Fantasy Fishing Insider

Bassmaster Alabama River Charge – Pundit Picks

twincitylimits — Wed, 08 May 2013 21:56:41 +0000

Setting your Alabama River Charge fantasy fishing roster? Tune in for advice from our hosts, Greg Huff (bassmaster.com, In-Depth Outdoors), Jason Holmer (Bass Utopia) and Rich Lindgren (Rich’s Bassin’ Blog).

Bassmaster.com fantasy fishing columnist “Web Guy Greg” Huff hosts “Fantasy Fishing Insider.” Co-hosts are Rich Lindgren of Rich’s Bassin’ Blog and Jason Holmer of Bass Utopia. Like or don’t like the podcast? Have a suggestion for a guest? Leave us a comment! Are you a fishing-industry insider and would like to be a guest? Would you like to advertise on the show? Email Greg at greghuff at mac.com.

“Fantasy Fishing Insider” is also available on iTunes. Episodes are also embedded into Greg’s Bassmaster fantasy fishing column and blog posts at fantsyfishinginsider.com and bassutopia.com. You can follow “Fantasy Fishing Insider”on Facebook and Twitter.

Pundit Picks – Bassmaster Elite West Point Lake Battle

twincitylimits — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 18:53:34 +0000

Setting your West Point Lake Battle fantasy fishing roster? Tune in for advice from our hosts, Greg Huff (bassmaster.com, In-Depth Outdoors), Jason Holmer (Bass Utopia) and Rich Lindgren (Rich’s Bassin’ Blog).

BTW, here’s Jason’s creepy/hilarious Bass Utopia Mystery Tackle Box Opening video we were referencing in the podcast:

This is Flippin’ Awesome! Listen to “Pro Shop” Macklemore parody, help cure pediatric cancer

twincitylimits — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:37:29 +0000

FFI co-hosts Greg Huff and Jason Holmer teamed with fishing rapper Mike Morazzini to record “Pro Shop,” a parody of the Macklemore & Ryan Lewis song “Thrift Shop.” We are hoping to get music rights from Macklemore and Lewis to sell downloads of the song to raise funds for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.

To make a direct donation to St. Jude’s, visit Holmer’s Bass Utopia St. Jude’s fundraising page here: Help Cure Pediatric Cancer If you’d like to help us get the music rights to sell the song for St. Jude’s donation, tweet this message:

RT to help @BassUtopia & @FantasyFishinIn get @macklemore @RyanLewis OK for Thrift Shop parody to raise $ for @StJude #SayYes4theKids

Here’s Holmer’s head on Macklemore’s frame. Of course, Holmer does have a coat just like that …

If you’d like to see us perform “Pro Shop” live at Bassmaster’s LaCrosse, Wis.. event, tweet this message:

Let’s get @AnglersMusic @BassUtopia & @lazy_ike perform Pro Shop song live at LaCrosse @Bass_nation event!

Holmer wrote the “Pro Shop” lyrics; Morazzini rapped and produced the verses; Huff and Holmer sang the choruses; Huff produced and engineered the choruses. Like the song? Leave a comment below. And please share the love with St. Jude’s!

Matt Herren, Dave Mercer & guide Mike Webb preview Bull Shoals, plus Pundit Picks & a surprise

twincitylimits — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:43:56 +0000

Bassmaster Elite Series Pro Matt Herren and Elite Series Emcee Dave Mercer preview Bassmaster’s April 18-21 Ramada Quest tournament on Bull Shoals Lake.

Note: An incomplete version of this podcast was erroneously uploaded previously. The podcast in the player below is the correct version.

Also in this episode is Ozarks area bass fishing guide Mike Webb and “Pundit Picks” with hosts Greg Huff, Jason Holmer and Rich Lindgren. Also, fishing rapper Mike Morazzini comes aboard to launch the world premiere of Holmer’s Macklemore & Lewis parody, “Pro Shop.”

Bassmaster.com will provide extensive coverage of the Bull Shoals tournament all four days. Features include streaming video of the weigh-ins, real-time leaderboards, the Lowrance War Room, blogs and BASSCam video from the water, Toyota Hooked Up! shows and BASSTrakk catch reports. Access to all Bassmaster.com content is free.

