Full Transcript for This Pink Chatterbait Just Won a $160,000 Bass Tournament...

talked to much. 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:47.840 Um I've known about him for a really long time, have followed him, have looked up to him in the fishing world for a long time, and that is Mr. 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:48.400 Mr. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:50.800 Justin Kerr, who just won the U.S. 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:51.919 Open this year. 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:58.319 And um, legend from the West, Colorado River chain, through and through, just a hammer. 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:13.360 So cool to get him on, talk about his second US Open win, and uh and just hear a little bit about the Colorado River change chain, how it has evolved over the years, and uh just a really good, good dude. 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:24.000 So, anyways, um tune in on this one and uh get ready for a couple of other upcoming shows that uh that are gonna be awesome back in the saddle. 00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:26.879 All right, folks, now we are joined by the U.S. 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:30.240 Open Champion 2026, Justin Kerr. 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:31.280 How are you, dude? 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:32.000 I'm good. 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:32.560 I'm good. 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:33.840 Thanks for having me on, man. 00:03:34.000 --> 00:03:34.879 Appreciate it. 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:35.919 Absolutely. 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:43.199 I'm I'm surprised we've never had you on the show, um, just with your historic background out west, man. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:54.159 Um, just uh honestly, this is this is pretty cool to interview you, just have grown up watching you compete in US Opens, the classic, all sorts of really, really cool stuff. 00:03:54.319 --> 00:03:57.759 So glad to see you uh pop another one here in 2026. 00:03:58.080 --> 00:03:58.639 Thanks, man. 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:03.759 Yeah, it's uh yeah, I've seen your show a bunch and uh I'm excited to be on for sure. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:04.639 Awesome. 00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:05.439 Awesome. 00:04:05.680 --> 00:04:12.479 Well, man, let's uh let's get into a little bit of uh your background out west. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:17.759 Um, you know, what uh what got you into bass fishing in the first place? 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:21.360 Where are you at in the world and what's your what's your take on the Colorado River chain? 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:27.839 So yeah, I started uh I I lived, I grew up in Southern California, uh tough fisheries. 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:32.639 Uh I started working at a taco shop when I was pretty young, probably 15, 16 years old. 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:36.720 And uh that's how I met some of these unbelievable fishermen like Aaron Martins. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:41.279 That's uh you know, one of the guys that kind of took me under my uh his wing when I was really young. 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:49.360 And uh, you know, just just growing up in Southern California is you know, you either feast or famine, big swim bait or little worm. 00:04:49.439 --> 00:04:54.079 So I learned how to drop shot real well, finesse fish real

well, and throw big swim bait. 00:04:54.160 --> 00:05:04.160 And uh, you know, grew up fishing with uh Sean uh Bailey and the Bailey brothers and through big swim bait guys that I mean I saw amazing things with them that was incredible. 00:05:04.319 --> 00:05:08.240 So Matt Newman, you know, those those guys are all swim bait fishermen. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:24.160 Uh, you know, and then I started working for RoboWorm a little bit in the beginning when you know, I was probably 19 years old, 18 years old, uh working for RoboWorm and those guys, Greg Stump and Brake Bill, who've obviously just passed away, which is uh pretty rough on a lot of us. 00:05:24.319 --> 00:05:32.879 So um, you know, it's just having that knowledge, I think, of learning how to finesse fish uh at an early age and then throwing big big plugs around. 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:43.680 Uh I think just you know, kind of carried over to my you know professional fishing wise and and uh I moved to Havasu um I think it was 2007. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:45.279 So I've almost been here 20 years. 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:48.560 Uh, like I said, it's a pretty long time already living on the Colorado River. 00:05:48.720 --> 00:06:00.800 When I first moved here, I wasn't really anticipating living here this long and kind of like uh have a a house for fun, you know, and and move along and and travel around, but I ended up staying here a lot and just loving the Colorado River. 00:06:00.959 --> 00:06:03.839 Uh to have a Sousa been a tough fishery now. 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:07.120 It's just like I was telling you, it's super, super finesse now. 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:18.160 It's become like a Southern California fishery, but you know, having Mojave and Mead and the great smallmouth at Mojave and Mead, obviously uh I've gotten pretty good there, you know, over the years. 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:26.240 So, you know, it's it's just been uh you know a kind of a blessing that I've been living on the Colorado River actually and and getting good in the Colorado River lakes. 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:26.959 Yeah. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:44.720 And then of course out west, but it is still to this day. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:48.240 Like there's something about the desert to me, something about the clear water. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:52.079 Um, I just I I I love those bodies of water. 00:06:52.160 --> 00:06:54.959 I mean, all for each one too. 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:58.879 Like, I like meat a lot, I like Mojave a lot, I like Havasu a lot. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:00.560 It's it's interesting, like your point. 00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:12.319 I mean, Havasu to me is also the one that interests me from like if I were to ever have a place down you know on the Card River chain, mostly because of the water security. 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:22.160 Like, I don't see there ever being an issue because it it's like LA's water and some of Arizona's water, it's the last one, you know what I mean? 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:24.160 Whereas like these other ones, they kind of scare me. 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:27.199 I guess Mojave stays pretty consistent, full of right. 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:27.839 Yes, it does. 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:31.680 It's just the only difference, it's federal, and and here we're state park. 00:07:31.839 --> 00:07:34.079 So that's that's the only difference, you know. 00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:38.319 And uh, you know, like I said, Havasu is a great, a great place for tournaments. 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:41.680 It's probably the best in the country, one of because everything's so close by. 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:46.480 Uh, you know, the you can stay at hotels, Airbnbs, everything's 10 minutes from the ramp, you know. 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:49.360 So, and and there's great fishing most of the time. 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:53.680 I mean, it is tough now, but you know, for the most of the time, it's it's pretty good fishing. 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:54.720 Yeah, yeah. 00:07:54.959 --> 00:07:56.879 No, place is epic. 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:04.319 Yeah, and you get the the the best is is the winter, you know, months coming up, like December, January, February. 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:08.000 It is, I mean, it's you know, 70 degrees most of the time. 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:14.160 You have awesome sunsets, and no one's on the lake fishing wise or boating very much, you know, only a handful of guys. 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:18.720 So you kind of have it to yourself, and it's it kind of spoiled me for a little while for sure. 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:20.800 Yeah, dude, for sure. 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:23.040 No, yeah, I'm with you. 00:08:23.199 --> 00:08:25.360 Well, uh, let's get into the US Open. 00:08:25.519 --> 00:08:30.560 Um, so how what number of US opens was this for you in 2026? 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:39.279 Uh, I believe that I probably fished probably around 18, 20, 20 US opens. 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:43.600 Uh, I started in like 2003 and I missed some. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:45.600 So I didn't I didn't fish them all. 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:54.480 So it's probably been about 18 US opens, and uh the first one I won was 2008, so if it was like almost 20 years ago, too. 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:55.600 So it's heavy. 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:59.360 And uh, you know, like I said, I went into this tournament not expecting. 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:03.120 Obviously, no one really expects to win the tournament, and uh, I got super lucky. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:07.360 Sean Coffee was catching them really good too, and um, you know, I just got lucky. 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:10.960 I edged him out a little bit and uh you know pulled it off. 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:12.639 Yeah, dude, awesome. 00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:14.639 Well, I mean, it was it was close, like real close. 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:16.159 Yes, super close. 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:19.200 So let's get into your practice. 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:34.559 Um, you know, obviously the US Open has changed a decent amount over

