Chad Brauer has a new Unplugged Article up today on picking the correct line for the conditions. He also answers a couple of questions from Wired readers at the end of the article. Remember if you have questions for Chad send them to feedback@wired2fish.com. |
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Picking the Right Line
We often think about fishing line as that connection between us and a fish when we are trying to boat a bass. But in reality, the line we use affects many things on every cast. Casting distance, sensitivity, lure action, lure depth, and many other things are dictated at least partially by our fishing line. So not only do we rely on our line to bring the bass to the boat, it is also critical in getting them to bite.
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LEFEBRE CLAIMS EARLY LEAD AT 2009 FORREST WOOD CUP PRESENTED BY BP AND CASTROL
World’s best anglers begin competition for $1 million first-place cash prize in Pittsburgh
Team Kellogg’s pro Dave Lefebre of Union City, Pa., weighed in a five-bass limit that weighed 8 pounds, 13 ounces during the first day of competition at the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup presented by BP and Castrol — the World Championship of Bass Fishing — on the Three Rivers in Pittsburgh and ended the day with a slim one-ounce lead. The Forrest Wood Cup presented is the richest bass fishing tournament in the world and features a $1 million first-place cash award.
“I probably caught 25 keepers,” said Lefebre, who has won more than $1 million in FLW Outdoors events. “I didn’t want to get all excited about this tournament, because I didn’t know what was going to happen.
“I tried to make my spot work for today and hopefully make me the cut,” Lefebre added. “And then I’ve got all my other stuff to fall back on.”
Lefebre remained tight-lipped about his methods, refusing to give up bait, technique or fishing location. He did, however, reveal that the area he fished consisted of two spots about 50 yards apart. Lefebre said he targeted rocks that were holding fish.
“It’s so exact,” Lefebre said. “It’s like casting into a bucket 30 feet away.”
Lefebre said his area is holding a good number of fish and he intends to return to the area again Friday.
Rounding out the top five places are David Curtis of Trinity, Texas (five bass, 8-12); Team Chevy pro Larry Nixon of Bee Branch, Ark. (five bass, 8-4); Team Folgers pro Scott Suggs of Bryant, Ark. (five bass, 7-12); and Michael Iaconelli of Runnemede, N.J. (five bass, 7-10).
Rounding out the top 10 spots are Kellogg’s pro Greg Bohannan of Rogers, Ark., 2009 BFL All-American winner Adam Wagner of Cookeville, Tenn., Bryan Thrift of Shelby, N.C., Rusty Salewske of Alpine, Calif., and Cody Meyer of Redding, Calif.
Former Forrest Wood Cup champion and Team Tums pro David Fritts of Lexington, N.C., inadvertently made a cast into an-off limits area and reported the rules infraction to tournament officials. As a result, Fritts’ Day One weight was voided.
Overall there were 228 bass weighing 262 pounds, 1 ounce caught by pros Thursday. The catch included 25 five-bass limits.
Tommie Goldston of Gardnerville, Nev., leads the Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 7-10 followed by Teddy Bradley of Mishawaka, Ind., in second place with four bass weighing 5-5.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Ralph Myhlhousen of Council Bluffs, Iowa (five bass, 4-14); Greg Schultz of Wayzata, Minn. (four bass, 4-4) and John Bitting of Westminster, Calif. (three bass, 3-15).
Overall there were 102 bass weighing 114 pounds, 3 ounces caught by co-anglers Thursday. The catch included two five-bass limits.
Co-anglers are fishing for a top award of $50,000 this week.
The total purse for the 2009 Forrest Wood Cup is $2 million, including $10,000 through 40th place in the Pro Division.
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AutoTrader.com, Online & On Board as TTBC Sponsor
Lake Conroe, Texas – AutoTrader.com, the ultimate automotive marketplace, is partnering with the Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC) held at Lake Conroe in Montgomery, Texas. AutoTrader.com will receive recognition as a corporate partner in all TTBC advertising and at the event venue. In addition, AutoTrader.com will offer promotional giveaways for spectators. The TTBC will be held October 16 – 18.
“AutoTrader.com is excited to become a partner of the 2009 Toyota Texas Bass Classic,” said Mark Scarpato, director of sales, national accounts for AutoTrader.com. “This is a great venue for us to increase awareness of the services we offer, and we hope that our initiatives will boost fans’ experience.”
AutoTrader.com will sponsor giveaway bags for the first 2,000 spectators Friday – Sunday and distribute additional promotional prizes onsite.
“We are excited to have AutoTrader.com in the mix. They were a great partner last year and we are both eager to build on our success this year at Lake Conroe,” said Tournament Director Lenny Francoeur. “This partnership works so well because world championship bass fishing, world-class country music concerts and the family friendly Outdoor Adventure Area will attract the perfect demographic for AutoTrader.com.”
For the first year, the TTBC is positioned as the world championship of the Professional Anglers Association (PAA) Tournament Series and the format will be an individual angling competition, making the event a true world championship. The field will be comprised of 60 anglers, all qualified members of the PAA who earn spots based on PAA Tournament Series finishes or other merits.
The Toyota Texas Bass Classic is sanctioned by the Professional Anglers Association with technical assistance and support from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division. Title sponsor for the event is Toyota. Dick’s Sporting Goods is the official sporting goods provider. The Saturday Concert is presented by Evan Williams, the official bourbon of the TTBC. The tournament will be held on Buffalo Springs, a planned development in the City of Montgomery. Corporate partnership opportunities are available for 2009. For additional information, visit www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com.
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Jewel and anglers benefit from Mustad process
Jewel Bait Co. is the first fishing tackle manufacturer to take advantage of a new Alpha Code standardization process implemented by O. Mustad & Son A.S., the world's largest hook manufacturer. Jewel president Gayle Julian says the trial run was perfect and that all their customers will benefit from a better product as a result.
"It's only human nature to try something for the first time with reserve and skepticism," Julian said. "But we just got our first run of Mustad test hooks made according to the procedure and they fit our mold perfectly. That's really special because we built our precision aluminum mold in advance using only their Alpha system information. What we got was a hook built to our highest specs for style, size, strength and sharpness that fit our tight-tolerance mold exactly; what fishermen get is a better Jewel jig head."
KG Enterprise, of Mountain Home, Arkansas, is the affiliated manufacturer for Jewel products and is known for its precision engineering of quality lead-cast products. Unlike most who work with lead, KG uses only self-made CNC-machined molds that aren't as forgiving as the popular silicone molds. That leaves no room for error in mold design, and the end result is a higher quality product.
The inaugural effort for the Mustad Alpha system involved a totally new hook design for a brand new Jewel jig. The same hook is also being used for Jewel's new "Squirrel Head" shaky head jig as part of the Jeff Kriet signature series.
"This hook didn't even exist before we had a fully finished mold waiting for its arrival," Julian added. "We couldn't be happier with what Mustad delivered. We're believers in this being a better mouse trap."
Mustad officials say it was Geir Sivertzen, their global products manager from company headquarters in Norway, who recognized the need for consistent hook proportions six years ago while developing the world's first and only proportionally correct fly hooks known as the Signature Series.
"Geir visited manufacturers in the United States and analyzed the production process," explained Harry Simmons, Mustad's North American OEM accounts manager. "He returned home frustrated that companies were using 'available hooks' instead of proportionally correct hooks that accurately fit the molds. By implementing the Alpha Code system, we can now produce jig hooks that will accurately and consistently fit the production molds.
"Mustad is the only hook manufacturer that draws its own wire, and each of our hooks has its own unique wire diameter," Simmons continued. "Controlling this process allows us to use a proprietary blend of high carbon steel and draw it down at slower speeds to greatly reduce the possibility of stress cracks in the steel's surface. No other hook manufacturer is doing this. Product standardization is a huge competitive advantage for Mustad and our OEMs."
Simmons went on to say that everything in the hook making process benefits from the Alpha system, including tempering, forging, finishes and sharpening. He says that's why Mustad gets high marks for quality, as symbolized by the brand's popular Ultra Point range featuring a proprietary mathematical sharpening process known as "4.3 Technology."
"Mustad's Alpha Code system and 4.3 Technology have made us a better company," Julian reinforced. "We're now enabled to build the finest Jewel products ever, and that simply reinforces what has always been our driving force ... the pursuit of excellence in products and customer satisfaction."
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ProControll brings foot-steer convenience
to hand operated trolling motorsTraditional hand operated transom-style trolling motors can now be foot controlled, regardless of whether the motor is mounted on the boat's transom, bow or side ... thanks to an ingenious and affordable new aftermarket product called ProControll.
ProControll is a foot-steering system, patent-pending design made to work with 12-volt trolling motors of any kind and thrust that have a shaft-locking feature. The system consists of an innovative clamp mount and precision-engineered foot pedal that, together, turn a transom mount trolling motor into a foot-steered model with selectable continuous-run or momentary on/off operation.
Costing little more than $100 and easy to install, ProControll provides the same kind of hands-free advantages that come with the much more expensive bow mount foot-controlled trolling motors.
"I grew up fishing in Kansas on a limited budget and with a boat having a trolling motor on the back," explained ProControll inventor Richard Mynster. "From my own experiences, I knew firsthand the frustrating compromises of trying to fish and operate a trolling motor at the same time. ProControll is the result of those experiences and my inherited mechanical inclinations."
Mynster and other officials at RM Industries, a Kansas City, Kansas, design and development firm specializing in the introduction of marine products, say ProControll meets all their original objectives.
"We wanted this product to be quality built, made in the United States and affordable to every angler who owns a trolling motor, regardless of his or her level of fishing skill and participation," said president Michael Rhodes. "Based on the responses we got from trolling motor manufacturers, sporting goods buyers and anglers during our recent debut at ICAST, our design homework and efforts seem to have been right on target. We couldn't have asked for a better reception to ProControll than what we received."
The ProControll mount and foot pedal are made of rustproof, virtually indestructible fiberglass reinforced nylon for strength, durability and long life in harsh marine environments. The mount's pivot shaft is machined from 17-4 precipitation hardened stainless steel; its stainless steel bearings are hermetically sealed for further protection from the elements. Weight of the mount and pedal combined is less than 9 pounds.
The ProControll foot pedal brings a modern look and design to the traditional style foot-control steering device that operates with a heel-to-toe rocker motion. Steering is achieved through a pull-pull dual cable system, the easiest to operate and most reliable of all mechanical-steer systems. Cables are plastic lined, 5mm coated steel for the ultimate in strength and smooth operation. The design allows trolling motor steering adjustments of up to 180 degrees.
The real beauty of ProControll is that its mount and foot pedal are a self-contained steering system that work independently of the trolling motor; that's why it can work with any transom model having a friction lock, so the shaft can be snugged in place and kept from turning in its own bracket. ProControl's pivotal mounting block is what turns the fixed-position motor when the user works the foot pedal, applying toe pressure to steer to the right and heel pressure to go left.
