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 Lucky 7 plus one marks the 2012 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule. It’s the seventh year of the world’s premier competitive bass fishing circuit, and with it come seven premium venues for the world’s top professional anglers ... plus one “Mystery Lake.”
Whether you're looking for red hot largemouth fishing (Lake Okeechobee, Fla.), legendary lunker producers (St. Johns River, Fla., and Toledo Bend Reservoir, La.), world-class spotted bass fishing (Bull Shoals Lake, Ark.), giant smallmouth (Oneida Lake, N.Y.), a trip down America's greatest river (the Mississippi out of Wis.) or some late-season drama (a special mystery venue in June), the 2012 schedule has it all.
The season kicks off with the 42nd Bassmaster Classic — the Super Bowl of bass fishing — on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La. (Feb. 24-26). It’s the second time Shreveport and the Red River have hosted a Classic. In 2009, Skeet Reese bested the Red and 50 other competitors on his way to a $500,000 payday.
The 2012 Classic will be new in several significant ways. First, it will feature tournament winners from the 2011 Elite Series and Opens, not just the anglers with the highest points totals on those circuits. For another, the first Mercury College B.A.S.S. champion, Andrew Upshaw of Stephen F. Austin State University, will be competing in the Classic against the pros, B.A.S.S. Federation Nation champions and the champion of the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series operated by American Bass Anglers.
After the Classic, the Elite trail heads to Palatka, Fla., for the season opener on the St. Johns River (March 15-18) — known throughout the region as the Bass Fishing Capital of the World. Who can argue? For decades a 12-pound, 13-ounce largemouth caught on the St. Johns during the 1973 Florida Invitational stood as the largest in B.A.S.S. competition history. Last year, Edwin Evers sight-fished his way to an Elite win with nearly 80 pounds of bass over four days.
Just a few hours farther south is the second stop of the season at Lake Okeechobee (March 22-25) out of Okeechobee, Fla. The name is formed by two Hitchiti tribe words — “oki” (water) and “chobee” (big) — which are more than applicable. The Big O covers nearly half a million surface acres and is far and away the largest body of water on the schedule. This will be B.A.S.S.’ 20th stop at the giant lake, but the first for the Elite Series.
It’s been more than 20 years since B.A.S.S. last visited the next Elite destination — Bull Shoals Lake in Arkansas (April 19-22), but it has a storied history. B.A.S.S.’ first Bull Shoals event was in 1975, and it was won by Dee Thomas of California, the inventor of flippin’. With the victory — and a subsequent series of features in Bassmaster Magazine — flippin’ became the hottest technique on the tournament trail. It still is, in fact, and Bull Shoals is where the story broke.
On May 3-6, the Elites will be at Douglas Lake out of Dandridge, Tenn. It’s B.A.S.S.’ third trip to Douglas, where the legendary Rick Clunn picked up the 13th of his 14 career wins in 2001. That event was also in May, so Clunn may have the inside track on the pattern that will lead to Elite gold.
From Douglas, the Elites travel southwest to Many, La., and historic Toledo Bend Reservoir (June 7-10). In the 1970s and early ’80s, “the Bend” was widely regarded as the best bass water in the country and a proving ground for many of the sport’s early stars. Today, it’s still a gem as evidenced by Dean Rojas’ 2011 Elite win with more than 70 pounds of bass over four days. This will be B.A.S.S.’ 14th visit to Toledo Bend and the second Elite Series event to be held there.
There is no more historic or prosaic body of water in the United States than the Mississippi River. La Crosse, Wis., is the site of the sixth Elite event of the 2012 season (June 21-24), and the beginning of the trail’s swing to the north. B.A.S.S. has held five professional tournaments on the Big Muddy, but only two of them were hosted by La Crosse, and the most recent of those was 28 years ago. That’s a lot of water under the city’s historic Mississippi River Bridge. Rick Clunn will be trying to recapture some of his 1983 magic when he won B.A.S.S.’ first tournament out of La Crosse. The only time the Elites have fished the river came in 2009 out of Fort Madison, Iowa, when Kevin Short won with 43-3 over four days in the stingiest Elite tournament in history.
After the history of the Mighty Mississippi, it’s time for some mystery. By this point in the season, the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year hunt will be in full swing and only a handful of anglers will still have a chance at the crown with two tournaments to go. On June 28-July 1, however, there’s just a note to “save the date.” This tournament will not only have a big impact on the AOY race, but it will also be fought on a venue that the Elites will not learn of until it’s too late to do any extensive practicing or information gathering.
This tournament harkens back to the “mystery lake” format of the first six Bassmaster Classics, when the competitors didn’t know where they’d be fishing until the plane taking them there was already in the air. The Elites of 2012 will have a little more advance notice, but only a little, and the one who can put together the puzzle the fastest will carry home the big trophy and check.
The season wraps up in Syracuse, N.Y., at Oneida Lake (Aug. 23-26). That’s where a Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year will be crowned and dozens of berths to the 2013 Bassmaster Classic will be determined. Frequently referred to as “The Thumb” because of its proximity to New York’s famed “Finger Lakes,” Oneida has been a popular B.A.S.S. stop in the last decade. In fact, B.A.S.S. has been here seven times since 2003, including three Elite tournaments. They were won by Tommy Biffle (2006), Dean Rojas (2008) and Chad Griffin (2009). Weights have always been considerable and consistent (between 63-10 and 65-10). Look for more of the same here in 2012 as the Bassmaster Angler of the Year award and more than 30 Bassmaster Classic berths are decided in New York, and the last two weigh-ins of the season are held at the New York State Fair!
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Pro Tom Keenan of Hatley, Wis., wrapped up his season-long quest for the National Guard FLW Walleye Tour Angler of the Year title Saturday at the FLW Walleye Tour event on Lake Oahe. This is Keenan’s second overall title and he received $10,000 for the honor. Keenan’s previous title came in 2006 and in 2010 he claimed Eastern Division FLW Angler of the Year. Along with his previous angler of the year titles, Keenan has logged an additional three top-10 finishes in the FLW Angler of the Year race during his 11-year professional career with FLW Outdoors.
 “This title means a ton to me,” Keenan said. “I am pretty jacked up. One bad day of fishing and you can’t win. I was fortunate to be able to turn in three (including the Oahe event) top-10 finishes this year. I’ve fished hard all year and had a lot of fun. I am doing what I love to do. I went to my 20th high school reunion last year and they read my will. It said that my three goals were to graduate high school, get a college degree and fish with Bassmaster, since they don’t have walleye I am with FLW. And I have accomplished all three!
“My practice days go from about 6:30 a.m. to about 6 p.m. and I grind hard all day long,” Keenan went on to say. “I fish every tournament to win. I go out there and try to catch those big donkeys. At Lake Erie I took second, then 14th at Leech. That’s when I started to think I could win Angler of the Year. At Green Bay I came in sixth and coming into this tournament it was all about the title, I wanted to win.
“Not to brag or anything, but I make a lot of good decisions and that’s what winning tournaments is all about,” continued Keenan. “Especially tournaments like we had here on Oahe. You really have to know what fish to keep and what fish to throw back when you are dealing with slots and overs. I am able to do that successfully.
“I like to fish by myself. If there are a lot of guys in one area I will usually go someplace else. And I don’t get stuck on one spot. If it is not productive I go hunting. One of my fishing mentors once told me that he was a better hunter than a fisher. I didn’t really understand that until recently.
“I am not sure if I should say this or not, but when I got married I took all our wedding money and invested in eight Daiwa Line Counter Reels. I have earned about $897,000 off that investment. Not a bad return on $800!”
Keenan finished the season with 577 points, 26 points ahead of runner-up pro Chase Parsons of Brillion, Wis. Rounding out the top five were National Guard pro Mark Courts of Harris, Minn., (547), Paul Meleen of Isle, Minn., (515) and Tom Kemos of Oconomowoc, Wis. (505).
Keenan began the season with a 2nd-place finish at the Lake Erie event. His lowest finish came at the second stop on Leech Lake where he placed 14th. That was fire enough to drive him to a 6th-place finish on Green Bay and 5th-place at the final stop on Oahe where he nailed this third top-10 finish and sealed the deal for angler of the year.
Keenan has won two National Guard FLW Walleye Tour events and has notched 16 top-10 finishes earning over $650,000 during his career with FLW Outdoors.
Coverage of Keenan’s Angler of the Year crowning will be aired with the Lake Oahe tournament on Oct. 2, 2011 when it is broadcast in high-definition (HD) on VERSUS. “FLW Outdoors,” hosted by Chip Leer, is broadcast to more than 500 million households worldwide.
Previous Anglers of the Year
Angler Year Championship Titles Fishery
Paul Meleen 2010
Chris Gilman 2009 2010 Leech Lake
Peter Harsh 2008
Jason Przekurat 2007
Tom Keenan 2006 2003 Mississippi River/Welch
Nick Johnson 2005 2004 Mississippi River/Moline
Dennis Jeffrey 2004
Jason Przekurat 2003
Tim Minnerna 2002
Rick Olson 2001
Scott Glorvigen 2000 2000 Lake Michigan
The National Guard FLW Walleye Tour Co-angler of the Year presented by the National Guard was determined Saturday by the most points accumulated over the four Walleye Tour events. Boyd Strissel of Billings, Mont., won the title and $2,500 by 30 points over John Spiegel of Appleton, Wis., who had 497 points. Strissel posted 527 points during the course of the season. Darrell Martin of Forest Lake, Minn., came in third with 493 points.
“It’s a great honor to win,” said the 77-year-old Strissel who just completed his 12th season with FLW Outdoors. “I didn’t win this award by myself, I have to thank everyone of the great pros that I was partnered with this year. They were amazing. I can’t hardly think about it, this is so wonderful.”
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"I have used about every hook made, and the Kumho Hooks are the best I have ever fished," Gary Klein said.
It's a strong statement, but after last week's trip to Falcon Lake, the proof was presented and documented. The 3X Forged Kumho did not flex or have a point roll over. Most of the fish were caught 8 to 9 feet deep in big bushes. The Reaper Keeper plastic bait keeper worked perfectly as well.
"We were able to catch several bass on each bait and the plastic didn't roll up on the hook a single time," said Klein. "Now that is impressive!"
After five days of fishing at Falcon, fishing some stuff a bulldozer would have a tough time getting through, he used one -- yes that is right -- one hook. It was a Kumho 5/0 Flipping Hook. The results are staggering. His five biggest bass on his first day weighed 42.15, Big fish was 9.3 pounds, small fish was 8.4. His big fish for the week was more than 11 pounds. For the week, they caught 50 fish weighing more than 5 pounds -- WOW!
Below is the hook that Klein used to catch more than 100 bass.
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It’s a long-standing tradition in racing that rookie drivers sport a yellow stripe on their rear bumper. Supposedly, veteran drivers exercise added caution when approaching a yellow striped driver on the track. Then at the end of the race season, the stripe gets removed in a ceremonial fashion to celebrate a rite of passage to veteran status.
Mike Iaconelli lost his yellow stripe at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend -- no, not as a driver, but from the standpoint of transitioning from a NASCAR virgin to ‘been there and done that’ status all in a matter of hours.
On Thursday, Ike hitched his bass boat to his Tundra and traveled 500 miles with wife Becky and baby son Vegas to Bristol as a guest of Toyota Racing. Once there, bass fishing’s noisiest pro was relinquished to a pile of very short incomplete sentences filled with exclamation points.
“Unbelievable! This is insane!” said the 2006 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year as he walked through the infield of racing’s fastest half mile.
Yes, this was Iaconelli’s first NASCAR race, and thanks to the gracious folks at Toyota, there was nothing he failed to experience. From passion-filled race fans, a huge majority of which recognized Ike and asked for an autograph, to a handshake from drivers Kyle Busch and David Reutimann moments before the green flag waved, Ike took it all in – mostly with his eyes and ears.
“I can definitely see why this is the hot ticket,” Ike said. “You can hear it. You can see it. You can smell it. You can touch it. You can feel it.”
However, even amid Bristol’s stimulus overload, Ike’s passion screamed for fishing. So once done looking at Bristol from atop the Michael Waltrip Racing car hauler, and time spent inside it viewing engineers’ computers and suspension springs bigger than his thighs, Ike sought out driver and friend Martin Truex Jr. to talk about fishing.
The two shook hands, Truex offered Ike extra ear plugs, and then the topic fast turned to smallmouth bass. “I haven’t had time to fish much this summer, but I did catch a giant smallmouth at Traverse City, Mich. last week,” Truex said. “I really like to go up there in June and smash ‘em when they’re spawning.” Truex, the driver of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry, obviously has a working knowledge of bass that rivals his knowledge of his Camry’s balance.
Talk of fishing just wasn’t enough however, participation was Ike’s goal, so late in the day between autograph signing sessions and a radio control truck race for fun, Ike grabbed a spinning combo from his Tundra and a bucket of Berkley Gulp from his boat, and headed to a stream that sits in the shadow of the track. While race fans grilled and watched, Ike does what Ike does best. He caught a 13-inch Smallmouth, pumped his fist passionately, and caused on-looking fans with a shared love of fast cars and fishing to scream and cheer.
A poetic punctuation mark to a perfect day at Bristol that fast removed Ike’s NASCAR rookie stripe.
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Eco Pro Tungsten today again added to its impressive pro staff with the signing of Bassmaster Elite Series angler Jeff Kriet. The Oklahoma pro is a 10-year veteran of the Elite Series and is a finesse and deep water expert. A fan favorite, Kriet qualified to fish the 2012 Bassmaster Classic, his eighth appearance.
"Finding good tungsten weights has been a real problem for me," Kriet said. "Eco Pro Tungsten doesn't fray my line and is available in the best sizes and colors. All of their products are of top quality. I am very excited about adding them to my arsenal."
Eco Pro Tungsten is an industry leader in quality tungsten products and has the largest selection of sizes and colors on the market. They also carry an innovative line-up of terminal tackle solutions. All of their baits are designed, tested and approved by the pros.
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Nate Wellman has had a dream since he was 12 years old: to fish in the Bassmaster Classic. Since then, he has strived to make that dream a reality by trying to qualify through the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens as well as the Bassmaster Elite Series. But before today, he’s always come up short. With his win on Lake Erie, he’ll be able to live out that dream next February on Louisiana’s Red River at the 2012 Classic.
This victory was two-fold for Wellman, the second half lying in the fact that he has never won on his home water of Lake Erie. He’s fished the lake for more than 10 years but has never broken through and earned a major victory.
“I can’t even explain what this means to me. To come here and win means an awful lot, but to get to go to the Classic means the world,” he said.
