Well what a week! Two Basstalk seminars and a trip to Alabama! Basstalk, for those who haven't heard of it, is an Ontario-based seminar series by some of the top tournament anglers in our region. It is similar to Bass University in the U.S., except the topics are solely based on Canadian bass waters. I am fortunate enough to be considered as a lecturer in two events per year. I talked at Radioworld in Toronto and Paddletales Tackle in Winchester, Ontario, near Ottawa. I always enjoy these seminars as I get to sit and listen to the other pros. I like to keep an open mind and always learn something new!

On Monday, Karl Kalonka and myself flew to Huntsville, Alabama, where we were greeted by our friend and Ardent Reels Sales Representative Jake Tippee. The flight was an early morning one, so we planned on getting onto the Tennessee River system to film an episode of Extreme Angler for season nine on WFN.

I started the day by filming with Jake for the scrappy and plentiful white bass in the tail-race waters below the hydro-electric dam. We started off on a small bluff area adjacent to a sand flat. I used a small Norrie's Jerkbait with a white finish and Jake used a similar bait. The white bass weighed anywhere from one to three pounds. I couldn't tell you how many we caught but a good guess would be about a hundred! After about my thirtieth fish I went to unhook a bass and found a needle-sharp hook buried into my finger! Apparently white bass are still very lively when lipped! A small price to pay for excellent fishing. A quick twist on my pliers, a bit of blood and I was back in the game!

We were very happy with the shoot, and after a short break I started feeling the tiring effects of a short night and long day in the hot sun! Jake informed me that the striped bass like to hunt the heavy current in the evening - no time to rest! We headed upstream again where we picked up heavier gear. I used an Ardent XS 1000 baitcast reel spooled with 30 pound Spiderthread braided line and a St.Croix Tournament Legend Spinnerbait Sniper rod. I really like this combo for throwing larger bass-sized jerbaits. On the business end I tied on an OSP Ruhdra, in the clown pattern. This is an awesome bait from Japan with lots of flash for attracting big fish!

Well about my third cast across the current I had my first hook-up. I had never fished for stripers before and let me tell you - hang on! These things hit like freight trains! After a few tense moments in the current, I started to win the battle. Jake netted the fish for me -what a rush! We went on to catch several more, and as darkness started to fall we contemplated on how to end the show. That was decided for me as on my last cast a big striper hit my bait right at the boat!

Jake Tippee and Mark Kulik with the last striper of the day.

I was amazed at the abundance of life on the river. We saw fish surfacing all around us everything from four foot-long gars to big catfish, not a healthy place to be if you're a baitfish! Apart from the fishing I really enjoyed the Alabama experience - there is a real culture of outdoors. Hunting and fishing play a large part in the community, driving around just about every second house had some sort of fishing boat in the driveway, either a bassboat or a small aluminum johnboat! On the water it was great to see families enjoying a day's fishing. Many were targeting large and abundant catfish, others didn't seem to really care what species they caught. Alabama has a friendly laid back atmosphere that I really enjoyed - the locals all loved to sit and talk fishing!

On a safety note, I was fortunate enough to fish with Jake, who knows how to navigate the waterway. River systems are usually rock-strewn and the Tennessee is no exception. Lifejackets are a must as are all the other safety equipment. I recommend going out with a guide - especially on your first visit. Jake told us about the excellent fall fishing opportunities, and you can bet we will take him up on it! Not to let the cat out of the bag, but you won't want to miss season nine as we filmed some awesome shows in Alabama, and a huge white crappie episode in Mississippi!

Karl Kalonka with 2 huge white crappie that were caught while filming for season 9 of Extreme Angler TV.

If you are looking for a fun fishing experience whether with the family or a fun trip with the "boys", Alabama is a great experience. Ya'll can bet I'll be back!

Local Guides

Jimmy Mason - 256-762-0014 - bassn2xs@aol.com

Jimmy guides on Pickwick Lake , Wilson Lake , Wheeler Lake and Guntersville Lake

Roger Stegall - 662-808-2184

Roger guides on the lower end of Pickwick Lake

Ronnie Leatherwood - 256-856-3198 - bargebumper@aol.com

Ronnie guides on the upper end of Pickwick Lake and all of Wilson Lake