Foot-Steer AND Hand-Steer
Aside from the obvious benefit of freeing up anglers' hands for fishing, ProControll has many other advantages. The ProControll mount fits anywhere on a boat where its screw clamps can be secured, meaning it can often be affixed to a boat's transom, side or bow.
A big plus is for anglers who like to put their transom motors on the boat's bow so that it pulls instead of pushes. The ProControll design means the motor's head doesn't have to be reversed for this application as normally required; the motor can be simply positioned in its own bracket to run forward and then mounted to ProControll on the front of the boat for pedal steering, just like with a regular bow mount foot-controlled trolling motor.
However, a huge advantage of ProControll over the built-in foot-controlled cable systems is that it allows normal hand steering of the trolling motor at any time as desired. This can be especially effective when maneuvering in and out of tight areas such as stump fields, or in the unlikely event a cable should become inoperable.
In fact, hand controlled steering is recommended when the motor is being operated at high thrust settings above normal fishing operation, such as when using the trolling motor to move from one spot to the next, because of torque at high speeds. Normal fishing operation is in the 10- to 30-pound thrust range.
Installation Takes Only Minutes
The ProControll installation process is simple, first requiring the system's universal mount be secured to the desired location on the boat using the built-in screw clamps fitted with oversized and easy-to-grip knobs. Once that's in place, the transom motor is then affixed to the system's pivoting mounting block just as it would be fastened to the boat's transom.
For the wiring procedure, the trolling motor's positive wire needs to be cut about four inches away from the battery fitting, saving the loose end for later use. A provided ProControll electrical male connection is crimped onto the end of the positive wire just cut.
The ProControll has two positive wires and one negative wire aesthetically enclosed alongside the cables coming from the foot pedal in a rubber shield. The positive wire with the battery terminal connection goes to the trolling motor battery's positive terminal; the negative wire hooks to the battery's negative post. The pedal's other positive wire plugs into the modified power cable from the trolling motor. The trolling motor's negative wire goes to the battery's negative terminal. A high amperage relay provides the protective electrical communication link between the ProControll system and the trolling motor.
To hook up the steering capabilities, the foot pedal needs to be "rocked" into a level attitude. Then the trolling motor is positioned to run straight with the centerline of the boat. With that done, all steering functions are now controlled from the ProControll foot pedal. The pedal has a heel stop for easy no-look foot positioning.
ProControll's highly flexible braided cable allows the foot pedal to be moved in the boat as desired up to its maximum length of seven feet. The trolling motor's speed settings remain adjustable at the motor, but on/off functions are now controlled at the foot pedal. A three-position marine grade slide switch is recessed out of the way on the pedal's right side for selection of: off, continuous on and momentary contact operation. In the momentary setting, the user can turn the motor on by holding foot pressure on a micro switch located on top of the foot pedal, and turn it off by releasing the pressure.
Of course, even after adaptation to the ProControll system, the transom motor can still be used as it was before conversion. During the installation process, the user just needs to crimp a provided electrical female connection to the battery fitting section that was cut from the motor's power cord, allowing it to be easily reattached and used in its original form.
ProControll On The Water Soon
"We fish, too, and therefore have tried to think of all variables that anglers encounter while fishing from a boat equipped with a trolling motor," added Mynster. "We believe we've done that with ProControll, while keeping form and function as simple as possible."
"This product is definitely fisherman friendly," said Rhodes. "We're also confident that anglers will like the other products we're working on right now at RM Industries, too."
ProControll will be available this fall through fishing tackle and marine retail stores and will sell for around $110.
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Yamaha Marine Group and Yamaha Boat Companies Recognized for Customer Satisfaction
KENNESAW, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Yamaha Marine Group announced today that it has received an NMMA® CSI Recognition Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction for 2009. In addition, Yamaha’s three boat companies, Century®, Skeeter® and G3 Boats® also received awards. Yamaha was recognized in the “Outboard Engine” category, Century and Skeeter in the “Fiberglass Outboard Boat” category, and G3 Boats in the “Aluminum Outboard Boat” category. This year’s award is the eighth consecutive for Yamaha in the Outboard Engine Category – an achievement no other outboard can claim.
“Customer satisfaction is our top priority at Yamaha,” said Phil Dyskow, Yamaha Marine Group President. “The award belongs to many in the Yamaha family, including our boat-builder partners and dealers.”
NMMA launched its CSI program in 2001 to provide boat and engine manufacturers with an independently-measured, cost-effective tool to help improve customer satisfaction in the boating industry. The program allows participating manufacturer companies to monitor customer satisfaction on an ongoing basis and to create benchmarks in the industry.
The Marine Industry CSI program meets the CSI requirements of the NMMA Boat/Yacht Certification program. For manufacturers that are full participants in the Marine Industry CSI process, the included reporting also fills the dealer level CSI requirements of the Marine Industry Dealership Certification program.
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is the leading association representing the recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters in the United States. The association is dedicated to industry growth through programs in public policy, market research and data, product quality assurance and marketing communications.
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,100 U.S. dealers and OEM partners with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA®’s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com. |
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The new Orra SX is one sweet reel. Its a new reel for 2010 and will be available in early September and we believe it will be a big hit with anglers who are on a budget but want low profile and the bells and whistles associated with more higher priced reels. It has a 6.4:1 gear ratio, 7 ball bearings and 1 super smooth roller bearing, a Power Disk brake system, Duragear Brass Gears, and a one piece aluminum frame. This jewel weighs a very light 8.7 ounces. The cosmetics are sweet and at first glance we thought it was a Revo Premier. Now for the good part. It retails for $99.95.
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Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is extending its partnership with the Toyota Texas Bass Classic to include the Saturday, October 17 concert from Lake Conroe headlined by Texas country music legend Pat Green and will also include a performance by Zona Jones.
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Childswish "Hope" Tournament in Illinois
There will be an open team tournament to help raise money for the United Special Sportsman Alliance, (USSA) and childswish.com. The tournament will be held at the Kickapoo State Park near Danville, Illinois on August 8th. $80.00 per team. There will be food and door prizes for those in attendance. Hours are safe light till 2pm and the weigh-in will be conducted by the Tilton Basscasters. The USSA grants hundreds of fishing and hunting wishes each year nationwide to kids and their families with chronic, serious and life-threatening illnesses. Many of the kids come from Illinois and surrounding states. The USSA is strictly run on a non-paid volunteer basis and provides trips at no cost to the children and the families. All proceeds directly support the outdoor wishes for the children.
For entry information, contact Robie Pruitt at 217.621.3289 or email huntingwithkids@ymail.com
Information on the USSA can be obtained at www.childswish.com / Or contact Troy Jens (BOD) at anglingalabama@gmail.com. Results, sponsors and story will be posted following the tournament.
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The Berkley Experience Trailer and Berkley Tank will be at the FLW Cup in Pittsburgh this weekend. Fan's can learn about Berkley products and also learn cutting edge techniques from the Berkley pro's. Stop by and experience why science is important at Pure Fishing.
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The Zoom Contest, Bigger is Better, is now complete and 5 lucky Wired2Fish readers will be receiving an assortment of their new Magnum Trick and Magnum Finesse worms in short order. Thanks to all who participated.
The winners are:
Travis Loving
Muscatine, Iowa
Patti Campbell
Westlake, TX
Doug Rogers
High Point, NC
Chris Scharrer
Broomfield, Co.
Randy Brauchler
Smyrna, GA
Congrats to all, your product is on the way, and watch for another great contest coming out shortly from your contest headquarters Wired2Fish.com.
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A lot of things allow a happily married couple to stick together in the sometimes-challenging circumstances of life. For Gerald Swindle, the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches his wife Le Ann makes for him certainly add to the cohesiveness.
Gerald and LeAnn met at the local bank in rural Alabama. She was a manager; he was the red-hot tournament pro who was frequently lugging big paychecks in for deposit. It was during their banking relationship that the always fun-loving Swindle nicknamed her “Lulu.” They began dating, fell in love, and were married in 2004 – the same year that Swindle won the BASS Angler of the Year title.
As people in love often do, the gorgeous and giving Le Ann found simple gestures to let Gerald know she loved him. Rising at 4:30 am to make him peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as sustenance for a day of fishing became one such gesture – and it stuck.
“Lulu isn’t really a morning person, but she always rises to the occasion,” said Swindle. “We’ve been married five good years, and she never lets me down, although there was one morning when she was super sleepy and forgot to put jelly on the sandwiches, that made for a sticky situation,” he added.
For the G-Man, dependability is a common trait of both “Lulu” and P.B. & J. “Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches offer lots of protein, calories and monounsaturated fat to keep you energized during a tournament day or a 12-hour practice day. I eat one at 9:00 am, Noon, and 3:00 pm religiously,” said the Toyota Tundra pro.
“Speaking of dependability, I once saw Byron Velvick make ten P.B. & J sandwiches on a Sunday, munched on them all week, and finally finished the tenth one on Thursday. True story. Personally, I’ve learned you can set a jar of jelly atop a hotel air-conditioner for a week and it won’t spoil,” explained Swindle.
Low maintenance and dependable indeed, but not without great thought explained Lulu. “He likes extra crunchy peanut butter, and I use jelly from the squeeze bottle, then we place the sandwiches in freezer bags because they seem to hold freshness better than regular plastic sandwich bags,” she detailed.
“And another thing – and a very important thing,” interrupted Gerald. “P.B. & J won’t tear your belly up and send you running for the shore like pickled eggs, or that 3-day old tuna sandwich down there at Big Jim’s One Stop will,” warned Swindle, who’s on track to fish his 10th Bassmaster Classic.
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Mental toughness and preparedness will be key ingredients on the stingy waters of the FLW Cup this weekend at Pittsburgh. Anglers will have to be ready for every bite and since they are hard to come by and few in between anglers who have done their homework and have fished these types of tough fisheries will be best prepared for the grind em' out affair.
Those who did their homework and fish the moment will prevail is our guess.
Championships shouldn't be slugfests and this one will not be even with the best conditions. Small fish are the norm and an angler who can land a 3 pounder will be in high cotton. Small baits, light line and fairy wands will be the norm on the 3 tough rivers. Recent heavy rains also add to the equation and finding clear or at a minimum lightly off colored water will be a must.
FLW Cup competitors will be pulling out all of the stops. Scents, extra sharp hooks, tough line, small baits and die-hard sticktoitiveness will be essential.
We look for guys like Dave Lefebre, a local favorite, Mike Iaconelli, Luke Clausen and last years winner Michael Bennett to fair well under these conditions. Don't forget about river rats like Ron Shuffield too. He knows how to catch them and river systems is where he cut his teeth.