Wellman narrowly missed a spot in the 2011 Classic with his third-place finish in the 2010 Northern Opens points when only the top two anglers went. Along with the Classic berth, Wellman also took home a fully rigged Nitro boat with a 225-hp Mercury outboard and nearly $9,000 cash. His Day Three catch weighed 18-4, giving him a three-day total of 63-11. Most of his fish fell for a Berkley Gulp Minnow and an Erie Darter, all drop-shotted. On Days One and Two, he used a prototype ABT Lures crankbait that he says will reach 29 feet in depth.
When much of the field struggled because of the calm winds on Day Three, Jared Rhode of Port Clinton, Ohio, excelled and took home $12,500 for his runner-up finish. He caught 22-11, which gave him a three-day total of 61-15. Michael Murphy of Gilbert, S.C., also figured out how to catch a solid stringer as he brought 22-2 to the scales, giving him a total of 61-0, earning him more than $10,000. He says that every day presented a new challenge as the weather conditions fluctuated. The first day the winds were high and blew 6-foot waves across the lake, while on Day Two it calmed down a bit and nearly disappeared on Day Three
“I lost a good fish today, but I learned something from it. They were really finicky and I found that they were just playing with it, so I had to let them take it before I set the hook,” he said. “It was a real grind.”
Murphy relied on an Ima Beast Hunter crankbait the first two windy days, then switched to a Reins tube and a Tabu Tackle Whip Tail worm when the wind receded.
In fourth place is Chris Malone of Ironton, Ohio, who caught 19-1 today for a total of 60-08. He won more than $8,000. In fifth place is Kurt Dove of Del Rio, Texas, who caught 20-12 for a total of 58-12. He took home $7,500.
On the co-angler side, Day One leader Jonathan Shoemaker of Elyria, Ohio, reclaimed the lead and took home the win along with a Triton boat with a Mercury outboard valued at $35,000 for his catch of 38-4. His Day Three weight was 11-11. Like much of the field, he relied on a drop shot rig with a Roboworm, leech, or a soft jerkbait on the end.
In second place is Day Two leader Mike Chunko of Alliance, Ohio, who caught 9-9 today for a total of 37-7. Behind him is Bobby Woods of Stafford, Ohio, who also caught 37-7 thanks to his Day Three weight of 12-13. In fourth place is Chris Van Vliet of Cleveland, Canada, who caught 11-12 today, giving him a total of 37-6. Rounding out the top five is Pete Manns of Seville, Ohio, who caught 11-6, giving him the same total as Van Vliet, 37-6.
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Pro Chase Parsons of Brillion, Wis., and co-angler Christopher Hanson of New Hope, Minn., caught five walleyes weighing 18 pounds, 5 ounces to win the National Guard FLW Walleye Tour tournament on Lake Oahe. Parsons had a three-day catch of 15 walleyes weighing 53-2. He won by 3-pounds,14-ounces over his closest competitor in an event featuring anglers from 18 states and Canada. Parsons took home $52,000 for his efforts.
“Aside from the birth of my son and my wedding day this is the greatest day of my life,” said Parsons, who won his first ever major walleye tournament. “I’ve been close a lot of times, including on this body of water. I have a bunch of seconds, a bunch of thirds and a ton of fifths – fifth is my number. And to have Keith (Kavajecz, Parsons uncle) come in second and Kemos third is just so special. The only thing I would have wished for is that dad (Gary Parsons) would have had better luck getting his fish in the right order the first two days, but he didn’t and that is probably what cost him standing on the stage with me today.”
“I know a lot of guys were trolling tree lines. I was pulling spinners through the trees. I lost a lot of bait and about a dozen fish over the course of the tournament, but man were the fish biting,” Parsons went on to say. “I only fished a total of nine hours over the three days, I was done by 11:30 each day.
“The early bite was on fire for me. I caught all of my overs within a half hour of hitting my spot. I was fishing Peoria Flats. Today in one pass we got a 19-inch, 19 ½-inch, and then a 19 7/8-inch all in a half hour! You can’t ask for anything better than that.
“I have had an incredible year and I hope that in 20 years my son (who is 10 weeks old) will be in this exact spot I am in and I will be where my dad is.”
Fishing in another tournament in two weeks Parsons was still hesitant to reveal too much of how he was trolling spinners through the trees. He did say that it will revolutionize the walleye world. He indicated that he was fishing in several depths; 32 to 35 feet for the overs and about 18 feet for the slots.
Rounding out the top 10 pros are:
2nd: Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis., 15 walleyes, 54-2, $15,000
3rd: Tom Kemos, Oconomowoc, Wis., 15 walleyes, 54-0, $10,000 plus $1,000 bonus
4th: Tommy Skarlis, Waukon, Iowa, 15 walleyes, 52-3, $8,000 plus $3,500
5th: Tom Keenan, Hatley, Wis., 15 walleyes, 49-8, $7,000 plus $2,500
6th: Walmart pro Dean Arnoldussen, Appleton, Wis., 15 walleyes, 48-8, $6,000 plus $2,500 bonus
7th: Darrell Peters, Slayton, Minn., 13 walleyes, 47-12, $5,000
8th: Joe McCartin, Land O Lakes, Wis., 14 walleyes, 46-2, $4,000 plus $2,500 bonus
9th: Lynn Jurrens, Watertown, S.D., 14 walleyes, 43-4, $3,500 plus $1,000 bonus
10th: Pete Harsh, Sauk Centre, Minn., 15 walleyes, 41-2, $3,000 plus $2,500 bonus
A complete list of results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com
Christopher Hanson of New Hope, Minn., earned the victory in the Co-angler Division and took home $6,000. His three-day weight totaled 53 pounds, 2 ounces. He fished with pros Gary Maher, Menoken, N.D., Paul Meleen, Isle, Minn., and Chase Parsons over the course of the tournament.
“This is unbelievable,” said Hanson, who also won his first FLW Walleye Tour tournament. “I never thought it could really happen to me, this is just incredible. I had three great partners and couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers are:
2nd: Dave Keyser, Oak Lawn, Ill., 15 walleyes, 51-6, $3,000
3rd: Dale Janota, Gillette, Wyo., 15 walleyes, 49-3, $1,800
4th: Gary Kafka, Pierre, S.D., 15 walleyes, 48-10, $1,200
5th: Jerry Chwierut, Lake Villa, Ill., 15 walleyes, 47-4, $1,000
6th: Flo Swank, Pierre, S.D., 15 walleyes, 46-14, $900
7th: Russell Somsen, Pierre, S.D., 13 walleyes, 44-2, $800
8th: Chad Resel, Wessington, S.D., 14 walleyes, 43-12, $700
9th: Chad Wilz, Appleton, Wis., 14 walleyes, 41-2, $600
10th: Dave Smith, Saint Joseph, Minn., 15 walleyes, 39-4, $500
Overall there were 46 walleyes weighing 141 pounds, 4 ounces caught by 10 boats Saturday. The catch included seven five-walleye limits.
Tom Keenan won his third National Guard FLW Walleye Tour Angler of the Year title. Along with the coveted trophy, Keenan took home $10,000 for his efforts during the 2012 season. Boyd Strissel of Billings, Mont. won the Angler of the Year title in the Co-angler division along with $2,500 for his efforts.
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Professional angler Pam Martin-Wells claimed her second straight Lady Bass Anglers Association (LBAA) tournament victory today on Tennessee’s Old Hickory Lake. But equally important Martin-Wells pulled off a come-from-behind win in the Angler of the Year race to capture the LBAA’s first pro division Angler of the Year title.
Martin-Wells of Bainbridge, Ga., only brought three bass to the scales today but they weighed a hefty 9.23 pounds and pushed her two-day total at Old Hickory to 17.63 pounds.
“I’ve always liked tough tournaments,” she said. “That is when the luck factor is taken out of the equation, and I really put my head down and get to it. I pre-fished from daylight until dark and told Steven [my husband] this tournament would be similar to Guntersville in that you could not sit in any one place and win it. I tried to fish just like I did at Guntersville – stay open minded and be versatile.”
Martin-Wells calculated that she ran her Legend 69 miles on Old Hickory on day one alone.
Finishing behind Martin-Wells in second was Alabama’s Lisa Johnson who had a two-day total of 15.87 pounds.
Rounding out the pro division’s “Super Seven” at Old Hickory was Plano, Texas’ Cheryl Bowden in third with 15.69; Greenville, Texas’ Judith Hart with 15.47 was fourth; Lynda Gessner of Foristell, Mo. was fifth with 13.93, Murchison, Texas resident Pam Ridgle was sixth with 13.54, and Dayton, Tenn. angler Jenny Nevans was seventh with 13.11.
Sarah Davis from Livingston, La. led wire-to-wire to capture her first LBAA co-angler crown. Davis brought her second three-fish limit to the scales today to give her a two-day total of 11.51 pounds and the prestigious victory.
“It took a lot of patience,” Davis stated, “I threw a lot of baits and most of my short fish were on faster moving baits, so most everything was slow (larger worms and Flukes). It is awesome to win this! When I first saw these trophies, I wanted one of those, and now I have it.”
Following Davis in the LBAA’s Old Hickory co-angler “Super Seven were: Lebanon, Tennessee’s Diana Montgomery in second with 9.95; Bonnie Ward of Snohomish, Washington was third with 8.23; Alpine, Alabama’s Kim Giddens was fourth with 6.81; Martinsburg, West Virginia’s Shannon Wood was fifth with 6.62; and Martha Goodfellow from Simpsonville, South Carolina was seventh with 5.59 pounds.
Judith Hart took big bass awards for the Old Hickory event in the pro division with a bass weighing 3.66 pounds, and Jan Bruner captured the award on the co-angler side of things with a bass that weighed in at 4.66 pounds.
In the AOY races, Martin-Wells with her victory today at Old Hickory overtook Kim Bain-Moore to claim the LBAA Pro Division AOY title with 1170 points. Martin-Wells and Bain-Moore went into today’s final day of competition tied for the AOY lead.
“This is totally awesome,” stated a very happy Martin-Wells. “To win this title in the inaugural year of this organization is fantastic. They can never take this away from me – I was the first! It is neat that I now have won AOY in every woman’s circuit that I have competed in. The Good Lord has definitely shined on me!”
The LBAA pro division AOY “Super Seven” was Bain-Moore in second with 1140 points and Pam Ridgle followed her in third with 1095. Fourth was Lynda Gessner with 1052, and Gessner was followed in fifth by Emily Shaffer with 1029. Sixth and seventh respectively were Jenny Nevans with 988 and Debbie Kemp with 972 points.
In the co-angler division, Kim Giddens claimed the 2011 LBAA Co-angler of the Year title with 1150 points. “It is pretty amazing as this is my first year fishing with these wonderful ladies,” Giddens said. “When I started into this I felt like I could compete but I never expected to win this.”
The LBAA co-angler of the year Super Seven are as follows: Kim Giddens in first with 1150 points and she was followed by Diana Uebelhack with 1085. Third place was claimed by Bonnie Ward with 1067 and fourth was Martha Goodfellow with 1024. Vicki Henderson took fifth place with 1017 points, and Barbara Harris followed her in sixth with 986 points. Donna Newberry nailed down seventh with 969 points.
Murchison, Texas resident Pam Ridgle nailed down the 2011 LBAA Rookie of the Year award today as she was the highest finishing pro division rookie in all four regular season LBAA events this year.
“I’m very pleased and ecstatic to maintain and pull off a win like this,” Ridgle stated. “It was a pretty tough season with all of the mechanical errors I did have, but overall I’m very ecstatic that I did this.”
The LBAA today formally announced that their 2011 Lady Bass Classic will be held on Kentucky Lake October 6-8, 2011. The top 21 anglers from both divisions will compete in this prestigious event.
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This is just not an ordinary day to go fishing for the Menendez children. Saturday will be the Fourth Annual Menendez Ronald McDonald House Fishing Event.
“This idea came from my wife, Donna,” said Mark Menendez. “She wanted to give back to the Ronald McDonald after our stay with our son, Max. He is a healthy and happy five- year old. We were sent to Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, KY, immediately after Max was born. Our son was going to be fine.” recalled Menendez.
“We split the difference on the children’s birthdays and invited all of their friends for a fishing party in the family pond. The catch was that there were to be no gifts! We ask that a donation be made to the Ronald McDonald House.” stated Menendez.
We are looking to host 70 children this year. Each angler will receive a tackle pack and fishing hat from Strike King Lure Company. They will also receive a gift card for a cheeseburger from our local McDonald's restaurant.
“Our hope is to help other families in their time of need. We will never forget our time at the Ronald McDonald House. We are truly grateful for a resource such as this,” said Donna Menendez.
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Lake Erie’s highly mobile smallmouth bass had much of the field scrambling for bites on Day One of the second 2011 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Open, but several pros were able to adapt and crack the 20-pound mark.
No one was more surprised at leader Nate Wellman’s Day One weight of 22 pounds, 4 ounces than Wellman himself.
“My weight was a complete shock. I really thought I had 18 pounds, but as I got to the scales, they felt a lot heavier,” he said. “But, I’m sure glad they put on that weight.”
In practice, Wellman found two areas that held fish bigger than the ones he caught today, but they weren’t home when he arrived this morning, so he fell back on Plan B.
“I caught 25 keepers today, and I threw back probably eight before I put one in the box,” he said. “I just tossed the 2- and 3-pounders back because they won’t help you here. Call it confidence or call it what you want, but that’s not that good of a fish here.”
Wellman kept a drop shot rig in his hand all day, and said that he’d get into more specifics about baits as the tournament progressed.
Wellman is one of the many Elite Series pros entered into this Open looking for a berth in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic, the prize awarded to the pro winner.
Behind him is Bryan Coates, who was also surprised at the weight he caught, which was 21-5.
“Today was better than I expected. I usually shoot for about 19 pounds or so, and I beat that, so I’m happy,” he said. “I started off on my first spot and I didn’t get a bite for an hour and a half, so I asked my co-angler if he was afraid of the big water, and he said no, so we headed out to my other spot. After we got there, we both had limits inside of 45 minutes.”
Coates believes that weights will increase tomorrow if the winds are calmer than today, which they’re predicted to be.
In third place is Chris Malone of Ironton, Ohio, with 21-0. He suffered an 8-ounce fish-care penalty that cost him second place. Like Wellman and Coates, Malone’s first spot turned out to be a dud but his second spot was “stacked with fish.”
In fourth place is 23-year-old Kyle Fox of Lakeland, Fla., with 20-11. Fox is a newcomer to the smallmouth game, having caught his first smallie when he was 19. Rounding out the top five is Kyle Kempkers with 20-5. Only one other angler, Elite Series pro Derek Remitz, cracked the 20-pound mark with 20-0.
In the co-angler division, a brand new, fully rigged Triton bass boat with Mercury outboard is at stake, and the competition is stiff.
Jonathan Shoemaker of Elyria, Ohio, caught a three-fish limit that weighed an astounding 14-12 to take the lead on Day One. Shoemaker admits that much of a co-angler’s success hinges on his pro’s ability to be around fish.