Jeff Kriet & Mark Zona preview Falcon Lake derby; plus Pundit Picks

twincitylimits — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:17:29 +0000

Jeff Kriet & Mark Zona help preview the March 21-24 Bassmaster Elite Series Rigid Industries Falcon Slam.

Also in this episode, FFI hosts Greg Huff, Jason Holmer and Rich Lindgren convene for Pundit Picks, releasing and discussing their roster picks for this tournament.

Podcast index:

08:10 – Jeff Kriet interview
29:10 – Bucket E Pundit Picks
33:30 – Bucket D Pundit Picks
38:20 – Bucket C Pundit Picks
42:05 – Bucket B Pundit Picks
48:20 – Bucket A Pundit Picks
56:45 – Mark Zona’s “Insider Angle”

Fans who want to watch the second event of the Elite season can come to the Zapata County Public Boat Ramp (3079 County Road, Zapata, TX 78076). Fans can watch the pros take off at 7:15 a.m. CT and weigh their catches beginning at 3:15 p.m. CT. All Bassmaster events are free.

Bassmaster.com will provide extensive coverage of the event all four days. Features include streaming video of the weigh-ins, real-time leaderboards, the Lowrance War Room, blogs and BASSCam video from the water, Toyota Hooked Up! shows and BASSTrakk catch reports. Access to all Bassmaster.com content is free.

The event’s title sponsor is Rigid Industries of Mesa, Ariz., maker of LED lighting products for vehicles and boats; www.rigidindustries.com. The local sponsor is the Zapata County Chamber of Commerce; www.zapatachamber.com.

Scroll down lower on this page for an exclusive interview with former Bassmaster Elite Series emcee Keith Alan, who was onstage in 2008 as all those giant Falcon bass were weighed in!

Falcon Lake Fantasy Fishing Preview (Pt. 1)

twincitylimits — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:56:05 +0000

A Zapata-area bait shop manager and a Texas fisheries biologist help preview the March 21-24 Bassmaster Elite Series Rigid Industries Falcon Slam.

Podcast index:

00:55 – “Inside Angle” – FFI hosts Greg Huff and Jason Holmer review the 2008 Falcon Lake tournament and discuss how the lake is likely to fish differently this year. Also, Holmer explains how to “beat off bass zombies.” Yep, that’s a direct quote.
08:05 – Mystery Tackle Box “Lay of the Lake,” Interviews featuring Hugo the Assistant Bait Shop Manager (at 9:25). Huff and Holmer cold call a Zapata-area bait shop, fishing for information about current conditions on Falcon. Also in this segment, Texas Parks and Wildlife Division Fisheries Biologist Randy Myers (at 13:30)
22:15 – “Lay of the Lake” pt. 2 – Huff and Holmer discuss the type of cover and structure on Falcon and what tactics and patterns will likely be the most successful on it. And we talk about Aaron Martens making donkey noises … So, there’s that.

Scroll down lower on this page for an exclusive interview with former Bassmaster Elite Series emcee Keith Alan, who was onstage in 2008 as all those giant Falcon bass were weighed in!

Falcon Lake Big Bass Bonanza Especial with Keith Alan

twincitylimits — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 21:04:03 +0000

Former Bassmaster Elite Series emcee Keith Alan reminisces about the Big Bass Bonanza he witnessed when the Elite Series visited Falcon Lake in 2008.

Keith’s latest project is producing “Lured,” a fishing/adventure/travel show featuring famed angler/lure designer/renaissance man Patrick Sebile. See it here.

Bassmaster Elite Series “Sabine River Challenge” Pundit Picks

twincitylimits — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 23:26:50 +0000

The FFI hosts handicap the Sabine River Challenge field, divulging whom they put on their fantasy fishing rosters and why.

Podcast index:

Inside Angle – starts at 1:00 min.
Pundit Picks (AKA “Bucket Time!”) – starts at 11:00 min.
- Bucket E – starts at 13:40 min.
- Bucket D – starts at 20:00 min.
- Bucket C – starts at 23:35 min.
- Bucket B – starts at 28:00 min.
- Bucket A – starts at 32:20 min.

