Chummin' Around

All over the place again. Hunting, fishing, photo shoots and grand openings . . . it's a crazy, busy world for me but lovin' every minute of it! Just wrapped up a photo shoot for Skeeter this week. Had beautiful weather, caught some fish and hung out with some of the coolest Skeeter Pros out there. In fact, I was fishing with Capt. Chad Manning again. Tomorrow's episode of AF just happens to be "Tampa Chums" from Tampa Bay with Capt. Chad. Had a blast fishing that episode. Caught snook, grouper and redfish in one day. Can't beat that! 

This week though, we were snapping photos and catching kingfish on a "floatilla" of about 6 brand new Skeeter boats. What a good lookin' group! Here's a shot of our early morning sunrise, getting ready to head out. Gorgeous!

This weekend I'm heading to Orlando to kick off the opening of another Dick's Sporting Goods store. Ya know that the holidays are right around the corner, right? What a great way to get ahead of the shopping madness than to come in, see me, get a coupon for $10, save on great "grand opening" deals and check some presents off that long list! Come see me on Saturday, the 25th from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the new store:  Fashion Square Mall 724 Herndon Avenue, Orlando, FL 32803

Here's another cool piece of news for y'all . . . AF sponsor, Star brite's CLO2 generator technology, is soon to be helping people, pets and livestock stay healthy near you. President and CEO Peter Dornau stated, "Performacide® is perfectly suited for use in outlying areas to help control viruses as well as to sanitize and disinfect."  I'm impressed and proud to be part of a team like Star brite! Read the entire press release here:  

Ocean Bio-Chem, Inc. To Donate Performacide® to Countries Facing Ebola Virus

Check out "Tampa Chums" tomorrow morning on The Sportsman Channel and then on Sunday tune in for "Keys Chronicle" where I'm fishing with the fine folks at Star brite. It's truly rod bendin' drag screamin' television this weekend! Check the website for times and replays. You can always catch AF on YouTube too! 

Until next week . . . tight lines,

Blair

Snook-squatch!

What's bigger than Snookzilla? Snook-squatch! Went fishing with Capt. Greg Snyder just a couple of weeks ago in Jensen Beach and caught my biggest snook of my life. I get to show you in this week's episode and I can't wait! Here's the scoop, we went down to Jensen Beach and tried to film a couple of episodes with Capt. Greg Snyder and Capt. Ed Zyak. Went out with Capt. Greg first day and had a rough start to the day. It was hot, nothing big biting, we had to outrun some storms and almost called it quits late in the afternoon. So we hid under the 10 cent bridge and s we were casting for the 400th time, I hooked into something huge and lost it. My stomach sank . . . but I knew they were here! Then Greg casts and hooks into something that feels pretty decent and pulls in a sweet 42 inch snook. Now, I'm happy for him an all . . . after all it was his birthday, but I'm feeling a little left out, right? 

So, I'm casting, and casting, I'm throwing a deep diving DOA Baitbuster by the bridge, I'm actually doing a "tip" for the camera on using the baitbuster when all of a sudden I feel a thump . . . it felt like a good fish, but when I got the first look at it I think I may have freaked out a bit! It was a beast! Both Greg and me had to hold on to her at first when we got her to the boat. Once I was sure I had a hold, I told Greg to let go. I got her into the boat and measured her on the boat. I got my personal best snook, ever that day - 48 inches! Happy Birthday Greg and an early Happy Birthday to me too I guess, my birthday was only 4 days away. Can't wait to show y'all this episode.

I was just over at the MPI Studios yesterday shooting some stuff for our upcoming "Bits and Bites" episode and got to get a quick sneak peak of the segment where I'm fighting that big snook. Got my heart pumping and my knees shaking again. Wait until you see how much my 7'6" Flats Blue rod is bent over fighting that 48 inch Snook-squatch! If you've ever wanted to know if those rods have the backbone needed to catch big fish - you'll get to see it in action with your own eyes on this episode. 

The second day we went out with Capt. Ed Zyak and the conditions had changed, completely different than the day before. Capt. Ed was also just back from a 10 day road trip out in Texas for DOA Lures and this was his first day back on the water. We had a great day tooling around in my Skeeter SX240 and playing with all the gadgets (especially since Capt. Ed's also a Pro for Humminbird - I always learn something new from him), but the fish just weren't biting. That's all right, we'll be back to Jensen Beach, River Palm Cottages and will be visiting those snook again soon. 

Tune in tomorrow, Friday, August 8th at 10:30 a.m. ET on Fox SunSports for this week's episode "Baitbuster Bridge." Check the AF website for replay times on Sunday and Wednesday. 

Until next week . . . tight lines,

Blair

It's that time of year . . .

Me and the AF Crew are heading to Orlando next week . . . getting ready right now for one of the biggest fishing industry events of the year, ICAST. All week, manufacturers, vendors, Television Networks, and fishing legends walk the tradeshow floors to buy, sell and plan for the next fishing season. It's a fisherman's candy store I tell ya and it's hard for me to concentrate on stuff. Ha! Something always catches my eye, each of my sponsors' booths are filled with the newest products, gadgets and doohickeys, and it's all I can do to not sneak out and go fishing with them. Plus, it's amazing how many of my fishing heroes I get to meet and see. Should be an interesting week. To kick off the start of the week, I'm taking the McGills (of Wright & McGill) out fishing. They're making the trip from Colorado for ICAST and it's my pleasure to show them a little of the saltwater world before we all have to suit up and work for the week. Hope to have some photos and a nice update for you next time. 

