PARK FALLS, WIS. (February 10, 2025) – Bass anglers paying consideration have an eye fixed on the West Coast. Many aspire to fish there. A number of others, like Alex Niapas and Mark Lassagne, are already entrenched.
What’s the enchantment of West-Coast bass fishing? Various and scenic fisheries to start out, providing the chance to catch three species of black bass in opposition to a backdrop of a number of the most lovely surroundings to be discovered anyplace. However the draw additionally contains appreciable numbers of bass, plus true trophy potential.
“Our fisheries are positively various,” says final month’s 2025 BAM Event Path Professional-Am season-opener Champion and St. Croix Rod Ambassador, Alex Niapas. “There are clear-water reservoirs throughout out right here with actually huge bass, plus the California Delta and Clear Lake, which is arguably the most effective bass lake within the nation,” he provides. “It’s a spot the place you may catch a bunch of five- and six-pounders with double-digit largemouth all the time a risk. Whereas finesse performs all year long on the deep, clear-water reservoirs we fish all through the west, Clear Lake and the remainder of the Delta fisheries generally is a power-fisherman’s dream.”
After which there’s the noticed bass.
“Most japanese anglers aren’t uncovered to noticed bass greater than three kilos or so,” says Bass Angler Journal and BAM Event Path Founder, Mark Lassagne. “However spots as much as 9 kilos and even greater are a risk on a number of lakes out right here. Event professional Randy Pierson weighed a 7.04 throughout our latest Professional-Am season opener at Lake Shasta, which isn’t out of the strange. The world file 11.04-lb. spot got here out of New Bullards Bar Reservoir right here in Northern California, and the subsequent one is actually on the market.”
Lassagne says Clear Lake repeatedly produces 30-pound day by day luggage in tournaments, and that Don Pedro Lake provides up five-fish limits over 20 kilos consisting of all three species. Personally although, he says the Columbia River is his favourite. “It’s an unimaginable fishery simply loaded with three-to-four-pound smallmouth. You may have some epic days there fishing finesse to topwater and all the pieces in between.”
Niapas, a resident of Altaville, California says he focused shallow factors with timber and different construction throughout his championship efficiency on the latest BAM Professional-Am at Lake Shasta, which was shortened by a day on account of excessive winds. He caught most of his 16.35 and 18.05 limits on a prototype five-ounce trout swimbait.
“Very first thing within the morning, I caught virtually a 5-lb. spot on it after which I ran round to some different areas and caught one other 4 fish,” Niapas stated of his closing day on the water. “I began working just a few different spots and commenced catching threes and 3-½’s. I used to be culling threes by the top of the day.“
Only one week later, February 6 on the identical lake, Niapas earned third place within the WON Bass Open with a bag that included a good greater fish – a 9.14-lb. noticed bass caught on the identical swimbait.
Niapas says bigger swimbaits are an vital and well-liked lure when focusing on greater bass, particularly in California lakes which have rainbow trout. “They’re form of a staple at totally different occasions of the 12 months,” he says, including that anglers who decide to throwing them in the precise occasions and locations can have appreciable success. “Greater baits can take their toll on you bodily although,” he says. “It’s not like pitching a drop shot or flipping a jig all day. I’ve been fishing baits on this class with St. Croix’s Legend Event Bass MID SWIMBAIT rod (LBTG710XHF), which comes with the brand new angler-adaptable GRASP II reel seat. It might look slightly unconventional, however when you truly fish it you don’t need to be with out it. These are extremely gentle, highly effective, and well-balanced swimbait rods with or with out the GRASP deal with. You may simply swap it out for the standard palming set off, however the GRASP attachment retains your wrist aligned together with your arm when chucking and winding these huge baits all day. You’ll positively discover much less bodily fatigue, which implies staying within the psychological sport longer.”
Whereas Niapas chooses to focus his aggressive efforts on the BAM Professional-Am Collection, the BAM Event Path contains three different distinct event collection consisting of the Tremendous 60, Scholastic, and Kayak excursions. All provide anglers quite a lot of advantages, together with nice payouts, low entry charges, and premier publicity. “Along with protection of the BAM Tremendous 60 Collection on Outside Motion TV, all BAM Event Path Collection are lined comprehensively in our print journal and thru our intensive social media attain. The bottom of hardcore bass anglers nationwide we attain by way of our multi-platform high-quality media merchandise are what actually units our event collection aside,” says Lassagne.
Whether or not you’re prepared to start out planning your West-Coast bass journey, trying to be taught extra concerning the BAM Event Path, or just need to put your eyes on a number of the most progressive and complete content material spanning your entire realm of bass fishing, go to bassanglermag.com.
About St. Croix RodHeadquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Greatest Rods on Earth” for over 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with expert craftsmanship, St. Croix is the one main producer to nonetheless construct rods solely from design by way of manufacturing. The corporate stays family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing services in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With well-liked trademarked collection equivalent to Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all sorts of anglers from around the globe. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers contains St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.
About SEVIIN ReelsWherever and nonetheless you fish, the reel in your hand ought to assist create higher experiences. Born from St. Croix Rod’s seven a long time of design and manufacturing experience, industry-leading customer support, and unbroken personal possession by the Schluter household courting again to 1977, SEVIIN reels are meticulously engineered and purpose-built to assist anglers conquer each species on every bit of water on the planet. SEVIIN focuses on reels and reels solely, designing and advertising merchandise that enhance the angling expertise, whatever the rods anglers select. Seven seas, seven continents, seven days every week, SEVIIN reels are fueled by a collective love of fishing surpassed solely by a ardour to ship essentially the most dependable reels on the water. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers contains St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.