the years from you know OG mead in dead heat to then Mojave in the last couple years, and then back to mead this year with really low water. 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:37.120 Um what uh what did you expect? 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:43.759 Had you spent any time kind of out there this summer pre-practicing, or was this like, hey man, I'm rolling in and gonna see what happens? 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:49.519 Yeah, so so yeah, old school, old school mead, they used to have them in uh August and September. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:51.600 Like the first one I won was in August. 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:54.480 So the fish were you know a lot more schooled up. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:56.559 Um the water obviously was super high. 00:09:56.720 --> 00:09:58.799 We had a lot of coves, a lot of different things. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:01.519 Now there's no coves, which is it's pretty depressing. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:07.679 Like you'll come into an area and there's like just a little sand wash in the back, and then two little rock points on either side. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:10.000 So you're like, man, this is no point, you know. 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:14.639 And obviously it's still fish as big, there's a lot of water, but the whole lake's changed. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:18.639 And uh, you know, obviously not being there for a couple years. 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:34.639 Um, you know, I still been fishing some teen tournaments uh at Mead, obviously, and uh still familiar with the place, you know, as as the time's not been there, you know, the open's not been there for four or five years, going to Mojave, which it is a lot scoping deal at Mojave always. 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:38.080 And I'm just praying sometimes that it's you know there's wind or something like that. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:45.759 I can catch them on a on a you know crankbait or something like that at Mojave, and it just never it's always been super slick and scoping paradise. 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:48.320 You know, I'm you know, obviously I gotta get better at it. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:50.159 I just don't I don't do it as much. 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:54.879 And uh those guys are so good at it that you know, I mean you don't have really a chance. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:57.039 If you haven't done it that much, you won't beat them. 00:10:57.120 --> 00:10:59.200 I mean, there's just it's not gonna happen. 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:10.000 So um, you know, going back to the mead uh this year, I was like, oh, I'm I'm happy because I've been up there and knowing, you know, mead the fish fish shallow there a lot. 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:19.120 So just having that opportunity where, like I was saying before, there's not many tournaments every year that you get a chance to win without the live scope anymore. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:22.879 I mean, you just you get like out of 20 tournaments, you get two. 00:11:23.039 --> 00:11:26.879 So if you don't capitalize, you don't make any money if you fish like I do. 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:28.639 So you know what I mean? 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:30.480 So it's just it's not gonna happen. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:35.919 So um going to meet, I was like, okay, well, at least I'll have a chance like to get a good check. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:38.720 You know, I wasn't, like I said, anticipating on winning the tournament. 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:42.559 I just, you know, happened to everything work out well, you know, for me. 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:52.320 So um, you know, just I like it at me just because it separates a lot of different guys and your your true bass fishing old school ways do play a lot, you know. 00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:56.159 So I mean why do you do that? 00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:57.039 No, I love it. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:12:07.120 I mean, I I've always I will say I do think that our fisheries out west uh at least have more opportunities for no scope than it seems like back east. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:07.759 Oh, absolutely. 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:09.279 You know, like the Delta, right? 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:15.360 I mean, you have these these or at least part of your tournament, you know, you can go catch a big one down the bank somewhere, right? 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:17.120 Right and then maybe get back out. 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:26.720 But like it is uh why do you think they set up differently on mead versus Mojave when it comes to scope or what what in your mind changes that? 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:29.360 Is it just that the largemouth are more of a factor? 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:33.440 Um, what's your take on on why you can go no scope and win there? 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:36.399 Yeah, just uh the you know, obviously largemouth. 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:41.120 Um the smallmouth are good at mead, but just the volume of big big fish. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:48.480 I mean, there's a lot of smallmouth that are like pound and a half to two pounds, you know, and then you'll get your 10 pounds a day scoping, you know. 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:50.960 And obviously at Mojave, smallmouth win. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:52.960 I mean, that's I mean, you can catch some big largemouth. 00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:58.000 There's a lot of big largemouth there, but you you won't do it through, you know, three days in a row, you know. 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:02.639 I mean, you just won't, you're gonna get beat by those guys fishing the uh the smallmouth for sure. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:08.000 So, and you know, and and our fish out here are completely different, like just saying, than out east. 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:11.360 Out east, it's all about like migratory patterns, you know. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:14.639 So if you have an area where their fish are, they're everywhere in that area. 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:16.960 And if you're not in that area, you don't even catch them. 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:20.000 I mean, and out west, I mean, there's bass everywhere. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:24.720 Uh, more or less every bite is a bass, and

not some crazy different fish, you know. 00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:26.080 So, you know what I mean? 00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:32.480 So, like, like I said at the delta, you know, there's the grass and the and the reeds and stuff where they're living, you know. 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:34.240 So you got that opportunity. 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:40.559 Obviously, there is a lot of canals where they'll, you know, you guys will catch them scoping out in the middle of their canals, kind of like a Florida deal. 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:50.879 But uh, for the most part, they're grass fish, you know, and Clear Lakes are the pretty much the only one that's been really dominated by live scope out west in the last you know couple years. 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:53.360 And those guys are really good at it, you know, out there. 00:13:53.519 --> 00:14:09.120 So I mean, I've won a few times at Clear Lake, and I think the first time there was a live scope, or actually it was the second time I won uh Clear Lake, there was live scope was involved, but I don't think guys were as good as it as they are now at it, you know. 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:13.279 So that's the reason why I got lucky and won when I did, you know. 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:26.399 So I mean the guys now is like that's all they do, and you know, you can't not stop fishing live scope because for the two hours that you stop and you go to the bank or this and that, that's when they bite and those guys just put them in the boat quick, you know. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:27.519 It's crazy, man. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:46.159 Yeah, like I actually dislike fishing tournaments on Clear Lake because because of like it's so hard to like you see so many big ones on scope and you throw at a whole bunch of them, and most the time they won't eat, and then there's a window that opens, yeah, and they chew. 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:51.360 Um, but it's it is uh yeah, it's it's getting relatively one-dimensional. 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:56.799 There's still times of the year, of course, where factors will play with other things, but I agree. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:15:02.159 Like it's uh it's one of the, like you said, uh, of our West Coast stuff, that's one that's like pretty locked into it. 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:04.240 It is, it is, yeah, for sure. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:05.440 Number one is clear. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:09.279 Like, I mean, everything's gets won there in the last three years with Live Scope. 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:11.440 So yeah, yeah. 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:12.000 All right. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:16.480 So so Mead, you're feeling good because you you're like, man, back to my old ways. 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:19.679 We got a shot at this one, or at least to have a good finish. 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:22.000 So, how did practice look for you? 00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:26.480 Like, what did you kind of start to get into um to set yourself up? 