Fishing, Hunting & Outdoor Blogs | Bass Pro Shops

Whether you are looking for a new flashlight or a tactical belt, we now offer the 5.11 Tactical series here at Bass Pro Shops.  For those who put their lives on the line every time they get dressed for work the proper gear is a MUST HAVE, starting with the something as simple as the shirt and belt up to the gun and believe it or not even the flashlight. Here at Bass Pro Shops our educated associates realize that safety is number one when beginning to outfit an individual for their career followed closely by reliability, practicalness, functionality, and comfort. The NEW 5.11 Tactical series has a little of everything needed to keep the individual safe and put all worries at rest.

Belts

-Double Duty Belt-Offered in sizes Medium to XX-Large, Durable and versatile 1.5" reversible nylon belt, Reversible design for two color options....black or tan, Non-metallic buckle........great for air travel, courtrooms, and safe for EOD, Micro-adjustable buckle design - custom fit comfort, Tough - two heavy-duty nylon webbing layers and five rows of stitching for stability, Easy thread belt tip

-Trainer Belt- Offered in sizes Medium to XX-Large, Durable, comfortable, and functional belt,Accommodates most off duty holsters, Velcro® locking system, Reinforced stitching, Super strong 1-1/2" nylon mesh material, Solid stainless steel buckle with a 6,000 lb. rating

Flashlights

-Atac PLx Penilight- 5" long, 2.2 oz., Compact Design, Operates on two AAA batteries (Included), 3 Hour runtime,Stamped Metal Pocket Clip, Tailcap switch - high mode and momentary-on mode, Gold plated contacts and regulated circuit for maximum output, Cree® XP-C LED delivers 69 lumens of light

-Atac A1- Versatile, high performance, lightweight flashlight, Tough, water resistant, aerospace grade aluminum construction, Cree® XP-E LED delivers 103 lumens of light in smooth tactical beam pattern, Gold plated contacts and regulated circuit for maximum output, Intelligent tailcap switch - high/low/strobe modes with momentary on option, Comes with Breakaway Lanyard and black TPR soft touch anti-roll ring, Stamped Metal Pocket Clip, Operates on one AA battery (Included), Delivers up to 50 minutes of runtime on high mode, 28 hours on low, Compact Design

-Atac A2- Versatile, high performance, lightweight flashlight, Tough, water resistant, aerospace grade aluminum construction, Delivers up to 1.75 hours of runtime on high mode, 75 hours on low, Operates on two AA batteries (Included), Compact Design, Stamped Metal Pocket Clip, Comes with Breakaway Lanyard and black TPR soft touch anti-roll ring, Intelligent tailcap switch - high/low/strobe modes with momentary on option, Gold plated contacts and regulated circuit for maximum output

-Atac L1- Versatile, industry leading performance from a lightweight and compact flashlight, Tough, water resistant, aerospace grade aluminum construction, Cree® XP-G LED delivers 173 lumens of light in smooth tactical beam pattern, Gold plated contacts and regulated circuit for maximum output, Intelligent tailcap switch - high/low/strobe modes with momentary on option, Rotary Dial Lock-Out Switch - lock or unlock the light with just one hand, Comes with Breakaway Lanyard and black TPR soft touch anti-roll ring, operates ON ONE CR 123 battery, Stamped Metal Pocket Clip

-Atac L2-  Versatile, industry leading performance from a lightweight and compact flashlight,  Stamped Metal Pocket Clip, Operates on two CR 123 batteries, Comes with Breakaway Lanyard and black TPR soft touch anti-roll ring, Rotary Dial Lock-Out Switch - lock or unlock the light with just one hand, Intelligent tailcap switch - high/low/strobe modes with momentary on option, Gold plated contacts and regulated circuit for maximum output,  Cree® XP-G LED delivers 222 lumens of light in smooth tactical beam pattern

Accessories for Flashlights

-Atac Belt Clip/Holster- Durable and lightweight Polymer PC/ABS construction, Attaches to standard belts and duty belts, Narrow Design Takes Up Less Space On Belt, Compatible with all ATAC flashlights  

