Feb 13

Mid February Update

    The Super Bowl is over and so is the Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg. Huge show as usual. Plenty to see and do no matter what you’re into outdoor wise. I attended the first Saturday. Greg Smith and I drove out to assist with the Reel Kids casting contest, and booth. There were 225 competitors that day. Another 140 on Super Bowl Sunday. This past weekend it was matched again from the numbers I heard. Lynn Post had approximately 60+ as well at her event Feb 4th. That’s a lot of competitors! We also had two rod/reel combos that we were raffling to generate money for the youth programs. I was able to get a certificate from Zeko Shoes for one free pair of shoes($79.90), for a third raffle. Check these shoes out before you buy any others. Light as feather footwear that keep your feet dry and cool. I don’t know who won what, so maybe someone else can inform us.
I did get some minor info in my department. Don’t look for tournaments during the spawn this year. They’re still working on the details of how they want it to happen. It looks like it’ll be more of next year for the new regulations to take effect. All the agencies seem to be in the dark about any fish kills in PA this year. However they do recognize we do need to work on more stream management and contaminates. I also recognized they have a lot of prepared answers for the area they are addressing at the shows. The representatives only spoke about the Susquehanna and weren’t really versed in any other bodies of water East or West.
It’s been an interesting start of the season for the Pros. A local, Grae Buck of Montgomery County(Harleysville) and former Penn State Bass Team member is debuting on the FLW tour this year. He finished 50th overall out of the 165 field in Alabama. Some may know Jamie Hartman of New York, from BFLs, Costas, and BASS Tourns. Long story short, he held top 10 placement(actually top5) all tournament long during his debut on the Elite series this past weekend. He finished in 2nd, 10oz behind Jacob Wheeler. It was one of the tightest tournaments in history, especially among so many new rookies dominating the top 50 field. With Champlain and 1000 Islands on the schedules both are sure to do well this season.
To finish up, the weekend of  Feb23-26, is the Greater Philadelphia Outdoor Show, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, Oaks, PA. Hours are 12-8 Thurs/ Fri,  12-7 12-5 Sat/Sun. Adults $12, (5-11) $3, under 5 free.  Free parking!  Save $2 coupon code: POSTCARD online for Thurs-Fri only; SportShows.com.   Berks Bassmasters will have a booth there(107) and will be conducting a Reel Kids Casting contest Sunday. Bux-Mont Bassmasters will be covering and hosting Saturday. We look forward to seeing many of you there. Susquehanna Fishing Tackle( booth 209) will be in attendance as well as Precision Tackle(booth 201) for all you Flats guys. Zeko Shoes(236) will be there as well. That’s where you will most likely find me if I’m not at the Reel Kids events. Come by and say Hi. This years speakers are Hank Parker, Greg DiPalma, Joe Thomas, Grae Buck, and Mike and George Accord Jr. Just a heads up for those who like the Calvary Baptist Expo each year; that has been canceled as of last years show. Tight lines!

Feb 02

2017 Opening Thoughts

Happy New Year everybody! Hope the year is going well for all. Some have been venturing out, taking advantage of the weather we have been having. We’ve had some problems with the web site and posting, but seem to have it under control. This year it is quite possible we are going to see some major changes in our sport. To start off with, there have been fish kills down in Maryland in the Gunpowder and Bird Rivers again. Again, algae are the noted cause, but not because of dying and decomposition robbing oxygen from the water. More like the specific species, Karlodinium veneficum, that produces a toxin that attacks the gills of fish causing them to suffocate, with little ability to escape. Over 10,000 fish of 9 different species were effected this time around. It is attributed to high levels of salinity in the bay watershed. The scary part is, this algae has been found as far north as the North East River in lower nontoxic levels. The Susquehanna in PA had another fish kill of it’s own, near the power plant almost to the day of last years. I haven’t heard anything else on that.  Next Wednesday Feb 8th, the Potomac River Fisheries Commission is holding a “State of the Tidal Potomac River Largemouth Bass Fishery” symposium at the District of Columbia’s Aquatic Resources Education Center at 6:30pm. A collaboration of D.C. Fisheries, VA DGIF and MD DNR. Biologists will be presenting their most recent data from surveys.