The FLW Cup Tournament staff cut down the areas available to the anglers and that makes it even tougher as long runs will not be the norm. Those that stay close to home, pick every piece of structure apart and don't miss fish will be the ones to watch.
It will be super tough but exciting none the less and the cream will rise to the top. Stay tuned to Wired2Fish from the Cup for news.
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Chris Bork’s twin passions are hoops and hawgs.
Luckily, he has the opportunity to indulge both of them. Bork lives in Memphis, Tennessee, firmly in the breadbasket of the bass fishing universe, a quick jump over to Pickwick, a small hop up to Kentucky Lake, central to dozens of other top-notch lakes. It’s also in the heart of basketball country, relatively close to the college basketball powerhouses of Tennessee and Kentucky, including recent powerhouse University of Memphis.
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Today in the Next Generation Tackle Box Pete Robbins highlights the Zoom WEC Crankbait by Ed Chambers. Its a sweet little crankbait and he gets a pro's perspective from Elite Series pro Kevin Short.
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Mark Mendez is all about fishing, doing it right no matter what and his undying passion is sometimes misunderstood. One thing for sure is he doesn't do anything second rate and there is no question that he knows how to make it work. His latest magazine BassWest USA is right on target. For those that don't know, Mendez owns BassWest USA along with Swimbait Nation website, Anglers Choice Tournament Trails, and fishing tackle e-commerce retailer BassTackleDepot.com.
This is not a West Coast deal but rather covers our passion, bass fishing, from coast to coast north to south.
Turning savvy veteran writers and anglers like Jamie Cyphers, Dan O'Sullivan, Dan Mathisen and Jarrett Edwards loose on a project and you know it has to be good.
The latest BassWest USA magazine is a winner. Filled with stories about anglers by anglers tells the story the right way. Great perspectives about legends like Larry Nixon, a great piece about bass fishing's nicest angler James Niggermeyer and an excellent article about swimming a jig are all included in this magazine. We also liked the artical about Revenge Baits and their owner Ray Moughalian who builds some of the finest spinnerbaits on the map.
They don't cut corners either. Great photos, quality paper and printing make it look good too.
One of our favorite sections is Top Shelf where new products are highlighted. This month they highlight Strike Kings Red Eye Shad, the Boing Topwater, Ardents reels, Minda Lures, Seaguar and IMA's Roumba.
Check out more about BassWest by clicking here or call 1-800-591-7171 to get a subscription..
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Veteran Elite Series pro Pete Ponds talks on Wired Radio with Terry Brown about the how much work is involved in working with sponsors and the anglers obligations to the company they work for from his perspective. Go to Wired Radio to listen.
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The Wired2Fish bunch will be attending the FLW Cup next week in Pittsburgh and will be bringing Wired2Fish updates during the entire event. We will also be filming so send us your questions for Ask the Pro and we will do our best to get them answered. Should be a great week and the weights will be very tight so whoever gets a big bite or two has a chance to win 1 million dollars. Don't forget FLW Fantasy fishing will be giving away 1 million as well so some big bucks are at stake. If you are a Fantasy Fishing angler gets your picks in now!
Who will win? Will it be Mike Iaconelli, Dave Lefebre, or Scott Suggs? How about last years winner Michael Bennett? Can he do it again?
Stay tuned to Wired2Fish all week...it should be a good one!
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 BASS photo
Elite Series pro Chris Lane talks about his recent move to Guntersville, Alabama, fishing Oneida, and guiding. To listen go to Wired Radio.
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Most plastic baits made make the angler put the action in their baits. Kickerfish Bait Company is taking plastic to a whole new level with their new Holeshot line-up that we will unveil very soon on Wired2Fish. Two new ribbon tails and two new lizards will be the first offerings and we will be running a contest for you to own some of the very first prototype models. "These don't just lay on the bottom, they look alive and float at a 45 degree angle. Specially designed air chambers that you can customize, proven fish catchers, only better, was our goal and we accomplished it" said Kickerfish President Kelly Jones. "We wanted a better mousetrap and we now have one and we know anglers will love these new designs"
No special plastic, no gimmicks, just design and engineering makes KickerFish Baits the most lifelike, action filled plastic baits on the planet.
Stay tuned to Wired2Fish to see KickerFish's new designs. To learn more click here.
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Collegiate bass fishing will enter a new era of recognition and prestige when the BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship television series debuts on the Versus network. Almost 80 million households will have access to over 12 hours of programming featuring regional events held in Texas, Arkansas, Alabama and Tennessee. The series will culminate with extensive coverage of the largest collegiate bass fishing event ever held: the 2009 BoatU.S. Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship contest at Lake Lewisville, Texas.
Beginning on July 28th, each 30-minute episode will premiere on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. EST and repeat the following Saturday at 12:30 p.m. EST. The series will conclude with an hour long special presentation that will air the afternoon of Saturday, October 3 and repeat the afternoon of Monday, October 5. Please visit our website
at www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com for details. |
Former Elite Series pro Jarrett Edwards is a busy guy. He's fishing some, working a ton and about to start year two of his television show Jarrett Edwards Outdoors.
Season 2 of Jarrett Edwards Outdoors will launch next Wednesday July 29th on The World Fishing Network (Dish #394 HD). JEO is hosted by former Bassmaster Elite Series angler Jarrett Edwards who was discouraged by the lack of national fishing shows who visit western destinations. He decided to change things with the introduction of his own show which features exclusive western destinations and anglers. The show is produced with the latest in HD equipment which features both aerial and live underwater diver shots.
“Season one was a major success for us and it surpassed every expectation we had. We learned from our mistakes and made season 2 bigger and better.” said Jarrett Edwards. Our goal with the show was to give the western anglers a first class production on their home waters and to give the folks east of the Mississippi a new view of fresh western techniques to apply.
Jarrett Edwards Outdoors airs exclusively on The World Fishing Network which is available through satellite and numerous cable affiliates. WFN is the only network dedicated 24/7 to fishing in HD!
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Jackall continues to bring cutting edge technology and great baits to the marketplace with baits like the Flick Shake and Cover Craw. Watch for new products and videos with Kota Kiriyama in the near future on Wired TV.
The recent Jackall Back to Back Contest has been concluded and 3 lucky winners will be receiving a Bowstick 130.
The winners are:
Amber Hagemann
Fort Rucker, AL
Bill Bullard
Bartlett Tn.
Travis Evans
Marble, NC
The answers were:
1. Hometown: Arroyo Grande, CA
2. Retail Price: $15.99
3. Jared finished 3rd on Lake Amistad in March
4. The Bowstick is 130mm/5.2 inches
Congrats to the winners and be sure to watch for more great contests from your contest headquarters, Wired2Fish.com.
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Wired2Fish readers are savvy buyers and the feedback is flowing in on their buying preferences. Below are some of the answers we have gotten from our latest poll on where and how they buy tackle.
John Tellor writes:
I buy all my tackle from Tackle Warehouse. They have everything I need and then some. Also if you order over fifty dollars worth of tackle you get free shipping and if you need it quick it only cost five dollars more to get it in two days. That’s nice to have if you are practicing for a tournament and are running low on a specific bait that your local store will never have. They also run great ten and sometimes fifteen percent discounts to give back to their customers. You can’t go wrong with Tackle Warehouse they have what you need at a lower price than any were else and they will deliver it right to your front door.
Rich Conlon writes:
I buy from a variety of sources. I prefer to buy form the Mom & Pop type shops. I know the owners and they go the extra mile to order something special that I might be seeking. This would include the smaller e-tailers like Susquehanna Bait & Tackle or Coosa Bait & Tackle. Smaller shops with an on line presence. Second would be the local Big Box types like Dick’s Sporting goods…not Walmart, for those gotta have/just ran out small purchases. Last would be the Cabela’s/BPS/Gander Mountain stores/online because the closest BPS store is a good 3.5 hours away. We usually make one trip in February to relieve the winter bass fish withdraw symptoms.
Matt Arledge says:
Bass Pro Shops:
-I buy most of my little stuff there because they have a store here in Denver and I can pick up little items like line or a lure. I also like their Rewards Program. I always buy stuff on their member nights because you get double or triple points and they give away free gear or gift cards. Plus I know most of the guys that work their by name. They also have a few things that Tackle Warehouse does not. Rarely buy from them online as they charge for shipping, unlike TW.
Tackle Warehouse:
-They seem to get all the new stuff first (like ICAST items). Cheapest prices, and best selection of bass fishing items out of any store. And free shipping with orders over $50 and they always have a 10% off sale on a holiday. So it is kind of a no brainer when I want more than one or two things. Shipping is too expensive on one or two items to not go to Bass Pro.
Sportsman's Warehouse:
-Worst fishing department ever for products and customer service (at least in Colorado), but when they do have the stuff you want, it is usually on clearance because of numerous times of almost going out of business. I check it out once in a while for steals (They had St. Croix Legend Tournaments for 150 bucks, still do, but very few models, and Rapala cranks for half off) and occasionally they have a few items BPS does not. If I want something bad enough, I will buy it from whomever has it.
Adam Anderson writes:
Being from a fairly rural area most of my purchases now days are on the internet, mainly Tacklewarehouse.com. I feel that they are the most current provider of the latest products and it seems to me that they have more color options than a lot of other places. The free shipping with purchases over $50 is awesome as well, with other places shipping kills you. For instance I live about 2 ½ hours away from the closest Bass Pro Shop, I would rather drive to St. Louis BPS than to order online at basspro.com because the shipping is at least $8 minimum, that’s a couple packs of soft plastics or one more lure. So the free shipping is awesome and one of the big reasons I use tackle warehouse. Don’t get me wrong if I am near a BPS or Cabela’s I will always stop in and stock up. With Wal-Mart if I am in a hurry and just need some hooks or weights I will pick those up but the Wal-Mart here in town just doesn’t have the selection that I am looking for. But it is just too convenient to order online. And by ordering online because of where I live, that is a day that I can go to the lake and fish instead of making an all day trip to the big city to Cabela’s or BPS.
Steve Castor writes:
Here in this house we love Cabelas and Basspro but, the problem is what I find at Cabelas I cant find at Basspro and the opposite(So I cant order from both or the woman of the house will have a cow), plus since I live in Texas if I dont spend a great deal at one time they really hammer me on shipping and sales tax......since I live by both.
My new number one site for buying fishing gear is Tackle Warehouse, they have a great selection of everything I possible want and desire to get. Plus if I just spend $50 it is free shipping (Fantastic), they even just started carrying two more reels I want made by Diawa (Pluton and Lunar).
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While attending ICAST we had a chance to talk to buyers, manufacturers, and anglers and a curious question arose. Where do you buy your fishing tackle? Do you buy at Big Box stores like Walmart, Cabela's, Bass Pro, Academy, Sports Authority? Internet? Mom and Pops? We want to hear your thoughts and why you do what you do. Send your thoughts to feedback@wired2fish.com.