Clothing

-Taclite Pro Vest-  iPAD compatible, Back-Up Belt System™ compatible, Cut long to conceal sidearm, 17 Pockets, Durable quad-stitched construction with 55 bar tacks at all stress points, Lightweight Taclite™ fabric, Extremely versatile, comfortable, and lightweight

-Holster Shirt- Velcro pocket locks keeps hidden gear secure, Comfortable and athletic shirt designed for concealed carry functionality, Opaque outer mesh layer obscures profile of handgun, Securely stows compact handgun and magazines/speed loaders or mp3 player, Mesh shoulder yoke supports the extra weight of a concealed handgun and eliminates sagging, Lightweight 80/20 poly/spandex construction with moisture wicking and antimicrobial technology, Flat-lock seams reduce friction and prevent chafing

-Covert Casual Shirt- Softer hand and a more relaxed finish,  Offered in Gray, Blue, or Green, Features a 50% rayon/50% polyester blend - cool and comfortable to wear, Long cut and breakaway side vents for fast access to holstered gun on the waist, Two internal concealment pockets behind a zippered front chest pocket, RapidDraw center placket - quick and easy opening Prym metal snaps behind false Melamine buttons, Comfortable, plain clothes look from a concealed carry shirt

-Taclite Pro Short Sleeve Shirt- Comfortable durability and function for those who demand performance and a professional appearance, Offered in Green or Navy, Durable and ultra-lightweight 4 oz., 65/35 poly/cotton ripstop construction, Six pockets - including patented hidden document pockets and pen pockets, Stitched eyelets on gusseted underarms for further moisture and heat management,  Large cape-back covers moisture-wicking Drilex® material - efficiently vents moisture, Triple needle construction and reinforced anti-crack, anti-chip melamine buttons for durability, Teflon treated for stain, liquid and soil resistance

-Taclite Pro Long Sleeve Shirt- Offered in tan, Comfortable durability and function for those who demand performance and a professional appearance, Six pockets - includes patented hidden document pockets and pen pockets on left, Stitched eyelets on gusseted underarms for further moisture and heat management, Durable and ultra-lightweight 4 oz., 65/35 poly/cotton ripstop construction, Teflon treated for stain, liquid and soil resistance, Triple needle construction and reinforced anti-crack, anti-chip melamine buttons for durability, Large cape-back covers moisture-wicking Drilex® material - efficiently vents moisture 

-Taclite Pro Cargo Pants- Offered in Tundra or Coyete, Tough, lightweight, and breathable cargo pant for work or play, Cordura®-lined, Two rear pockets with 5.11's signature strap and slash pocket design, Two cargo pockets, Multiple pockets for easy access to gear, Genuine YKK® zippers and Prym® snaps for trustworthy durability, Wear-resistant HT Teflon® finish for spill and stain resistance,  Fully gusseted crotch that allows for full range of movement, Lightweight and durable 65/35 poly/cotton ripstop construction with double reinforced seat and knees, Based on proven 5.11 Tactical Pant design

-Strike Pant with Flex-Tac- Badge holder front belt loops, Proven 5.11 Tactical comfort and durability, Self-adjusting tunnel waistband for comfort, Poly/cotton ripstop fabric incorporates mechanical stretch yarns for better breathability and durability, Fade and stain resistant fabric, Quick access, low-profile angled pockets, Genuine YKK® zippers and Prym® snaps

So no matter what you are looking for or even who you are looking for whether it be yourself, a loved one, or to outfit your whole unit come visit your local Bass Pro Shops and let our knowledgeable team of associates help take care of any worries.