“I’ve done this co-angler game long enough to know that you need to be with a pro who’s on fish,” he said. “Then you need to get a few lucky bites.”
Just off the lead pace is Mike Chunko of Alliance, Ohio, with 14-11; in third place is Jon Jezierski of Troy, Mich., with 13-13; in fourth is Chris Van Vliet of Cleveland, Canada, with 13-11; and in fifth place is Brian Mailot of Columbus, Ohio, with 13-05.
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Pro
Darrell Peters of Slayton, Minn., and co-angler Jeff Sass of Waupun,
Wis., brought in five walleyes weighing 21 pounds, 9 ounces Thursday to
lead day one of the National Guard FLW Walleye Tour tournament on Lake
Oahe. The pair now hold a 2-pound, 1-ounce lead over their closest
rivals in an event featuring 113 pros and 113 co-anglers representing 18
states and Canada fishing for top awards of $63,000 in the Pro Division
and $10,500 in the Co-angler Division.
“Fishing is fairly easy right now,” said Peters, who led on day
one at Oahe last year as well. “I am targeting walleye with crankbaits
that are suspended 15 to 30 feet in120 feet of water. We threw eight
overs back and had our limit in the box by about 10 a.m. We had just
landed our second 24 incher in a row and I threw the second one back, I
wanted to puke making that decision but 15 minutes later we nailed our
29 incher.
“I am fishing areas that I found in practice that seem to have
colder water and have been dead calm all week. I have four areas that I
found during practice and I fished three of four of them today. I am
fishing between Okobojo Creek and Little Bend. I would say that the key
to me for this tournament is going to be speed, style and color of baits
that I am using.
Peters is from Minn. but spends three months out of the year guiding on Oahe.
Peters was able to enhance his two overs with substantial slot
fish that came pretty early. Other anglers were fooled in to believing
that they would be able to catch larger slot fish later in the day, so
many keepers were thrown back in hopes of landing a larger slot fish
that never came leaving anglers scrambling to bring in their limit.
Rounding out the remainder of the top 10 pros and co-anglers after day one at Lake Oahe are:
2nd: Tommy Skarlis, Waukon, Iowa and Randy Rock, Brandon, S.D., five walleyes, 19-8
3rd: Gary Maher, Menoken, N.D., and Christopher Hanson, New Hope, Minn., five walleyes, 18-10
4th: Brian Deffner, Eland, Wis., and Dale Janota, Gillette, Wyo., five walleyes, 18-1
5th: Scott Handel, Chamberlain, S.D., and Dewey Stewart, Pawnee, Ill., five walleyes, 17-13
6th: Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis., and Robert Cardenas, Gem Lake, Minn., five walleyes, 17-10
7th: Tom Kemos, Oconomowoc, Wis., and John Kopcok, Belle River, Ontario, five walleyes, 17-7
8th: Joe McCartin, Land O Lakes, Wis., and Dave Keyser, Oak Lawn, Ill., five walleyes, 17-6
9th: Chase Parsons, Brillion, Wis., and Cody Lauer, Rapid City, S.D., five walleyes, 17-3
10th: Matt Lyon, Pierre, S.D., and Allan Frevert, Pocahontas, Iowa, five walleyes, 16-15
Overall there were 532 walleyes weighing 1,394 pounds, 15 ounces
caught by 113 boats Thursday. The catch included 96 five-walleye
limits.
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Waxahachie, Texas pro Patti Campbell coaxed a five-bass limit that weighing 8.93 pounds to take a slim lead after day one of the Lady Bass Anglers Association (LBAA) event today on Old Hickory Lake just outside of Gallatin, Tenn.
“I had my first keeper by 6 a.m., and I had three by around 7 a.m.,” Campbell said. “Then it got really, really slow, but I managed to scratch out another two.”
“I think it will take a little bit bigger sack than 8.93 to win this thing,” Campbell continued. “I didn’t do what I should have been doing earlier today, but it all worked out. I think I am going to go out and try to get some bigger fish tomorrow.”
Sitting in second a mere 0.34 ounces behind Campbell is Alabama’s Lisa Johnson. Johnson’s five-bass limit gave her 8.59 pounds for day one.
“I caught three this morning, then it slowed way down, and then it picked back up with about an hour to go when I picked those last two up,” Johnson said. “It was junk fishing at its finest. This morning, I caught fish in grass, and this afternoon, it was on wood. Tomorrow I will probably do more junk fishing. I’ve got to find where they are at --- whether it be grass or wood.”
Most anglers felt it would take around a 12-pound limit on Friday to win this event. Campbell’s lead is a very slim lead at best as less than 3 pounds separate the top eleven anglers on the pro side.
Following Campbell and Johnson in the 2011 LBAA Old Hickory “Super Seven” were Pam Martin-Wells of Bainbridge, Ga. with 8.40 and Foristell, Mo. angler Lynda Gessner with 8.38 pounds. In fifth was Judith Hart of Greenville, Texas with 7.92. Sixth place today belongs to Pelham, Ala angler Kim Bain-Moore with 7.56 and Murchison, Texas resident Pam Ridgle with 7.41 pounds of bass follows Bain-Moore in seventh.
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee’s Laura Prosser brought a 3.49-pound bass to the scale, giving her big bass for the day in the pro division.
Sarah Davis from Livingston, La. brought her three-fish limit to the scale today in the co-angler division, and those three bass weighed in at 6.05 pounds. Davis holds a slim 0.62-pound lead over second place Jan Bruner. Bruner who resides in Cedar Hill, Texas only brought two bass to the scales that weighed 5.43 pounds, but one weighed in at 4.66 pounds, which gave her the co-angler division big bass for the day.
Tennessee’s Diana Montgomery sits in third on the co-angler side with 5.23 and Kim Martin from Clayton, Ind. is in fourth with 5.14. Fifth place belongs to Cassie Hall of Alabaster, Ala. with 5.11 pounds. Holding down sixth and seventh, respectively, is Martha Goodfellow of Simpsonville, S.C. with 4.55 and Diana Uebelhack of Mt. Vernon, Ill. with 4.25 pounds of bass.
Angler of the Year races will be decided in both divisions as the LBAA event at Old Hickory concludes on Friday.
This week’s 2011 LBAA Old Hickory ProAm event closes out on Friday, Aug. 26, and on Saturday, Aug. 27, the LBAA will host the 2011 LBAA Old Hickory Homesafe Charity Tournament. The proceeds from this charity team tournament will go towards helping Homesafe assist more women and children who find themselves in difficult situations. Entry fee is $100 per team and the tournament will pay out a guaranteed $1,000 first place cash prize. There will be an additional $200 cash prize going to the highest finishing team with a female team member and an additional $200 cash prize that will to the highest finishing team with a child age 12 or under as a team member. At the conclusion of Saturday’s weigh-in, there will also be a raffle of items donated by national and local organizations. The proceeds of this raffle will add more support to the Homesafe organization. Visit them at http://homesafetn.org/services/sumner-county
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You have heard us rave about the Hydrowave. We have used them extensively and have seen them work and it doesn't stop there. Scientists/biologists have also proven that fish use their hearing and lateral line to sense prey. The Hydrowave provides those exact sounds they use in both in feeding and passive modes to find forage. Vibration and pressure waves key the fish into biting.
Elite Series pro Jeff Kriet told us at ICAST the two most important accessories he won't do without on his boat are his Hydrowave and his Power Pole. After using ours, we agree.
Tackle Warehouse has now got some in and they are available at $389.95, just in time for fall fishing.
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The Zoom plant closed for the evening and while everyone was gone the Super Chunk Jr's, the Horny Toads and the Brush Hogs had a party and a new Z-Hog was born. A bit of a stretch maybe but the new Z-Hog has begun production and they are sweet. Like all of the Zoom products this Hog should dance and we are excited about using them. The body is super soft, is tapered to the head and back to the pinchers and has a slot perfect for a 4/0 or 5/0 punch style or offset shank hook. The flappers on the side allows the bait to glide.
The 4" Z-Hog will begin shipping very soon and comes 8 to a package. We will be testing watermelon red (shown) and green pumpkin this weekend.
We hope another party of Zoom Baits happens soon.
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Click photo to see our HDR Photo Essay from Last October at Charlotte Motor Speedway
Last October, the good folks at Toyota Racing graciously issued Mike Iaconelli a custom-fitted fire suit for a 120 mph hot lap with NASCAR driver Martin Truex Jr. around Charlotte Motor Speedway. Later that autumn day, the two shared time catching bass on shaky head-rigged finesse worms at Lake Norman. Wired2Fish was fortunate to be along for the experience.
This week “Ike” is jumping into his Toyota Tundra and towing his boat from his New Jersey home to famed Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s doubtful he’ll be wearing the custom fitted fire suit along the 516 mile drive, but Iaconelli is indeed blazing with excitement to return to NASCAR’s inner circles.
In the case of Bristol, it’s a small ‘circle’ that provides the most exciting short track race of the year. Iaconelli will be at Bristol to sign autographs for race fans, as well as to get an inside look at Truex’s world on an actual race weekend. Ike’s Tundra and boat will also be on display for the 160,000 or so fans that fill one of the largest sports venues in the world.
“I gotta be honest, until recently, I wasn’t much of a NASCAR fan,” said Iaconelli. “But based on my experiences with Martin Truex Jr. last year in Charlotte, and what some of my buddies have told me about Bristol, I can’t wait to get there.”
“I’m also excited just to go and observe how they have grown their sport so big in a fan friendly way. My goal at Bristol is to watch, learn, have a good time and bring some of that experience back to fishing,” added Ike. “I also know that a ton of NASCAR fans love to fish, so I’m looking forward to talking fishing with the race fans too.”
Martin Truex Jr., driver of the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry, reciprocates excitement for Ike’s return to NASCAR.
“Mike is a pretty intense guy when he’s fishing, and it will be pretty cool to bring him into our world at an actual race and show him just how intense NASCAR racing is, especially at Bristol,” said Truex, who like Iaconelli, is also a New Jersey native.
In addition to sharing the same home state, Truex shares Ike’s love of fishing.
“I caught a lot of smallmouth in Traverse City before the Michigan race last weekend. I do pretty good fishing on my own, but of course he’s a pro, and he’s real good, “ said Truex in reference to Iaconelli, the 2006 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. “If anything, I’d like to ask Mike when he wants to go fishing again. He’s a lot of fun to hang out with; he’s a good dude. Plus, he’s a Phillies fan, and he’s from Jersey too.”
No doubt, lots of anglers love NASCAR, and thousands of race fans love to fish. It should be a great weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway for Truex, Iaconelli and the fans that share their love of shaky head lures and fast laps on a short track.
To see the photo shoot from last fall at Charlotte Motor Speedway with Ike and Truex, follow this link.
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Summer for most of the country has been super hot. Temperatures
well above 95 degrees were the norm for most of the Midwest and South the
entire summer. With hot temperatures, boat parts can show more wear and tear
than usual, and it’s important to make sure proper maintenance schedules are
followed. Some areas that are occasionally missed are bearings and moveable
parts that need grease to perform at peak efficiency. They get very hot and can
break down lubrication rapidly. Hubs, spindles, bearings and other moveable
parts can wear and failure is a result. Proper lubrication can prevent costly
repairs in these extreme conditions.
 Twice a year, it is our standard practice to grease all
fittings on the outboard, wheel bearings on the trailer, and we even take the
prop off for inspection and grease the prop shaft as well. With hotter than
normal temps we may do our checks even more. That too is an excellent time to check seals
and make sure that you haven’t picked up any line or have any leaks. Greasing
the prop shaft makes it easier to change the prop out if you have a failure and
it also prevents rust.
We recently changed out a prop, needed to grease the prop
shaft and while preparing it noticed the old grease gun was leaking badly. The
grease in the gun had divided oil from the grease and the first squeeze was
like old faithful. Grease and oil dripped everywhere. The old grease gun needed
a replacement cartridge, cleaning and a solid wipe down. Rather than cut
corners we decided rebuild the gun and use Lucas Marine Grease for this
application.
Lucas Marine Grease is a premium quality, heavy duty
lithium formulation with unique Lucas additives recommended for severe marine
operating circumstances, including salt water. Lucas Marine Grease contains
adhesion properties that allows it to stay put. On a prop shaft that is super
important. It also won’t break down like the old grease did and can stand temps
up to 550 degrees. It’s an NLGI No. 2 grease and is environmentally friendly while
preventing rust.
Greasing the prop shaft is easy. Squeeze a small amount
of Lucas Marine grease out of the gun on your finger or a clean cloth. Wipe the
entire shaft to the seals with a light cost of grease, not too much, so the
shaft has a glistening look. It’s also good to take a small amount on your
finger and place it on the splines inside the prop itself before putting the
prop back on. Slide the prop back on and you are ready to go.
Grease all fittings on the motor and put a touch of it on
the ends of the hydraulic shafts used for raising and lowering the motor too.
It will quiet trimming and take creaking out when raising and lowering the
motor. Check manufacturer’s specifications for proper amounts and grease type
before adding.
Keeping your boat properly lubricated is more than
putting 2 cycle oil in the reservoir and can save you big bucks on repair
costs.
To learn more about Lucas products go to Lucasoil.com.
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With Hurricane Irene bearing down on the East Coast, we thought it might be appropriate to post this guide from BoatUS about how to prepare your fishing boat for hurricane force winds, especially those that are stored in marinas and at personal docks. There is good information about tying the boat down, directions on positioning to protect against hurricanes, cleat care and more. We paid a lot of money for our boats and even with insurance, it can be a big hassle to deal with after the fact. A little preparation can go a long way in fishing. This is definitely one of those cases. Those in the path of Irene, be safe.
To read the guide for hurrican preparations for boat owners from BoatUS, visit BoatUS.com/Hurricanes.
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Anglers Select LLC announced today that their new website and stores launched on-line for Eco Pro Tungsten and Kumho USA. All the new items just unveiled at ICAST can be pre ordered at anglersselect.com. Take look and check out tungsten weights, cool new accessories and new Kumho hooks. Tungsten will improve your sensitivity which improves how many fish you catch. So check out some of the best tungsten and hook companies on the market.
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By Al Lindner
I’ve got a confession to make. Until about four years ago, like 95 percent of the folks that chase walleyes, live bait was a way of life for me. A tradition you might say much like football fans depend on bratwurst. But let me spill the beans, lately, I almost never use live bait.
Thankfully, I finally woke-up and discovered my mentality for chasing walleyes exclusively with live bait had me missing-out on a red-hot artificial lure bite up in the shallow weeds. That pattern has always been there I assume --but I was too blinded by my traditional live bait ways to see it.
Fact is, most walleye anglers start at the edge of the weed bed and work their way out to open water … with live bait. Promise me you’ll do just the opposite on your next trip. Promise me you’ll put some soft plastic minnow mimicking lures in your arsenal and fish right in the weeds -- instead of out from the weeds.
