More thoughts on Custom Painted Crankbaits

I have been hanging problems writing blogs lately.  Maybe it’s the fact that I have not been on the water lately.  I have not had that time alone with God in his creation.  I have to say I am feeling it.  I miss my time with God being on the water.

I was reading 2 Corinthians 5 the other day.  It is a great chapter of scripture.  It is in my opinion one of Paul’s greatest writings.  To be honest I have read it over and over trying to understand what Paul is really trying to say.  I would love to read it in Greek so I can see all of the things that don’t translate into English that we miss, but I am not there yet in my Greek understanding. 

What really stuck out to me was 2 Corinthians 5:17, which says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”  When I read this I immediately thought of a blog I wrote months ago about custom painted crankbaits. 

The point of the blog was that when we become a Christian we are like a crankbait that is custom painted after you buy it.  The paint is stripped and made into a new creation.  We are the same; we are stripped of your old ways and made new when we allow Christ into our lives.

2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us just that, the old is gone!  Just like the old paint on the crankbait is gone our old self is gone.  The “New” is here in the case of a crankbait it’s that new paint job put on by the artist creating it.  In the case of a Christian it’s the new life we gain in the artist of Christ.

 love the analogy of the crankbait receiving a custom paint job and how we as Christians get one as well.  I hope that you have received a custom paint job in your life.  I hope that God has brought the “New” into your life and the old is gone.  If not maybe it’s time that you stop and listen to the words of God and allow the transformation.

Rattle or no Rattle are we listening

I was reading an article about baits with rattles, and those without.  It talked about what it would be like to stop and listen; we still hear things even in the quiet.  Bass are no different because sound travels farther and better under water.

The article went on to talk about baits being made without rattles and the fact that companies are still rolling out new baits filled with rattles.  I thought it was funny at the end of the article was an ad for the Strike King 6XD silent crankbaits.

The article made me stop and think about God.  How often do we really just stop and listen to him.  I know I don’t always stop and listen like I should.  I do more of it well I am on the water fishing.  For me standing on the boat making cast I listen more for God.  I don’t know if it because I am in nature and I feel closer to God.

We need to take the time to stop and listen to God all the time.  I have been working on this in my own life.  If we spend time with God in prayer we will hear him.  Unlike fish we don’t have to worry about if we should use rattles or not.  God is always ready to listen to us.  We simple need to stop and talk to him.  No rattles required.

Fishing Show

This weekend is one of my favorite times during winter.  It is the Ultimate Fishing Show in Detroit.  I love it.  New boats to look at and drool over and tons of tackle to look at.  Friends from Facebook I will get to see as well.  

The best part about this year is me and my son will be going Friday.  His birthday is this week so his present is going to the fishing show.  We are going from open to close and he gets to miss school Friday.  I can’t wait to spend the day with my son.  He is as much a bass fishing fanatic as I am.  He knows more about lures than most 12 year olds.

When I asked him what he wanted for Christmas this year he told me the model Strike King Crankbait he wanted.  Some people I know who enjoy fishing can’t even do that.  However my son knows enough about fishing that he can.

I often wonder if other things I have tried to teach him have rubbed of like the fishing have.  I worry that just because he is raised in a Christian home he may turn his back on the Lord when he gets the chance.  I know every day I send him out into the world and he sees the bad out there.  I can only reinforce the importance of a relationship with Christ when he is with me.  I can only show him by my actions what being a Christian is all about.

At times I wish I could make the decision to follow the Lord for him.  Yet I cannot, all I can do is be a good example for him.

No Sleep

It’s funny I wrote a blog a few days ago about being rejected by sponsors.  I was devastated to say the least.  With that said I have been having trouble sleeping the last few weeks and have spent several nights not sleeping or being up very late.  I never went to sleep the other night and spent most of the night on Facebook.

I was reading some stuff about sponsorship and being on pro teams.  I realized why I am worrying about sponsorship.  Yeah it would be nice to have help in the fishing industry and get discounts but I fish because I love it, because when I do I feel close to God.  I watched this funny clip floating around face book about guys being on pro teams and how they get on a pro team and then spend more than they would to be on it.  I’ve found that I only want to partner with companies I use.  I only use Vicious line and will not approach any other line companies.  Just like crankbaits, 95% of the crankbaits I use are Strike Kings and I don’t care to approach other companies because I don’t want to use anything else.