Hey all you fishermen,women,and Kids! Are you ready for the biggest fishing event ever!!, Bass Pro Shops 2012 Spring Fishing Classic Starts this Friday Feburary 24 through March 11. Come join our free activities. We will be having FREE seminars presented by our local Pro's; Bob Miley,Captain.Brian,and BillyBob. Also Captain Bouncer Smith, Peter Miller and George Poveromo just to name a few from Bass Master Pro University will be holding FREE seminars here at Bass Pro Shops as well. Ask anything and they will give you tips and techniques to help you catch the one of your dreams. Our vendors will be here so make sure you stop by each of there booths to see what they have to offer you. Get a chance to win a fishing trip with Mark Zona, $300.00 BPS gift card and a fishing package that includes a bait cast reel,rod,electric fillet knife, KVD tackle system and a fishing vet. Kids dont forget to tell mom and dad that there is so much here for you to do. Learn something new at our FREE Kids fishing Seminars. Come fish at our  Free Catch-and-release Pond with Live fish and get your picture taken of you and your catch! Be creative and make one of our alligator clip crafts or the wooden wiggle snake craft and bring it home to show all your friends. If you love to color dont worry, we have coloring sheets for you to enjoy as well. If you love to watch and learn new things dont forget we will have Tank Demos put on by our Pro's.  Now for all those people who love to shop; receive up to $100.00 in BONUS BUCKS! when you use your Bass Pro Shops Visa credit card. You can trade-in your reel and rod and save up to $100.00 on a new reel or rod. Wow there are so many daily specials, Believe me; you dont want to miss this!!!

The 2012 Spring Fishing Classic at Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City starts February 24, 2012. To kick of our Fishing Classic we will be having FREE fishing seminars February 24-26, with some celebrity appearances by some of the best in the fishing industry.

Friday, February 24

4:30pm-5:30pm - Bill Dance

6pm - Advanced Small and Largemouth Bass Tactics - Nick Lebrun

7pm - Local Fishing Tips - Mike and Cathy Wheatley

8pm - Side Imaging Sonar: How to Use it effectively to Catch Fish - Gene Ellison

Saturday, February 25

1pm - Bass Fishing Tips and Techniques - Rick Clunn

2pm - Pre-Spawn and Post Spawn Bass - Brian Snowden

3pm - Fishfinder Basics - Jason Williamson

4pm - Crankbait Fishing - Dennis Tietje

5pm - Spinnerbait Basics - James Sullivan

Sunday, February 26

12pm - Roland Martin

1pm -The Tackle & Tactics of Power Fishing vs Finesse Fishing - Joey Nania

2pm - Local Fishing Tips & Techniques - Jim Breaux

3pm - Side Imaging Sonar - Mike and Cathy Wheatley

4pm - Fishfinder Basics - Mike and Cathy Wheatley

Our Classic also has some great trade-in specials with savings up to $100. Our Reel trade-in is from Feb. 24-29 and the Rod trade-in is from March 2-6, just bring in your old rods and reels and trade-in and up!

March 2 - Bassmaster University

7pm - Riggin' Swimbaits - Jason Williamson

8pm - Searching, Locating, & Harvesting Winning Fish - Gene Ellison

March 2-6 - Vendor Booths

Shimano/G. Loomis

Wright McGill

Plano/Lucky Craft

Normark/VMC/Sufix

PRADCO

Hummingbird/Minn Kota

Lowrance

Zebco/Quantum

Pure Fishing

March 9 - 11 - Next Generation Weekend - Noon - 5pm

FREE Catch and Release Pond! Indoor pond stocked with live fish!

Kids will enjoy fishing in our fully stocked fish pond. Learn to cast! Receive a FREE Give-a-way!

FREE Drawstring Backpack give-a-way to the first 50 kids to participate in the Catch-and-Release Pond each day!

 FREE Kids' Seminars!

 2pm - Using a Spinning Reel

3pm - Bobbers, Sinkers, Live and Artificial Bait

4pm - Fishing Baskets and Stringers

 FREE Kids' Crafts! - Noon-2pm each day

 Kids can make an Alligator Clip* or a Wooden Wiggle Snake

 FREE Photo Download! Kids get a FREE photo of your catch at our Catch-and-Release Pond!