Now in a perfect situation, I’m talking scattered weeds in less than 12-feet of water, and typically I’m fishing in just 4 to 8 feet of water. I’m using spinning tackle, with 10-pound braided line, and a 30” fluorocarbon leader. My lure of choice is a Trigger X brand 4-inch soft plastic paddle tail or split tail minnow and I’m ‘snap jigging’ the lure with fast erratic movements of the rod. Make sure you’re using a ¼-ounce jig head, and it’s imperative that the jig head has a wire keeper barb on it in order to keep your soft plastic minnow from tearing loose every time you ‘snap’ or rip it through the weeds.
This is not only a new approach -- it’s also a very aggressive approach. You’re depending on walleyes to visually see your soft plastic lure darting through the weeds and react. You’re trying to trigger a bite. You’re not doing a lot of casting, your allowing the bow mount trolling motor to move you along, but you are snapping or ripping a lure through the weeds much like you would use a lipless crankbait in weeds to catch bass.
That’s why braided line is important, it gets you through the weeds much easier -- but you better have the right rod if you’re fishing with braid. You need a rod that’s stout, but also soft enough in its action to work well with braid. You may have heard after the annual ICAST trade show last month, that for the first time in 40 very blessed years in the fishing industry, the Lindner family is putting its signature on a rod series.
It’s true; the Angling Edge team is very excited about the sticks we’ve designed with Quantum. In fact, we’re honored to work with those guys. The Quantum designers are fisherman like us, and they’re hard-core when it comes to quality. The prototype spinning rod I’m using for snap jigging soft plastics on braid is a 6’ 10” medium heavy action. Specifically, it’s model QAES6105F, and Quantum tells me the first batch of those sticks will ship to stores in early October.
I’m also using one of Quantum’s new industry leading EXO reels. As I said at the ICAST show when they introduced EXO – it was one of the few truly “WOW” moments I’ve had in more than four decades of witnessing new fishing product introductions. The first time you hold an EXO spinning reel, you’ll be absolutely blown away as to how light it is, and trust me, it’s proved plenty tough and offered ample drag for this “in your face” – or should I say “in the weeds” technique.
Getting up in the weeds to rip up walleyes works well from early summer through early fall, but I’m telling ya’ – most walleye anglers won’t venture up into the jungle. They’ve had a mental block against fishing heavy cover for years, and most of them still do.
I’ll also tell you, the very small percentage of guys like me that have gotten past their traditional “live bait in open water” mentality are kicking butt up in the weeds. So put down your minnow bucket, spool your spinning reel up with 10-pound braided line and come join us. I’m pretty sure you’ll grow to love it like bratwurst and football.
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One of the biggest problems that can be encountered by weekend anglers and pros alike, while on the road, is getting fully charged batteries. FTL Solar has that covered with the introduction of two new products developed for
the active outdoor enthusiast – POWERFOLD and POWERMOD Chargers. Designed and manufactured in the USA to meet military
standards, these two products deliver solar harnessing technology to
the field capable of powering or trickle charging anything from a
cell phone and laptop to portable appliances, ATV's and boat
batteries from any place on the planet where the sun shines.
The
POWERFOLD 5-70 was developed with the small electronics market in
mind; iPods, cell phones, laptops and GPS devices. This unit folds
down to less than an inch thick and folded outer dimensions of 8” x
14.5”. The 4.8 Watt version weighs only 4 oz. with the larger
68.33 Watt version weighing in just under 4 lbs., making this a
must-have on the equipment list. MSRP starts at $92.44.
The
POWERFOLD 150-1000 Watt Blanket Charger delivers for those that need
a much higher output. Capable of powering equipment such as portable
appliances, ATV's, and boating equipment, this changes the way you
live outdoors. This unit is available in 150 to 1000 Watts and also
folds down to manageable sizes and weights for anyone looking to
spend extended periods of time off the grid. MSRP starts at $1,800.
The
POWERMOD 300-1000 carries much of the same capabilities as the
POWERFOLD 150-1000 while adding in the comfort of shelter. These
portable, fully wind and rain proof tents are the perfect way to
create portable power no matter the location. Available in 300 to
1000 Watts, these tents become an instant base camp capable of
powering fans, heaters, water purifiers, pumps, computers, tools,
lights and more. MSRP starts at $3,750.
“We
have been developing this technology with the military for over 20
years, but with the rapid growth of electronics in the outdoors we
felt it was time to share our technology,” exclaimed Tony Saxton,
FTL Solar CEO. “We are excited to offer a green, yet convenient,
solution to people that care about the environment and sustaining our
natural resources for generations to come.”
Visit FTLSolar.com for more information and these units will be available at Cabelas.
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The Ranger Cup University Challenge is set to kickoff this week Aug. 25-26 on Choke Canyon Reservoir. The schools that will be represented on this dream trip are the University of Arkansas and the University of Texas at Tyler. Mook Miller and Kyle Billingsley will be representing the University of Arkansas, while Matthew McClellan and Tyler Fisher are the anglers competing from University of Texas at Tyler.
To be eligible for this shoot out all the anglers had to do was sign up for the Ranger Cup University incentive program at RangerBoats.com and then display the Ranger Cup logo on the frong and back of their jersey. Then the top Ranger Cup University finisher in both the FLW College Fishing Championship and the BoatUS National Collegiate Championship enrolled in the incentive program won the opportunity to compete in the Choke Canyon Challenge.
The tournament will take place this Thursday and Friday, and will be a three part tournament. There will be three separate weigh-ins and the teams will be placed into separate “designated” areas during the first session, and then swap for the second. During the final session teams will be allowed to fish either of the areas, or a combination of both.
“I’m very excited about this opportunity," said Fisher. "I have never been there before, but I hear it’s a trophy fishery. Matthew is great with checking in with emails and hearing of these programs. I am horrible about checking email. But he told me to sign up; so I did.
“We finished 7th at the FLW Championship, but we were the highest finishing team enrolled in the program. One team ahead of us had one member signed up but not both, which allowed us to be the first eligible team.”
“I hope it is power fishing where we can frog, crankbait, and flip," Mook said. "Regardless though, having a 50-percent chance at $2,000 is an awesome opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to it."
The anglers will be fishing out of fully tournament-rigged Z21 Ranger boats, full accomodations at a nearby lodge, and appearing on national television. A cameraman will be present in each boat throughout the tournament to capture footage for an upcoming episode of Americana Outdoors.
If you are a college angler and would like to learn more on the Ranger Cup University, and don’t want to miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime, visit RangerBoats.com.
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 The University of South Alabama has announced the College Fall Series, Presented by Ono Performance Sunglasses. The series is set to kick off Sat., Aug. 27 at Lake Point Marina on Lake Eufaula, Ala. The season opener is the first of three events open to any college anglers interested in participating. Teams that compete in two of the three events also qualify for the two-day, year-end championship that will take place on the Mobile Delta out of Chocolata Landing Nov. 4-5.
Entry fees for the regular season events are $60.00 per team and anglers will be competing for cash, collegiate bragging rights, and trophies. A portion of the entry fees are allocated towards the Championship, which includes a prize pack from the Association of Collegiate Anglers in addition to the prize money. Registration is currently open and anglers can register online courtesy of the Association of Collegiate Anglers here.
A complete schedule, along with online registration, can be found here.
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Heliconia has begun production of Seaguar's Extreme Kayak Fishing Challenge - a mini-series that will air throughout the first quarter of 2012, beginning Dec. 26, 2011 on NBC Sports (Versus).
The mini-series follows Ocean Kayak's Kayak Fishing Show host, Jim Sammons, on some of his most daring kayak fishing adventures. Watch Jim catch marlin from his kayak in Baja, battle tuna in Panama's Hannibal Banks, and survive a deadly experience fishing for monster pike on the whitewater rivers of Canada.
"I couldn't be more excited to have Seaguar involved as the Title Sponsor of the series" says Jim Sammons, "I've been a dedicated Seaguar fluorocarbon user for as long as I can remember, and now that they've released a world class braid and mono, Seaguar has everything that I both want and need."
Check local listing for specific show times and air dates.
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Today on Weighing In Radio with Terry Brown, Chris Lane talks about a busy off season with his kids, moving to Guntersville, frog fishing and his new Power Poles. To listen click here. |
Rapala®, a favorite fishing lure manufacturer of anglers all over the world and Goldleaf Plastics, Inc.,
the parent company of AP Outdoors, a premier provider of outdoor
sporting goods, have formed a strategic manufacturing and distribution
partnership effective immediately.
The two well known Minnesota-based companies, Rapala and Goldleaf
Plastics, Inc., will combine forces in a hand-in-glove partnership.
Goldleaf Plastics is a respected manufacturer of high quality plastic
products and is known for their innovative engineering and dependable
service. Goldleaf Plastics' AP Outdoors brand offers innovative products
for outdoor sports enthusiasts. Rapala is the world leader in sales,
marketing and distribution of high quality branded fishing tackle. With
this strategic alliance, a number of AP Outdoors products will be
rebranded and sold under the Rapala name.
"We are excited to align our two companies," said Tom Mackin, president
of Rapala USA. "Our combined product offerings will enhance both of our
businesses and provide an unbeatable resource for our customers in the
trade and for anglers around the world."
"Rapala is an industry leader and its products are top of the line,"
said V. Joel Meyer, president of Goldleaf Plastics, Inc., parent company
of the AP Outdoors brand. "We are thrilled to combine our engineering
and manufacturing strengths with Rapala's strong distribution network to
provide anglers with an industry-leading, all encompassing product
offering."
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Neely Henry Lake was pretty doggone good to Ranger Boats pro Todd Auten.
The quiet veteran from South Carolina came here two years ago and won a
storm-shortened PAA Tournament Series event in spring. Twenty-eight
months later, in the heat of summer, Auten returned last week to make a
run at another title.
He locked up the PAA Angler of the Year award in a runaway as his two
closest competitors faltered. Only eight points in the season standings
separated Auten from Gene Larew pro Tommy Biffle of Oklahoma and Hefty
pro Mike McClelland of Arkansas.
By Friday night, Auten was the only man left standing. Neither Biffle
nor McClelland made Saturday’s final-day cut. Auten was in fourth place
going into the day, charging hard at the win and trying to make it a
weekend double.
Auten joins Biffle (2010) and Kinami pro Steve Kennedy of Auburn (2009)
as PAA Anglers of the Year. Auten will receive free entry into the 2012
Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series along with a MinnKota trolling
motor and T-H Marine Atlas Jackplate.
Consistency proved to be key this season and has been part of Auten’s low-key approach during his career.
“I’d say here lately that yeah, I’ve been consistent,” he said. “Just a
few years ago, though, it was up and down, up and down. I think one
thing that helps is we go to lakes that favor my style of fishing. If we
were somewhere like Kentucky Lake where everything’s deep it might be
different.”
During his career Auten has accumulated more than $707,750 in winnings
and 25 finishes in the Top 10. He’s a perennial threat to make a cut in
any event, but seems to shine more in the brutal summer heat that
perplexes some anglers.
One of Auten’s go-to baits, maybe his primary one, is a white vibrating
jig or a swim jig. In summer when conventional wisdom says fish go deep,
Auten will be in skinny water flinging the wiggling, jiggling bait.
It’s something he enjoys, he covers water, it’s pretty easy and, most of
all, it works.
Auten took the point standings lead after the PAA Tournament Series
event on Table Rock in June. Biffle and McClelland knew overtaking him,
even just a few points behind, wouldn’t be easy on Neely Henry.
“Todd’s a tough angler wherever we go,” Biffle said. “He likes that
shallow stuff like I do and it seems like he’s always going to be right
there.”
Auten cut his teeth on Lake Wylie in South Carolina, “which is loaded
with docks,” he said, “and if you didn’t learn how to fish docks then
you were going to get your tail whipped. I just learned to fish them and
what to look for around them.”
15 to receive invites to TTBC
Auten will lead the 15 individuals who qualified the through the PAA Tournament Series to join the 15 Bassmaster Elite Series and 15 FLW Tour anglers who also got invites to compete on Lake Conroe in Texas for the Toyota Texas Bass Classic.
Todd Auten, South Carolina; Mike McClelland, Arkansas; Takahiro Omori,
Texas; Chad Morgenthaler, Illinois; Gary Yamamoto, Texas; Derek Remitz,
Alabama; Tommy Biffle, Oklahoma; Terry Butcher, Oklahoma; Cody Bird,
Texas; Brian Travis, North Carolina; Chris Brasher, Texas; Shane Long,
Missouri; Gary Clouse, Tennessee; James Watson, Missouri; Harold Allen,
Texas.
The TTBC will pay out more $420,000 in cash and prizes, with the winner
receiving $100,000 and a Legend boat with an Evinrude E-TEC engine. Fans
will be treated to three days of fun at the Lone Star Expo &
Convention Center, with numerous vendors featuring hands-on exhibits,
food, beverages and nightly concerts from Billy Currington, Pat Green
and Robert Earl Keen.
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The
N.C. State University team of Casey Johnson of Raleigh, N.C., and Josh
Hooks of Apex, N.C., won the National Guard FLW College Fishing Northern
Division event on Lake Erie Saturday with five bass weighing 20 pounds,
4 ounces. The victory earned the team $10,000 to be split between the
university and the university’s bass fishing club - $7,500 for the bass
club and $2,500 for their school. The win also helped them advance to
the Northern Division Regional Championship.
“This is awesome,” said Johnson, a junior biological sciences
major. “Words can’t describe it. We had a day where nothing went
wrong.”
Johnson said his team had an outstanding day on the water and
boated about 40 fish, including only two non-keepers. Johnson said they
lost only one fish during the course of the day.
The team employed the use of a drift sock to drift over a
series of humps off of the main channel with a drop-shot rig. The team
used a green and brown Jackall Cross Tail Shad to boat their fish.
“About 9:30 Josh put one in the boat that was about 5 1/2 pounds, and we said, ‘We might have something going here,’” said
Hooks, a sophomore engineering major. “Every fish we caught was 3 1/2 to 4 pounds.
“This morning was phenomenal,” Hooks added. “Every time the
drop shot hit the dirt they had it. We were doubled up five or six times
easy.”
Rounding out the top five teams and also advancing to the Northern Regional Championship are:
2nd: Vermont Technical College – Kyle Sabourin, Milton, Vt.,
and Justin Brouillard, Rochester, Vt. (five bass, 17-13, $3,000)
3rd: State University of New York System-Buffalo – Aaron
Meyers, Delevan, N.Y., and Keith Fields, Buffalo, N.Y. (five bass, 17-2,
$2,000)
4th: Kent State University – Jaron Barnes, Sterling, Ohio,
and Ray Fierst, Broadview Heights, Ohio (five bass, 15-14, $2,000)
5th: Virginia Tech – David Bryant, Covington, Va., and Preston Chrisman, Radford, Va. (five bass, 15-10, $2,000)
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Photo by David A. Brown / FLWOutdoors.com
Lawrence Mazur of Lancaster, N.Y., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 20 pounds, 1 ounce Saturday to win the EverStart Series Northern Division event on Lake Erie with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 64 pounds, 8 ounces. For his victory, Mazur earned $26,722 and a 198VX Ranger boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor.
