Instead
of cluttering up this
site with references to
many links which may or
may not be relevant, I
would like to suggest
that you visit the Links
page at the
above-mentioned website.
Here
you will find over 1 500
Bass fishing related
links divided into
different categories.
Enjoy!
Any
other links considered
relevant to topics
discussed or issues
raised on the other pages
of this site (see
Menu in the left margin
of this page)
will be available
directly on the page
concerned.
After
all said and done, here
are some more unusual
links which you may find
useful:
This
site is an absolute
"must"
for any Basser aspiring
to 10lb plus Bass!
Another
great site is www.calfishing.com,
which is well worth a
visit.
Both
these above-mentioned
sites have a great deal
of information as well as
active Forums which
are well-supported by a
wide cross-section of
Bass anglers giving their
input and comments from
which anyone can glean
many useful tips ... Do
yourself a favour and
spend some time on each
of these sites!
 Other
USA-based
sites you will enjoy,
are:
Patrick's
Bassin' Site
Big
Bass Forum regular,
"BassMaster"
Patrick
now has his own website!
 If
you can read Italian,
enjoy this European Bass
Fishing on-line magazine:
 ;
and
Massimo
Zanetti's
Italian
Bass Fishing
Home
Page
Yes,
there are Bass in Italy, Spain,
France and Portugal!
Click
on the logo below to visit the Portuguese
Bass Fishing Association website.
 Here
are some South
African fishing
websites:
The
Cape Piscatorial Society
Report
illegal
Gill-Nets
here!
Here
are some Zimbabwean
Bass fishing
websites:
Chegutu
Bassmasters
Other
LINKS of interest:
1.
How about Boats?
Do
you like the idea of an aluminium
boat? Many USA
Trophy Bass anglers,
notably, Bill
Murphy and "Fish
Chris" Wolfgram,
just to name two, prefer
aluminium boats rather
than heavy fibreglass
"gas guzzlers".
With fuel costs being
what they are, this just
might be a viable option
to get more Bassers out
and on the water!
"Fish
Chris'"
aluminium boat (a real
fish catching machine)
with a nice camo paint
job! This set-up is
perhaps better suited to
Trophy bassing than a
"glitter-gelcoat"
craft!
For
more on aluminium
boats, look at www.gregorboats.com/MX10.htm.
Good
news is that Quintrex
aluminium
boats from Australia are
now available in South
Africa.
The
local agents are Hewitt
Yamaha in Durban
- (031) 337-3759. If you
are interested, speak to Lewis
Hewitt and
tell him Jacques
Wolmarans from
the BIG BASS website
referred you! Browse the
website at www.quintrex.com.au.
Various models and
options are available.
Aluminiums need only
small engines to perform
respectably. These hulls
have a 2 year guarantee.
The 435 Hornet Bass
Pro, the 455
Hornet Trophy and
even the 435 Top
Ender, would make
really nice bassboats!
The
Quintrex 455
Hornet Trophy
While
on the subject of boats,
have you heard of Boston
Whaler? A very
respected name in boats
with a 10 year
transferable guarantee on
the hull (unheard of in
the boating industry!) Boston
Whaler
hulls are extremely
tough, safe and
unsinkable fibreglass
boats.
Visit
the site at www.whaler.com
and see something really
special.
If you want a
Boston Whaler boat (the Montauk
17 or the Dauntless
16 and 18 would
make great bass boats!),
contact Ronnie
Arenson at
Waterworld,
Northriding, JHB (the SA
agents) at (011) 462-4390/9 or click on
this link:
*Locally
manufactured Bassboats I
have been most impressed with, are to
be found in the Ruffnek
range
(for example the VX-70), built
in Zimbabwe by
Gerry Jooste.
The
two websites below (www.boatcentre.co.za
and www.boat-trader.co.za)
often have new or used Ruffnek boats
for sale. The X-16,
X-70 and VX-70
will not disappoint you.
Otherwise you may contact
Ruffnek Boats directly in Zimbawe at: Ruffnek
Boats (11 Kenmark Crescent,
Bluffhill
Industrial Park, HARARE);
telephone: 09(263)4-305-426 or /373 or
/286; cellular: 09(263)11-604-719;
e-mail: joostem@harare.iafrica.com.
If these telephone numbers give
problems, check out www.zimyellowpages.com/zimyellowpages.htm.
Another
locally manufactured Bassboat is the Rebel.