I also have had this need to get a new bass boat (which is always there just more at the moment).  I want to fish BFL’s and don’t know that my trusty old 1979 Ranger bass boat will do the trick.  After talking to a few guys and hearing about other people fishing big tourneys in smaller Jon boats.  I am feeling better about my boat. No, I don’t think I will fish BFL’s in it but with the help of my friend Josh I hope we can fix my boat up a little and make it a little better to fish from this coming season.

Even though I didn’t sleep I learned a lot.  God uses all situations to help us grow.  I truly did grow that night.  I realized that I have a great boat.  Its old, it doesn’t go as fast as the guys I fish with but it gets me fishing.  I have great sponsors like JJ’s Magic, Atomic Tackle Company, BB-Lures, Inside Bass Fishing, GLCC, CenterMark Coaching, Bass Fury and Fish Bait Radio.

My wife was telling me about a conversation she had with a lady she works with that helped me gain a new perspective on my sponsors.  The co-worker said it was impressive that I have lined up the sponsors I have.  In this economy to her that was impressive.  My wife realized that I have done a lot and when I stop and think about what her co-worker said, they are right I have done a lot.  I don’t need to have a big sponsor I have a lot more than most guys.

New Strike King KVD 1.5/2.5 Square bill Crankbait

When you hear Strike King you might think crankbaits, Kevin Van Dam, Spinnerbaits or Denny Brauer or maybe all of the above.  Strike King is known for making the best crankbaits on the market.  They sponsor the best bass fisherman in B.A.S.S. or even the world, Kevin Van Dam.  So when the two have teamed up to make a new lure, you know it will be phenomenal.

The new KVD 1.5 and 2.5 square bill crankbaits live up to the name they have on them.  The baits come in two sizes the 1.5 is 3/8 OZ where the 2.5 is 5/8 OZ.  They both dive to 3-5 FT.  They are silent baits with no rattles in them for a stealth approach in shallow water.  Bass Pro Shops exclusively carries a rattling line of 1.5 and 2.5 baits when you want to fish dirty water with these baits.

The square bill allows the KVD 1.5 and 2.5 baits to deflect off of cover easily without fear of getting hung up.  Another great feature of the baits is that if floats.  You can real down the bait and pause it allowing the lure to float to the surface.  I used this technique with the KVD 1.5 fishing shallow rip rap, I would bounces the lure off the rocks and then pause it allowing it to float to the surface.  I would then reel it back down to the rocks and repeat the process.  The bass would devour the bait both well moving and during the pause.  The KVD 1.5 and 2.5 also work great around docks and bridge pilings.

The KVD 1.5 and 2.5 are a great in between bait for the Strike King Line up.  They fill the gap between the Series 4S and Series 4.  Yes Strike King has a crankbait for that in the Series1 but the KVD 1.5 and 2.5 are heavier baits and the profile is bigger.  This gives those larger bass something bigger to entice them.  Also the new lures have a truly square bill unlike the Series4s and Series1 that have more of a triangle bill on them.

The KVD 1.5 and 2.5 come with VMC #4 hooks on both the front and back of the baits.  This allows you to get good hook sets on those violent strikes that come from the bass you are catching.  They also both come with oval split shot rings on the nose of the bait which allows you to keep the bait running true without fear of your line causing any problems.

Over all the KVD 1.5 and 2.5 are great products.  They perform great out of the package without any modifications to them.  They come in a variety of colors and live up to the name KVD that daunts the package.  They cost $5.79 at Bass Pro Shop.  If you are looking for a little larger crankbait to fish those fallen trees, docks, rocks or bridge pilings make sure you pick some up before your next shallow water fishing trip. 

My Love of Crankbaits

If you have read my blog it is no secret that one of my favorite lures to fish with is a crankbait.  I love how fast you can reel in a crankbait and I love how hard a bass hits the lure.  I have partnered with BB-Lures and Bill (owner) is an artist when it comes to transforming a normal crankbait into a custom painted crankbait which is a work of art.

There is a reason that fishermen spend that extra money to get a crankbait painted into that custom color they want.  The reason is simple, an edge over the competition.  Tournament anglers are always looking for that edge, that new lure or color that will out-fish the other guy.  That’s what a custom painted crankbait does.  I don’t know any anglers that would throw a crankbait that is pink or some color that is natural to fish.  The idea in fishing lures is to match the hatch.  That’s what a custom painted crankbait does; it matches the hatch of the bait fish in the body of water you are fishing.