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 Egreene photo
Wired contributor Pete Robbins gives us a taste of what its like to visit Byron Velvick's Amistad Resort Restaurant in a new Unplugged article today. Check it out!
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Fish Food7/22/2009 7:21:29 AM
DEL RIO, Texas – Every special interest group seems to have their own theme restaurant somewhere throughout the United States and the number seems to grow exponentially every year.
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Zoom Baits has a plastic bait for all seasons but when the weather gets hot there are a few favorites that we love to fish deep. Great action, hundreds of colors for all geographic locations and subtle variables that make Zoom in a class by themselves. When fishing plastic deep Zoom is a great choice to help you put more fish in the boat. Here are our favorites:
1. Ol' Monster- The premier big worm. At 11 inches its a go-to big bass worm. Ribbon tail, segmented larger body and a proven winner on the tournament trail for years the ol' Monster will put big fish in the boat when other baits fail.
 Cox photo
2. Super Speed Craw- Probably one of the most versitile baits in the Zoom Arsenal. It can be fished solo Texas style or with a lead head or its a great jig trailer. The pinchers of this bait are the ticket. With a patented Zoom cut the pinchers vibrate like nobody's business putting both sight and lateral line feeders into a frenzy. The Super Speed craw is a 4 inch bait that can be flipped and pitched into heavy cover or cast on points and ledges equally effectively. Teamed with a football head jig the Super Speed Craw imulates a live crawfish to a "T" when fished round rock or in brush.
 Cox photo
3. UltraVibe Speed Craw- The little brother of the Super Speed Craw the Ultravibe can be fished effectively for finicky bass. The smaller pinchers and appendages are more subtle but still provide a ton of action. The Ultravibe can be also fished solo on a lead head or Texas style as well and spots and smallies love them. Trailing a jig this little jewel is great when you are swimming a jig as well. The vibration on the Ultravibe is tight and bass love them.
4. Ultravibe Speed Worm- This big worm combines the big worm bulk and a subtle action of a finesse worm. The Ultravibe Speed Worm has a ribbed body and a tapered profile that works well both hopped or is perfect for swimming. This too is a big fish bait with the great tapered Zoom tail and rigging it Texas style seems to work best.
 Cox photo
5. The others- Zoom also has several others recently introduced for big bass in the Magnum Finesse Worm and the Magnum Trick Worm. Both are equally effective and you have a great chance right now to win a bag of these new editions in our latest Wired2Fish Contest.
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Dean Rojas is known as the "Frog King" but also knows a thing or two about plastics as well. This past year Rojas and Big Bite introduced the Fighting Frog and sales have been brisk. A great flipping and pitching bait the Fighting Frog has all of the variables put into a single bait. Great action, hook slots and multiple fish catching colors all in one bait.
This year at ICAST Big Bite introduced a new finesse bait, also designed by Rojas, called the Cane Stick and we bet our bottom dollar that this bait will be a big hit as well. Displayed in a tank at ICAST this plactic stick bait has an undulating action on the fall and is also very versitile. You can use both ends of the bait for hooking so basically you get more milage out of every single bait. That is great news for anglers.
The Cane stick also has rigging slots incorporated into the bait so rigging is simple both wacky and Texas style. The Cane Stick has counter-directional segments that creates the action and puts out more pressure waves on the fall.
The Cane Stick will be available in a few weeks and more information can be obtained by clicking here.
To see a short Video of the Cane Stick in action click here. |
One of the nice things about the recent "Frog Revolution" is that there's no shortage of great amphibians to choose from. But whether you prefer the SPRO, the Tru-Tungsten, the Optimum Furbit or the SnagProof, up until now we've all been limited to the same production colors.
But Arkansan Dwain Batey ( www.baitwerks.com) has figured out a way to get the paint to adhere to the frogs and it has opened up a world of options. The only limitation is the depth of your imagination. Check out some of his creations -- you'll be drooling and the bass will, too.
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The Professional Anglers Association continues to grow and gain momentum, and the details of the three yearevent plan solidify their commitment to anglers of all skill levels. For the upcoming 2010 tournament season, the
PAA will be expanding the trail to include four events with a unique twist. The new fourth event of the season will
be a no entry fee tournament, with a comparable purse, and the field will consist of the top 100 competitors from
the first three events. The Toyota Texas Bass Classic, going into its third year, has been a resounding success
thanks to Toyota’s commitment to the PAA and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Based on the success and
the enthusiasms generated from the anglers at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic over the past two years, it has
become evident to the PAA that no entry fee events are key to their success. This top 100 ranking will be based on
PAA Angler of the Year points at the conclusion of the third tournament of the series. Like the 2009 Carrot Stix
Tournament Series, the 2010 series will be filmed for television and provide live streaming of the daily weigh-ins to
maximize angler exposure and public interaction.
In addition to the expansion of the 2010 event schedule, details of the plan also include a qualification system for
an additional series of no entry fee PAA All-Star events in 2011. The All-Star field will be made up of 77 of the most
accomplished anglers in the world, from multiple tournament trails. Approximately half the field will qualify
through the 2010 PAA Tournament Series, with the remaining competitors being selected from BASS, FLW, and
international competitions. The top 12, based on Angler of the Year points, from the BASS Elite Series and FLW
Tour will all earn automatic berths into the All-Star Series; as will the overall AOY champions from the Women’s
Bassmaster Tour, BASS Opens, and FLW Series. In addition to these consistent anglers, another group of
champions will also be invited to participate. The overall Championship winners from the Bassmaster’s Classic,
FLW Forrest Wood Cup, Stren Series, TBF National Championship, Federation Nation National Championship, BFL
All American, as well as three international competitors will all be invited to the All Star Series to round out the
field. This unique format will lead to a star studded field, with a mix of legendary anglers and the nation’s hottest
rising stars.
The new four event tournament series, on the schedule for the next three years, and the 2011 All-Star Series,
aren’t all the changes in store for anglers. The PAA will also be inviting co-anglers to participate in their events,
with a new and exciting format to keep things interesting. It is important to note that co-anglers are eligible to fish
the first three events of the season; however it will be an observer only format in all no entry fee events as part of
the plan. According to John Crews, President of the PAA, “Our new three year event plan illustrates the PAA’s
desire to provide as many opportunities to compete as possible, while being conscious of the costs associated with
tournament competition. In 2010 we will be keeping entry fees the same as this year, while working towards our
goal of high level competitions without entry fees.”
A complete explanation of the Three Year Event Plan, along with more specific details will be made available
on www.fishpaa.com in the coming weeks, as will scheduling, entry procedures, and all other pertinent
information. Anglers interested in being included in informational releases about the upcoming season should
notify the PAA Offices, either via the web or direct line at 270-527-2030.
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Always an innovator, Ranger Boats has again upped the ante with 3 new models of Rangers for 2010. They just introduced a new Z521 and a 621 Fisherman. Ranger also introduced a new bay boat called the 2310 Bay Ranger. Stay tuned as we will have new photos and features beginning Monday.
Wired2Fish will also be outlining the new features and functionality via video and will be covering the new Rangers at the FLW Cup in Pittsburgh.
Z521
 New center console
 Rod tip storage
 Seating area
621VS Fisherman
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Cockpit |
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Passenger Console |
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Snap Carpet |
All New 2310 Bay
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Console |
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Jump Seat |
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On the Water |
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The Big Daddy of frog fishing Dean Rojas has done it again. Teaming up with Spro Rojas has another killer frog called the Big Daddy and its a winner. Check out the Next Generation Tackle Box today for more on this "Super Amphibian".
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Hot
Hot Springs, Arkansas will host the BFL All-American and a FLW Tour Event on the same weekend in 2010.
Lake Ouachita will host a Walmart FLW Tour event the same weekend, marking the first time the BFL All-American and a tour event will coincide with one another. The tour event will be held Thursday, May 27 to Sunday, May 30, 2010.
Hot Springs has hosted a number of record-setting FLW Outdoors tournaments, including the historic 2007 Forrest Wood Cup where Team Folgers pro Scott Suggs of Bryant, Ark., became the sport’s first $1 million winner. The event drew a then-record crowd of more than 60,000 fans to Summit Arena and the Hot Springs Convention Center over the course of four days. Hot Springs also hosted the 2005 Forrest Wood Cup and the 2008, 2004, 2001 and 2000 All-American championships, each of which set fan attendance records.
“We have a superb track record of successful events with FLW Outdoors and we look forward to having another one in 2010,” said Steve Arrison, chief executive officer for the Hot Springs Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “This is a bass-fishing town, and we are honored to once again play host to one of the sport’s premier events. Based on the high-quality, family-friendly events that FLW Outdoors always provides, and the tremendous response we’ve seen in the past, the 2010 All-American should be another record breaker.”
The All-American, in conjunction with the Walmart FLW Tour qualifying event, will feature its traditional Family Fun Zone and Outdoor Show at the Hot Springs Convention Center with daily giveaways for children and adults alike. The Family Fun Zone will be open Thursday through Sunday and the daily weigh-ins will be held in Summit Arena for each tournament. Admission and all activities are free.
“We are thrilled to be returning to Hot Springs,” said Charlie Evans, FLW Outdoors president and CEO. “The record attendance we’ve had during previous tournaments in the city speaks volumes about the enthusiasm for bass fishing that fans have throughout the entire state of Arkansas.”
Coverage of the All-American will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on VERSUS, the network which brings anglers the best fishing programming on television featuring the most-trusted authorities on the water. “FLW Outdoors,” hosted by Jason Harper, is broadcast to approximately 500 million households worldwide, including internationally through agreements with WFN (World Fishing Network) and Matchroom Sport to such countries as Canada, Germany, China, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Hungary and the United Kingdom, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoor-sports television show in the world.
Because BFL competitors are weekend anglers, the All-American and its lucrative cash awards and international media exposure present a unique opportunity for qualifiers who will be fishing for top awards of $140,000 in the Boater Division and $70,000 in the Co-angler Division. Additionally, the winning boater and winning co-angler will advance to the Forrest Wood Cup presented by BP and Castrol in Atlanta Aug. 5-8, 2010.
Each year more than 33,000 BFL anglers and 20,000 TBF anglers nationwide compete in the hope of becoming one of just 54 boaters and 54 co-anglers who qualify for the BFL All-American.
As the nation’s leading weekend tournament circuit, the Walmart Bass Fishing League, with divisions nationwide, is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. The BFL also serves as a steppingstone for anglers who wish to advance to the Stren Series™, Walmart™ FLW® Series and ultimately the FLW Tour.
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. FLW Outdoors has taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing, offering the largest awards possible in the history of fantasy sports. Sign up for Player’s Advantage to get your edge and win.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.