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:40.159 Um, so so practice wise, the last uh last few tournaments we've had at Mead in the you know this time of year, um, I've gone out and fished, you know, schooling fish and stuff and just got burnt pretty bad. 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:49.679 And uh I looked at the weather, like we said, we have these national parks deal now where they'll shut shut everything down due to wind, not like the old days where you can actually go fish in the wind. 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:54.879 But um, so I kind of knew that at least one of the days was gonna be canceled, you know. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:57.200 I mean, I just looked at the weather for the week prior. 00:15:57.360 --> 00:16:05.759 So I just said, well, I'm just gonna go to where I have a chance to catch the biggest ones because you know, for a two-day tournament, you're gonna need a big bag, you know. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:16.559 Obviously, one of the days, usually when you win one of those tournaments, it's like you know, you'll get 16, 17 one day and then a 10-pound day, and you you know, pull it off with the one big bag. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:18.639 So that's kind of how I looked at that. 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:24.559 So I went to where it was either gonna be for me, it was either gonna be like the wash or overton. 00:16:24.720 --> 00:16:35.360 And uh I went and practiced in the wash and had a uh pretty good, pretty good practice down there, but it fish so small and it was such a small little area. 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:44.799 I'm like, man, if I don't get these couple little spots here, like you know, boat, you know, huntered out the first day, like I'm not gonna catch them because there's gonna be 10 boats right here, you know. 00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:57.360 So I kind of decided, well, I'm just gonna go to the Overton and you know, fish my areas I do up there, you know, which obviously the same areas usually produce at mead, like it's the same general area. 00:16:57.600 --> 00:17:03.919 Obviously, they'll move between a cove to a different cove or but the still the general areas are always always good. 00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:10.559 So I just went up to the Overton and practiced up there and had you know a couple decent days of practice. 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:16.640 And um, like I said, I've got lucky in one on that baby jack with the with the Marizo Pink. 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:20.000 And uh when we first got there, we had a lot of tilapia. 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:22.799 The water was abnormally warm for this time of year. 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:26.079 It was still like 83, 84 in the lower basin. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:31.440 And when it's a warmer day, warmer water, those those tilapias still stay up. 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:37.440 And there was, I mean, tons of tilapia up shallow, and they all have little pink on their on their fins. 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:44.480 So that's kind of why I went with the pink chatterbait, and I knew plus guys weren't gonna be fishing it as much, you know. 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:47.359 So um that's kind of why I chose

that. 00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:52.559 And I went up to the Overton and I made a handful of casts with it one day and got two or three bites pretty quick. 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:55.440 So I just said uh just I'm gonna fish this in the tournament. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:57.519 And I never practiced with it the rest of the time. 00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:03.519 I just kind of looked around for grass and you know, pitched a jig around and got some bites on the jig. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:11.440 So I just kind of said, Oh, I'm just gonna, you know, that's how I kind of made with being such a tough fishery, you don't really want to burn fish in practice. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:16.799 Like everything you catch is like, you know, you're never gonna catch it again. 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:29.920 I mean, you in the in the old days, in the old days, like literally you could find a piece of wood and you'd flip in there and get a bite and you shake it off, and you could come back a week later and flip in the same bush and get bit again, same fish. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:34.720 And so if you would have caught that fish in practice, you're not gonna catch it again. 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:43.200 So just knowing that that's a Colorado River, you know, chain deal where most of the time you don't catch the fish, you shake them off, you know. 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:45.440 So I kind of just looked around. 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:49.200 I didn't really fish too hard because you don't really want to burn fish in practice. 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.960 So that's kind of where I went. 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:53.359 I just I'm just gonna go up there and see what happens. 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:57.519 And that's I just took those baits and started grinding, you know. 00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:00.400 That's pretty much what I did up there is you gotta grind. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:02.799 Yeah, shatterbait and jig. 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:04.079 I caught some on a jig too. 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:05.039 Okay, okay. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:12.319 So when I mean, clear water fishery, obviously, wind can can pick up big time. 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:19.200 Um when when would you be, I mean, when there's specifically a piece of hardcover you're throwing the jig? 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:26.319 Like what what what made you pick up the jig versus just staying steady grinding with the chatterbait reaction, that sort of a thing? 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:33.839 Uh I was just, you know, like the jig's a good tool there all the time, and it's uh, you know, obviously a little more finesse. 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:36.400 And I would just tried pitching it around, you know. 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:37.920 I was pitching it in the grass holes. 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:40.000 I wasn't really fishing any trees or anything like that. 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:46.400 So I just pitch it in the grass holes, and um, you know, ones that wouldn't come out and eat the chatterbait, they'll bite the jigs. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:48.480 So that's kind of why I chose that. 00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:58.160 I did catch uh, I think I weighed two in on it the first day, and then my guy caught a big one on the last day, which obviously you gotta have your co-angler help you in this tournament. 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:08.000 I mean, it's uh I learned that at a young age with from Aaron, you know, just telling me, like, hey, you gotta utilize them as a team, you know, don't worry about you doing it on your own. 00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:22.160 Make sure they have good line, make sure you give them the line, make sure you give them the baits and you know, stuff like that as a as I was young fishing these one bass tournaments because I think one of the opens, he he had th a guy catch three jig fish for him that won them the tournament, you know. 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:23.359 So I learned that. 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:31.599 So I'm like, well, this guy behind me the second day, the kid the first day was really good too, but um, you know, he he just didn't get any good bites, you know. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:33.519 He had some bites, but he just didn't any good ones. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:40.640 And uh the second day, he uh the guy was good with the jig, so I knew right away like he can bail me out, you know. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:47.279 So he just kept pitching that jig around and I had a big one chase my chatterbait in, and I told him I thought it was like a three-pounder. 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:51.039 I told him pitch that jig behind the boat and he pitched it back there and he caught it. 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:51.839 It was a five. 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:56.240 So I wasn't anticipating right, I wasn't anticipating it being that big. 00:20:56.559 --> 00:21:01.359 There might have been a school there, you know, and not just the the one fish I saw, you know. 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:06.319 So I was just super fortunate he had, you know, the right line on there, the right hook. 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:09.519 I mean, he couldn't even get the jig out of its face, it was so buried. 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:21.440 So um yeah, so that you know, knowing their jig was working uh as well, you just kind of utilize everybody throwing the jig, you know, especially I got everything covered shallow with the with the jackhammer. 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:24.720 So that's kind of what I what my play was, you know, for sure. 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:32.160 We interrupt this podcast to bring you guys some big news, and that is that Hummbird and Minkoda have been together on boats for decades. 00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:36.799 Now they're uniting under one name the new Minkoda. 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:46.720 It's one steam with a fishing system powered with Humminbird imaging that allows your Minkoda trolling motor, fish finder, sonar, and scala water anchors to all work together. 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:51.200 Whatever your fish finder fees, your trolling motor does that all you're catching is a good time.