“It was a tough, tough run, but I made it,” said Mazur. “I’m speechless. It’s been a long time coming. I’ve been at this a long time and had a lot of letdowns, but I finally put it all together.”
Mazur said it took him an hour and 20 minutes to run to his spot Saturday. When he got there he couldn’t find fish on his graph, so he relocated to another spot, dropped his drop-shot rig in deep water and proceeded to catch 40 keepers.
“I started marking them and started whacking them,” Mazur said.
Mazur tipped his drop-shot rig with a Poor Boys Erie Darter. He used a green bait early in the day and switched to a gobie-colored bait as the sun got higher in the sky. He fished the bait 18 inches off of the bottom in 52 to 70 feet of water. Mazur said he relied on a ¾-ounce weight to get the bait down quickly to fish he had marked on the graph before they had a chance to move away.
“I might mark one or two fish on a specific rock, so I want to get it down to them quickly,” Mazur said. “They either see it coming down or it lands next to them and startles them and they just grab it. I’m not dragging it, so you get it down there, flip your bail and hold it and then it just gets heavy.
“It was fun,” Mazur added. “The guys that fished with me have never fished like that and they had the time of their life. I like showing people a good time.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Gaspare Costabile, Niagra Falls, Ont., 15 bass, 62-0, $9,162
3rd: Simon Frost, St. Catharines, Ont., 15 bass, 58-15, $7,635
4th: Mike Desforges, Burlington, Ont., 15 bass, 54-12, $6,871
5th: John Voyles, Petersburg, Ind., 15 bass, 54-9, $6,108
6th: Barry Pringle, Welland, Ont., 15 bass, 54-8, $5,344
7th: Brad Brodnicki, Amherst, N.Y., 15 bass, 52-8, $4,581
8th: Bob Izumi, Milton, Ont., 15 bass, 50-13, $3,817
9th: Chris Johnston, Peterborough, Ont., 15 bass, 48-13, $3,054
10th: John Murray, Phoenix, Ariz., 14 bass, 44-13, $2,290
Izumi caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division Friday – a 6-pound, 2-ounce bass – that earned him the day’s EverStart Series Big Bass award of $200.
Edward Pecore of Plattsburgh, N.Y., won the Co-angler Division and a Ranger boat with an Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 54 pounds, 4 ounces.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Milton Goff, Knoxville, Md., 15 bass, 53-4, $3,652
3rd: Chris Kenney-Hermes, Plattsburgh, N.Y., 15 bass, 51-5, $3,246
4th: Nicolas Supik, Butler, Pa., 15 bass, 49-0, $2,841
5th: James Dixon, Southfield, Mich., 15 bass, 49-0, $2,435
6th: Kenneth Ramsier, Girard, Pa., 15 bass, 46-12, $2,029
7th: Shing Wai Yeung, Oakville, Ont., 15 bass, 46-8, $1,623
8th: Rick Rickman, Gainesville, Texas, 15 bass, 44-13, $1,217
9th: Gary Knight, Magnolia, Del., 15 bass, 43-13, $812
10th: Gerard Ling, St. Catharines, Ont., 14 bass, 39-10, $649
Casey Magargle of Turbotville, Pa., caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Friday – a 6-pound, 4-ounce bass – that earned him the day’s EverStart Series Big Bass award of $133.
For more photos and stories, visit FLWOutdoors.com.
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PAA Communications
NetBait pro Greg Vinson had been on the hot seat for a while, sweating
due to the gripping afternoon humidity and the thought that his catch
might be enough to win.
Vinson said it was “one of those days you dream about” as he compiled a
tournament-high 17.92-pound limit Saturday on Neely Henry Lake. That
included a 6.03-pounder, also biggest of the tournament, and all on a
flipping bite that developed in super-skinny water. Vinson’s total was
37.92 pounds.
The final guy to the scale was Kinami pro Steve Kennedy, whose backwater
bonanza almost bottomed out. He needed 9.69 pounds to overtake Vinson
and clinch the win in the Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series presented
by Carrot Stix.
It would be Kennedy’s first win on the lake in 10 years or a superb and
stunning upset by Vinson. The two Alabama anglers and friends stood
watching the numbers.
“It flashed 9 and a half, and I thought I had at least 10 pounds,” said
Kennedy, whose eyes got big when the first numbers hit. “Then it climbed
up and finally settled.”
It settled … just two-tenths of a pound better than Vinson’s total,
giving Kennedy a three-day finish of 38.12 pounds. He won $5,000 and a
new Nitro boat with a Mercury 225 Optimax and T-H Marine Atlas
jackplate.
“August and September are the only times when the place I was fishing
really works,” Kennedy said. “I’ve been excited for a long time to be
able to come fish there again because it’s been years. It wasn’t right,
in April, when the PAA was here in 2009 and one time my wife and I tried
to get back in there and couldn’t.
“I love fishing out of my aluminum boat, too. It’s just so much fun.
Some people compare this (fishing) to NASCAR, but in that boat it’s like
rally racing or something. I love it.”
The rest of the finalists were:
2.) Greg Vinson, Alabama, 15 fish, 37.92 pounds
3.) Todd Auten, South Carolina, 15, 36.66
4.) Gary Yamamoto, Texas, 15, 33.76
5.) Chad Morgenthaler, Illinois, 15, 33.69
6.) Russ Lane, Alabama, 14, 32.33
7.) Adam Brown, Alabama, 15, 32.24
8.) Derek Remitz, Alabama, 15, 31.23
9.) Matt Reed, Texas, 15, 31.17
10.) Takahiro Omori, Texas, 15, 31.09
Full standings at FishPAA.com//2011-neely-henry-results/
Kennedy was versatile
Running about an hour in his flatbottom rig to the way-way-way back of
Canoe Creek, Kennedy threw the kitchen sink at the spots and largemouth
in there.
It got tougher each day, he said, due to him catching them and the
banging and bumping of his boat. But it was worth it. He used a Kinami
Flash, spinnerbait, Texas-rigged tube, swim jig with a Kinami grub,
big-bodied and hollow-bodied swimbaits, and an old Rogue jerkbait that
caught most of the fish the last two days.
“That jerkbait is just what we do in summer on these small creeks and
rivers,” he said. “I learned that down in Georgia on the Flint River.
We’d go every Sunday after church and throw jerkbaits in the little
pools for shoal bass, which are about as close to spots as you can get.
“These little rivers and creeks around here like Weogufka, Ohatchee and
Cahaba are just a blast. That’s where we go in summer, and when I’m on
them I throw jerkbaits. They’re the old floating baits. I just twitch
them, make them wiggle a little bit. When the leaves start dying and
falling, the jerkbait’s not as good because there’s too much stuff on
the water floating along.”
Vinson’s decision hurt
If not for a Day 1 decision, this could have been Vinson standing in the
spotlight with his near-18 pound bag and monster largie.
“I had a decent bite and one big bite two of the three days,” he said.
“The first day, I made a big mistake staying on a group of fish that I
thought might develop into something instead of going to what I knew was
working. I stayed too long and then didn’t really have time for the
other, and that hurt me.”
Friday, Vinson figured out that he didn’t need any current to get a big
bite. He was flipping a black neon NetBait B-Bug on a 5/16ths Jethro’s
Tungsten weight in about 10 inches of water with grass. Vinson also
threw the NetBait HB2 shakey head and a Lucky Craft 2.5 crankbait in
chartreuse/brown.
“Saturday morning I just went straight to that pattern and ran it in
several areas on the lake,” he said. “It was a day you dream about.”
Vinson won a Humminbird 898c Si Combo for the Humminbird/MinnKota Big Bass of the Tournament.
Auten solid again
Ranger pro Todd Auten clinched the PAA Angler of the Year title and
brought in 13.77 pounds Saturday, pushing him to third place with 36.66
pounds.
He threw a Phenix swim jig and an unidentified blade-jig vibrating bait
around shallow docks and cover. He tipped each with a Zoom Super Fluke
for a big-profile trailer to help attract bigger fish.
“I think that size trailer helps minimize the smaller fish that try to
get it,” he said. “I was looking for shady areas about 4-5 feet off the
bank, instead of the wider shade off the bank. It seemed those smaller
areas put them closer to the bank.
“Seawalls were pretty good, too, and several of my fish I caught around
them threw up brown-orange crawfish in the livewell. I think the full
moon last week probably had something to do with the crawfish and the
fish were taking advantage of it around those walls.”
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Steve Kennedy with two big bass on Day Two of PAA Tournament on Neely Henry - Chris Dutton / PAA Communications
In the summer slugfest for Neely Henry Lake, Round 1 went to Gary
Yamamoto of Texas and Round 2 went to Kinami pro Steve Kennedy of
Alabama.
Now comes the final bell.
The two veterans flip-flopped on the leaderboard Friday and lead the
field into the final round of the Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series
presented by Carrot Stix. Nineteen pros will fish Saturday after
grinding out two tough days.
Kennedy, who lives about two hours away in Auburn, snaked his aluminum
flatbottom boat into his backwater creek again and yanked out 14.03
pounds. That gives him a total of 28.23 and first place by more than two
pounds. He’s throwing several baits for bass ranging from 2.5-5 pounds.
“I was pulling teeth, to be honest, by about 12 o’clock,” he said. “I
fished all the way to the back of the creek and had four little ones
that weighed nothing. Coming out, I changed baits and caught one, lost
one, caught two at one time and then caught three largemouth.”
His biggest was 5.24 pounds and was caught at 12:30 p.m., about a
half-hour before Kennedy had to leave to make the hour-long run to the
Coosa Landing check-in.
“It’s not easy,” he said. “You have to be doing the right thing for them
to eat. Some baits they rush it and bump it, or hit it but don’t take
it.”
Yamamoto fell off Friday with a limit weighing 10.11, giving him 25.84 pounds. Water levels fell Thursday and impacted his area.
The rest of the top 10 included Big Bite Baits pro Russ Lane of Alabama
(23.34), Ranger pro Todd Auten of South Carolina (22.89) and Bass King
pro Joey Nania of Washington (22.05), Strike King pro Mark Menendez of
Kentucky (21.67), Jasper Engines pro Chad Morgenthaler of Illinois
(21.21), Yamaha pro Adam Brown of Alabama, Legend Boats pro Randy Qualls
of Texas (20.84) and King’s Home pro Randy Howell of Alabama (20.62).
Kennedy’s grinding, too
If it sounds like Kennedy’s backwater babies are leaping in his boat, he says that’s not the case.
“It’s a small area in a narrow creek and there’s fish in there, but it’s
not just wham-wham,” he said. “I was getting worried by mid-morning.
I’ve thrown some big baits but I think the smaller spots can’t get them,
but they’re still coming after them. I may have to downsize on some of
them.”
A big swimbait yielded his big bass Thursday, a largemouth, but on Friday he only was teased when he threw it.
“I had a fish hit it so hard it jolted me,” he said. “It was
electrifying. I don’t know if it was a huge bass or a big striper,
because some of them are in there. But whatever it was, it drilled it.”
Yamamoto’s in shallow
After seeing his weight drop along with the water level, Yamamoto said
he wasn’t 100 percent certain he’d leave his best area Saturday.
But if he does, he plans to run some other shallow cover.
“I didn’t realize they’d dropped it so much,” he said. “I might have to
run south and try some other spots. I have some docks and shallow stuff
to try.”
Yamamoto said he’s flipping and swimming a twin-tail jig. He landed 10 keepers Friday but had 25 Thursday.
“It’s just shallow-water fishing,” he said.
Lane surges 15 spots
Russ Lane has fished the Coosa River for years and is used to summer fishing, which for him means crankbaits.
He’s on offshore ledges throwing a SPRO Big Daddy Crank and starting out
early with a Big Bite Baits Yo Daddy craw around docks. The craw is
rigged on a half-ounce weight.
“I only had two good ones in my bag but they were enough to help,” he
said. “I was disappointed that I didn’t catch them Thursday, but that’s
summer. When it gets like this I throw a deep crankbait pretty fast,
grinding, bumping, snatching, twitching and making it move.
“Some guys go slower with Carolina rigs or big worms, but I’m opposite. I
think when bass are in a situation where there’s no current, or the
current stops and they’re around cover, they gravitate to that cover. So
I’m looking for anything like that and trying to bump the cover, move
the bait fast and get a bite. It may only be a few during the day but
they’re usually good ones.”
At stake for the winner is cash and a new Nitro Z-8 with a Mercury 225
Optimax and T-H Marine Atlas jackplate, with a Humminbird 898c Si Combo
to the Humminbird Big Bass of the Tournament winner. Also on the line
are points toward berths in the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, Oct. 28-30,
at Lake Conroe.
Saturday's final weigh-in will begin at 4:30 p.m CT at Bass Pro Shops in Leeds, Ala.