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BASS Announces Revised 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series Regular Season Schedule
BASS announced its revised 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series regular-season schedule. Following the adjustments made in 2009, BASS altered the 2010 season schedule to reflect the new format, which will consist of eight regular-season Elite Series events, followed by the Bassmaster Elite Series postseason.
With the announcement, BASS eliminated the Battle on the Border (April 15-18; Lake Amistad; Del Rio, Texas), Empire Chase (July 21-24; Lake Champlain; Plattsburgh, N.Y.) and Champion’s Choice (July 29-August 1; Lake Erie; Buffalo, N.Y.) from the previously announced schedule.
Additionally, BASS moved the date of the Blue Ridge Brawl from Aug. 12-15 to April 15-18. The regular season will now culminate with the Sooner Run, set for June 17-20 on the Arkansas River out of Muskogee, Okla. The revised schedule can be found below. The location of the postseason events will be announced at a later date.
“The creation of the postseason has been instrumental in creating drama and excitement surrounding the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year program,” said Tom Ricks, vice president & general manager, BASS & ESPN Outdoors.
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We have been to more ICAST ASA National Conventions than we care to talk about but we have to say this one ranked right up there as one of the best.
It wasn't the largest or the highest in attendance but the fishing manufacturers were out in full force and the general feeling on the final day was superb. Most vendors we spoke to were really upbeat and that is a great sign that 2010 could be excellent.
We got to see some killer new products and made it so you could almost feel the economy getting better right at the show. Anglers will be excited with this years crop of cool items and we did our best to cover the ones we felt were off the charts in the blogs.
The product showcase was better but still needs some work in our opinion. We suggest the brand names not be present on the showcase items on display and then lets see who wins. Would be an interesting way to do it don't you think?
Some killer new items from our point of view include the new Ardent F700 Flipping Reels, American Rodsmith new grips for their line-up of rods, Laser Trokar hooks are awesome, Bio-Dip Dye from Berkley finally allows anglers to color GULP, several new plastics from Strike King using Rage technology will help you put more fish in the boat, Plano has some real neat saltwater boxes that are designed right, Yeti Coolers are the bomb, Gemini has a new hoodie that everyone wants, Spro introduced a new deep diving Little John that hits up to twenty feet, Vicious Fishing introduced braided line that fits every application and the new St. Croix MOJO Bass rods look great and have a excellent price point.
Quantum reels and rods look great. The new KVD PT at 7.3 to 1 is one fast reel.
Tru-Tungsten introduced a new member to their swimbait family with the 5 inch, Gene Larew has a new Biffle Bug that you will want and Jackall introduced more great bass catching products as well.
Skeet Reese introduced a new line-up of rods that not only look awesome but are priced right. They are light and have the best actions for all kinds of applications. These are just a tip of the iceberg and we will showcase many more.
Stay tuned to Wired TV over the next few weeks. Not only will you hear about them but see the people behind them as well.
Remember this year to "Buy Two."
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Updates start today! Check back often to see the newest product being introduced this week! Click here.
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South Carolina pro Marty Robinson talks on Wired Radio today about giving back to the sport, fishing the Elites and getting ready for Oneida after the break. Click on his picture to listen!
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The winners of the "new" Berkley line contest winners are:
Doug Mainor
Bloomington, Illinois
Steve Castor
Rockport, TX
Brad Henson
Overland Park, KS
Christopher Shore
Lenexa, KS
Matt Arledge
Westminster, CO
Paul Huzyak
Salem, Ohio
Jimbo Rhodes
Forkland, AL
Each of the winners will get a chance to review a new line for 2010 on Wired2Fish.
Your line is on the way!
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Jackall Contest winners are:
Brandon Crosby
Oxford, MS
Randall Potts
Jefferson City, MO
Your swimbaits are on the way and thanks to all for entering the contest!
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The Gene Larew Biffle Craw contest winners are:
Ben Etheredge
Coffeeville, AL
Scott Dooley
Columbia, Missouri
Look for a new creature style Gene Larew bait soon. We will cover it at ICAST.
Congrats guys and your product is on the way!
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We are getting ton's of phone calls and emails wanting to know what Lazer Trokar is. We have even had several anglers guessing that Tru-Tungsten, Berkley or Strike King has a new line-up of products that they are coming out with called Trokar. We don't know either but will July 15. Its driving us crazy too.
We received the ads and not much else and are anxiously wanting to know what it is too. We even tried to weasel it out of Shaw Grigsby when he visited Wired2Fish offices but he was tight lipped as well.
We will be at ICAST and rest assured we will give you the skinny as soon as we know about it. We get down to Orlando tomorrow and might sneak into the set-up to see if we can get any scoop.
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MARTIN WINS WALMART FLW TOUR EVENT ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN
Wendlandt Wins Record Third Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year Title
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (July 12, 2009) – National Guard pro Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., caught a final-round total of 10 bass weighing 36 pounds, 4 ounces to win $125,000 in the Walmart FLW Tour event presented by Folgers on Lake Champlain. Martin topped his closest rival, Team Chevy pro Anthony Gagliardi of Prosperity, S.C., by 2 pounds, 11 ounces to earn the win and 200 points toward qualifying for the $2 million Forrest Wood Cup presented by BP and Castrol, which will be held July 30-Aug. 2 on the Three Rivers in Pittsburgh, Pa., where they could win as much as $1 million – the sport’s biggest award.
Martin received news Wednesday that his grandmother had passed away, and he said he had a hard time deciding whether to fish the tournament or attend the funeral.
“I have such a peace about this win,” said Martin, who passed the $1 million mark in career earnings with the victory. “If I could keep this confidence and peace the rest of my life, I think I could win every tournament.
“All of my family is in Oklahoma right now waiting for me to get there,” Martin added. “They delayed the services for me so I could attend. What better way to honor her and acknowledge the pain and suffering that my family is enduring right now than to give them a win in memory of my grandmother?”
Martin said he relied on a variety of baits throughout the tournament —a shad-colored Lucky Craft Big Daddy Strike 3 and a Strike King Series 5 crankbait on 12-pound-test Trilene 100% Flourocarbon as well as a green pumpkin Berkley Chigger Craw paired with a 3/8-ounce weight on 15-pound-test Trilene 100% Flourocarbon. Martin said he occasionally threw a brown and green-pumpkin jig with a Chigger Craw trailer. Martin said his key depths were between four and eight feet of water. Martin said he targeted scattered rock piles and milfoil.
“In practice the Chigger Craw in the grass worked really, really good,” Martin said. “The first two days of the tournament I pretty much split my catches on the Chigger Craw and the crankbait. Today I pretty much caught all of my fish on a crankbait. I started noticing bigger bites on the crankbait. I didn’t get as many bites, but when I did, they were those 3- to 3 1/2-pounders.”
Martin said he targeted post-spawn fish that had moved into open water. Martin said he fished mid-lake near Cary Bay.
“I cruised around the flats looking for milfoil,” Martin said. “I think those fish were out there feeding on perch and baitfish in the area and getting ready for the summer pattern. Covering water was really important.”
Martin opened the tournament Thursday in fifth place with five bass weighing 19-2. He slipped to ninth place Friday with a five-bass catch weighing 16 pounds, 11 ounces to advance into the final round of 10 pros with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 13 ounces. On Saturday, weights were cleared, and Martin caught five bass weighing 18-8 to advance to the final day of competition in first place. Martin added another five bass weighing 17-12 to his final-round total Sunday.
Gagliardi caught a final-round total of nine bass weighing 33-9 to claim second place and $50,000.
“I thought I could catch fish, but my sights were set on (the Forrest Wood Cup),” said Gagliardi, who also passed the $1 million mark in career earnings at the Lake Champlain event. “My goal when I came up here, especially after the egg I laid at Kentucky Lake, was to not lay another one and make the cut. That was my goal from the beginning.
“I had a decent practice,” Gagliardi added. “I wouldn’t say it was a great practice by any stretch. That happens a lot with me. A lot of times I catch more fish than I think I’m catching in practice.”
Gagliardi said he caught 15 keepers Sunday and his largest three bass fell for a Lucky Craft Sammy.
“Bringing in only four fish yesterday … that’s a no-brainer,” Gagliardi said. “I lost a 5-pounder yesterday that I saw and another I didn’t see. I didn’t hardly ever catch a fish out of my spot that wasn’t over three pounds. I just needed one more.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were Mark Hardin of Jasper, Ga (10 bass, 33-3, $40,000); Team Chevy pro Jay Yelas of Corvallis, Ore. (10 bass, 31-13, $30,000); Kyle Mabrey of McCalla, Ala. (10 bass, 29-6, $20,000); Team Kellogg’s pro Dave Lefebre of Union City, Pa. (10 bass, 29-4, $19,000); Team Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas (10 bass, 28-7, $18,000); Team M&M’s/Snickers pro Greg Pugh of Cullman, Ala. (10 bass, 27-14, $17,000); Mike Hawkes of Sabinal, Texas (10 bass, 27-9, $16,000) and Team Chevy pro Luke Clausen of Gainesville, Ga. (nine bass, 20-2, $15,000).
Overall there were 50 bass weighing 163 pounds, 9 ounces caught in the Pro Division Sunday. The catch included 10 five-bass limits.
Team Kellogg’s pro Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas, claimed a record third Land O’Lakes Angler of the Year title Sunday. The Angler of the Year title annually goes to the FLW Tour Pro Division angler who has the highest year-end point total in the standings at the conclusion of the regular season. Wendlandt earned $25,000 and a Ranger 198VX powered by a 200-horsepower Yamaha outboard for the title in a race that went down to the last day of the regular season. Wendlandt also received an additional $25,000 from Ranger Boats as the Ranger Cup pro who accumulated the most points during the season.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com.
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Kota Kiriyama has updated his website and has added a bunch of new videos and his blog.
He told Wired2Fish that he just returned from Japan where he fished Lake Biwi, home of the potential World Record Bass, and is readying himself for the last stop on the BASS Elite Series event at Lake Oneida. To read more about the "fishing ninja" click here. |
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Photo courtesy of Adam Harbottle
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North Carolina State’s collegiate angler team Will White (left) and Chris Wood raise their coveted paddle trophies after claiming the fifth annual Under Armour College Bass National Championship title with a monstrous 14.43-pound bag of bass Sunday, July 12, 2009 in North Little Rock, Ark.
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2009 Under Armour College Bass national champions – NC State!
The North Carolina State of Will White and Chris Wood weighed in a whopping 14.43 pound-bag, the most single-day weight that any team caught throughout the entire fifth annual Under Armour College Bass National Championship on the Arkansas River in North Little Rock.