I have no firsthand experience of these,
but they are rated great by those in the
know. These boats are built by Anre
de Villiers (083-456-4960) in
Cape Town. He makes a 17 foot 5 inch
boat and is also working on a 18 foot 6
inch boat. The
two websites below (www.boatcentre.co.za
and www.boat-trader.co.za)
may have new or used Rebel boats
for sale (Rebel 440 and Rebel
532).
Still
looking
for another Bassboat?
Check out the large range
offered by Shandon
Hawman at:
Also
see www.boat-trader.co.za
And www.outdoormarine.co.za
www.brilliantbass.co.za
Have you heard of the
?
The South
African Agent is
Casper du Preez (cellular:
083-676-6433). These fold-up boats in
lengths of 8', 10', 12' and 14') have
been around for years and have a great
reputation. Click
here for an independent review. The
12' boat costs about R13 000-00.
Accessories such as oars, sunshade,
dolly wheels, front trolling motor mount
and RV mount are also available.
Or
how about a "personal
flotation craft",
that is a float tube
or a kickboat?
Check
out:
for
quality-made South
African products which
are even endorsed by some
USA Bassers!
...
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT:
Have
you ever thought of fishing from a Jet
Ski?
Read
this article,
then click on the pic to find out
more!
2. On to Rods:
For those
of you who want a custom
built rod using the
excellent USA made Shikari
blanks,
cork grips and Fuji
components, without
having to build one
yourself, check out the
amazing range of purpose
built custom Bass rods at:
Brad
Tharp who
recently signed the Big
Bass Guestbook
custom builds these rods,
called Tactical Assault Revolution Rods,
and he also uses the
“Spiral Wrap”
explained below. These
unique Revolution rods in the
Pro,
Team
and X4
Series
series come in various
models, including flipping
rods and an 8’ heavy
action swimbait
model to handle those
big lures weighing in at
1 – 8oz!
Brad also
builds rods with the standard or
conventional guide alignment (called the
Transition
rods) as well as Spinning
rods.
Definitely
worth serious
consideration! So, visit the Brad's
site!
3. Fishfinders,
anyone?
fish-finder-store .com
You'll
save money on a gigantic selection of
fish finders, shipped lightning-fast.
4.
What about Magazines?
How
about a subscription to a
very relevant magazine
covering all aspects of
angling in Africa?
Contact "Ant"
Williams,
publisher of the
African Fisherman at:
Mag-Set
Publication (Pvt) Ltd.
Publishers of the
African Fisherman and
African Hunter Magazines
P.O. Box 6204, Harare, Zimbabwe,
Africa
Tel/Fax (+263-4)
572786/572787 Fax
(+263-4) 576706; or
use
this handy form and fax
it:
or
e-mail "Ant"
at fishunt@mweb.co.zw
This
publication is highly
recommended and, whilst
covering fishing in
Africa generally, has the
only current Bassing info
in Zimbabwe in printed
format.
You
will receive six issues
of the African
Fisherman a
year, with each magazine
consisting of between 48
- 60 pages. The annual
subscription of R130
covers post and packaging
for all six issues.
This
magazine is now online! Click on
the pic below to access the
website:
If
you are into hunting,
then do make a point of
visiting "Ant"
Williams' new
African
Hunter online
magazine at:
"Bassin'
SA",
another local Bass
magazine, is still being
published (for those of
us who thought the
publication had
"folded")!
Click
on the pic (cover of issue
4 of the
magazine) for details
Initial
circulation of the
magazine was only about 3
000 copies, but has since
increased. The magazine
is available from certain
tackle shops, or you may subscribe.
Unfortunately the Bassin'
SA links seem to have gone dead
- I don't know what the problem is ...
Just
heard of a fishing
magazine edited and
published by Bruce
Truter. Bruce,
avid angler, writer and
conservationist, used to
own a tackle shop in Port
Alfred (Eastern Cape) and
once refinished some of
my old fishing rods
before I got into
rodbuilding myself! For
more information, click
on the logo below:
5.
Mailorder
anyone? Also Lures
and Accessories.
Cabela's
is one of the best, most
professional and
efficient Internet
mailorder companies.
Highly recommended for
any lures and tackle
unobtainable locally.
Click on the logo for an
adventure in e-shopping!
 
I can also
personally recommend:
for an
amazing range of "Big Baits"
including Castaic, Mission
Fish and Rago! Just click on
"Swim
Baits".
Exclusive suppliers of the "Pro-rig"
versions of both the Osprey Talon and Rago Generic
Trout. Click here
to find out what the "Pro-rig"
is.
You must
see this great range of swimbaits
and other lures! Its the famous Mission
Fish range!