February 24, 2012 - March 11, 2012

Bass Pro Shops Sevierville I-40 @ exit 407

865-932-5600

• Friday Evening 

• Saturday 

• Sunday 

• Friday 10 am- 8 pm
• Saturday 10 am – 6 pm
• Sunday 10 am- 5 pm

• March 3 2 pm

• March 3 3 pm

 Turkey Season

Our Turkey assortment is in stock and ready for your immediate review.  Please come in and see our products and speak with our knowledgeable and friendly staff.  We are ready to serve your every need at the Katy Bass Pro Shop.  Our passion is helping you bag a nice Turkey this year and create memories that will last a lifetime.  If you need a new call or new shotgun we are ready to show you the products that we have and our associates have the knowledge to get you started right.

This will be another unforgettable season for hunting

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 Great Products at Great Prices

New life vests have just arrived At the Bass Pro Shops in Katy Texas.  You have to see the new features and the great colors.  Check out the new gear on http://www.basspro.com/.  So many styles and colors to choose from it is amazing.

If you are in the market for some new vests please let our sales staff help you make just the right purchase.

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  The Best Price Ever

The Mercury 9.9M is now on special at the Bass Pro Shops Katy, Texas.  The Mercury 9.9M, 4 stroke is on sale for $1,699 over an $800 savings.  Offer good February 24^th until March 11^th 2012.  Do not let this one slip by it is an incredible offer.  Please call and get yours before they are all gone.  (While supply last, no rain checks.) 

Call 281-644-2180

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Bass Pro Shops Electronoics

New Electronics are arriving at the Katy Bass Pro Shops.  We are ready to help you select just the right products to get you on the fish and back home safe again.  Our Friendly and knowledgeable staff are ready to help you today.  We can even arrange to have your new electronics installed quickly and reliably.  We offer professional installs on just about everything we sell. Please contact us directly at 281-644-2180

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End of Season Clearance

End of season clothing clearance is in full swing at the Bass Pro Shops in Katy Texas.  Do not miss the opportunity to save big on this event.  Please see store for the latest additions you will be glad you did.  We are ready to serve you right now.  Savings like this may never be seen again.

 Another Great Offer!!

Now is your chance to receive up to $100 in bonus bucks when you use your Bass Pro Visa Credit Card.  Please see the Katy Bass Pro Shop for details.  You can see all our great Fishing and Hunting gear at http://www.basspro.com/  Do not miss out on this one.

Offer Good March 1st through March 7th

 Fishing Tips and Techniques

Fishing is our in our blood at the Bass Pro Shops in Katy Texas.  We have many demonstrations planned for this weekend.  Learn the right techniques on how to present your lure to fish and have them ready to bite on your every cast.  Our fishing experts are ready to serve you today.  Find out how to fish where to go and what they are biting on right now.  Do not miss your chance to learn and experience the fishing lifestyle.

 Experts are waiting to show you how.

We have experts in every Fishing discipline at the Katy Bass Pro Shops.  Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will be here to help you out, whatever your needs are.  See our complete line of fly tying accessories at http://www.basspro.com/.  Check out our on line fly tying classes at the Katy store you will be glad you did.

Fly Tying is Fun and Rewarding 

Ever wanted to learn to tie a Fly and use a fly rod correctly. At the Bass Pro Shop in Katy Texas we have the best possible staff and the best products on display and ready for you to fish this weekend.  We are waiting to serve you and help you get started, or add to your gear for the perfect experience. Associates are ready to meet your every need.

Mark your calendars now to come out to the 2012 Spring Fishing Classic here at Bass Pro Shops in Broken Arrow! The event will run from Friday, February 24th through Sunday, March 11th and is full of free activities, seminars, drawings, and more.

The Classic kicks off on Friday the 24th with the following seminar schedule:

6pm - Advanced Small and Largemouth Bass Tactics
7pm - Local Fishing Tips & Techniques
8pm - Side Image Sonar: How to Use it Effectively to Catch Fish

On Friday we will also begin our annual Reel Trade-in program, where you can bring in your reels that you don’t use and receive a coupon towards the purchase of a new one. This will start on the 24th and run through March 2nd. For the first time ever, we will also have a Rod Trade-in program on March 2 - 6. All trade-ins will be inspected to ensure good working order, then donated to local youth organizations to help with their outdoor education programs.

