Bass Angler Magazine Editor-in-Chief Takes to the Water for ProPatterns Film Contest

August 10, 2014 by Mark Lassagne Leave a Comment

Bass Angler Magazine Editor-in-Chief Takes to the Water for ProPatterns Film Contest

As the ProPatterns Exposed Eligible? film contest enters its final month, Mark Lassagne, Editor-in-Chief of the popular quarterly Bass Angler Magazine, set out on the water with camera to capture a day of fishing that will soon serve as his entry into the Exposed Eligible? film contest. This was an chance for the industry editor to be on the other side of the story sharing his industry knowledge, in this one of a kind video opportunity being hosted at http://www.propatterns.com.

Mark Lassagne

Being able to get in the boat with these guys helped me open my eyes to what other people were doing.

Yankton, SD (PRWEB) August 06, 2014

Lassagne as a tournament angler brings not only his experience on the water, but also twenty years of industry expertise, having founded Bass Angler Magazine two decades ago and, since then, building the periodical into the premier “how-to” magazine it is today. Each issue features over two-dozen articles that profile top professional anglers who offer the insight that has led to their success.

Lassagne took a few minutes to speak with ProPatterns after a successful day of filming to discuss what a contest like Exposed Eligible? could mean for those who take the chance at becoming “exposed.”

The contest, which has been running since June, offers fans of all levels of experience the chance to create and upload a three-to-five minute video that focuses on education about angling practices as they relate to specific patterns, bodies of water, use of equipment, creation of techniques or equipment, tournament practices, ethics or other topics pertaining to fundamental learning for use by other anglers. The contest offers the entrants the opportunity to showcase their skills not only for thousands of fans, but also for a panel of Exposed pros who will be judging the top ten entrants.

Lassagne, hot off the water, discussed the challenges professional anglers face and the opportunity a contest like Exposed Eligible? could offer unknowns. “A lot of things come into play when anglers set out to become professionals,” Lassagne told ProPatterns. “Being able to fish isn’t enough. You have to be able to find and keep sponsors, and you have to be able to speak in public. Public speaking was a hurdle for me when I started out, but once I gained that skill, that helped me with sponsors.”

Lassagne also discussed how his role as Editor-in-Chief of BAM helped him gain access to many of the best anglers in the world. “Being able to get in the boat with these guys helped me open my eyes to what other people were doing.” Lassagne, who has had “the chance to fish with some of the best in the world,” recommends those starting out “go fish in some opens, see how other anglers are doing it.” Doing this, he says, “increased my learning curve.”

Lassagne adds that “contests like Exposed Eligible? are wonderful. Even though not everybody can win, these videos are getting out to thousands of people, and that’s what it’s all about.” Lassagne went on to discuss why he was throwing his hat into the ring. “A contest like this is a great opportunity to ‘expose’ myself to a whole bunch of anglers and promote my own sponsors. Plus, I might have the opportunity to fish with Timmy.”

The grand-prize winner of the Exposed Eligible? film contest will win a travel package that takes them onto the water with Elite pro and television personality Timmy Horton. The day of fishing will be filmed and become part of the next season of Exposed.

Exposed Eligible? contest submission guidelines can be found at http://www.ProPatterns.com or fans may visit the Exposed Eligible? Facebook page to view and vote for their favorite videos.

Fishing enthusiasts can find Bass Angler Magazine nationwide at Tackle Warehouse, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Gander Mountain, Walmart and better tackle shops everywhere. The magazine also is available in print, Mobile App or eBook versions. As part of the http://www.ProPatterns.com subscription package, members of the online service receive a complimentary eBook edition of the most current issue of the magazine.

More About ProPatterns, Inc. and Exposed:

ProPatterns, Inc. is a leader of angling education by sharing professional fishing tips, industry information and member services online. In addition, ProPatterns offers prize filled competitions, sharing of information among peers, and connections to industry professionals and media through means available nowhere else.