00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:54.079 Check out the new Minkoda at Minkodafishing.com. 00:21:54.160 --> 00:21:56.559 We'll leave a link in the description and now back to the show. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:57.759 Love it. 00:21:57.920 --> 00:21:58.160 Cool. 00:21:58.720 --> 00:22:00.960 Okay, so now the Baby Jack. 00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:02.799 What what got you onto that? 00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:07.680 Um, is that something that you feel like is just better in clear water? 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:09.759 Like, walk me through the baby jack mindset. 00:22:10.000 --> 00:22:15.200 So the baby jack, um, obviously it's a newer jackhammer bait uh from Evergreen and Z-Man. 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:18.960 And uh I I do like the the stealth blade a lot. 00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:33.519 And the stealth blade is you know a clear bladed uh jackhammer, and mead's is such a tough fishery that you know the stealth blade works good, but you have no flash, you know, and and mead loves flash, spinner baits, chatter baits, they love that whole flash deal. 00:22:33.599 --> 00:22:48.720 So I'm like, okay, I'm just gonna use the baby jack because it's a finester style bait, you know, more more easier to get in little spots and and castability and and moving it quick through the zone, but it still will hover because it's it's a smaller bait. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:55.279 And uh, you know, the the new evergreen uh bullet point shad is a bigger trailer, a little bit thicker. 00:22:55.519 --> 00:23:01.519 Um, so it it actually made the bait hover a little more than just a normal jackhammer. 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:09.039 So um it was easy for me just to just to depict that just because of the finesse, you know, approach at mead, you know. 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:10.640 So that's that's why I chose it. 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:15.599 It's it's uh it's actually a really good bait, the the baby jack. 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:23.440 Just it they only make in two sizes, but it's it's definitely a really good one when you're wanting to finesse fish for sure. 00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:24.079 Okay. 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:25.759 And what do you mean by hover? 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:27.759 Like, what do you want that chatterbait to do? 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:42.240 So I just like there there was grass, you know, big grass blooms, and then there was little holes, and you could actually list like almost keep it in the strike zone longer than like a normal jackhammer, you wind it and it'll zig right through the hole quick. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:47.279 Well, this thing will kind of like with the with the trailer will hold it up in the zone longer. 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:51.119 So it gives them time to come out of the grass hole to eat it. 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:55.920 And at me, the water was I was catching between like a foot to two feet. 00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:56.319 Wow. 00:23:56.559 --> 00:24:04.799 So that that first little bit of mudline that it would that grass would have in there, it'd be like a little

more stain than anywhere else. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:08.960 Um, so actually it would like sit up high in the zone. 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:15.920 So like at least five of the fish, I'd actually watch them boil on it because it was you know so shallow when they'd eat it. 00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:18.319 So it was, I mean, it was a really fun bite, you know. 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:24.799 So to see it, but you know, the swim jig could have done, I think, the same, but you just don't have the flash. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:29.759 And I think at me, they they love spinner baits there and for years and years and years. 00:24:29.839 --> 00:24:34.640 So I think just that flash, that's the reason why I I chose that bait. 00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:35.599 Got it. 00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:37.680 Man, that's cool, really cool. 00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:43.519 And I and I uh I like your thought process too of knowing that there was gonna be a win day. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:48.720 Um, I think about that all the time, fishing tournaments, especially now. 00:24:48.880 --> 00:24:54.880 It actually surprises me sometimes when we go, uh, like uh in some of these Super 60 on the Columbia River. 00:24:55.359 --> 00:25:13.839 Uh yeah, like like it's like I mean, man, you know, um, I view it more now that just tournament directors are much more just prone to canceling stuff, and or if you have the National Park Service, you just your hand is forced because of like, you know, and I get it, like the liability aspect. 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:24.880 Um, so it's it's it's especially interesting to think about that in a two versus a three day, like there's a big difference there on like okay, consistency versus like you're gonna need a bag. 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:28.240 I mean, we all know like a one-day derby, you really need a bag. 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:32.160 So, like it's a it's a different mindset when you add each additional day. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:32.960 Yes, yeah. 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:37.119 And I like I said, I was anticipating after the first day, I had 12 something. 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:48.400 I'm like, well, if it's it's only gonna have a two-day, I'm I have to catch 17 tomorrow, you know, because I knew I needed a big bag, and I just got super lucky that it got really tough the next day, you know. 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:55.519 And I mean, mead is notorious for that, but I still thought, you know, 15 to 17 pounds was doable. 00:25:55.599 --> 00:26:02.480 And and the first day I did, you know, obviously had chances at a couple other, you know, bigger three plus fish, and I just didn't get them. 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:14.880 And I was like, man, I just I blew it because I should have had like 15, I figured, the first day, just by losing bass or missing bass, you know, that and you and and like I was telling you before, all these tournaments, you can't afford to lose fish. 00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:16.319 I mean, or miss fish. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:18.000 So you have to be usually perfect. 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:20.880 And um, that's that's one of my things. 00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:23.200 I I can't stand losing bass. 00:26:23.279 --> 00:26:26.640 It's cost me so much money in in my career of fishing. 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:29.279 So um I like to just be perfect. 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:38.799 And especially if you if you don't catch even a big bag, but you're perfect through the day, uh at least you feel like it, you know, I was I did my job, but losing them just hurts. 00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:44.799 So um, you know, I just you know, I just got lucky that the way it the cards laid, you know. 00:26:45.119 --> 00:26:46.240 Heck for sure. 