Saturday, February 25th

The fun continues with the following seminars given by Local Pros:

1pm - Cold Water Jerk Baits
2pm - Pre-Spawn and Post-Spawn Bass
3pm - Fish Finder Basics
4pm - Crankbait Fishing: Tactics and Importance of Matching Road and Reel Gear Ratio to Various Crankbaits
5pm - Spinnerbait Basics
 

Sunday, February 26th

We'll finish off the weekend with these informative seminars:

1pm - Tackle & Tactics of Power Fishing vs. Finesse Fishing
2pm - Local Fishing Tips & Techniques
3pm - Side Image Sonar: How to Use it effectively to Catch Fish
4pm - Fish Finder Basics

March 2 - 4

The second week of the Classic, March 2 - 4, will be full of tank demos and vendor booths who will be here to talk to you about their products and answer any questions you might have.

Representatives will be here from Daiwa/Frabill, Pure Fishing, Shimano/G Loomis, St. Croix, Zebco/ Quantum, Normark/VMC/Suffix, Strike King, Pradco, Humminbird/Minn Kota, Lowrance, Wright McGill, Motor Guide, and Falcon.

The vendors will be here Friday 10am - 8pm, Saturday 10am - 6pm and Sunday 10am - 5pm.

We are happy to announce that we will also have National Pros here on Saturday, March 3rd to conduct workshops as part of our Bassmaster University. All attendees of the University will receive a FREE 32-page guide from Bassmaster full of useful fishing tips. The University Schedule is below:

12 - 5pm: Bill McElroy will personalize your rod handle with a "Scales & Tales" drawing for FREE!
1pm: John Maniaci - Bass Fishing Trends in 2012
2pm: Ott DeFoe - My Way of Power Fishing Shallow Water
3pm: Edwin Evers - How to Power Fish with Finesse Baits. A Technique for Fishing Heavily Pressured Lakes.

March 9 - 11

Our 2012 Spring Fishing Classic "Next Generation Weekend" will be held March 9 - 11th.

Be the first one to try out our NEW Catch and Release Indoor Fishing Pond! From Noon to 5:00pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, kids will have the opportunity to catch live fish at our indoor pond and then have a free photo taken to pose with their big catch. Plus, the first 50 kids to participate will receive a FREE Next Generation Drawstring Backpack!

From Noon to 2:00pm each day we will be offering FREE kids crafts including an Alligator Clip and Wooden Wiggle Snake. There will be FREE coloring sheets for the kids to color and take home.

We will also have kids fishing basics workshops on the following subjects:

2:00pm - Using a Spinning Reel and Rod; how much line to load, casting properly, and what type of spinning combination to use.

3:00pm – When to use bobbers, sinkers, live bait or artificial and what is right for different styles of fishing.

4:00pm – Fishing baskets and stringers: what is best and how to use them properly.

Don't miss out on these fun and FREE activities for the kids!

Our weekend started at Bass Pro Shops - San Antonio where our "fatherless" teen Daphane was treated like a princess...from a 5-star welcoming in, to a whole rack of clothing from our sponsors, to a delicious meal at the Islamorada restaurant.

The W/S Turkey Creek ranch is a typical South Texas working ranch, with an intense deer management program. Drought conditions are as harsh as I've ever seen in that area, but the deer are plentiful and BIG!

Daphane is a product of the foster care system, born and raised in the typical inner-city "concrete jungle". She has not seen her dad in over 6 years, and her mom has serious mental health issues.
We took her to the range, to shoot a firearm for the very first time. After a 20 minute instruction, she threw up a 3 shot 3" group from the bull. UNREAL! Don't know if its the great instruction (ha), or the "Accu-trigger" on the .270 Savage she was firing. My guess it's a combination of both!