The Elite Series Sabine River Challenge launches Thursday, March 14, at 7 a.m. Weigh-ins will be webcast live every day of the tournament, beginning at 3:15 p.m. here.

Brent Chapman, Greg Hackney & Kevin Short preview the “Sabine River Challenge”

twincitylimits — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 06:01:13 +0000

Brent Chapman, Greg Hackney & Kevin Short preview the Bassmaster Elite Series Sabine River Challenge, which kicks off the 2013 Elite Series regular season, March 14-17.

Also, FFI hosts Greg Huff and Jason Holmer break down the Sabine River system in the Mystery Tackle Box “Lay of the Lake.”

Podcast index:

Mystery Tackle Box “Lay of the Lake” – starts at 3:10
Pro Pointers: Greg Hackney – starts at 16:10
Pro Pointers: Kevin Short – starts at 40:21
Pro Pointers: Brent Chapman – starts at 1:09:45

The Elite Series Sabine River Challenge launches Thursday, March 14, at 7 a.m. Weigh-ins will be webcast live every day of the tournament, beginning at 3:15 p.m. here.

“Fantasy Fishing Insider” is also available on iTunes. Episodes are also embedded into Greg’s fantasy fishing column at bassmaster.com, and blog posts at fantsyfishinginsider.com and bassutopia.com. You can follow “Fantasy Fishing Insider”on Facebook and Twitter.

Like or don’t like the podcast? Have a suggestion for a guest? Leave us a comment! Are you a fishing-industry insider and would like to be a guest? Would you like to advertise on the show? Email Greg at greghuff at mac.com.

This is the play-by-play of Cliff Pace catching the fish that won the 2013 Bassmaster Classic!

twincitylimits — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 20:37:35 +0000

This is the play-by-play of Cliff Pace catching the two fish that won the 2013 Bassmaster Classic.

This audio was recorded from Bassmaster.com’s “War Room” webcast, as BassGold.com’s Jay Kumar interviewed Bassmaster Photographer James Overstreet, who was photographing Pace at the time, speaking via cell phone. As he spoke, Pace boated two keeper bass in quick succession.

Photos courtesy Bassmaster Media. Used with permission.

Classic Preview with Ike, Palaniuk, Zona & Kumar

twincitylimits — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:51:21 +0000

Mike Iaconelli, Brandon Palaniuk, Mark Zona and Jay Kumar preview the 2013 Bassmaster Classic with host Greg Huff. Also, bass fishing meterologist Tony Barlow provides a custom Classic weather forecast.

Insider index:

02:10 – Mark Zona, “The Bassmasters” TV show co-host, “Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show” host
16:23 – Jay Kumar, BassGold and Bass Blaster founder, BassFan founder, former Bassmaster senior writer
36:07 – Brandon Palaniuk, Bassmaster Elite Series pro, 2013 Bassmaster Classic qualifier
50:50 – Mike Iaconelli, 2013 Classic qualifier, 2003 Classic Champ, 2006 Bassmaster Angler of the Year
1:01:30 – Tony Barlow, bass-fishing meteroologist, weathertheoutdoors.com founder

“Fantasy Fishing Insider” is also available for free on iTunes. Episodes are also embedded into Greg’s fantasy fishing column at bassmaster.com, and blog posts at fantsyfishinginsider.com and bassutopia.com.

You can also “Fantasy Fishing Insider”on Facebook and Twitter.

Like or don’t like the podcast, got a suggestion for a guest? Leave us a comment! Are you a bass pro or fishing-industry insider and would like to be a guest? Would you like to advertise on the show? Email Greg at fantasyfishinginsider@gmail.com.

2013 Grand Lake Bassmaster Classic Preview with Chris Lane & Ott DeFoe

twincitylimits — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 01:05:15 +0000

Chris Lane and Ott DeFoe preview the Feb. 22-24 Bassmaster Classic, which will be contested on Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees, near Tulsa, OK. Also, hosts Greg Huff of bassmaster.com and In-Depth Outdoors and co-host Jason Holmer of Bass Utopia and analyst Rich Lindgren release their roster picks.