I was thinking about our lives.  Before I became a Christian, I was that plain crankbait you buy at the tackle shop.  Yes they look good and have a little flash, but they are all plain and pretty much alike (generic).  Yet when we choose to give up our lives and follow Christ we go through a change, much like the crankbait does when it gets a custom paint job.  Just as we are stripped our old ways, the crankbait goes through a similar process when Bill at BB-Lures strips off the old paint.  As we change and live our lives for the Lord we become lights for the Lord.  We change from old to new.  Yes, there is still our old body like the crankbait it is still the same bait but with a new color, a color more alive.  Just like us, when we follow the Lord we become more alive and get a new custom painting from the Lord.

Cleaning UP

So I went fishing the other day in some freezing cold weather.  After losing feeling in my fingers and then gaining it back I caught some fish but I lost some lures.  Granted we buy tackle knowing there is that possibility, but my problem is when we lose them on things left in the water.  If I get a crankbait hooked on timber and snap it off, ok but if I lose a lure on fishing pole or bungee cord there’s a problem.  I’m not perfect, stuff falls out of my boat and into the water even though I am usually cautious to not let it happen.  I can tell you there is a fishing pole sitting in a river that my wife threw in while making a cast, or the one I broke over my knee and tossed in (not proud of it).  

Fishermen across America were allowed to keep fishing with lead tackle, but it seems to me that lead is  not the biggest problem our water is facing.  How many times have you been on the water and seen trash floating in the water, or pulled something out of the depths with a lure?  In the last two months I have brought up, bungee cords, poles, caulk guns, etc.  I’m not an environmentalist or anything but I love fishing and I want our waterways clean so my kids can enjoy fishing and their kids can enjoy fishing.

Now I’m going to get a little preachy for a minute.  When man sinned for the first time, he was not the only thing that fell in original sin.  The animals via the serpent were cursed and so was the world (land).  If you don’t believe me read Genesis 3 carefully and you will see what I mean.  But as God’s creation we are also charged with caring for all he has created, which includes the world.  We, as anglers, need to care for the water we love so much.

When you reel in trash, put it in your pretty boat, get the carpet dirty and when you get back to the boat ramp put it in the trash.  I don’t know how many times a year I do this.  Also I want to rant for a moment about fishing line.  If you cut fishing line off, don’t just throw it into the water, keep it in your boat and throw it away.  I hate snagging on fishing line in the water.

Learning to Persevere

I love to fish a crankbait, and I love to fish fast.  But I also really like to fish a jig.  Fishing a jig you have to be slower and more methodical.  It goes against my nature to fish slowly but when the situation calls for it I can slow down and fish that way.  However, when I think about it I probably miss situations when I should slow down and fish a jig.  I get in a mode where I fish fast and that’s all I think about, “Where’s the next spot to throw that crankbait, what’s my next casting angle?” and so on.

Over the last year I have really worked on slowing down and fishing better with a jig.   I worked out a sponsorship deal with Atomic Tackle Company and with this partnership I have had to focus on fishing with a jig.  I have worked even harder at learning to fish a football jig over cover.  Slowing down and learning these techniques have really paid off in catching fish.

I could not have learned to fish this way without a lot of practice and patience.  I endured despite losing a bunch of jigs and while trying to figure out what a branch feels versus a fish.  Endurance is one of those things we all need.  Yes, endurance is hard wired into our being but how many people don’t use it, we all know people who quit when things get hard.

Our faith in Christ is no different.  It is easy to follow God in the good times but even easier to turn our backs on him when things get tough.  Matthew 10:22 gives us hope “and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”  When we persevere through the tough times we grow closer to the Lord.  It’s funny how fishing can help my relationship with the Lord; enduring through learning how to work that football jig over cover has helped me to know I can endure through other situations that come my way.

Friends

I know fishing is cathartic for me.  When things are going wrong in my life, I find peace standing on the deck of my boat.  Pulling in a big or small bass helps clear away all of those things going wrong.  Yet when I have friend in the boat it seems to do the same thing, even though it seems like when I have a friend in the boat the competitor in me comes out.

Sunday afternoon my friend Josh and I hit the river   fully expecting to pick up where I left off the other day catching bass left and right.  I expected it to be bassapoloza, yet when we pulled up on my hot spot I nailed on fish and that was it.  We moved around and started catching fish.  Just as the sun set we pulled back up on my hot spot and the fish turned on.  Josh and I drilled the fish for an hour after the sun went down.  I couldn’t believe it night fishing in November.

