THE BUSINESS NEWS OF FISHING.

Best on Tour brings you interesting news from the fishing industry in a weekly email.

1. Stat of the Day

PRESENTED BY: Sunline

How much does repetitive use damage your line? Fluorocarbon line was used in this test, and gives us a good look at line wear going through a good guide versus a damaged guide. Data provided by Sunline R&D.

2. Money Matters

PRESENTED BY: Big Bite Baits

Walker On Your Breakfast Table In 1999 David Walker joined Denny Brauer as the second angler to grace the box of Wheaties cereal. At the time Walker and Brauer were the only anglers in the cereal's 74-year history to be featured athletes. Joining sports icons like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods just to name a few, is quite the honor. While the sport of professional bass fishing has grown in many areas, it is hard to argue that the exposure FLW anglers were getting from a branding standpoint in the late 90s and early 2000s wasn't second to none.

3. Behind the Scenes

PRESENTED BY: SPRO

Mike McClelland's Winter Jerkbait System Mike McClelland knows winter fishing with a jerkbait, and even has a series of jerkbaits with his name on it. He has several keys to helping you become a better jerkbait angler. The first key is finding a jerkbait that you have confidence in. Many anglers get caught up in the hot new jerkbait or what their buddy is throwing, but the biggest key is finding one that you are confident in. The second key is making sure that the bait is performing like it should be in order for it to be the most effective. Many anglers simply take a bait out of the package, tie it on and start using it. A lot of times jerkbaits require some fine tuning to perform at their best in colder water temperatures. Most of today's baits are tuned properly and run straight out of the package. Weighting is the key factor to check, before use. Using the SPRO McStick 110 , which is designed to suspend at water temperatures below 45 degrees is Mike's first choice. If the water is warmer than 45 degrees the bait will be more buoyant and rise, and often times a small modification can make a huge difference. A quick way to adjust the buoyancy of a jerkbait that Mike uses is to carry several sizes of split rings in the boat with him. By adding additional split rings to the eye of the front hook (as seen in the image below) you can quickly make the bait suspend, and or sink very slowly.

For additional fine tuning to the bait's buoyancy, Mike uses a spool of lead wire. This will allow you to add smaller weight increments. The final important point Mike McClelland makes is to make sure your bait is always sinking just a little bit.

4. Anglers Tribune

Bertrand Says Maintain Your Rods

Photo Courtesy MLF Taking care of our equipment should be an important part of any angler's routine. An often overlooked item that seems to get neglected are our rods. Just like any other tool, our rods need attention as well. There are a few simple things I like to do to my Abu Garcia rods to make sure they are ready to go for my next fishing trip. The first thing I do is clean my guides using a Q-tip and warm soapy water. While the primary function of this task is to clean any build out of the guides, it will also show you if you have any cracks or blemishes in your guides as well. Typically if there are any cracks in a guide, it will grab some cotton off of the swab letting you identify exactly where the problem is. The last thing you want is a faulty guide causing line damage, and inadvertently costing you a fish. Next I like to clean my rod handles and reel mounting hardware. Using a white cloth with rubbing alcohol will get the job done in this case. You can also use a Q-tip for any hard to reach areas that the cloth may not be able to get clean. A Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is also a great option for those of you that have rods with cork handles. It does an outstanding job getting all the dirt and grime off of cork, making it look almost brand new when you are done. Finally I want to check the integrity of all of my rods and their components. Going over every guide to make sure none of them are lose, checking the blanks to see if I have any obvious damage, and making sure the reel seats all tighten properly are some things that you can easily do to protect your investment. I highly recommend investing in some type of rod cover to store your rods. They are a relatively inexpensive investment in relation to the price of most rods, and do wonders to keep your rods safe from damage. Storing your rods vertically, and in a moderate climate is also something that will give them more longevity. If you aren't going to be fishing for a while it is a good idea to get them out of the rod locker and store them in your home, or a climate controlled garage or storage area. I hope these tips help you protect your investment and get the most out of your rods.