Segment Index:

02:30, “Lay of the Lake” – Greg and Jason discuss patterns likely to be in play in cold conditions on Grand Lake, a highland reservoir with no grass
16:45, “Pro Pointers” – 2012 Classic Champ Chris Lane and 2012 Angler of the Year runner-up Ott DeFoe discuss their expectations and gameplans heading into the 2013 Classic
45:30, Mystery Tackle Box “Inside Angle” – Greg and Jason discuss the types of baits likely to be in play in the Classic. Join the Bass Utopia group in the B.A.S.S. Fantasy Fishing contest for a chance to win valuable prizes from this segment’s sponsor, Mystery Tackle Box!
56:45, “Pundit Picks “– Greg, Jason and Rich handicap each bucket and release their roster picks

You can also “Fantasy Fishing Insider”on Facebook and Twitter.

This week’s podcast features music by Mike Morazinni. Buy his album on iTunes here!

Tight lines!

Zona, Kumar, Rojas, KVD, A Mart, McClelland preview Oneida

twincitylimits — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 05:05:17 +0000

Pundits Mark Zona and Jay Kumar and Elite Series pros Dean Rojas, Kevin VanDam, Aaron Martens and Mike McClelland preview the August 23-26 Ramada Championship on New York’s Lake Oneida.

Among the favorites to win on Lake Oneida are Angler of the Year race leaders with distinctly different histories here. AOY leader Brent Chapman and current second-runner-up in points, Todd Faircloth, have fared especially poorly here, never having made a Sunday cut. Dean Rojas and Randy Howell, on the other hand, can boast several top-10s between them, including a Rojas win in 2008.

And then there’s always KVD to consider.

So who’s in the best position to win?

Listen to or watch FFI host Greg Huff’s interviews with Bassmaster TV host Mark Zona, BassGold.com founder Jay Kumar, and Spro pro Dean Rojas, Strike King pro Kevin VanDam, Megabass pro Aaron Martens and Spro pro Mike McClelland. And read Huff’s fantasy fishing column at bassmaster.com.

Correction: Mike McClelland’s home state is Arkansas, not Oklahoma. McClelland is extra-motivated to qualify for the Grand Lake Classic not because it’s on his home water, but because he has a good history there, having won a B.A.S.S. major on Grand in 2006. Host Greg Huff regrets the error (but notes that anyone who has attended ICAST can attest that the trade show tends to fry your brain!).

Green Bay Challenge Fantasy Fishing Roster Picks Show – Bassmaster Elite Series 2012

twincitylimits — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:06:42 +0000

Green Bay Challenge Fantasy Fishing Roster Picks Show with Host Greg Huff and Co-hosts Jason Holmer and Rich Lindgren.

On a Northern fishery which will be won with deep-water smallmouth, Michigander Kevin VanDam is the odds-on favorite this week to win. Few anglers on the Elite Series are as comfortable on big, Northern water as KVD is, and few know as much about catching smallies as does the Kalamazoo Kid. Outside of Tennessee’s Dale Hollow, the best smallmouth factories in the country are in KVD’s neck of the woods, and he grew up fishing them.

That said, at the time of this writing, everybody and their dog is picking KVD to win; he’s at 73.5 percent ownership. Now, if you’re above the 90 percentile in the Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing points race, stick with KVD and try to pull away from the pack with a sneaky pick in one of the lower buckets.

If, however, you’re languishing in the back of the pack and need to swing for the fences the rest of the season for a chance to win your league – or at least not finish dead last in it – put Edwin Evers on your roster in Bucket A. At 7.8 percent ownership, Evers offers the best combination of value and past performance.

In 2007 and 2008 Bassmaster tournaments on Lake Erie – another Great Lake fishery thick with fat smallmouth – Evers placed first and third. In those same tournaments, KVD placed 16th and 18th.

Read more of Huff’s bassmaster.com column here: http://www.bassmaster.com/news/northerners-may-dominate-green-bay

Brent Chapman & Randy Howell preview the Green Bay Challenge – Bassmaster Elite Series 2012

twincitylimits — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 04:30:47 +0000

Brent Chapman and Randy Howell preview the June 28-July 1 Green Bay Challenge with Greg Huff, “Fantasy Fishing Insider” host and bassmaster.com fantasy fishing columnist.