Full standings, photo galleries, stories and more items may be found at FishPAA.com.
| 1 |
STEVE |
KENNEDY |
10/10 |
28.23 |
| 2 |
GARY |
YAMAMOTO |
10/10 |
25.84 |
| 3 |
RUSS |
LANE |
10/10 |
23.34 |
| 4 |
TODD |
AUTEN |
10/10 |
22.89 |
| 5 |
JOEY |
NANIA |
10/10 |
22.05 |
| 6 |
MARK |
MENENDEZ |
10/10 |
21.67 |
| 7 |
CHAD |
MORGENTHALER |
10/10 |
21.21 |
| 8 |
ADAM |
BROWN |
10/9 |
21 |
| 9 |
RANDY |
QUALLS |
10/10 |
20.84 |
| 10 |
RANDY |
HOWELL |
10/10 |
20.62 |
| 11 |
MIKE |
DELVISCO |
10/10 |
20.28 |
| 12 |
GREG |
VINSON |
10/10 |
20 |
| 13 |
TERRY |
BUTCHER |
10/10 |
19.76 |
| 14 |
TAKAHIRO |
OMORI |
10/10 |
19.63 |
| 15 |
BRIAN |
SNOWDEN |
10/10 |
19.47 |
| 16 |
HAROLD |
ALLEN |
10/10 |
19.47 |
| 17 |
MATT |
REED |
10/10 |
19.27 |
| 18 |
DEREK |
REMITZ |
10/10 |
18.98 |
| 19 |
DUKE |
JENKEL |
10/10 |
18.26 |
| 20 |
GARY |
CLOUSE |
10/10 |
18.11 |
| 21 |
LANCE |
VICK |
10/10 |
18.01 |
| 22 |
CODY |
BIRD |
10/10 |
17.9 |
| 23 |
CHRIS |
BRASHER |
10/10 |
17.89 |
| 24 |
TOMMY |
MARTIN |
10/9 |
17.52 |
| 25 |
JAKE |
DIXON |
10/10 |
17.42 |
| 26 |
TERRY |
TUCKER |
10/10 |
17.36 |
| 27 |
SHANE |
LONG |
8/8 |
17.25 |
| 28 |
BRIAN |
TRAVIS |
10/10 |
17.07 |
| 29 |
JOHN |
CREWS, |
10/10 |
17.02 |
| 30 |
GREG |
HACKNEY |
10/10 |
16.66 |
| 31 |
MIKE |
MCCLELLAND |
10/10 |
16.64 |
| 32 |
DAVID |
HENDRICK |
9/9 |
16.44 |
| 33 |
CHRIS |
JACKSON |
10/10 |
16.34 |
| 34 |
JAMES |
WATSON |
9/9 |
16.33 |
| 35 |
SHAW |
GRIGSBY |
10/10 |
16.22 |
| 36 |
CLIFFORD |
PIRCH |
10/10 |
16.1 |
| 37 |
TOMMY |
BIFFLE |
10/10 |
16.05 |
| 38 |
KENT |
CELLA |
10/10 |
15.71 |
| 39 |
BRADLEY |
HALLMAN |
10/10 |
15.69 |
| 40 |
DOUGLAS |
JONES |
9/9 |
15.42 |
| 41 |
DOC |
SEGER |
10/10 |
15.22 |
| 42 |
KELLY |
POWER |
9/9 |
15.16 |
| 43 |
JUSTIN |
RACKLEY |
10/9 |
14.87 |
| 44 |
DAVID |
MANSUE |
10/9 |
14.18 |
| 45 |
STEVE |
WISDOM |
10/8 |
13.8 |
| 46 |
PATRICK |
PIERCE |
10/10 |
13.53 |
| 47 |
TROY |
MORROW |
9/9 |
13.41 |
| 48 |
BO |
CROSS |
10/10 |
13.21 |
| 49 |
CHARLIE |
INGRAM |
9/9 |
13.19 |
| 50 |
JONATHAN |
BLACK |
10/9 |
13.16 |
| 51 |
GUY |
EAKER, |
10/10 |
10.33 |
| 52 |
JEFF |
HAGER |
5/5 |
9.27 |
| 53 |
SCOTT |
CANTERBURY |
5/5 |
7.51 |
| 54 |
PAUL |
MARKS |
5/5 |
7.07 |
| 55 |
JONATHAN |
COLLINS |
3/3 |
5.46 |
| 56 |
DAVID |
NICHOL |
5/5 |
5.31 |
| 57 |
CRAIG |
DOWLING |
2/1 |
4.53 |
| 58 |
BOBBY |
COLLUMS |
0/0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Big |
Fish: |
5.24 |
STEVE |
KENNEDY |
|
|
|
|
|
| Total |
Anglers: |
58 |
|
|
| Total |
Fish |
Weighed: |
527 |
|
| Total |
Fish |
Weight: |
952.27 |
|
|
|
|
|
Veteran pro angler Stacy King has been fishing for bass a long time. He knows what it takes to win, and he knows what it takes to catch them. He also knows when to change baits when the bite gets tough or if it changes. He recently won a PAA event on Table Rock, and it was his ability to switch up that allowed him to win.
He switched his lure choice to a Go2 Bait big worm and caught the big fish he needed to close the deal.
Go2 Baits is now available online at SetYourHookBaits.com.
Jason Sealock recently penned an article on big worms that showcased their value as big fish baits on ledges. To read his blog about them click here.
|
By PAA Communications
Gary Yamamoto never had dropped a boat into Neely Henry Lake until last
Monday morning, the first day of practice for the Bass Pro Shops PAA
Tournament Series presented by Carrot Stix.
Four days later, the founder of the successful bait company that bears
his name sits atop the leaderboard after the first day of competition
with a 5-bass limit weighing 15.73 pounds.
After a more than 40 anglers failed to crack double-digit weights due to
tough summer conditions, Yamamoto’s catch even surprised him.
“I didn’t expect this weight,” Yamamoto said on the weigh-in stage. “The
first day of practice I caught a few nice ones and then the second day,
nothing. So I went back to what I was doing.”
Reticent with a field of tough anglers and a tough lake, Yamamoto
declined to divulge any other specifics. He caught largemouth Thursday
throughout the day, and believes the pattern will hold up. Other than
that … Yamamoto has lockjaw.
But he’s riding a wave of confidence this season, sitting in 18th place
in the PAA Tournament Series point standings with a shot at a berth in
the Toyota Texas Bass Classic in October. The top 15 PAA pros, along
with the Top 15 from the Bassmaster Elite Series and FLW Tour, earn
automatic invitations to the world championship on Lake Conroe.
That’s not Yamamoto’s concern this week, however. He finished 33rd at
Lake Lanier in the March season-opener and was 20th at Table Rock in
June. He’d like to put together two more solid days and lock down a win.
“I looked at his bag in the line and told him that’s probably as good as
what’s been caught around here in the last few weeks,” said King’s Home
pro Randy Howell, who lives just 30 minutes away in Springville. “He
was surprised, but that’s a good limit for this time of year. I think if
he can catch nine pounds a day he’ll probably win it unless Kennedy
keeps going strong, which is possible.”
Kennedy in second place
That would be Kinami pro Steve Kennedy of Auburn, just a short two-hour
drive from Neely Henry. He’s fished the lake and Coosa River all his
life and Thursday whacked a limit weighing 14.20 pounds.
“It didn’t take long and I was done by about 10:30,” Kennedy said of his
catch, which included a 4.84-pound largemouth. “It was fun.”
Kennedy took his aluminum flatbottom into a narrow, winding creek that
opened into a backwater area. He said he threw spinnerbaits, buzzbaits,
swimbaits and plastics to cover, although sometimes that didn’t matter.
“I flipped over a limb once and two 3-pounders came out of the water
repeatedly trying to get it and finally ripped the bait off the line,”
he said. “Another time, I set the hook on my buzzbait, missed and before
I could get the line in a fish had taken the bait. They were crashing
into the spinnerbait trying to kill it.”
Kennedy said the 2.5- to 3-pounders were good, but not what he wanted.
“I finally picked up the swimbait and threw it for a while,” he said.
“It wasn’t immediate, but I finally got the big bite with that big
largemouth. She train-wrecked it. I knew I had to leave it alone so I
finally got out of there.”
Snowden, Omori are close
Nitro pro Brian Snowden of Missouri and Yamaha pro Takahiro Omori of
Texas are within a smidgen of each other in third and fourth place.
Snowden has 11.89 pounds and Omori sits in fourth with 11.83. Omori said
he struggled to get five bites all day, working shoreline cover like he
prefers, and caught two keepers late in the day to round out his limit.
“I kind of like doing one thing all day and staying with it, but not
today,” Snowden said. He said swimbaits, jigs, topwaters and other baits
were in his arsenal..
“I just kept grinding it out,” Snowden said. “What I’m throwing just depends on what the bank looks like.”
Auten clings to AoY lead
Ranger pro Todd Auten may have given himself just a bit of breathing
room in the PAA Angler of the Year race with his 11.72 pounds, good for
fifth place.
“I’m sure it’ll get tougher every day and I’ll move around more,” said
the South Carolina veteran. “There are a few boats around where I’m
fishing but I’m running a little pattern that I can hit on different
parts of the lake, so that’s probably what I’ll do.”
Gene Larew pro Tommy Biffle of Oklahoma is 24th with 8.95 pounds and
Hefty pro Mike McClelland of Arkansas is two spots behind with 8.55
pounds. They’re the closest to having a shot at unseating Auten, with
only eight points separating them.
“I thought I could get on a little offshore deal with my Biffle Bug and
had a good practice out there, but the fish weren’t there,” Biffle said.
“I don’t know what happened to them. The shad are still there so
they’re probably just not feeding. I’m going shallow all day Friday and
see what happens.”
McClelland said he had a “lost opportunity” with a big spotted bass that
came unbuttoned, a common refrain among many pros. The Coosa River’s
spots are legendary for their aggressiveness.
“It’s like that on any lake on this river,” McClelland said. “They’re just flat-out mean.”
Pro Angler Fish Wgt Pen B/F Total
1 GARY YAMAMOTO 5/5 15.73 3.82 15.73
2 STEVE KENNEDY 5/5 14.20 4.84 14.20
3 BRIAN SNOWDEN 5/5 11.89 11.89
4 TAKAHIRO OMORI 5/5 11.83 3.89 11.83
5 TODD AUTEN 5/5 11.72 11.72
6 RANDY HOWELL 5/5 11.61 4.66 11.61
7 TERRY BUTCHER 5/5 11.17 4.68 11.17
8 MIKE DELVISCO 5/5 11.15 11.15
9 ADAM BROWN 5/5 10.97 10.97
10 DOUGLAS JONES 5/5 10.69 3.79 10.69
11 MARK MENENDEZ 5/5 10.60 10.60
12 CHAD MORGENTHALER 5/5 10.44 3.56 10.44
13 RANDY QUALLS 5/5 10.38 10.38
14 JAMES W. WATSON 5/5 10.20 4.67 10.20
15 JOEY NANIA 5/5 10.12 10.12
16 GARY CLOUSE 5/5 10.07 10.07
17 CODY BIRD 5/5 9.88 9.88
18 RUSS LANE 5/5 9.81 9.81
19 DEREK REMITZ 5/5 9.71 9.71
20 JAKE DIXON 5/5 9.66 9.66
21 DOC SEGER 5/5 9.65 9.65
22 LANCE VICK 5/5 9.60 9.60
23 BRIAN W. TRAVIS 5/5 9.10 9.10
24 TOMMY BIFFLE 5/5 8.95 8.95
25 GREG HACKNEY 5/5 8.69 8.69
26 MIKE MCCLELLAND 5/5 8.55 8.55
27 TERRY TUCKER 5/5 8.40 8.40
28 GREG VINSON 5/5 8.37 8.37
29 TROY MORROW 5/5 8.30 8.30
30 DAVID MANSUE 5/5 8.29 8.29
31 MATT REED 5/5 8.22 8.22
32 DUKE JENKEL 5/5 8.17 8.17
33 STEVE WISDOM 5/4 8.42 .25 8.17
34 HAROLD ALLEN 5/5 8.09 8.09
35 KELLY POWER 4/4 8.09 8.09
36 BO CROSS 5/5 7.99 7.99
36 JOHN CREWS, JR. 5/5 7.99 7.99
38 CLIFFORD A. PIRCH 5/5 7.82 7.82
39 JUSTIN RACKLEY 5/5 7.70 7.70
40 SCOTT CANTERBURY 5/5 7.51 7.51
41 KENT A. CELLA 5/5 7.47 7.47
42 SHAW GRIGSBY 5/5 7.37 7.37
43 TOMMY MARTIN 5/5 7.19 7.19
44 PAUL MARKS 5/5 7.07 7.07
45 JONATHAN BLACK 5/5 7.03 7.03
46 SHANE LONG 3/3 7.01 7.01
47 CHRIS S. BRASHER 5/5 6.67 6.67
48 CHRIS JACKSON 5/5 6.65 6.65
49 BRADLEY HALLMAN 5/5 6.48 6.48
50 PATRICK PIERCE 5/5 6.44 6.44
51 CHARLIE INGRAM 4/4 6.15 6.15
52 DAVID R. HENDRICK 4/4 5.74 5.74
53 JONATHAN P. COLLINS 3/3 5.46 5.46
54 DAVID NICHOL 5/5 5.31 5.31
55 CRAIG M. DOWLING 2/1 4.78 .25 3.64 4.53
56 JEFF HAGER 1/1 1.25 1.25
57 GUY H. EAKER, SR. 5/5 5.10 8.00 .00
58 BOBBY L. COLLUMS 0/0 .00 .00
Big Fish: 4.84 STEVE KENNEDY
Total Anglers: 58
Total Fish Weighed: 271
Total Fish Weight: 492.90
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By Terry Brown
When the bass move to the points, big worms, jigs and big
crankbaits are proven fish catchers. In recent years, companies have added deep
divers to their arsenals and anglers have clamored to them. Strike King started
the XD Series, Spro added the Little John DD and several other well know lipped-diver
manufacturers added suit with offerings of their own.
The evolution of these deep divers has rendered the medium diver a thing of the
past. Those baits that dive from 12 to 14 feet are often not thrown, but rest
assured, they have a place on points and channel swings that can be an advantage
when the school is pulled off the area they were initially holding.
Many anglers do not understand that crankbait fish are
easily influenced. How many times have you caught a bass to see several others
running to the boat with it? That is moving the school. Even though the chasers
may move back they may not move all the way back as most crankbait casts are
normally very long.
After two or three fish on a given spot with the deep diver, we like to pick up
a medium diver like the Bandit Series 400 to pick off those fish heading back
or suspending after one of their buddies got a boat ride.
We like to use off the wall colors, not necessarily matching the hatch, for
this approach. For example, if we are throwing a sexy shad or shad color for
the deep runner, we may switch to a firetiger or silver blue back on the medium
diver. Varying the retrieve cadence on the medium diver can be the key.
Grinding the deep diver then stop and go with the medium one can mean more
fish.
 This past spring, I had the day of all days with a five-fish
limit weighing more than 28 pounds by doing this very thing. While fishing a
creek channel swing off a flat, I caught an 8-pounder and a 7-pounder on
consecutive casts with a Spro Little John DD. I made several more casts without
a bite and switched to a firetiger colored Bandit Series 400 and picked up three
more fish out off the 14-foot ledge. Moving the school wasn’t bad, it just took
a different technique to catch the other fish in the area. With that knowledge
it was easy to replicate that pattern on like spots on other places on the
lake. That night I caught 22 fish 4 pounds or heavier. This all happened in a three-hour
window.
The beauty of the Bandit Series 400 is multi-fold. It’s a
true runner right out of the box, and it has a very unique wobble when run at
slower speeds. Combined with exceptional colors and a built in rattle chamber,
the Series 400 compliments the silent running Spro Little John DD. The rattles were a variable that made this
combination different and seemed to fire the school up after a cast or two. The
combination of baits was the ticket.
Give the medium divers their due and don’t forget about
running two types of divers the next time you find a mega-school. It can
definitely take a great day to the best day when the conditions get right.
To read more about mid-range depth fishing, check out our article from March about Finding your Mid-Range Game.
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 Falcon Rods has signed on as the Exclusive Rod Sponsor of Mercury College B.A.S.S. for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, B.A.S.S. announced yesterday.
“We are enthusiastic to team with the top names in fishing to support the next generation of tournament anglers,” said Chris Beckwith, vice president of Falcon Rods.