My schedule at the convention is usually a little crazy and all over the place, but I do know a couple of locked down times and booths where I'll be. So if you're at the show this year, and you want to stop by to say "hey," come see me on Wednesday at the W&M/EagleClaw/Trokar booth from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. and in the same booth on Thursday from 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. After that on Thursday, I'll be in the Engel Coolers booth at 4 p.m. - 6 p.m. They're testing out their coolers to show you firsthand how good they really work. When they load in on Tuesday, Engel is filling a couple of coolers with ice and beer, not touching them again until Thursday at 4 p.m. I will be ready for an "Engel cold" beer by 4 p.m. on Thursday . . . stop by for one too! 

I'm going to miss next week's blog because I'll be at ICAST, so stay tuned for reports and updates on Facebook and the following week in my blog. Gotta go meet with all my wonderful sponsors to see what's new for next year and how soon can we put it on TV. Can't wait!

Tune in tomorrow for this week's episode . . . "Lyin' Hawaiian." I'm fishing with Capt. Tony DelosSantos in the backcountry waters of Key Largo. Had a great time catching snook and redfish, and finally getting to fish with Tony. Watch tomorrow, Friday July 11th at 10:30 a.m. ET on Fox SunSports. Check the AF website for replay times on Sunday and Wednesday.

Until next week . . . tight lines,
Blair

Going Glades

This photo's not technically a "flashback" since we just shot it a couple of weeks ago, and I've already shared it on Facebook. But I've got to say how much I love catching snook and this one was caught the night before a shoot we had down in South Florida with my long time cameraman George. Sweet little backwater snook!

Gotta make this week's update short . . . we're heading out on the water to shoot another episode, and sticking close to home while getting all my gear and my boat ready has gotten me a little stir crazy. I think I better do some fishin' before we go fishin'! 

I'm also getting ready to head to another Dick's Sporting Goods store grand opening. If y'all haven't been out to one yet, they're a lot of fun and you can really load up on some great deals! I'll be in Clermont, Florida next weekend (on Saturday, June 28th from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.) at the newest store at the Sandhills Commons. Stop by to say "hey" and I'll help ya pick out a new Flats Blue or Flats Pink rod, some killer Mirrolure topwater plugs, DOA Lures and rig it all up with the right Seaguar leader and FINS braid.  

Tune in to this week's episode "Going Glades" (Friday, June 20th at 10:30 a.m. ET on Fox SunSports). I'm fishing the Everglades again with my good friend Capt. Gary Thompson. Y'all might remember a show we did in 2007 ("Tarpon Time") with Capt. Gary. I was battling big tarpon in the mosquito canals down there, and this year we went back for more, but did something a little different. I'm fishing for redfish and snook on this episode and we had a blast. 

Check it out tomorrow!  Also check the AF website for replay times on Sunday and Wednesday.

Until next week . . . tight lines,

Blair

Deadwood - This Week's New Episode

WATCH THE FULL EPISODE BELOW

Hogs in the fog!

I like this Throwback Thursday thing on Facebook. It gives me a chance to go through some old fishing photos and relive the great catches I've had in the past. Sometimes it's not just about what I'm catching, but what I've helped others catch. Here are a few from 2003 when I went snook fishing in Jensen Beach with my production crew and cousin. We were just out for fun one day and each one of us hooked up to a snook of a lifetime. The photo above is Mr. Producerman Kevin with his Mogan Snook. The next photo is Trice our Operations Manager with her impressive linesider. 

. . . and then my cousin Shane rockin' one for the photo album. The ride home that day was filled with lots of grins!  

Earlier this week we had a really small window of good weather over in the Tampa Bay area and Skeeter Pro Capt. Ryan Farner called to let us know he had a show idea for us - Hogfishin'. Now, I had never caught Hoggies on a hook before, I had only ever caught them spearfishing, so this was going to be a challenge but I was up for it. The only hesitation I had was we had to make sure we could catch 'em for the camera, and the pressure was on. You'll have to tune in to the episode when it airs this Spring, but let me tell you . . . I had a blast catching these crazy and beautiful looking fish. They sure are pretty (and pretty tasty). 

Hey Florida Panhandlers - we're coming back up and will be in Panama City Beach next weekend on Friday and Saturday (the 7th & 8th)!! I'll give you all the details on where to find us in next week's blog. My new Skeeter SX220 will be there for you to check out and Legendary Marine will be bringing out a new SX2250.  We'll be leaving right from Panama City on Saturday to head to Slidell, LA for some fun with y'all on Sunday, March 9th. After we spend the day with y'all on Sunday, me and the crew are heading to do some Louisiana fishing and shoot an episode for the new AF season. Going to be a long, but very fun trip. Hope to see y'all next weekend . . . I'll fill you in on the where/when soon! 

Tune in this week to AF and catch the last airing of "Tortuga Bank" on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. ET (Sportsman Channel). We've got some killer grouper and snapper action to show you from the Dry Tortugas. Then on Monday at 9:00 a.m. and again on Tuesday at 2:30 a.m. check out the "Bits & Bites" episode for footage you didn't get to see before, like blackfin tuna, grouper, redfish and tripletail. Don't forget, if you can't watch it on TV, you can always subscribe to the AF YouTube channel for full episodes anywhere / any time.

I've got to get the oil changed in my truck and get ready to hit the road again. Next stop, Panama City Beach! 

Until next week . . . tight lines,

Blair