Chapman and Howell, Angler of the Year frontrunner, might camp near each other this week, but they won’t likely be camped on the same spots on Lake Michigan’s Green Bay. While they will both will be fishing for smallmouths – which everyone agrees will comprise the larger share of the winning bags this week – they’ll be targeting different water with different techniques.

“I’m going to hopefully catch smallmouth on a jerkbait and topwater, because I don’t like drop-shotting and fishing so deep,” said Howell, currently third in the AOY race. “I hope we don’t have to do that.”

That, however, is exactly what AOY leader Chapman is hoping for.

“I’ll probably have a spinning rod in my hand and do a lot of drop-shotting,” Chapman said. “I think a drop-shot’s probably one of the best smallmouth baits there are. I love to do it when I get on those smallmouths.”

Watch the interview in the video player below …

… or listen in the audio player below.

Russ Lane and Jason Williamson preview the Green Bay Challenge – Bassmaster Elite Series 2012

twincitylimits — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 04:15:37 +0000

Bass pros Russ Lane and Jason Williamson preview the June 28-July 1 Green Bay Challenge with Greg Huff, “Fantasy Fishing Insider” host and bassmaster.com fantasy fishing columnist.

Fletcher Shryock previews the Green Bay Challenge – Bassmaster Elite Series 2012

twincitylimits — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 04:12:29 +0000

Ohio bass pro Fletcher Shryock previews the June 28-July 1 Green Bay Challenge with Greg Huff, “Fantasy Fishing Insider” host and bassmaster.com fantasy fishing columnist.

Nate Wellman previews Green Bay Challenge – Bassmaster Elite Series 2012

twincitylimits — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 21:09:35 +0000

Michigan bass pro Nate Wellman previews the June 28-July 1 Green Bay Challenge with Greg Huff, “Fantasy Fishing Insider” host and bassmaster.com fantasy fishing columnist.

Kevin Short previews the ‘Mississippi River Rumble’

twincitylimits — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:36:33 +0000

Kevin Short previews the “Mississippi River Rumble” with “Fantasy Fishing Insider” Host Greg Huff.

The tournament area covers Mississippi River Pools 7 and 8. Anglers will launch from Veterans Freedom Park in La Crosse. B.A.S.S. has held five professional tournaments on the Mighty Miss, but only two launching from here – and that was almost 30 years ago. The only time the Elite Series has visited the river was in June 2009. Launching out of Fort Madison, Iowa, Short (pictured above) overcame muddy, falling water to win with 43 pounds, 3 ounces, in one of the toughest Elite Series tournaments in history.

Although he’s not having a great 2012 season, having not made a single 50-cut, Short will definitely be fishing on Saturday this week, and likely on Sunday too. Short is a so-called “river rat” whose numbers back up that billing. In three summer river tournaments in our date range, he averages 13th place (first on this river in 2009, and third and 36th on his home water, the Arkansas River, where he has long honed his river fishing skills).

Short has said the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers fish similarly. At 2 percent ownership, he’s a great Fantasy Fishing value.

Denny Brauer previews the ‘Mississippi River Rumble’

twincitylimits — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:35:23 +0000

Denny Brauer previews the “Mississippi River Rumble” with “Fantasy Fishing Insider” Host Greg Huff.

A shallow-fishing, flipping legend, Brauer (pictured above) remains a threat to return to his career-high form, as he did last season when he won on the Arkansas River. He averages a 24th-place finish on summer river tournaments in our date range (first, fourth, 24th, 27th and 62nd on the Mississippi in 2009). Shallow backwaters with plentiful wood cover and shallow grass on flats adjacent to current will likely produce the most and biggest largemouth this week, provided they have access to nearby deeper water.

The tournament area covers Mississippi River Pools 7 and 8. Anglers will launch from Veterans Freedom Park in La Crosse, Wis. B.A.S.S. has held five professional tournaments on the Mighty Miss, but only two launching from here – and that was almost 30 years ago. The only time the Elite Series has visited the river was in June 2009. Launching out of Fort Madison, Iowa, Kevin Short overcame muddy, falling water to win with 43 pounds, 3 ounces, in one of the toughest Elite Series tournaments in history.