I would like to thank Andy Sanchez (landowner) and Dr. Manny Sanchez (DVM) for hosting the Majesty Outdoor team. We had a blast, creating a unforgettable outdoor experience for Daphane. This will be a very, very cool episode.  Although we did not actually KILL a buck (they were either too big or too young…we were after a “management buck), this was a great experience for Daphane.  We advertise that Majesty Outdoors is not about the ‘catch or the kill’, but about the EXPERIENCE.  God tested us on this as we hunted very hard for three days.



Catch this episode and all the others on NBC Sports! (formerly Versus)

Few lures or techniques have drawn as much attention as the “Alabama” rig, or as it has been known for years in saltwater circles, the umbrella rig. This attention was brought to a head by the almost unbelievable weights that were caught last fall in a couple of major professional bass tournaments. The fire was lit and although there has been a considerable amount of debate about their use and legality it would seem they are here to stay.

The umbrella rig, our Bass Pro Shops model is called the “Deadly 5 Shad Rig”, is fairly simple, usually one tie point with 5 wires with swivels for lure placement, however; there seems to be a lot of questions about what kind of trailer and hooks should be used. Swim type baits are currently the lure of choice for most anglers. The most popular size is 4 inches and sports a large paddle type tail that provides a very lifelike presentation. Some anglers will use 4 of the four inch baits and use a 5 inch or larger bait in the center trying to draw a strike to the larger bait. This is a result of varying state regulations, such as Missouri, which only allows 3 trailers with hooks, but you can use the other two wires with baits (decoys) as long as they do not have hooks in them. A lot of anglers use a lighter head such as 1/8^th ounce when fishing in less than 10 feet of water and use heavier heads up to ½ ounce when the need to fish deeper.  Some anglers use jigs with light wire hooks so they can pull the rig loose when it gets hung up, however; trophy fish may be lost when using the light weight hooks.

One of the best jig heads for the rig is the Bass Pro Shops “Deadly 5” jig, the powder coated head is very chip resistant and the hook is strong enough to handle lunker bass. The darter type head helps control swim baits and is designed to hold the baits securely.

Several very good swimbaits  such as the Berkley “Hollow Belly”, the Optimum “Double Diamond Swimmer” or the new NetBait “BK” swimbait are good choices. Quality Swimbaits have paddle tails that have a lot of movement even at slow speeds. Color selection is generally either the prevalent shad or sunfish pattern that the bass are feeding on. One rule of thumb that applies is to use light colors on bright days and dark colors on dark days. Swimbaits are made in several lengths, however; the 4 inch size seems to be a good size to start the day with, bigger baits may be used to target trophy fish.

Special Tip: Use a chartreuse or red Spike-It marker on the center swim bait tail to attract fish!

We had so much interest in our Dutch Oven cooking post, we're going to explore it a bit further.  In the first article, we mentioned "stacking" Dutch ovens...so what's that all about?  Here's more from our own Tiffany Noble, camping Associate and Dutch Oven cooking expert...and she has included another recipe!

Stacking your Dutch Ovens is a good way to save space and share heat. Stacking is best done when ovens need the same amount of heat on top and bottom.

The coals on the lid of one oven serve as the "underneath" coals for the oven stacked on top...and the oven on top helps trap heat for the oven underneath. Items that need more heat should be on top.

So, let's say you're making a cobbler, roast, and a stew.  How do they stack up? Breads, desserts, and baked items should be in the bottom oven, since they want very little heat underneath. Placing an oven with a cake, pie, or rolls in it, on top of an oven loaded with coals on the lid will burn your food.

Then, put your meat to roast in the middle and the stew on the top. Heat estimating can be more difficult when stacking and you might have to make several tries before you get the hang of doing this. Here are some more tips:

• Don't mix and match ovens that require different amounts of heat on top and bottom.
• Remember to check your food a few more times than you would normally when you first try this stacking technique.
• Rotate each oven and the lid, every so often, to get even cooking.
• There are many environmental factors that can change the temperatures of your ovens. Wind might blow heat away, colder air temperature, light rain, higher humidity and higher elevations reduce heat from coals, and heat from the sun can make your ovens hot.  
• A dutch oven holds a lot of heat in the sides and lid. You can move it off of the coals before it is finished cooking and let it finish with just the heat of the pot.