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:48.880 Yeah, man, epic. 00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:51.839 So uh what's the do you have any idea? 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:54.880 I mean, if you talk to Billy at all, like what's the plan for next year? 00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:58.720 What's I I've seen, like it says not sure on which you know which lake. 00:26:58.880 --> 00:26:59.920 What's what's your take? 00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:10.640 I'm hoping, like I said, my my I'm hoping we get some a lot of rain and snow in Colorado this year, and Powell comes up and they'll release water and we'll get some you know water. 00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:15.359 But I mean it was a pretty tough and grim launching situation and everything. 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:18.880 So um, you know, obviously I wanted at mead. 00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:21.599 I think a lot of guys want it at mead. 00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:26.880 Um, but obviously Billy's got to do what's best for one bass and and everybody. 00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:32.160 So um, you know, we're just I'm just praying there's some water and it stays at mead, you know. 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:34.240 That's that's all I can I can hope. 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:40.079 I mean, we had some more rains this year than we ever have, so hopefully we have an El Nino type of year. 00:27:41.599 --> 00:27:41.839 Yeah. 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:42.960 So we're hoping. 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:44.079 I'm hoping there's water. 00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:45.119 That's that's for sure. 00:27:45.279 --> 00:27:48.960 But you know, it's if it goes back to Mojave, that's where it goes, you know. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:51.279 So right, right, got it. 00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:51.839 Okay. 00:27:52.720 --> 00:27:55.920 Um, what about next year? 00:27:56.079 --> 00:28:07.359 I saw the first one is gonna be one bass is gonna be Mojave in February, yeah, which probably could have a wind, wind day or two mixed in, maybe. 00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:11.680 Yeah, that's always always, yes, it does. 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:18.480 And it is it's a north of South Lake, so it's and in February, it just blows out of the north, so it'll blow in that place. 00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:19.599 The water hasn't, you know. 00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:27.519 Obviously, we're talking about the water always stays within the certain, you know, eight to ten feet down or

up, but that time of year it's usually high. 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:33.759 So, I mean, when it blows 20 miles an hour there, it's like huge, four or five foot waves. 00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:37.519 I mean, it's it gets really big rolling right to Catherine's landing. 00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:42.799 So um sometimes you can get lucky and not have you know the the wind days. 00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:46.240 Um, I won uh one bass tournament there. 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:55.039 Uh I think it might have been in March or April, and uh we had calm days all three days, so it was beautiful. 00:28:55.279 --> 00:29:01.759 But then the next year we had one and uh I think it was only a one-day tournament out of the three days. 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:08.480 So it is it's that it's that Colorado River the way it is, and you kind of just have to prepare for the wind. 00:29:08.640 --> 00:29:13.759 And and as long as it doesn't blow that 30 mile an hour, usually we'll be all right, you know. 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:16.960 So that's when this park services seems to shut everything down. 00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:21.759 As soon as it hits that 30 gust of 30, anything says 30, we're done. 00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:23.200 So yeah, yeah. 00:29:23.359 --> 00:29:24.000 I'm hoping. 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.400 I mean, I love Mojave at that time of year. 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:33.279 It's uh it's a little bit different than you know, scopers will obviously catch them, but I'll have a chance doing some bank stuff too. 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:34.000 So okay. 00:29:34.160 --> 00:29:41.920 Um I'm hoping that it you know it stays, you know, you know, the way it is and calm and we're able to fish. 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:43.519 Yeah, right on, man. 00:29:43.599 --> 00:29:44.240 Yeah. 00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:46.160 Um, no, I'm I'm interested. 00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:52.079 I may swing down and fish that one cool just because Mojave's such a cool fishery to me. 00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:52.960 And it is. 00:29:53.119 --> 00:29:54.480 It's good in February, too. 00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:56.720 A lot of big, a lot of five plusers will be caught. 00:29:56.799 --> 00:29:57.599 A lot of okay. 00:29:57.759 --> 00:29:58.400 Yeah, a lot of them. 00:29:58.720 --> 00:30:04.400 And and will green fish play anymore because the water's higher, or is it all still gonna be a brown deal? 00:30:04.640 --> 00:30:05.599 It depends on the weather. 00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:11.680 If we have a couple, you know, week or two of warm weather, yeah, they'll you'll be able to catch some nice largemouth for sure. 00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.880 I don't think they'll win. 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:16.160 Uh you can add them to your bag for sure and do well. 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:18.799 But yeah, uh, smallmouth will still dominate. 00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:27.039 You know, there'll be, you know, there'll be a lot of over 21, 22, 23 pound bags of smallmouth, a lot of them. 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:32.799 I mean, if it's if it stays, you know,

calm and nice, it'll be phenomenal fishing. 00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:34.960 Wow, yeah, that's exciting, man. 00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:36.559 It is, it's a good fishery. 00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:38.240 I mean, it really is a good fishery. 00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:39.599 Yeah, yeah. 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:43.039 It's uh it's interesting to me the differences, right? 00:30:43.119 --> 00:30:45.759 Like in the chain, uh the fisheries, right? 00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:51.440 Like you have, I mean, habasu obviously gets the most pressure, makes sense why it can be tougher. 00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:53.680 There's still some really big ones in there, yeah. 00:30:53.839 --> 00:31:03.759 Um Mojave's just lights out, uh, seems to be just insane, and it's a little more protected location-wise, I guess, from like pressure. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:06.880 Yeah, but in the wind, the wind keeps a lot of people off a lot. 00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:08.400 Okay, that's a good point, too. 