Information is gathered from various sources and disseminated with members in a variety of ways. The Exposed video series, for example, gains all of its integrity from an alignment with the biggest names in the bass fishing industry including professionals who fish with BASS, FLW, and PAA. Cooperation from the anglers and their willingness to share is the catalyst for the growth of this series.

For #exposedeligible contest information and rules, the Exposed video series, and all other ProPatterns offerings, and to become an ELITE or Social ProPatterns member, please visit http://www.ProPatterns.com.

If I just had another 39 minutes I’d…

June 1, 2011 by Mark Lassagne Leave a Comment

THE TIME CRUNCH!

By Mark Lassagne

Is there ever enough time, what if I had another 30 minutes I would have had a limit. “We’ve all been there.” Or “They were just starting to bite and I had to leave” What if you could have another 30 minutes or more, each and every time you’re on the water? It’s easier than you might think and “THINK YOU MUST”. Bass fishing is a thinking man’s (or Women’s) game, it’s a puzzle and the first one who puts the pieces together first wins.

Here’s the time crunchier for most anglers, “CHANGING LURES”, you say “yea so” everybody has to change lures. On the average you will change lures 10 to 30 times a day. Three times each hour times 8 hours, is 24 lure changes and that is every 20 minutes. Ten times is a little more than one per hour. Do you see where were going if you can cut down the number if times you change baits or speed up the time it takes to change baits we have gained time.

We may not be able to change the number of times we change baits but we can speed up the process. I have invented “kinda” this new state of the art lure changer that will change your lure in less than half time. Can you imagine how much time this is in an average day? During several Bass Master Events I have literally watched an angler take five or more minutes to find and replace a lure not just once but several times throughout the day.

If they used my lure changer method they could have had an extra 10, 20, 50 minutes more, during an event. During those Bass master days I wasn’t sharing my secret; they were competitors and beside it amazed me how much time they wasted. Not that I’m bad guy but…. picture this, Were fishing pro on pro in a BASS event, the other guy in the boat is looking up from their tackle box asking “hey Mark how about this one”? I would reply do you have a chartreuse one or one with different blades or anything to keep them digging and me fishing. Sometimes I would laugh..ok maybe it wasn’t nice but if you were there watching you’d think it was funny too.

Imagine this…. You’re fishing, going down the bank and not getting bit, thinking you want to change lures. But wait, before you sit down in your boat and rifle thorough your hundreds of lures “STOP”. Not for very long because we are saving time. Now just think what lure you want to change to and then where that lure is in your boat. This will save you tons of time read on…….. Now change the bait but only in your mind, pretend you’re fishing it; see how it feels work it along the bank and see if it’s the one you want. Say your cranking Jackal CR60 down a rock wall and you want to switch up to a Pepper Clear Water Elite Spinner bait see the bait in your boat pull it out tie it on (in your mind), try it for a few casts an see if you like it. Sounds sort of freaky but it really works. If that one doesn’t work try another bait all the while your crankbait is still working and you didn’t burn up valuable time scrounging through your tackle. Once you find the bait you want remember where it is got there and tie it on for real. Give it a try, save some time and catch more fish!

See more and learn more with articles like this in the BASS ANGLER Magazine, order a copy or subscribe today at www.bassanglermag.com

Mark Lassagne free lance writer, pro bass angler and the publisher of Bass Angler Magazine.

Media Appearances

December 21, 2009 by Mark Lassagne Leave a Comment

BassEdge POD Cast done with Aaron Martin

Here are some videos I did with Tony Stoltz from www.westernbass.com

Bass guide and touring pro Mark Lassagne takes on his prefish of Lake Shasta and goes over pre fish techniques and how to find the bass there.

Mark takes on a day on the CA Delta bass catching fish in August

Mark gives an in depth spinnerbait seminar given at Extreme Angler in Oakley CA

Mark shows us how to catch smallmouth and spotted bass on a cool early July morning on the northern CA Delta.