It takes some planning, but an entire meal can be fixed this way, so it all gets done at the same time.

What about the number of coals? As an example, if you're using three, 12" diameter pots to make your cobbler, roast, and stew by stacking, following are some basic rules of thumb to figure out how much coal to use on each.  Remember, in our first post, we said to take the diameter of the pot and add three for the top coals and subtract three for the underneath coals. In this case, that would be 12+3 (15) and 12-3 (9).  When stacking you do it a little differently because, as mentioned earlier, the pots absorb heat from each other.

Now, another one of Tiffany's fave recipes...an easy one for first-time Dutch Oven cooks...enjoy! 

Homestyle Chili and Cornbread

1 lb ground beef (ground venison or other wild game works, too!)              
3 cloves garlic, minced 
2 Tbsp chili powder     
1 (20oz) can tomatoes, chopped or tomato sauce
1 lg yellow onion, chopped
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 lb uncooked kidney beans

 Cover beans with 2"-3" water. Bring to boil, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain and set aside. Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer about a half an hour. Then, I mix up a cornbread mix (Uncle Buck's Cornbread Mix is perfect for this!) and pour it right on top of the chili. After about another half-hour of cooking time or when the cornbread is cooked all the way through and golden brown it's ready!

 Variations: Use black beans instead of kidney beans. Add fresh ground coriander, cilantro, ginger, Smoked paprika, or cocoa. Add chopped jalapenos or canned diced green Chiles for extra heat!

You always hear about winterizing your boat, but do you ever hear of de-winterizing? The answer is not as often as you should. Taking the right steps to getting your boat back on the water is just as important as making sure your boat doesn't fail during the winter.

The best thing to do is to go through a checklist to make sure you don't forget to check everything before you rocket out of the hole for your first springtime trip. The following checklist will help you to hit the high points of good boat maintenance.

• Fuel System- Examine for any soft, brittle, or obviously cracked hoses. Inspect the fuel system for any leaks, paying special attention to any damaged connections. You may also consider running a fuel treatment like Star Bright Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment this can help clear any buildup that may have happened over the winter.
• Electrical Systems- Check that connections are clean and tight. Any corrosion needs attention as it could lead to costly repairs. Clean battery terminals with a wire brush and have your battery tested by a professional to ensure it is holding its charge. A good electrical system is maintained frequently. Check your battery charger too, and if you have any doubts do yourself a favor and replace it with a new XPS Intelligent Technology Series On-Board Marine Battery Charger.
• Propeller and Hulls- Drive train damage can result from dents, dings, and distortion to your prop. Inspect to make sure you aren't causing any excess vibration. For your hull inspection look for blisters, distortions, and cracks. Always use environmentally friendly soaps as well. Check out Bass Pro Shops whole lineup of Boat Care Products here.
• Belts Cables and Hoses- These parts are subject to wear and deterioration during the winter. Check that all belts are snug and no hoses are cracked or showing wear. These can be some of the easiest problems to prevent. Also be sure to check your bilge pump thoroughly, and if you need a replacement or want an automatic pump, Bass Pro has you covered, check out the Bilge Pump Selection.
• Fluids- Oil, coolant, power steering, and power trip are all liquid systems and require an inspection. Also, if you didn't replace your oil, oil filter, and drive lubricants prior to winterizing, these need to be changed. Mercury Quicksilver is a popular choice.
• Safety Equipment- Last but certainly not least, is your safety equipment. Check that all life jackets are in good repair and that you have enough for all potential passengers and a spare. Also keep in mind that children will need different life jackets from adults. Giving a child the wrong life jacket can do more harm than good. Check that your fire extinguisher is fully charged and ready. And take advantage of any free safety inspections, as another set of eyes is sometimes all it takes to prevent an accident, or make sure you are prepared.

These checks are a part of boat ownership and will give you a sense of satisfaction and pride in your vessel.