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:10.079 The wind probably also saves it. 00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:13.519 Okay, and then you have mead is like just tough, man. 00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:15.839 Like, I mean, from a weight perspective, right? 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:17.519 Why why do you think that is? 00:31:17.759 --> 00:31:20.799 Uh, you know, I don't know why it's like that. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:26.640 Obviously, the smallmouth in Mojave, you know, before the smallmouth were there, uh, the fishing was tough. 00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:40.400 I mean, for largemouth, I remember fishing tournaments in 2002, 2003, there when it was like the smallmouth weren't there, and it was, you know, 12 pounds a day would win largemouth fishing there, you know. 00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:41.759 So it was tough too. 00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:48.559 Uh, I think just the clear water at Mojave, the smallmouth have taken off so much, and it's such a good uh fishery. 00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:56.400 And Havasu, we did have a clock a lot of uh clear water when the coagamusle first got you know brought here to Mojave. 00:31:56.640 --> 00:31:59.519 I mean to Havasu, it was unbelievable. 00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:06.079 And I think a lot of them have died off, and we've had a lot of dredging up the river where the water's stained. 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:11.119 Uh the smallmouth fishing with I mean 2007-2008 was so good here. 00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:15.359 I mean, just phenomenal uh smallmouth fishing on Havasu. 00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:27.680 And I think like the quag muscles changed, and I think the the like I said, the dredging up in the in the river, so we've had more stained water, and we just don't have the numbers of smallmouth like we used to. 00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:32.480 Uh obviously the largemouth population's phenomenal, but they're so tough to catch a lot. 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:40.640 You know, it's they're not like smallmouth, and um, you know, there's just not the numbers of smallmouth here uh like there used to be. 00:32:40.720 --> 00:32:42.480

So that makes it Havisu tough. 00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:46.480 And mead, obviously, we have a lot of uh smaller fish, you know. 00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:51.519 I mean, last last year I did fish a couple team tournaments when we had flooded brush. 00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:58.960 Um at mead, it seems like when there's brush up shallow and there's more cover, the fish learn to stay there. 00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:01.759 They don't just roam around because there is a lot of big ones in mead. 00:33:01.839 --> 00:33:10.160 And I think my team partners and I uh I think we won three or four tournaments in a row with 23 to 25 pounds. 00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:10.640 Wow. 00:33:11.599 --> 00:33:14.400 So there is that, but that was spring, you know. 00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:18.559 Um, they were all big, fat, four to five pound largemouth. 00:33:18.640 --> 00:33:20.559 Uh they were doing looking really well. 00:33:20.640 --> 00:33:26.960 And then obviously this year was with the low waters, they were super skinny again, and they just didn't look healthy. 00:33:27.039 --> 00:33:30.880 So I don't, you know, obviously it has to do with the low water and no brush up shallows. 00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:32.400 There's tons of tons of food. 00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:36.400 I mean, the food, the population of of bait fishes looks really good. 00:33:36.480 --> 00:33:38.880 A lot of tilapia, a lot of bluegill. 00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:46.319 Um, I don't know if it's just when they start getting water, it gets down, they just don't relate to the bank as as much at mead. 00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:48.079 They're you know, just off the bank. 00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:50.640 And but there is a lot of big ones still in mead. 00:33:50.799 --> 00:33:57.519 They're it's a it's a good fishery, it's just tough, you know, and they they don't handle pressure at all for some reason there. 00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:03.039 It just become like, you know, there's you can't get away from people anymore. 00:34:03.119 --> 00:34:21.519 So that's like you used to be able to find a little stretch up up in the Overton or Greg's basin or something where you'd have to yourself for weeks on end because it was so big and vast, and now it's like 10 people fish that spot, you know, so they just become super finesse and it's just you know a lot different. 00:34:21.679 --> 00:34:28.400 But I still think like our the most healthy fishery we have is still Mojave, just in a in a hole. 00:34:28.559 --> 00:34:33.679 Um the smallmouth, the largemouth, they're all beautiful looking fish, so healthy. 00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:35.519 Yeah, they're super healthy. 00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:40.400 Um, you know, like I said, Havisu's kind of on a little downward spin here. 00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:46.960 Um, they're still big largemouth, and obviously smallmouth, but it's just not the same as it was for sure. 00:34:47.519 --> 00:34:48.320 Yeah, yeah. 00:34:48.559 --> 00:34:54.400 No, it's it's uh like I said, those are some of the the coolest places

uh and just the landscape. 00:34:54.559 --> 00:34:59.920 I mean, you're just out in the middle of of the desert, just something so um yeah. 00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:03.920 How has Havisu changed as a town? 00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:04.719 I'm curious. 00:35:04.800 --> 00:35:07.920 Like not on the fishing side, but like you've been there now for 20 something years. 00:35:08.239 --> 00:35:10.400 Like what what uh what has changed? 00:35:11.360 --> 00:35:12.719 It's changed a lot, yeah. 00:35:12.800 --> 00:35:16.239 It's it's grown uh crazy amount. 00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:20.800 I mean, I first house I bought here was like you know, 200 grand. 00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:25.440 Now like that same style of house is like seven or eight hundred thousand. 00:35:25.920 --> 00:35:32.719 So yeah, it's like um you know, it's just it's it's almost like a Southern California place. 00:35:32.880 --> 00:35:33.840 I mean, it's okay. 00:35:34.000 --> 00:35:49.440 A couple of I did build a house about four or five years ago here, and uh um the guy that built my house is really big in the town, and he said they were trying to build it kind of like aspen of the lake, of the of the you know snow, but like a lake. 00:35:49.679 --> 00:35:55.119 So that's the kind of the mindset I think a lot of people do retire here that are pretty wealthy. 00:35:55.199 --> 00:36:00.400 Yeah, so everything's you know changed, you know, and on on that aspect. 