Since 1990, Falcon Rods has designed and built quality rods with more guides, lighter weight, better balance and with specific actions for specific tasks.
“Everybody at Falcon remains dedicated to the goal of making sure Falcon anglers have the best tools to win their next tournament whether it’s a national event, a local event, or just me and my fishing buddy having a good day on the water,” said John Beckwith, founder of Falcon Rods.
Recent developments in the college circuit prove that young anglers are charging toward the future of bass fishing.
“We are extremely excited to add Falcon Rods as a sponsor of Mercury College B.A.S.S. Their dedication to growing the sport is evident in their partnership with us. With their help, we will continue to grow Mercury College B.A.S.S. as the premier college circuit in college bass fishing,” said Hank Weldon, director of Mercury College B.A.S.S.
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 Eco Pro Tungsten has announced the addition on Bassmaster Elite Series Angler Jared Lintner.
Lintner burst onto the national scene for the inaugural season of the Bassmaster Elite Series after success on the West Coast, and he hasn't slowed down. He is a model of consistency and a threat to win wherever he enters the water. He qualified for the 2012 Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport, La. after a 22nd finish on the Elite Series points list.
“I am very happy to be working with Tim Norman and Eco Pro to build and develop some of the coolest new products I have ever seen," said the personable pro. "When they say the products are built by the pros, they really mean it. I am working right now on a product that will be a 'must-have' for every fisherman. Wait until you see what’s next!"
"Jared is a respected angler and a true professional," said Tyler Brinks, Eco Pro Pro-Staff Manager. " We are happy to have him and know he will continue to do well on tour and also help us to develop new products.
Eco Pro Tungsten is the leading provider of tungsten related products and has the largest selection of sizes and colors for tungsten weights on the market. In addition to tungsten weights, Eco Pro also carries a full line of innovative terminal tackle solutions to make fishing more enjoyable. Eco Pro Tungsten will continue to develop new products designed, tested, and approved by the pros. Kumho USA manufactures high quality needlepoint hooks.
At ICAST, the company announced the newest addition to their lineup, the Reaper Keeper. The soft plastic rigging solution is designed to keep plastics locked securely in position and comes in a variety of sizes and styles to meet the needs of the most popular fishing techniques.
Eco Pro Tungsten's new website is up now too. Check it out by visiting EcoProTungsten.com.
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Arguably, the most influential angler in Great Lakes smallmouth fishing, Joe Balog is at it again with his new creation: Balog's Goby Replica. Balog is a Great Lakes tournament ace, but few realize that he actually started the goby bait phenomenon when he created the first-ever goby lure for drop shot fishing.
Today, he's taken it a step further by releasing a true goby swimbait. It's a swimbait weighing in at more than an ounce, designed to be drug along the bottom to mimic a goby, one of the favorite meals of big smallmouth in the Great Lakes. At rest, the lure stands upright.
Colors and design exactly match real gobies. Balog's pumped about his creation.
"I've been at this project for eight years," he said. "I've attempted to get this done with four manufacturers, and none could do it to my standards, until now. I've hired one of the best swimbait manufacturer in the US to make my goby, and it's perfect. I personally caught my biggest stringer ever on St. Clair this spring with it: five fish weighing more than 28 pounds."
The Goby Replica is available now in limited quantities at GobyReplica.com.
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TackleWarehouse.com shot this great video with Bassmaster Elite Series pro Jared Lintner on Santa Margarita Lake in California. The video has some great blow ups on topwater frogs and he talks about some of the keys to fishing this type of application.
Check out the video and then visit this page on Tacklewarehouse.com to see all the equipment he recommends for this type of fishing.
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Z-Man Fishing Products has had a stellar year. David Walker won an Elite Series tournament, Luke Clausen won a Potomac River FLW Tour Open on Z-Man products, Stephen Browning had a strong year and more new products were introduced at this year's ICAST show.
We just had the opportunity to test the CrawdadZ on two jigs and were very impressed with both the action and durability. We tested it on Spro's K-Finesse jig and the Jewel Eakins jig. When the bite gets tough, many will tell you to downsize, but we believe that is only part of the equation. Forage match is another. Fish positioned on the bottom in a non-feeding mode will bite a finesse jig if properly presented and the action is right.
We matched the watermelon red CrawdadZ on a light brown with green strand jig. Long casts with very small movement of the jig produced the bites. It was almost like dead-sticking at times, but the floating characteristics of the Elaztech combined with the ball-shaped head allowed the small pinchers to stand up in a defense posture. Most of the bites were bass just swimming off with the lure. You really couldn't feel them hitting the jig; they just picked it up. We hopped the jig at a very slow pace and moved it only slightly to get the bites. It was, at times, very painful to fish this way, and the boat did not move much when working the spot.
The CrawdadZ has a very unique cone-shaped tail that allows for it to be rigged Texas style very effectively. It lasts forever, and we only used three jigs with CrawdadZs in 5 hours of fishing. A manufactured hook slot on the belly of the bait is a big plus for hooksets when using a finesse style jig with a thin wire hook. The Z-Man CrawdadZ is a 4-inch bait, and threaded on jig hook, it makes for a perfect size for all sizes of bass.
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By Alan McGuckin
“Slow it down. Don’t reel so fast. You’ll get a lot more bites. This water is really stained,” said Kevin VanDam to a weekend warrior along for a day of summer fishing as a guest to the astonishing seven-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. Hugely insightful advice from bass fishing’s most dominant gun meant to rifle home a message as to how critical ‘speed of retrieve’ is to his success.
Throughout Kevin’s 21 years as a pro, the one adjective most often used to describe his fishing style is ‘fast.’ Yet, here he was coaching caution on the throttle of his guest’s baitcaster on a day when the bass’ metabolism was peeked to pursue and catch any prey in the lake.
The water was heavily stained with a summer plankton bloom. To Kevin, that indicated lures would be more difficult for the bass to see through the bloom, warranting the need to slow down the revolutions on the handle of his new Quantum Tour KVD Cranking Classic.
That’s the essence of KVD. He consistently processes information faster than all others. Then he couples mental data with superior mechanical know-how to make those around him feel like they missed the boat. Mechanically, speed of retrieve is more a factor in VanDam’s dominance than how fast he casts or operates his trolling motor.
Kevin’s mechanical approach to his reel’s retrieve speed is systematic. Much like a NASCAR crew chief specifies detailed motor set-ups depending on the track, VanDam matches reel ratios to lures and presentations.
“If I’m pitching to shallow cover, dragging a Carolina Rig or working a topwater, I’ll use a fast reel with the Burner 7.3:1 gear ratio,” he said. “The Burner gear is great anytime the fishing technique requires the rod to do most of the work.
“I use the mid-range 6.6:1 gear ratio for spinnerbaits around shallow cover, as well as for lipless crankbaits in clear water. That gear ratio is a great blend of speed and power."
Then comes the moneymaker -- ironically, the slowest among the bunch -- the 5.3:1 gear ratio housed in the TKVD150PPT he’s used to crank up his most recent Angler of the Year and Bassmaster Classic victories. A gear ratio so loved by VanDam he asked Quantum to make a newer, lighter, special ‘Cranking Classic’ edition reel featuring that specific gear ratio.
“The 5.3:1 is the ratio I use for all crankbait fishing,” VanDam said. “From shallow square bills to a deep-diving 6XD from Strike King, the 5.3:1 gives you smoothness and power with less torque. Because there’s less torque, you have the ability to feel what the bait is doing at all times. Feel is hugely important in crankbait fishing. You have to be able to feel a piece of hydrilla that’s hung on your treble hook, or a subtle bite in deep water. You just don’t get that detailed level of feel with a higher-speed reel."
Beyond Kevin’s systematic approach of matching lures to gear ratios is his supernatural ability to analyze and act upon the natural variables all anglers must consider, such as water temperature. And as was the case on this day of instruction -- water clarity.
“This past year’s Classic in New Orleans was a great example of how critical speed of retrieve is,” illustrated VanDam. “The first day, the water temp was 52, and the bass wanted a spinnerbait slowly crawled around the stumps. As the water warmed to 57 degrees, they wanted a square bill bounced off the stumps fairly fast and erratic. I was using a slower gear ratio when cranking than what my 6.6:1 spinnerbait reel features, but when crankbaiting, you need to consider that the 5.3:1 reel is coupled with Quantum’s 150-size spool and picking up 23-inches of line every time you turn the handle. When you’re winding it quickly in shallow water like I was in New Orleans, it created a fast erratic action, but I still had tons of feel with the 5.3:1 ratio.”
In conclusion, VanDam offered simple advice for all anglers confused about the correct speed of retrieve.
“I always start slower when I’m trying to figure them out, and match reel ratios to the technique or lure. But you should always start slower, and speed up from there if the fish will allow you to.”
That’s ironic and eye-opening advice from a guy whose reputation is that of the fastest angler on tour.
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Ranger Boats is offering an exciting new touring package for those that are buying a new boat and want a few more bells and whistles. Touring regional and national anglers will really like the options and we really like the new parking brake, in particular.
Its called the Ranger Touring Package and includes:
Keel Protector
Waterline Stripe
Oxygenator
Boat Cover
Parking Brake
American Racing Wheels on the trailer
The package upgrade is roughly $2,500 to the buyer and it's all the ameneties for anglers that travel and love to fish.
To learn more go to RangerBoats.com or contact your local Ranger Dealer.
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Day three got a lot tougher for the top 20 anglers in the Forrest Wood Cup, but Scott Martin leads with 46 pounds, 12 ounces for three days of fishing thanks to his 16-pound, 1-ounce limit of bass today in the overcast and rainy conditions. He's definitely found the magic combination of location and presentation to bust this thing wide open on Sunday.
The fishing got tougher with cooler than average temperatures, local weekend pressure and spitting rain and wind. But Martin and Clausen both had 16 pound limits on day three proving there are still good limits to be caught on Ouachita.
In second place is Luke Clausen, with 41-14 for three days of fishing. He caught the biggest limit of the day at 16 pounds, 3 ounces.
"Today was one of those days I thought I was going to have every day," Clausen said. "Everything sort of came together today and I was able to get a good bag. Hopefully I can do it again tomorrow. If I catch a big bag I could walk away $600,000 richer and be the first two time winner. I'm shocked no one has caught a 20-pound limit yet. There are 4 and 5-pound bass swimming around out there but they are real smart and real hard to catch in this clear water."
In third place is Randall Tharp, with 41-6 for three days of fishing.
"I've seen more than enough of the right bass to be in the lead," Tharp said. "I fished pretty clean today. I lost one fish today but it was a 5-pounder. But I got lucky and landed one today I probably shouldn't have so it all evens out. It would take a magical day here to catch 20 pounds but it could happen."
In fourth place is Mark Rose, with 41-5 for three days.
"I think I need a 5-pounder to have a shot to win this thing on Sunday," Rose said. "I thank the Lord I've put myself in contention going into the final day but I'm about 5 pounds out and I've got to have a big bite. I'm fishing like I like to fish in the summer. I have some schools of fish found. I went shallow today and caught one of my best fish on a topwater bait. I could go do that but I think I'm going to grind out what I've got for all it's worth."
In fifth place is Jason Christie, with 40-12 for the first three days of fishing.
Christie only landed four keepers on day three that weighed 9 pounds, 5 ounces and it appears that the pattern guys struggled a little more than the area guys. But this has become a 5-pounder tournament. A guy catches a limit with a 5-pound kicker on Sunday and it could be anyone's game.
Rounding out the top 10 anglers are as follows:
Todd Auten with 38-9
Cody Meyer with 37-13
David Dudley with 37-13
Andy Montgomery with 37-12
Andy Morgan with 37-3
Paul Mueller of Southbury, Conn won the co-angler Forrest Wood Cup Championship and $60,000 with a three day total of 28 pounds, 7 ounces, edging out Chris Hults by 1 pound, 3 ounces. Mueller credites his change to a Reins Fat Rock Vibe Shad for the win.
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Yesterday’s blue-bird skies were long gone today as a strong cloud cover, temperature drop, and spike in humidity took over on the final day of the 2011 National Guard Junior World Championship on DeGray Lake presented by the National Guard. Nicholas Deering and Derek Davis held the top spots in their respected divisions going into the final day but not overall. Today, they went out to prove they were in fact the best of the best. Both Deering and Davis received $3,000 in scholarships, a $1,000 Berkley Sponsorship offer, and the most esteemed titles in youth fishing, the 2011 National Guard Junior World Champions.
Nicholas Deering from Portland, Maine caught a limit of bass today weighing 12lbs 4ounces. Deering represents the TBF Eastern Youth Division and the 15-18 age group. “A bunch is going through my mind right now but first off I want to say thanks to my boat captain, Jason, without him I wouldn’t be this far right now,” Deering said. “I just had an awesome day everything went right for me.” It started rough for him early but he finally started hooking up around 9:30. “It just all happened from there. We were just hookin’ up with them left and right, the camera boats were all filming us it was a great experience; I don’t even know where to begin.”
This is Deering’s second visit to the National Guard Junior World Championship with a second top 12 finish. “Last year I made it to day two but I zeroed out the second day; it was really tough.” This week Deering found fish and knew he had a good shot at taking home that trophy. “I was pretty nervous last night but I knew I was on fish so I was pretty confident I could come in with a bigger bag today.” Deering had a limit by 10:30am fishing in the same spot and managing to cull a couple topwater fishing in about 20-30ft of water. “I caught the big one on a zoom fluke; he chomped that thing up. I threw it into a school and they all split up, that’s when I hooked the big one.” Deering is also eligible for the $1,000 Berkley Sponsorship offer with his win today and his promotion of our sponsors at Berkley. “I want to say thanks to Berkley. I used some of their baits this week and their equipment really pulled through for me today.” Deering gave a lot of credit to his boat captain, Jason, for helping him out there the first day. “I just want to congratulate him for winning the championship,” Jason said. “I had a fun day out there with him on the water; he’s a good kid and I hope, I know he’ll do good on in the future.”
The 2011 National Guard Junior World Champion in the 11-14 age bracket was Derek Davis from Clinton, Utah. Davis caught four fish today for a total weight of 10lbs 13ounces. Davis represents the TBF Western Youth Division. Davis was leading in the Western Division coming into the final day of competition but stood at second in the overall standings. Today, Davis went out there and “played in the rain” with his nearly 11lb sack to inch pass the second place finisher less than a pound away. He is also eligible for a $1,000 Berkley Sponsorship through his win and promotion of our sponsors at Berkley.
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Jason Christie leads on day two of the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita near Hot Springs with 31 pounds, 7 ounces. Day one leader Scott Martin is still around good fish but they bit the hook in the back of the boat a little better as his co-angler caught the second biggest bag of the day, 17-11, on day two. But Christie's plan to scrap practice and cover water is paying off.
