Vexus® Pro Adam Rasmussen admits he ditched playing left tackle after his sophomore year of high school so he could instead practice catching Wisconsin River smallies after the dismissal bell rang.
The Rasmussen’s connection to Wisconsin football runs deep. Adam’s wife, Allie, is a great niece to Mary Jane Van Duyse. Mary Jane was once engaged to Packers Founder Curly Lambeau and invented the iconic Packers cheer “Go Pack Go!” as a Green Bay Golden Girls cheerleader.
Twenty years later, Rasmussen, who fell three pounds short of winning the 2024 Bassmaster Classic, has no choice but to saturate himself in America’s pigskin culture once again.
Weekends in Adam’s impressive mancave the Rasmussens call “The Warehouse” are dominated by Packer watch parties. But just out of shouting range, you’ll find the down-to-earth pro prepping tackle on the deck of his Vexus® VX21, getting ready to blitz Green Bay area smallmouth throughout the football season.
“Of course, September brings a hint of cooler nights, but it’s a tricky month because you’ve still got some smallies shallow enough to cast at visually, while a few are moving to deeper breaklines in 20’ of water. It seems like nearly every day in September is a little bit different,” says Rasmussen.
Ultimately, September sees an ongoing migration of smallmouth from their summer hangouts to where they will spend the cold winter months.
“By late September or early October, they’re moving along travel routes on breaklines in 15-25’ of water, where a 2.5” soft plastic tube on a 3/8 to 1/2-ounce VMC head can be deadly. A 3” Rapala CrushCity Mayor swimbait on a 1/2-ounce jighead is another solid producer this time of year,” says the Stevens Point native.
Rasmussen says the late-season run between Halloween and early December is his favorite. “When water temps get down to around 54 degrees, it’s time to load an Alabama Rig up with 3” CrushCity Mayor minnows and throw around rocky bluff walls with 40’ of water nearby. That’s my hands-down favorite way to catch late-season smallies, and sometimes you even catch two at a time!” smiles Rasmussen.
Curly Lambeau died nearly 60 years ago while mowing a lawn not far from Rasmussen’s home, but his heritage lives on forever in the hearts and souls of Packer fans everywhere—including those that will pack into “The Warehouse” throughout the weeks ahead.
“Oh, you can bet I’ll be there watching the games with all our family and friends. But I promise ya, if we get a mild sunny day in late November or early December, I’ll be loading my A-Rigs into the Vexus and heading to a bluffy shoreline in Green Bay,” smiles Rasmussen.
To learn more about the Vexus® VX21 Rasmussen counts on to always deliver a smooth ride, even during a blustery Wisconsin autumn, please visit vexusboats.com.