00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:03.360 And I, you know, obviously have a family here in the town. 00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:10.559 I wasn't expecting uh to obviously raise a family here because you know, there's not a much of opportunity here. 00:36:10.639 --> 00:36:12.079 I mean, and I don't own a business here. 00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:17.679 If you own business, yeah, your kids can kind of take over this and that, but the opportunity for kids isn't much here. 00:36:17.760 --> 00:36:23.039 And I've seen a lot of you know, up and down uh people come in, people come out. 00:36:23.119 --> 00:36:32.320 You know, they have to bring their families, and one year you have you know 400 kids sign up for little league baseball, and the next year you have 150 kids. 00:36:32.480 --> 00:36:37.920 Wow, you know, so it's like, yeah, it's very, you know, uh I don't know why. 00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:50.800 I don't know if they just come here and then they party and the you know the parents get in trouble, you know, like oh, they have a new girlfriend and they have a new boyfriend within a week or they're get you know a DUI or something because it is still a party town, you know. 00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:54.880 A lot of the younger type people do party a lot here, you know. 00:36:55.119 --> 00:37:00.000 So it's either like you have that or you have retired wealth, you know. 00:37:00.239 --> 00:37:11.840 So it's kind of in between, you know, it's it's like I said, I'm still skeptical on staying here for that much longer just because my kids are getting older and I just want them to have opportunity, you know. 00:37:12.079 --> 00:37:27.840 Yeah, not they don't fish very much, you know, they one of them likes it a little bit, but they don't, you know, it's not like hey, we're you know, and I don't have like wakeboard stuff or anything like that where they could, you know, get into wakeboarding or you know, and it's like how far are you gonna go in that? 00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:34.880 You know, it's you know, those type little niches are hard to get kids to be successful where they're making a lot of money, you know. 00:37:34.960 --> 00:37:36.960 So I'm like, I I don't know what I'm gonna do. 00:37:37.039 --> 00:37:50.159 We always think about like where else we're gonna go, and you know, so just just the opportunity, you know, for for the younger families, but like real estate-wise stuff like that, it's it's doing very good, Havasu for sure. 00:37:50.320 --> 00:37:51.039 Yeah, interesting. 00:37:51.199 --> 00:37:53.360 Yeah, the middle, it sounds like the middle's just not there. 00:37:53.440 --> 00:38:05.119 You've got like the party crowd, the kids, obviously, like the right spring break, all that stuff, and then you've got like the retirees that are like, and I get it from the retiree perspective, that place is sweet. 00:38:05.599 --> 00:38:07.920 It is, it is awesome, it's beautiful, yeah. 00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:11.199 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:38:11.440 --> 00:38:12.559 Yeah, for sure. 00:38:12.719 --> 00:38:17.199 I mean, it's there's like everyone around me is all retired, you know. 00:38:17.360 --> 00:38:32.000 There's in my neighborhood, there's only like a handful of kids, you know, so it's like they have only a few friends that are up in the neighborhood, and it's like, oh man, like I remember growing up and they have 10 kids on the street, you know, it's just like it's just it's just different, you know. 00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:34.960 But it's it is good for small town. 00:38:35.039 --> 00:38:35.440 I don't know. 00:38:35.599 --> 00:38:37.039 I don't I I'm not sure yet. 00:38:37.119 --> 00:38:39.199 That's what we always think about like where are we gonna go? 00:38:39.280 --> 00:38:40.320 Like, what are we gonna do? 00:38:40.400 --> 00:38:44.000 And yeah, I'm just I'm not I'm not sure yet, you know. 00:38:44.239 --> 00:38:46.880 So it'll come up when it's times right, you know. 00:38:47.199 --> 00:38:49.280 Usually things should happen, you know. 00:38:49.440 --> 00:38:52.320 So yeah, it's it's interesting too. 00:38:52.400 --> 00:39:02.320 Like, I was surprised I hadn't been there for a couple of years, but like the whole marina development and like all the homes or you know, like boat stuff right on the water, like blew me away. 00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:06.239 Like, I was like, wow, this was not all here the last time I was here, it's been getting crazy. 00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:07.519 Yeah, it is, it is. 00:39:07.599 --> 00:39:20.639 Like I said, and just I mean, most of the new home areas that are newer homes

and built little communities like the new you know Riviera Marina area, and that's super nice, but it's so high-end. 00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:25.199 I mean, it's you know, the cheapest house is 1.5 million, you know. 00:39:25.440 --> 00:39:31.119 So, like, I mean, what kids are gonna grow up and go, oh I'll I'll take two of those, you know. 00:39:31.280 --> 00:39:36.320 So, you know, it's it's it's you know kind of phasing a lot of people out, you know. 00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:38.639 So I mean, but it is beautiful. 00:39:38.800 --> 00:39:42.159 I mean, they put a lot of beautiful homes there and uh having that, you know. 00:39:42.239 --> 00:39:51.760 I don't know if I would live there just because I mean I like the marina, but the boats that are just hauling up and down the the lake, this I'm sure they'll vibrate your pictures off the walls, you know. 00:39:51.840 --> 00:39:55.519 It's it's so loud there, you know, like living right on the lake. 00:39:55.599 --> 00:40:01.119 I'm like, um I'm way up on the top of the mountains up here, so I don't have to to worry about that. 00:40:01.280 --> 00:40:02.079 But it's crazy. 00:40:02.239 --> 00:40:07.760 Only thing we had to worry about is uh a lot of shooting nearby, you know, get some straight bullets or something like that. 00:40:07.920 --> 00:40:09.440 But it's uh it's all good. 00:40:09.519 --> 00:40:13.119 We're we're uh we're in nesting little area, so we're we're good. 00:40:13.360 --> 00:40:14.239 Nice, nice. 00:40:14.320 --> 00:40:14.880 That's funny. 00:40:14.960 --> 00:40:17.679 Yeah, it is it is uh it's almost an oasis. 00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:18.480 It's so interesting. 00:40:18.639 --> 00:40:22.800 I've always viewed it like when you're on the lake and you look at the town. 00:40:23.599 --> 00:40:23.840 Right. 00:40:24.159 --> 00:40:35.360 Dude, it looks like you're in like the Middle East or something, like if there's nothing, and then there's this thriving city, you know, above the lake, and it just climbs the hillside like it's it's crazy looking. 00:40:35.599 --> 00:40:38.880 Yeah, that's that's that's the desert, you know. 00:40:38.960 --> 00:40:57.599 That's I feel like that's the whole desert landscape, and you don't get to see that at like in Vegas, and you know, I mean Vegas is the same thing, but it's kind of like in a in a you know, little pit, you know, and uh this place is like like you said, it climbs up into the mountains and uh it's just built different. 00:40:57.679 --> 00:41:02.079 Just you know, it's a it's a pretty cool city, you know, when you look at a lot of stuff, you know. 00:41:02.239 --> 00:41:08.719 Um, I don't think they were, you know, their infrastructure wasn't built for as many people as are here now. 00:41:08.960 --> 00:41:13.679 And um kind of all the streets are like designed in different ways. 00:41:13.760 --> 00:41:18.960 We don't have street lights, you know, which is kind of a weird when we're trying to find something, it's pitch black, you know. 00:41:19.039 --> 00:41:22.000 You can't like trying to someone trying to find a house like an Airbnb. 00:41:22.239 --> 00:41:24.159 It's like dark as can be. 00:41:24.320 --> 00:41:26.079 Like you go, where is this place? 00:41:26.320 --> 00:41:31.280 So it's just it's a different a different city, but it's definitely cool in its own. 00:41:31.519 --> 00:41:33.119 Yeah, yeah, it's unique. 00:41:33.199 --> 00:41:34.480 It's it's a unique place. 00:41:34.719 --> 00:41:36.079 Oh, it's awesome. 00:41:36.480 --> 00:41:37.519 Well, cool, man. 00:41:37.679 --> 00:41:45.840 Um, well, congrats again on the US open win back at it, what 18 years later, almost 20 years later. 