If
you have large Florida
strain Bass in your area,
you could do well to
check out these two Musky
websites for unusual
lure ideas which will
definitely work on big
Bass. Musky anglers often
hook large Bass (even
Northern strain Bass
which are found in the
areas frequented by musky
and pike) on musky lures.
The
Musky-size XL Arbogast
Jitterbug
and the DeLong
16" Snake
worm are Big Bass lures
which have achieved
cult-status in certain
areas. Other large
topwater lures which
resemble (and dwarf!) a Zara
Spook are
worth a look, as is the Bull
Dawg plastic
swimbait in 6",
9" and 12"
sizes by Musky
Innovations
which resembles a cross
between a large sucker
minnow and an eel or a
lizard!
www.delonglures.com
www.thornebros.com
I
am sure you will agree
that these sites will add
some inspiration in
broadening your horizons
in lure selection
possibilities for trophy
Bass! Do let us know when
you succeed in landing
your personal best Bass
on a lure you first read
about on the Big Bass
website!
High
quality soft plastics.
Try the 6" Hoo-Daddy,
the 7.5" Komodo
Lizard and the
11" Salty
Snake for big
Bass!
If
your'e looking for a Big
Lizard, try
 's
Soft Plastic
range for the 11" Incredible
Lizard:
Order
online here
(access
page and scroll right
down).
Check out
this great new supplier of a wide range
of soft plastic lures.
Remember
the old Snagproof Frog? Get this
and other new weedless lures, including
frogs, rats, worms and lizards here! The
ultimate in really weedless lures
...
Try
Strike
On
for the "Hammerin'
Hare"
series of jigs,
spinnerbaits and
buzzbaits made with real
rabbit hair/fur.
Works
better than rubber or
vinyl skirts - the
natural hair
"breathes" and
moves in the water even
when the lure itself is
motionless ...
A
"must" for
Smallmouth Bass and great
for Largemouths too!
Click
on Fisherman's
Factory Outlet
for fantastic discounted
tackle deals on brand
name fishing tackle (such
as ABU, Berkley
and Fenwick).
Check every couple of
days as the inventory
changes.
For custom
painted
Spinnerbaits, Crankbaits
and Topwaters, try:
Dale
Sellers Custom Lures.
Each lure
is hand-painted using the
finest acrylic lacquers
and alcohol-based paints
available, then custom
finished with a
high-tech, super-tough
clear coat for
Dale’s legendary
"foot-deep"
shine. If you don't see
the colour you want, or
if you have a favorite
colour you want on any
other lure, Dale will
paint it to your exact
specifications.
Also
look at:
Hughes
Custom Painted Baits
Do
you have a favorite color they don't
make anymore?
Would you like a color from one lure
transferred to a different lure?
Design your own personal paint scheme
that no one else has!
Hughes
Custom Painted Baits
provide
the fisherman with a unique opportunity
to design custom paint schemes on any
style of hard bodied lure. They also
offer our custom paint schemes that are
proven tournament winning colours. They
have painted lures for many of today's
top BASS pros ...
For
Saltwater-style Swimbaits
that also work great on Bass, try:
Want
to find out about the best jigs for
Bass
on the market? Go to:
The
Big Hammer and Assalt range
are now available at Tacklewarehouse.
Just
click on the following links for Assalt
Jigs, Hammerhead
Jig Heads and Big
Hammer Swimbait soft plastic tails.
If
you want to try an add-on
scent product
to your lures, the
testimonials for Kick'n
Bass
sound
great.
You
will get these scent
attractants more cheaply
from Cabela's,
Ron's
T&C Tackle
or Southern
Outdoor Supply Co.
A
local supplier
of Kick'n
Bass
is Bonza
Bay Fishing Tackle
in East London.
To order, phone Mark
Ristow at
083-286-2960.
6.
South African Tackle Links
for South
African - made
Saltwater
and
Bass
lures!
Quality,
international award-winning, South
African - made
Fishing
Products
such as the Pro-VB-Spiro
Bass Worm Hook, Nets, Gaffs, Reels, Rod
Tubes, Rod Stands, Sand Spikes and Bait
Needles, etc. ...
One of my favourite
South African tackleshops!
7.
Fishing-related Computer Programmes
A young
Pietermaritzburg-based Basser,
Wesley Tanner,
has written a computer programme called
Fish Record to facilitate you establishing and
maintaining a database of all your (Bass) catches at
different venues.
Click
here to
visit the
website to find out exactly what you can do with this
innovative programme and how to contact Wesley if
you are interested in purchasing the programme.
8.
Technical and
"Do-it-yourself" Links
Super-tuning your Baitcasting Reel
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