzbaits and big worms are probably the most effective baits at night that produce quality bass. So during the next two months of July and August, schedule your next bass fishing trip in conjunction with the full moon. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Angler's Tip!!!!

A lot of anglers love throwing topwater baits and crankbaits. These baits sometimes have up to three sets of treble hooks which we all know can be good or dangerous. But one thing is a fact, you must have good sharp treble hooks in order to catch fish. While anglers are overly conscious about everything else from the line they use to the condition of their reels, they probably don't pay as much attention to how sharp their treble hooks are mainly because they can be difficult to change out. But angler's who pay attention to this minor detail, will take the time to replace old worn out rusty or dull hooks in order to give themselves the best opportunity to land that fish of a lifetime. So anglers, continue to be diligent with all aspects of your fishing gear, but don't neglect your treble hooks. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Angler's Tip!!!!

Well now is a great tine to throw a buzz bait and the number 1 question asked; do I throw with braid or monofilament? Both have their place but for me but I like the Seaguar Smackdown braid. Designed for strength and durability but is also great for casting. I use this in combination with the Santone Braid Buzz which is designed for braided fishing line. This combination is good whether your fishing in heavy cover or open water. The Seaguar Smackdown braid has no stretch which allows for solid hook'ups and getting fish out of heavy cover and into the boat. So if you want to increase your hook'up ratio with a buzz bait, spool your reels with Seaguar Smackdown. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Angler's Tip!!!!

This past weekend I had the chance to fish a great benefit tournament. As an angler who has grown up in shallow water, it was a great opportunity to learn a few things with my team partner who has great experience fishing out deep. Even if you think you're pretty good with your electronics, watching someone who knows more is both educational and enlightening. Realize the importance of understanding how to read the mapping on your units. To be a great deep water angler, you need to understand contour lines and how to recognize small subtleties. These insignificant features a lot of the times become major spots that fish will set up on. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Angler's Tip!!!!

This time of year bass tends to feed upon shad to regain the weight they lost during the spawn. While a chatter bait has become the go-to bait these days, the spinnerbait is still a great lure. The spinnerbait comes in several blade and skirt combinations; each designed to attract bass through both sight and vibration. The combination you choose depends on water clarity. For muddy water choose bright or dark colored skirts with big Colorado or Indiana style blades in order to maximize vibration. In clear water conditions, white or translucent skirts tend to work the best with willow leaf blades. The main thing you want to do when spinnerbait fishing.... you want the illusion of bait fish without allowing the bass to get too good a look at the bait itself. It's also a great way to introduce youngsters to bass fishing because it a great chunk and wind bait. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Angler's Tip!!!!

As anglers, we tend to complicate things by over thinking the situation. We try to impress ourselves with our own knowledge and outsmart a creature that has a brain the size of a dime. Especially when it comes down to; what color worm we should be throwing? If there's one thing I learned quickly in 2004 fishing the FLW Tour as a co-angler, the pros don't get caught up in color. They pretty much keep it simple by throwing earth tone colors like black and blue, black with red flake, watermelon and watermelon/red but there is one color that dominates for most all pro anglers....green pumpkin. Tournament in and tournament out, the green pumpkin will catch fish pretty much anywhere in the country. So the next time you're just stumped on what color to throw...tie on anything as long as its green pumpkin!!! This has been your Seaguar Fishing Angler's Tip!!!!

If you want your boat to perform at its optimum level, you better make sure its pack and loaded correctly. Balance is the key to a great boat ride and performance. I like my heavy tackle (crankbaits, topwater baits, terminal tackle, etc...) stored in the front center storage area. My rods, soft plastic baits and a few spinnerbaits stored in the outside storage areas. Then I place all my rain gear, Dude Wipes, boat towels, cull rings, Fuel additive, etc.... in the storage boxes behind my seats. But if you really want to get the maximum performance out of your boat? Look into lithium marine batteries that are 1/3 the weight of traditional lead-acid batteries. So if you want your boat to reach its maximum potential, make sure all your gear is stored correctly. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Angler's Tip!!!!

Most anglers run from the wind, we tend to look for a place with little to no wind most of the time. We seek refuge in a pocket or cove where the wind will allow us to fish the way we want. But great anglers figure out how to make Mother Nature work for them. They look for the windblown banks and pick up a crankbait, spinnerbait or maybe they just switch to a heavier sinker. No matter what the technique, anglers have learned that wind blown banks tend to have active fish. The wind stirs the water column and moves plankton which in turn brings in the bait fish which then brings in the bass. So the next time you're tired of fighting the wind, don't fight Mother Nature, use the wind to your advantage and look for a wind blown bank and you just might be rewarded with a live well full of bass!!! This has been your Seaguar Fishing Angler's Tip!!!!

In 1979, while guiding a client, Rick Clunn discovered a bait that would change his career. A bait and technique so effective that a handful of pros tried to keep quiet and went as far as to buy every one of them up across the entire southwestern United States. The lure was the Rebel Pop R, a 2-inch concave chugger topwater bait with a white bucktail on the rear hook. This bait was responsible for several major wins by both Rick Clunn and Zell Rowland but never got the great exposure it deserved because they tried to keep it a secret. What amazed Clunn was how his client was fishing the bait. A slow steady retrieve instead of a popping retrieve that he thought ALL chugger style baits should be fished. It was a bait that Clunn realized would catch fish under many different conditions pretty much year around. So this weeks angler's tip: It just goes to show, that no matter how good you think you are, you can always learn something from even the most novice anglers. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Angler's Tip!!!!

Let's take a look at some of the myths surrounding Fluorocarbon fishing line.  MYTH: All 100% fluorocarbons are created equal. 