00:41:46.320 --> 00:41:48.320 That is uh that is epic. 00:41:48.400 --> 00:41:51.119 So, how old were you when you won 18 years ago? 00:41:51.679 --> 00:41:56.159 I think I was 27, 28 when I won the the first one. 00:41:56.320 --> 00:42:02.960 And um, you know, like I said, just to win two is one of that was one of my goals just to win two US opens. 00:42:03.039 --> 00:42:08.000 Um just because it's so hard to win one in in the first place. 00:42:08.159 --> 00:42:16.880 So to win two, there's that separation of guys that from the West that have done that, you know, and they're you know legends in our sport, you know. 00:42:17.039 --> 00:42:26.880 So um just to get lucky and win two was one of my goals that I was able to accomplish, which was pretty cool, you know, for sure. 00:42:27.280 --> 00:42:31.599 Yeah, that's that's it's awesome, and just the history around it and everything else. 00:42:31.679 --> 00:42:31.920 Yeah. 00:42:32.159 --> 00:42:38.960 Um really, really cool to see and make it happen and uh and do it without scope on the bank from day one. 00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:49.199 Yeah, like I said, I got lucky that it was you know at mead, because if it's at Mojave, it's like you know, these kids are so good and then you know the world's changed so much. 00:42:49.280 --> 00:42:52.800 And if you don't do it, I mean I I'm not I'm not against it at all. 00:42:52.960 --> 00:42:55.039 I mean, I think it's it's part of it. 00:42:55.119 --> 00:42:56.480 Everything changes in the world, man. 00:42:56.639 --> 00:43:03.280 If you don't change with it, you know, and that I know that, you know, I know if you don't change with everything going on, you're gonna get beat. 00:43:03.519 --> 00:43:05.840 But I just you know, it takes so much time. 00:43:05.920 --> 00:43:20.719 And I just I don't have I don't I don't fish like I used to, where I'm used to fish five days a week, and those guys are so good at the scope that you know it's I mean, if you're not doing it and learning every little, I mean they can say see what size the bass is on the scope, you know. 00:43:20.800 --> 00:43:22.960 And I'm like, I don't even know if those are bass. 00:43:23.039 --> 00:43:24.639 I'm looking at you know what I mean. 00:43:24.800 --> 00:43:27.280 So I'm like, I've always been bad at that. 00:43:27.360 -->

00:43:29.519 I'm bad at the phones, I'm bad with electronics. 00:43:29.679 --> 00:43:34.880 So um as long as I have a map that I don't hit anything, I'm usually pretty good. 00:43:35.119 --> 00:43:45.599 But that's what I said, you know, I'm I'm uh pretty old school with that, and that's why I said when they give them the meat, at least I'm able to fish old school bass fishing, you know, because that's how meat is, you know. 00:43:45.760 --> 00:43:49.840 So um that I just got lucky everything lined up, you know. 00:43:50.000 --> 00:43:52.079 That's without the scope for sure. 00:43:52.400 --> 00:43:53.199 That's epic. 00:43:53.280 --> 00:43:53.840 I love that. 00:43:53.920 --> 00:43:55.440 That's a good way to end things, man. 00:43:55.599 --> 00:43:57.039 Um well, good stuff. 00:43:57.119 --> 00:43:59.760 Well, Justin, any anything you want to shout out. 00:44:00.079 --> 00:44:04.880 Out at all sponsor wise, regard any of that sort of thing that you want to um I guess. 00:44:05.199 --> 00:44:13.920 Yeah, just like just yeah, just like I said, just Evergreen uh they supported me since my first I I mean and Sean Bailey got sponsored at the same time. 00:44:14.079 --> 00:44:23.119 Sean's no longer with Evergreen, but um we got sponsored when I won the first one, like literally the three days before I won the first one. 00:44:23.199 --> 00:44:30.800 So they've been with me for that long and supported me and taking care of me in every which way um I could think of, you know. 00:44:30.960 --> 00:44:35.039 So uh they're super loyal company, awesome company to work with. 00:44:35.119 --> 00:44:37.599 Um and their products are phenomenal. 00:44:37.760 --> 00:44:44.320 They're you know, every designer that they they use for each bait is you know specialized for that bait. 00:44:44.400 --> 00:44:47.039 So it's not like one guy's making a bunch of things, you know. 00:44:47.199 --> 00:44:50.880 So it's just everything they do uh is awesome. 00:44:51.039 --> 00:45:01.760 And you know, obviously making the the jackhammers are well as probably the most well-known bait we have is uh the jackhammer, but all their stuff, I mean, is is so good. 00:45:02.000 --> 00:45:07.119 I mean it's I mean the best hooks I mean runs perfect right out of the package. 00:45:07.199 --> 00:45:10.320 Uh, you know, JDM stuff is always usually pretty good. 00:45:10.400 --> 00:45:15.360 And um, you know, just Evergreen, you know, it's it's been an awesome company. 00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:17.360 They've been around for a really long time. 00:45:17.920 --> 00:45:28.800 Um I think coming close to 40 years, you know, and uh a lot of people, a lot of people, sorry, a lot of people don't know that, you know, that they've been around for that long. 00:45:29.199 --> 00:45:34.079 Um so yeah, 40 years of of making a phenomenal bait. 00:45:34.159 --> 00:45:35.440 So dude, yeah. 00:45:35.519 --> 00:46:00.719 No, they're I love all their stuff, their jigs, obviously everything with a chowder bait, but yeah, uh, I've always uh agree, like you pay a premium for anything sort of JDM, but you don't have to worry, like back to components and things like what we started talking off air of like you know it is dialed, you don't have to worry about uh what what could happen, what could go wrong. 00:46:00.880 --> 00:46:03.840 Like everything is out of the package, you're ready to rock perfect. 00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:06.880 Yep, yeah, that's the beauty about them for sure. 00:46:06.960 --> 00:46:08.239 I mean, their hooks are so sharp. 00:46:08.320 --> 00:46:15.199 I know so many people put hooks through their through their hands, and they're like, dang this evergreen hooks are so sticky, and I'm like, Yeah, they're unbelievable. 00:46:15.280 --> 00:46:17.679 So they make awesome stuff. 00:46:18.000 --> 00:46:18.639 Awesome. 00:46:18.800 --> 00:46:19.440 All right, dude. 00:46:19.519 --> 00:46:21.920 Well, thank you for taking the time to Sunday. 00:46:22.079 --> 00:46:23.679 Yeah, it was a pleasure to have a big deal. 00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:25.280 Yeah, absolutely. 00:46:25.440 --> 00:46:27.199 And we'll uh we'll catch up sometime. 00:46:27.280 --> 00:46:29.760 Hopefully, see you down at uh Mojave here in not today. 00:46:30.079 --> 00:46:31.440 Yeah, can't wait, man. 00:46:31.599 --> 00:46:32.239 Can't wait. 00:46:32.480 --> 00:46:33.360 See you soon, dude. 00:46:33.440 --> 00:46:33.920 Thanks, man. 00:46:34.079 --> 00:46:34.559 Thank you. 00:46:34.719 --> 00:46:42.000 All right, folks, that wraps things up on a seriously western episode with the man, the myth, a legend, Justin Kerr. 00:46:42.480 --> 00:46:43.840 Great time today. 00:46:44.000 --> 00:46:48.239 Um breaking down how he did it on Lake Mead. 00:46:48.400 --> 00:46:54.079 Um I'm gonna put the mini max or the mini chatterbait jackhammer. 00:46:54.159 --> 00:46:57.360 That's the word, that's the one I'm looking for, uh, in the arsenal. 00:46:57.440 --> 00:46:58.480 I'm gonna mess with that. 00:46:58.719 --> 00:47:05.280 Super interesting to me, makes a lot of sense having that finesse size um going down on a place like that. 00:47:05.440 --> 00:47:09.760 Sounds so easy and obvious, but I just really haven't messed with the small chatterbaits at all. 00:47:10.000 --> 00:47:18.880 Um, excited to mess with that a little bit and appreciate him taking the time talking all things Lake Mead and Colorado River chain. 00:47:19.760 --> 00:47:20.480 Tune in. 00:47:20.639 --> 00:47:22.000 We've got a lot coming, guys. 00:47:22.079 --> 00:47:28.960 Uh, looking forward to being back in the saddle this fall and back on Don Pedro in just a couple of weeks.