www.Basstackledepot.com
the fiRst AnD finAl WORD On BAss fishing
tight lines
BY BILL HUTCHESON
eDitORiAl stAff Publisher Mark Mendez Editor Bill HutcHeson (hutch@basswest.com) Associate Editor stephanie DoeIng BWU TV HOST Jamie cypHers (jamie@basswest.com) Art Director Mike MargIneanu (contact@m-graphix.com)
COntRiBUtORs
amber Strickland, Bill Hutcheson, Billy Skinner, BJ Davis, Brad Wiegmann, Brent Chapman, Cody Meyer, Dan o’Sullivan, Daniel Sigfrid, David Dudley, FLW outdoors, gary Mortenson, Jamie Cyphers, Jen edgar, John Murray, Keith Combs, Kent Stingley, Les Whitley, Mark Fong, Matt newman, nick Barr, Pat Snellings, randy Howell, robert Martinez, ron McKinney, Sean ostruszka, Seigo Saito, Shane Beilue, Steve reed, Terry Bolton, TJ Magglio, Travis Perret, Kyle Samms
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in 1995, a small upstart bass fishing magazine was launched out of Provo, Utah. With its slick color cover, stapled spline, and newsprint interior, the goal of this publication was to fill a niche on western tactics that was being over- looked by east coast publications – publications that primarily catered to tournaments and waters east of the Rockies. As such, Bass West Maga- zine was born and Western fisher- men quickly found a publication they could embrace and call their own.
Since its inception, I have had the privilege to be a part of Bass West USA
shoRt & LoNG Magazine as it has worked seRies through format, material, name, and ownership GL2 Rods sLeeves changes over the past two decades. As a contributor, I have watched the eDitORiAl COntACt
Bass West uSa • (800) 360-7112 1625 Main Street, Suite 1006, oakley, Ca 94561 Submission requirements: Unsolicited manuscripts, accepted but not returned. Unsolicited email attachments will be deleted without opening. Please submit query letters detailing story ideas. Reader-submitted letters and photos may be published without notification, and all rights retained by Bass West USA. Reader submitted photos will not be returned, unless requested.
ADVeRtising National Advertising Sales Mark Mendez (408) 396-8442 • mmendez@basswest.com
(209) 612-5028 • dan@basstackledepot.com
publication grow from regional magazine covering fishing in the west to a forum for all items bass-related across the country. This in my opinion was a natural progression. After all, many of the refinements and techniques we embrace today got their start in the west and have spread like wildfire across the country. Be they swimbaits, dropshotting, finesse fishing, or the inclusion of Japanese baits into one’s angling arsenal, what goes on in the west has relevance on the bass fishing scene from Lake Casitas all the way to the Potomac River. Likewise, pro fishermen who have got their start on the west coast have become well ensconced on the national fishing scene and are growing in ranks. Names like Skeet Reese, Brent Ehrler, Aaron Martens, Gary Klein, Kevin Hawk, Chris Zaldain, John Murray, Brandon Palanuik, Clifford Pirch and many more all cut their teeth here in the west, starting with local tournaments, and moving on to make names for themselves nationally by dominating the fields in which they participate.
NRX Rods
West Advertising Sales dan MaTHISen
ADministRAtiOn Publisher Mark Mendez (408) 396-8442 • mmendez@basswest.com
Southwest/Western Region Vice President Bill HutcHeson angler’s Choice Marketing (208) 442-6877 • hutch@basswest.com
Central Region Vice President rick Byrnes angler’s Choice Marketing (618) 496-3610 • rickb@actournaments.com
Circulation Manager Sherry Harwood (800) 360-7112 • sherry@basswest.com
BASS WEST USA. Volume 19, Issue 2, Summer 2013 • Send 18.00 for one year; $28.00 for two years; $36.00 for three years. California residents are subject to California sales tax. All Foreign subscriptions except Canada are $20.00 addi- tional per year additional. Subscriptions inquiries call (800) 591-7171. Mail subscriptions, address changes or adjust- ments to: Bass West USA, 1625 Main Street, Suite 1006, Oakley, CA 94561. For change of address, please send new ad- dress, and old address label, allowing 6 weeks for processing. First issue of new subscription delivered up to 8 weeks after receipt of order. • Copyright © 2013 BASS WEST USA. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written per- mission from the publisher is prohibited.
As for my pedigree in all of this, I cut my teeth on the outdoors at an early age spending my summers in Iowa with a carton of nightcrawlers or a tube of Daisy BB’s in my pocket doing what youngsters should be doing – spending time fishing and hunting. In my high school, college, and subsequent years, I spent time in the retail, wholesale, manufacturing, import/export, and the publishing end of the outdoor industry. Heck, I even managed to get in a little fishing and hunting in here and there as well, plying waters from Florida to Alaska and Mexico to Japan in pursuit of numerous species.
For the past decade though, I have been on the front lines of the bass fishing scene as a tournament director, running everything from local team and grass roots events of up to 1,000 fishermen, all the way up to Pro-Am’s and the West’s most prestigious bass fishing tournament - the US Open of Bass Fishing held on Lake Mead each summer.
With the warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours of summertime upon us, this issue of Bass West USA magazine will delve into one of my favorite forms of bassin’ – night fishing. We’ll also take a stark look at what you should do when the unthinkable happens in our “Oops, Now What” article which addresses boating mishaps. We’ll take a look at the “Topwater tactics of the Pros” as well as Mark Daniel Jr.’s climb to the top of the Bass Federation’s flagship event. Add to this our regular columns and other features and I think you will have a tough time putting this issue down.
All in all, my goal as editor of BassWest USA will be to continue to provide our readership with the quality publication you have come to love – replete with the latest information, on bass fishing be it techniques, strategies, locales, or controversial topics as they pertain to you – the recreational and competitive bass angler. Enjoy and Tight Lines to all! BWU
GLX Rods
duffeL BaG
Summer 2013
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