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Pat Xiques

Pat Xiques, Mahopac, NY

Pat Xiques left the saltwater surroundings of Long Island, NY in 1988 to chase "sweetwater" bass, and he's never looked back. He's represented the NJ B.A.S.S. Federation at the Eastern Divisionals in 1988 and 1999, and finished in enough federation, regional and local tournament "top tens" to grab the attention of Gary Yamamoto's Inside Line scouts back in 1996, where Pat is now a staff writer for the magazine.

A reformed shallow water power fisherman, Pat now resides in Upstate NY on Lake Mahopac where he has perfected his own self-made approach to "offshore" bass fishing, using bottom-probing tactics like dropshot rigs, "One Ton" hula jigs, spoons and hair jigs. Pat also deploys tactics for suspended bass such as wacky-rigging Senkos and the Senko Jig for roving offshore bass.

Xiques relates, "Yamamoto Baits are becoming well known here in the East. Things are changing. A few years ago the fishermen were satisfied with whatever the X-Marts carried. Now they're seeking out the custom bait products, and Yamamoto is right in the midst of the action."