Only the top five teams with the most cumulative weights from day one and two fished the final day of the tournament. Their weights were zeroed out and the top weight of the final day won the championship. The final standings of the top five are:
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Place
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School
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Boater
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Partner
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Weight
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Day 2
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Total
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Day 3
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1
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North Carolina State
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Will White
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Chris Wood
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4.97
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9.57
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14.54
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14.43
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2
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North Texas
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Brandon Dickenson
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Austin Hollowell
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5.94
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13.31
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19.25
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6.23
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3
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Northwestern State
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Zach Gagnard
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Paul Rini
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9.75
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10.45
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20.20
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3.51
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4
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Montevallo
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Clent Davis
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Chuck Holderfield
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9.30
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10.39
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19.69
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0
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5
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Louisiana - Lafayette
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Cody McCrary
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Justin Barmore
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12.82
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1.94
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14.76
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0
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Today is Brauer Day on Wired2Fish. Denny Brauer is on Wired TV answering a reader question in Asked the Wired Pro and Chad Brauer talks topwaters.
Denny answers a question from Wired reader Tony Posey on different ways of fishing a jig.
Everyone knows that Chad Brauer knows a thing or two about jigs but he also is an expert topwater angler as well. Today in Unplugged he gives his thoughts on topwaters and answers some Wired2Fisn.com reader questions too. Check it out at Unplugged.
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There is perhaps nothing as exciting in fishing as catching bass on some kind of topwater bait.
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Photo Courtesy of Adam Harbottle
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(from left to right) Paul Rini and Zach Gagnard from Northwestern State University, Chuck Holderfield and Clent Davis from the University of Montevallo, North Texas Univerity’s Brandon Dickenson and Austin Hallowell, Cody McCrary and Justin Barmore from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and North Carolina State’s Chris Wood and Will White are the top five finalists who will fish for the championship title Sunday, July 12 in the Under Armour College Bass National Championship on the Arkansas River in North Little Rock, Ark.
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Northwestern State anglers Paul Rini and Zach Gagnard enter the final day of the 2009 Under Armour College Bass National Championship as the team to beat with Montevallo and North Texas close behind. Go to www.collegebass.com for more.
Here are the results from day two of the fifth annual Under Armour College Bass National Championship on the Arkansas River in North Little Rock, Ark. Only the top five teams (Northwestern State, University of Montevallo, North Texas University, University of Louisiana-Lafayette and North Carolina State) will advance to day three of the tournament. These five collegiate teams will fish today with their weights from day one and two zeroed out for the national championship title.
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Place
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School
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Boater
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Partner
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Day 1 Weight
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Day 2 Weight
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Total
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1
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Northwestern State
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Zach Gagnard
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Paul Rini
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9.75
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10.45
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20.20
|
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2
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Montevallo
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Clent Davis
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Chuck Holderfield
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9.30
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10.39
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19.69
|
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3
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North Texas
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Brandon Dickenson
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Austin Hallowell
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5.94
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13.31
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19.25
|
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4
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Louisiana - Lafayette
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Cody McCrary
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Justin Barmore
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12.82
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1.94
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14.76
|
|
5
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North Carolina State
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Will White
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Chris Wood
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4.97
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9.57
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14.54
|
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6
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Oklahoma
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Chip Porche'
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Mark Johnson
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8.72
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5.40
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14.12
|
|
7
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Texas
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Trey Epich
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Bobby Frey
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5.63
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8.48
|
14.11
|
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8
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Alabama
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Foster Bradley
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Ben Weldon
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11.91
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1.78
|
13.69
|
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9
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Stephen F Austin
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Allen Coleman
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Andrew Upshaw
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9.45
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4.21
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13.66
|
|
10
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Florida
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Jake Gipson
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Matt Wercinski
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8.68
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4.47
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13.15
|
|
11
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Truman State
|
Mike McCarthey Jr.
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Ed Kennedy
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5.13
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7.32
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12.45
|
|
12
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Missouri
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Scott Dooley
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DuRon Netsell
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7.92
|
2.21
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10.13
|
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13
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Southeast Missouri State
|
Taylor Gorton
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Mike Rains
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2.32
|
7.16
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9.48
|
|
14
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Arkansas
|
Taylor Deniston
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Mook Miller
|
4.19
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5.20
|
9.39
|
|
15
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Alabama Birmingham
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Larry Franks Jr.
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Daniel Douglas
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0.00
|
9.35
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9.35
|
|
16
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Auburn
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Paul Davis
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Kiron Browning
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1.87
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6.55
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8.42
|
|
17
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Wisconsin - Stephen's Point
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Casey Kmiecik
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Jeremy Seelig
|
3.19
|
5.18
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8.37
|
|
18
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Tarleton State
|
Chris Michels
|
Tanner Morgan
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4.42
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3.36
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7.78
|
|
19
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Arkansas - Monticello
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Daniel Chapman
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Phillip Roberts
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5.34
|
2.26
|
7.60
|
|
20
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Arkansas Tech
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Kyle Brookshear
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Lucas Madison
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4.75
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2.80
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7.55
|
|
21
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Delta State
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Brandon Baldwin
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J.P. Armstrong
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7.05
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0.00
|
7.05
|
|
22
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Arizona State
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Mitch Kistner
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Brent Perkins
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2.43
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4.40
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6.83
|
|
23
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Clemson
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Brandon Cobb
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Lancen Halbert
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3.02
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3.69
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6.71
|
|
24
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Southern Illinois - Edwardsville
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Luke Hicks
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Ric Cooper
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1.71
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4.96
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6.67
|
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25
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Murray State
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Kalem Tippett
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Jonathan Byrn
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1.14
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5.48
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6.62
|
|
26
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Arkansas - Little Rock
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Trent Gephardt
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Brian Duckett
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2.67
|
3.95
|
6.62
|
|
27
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Indiana
|
Zach Wojtovicz
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Jesse Schultz
|
4.05
|
2.29
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6.34
|
|
28
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Western Kentucky
|
Aaron Bidarian
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David Stephens
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3.77
|
2.47
|
6.24
|
|
29
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Drury
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Drew Simon
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Alex Sahliyeh
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2.34
|
3.78
|
6.12
|
|
30
|
Morehead State
|
Shaun Gallant
|
Aaron Jones
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3.09
|
2.84
|
5.93
|
|
31
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Henderson State
|
Hunter Fant
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Marcus Greene
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1.00
|
4.91
|
5.91
|
|
32
|
LSU - Shreveport
|
Zach Caudle
|
Joe Landry
|
5.76
|
0.00
|
5.76
|
|
33
|
Mississippi State
|
Harry Halliwell
|
Bradley Sartain
|
4.45
|
1.29
|
5.74
|
|
34
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Texas State
|
Sean Kubiak
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Chris Lochte
|
2.94
|
1.88
|
4.82
|
|
35
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South Alabama
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Tyler Pitts
|
Jonathan Pope
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0.00
|
3.96
|
3.96
|
|
36
|
Concord
|
Tyler Webb
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Warren Schurdell
|
3.66
|
0.00
|
3.66
|
|
37
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Wisconsin - Whitewater
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Doug Rosenthal
|
Jake Menden
|
3.63
|
0.00
|
3.63
|
|
38
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Northeastern Oklahoma A&M
|
Cory Conley
|
Casey Conley
|
3.50
|
0.00
|
3.50
|
|
39
|
Faulkner
|
Kyle Tindol
|
Michael Eubanks
|
2.96
|
0.00
|
2.96
|
|
40
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Eastern Kentucky
|
Tyler Moberly
|
Richard Cobb
|
0.00
|
2.94
|
2.94
|
|
41
|
Tennessee - Chattanooga
|
Taylor Massingill
|
Alex Craw
|
2.61
|
0.00
|
2.61
|
|
42
|
Illinois
|
Matt Widtman
|
Kerry Ryan
|
0.00
|
2.46
|
2.46
|
|
43
|
Tennessee
|
Nick Tate
|
Jimmy Reynolds
|
2.41
|
0.00
|
2.41
|
|
44
|
Louisville
|
Josh Cole
|
Matthew Underwood
|
2.25
|
0.00
|
2.25
|
|
45
|
Kentucky
|
Brandon Card
|
Adam Bryant
|
2.10
|
0.00
|
2.10
|
|
46
|
LSU
|
TJ Goodwyn
|
Travis Laurent
|
1.95
|
0.00
|
1.95
|
|
47
|
Baylor
|
Jay Holland
|
Andrew McAdams
|
0.00
|
1.43
|
1.43
|
|
48
|
Southern Illinois - Carbondale
|
Mark O'Brien
|
Jason Mills
|
0.00
|
1.20
|
1.20
|
|
49
|
Oklahoma State
|
Bryce Bechtel
|
Cody Fuller
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
Brown College
|
Adam Odegaard
|
Nathanial Cook
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
Iowa
|
Tyler Merhl
|
Bob Downey
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
Louisiana Tech
|
Colton Carpenter
|
Jarod Brantley
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
Texas A&M
|
Paul Manley
|
Andy Schaffer
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
Florida Gulf Coast
|
Tommy Edwards
|
Noah Grimes
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
Tennessee - Martin
|
Jordan Birch
|
Slayton Gearin
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
North Alabama
|
Jade Keeton
|
Johnathon Nixon
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
Tennessee Tech
|
Adam Goodwin
|
Josh Haskins
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
Texas - Arlington
|
Stephen Pineau
|
Nathan Rusterholtz
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
Wisconsin - Eau Clare
|
Brandon Jack
|
Andrew Gullickson
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
49
|
Texas Tech
|
Scott Jones
|
Jake Szot
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
0.00
|
|
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BASS Elite Series pro Marty Robinson is hosting a bass tournament tomorrow on South Carolina's Lake Hartwell to benefit Blueridge High School. It starts at safelight and teams will fish until 2 pm. Gerald Swindle will be making an appearance there as well.
Proceeds go to the Blue Ridge High School sports programs in Greer, South Carolina. If you live in the area come out and support Marty in this effort.
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2010 WALMART FLW TOUR SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
Schedule Culminates with Georgia Hosting Forrest Wood Cup
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (July 10, 2009) – At the final Walmart FLW Tour stop for 2009 in Plattsburgh, N.Y., FLW Outdoors announced the 2010 Walmart FLW Tour schedule that is highlighted by the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Lanier in Atlanta, Aug. 5-8. The 2010 schedule features world-famous fisheries, including three return visits from 2009, which will provide exciting and competitive tournaments.
“We are very excited about the 2010 Walmart FLW Tour schedule,” said Charlie Evans, president and CEO of FLW Outdoors. “This schedule will have FLW Outdoors visiting some of the best fisheries in the country and giving our anglers the chance to compete on these waters at the optimal time.”
The first cast for the FLW Tour will take place on the Red River in Shreveport, La., Feb. 11-14. The FLW Tour will visit Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo., March 4-7, for a second time in as many years. Marking its fourth consecutive stop in Charlotte, Lake Norman will host the third event on the FLW Tour, March 25-28.