I have to admit, when Josh had more fish than me and was bringing them in and I wasn’t a fire was lit in me.  I started changing baits doing anything I could to catch fish.  Eventually I figured out the lure and retervie and started pulling them in as Josh stopped catching them.  Looking back we caught fish in a few places I didn’t expect and wouldn’t have moved if Josh had not suggested it.  I tend to get stuck in my ways.  I would have pounded my hot spot with crank baits if Josh had not suggested we moved.  We wouldn’t have caught 7 of the bass we did if we didn’t.

I was reading Proverbs 17:17 which say: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”  Granted not catching fish was not adversity per say but when you are on the water it can be.  There can be a great feeling having your best friend in the boat helping you zero in on the fish.  If Josh had not been there a great day may have not been so great.  If I had been by myself I wouldn’t have stayed out on the water as long as I did.  When the sun was going down I would have buttoned up my rods and made the run back to the ramp.  I thank God for those friends he has put in my life, and the way they challenge me. 

Can't Tell a Lie

Today I embarked on a new adventure in fishing.  I got a video camera and had my friend Josh help me film some footage of me fishing an Atomic Tackle Company jig dipped in JJ’s Magic Sauce, around lay downs.  This is a technique I have been working on and have pretty well mastered.  Things were going to plan; I explained how I rig it and how I fish it.  To be honest I kind of felt like one of my hero's on T.V., but then things didn’t work out like I planned.  After an hour of filming I could not catch a bass on a jig.  There is plenty of footage of me missing a bite, or me working a jig through the trees.  Just no fish!  Before we filmed Josh and I ran to a spot I had found two days before, and he and I had put fish in the boat on crank baits.  I began to wonder, “What if we run up river nail some more fish on a crank bait and then keep the best one, hook it with a jig, put it in the water near a tree and fake me nailing a fish on a jig?”  I have read different items that say those pictures in magazines are faked; most times the fish aren’t caught on the bait hanging out of their mouths in the pictures, would this be any different.  After talking with Josh I had my answer……”No!” it was not an option.

I came to realize that no matter how much I wanted my first fishing shoot to be perfect it wasn’t going to happen.  Maybe to someone else the idea of lying about how you catch a fish would be ok, but for me and my belief in Christ, I could not lie about it in good conscious.  Yes, I could have faked the set up like I thought about but that would have eaten away at me for the rest of my life.  I pride myself on being honest in a world that at times bends the truth for its own benefit.   I didn’t get the footage I wanted but I have a clear conscious which is more important to me. Plus I spent 5 hours on the water with my best friend; we still got a bunch of good fish, and started the filming. The end result was not a complete video as what I had wanted but it was still worth every minute.  I also witnessed one of the funniest things I have ever seen:  Josh pulled in a sunfish on a Strom Crank bait, not a small crank bait a LARGE crank bait.  I would not have believed it if I hadn’t seen it.

Changing it up

Going to a Christian College I hear a lot about sharing Christ with others. I have learned over the last 3 ½ years that each person is different and unique and one single approach is not going to reach everyone. You have to get to know the person you are trying to reach. Once you understand the person, you may then begin to share Christ with them.

The same is true with a bass. One approach to catching them is not going to work day in and day out. Just because yesterday you caught them on a crank bait doesn’t mean that the next day you are going to catch bass the same way. You may have to adjust your approach and throw something different. It might be as simple as changing the color of your crank bait or even the speed of your retrieve. As anglers become in tuned to what the water temp is, what the clouds are doing and many other factors that affect the behavior of the fish, we catch more.

One of the greatest examples of this in the Bible is in Acts 17:16-34. Paul is in Athens and sees a alter to an unknown god. Paul uses this alter to tell the people in Athens about this god the one and true God. Paul also quoted the philosophers of the time to help him reach the people of Athens. Paul adjusted his approach of preaching the message of God from preaching in the synagogue to Jews, to preaching to the people of Athens

Anglers need to be able to do the same on the water when we are trying to adjust our presentations so we can catch those bass we are after. Christians can also take the leading of Paul and learn that we cannot share the Gospel with an Atheist like we would someone who is Jewish or Muslim. Christians and anglers alike need to look at the situations around us and read the signs of the situation to reach people and to get those bass in the boat.