FACT: No. Just because the product says 100% fluorocarbon does not mean it is just like any other on the market. Only Seaguar makes fluorocarbon lines and leaders from beginning to end without any outside companies involved. The difference of quality varies from brand to brand.                                                                                                     

MYTH: All fluorocarbons are stiff.

FACT: No, Seaguar produces incredibly soft and cast-able lines.       

MYTH: All fluorocarbons have weak knots.

FACT: Originally, knot strength was the weakest part of fluorocarbon. With Seaguar technology, knot strength is not a factor.                                                                                        

MYTH: Pink fluorocarbon will disappear just as well as clear.

FACT: No. Actually adding color to 100% fluorocarbon makes it weaker, as the dye pigments mix with the fluorocarbon resins. It remains visible until sunlight is completely removed. Originally the color red began showing up on lures, then on hooks. It is believed that the red mimics a wounded baitfish. Red line then became popular, following the whole red theme. The claim is that since red is the first color in the spectrum that loses its color as sunlight is withdrawn, it will become more invisible the deeper it goes into the water column. The color red actually appears gray, as it is not reflecting the red rays from the sun. The simple test is: put the red line in the water and see if it becomes harder to see.

This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Angler’s Tip.

As Mike Echols has pointed out before, in order to figure out the best way to catch fish, sometimes it requires a little adjustment in your approach. No matter how good your practice days are, conditions can change from one day to the next. Good anglers approach every day with an open mind and let the conditions dictate what they should do. During practice this past weekend, I was catching fish out of the bushes under sunny skies. Tournament day started with bright sunshine then around noon, the clouds rolled in and the bush bite died. Still two fish short of a limit, I switched from a creature bait to a speed worm out in front of the bushes, and finished out my limit and culled twice. So like Mike Echols has said before, the fish are still there but they may have repositioned themselves. I took Mike's advice and made a slight adjustment on my approach which allowed me to have a high finish and collect a check. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Angler's Tip.

With cold temperatures this time of year, there are two things you need to check often; your tire pressure on your boat trailer and the water levels in your batteries. Cold temps can drawn tire pressure down and create issues especially when traveling long distance. Another thing you should always do when cold weather approaches, put your batteries on charge. Cold air is hard on batteries and can reduce the life of your batteries if they are neglected. Make sure the water levels are good as well in order to get a full charge on your batteries. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Angler's Tip.

With the different types of fishing line available, monofilament, fluorocarbon and braid, one of these can be a problem. The problem begins at the very tip...the tip of your rod. Line guides on your rod or the wrong kind of guides are susceptible to being damaged or cracked with a sharp groove especially with the use of braided line. Braided line can act like a saw and with a lot of use, can actually damage all the line guide on your rod. What's the solution? Ceramic guides.... these guides are resilient and can hold up against the abrasive resistance and friction that braid creates. The best thing about ceramic line guides, they work great for all types of fishing line. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Angler's Tip.

Everyone has a tackle box full of lures. And everyone has at least one lure that they want to tie on when they really need a bite. For some it might be a jig or a worm, or maybe a spinnerbait or it might even be their favorite crankbait. But there's one thing all successful anglers have that's not in their tackle box...."Confidence!"This is what makes a good angler a great angler! They believe in their ability to catch fish when other anglers fail. Always remember, no matter what's in your tackle box, nothing is a greater tool for success than the element of confidence. This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Angler's Tip.

If you're headed to the boat show this weekend and looking to purchase a new or previously owned boat. Here's the first question you want ask yourself "What kind of water will I be fishing?" Are you fishing small bodies of water like our local cypress tree lakes or are you fishing BIG water like Toledo Bend or Sam Rayburn. The bigger the body of water the bigger the boat you should purchase. If you're fishing the BIG water lakes, I would look at nothing less than a 20 or 21 foot boat as they will handle rough water a lot better than a small 18 foot boat. But if you're fishing the smaller bodies of water, your perfectly fine with an 17 or 18 foot boat. The main thing is... just make sure the boat you are buying can handle the water you're fishing safely!!!! This has been your Seaguar Fishing Line Angler's Tip.

Last week we talked about re-spooling your reels with fresh line. Today we'll talk about the importance of cleaning and lubricating your reels. Now some guys like to clean, oil and grease their own reels and that's fine, if you can put them back together properly. But there are people who will do this for you. If you're looking for someone, ask your local tackle dealer. The good thing about hiring this process out; if there are parts that need replacing, they usually have the parts on hand for the most common reels. Either way, it's something that should be done on an annual basis in order to keep the reel performing at its best. Trailering with your reels on the front deck of your boat, subjects them to a lot of road grime which can creep inside the reel especially the worm gear. A year ago I started trailering with my reels in the cab of my truck and what a difference it made. I was amazed at how clean they were this past December when I started cleaning mine. Reels of today are very technology driven and the cleaner they are, the better they'll perform.

It's that time of year....time to re-spool all your reels and get ready for a new season of bassfishing. There are so many variables we can't control when it comes to fishing, wind, rain, sunshine, or clouds are just a few. But one thing you can control is having new line on your reels. Fresh line can be the difference between landing that fish of a lifetime or telling the story of the one that got away. One brand that I have found to be one of the best is Seaguar. My preference has been Seaguar AbrazX especially when its come to fishing heavy cover or around rock jetties. No matter what your line preference is, new line will help put fish in your boat or it might just help you win a tournament. So don't cut corners or save pennies with old fishing line, re-spool today and eliminate one variable you can control...fresh line. To see the entire line up of Seaguar fishing line, go to Seaguar.com