The fourth stop on the FLW Tour will be Lake Chickamauga in Chattanooga, Tenn., April 15-18. This qualifying event will follow the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship event on Ft. Loudoun/Tellico lakes in Knoxville, Tenn. from April 10-12.
The fifth stop on the FLW Tour will be on Lake Ouachita in Hot Springs, Ark., May 27-30, marking the first FLW Tour event on Lake Ouachita since the 2007 Forrest Wood Cup, where Team Folgers pro Scott Suggs earned the sport’s first $1 million prize. The final qualifying event will be in Huntsville, Ala., returning for a second consecutive season, on Lake Guntersville from June 24-27.
The full 2010 Walmart FLW Tour schedule is listed below.
2010 Walmart FLW Tour Schedule
Date Fishery Location
Feb. 11-14 Red River Shreveport, La.
March 4-7 Table Rock Lake Branson, Mo.
March 25-28 Lake Norman Charlotte, N.C.
April 15-18 Lake Chickamauga Chattanooga, Tenn.
May 27-30 Lake Ouachita Hot Springs, Ark.
June 24-27 Lake Guntersville Huntsville, Ala.
Aug. 5-8 Lake Lanier Atlanta, Ga.
FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. FLW Outdoors has also taken fishing mainstream with FLW Fantasy Fishing, offering the largest awards possible in the history of fantasy sports. Sign up for Player’s Advantage to get your edge and win.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.
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It did not matter if you chose largemouth or smallmouth at Lake Champlain at the last stop on the FLW Tour. Both species provided big bags.
Georgia's Mark Hardin leads after day one with 5 smallies that weighed 22-02 lbs. He was followed closely by Pete Gluszek with 19-12, David Fritts with 19-5, Jeremiah Kindy with 19-5, Scott Martin with 19-2 and Luke Clausen with 18-15.
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By Terry Brown, Wired2Fish staff
We have finally gotten down to the home stretch on completing our Ranger Banshee 16'8 and we are now fine tuning the "old girl". After several trips to the lake there are some small items we have added to sweeten the pot. As it is with most projects like this one, tweaking is the best part of the job. My wife calls me the "King of Piddlers" and I take that role very seriously. Nothing is ever perfect and for sure nothing is ever exactly the way I want it.
Flexibility
As we discussed the electrical set-up last time I forgot to mention one thing. Build in as much flexibility in your design as possible. You never know when you might want to add an accessory or have to change out a component. Building in flexibility is crucial to making this an easy job.
A case in point is I wanted to add some Bluewater LED bling to the boat. I already had some functional Bluewaters planned for in the design but I wanted my instrument switches all centrally located. I need to make sure I had enough panel room for at least one more switch and maybe two. By positioning the switches and planning I had more than enough room for the additional light switch.
As I mentioned I added two while LED strips to the rear of the boat that served two purposes. One is to light gas tank, bilge and pump in area and the other was position them high enough to shed light on the driver and deck. The driver serves as a beacon when running in late for evening tournaments and the extra light works great for reading scales at after dark weigh-ins.
Two Bluewaters were not enough. The lighting was efficient and function was perfect but I wanted some bling. I ordered a 34 foot green strip for the entire gunnel and rub rail all the way around the boat. I have it positioned on the inside of the rub rail to light the interior of the boat. Not only does it look cool but is perfect for moving around in the boat, tying knots and changing tackle, and it also makes you VERY visible. To say that is an understatement. You can be seen for miles when the lights are lit......even when its very, very dark. I digress.....lets move on.
Conservation
I wanted this boat to not only work to fish for fun but for small tournaments so that meant a fully functional livewell and recirculation system with overflow and quick pump in. You also have to drain the livewell so it was important to think that through as well.
My livewell is a 120 quart Igloo cooler with hinged lid. Plenty of room for a large group of fish and insulated to protect the fish from the heat of the day. Note: Having the hinges is very important so the lid remains in place and I also wanted to be able ot lock the lid. This cooler comes with two latches that serve well for this purpose.
Positioning the cooler is important as well. Not only to be able to move around in the boat but to balance the load when the livewell is full. It needed to be in the center of the boat and postioned so plumbing and wiring could be run in the alloted trays below the floor. The drain on the cooler is postioned aft to allow for the water to run into the sump and out the drain hole in the boat.
I have a pump for filling and one for re-circulating with separate switches. The overflow is at the top of the livewell in a 1 inch hose. Wiring for the recirc pump was placed in the overflow to keep unsightly wires to a minimum.
The Electronic Advantages
This boat is the cats meow when it comes to trolling motor and electronics. I started with a 24 volt Minn Kota Maxxum US2 Digital trolling motor with built in transducer. This is one powerful unit and has plenty of power to pull this fiberglass boat. I thought about putting a 101 Maxxum on it but that meant another battery and I was against the extra weight. The efficiency of this motor is superb. I can fish all day, even in the wind, and have plenty of battery left at the end of the day.
We also added a 797 C2 Si Humminbird Graph. The clarity and function was crucial but I also wanted to match the trolling motor and the graph. Side imaging is a must for me. I have had it on my Ranger Z's and felt it was critical on this boat as well. It is like having electric windows on your car and going to cranks......it isn't going to happen. I also have a comfort level with this graph. Both of my boats are set up the same and when I move from one to the oither I don't have to learn new equipment. A second side imaging transducer is needed here and was easily run when doing the wiring.
I just added a Biosonix unit to the boat as well. I have seen this piece of critical electronics take a slow day and make it one to remember. I am not sure why it works but I can assure you it does. I wanted the flexibility to move the unit back and forth from boat to boat so I purchased a second speaker. Now all I have to do is move the unit. Slick deal.
Part 5 will talk about the paperwork, registration and the finished product. I will also go over planned upgrades in this article.
To read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 click here. They went up April 15, 22nd and 28th.
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Armando Luzuriaga caught this California Delta pig---9 lbs. 2 oz on the new 6" Hyper Worm (Magic Shad color) using Lake Fork Tackle FLUOROHYBRID line (FH 22lb. US / ISO 32). He caught it in heavy grass. Nice fish Armando!
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 As ICAST falls upon us next week we thought we’d show you one of the items that Gemini will introduce at the show for the first time. The new Sublimated Hoodie!
“We been working on this project for a while now” said VP Brad Raymond, “we just wanted to make sure that it was right before we introduced it. We are very excited to see the response we get!”
The G2 XDS sublimated shirts have been a big hit and now you can take the same artwork from your jersey to create the same look in a Hoodie! Who doesn’t want that?
They are made with 100% Polyester in a 10 oz. weight, completely customizable like the tournament jerseys! These are SWEET! So new they are not even on the Gemini website yet. Orders will be taken on these right after ICAST.
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We are doing a little informal survey here at Wired2Fish and we want your opinion. We discuss this all the time. We talk about boats and features, likes and dislikes, and now we want our readers to give us their feelings.
What is the most important thing on your boat? What is it that you cannot do without? Is it the boat itself? Is it the electronics? Is it your outboard motor, trolling motor or is it a feature on the boat?
What about safety gear? Lifejackets, throwable, rope, an achor? How about storage and comfort?
When you were buying your boat, you made a choice of brand. When you rigged it you wanted certain things on it. Why did you choose what you did? Was money an issue or did you buy the best? Has it worked out?
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The Excel Boat Company is moving into a new facility in Mountain View, Arkansas. Recovering from total devastation of their old plant from an F4 tornado into a state-of-the-art facility producing a full line of solidly welded aluminum hunting and fishing boats Excel is definitely on the rebound. To check them out click here.
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KENNESAW, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Yamaha Marine Group today launched its Yamaha Certified Pre-Owned Outboard Program (YCPO), a marketing tool designed to help Yamaha Key Dealers increase the value of used outboard inventory and create a competitive selling advantage for the participating Key Dealer.
“This program helps the Yamaha Key Dealer by giving the consumer another reason to buy,” said Dale Barnes, Yamaha Marine Group Division Manager, Marketing. “The consumer gets the security of knowing the outboard has passed a 75-point check and that its maintenance is up to date.”
The program specifies replacement of consumable items -- such as the fuel filter, oil filter, oil, spark plugs and impeller -- with genuine Yamaha parts.
Another consumer benefit is that the YCPO outboard will include either one-year Yamaha Limited Warranty coverage or one-year Genuine Yamaha Extended Service (Y.E.S.) coverage at no extra cost to the purchasing consumer. Participating Key Dealers will be charged a discounted cost for the YCPO Program’s Y.E.S. contract, if applicable.
“We know that dealers have an opportunity in today’s market with used inventory, and this program makes that inventory even more valuable,” said Barnes. “What’s more, authorized, participating Yamaha Key Dealers can really distinguish themselves by offering such a well-protected product to consumers.”
The YCPO program is limited to eligible pre-owned Yamaha outboards in stock and available in inventory that comply with YCPO Outboard Program eligibility requirements. YCPO is only applicable from authorized, participating Yamaha Outboard Key Dealers in the U.S.A. sold to a purchasing consumer residing in the U.S.A. Additional terms and conditions apply. See your local Yamaha dealer for complete details.
Yamaha Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,100 U.S. dealers and OEM partners with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA®’s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com. |
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Veteran outdoor writer and special contributor to Wired2Fish Alan Clemons is so set in his ways he thinks a Big O crankbait is cutting edge. With that said, he surprises us now and again with a great new product that even he can catch a bass on. They must be good. Today, in the Next Generation Tackle Box Clemons gives us the skinny on a new Net Bait product called the "Mad Paca". Check it out. |
COLUMBIA, SC (July 7, 2009) – Pure Fishing announces that John T. Doerr has been named President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Doerr had been acting as the Interim President for the past three months.
James E. Lillie, President and Chief Operating Officer of parent company Jarden Corporation, made the announcement.
“John has continued to exhibit the leadership, judgment, enthusiasm and business focus needed to guide Pure Fishing,” Lillie said. “John and the entire Pure Fishing team are cohesively working together and partnering with customers, committed to being the global leader in the fishing tackle industry. We look forward to supporting John and the entire team as they continue to deliver on both short-term objectives and long-term strategic opportunities.”
Since joining Pure Fishing in January 2006, Doerr’s responsibilities have included global operations including manufacturing, sourcing, engineering, supply chain, information technology, quality, logistics, customer service and fulfillment. In addition to a wealth of professional experience and formal education, John brings to the position a passion for the outdoors and is an avid angler and hunter.
“The Pure Fishing team is focused on providing the ultimate experience for our global anglers and customers through leading brands, innovative products and superior services.” Doerr said. “I am honored to take on these additional responsibilities at this pivotal time. We have a tremendous opportunity as we continue to bring together three great companies. We have a lot of work to do, but with the continued support of Jarden and the dedication of our passionate team, I have complete confidence that we will reach our vision.”