Mark Lassagne is free lance writer, pro bass angler, publisher, and bass guide would like to give special thanks to his sponsors:

Skeeter Boats , Yamaha Outboards, Gone Fishin Marine, U.S. Reel, Pepper Custom Baits, Fisherman Eyewear, Sniper Lures and McCoy Fishing Line

USA Team Wins Gold!

December 14, 2009 by Mark Lassagne Leave a Comment

USA Wins GOLD — Charlie Weyer and Mark Lassagne

U.S. team takes the gold at the World Black Bass Sport Fishing Championship

Mexico hosts CIPS event at Lake Cuchillo

MONTERREY, MEXICO–The fifth annual World Black Bass Sport Fishing Championship was held just outside China in northeastern Mexico this past weekend. Located about an hour’s drive from Monterrey, Mexico and 65 miles southwest of McAllen, Texas on the Rio San Juan, the International Angling Confederation (CIPS) sanctioned event hosted 10 countries including the United States.

Winning the gold metal for the U.S. “Top Honors” team included Gary Yamamoto and son Derrick from Palestine, TX, Mark Lassagne from Martinez, CA, Charlie Weyer from West Hills, CA, Tom Mann Jr. from Buford, GA, and Todd Faircloth from Jasper, TX. The three-day competition against six teams from nine other countries comprised of three 2-man teams, competed for Individual Team honors, and their combined team points were tallied for total scores. Aside from wining the overall event, Tom Mann Jr. and Todd Faircloth, fishing together for the first time, also took the gold medal for the Individual Team competition.

Attending his “first ever,” U.S. Team member Mark Lassagne said the magnitude of the event was much larger than he had anticipated. “This multinational event had capacity crowds with 1000s of people, hundreds taking pictures, TV, videos, autographs, it was truly amazing,” Lassagne said.

“There have been other bass tournaments where different countries competed from around the world, but no one in the U.S. ever really hears about them. So it was a nice surprise when they (Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits) asked me to be part of the team. It was a wonderful experience meeting anglers from around the world. Working to communicate in several different languages was interesting but you get fishermen together and no matter where they are from, there are universal terms and gestures used,” he said.

Fishing both the lake (man-made) and incoming river waters, Weyer and Lassagne managed black bass limits from the lake each day and then went up the river to cull up. “The limits we caught in the lake were mostly on outside structure and drop-offs near a river or creek channel. On the deep spots, we caught fish on Strike King crank baits and also on Texas rigged Senkos with a 1/2-ounce bullet weight,” he said. Their best baits included Yamamoto’s 6-inch Senko in watermelon red and the Strike King fat-free shad in shad color. “Our big fish were caught on the drop-offs and also in the shallows in the river on trees.” Mann and Faircloth caught most of their fish on a 12-inch Yamamoto Curly Tail worm. The rest came on deep-diving DT16 and DT20 Rapala crankbaits.

The world bass competition was added to CIPS 5 years ago. The 10 countries competing this year included the USA, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Swaziland, Russia, Venezuela, Germany, and Romania, finishing the event in that order. A 13.33-pound Mexican “golona” (monster) bass was caught by the Swaziland team on day-one of the competition.

MEXICO HOSTS WORLD BLACK BASS SPORT FISHING CHAMPIONSHIP—Team USA took top honors and are this year’s Black Bass World Champions! From left to right, Tom Mann Jr., Mark Lassagne, Charlie Weyer, Todd Faircloth, and the Yamamotos, Gary, Beverly and Derek. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARK LASSAGNE.

See more and learn more with articles like this in the Bass Angler’s Guide Magazine, order a copy or subscribe today at www.bassanglersguide.com

Mark Lassagne free lance writer, pro bass angler, publisher, and bass guide would like to give a special thanks to his sponsors:

Yamaha Outboards, Gone Fishin Marine, U.S. Reel, Pepper Custom Baits, Jackall, Fisherman Eyewear, Sniper Lures and McCoy Fishing Line