I haven’t heard anything more about possible tournaments during the spawn season. I’m waiting to hear more from PA Fish and Boat. We had a great turn out at Susquehanna Fishing Tackle. Big crowd and lots of give aways and deals. We thank  SFT for their continued support to the PA Federation. Don’t forget the Harrisburg Show will be Feb 4-12. Reel kids competition and booth need some volunteers. Contact Barry about possible passes for those who work the show booths. I will be there Sat Feb 4th for most of the day with my son.

I will also be at the Zeko Shoes booth for a bit, since they are one of my partners. They are better than any other shoe out there. I wear mine all the time, all year round. They are light weight and comfortable at only 5.5oz per shoe- lighter than a bait caster!!! Also more stylish than any other option. Available in 10 colors and patterns.  Cold winter rains are the only time I don’t wear them.  Everybody can get 10% off their purchase when they order them from the Zeko Shoes web site. Just enter my name “JohnHenning” in the promo code area. We are working on a partnership with them with the Federation as well. Hope to see you all at the show, and out on the water. Tight Lines!!!

 

Dec 27

Bass Fest 2017

Hi Everyone,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Last year we provided security and Parking detail at this event. Let’s help out our longest tenured sponsor/partner!

Please notify me by email or text if yon can help either day.
I need help from about 8:00am till 9:00pm Friday and 6:00am till around 5:00pm on Saturday. I will confirm times with George.

Both days we need to staff about 6 to 8 helpers.

I will be able as of now to work both days pending the post office.

Contact me pabassvp@gmail.com or 484-880-8366

For more information about Bass Fest 2017 including celebrity presentation times check out the message board post here.

Thanks in advance!
Mike
Have a wonderful Holiday Season!

Dec 19

GET READY FOR BATTLE WITH NEW HDS CARBON DISPLAYS

Best Screens Available & High-Performance Processor with Power to Spare

The fish are ready. Are you?
Rig your boat with HDS Carbon and you will be ready — Ready for Battle.
Today, Lowrance® launched HDS Carbon, a new high-performance addition to the HDS Series of fishfinder/chartplotters.

HDS Carbon — which features 12-, 9- and 7-inch models — includes a new high-performance, dual-core processor, multi-touch SolarMAX™ HD display, Dual Channel CHIRP and Network Dual Sounder sonar technology.

HDS Carbon takes processing power to new heights with a dual core processor that allows anglers to switch between applications and simultaneously view independent sonar feeds with ease — smoothly driving high-tech Lowrance technology like StructureScan® 3D with SideScan and DownScan Imaging™, StructureMap™, Broadband Radar™, SiriusXM® Weather Chart Overlay™ and more.

Lowrance SolarMAX™ HD display technology features high-definition views and clear visibility in all conditions with the widest available range of viewing angles. The new displays are engineered to withstand higher temperatures than conventional units, offering better reliability in warmer climates.

HDS Carbon bolsters award-winning Lowrance sonar technology lineup with the addition of Dual Channel CHIRP and Network Dual Sounder. Dual Channel CHIRP enables anglers to view dual range sonar coverage from the same transducer when a dual channel CHIRP sonar transducer is installed on their boat. Network Dual Sounder supplies sonar data from a network of CHIRP transducers, allowing anglers to cover more water in less time and mark fish targets more clearly.

Key Features:

  • NEW ultra-bright HDS SolarMAX™ HD displays with greater resolution and a wider range of viewing angles
  • NEW high-performance HDS processor for faster redraws and quicker response times
  • NEW HDS Dual-Channel CHIRP Sonar – dual sonar-range coverage from the same transducer*
  • NEW HDS Network Dual Sounder – cover more water and mark fish targets more clearly from a network of CHIRP sonar transducers
  • Multi-touch display interface
  • StructureScan® 3D ready
  • Built-in CHIRP and Broadband Sounder™
  • SmartSteer™ control for Xi5 Trolling Motor and Outboard Pilot
  • Radar and SonicHub®2 audio server connectivity
  • Wireless and Bluetooth® connectivity
  • NMEA 2000® engine support
  • Built-in C-MAP charts with a multitude of mapping options (C-MAP, Navionics® and more)

*requires dual-channel CHIRP sonar transducer

Introducing New Lowrance HDS Carbon Displays

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