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Abu Garcia has put some pizzazz in their Revo line-up for 2010 with the new look Revo Premier. One of the best reels ever to be put on a rod the Revo Premier is now gold accented. Smooth, dependable, and built with plenty of power the lightweight Revo Premier is in a class by itself. Weighing around 6 ounces it gives the angler confidence without wearing them out even after long hours on the water.
We will have more info about reels directly from the show floor at ICAST on the ICAST Wired2Fish Blog. Stay tuned!
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 Wired2Fish Friends is a new group on Facebook! Join us for updates and information.
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More ICAST Highlights:
The Pflueger® Patriarch XT baitcaster is the lightest Pflueger to date and the newest offering as well. It will be showcased at ICAST in the Pure Fishing Booth.
At just 6.8 ounces, this low profile reel fits most anglers hands perfectly and is a bass angler’s dream for all day fishing. A carbon fiber handle with EVA knobs and soft touch thumb bar spool release lightens the load on the XT yet keeping the durability anglers demand.The rigid aluminum frame is incased with titanium coated aluminum sideplates makes this reel the most advanced reel to date in the Pflueger line-up. The titanium coating resists scratching and protects against corrosion, even in saltwater conditions. The reel may be light, but the components make this a durable and rugged as are all of the reels in the Pure Fishing line-up. And the machined double anodized aluminum spool is ported, for additional weight reduction.
The Patriarch XT is built with features the professional angler demands, including 9 double shielded stainless steel bearings, one-way clutch instant anti-reverse bearing, precision cut aluminum gears with a 6.4:1 gear ratio, a main gear applied star drag with carbon fiber washers and a titanium line guide.
The reel also incorporates the patented Ultimate Brake System™ that combines centrifugal and magnetic brakes for a limitless range of cast control to overcome any fishing condition. The centrifugal brake is a sealed six-pin adjustable system to control spool speed and prevent backlashes at the beginning of the cast. The magnetic brake is externally adjustable and slows the spool down near the end of the cast to prevent line overrun.
Retail priced at $249.95 the XT comes in both right and left handed models. This reel will be available late 2009 or early 2010.
This is one sweet reel!
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Our military protects our country and our freedom everyday. The Marine Corp life gets in your blood and Joby Poster is a special guy. Read Unplugged today to get a taste of what he does to give back.
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Joby Poster spent six years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps, and claims that there’s great truth in the concept of a Band of Brothers.
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Spro took the frog business to a new level with the Dean Rojas Bronzeye Frog and Bronzeye Jr but the grandaddy of all frogs will be introduced at ICAST this year. The King Daddy Bronzeye is one whopper of a frog measuring almost 4 inches long and almost an inch and 1/2 wide. It weighs almost a full ounce. It has double 6/0 hooks and walks the dog even better than the Bronzeye. This is one giant fish catching amphibian!
Check out the picture above comparing it to the Bronzeye.
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The Tru-Tungten Mad Maxx frog winners are:
Elaine Sexton
Brookfield OH
Michael Faught
Lodi, CA
Nathan Gion
Fargo, ND
Jason Nall
North Vernon, IN
Lewis Ingram
Phenix City, AL
Aaron Andrews
Haubstadt, IN
Congrats to all and your "Froggy" is on the way.
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ESPN Outdoors is reporting that a new World Record Largemouth bass has been caught in Japan. To read more click here.
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We just had a chance to test the new Abu Garcia Revo Toro and were impressed. To read the review go to the Next Generation Tackle Box.
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Sufix has two new braids for 2010.
New for 2010 are Sufix Stretch Braid, a 6% stretch enhanced braid the allows for cushion on hook sets and Sufix Performance Fuse, a thermally fused braid with a super high weave count that is a more rounded line and casts great.
Sufix Stretch Braid has the diameter of 10 pound mono in the 30 pound class and uses a Dyneema/Dacron blend to add a little stretch for powerful hook sets. Sufix has also added an enhanced color protection feaure that maintains original color longer. It provides the sensitivity of braid and the forgiveness of mono.
Sufix Performance Fuse is a thermal bonded line that is so smooth you will think you are casting mono but with the toughness of braid. Fuse has virtually zero stretch and has superior tensile and knot strength. You can set the wood to the bass with this line. The 14 pound offering has the dimension of 6 pound mono.
We suggest tying a polymar knot on both of these lines to increase their effectiveness.
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North Little Rock, AR and the Arkansas River play host to the 5th Annual Under Armour College Bass National Championship July 10 - 12. The first National Championship event had 6 teams participate. This year the event plays host to nearly 70 teams! That's progress! The tournament will air on ESPNU beginning August 5th. Click here to get the list of teams competing and the rest of the information regarding the event. |
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Rapala is introducing two new ways to "walk the dog" in 2010. They have the X-Rap Subwalk, a sub surface bait that allows the walk side to side under the surface and a larger X-Rap Walk that does its thing on the surface. Both have internal rattles and great color combinations only Rapala can provide.
The Subwalk 07 sinks slowly and allows a glide and drop technique.We really like the Olive Green.
The X-Rap Walk 09 walks great out of the box, has super flash and big fish love it. We like the Moss Back Shiner.
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Can you say shallow water? Yamaha Marine Group announced today a new, powerful jet-drive version of the F150, one of the company’s best-selling outboards of all time. Great for maneuvering through shallows, rapids and rocky shoals, the F150 Jet Drive also has all of the performance advantages associated with Yamaha four-stroke outboards – it’s quiet, clean, fuel-efficient and dependable.
“The F150 Jet Drive is incredibly easy to operate and really gives boaters the versatility they need to explore shallow waters that can be treacherous for prop-driven outboards,” said David Meeler, Yamaha Marine Group Product Marketing Information Manager. “With this outboard, there’s no need to tilt the engine up for shore landings, because there’s no propeller or drive unit extending below the boat.”
Yamaha’s marine-specific, four-cylinder, double overhead camshaft design features a proven 2.7-liter platform for power and performance. A streamlined cowling and intake system work in tandem with individually-tuned long intake tracks and Yamaha’s Precision Electronic Multi-Point Fuel Injection to provide outstanding fuel efficiency with easy starting, strong acceleration, and excellent top speed.
The F150 Jet Drive, rated for 105 horsepower at the jet pump, is fuel efficient because it’s a clean four-stroke. This new F150 Jet Drive joins the F115, F90, F60, and F40 Jet Drive outboards in achieving a 3-star rating for ultra-low emissions from the stringent California Air Resources Board.
For more information, please visit the “What’s New?” section at yamahaoutboards.com.
F150 Jet Drive Specifications
Model F150TJR
Type In-Line 4 Cylinder
Displacement 2670cc (163.0 c.i.)
Bore x Stroke 94.0 mm x 96.2 mm (3.70 x 3.79 in)
Full Throttle RPM Range 5000-6000 rpm
Horsepower Rating at Jet Pump 105 hp @ 5500 rpm
Compression Ratio 9.0:1
Fuel Induction System Multi-Point EFI, 16-Valve Double Overhead Camshaft
Alternator Output 35 Amps (1500 rpm to W.O.T.)
Fuel Delivery Long Intake Tracks, 4 Throttle Valves, 4 Electronic Fuel Injectors
Starting Method Electric Starter
Ignition TCI Microcomputer Ignition
Degree of Trim/Tilt -4 to +16 / 70º
Cooling Raw Water, Thermostatically-controlled
Impeller Material Stainless Steel
Thrust Control F/N/R
Weight (complete with pump assembly) 223 kg (491lbs)
Shaft Length Fits 25” transoms
Recommended Fuel Unleaded Regular (Minimum Pump Octane 87)
Recommended Oil Yamalube® 4-M (See Owner’s Manual)
C.A.R.B. Emissions Rating 3-Star
Remote Control Box Optional
Limited Warranty 3-Year Pleasure (2-year on jet pump assembly)
3-Year Government (2-year on jet pump assembly)
1-Year Commercial (1-year on jet pump assembly Yamaha Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,100 U.S. dealers and OEM partners with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA®’s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.
This document contains many of Yamaha's valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only, and are not intended to be an endorsement.
Contacts
Yamaha Marine Group
Martin Peters, 770-420-5829
Manager, Communications
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Professional bass angler Kevin Van Dam sets the bar high when it comes to performance expectations and the newest baitcast reel in the Quantum lineup, Tour KVD, is without a doubt the best ever in the brand's highly popular PT "Performance Tuned" family.The Tour KVD reel is built on a profile not much bigger than Quantum's 100-size baitcasters introduced in 2009, but holds a 200-size spool for increased line capacity, improved casting performance and higher inches per turn (IPT) retrieve ... the best of all worlds. As a result, Tour KVD is classified as a new 150 size and holds 145 yards of 12 lb. test, which is 35 more yards than the previous models. From there, things get even better.
The reel's frame, side covers and front support are machined aluminum. Drive gear and main shaft are ceramic-coated aluminum. Its 11 PT polymer-stainless bearing system provides super-smooth performance and the ultimate in corrosion resistance.
Earth shattering is Tour KVD's innovative new cast control, ACS 3. The proprietary Quantum centrifugal braking system automatically self-adjusts according to the needs of the cast up to the maximum level that the angler has selected. For example, if the angler chooses the "midpoint" setting but the cast does not require that much brake actuation, then no brakes will be applied. However, if the cast quickly ramps the spool speed up to need the braking level selected, then the brakes are applied for that setting.
What the ACS 3 technology means is that an angler can change casting presentations, such as going from a long-distance cast immediately to a short pitch, without having to adjust the setting whatsoever. Cast control settings are infinite among the 168-degree rotation of the Tour KVD's external dial.
Also new is Quantum's 7.3:1 extra high-speed gear ratio. At this ratio, Tour KVD has the highest IPT (inches per turn) of any baitcast reel in its class, 34 inches. The reel's handle is made of seven layers of lightweight carbon fiber with large ergonomic paddles.
The reel also has the finest drag system and highest lockdown among all freshwater baitcast reels. That's because it is a layered PT ceramic drag system just like the one found in Quantum's proven PT saltwater models.
We particularly like the color as well.
Tour KVD is available in three right-hand models: Burner XS 7.3:1, Speed SS 6.6:1, and Power 5.4:1. Reel weight is 8.5 ounces.
Tour KVD retails for $299.95.
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Mercury announced today it will integrate its MotorGuide business in Tulsa, Okla., into its Attwood Marine Products division in Lowell, Mich.
The move, a result of the continued economic downturn, will allow Mercury to take advantage of the "development and operations synergy" of the much larger plant in Lowell. The plant in Tulsa will be permanently closed, though Attwood will retain a research-and-development center in the Tulsa area.
The closure is unrelated to the media reports regarding the future of Mercury Marine's sterndrive operations in Stillwater, the company said in a statement.
MotorGuide currently employs 61 people, some of whom could be offered opportunities to relocate to Lowell.
The target date for completion of the move is Oct. 30.
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