5. Baits Not Being Talked About

The new decade comes in with a bang for Missile Baits . The bass fishing lure company, started in 2012, is adding 6 new core shot colors in their very popular Ned Bomb , which is a lure made for fishing on a Ned Rig.

6. What We're Watching & Listening To

PRESENTED BY: Gamakatsu

Jimmy Houston Joins BTL Live In Studio

Legendary angler Jimmy Houston and PBA Tour champion Kris Prather recently joined Bass Talk Live for an in studio appearance. Jimmy tells some rare and candid stories from his storied career, and we get a taste of professional bowling from up and coming star Kris Prather. Check it out here.

7. Jersey Watch

PRESENTED BY: Denali

Anglers Changing Boats A quick summary of anglers that have switched boat brands so far for 2020.

8. Regional Recommendations

Located in Lake Wylie, SC Rusty Hooks Bait & Tackle offers a wide variety of baits and tackle, including hard to find local products. With a knowledgeable and friendly staff, Rusty Hooks can get you set up for success on local fisheries. Make sure to stop by and check them out the next time you are in the area.

9. Best for Last

PRESENTED BY: AFTCO

How Much Is Fishing Like Gambling? Two doctors take an interesting look at the similarities between fishing and gambling. Dr. Mark Griffiths and Dr. Michael Auer published a paper examining the concept of ‘fishing addiction’ and the similarities with  gambling addiction  in the Archives of Behavioral Addiction. They start and point out that fishing and  gambling  are two activities that may not appear to have much in common, but do have some striking similarities. For some fishing may be a leisure activity, but for others it is about competition and winning. In Dr. Griffith's blog post they also reference two articles by Dr. Per Binde and Whitney James that they reviewed which took a look at comparisons between gambling and fishing. Binde points out that similarities exsist, “especially if you consider bait casting (spinning) in relation to repetitive forms of gambling, such as slot machines”. A 2013 online article by Whitney James (2013) has also made a similar observation that “pulling a penny slot is like casting your line. It doesn’t take a lot of effort but the payout is sometimes sweet”.

Griffiths and Auer combined their list with Binde and James articles to make a list of a few of the similarities between and fishing and gambling. In both activities, the participant repeats the same behavior over and over again in the hope that they will attain something of material value. Both activities lead to mood modifying experiences and can be both relaxing and exciting. Both activities can result in the person forgetting about time and engaging in the activity for much longer than the person originally intended (because of the escape-like qualities of engaging in the activity). Both activities involve ‘near misses’ that reinforce the behavior (or as Dr. Binde says “one reel symbol slightly out of place for a jackpot; bites and nibbles of fish that does not get hooked”). Success in either activity may be a combination of skill and chance, and winning or catching a fish give the individuals concerned a sense of achievement and mastery. Furthermore, the person engaging in these activities may not be able to differentiate between what was skill and what was chance (or as Dr. Binde says: “was my choice of bait successful or was it just luck that I caught a big fish?”). In both activities, the ‘availability bias’ comes into play. More specifically, the few big successes (i.e., catching a really big fish or winning a large amount of money) are highly memorable while all the many other occasions when the person lost all their money or caught nothing are easily forgotten. In both activities, superstitious rituals are commonplace (wearing a ‘lucky’ cap, spitting on the lure, etc.). In both activities, when things are not going right (i.e., not winning, not catching any fish), the person then tries the same thing somewhere else (a gambler changes table or slot machines, or goes to a new gaming venue; a fisherman changes his bait or tries another place in the river or a new river entirely). In both activities, one win or one fish caught is never enough. Both activities are potentially addictive (“ask either addict’s wife and they will confirm” said Whitney James). In both activities, families forgive the person if they bring something home with them (i.e., winnings or fresh fish). Is fishing similar to gambling in your opinion?

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