"I'm just scrambling," Christie said. "Practice was terrible for me. So I just decided to fish like I like to back home and just cover a lot of water fast. The weather change yesterday allowed me to fish my strengths. I took what I learned on day one and applied it today. I actually caught a lot of fish but never got the big bites. Tomorrow I'll just fill the boat up and take off and hopefully apply what I learned again tomorrow."
On day two again the story of the day was changing conditions. There was a rapid weather swing on day one from super hot temperatures everyday to 20 degree cooler temps. But the story on day two was the flip flop of day one. The skies cleared, the water was still and the heat turned up. The resulting high pressure day made finding the better quality fish a little tougher on day two.
One thing that is starting to develop after two days is the age-old question in fishing: is it better to have a good spot or a good pattern? The answer is always it depends. In this event with changing weather conditions, the pattern guys have been showing out. But at least a couple anglers are showing that one spot can hold enough bass to keep you in the hunt.
Photo by Shaye Baker
Scott Martin fell to second place today with a two day weight of 30-11, a mere 12 ounces behind the leader.
"I got beat today," Martin said. "In the back of the boat is a co-angler and he caught them better than me. He caught 18 pounds and that will be the biggest co-angler bag of the day so that's two days in a row that my area has produced the two big bags of fish. It's probably the best area I've ever seen on this lake. I doubt this spot will hold up for all four days. But I have some other patterns like brush piles and deep grass but I'm going to ride this area for as long as I can."
Randall Tharp sits in the third place with 29-1 for two days of fishing.
"I'm kind of right where I want to be right now," Tharp said. "I caught the fish that bit today and there are some big fish in my area. There are wolf packs in my areas. The big fish are in the wolf packs. I catch some loners but those fish only weigh 1 or 2 pounds. I think the later it gets the tighter the wolf packs get and they herd those bluegills. The huge key is staying a long way away from the fish. If you know they are there, it's a lot easier, and I have four areas where I know they are. If I catch all 7 or 8 of the good bites I get, I can win this thing."
Andy Morgan jumped up into fourth place after having a lack luster first day with the big limit of the day, 18-15, giving him 28-11 for two days.
"Here at Ouachita, it seems like I always get whipped," Morgan said. "They run me out of town like a horse thief. I had some problems yesterday landing fish, and I just landed my fish today which were bigger bass. The sun being out helped me, and it being a little calmer definitely helped me. I may have a little edge on my bait choice. I'm covering a lot of water and a couple of extra stops can make the difference. I caught a 5-pounder on my last stop today. So that is giving me an edge."
Cody Meyer rounds out the top five anglers with a two day weight of 27 pounds, 3 ounces.
"On my second cast I caught a 3-pounder on a topwater bait," Meyer said. "Then I struggled for a while, and on my last cast, I caught a 2 1/2 pounder to cull out a tiny fish I had in the livewell. We still have a long ways to go. I don't have a lot water or a lot of spots but I'm covering more water and that seems to be helping."
Mike Helton of Indiana took over the lead in the co-angler division. He has 21-11 for two days of fishing and holds a 7-ounce lead on Spencer Shuffield. Tomorrow is the final day for co-anglers so it will all hang out tomorrow.
We'll all be watching the weather tonight and tomorrow and things should get really interesting on the water tomorrow. More photos and stories from the day coming later.
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 Fishing was tough on TBF’s 82 Junior State Champions today as they went head to head on day one of the 2011 National Guard Junior World Championship on DeGray Lake presented by the National Guard. A 13-16 inch slot rule for largemouth bass forced several anglers to throw back keepers and left many short of a bite. Anglers from 41 different states traveled to face off in this national contest knowing today it was all or nothing to decide who would advance. The top two anglers advance from each of the six TBF junior divisions, one from each age group, 11-14 and 15-18, and claimed the 2011 Division Champion titles. These 12 advance to the final shoot out tomorrow to crown this year’s National Champions. Going into the final day of the 2011 National Championship in first are Donovan Jones in the 15-18 age group and Samuel Scott in the 11-14 age group.
Donovan Jones from Vine Grove, Ky., caught a five bass limit today weighing 11lb 10ounces. “Ever since I started fishing the youth tournaments it’s been a dream to come here to the National Guard Junior World Championship,” Jones said. “And I finally qualified my last year.” It’s his first year and he’s not only advancing to the final day but he’s also leading going into it. “It does feel pretty exciting leading it going into the final day.” Jones caught three keepers 30 minutes after launch this morning and then backed off hoping to leave some for tomorrow. “I quit fishing about a quarter til 12; I left a few fish out there so I couldn’t stick anymore.” Jones’s strategy played out for him today and left him about a three pound cushion going into the final day of competition. I’m pretty excited; it’s something I’ve always dreamed about doing. I don’t know how to explain it.”
A few pounds away, currently in third is Matt Baker from Olive Branch, Miss., with three fish weighing 7lb 3ounces. Baker came out on top of the Central Division to advance, but it was no easy matter. Rumored to have a healthy limit of bass, and also competing for first in the Central Division was Sam Starr from Mcpherson, Kansas. Starr was last to weigh-in and the crowd grew silent waiting on the scales to lock. Starr’s limit of bass locked in at 7lb 2ounces, sailing Baker into first by just one ounce. “Well, I was in line and I looked down and saw someone that had five fish; I only had three fish,” Baker said. “I said, ‘Man. That’s a buzz kill right there, I thought I had this thing won.’” A seriously tight win today has Baker taking no chances out there tomorrow. “I caught my two biggest fish in one area; tomorrow, I plan on heading there and I’m not leaving for 3 ½ hours.”
Samuel Scott from just up the road in Hot Springs, Ark., leads the 11-14 age group going into the final day with three fish weighing 7lb 14ounces. “I’m nervous right now, but I’m also really, really excited,” Scott said. “I never thought I would make it this far.” Scott also intends to do what he did today and hopes the fish will hold up for him one more time. “I caught my three between 10-11am about 15 minutes apart. It was rough out there and I didn’t know what to do at times; I panicked once, but I ended up catching those three and it got me where I needed to be.” This is also Scott’s first time to qualify for a national championship. “It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever done; to win it would mean the world to me.”
Saturday’s weigh-in will also be held at 1:30pm lakeside at DeGray Lake, and immediately following all anglers will travel to Summit Arena in Hot Springs, Ark. to be introduced on the FLW Outdoors main stage of the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup, presented by Walmart, at 4:45pm. Live streaming will also be available at weigh-in time at 1:30 CST on BassFederation.com in partnership with iHigh.com.
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Wired2Fish's Marty Glorvigen dials in some great tips for mounting electronics and trolling motor on his Lund Boat. The use of RAM mounts for both are essential. Check out this great video by clicking here. |
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Boomerang’s new “Big Catch H1” fishing pliers offer all the features and conveniences of the company’s original retractable pliers, plus even greater strength and rigidity, replaceable jaw ends, and handsome cosmetics.The Big Catch H1 weighs only 5.9 ounces, but it’s no lightweight when it comes to durability and performance. With its aircraft-grade all-metal body construction, stainless steel jaws, and rugged tungsten carbide cutters, The Big Catch H1 is built to handle tough assignments in punishing freshwater and saltwater environments. Every material and component has been carefully selected for long life and maximum resistance to rust and corrosion. Boomerang’s Big Catch H1 also features replaceable tongue-and-groove jaw ends and cutting blades. That means you can simply purchase the affordable and easy-to-install replacement parts or alternative jaw ends (sold separately) to create a better-than-new fishing tool. A very durable tool and one that works well for the boat or tackle box.
Ease of use and convenience is also part of the Big Catch H1 package. The Big Catch H1 boasts an integrated, retractable Kevlar® cord that attaches just about anywhere on a boat – or to your tackle box, belt loop or fishing vest – and extends a full 36 inches for tool use. Thanks to this heavy-duty, spring-loaded “leash,” Big Catch H1 pliers are always secure, and as the company’s slogan states, “there when you need them.” When you’re finished using your Big Catch H1, simply let go, and the retractor will return the tool safely and automatically to its original location.
The Big Catch H1’s composite grips are also specially designed for optimum performance and ease of use. Ergonomic, textured and bonded to the handles, they ensure a solid, secure hold at all times – even when wet. Although Boomerang’s Big Catch H1 offers more features and innovations than any other pliers in its class, with an MSRP of just $39.95, it’s surprisingly affordable. Every Big Catch H1 is also backed up by a one-year manufacturer’s warranty. Elite Series Pro Russ Lane is sponsored by Boomerang and utilizes all of their tools in his boat.
For more information on the new Big Catch H1 Pliers, or the complete line of quality Boomerang Tool Company products, visit: www.boomerangtool.com.
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Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., lead day one of the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita with a five bass limit that weighed 19 pounds, 2 ounces. His day started fast and furious this morning with overcast skies and spitting rain. By 9 a.m., Martin was culling with big fish and didn't stop until he thought he had about 20 pounds in the livewell. Then he started looking for some more areas and practicing for the second quarter of this four quarter championship.
"I'm not going to tell you what I'm doing but I'm very excited," Martin said. "I've fished several of these now and I really want to win. I've had some trouble fishing highland reservoirs for a number of years, but going to places like this, Beaver Lake and Table Rock has me finally figuring things out. I feel really good about this. I've got three more quarters to go. I'm fishing like I like to fish and I'm targetting that mid-range depth. I've got to catch a big bag everyday, but heck, wouldn't it be awesome to catch another 20-pound bag tomorrow!"
The story of the day was the weather and lost bass. In every bass tournament there are a lot of lost fish and missed opportunities. But what is a factor here is there has been a good topwater bite early for bigger fish. The sun, however, has been out for a month here and today the fish had a totally different look at baits. It's almost like their eyes have not acclimated to the darker skies and windy conditions. Pro after pro talked about seeing fish roll on a bait, barely get hooked and get loose. Several guys talked about losing fish after fish and there were guys catching good bass in the middle of the day on topwaters.
There are a lot of pros fishing deep too and the weather effected that bite even more. The fish out deep appeared to still be there but for whatever reason got a case of lockjaw today. Tomorrow we're expecting more rain and more overcast skies but the general consensus is that the sun would help the anglers but another day of overcast skies could help the bass get a better bead on the bait. We also expect a lot more guys to be moving around alot more on day two and hunting active and cruising fish.
In second place is Jason Christie with 18 pounds, 1 ounce.
"I'm about to have a heart attack," Christie said. "I really wasn't on anything in practice and when the weather changed, I just put the trolling motor down and went fishing like I would back home and had no idea I would catch this type of weight. I'm planning to do the same thing tomorrow and just go fishing and see what happens."
In third place was Brandon Coulter of Tennessee with a five-bass limit of 18 pounds.
"I did my best today and it just worked out," he said. "I've only got one little deal. I had to change baits today. I caught one right off the bat and then I lost my next five fish. So I changed baits and I stayed hooked up. I don't know if I kept my composure. I had one fish at noon and my co-angler said just keep throwing and it worked out because I caught two 5-pounders back to back."
In fourth place was Jay Yelas of Oregon with 17 pounds, 5 ounces.
"I don't like fishing clear water when it's 92 degrees," Yelas said. "It can be hard to catch them when it's like that. The good Lord blessed me and I caught more than I thought I could catch so it was a great day. It was slow early and I had a mid-day flurry. So I'm very happy to have the weight I had."
In fifth place was Randall Tharp of Alabama with 16 pounds.
"I'm actually very dissappointed with today's weight," Tharp said. "I was lucky to have 16 pounds because I lost six of my first seven fish. This place has got 'em and there are going to be 10 or 11 guys that are going to bust 'em up and have 16-23 pounds each day."
Spencer Shuffield, of Bismarck, Ark. lead the co-angler field on day one with five bass weighing 14-8.
"It's really tough out there," he said. "I was fortunate to land most of the fish that bit and get a few bigger bites. These guys are the best anglers in the world and they don't leave much behind for someone in the back of the boat. I was just able to get a few key bites and that's really the difference. I'm excited and nervous about tomorrow."
Day One Pro Results from 2011 Forrest Wood Cup
1 MARTIN, SCOTT 19-02 (5)
2 CHRISTIE, JASON 18-01 (5)
3 COULTER, BRANDON 18-00 (5)
4 YELAS, JAY 17-05 (5)
5 THARP, RANDALL 16-00 (5)
6 LUCAS, JUSTIN 14-14 (5)
7 STRELIC, JON 14-12 (5)
8 WHEELER, JACOB 14-10 (5)
9 ROSE, MARK 14-09 (5)
10 MEYER, CODY 14-02 (5)
11 CLAUSEN, LUKE 13-15 (5)
12 AUTEN, TODD 13-09 (5)
13 POWROZNIK, JACOB 13-06 (5)
14 STRADER, WESLEY 12-12 (5)
15 KILBY, ROB 12-08 (5)
16 LONG, SHANE 12-08 (5)
17 CANTERBURY, SCOTT 12-07 (5)
18 COX, JOHN 12-07 (5)
19 GOUVEA, BRET 12-06 (5)
20 MONTGOMERY, ANDY 12-05 (5)
21 MONSOOR, TOM 12-01 (5)
22 AARON, CHAD 12-00 (5)
23 MOYNAGH, JIM 11-15 (5)
24 SCHWENKBECK, DARRIN 11-14 (5)
25 EHRLER, BRENT 11-11 (5)
26 NIXON, LARRY 11-11 (5)
27 THRIFT, BRYAN 11-09 (5)
28 SHUFFIELD, RON 11-01 (5)
29 DUDLEY, DAVID 11-00 (5)
30 CHAPMAN, BILL 11-00 (5)
31 WENDLANDT, CLARK 10-09 (5)
32 HITE, BRETT 10-02 (5)
33 KING, STACEY 10-01 (5)
34 LEFEBRE, DAVE 9-15 (5)
35 MORGAN, ANDY 9-12 (4)
36 AREY, MATT 9-10 (5)
37 SCHENCK, SHAD 9-08 (5)
38 KREIGER, KOBY 9-06 (5)
39 FUKAE, SHINICHI 9-03 (3)
40 KENNEY, JT 8-10 (5)
41 VATALARO, VIC 7-13 (4)
42 HOBBS, JR., RONALD 7-12 (5)
43 DODSON, ROBBIE 7-11 (3)
44 REYNOLDS, MIKE 7-05 (4)
45 BIRD, CODY 6-06 (4)
46 ROBERTSON, DARREL 5-14 (4)
47 PIRCH, CLIFFORD 5-13 (4)
48 LEE, ROBERT 5-11 (2)
49 BLAYLOCK, STETSON 5-09 (4)
50 BOYD, ALLEN 5-09 (3)
51 SNIDER, KEVIN 5-03 (2)
52 CHAPPELEAR, GLENN 4-11 (2)
53 BOLTON, TERRY 4-00 (2)
54 GUIDRY, JEREMY 3-07 (2)
55 MICHELS, JEFF 2-03 (1)
56 ZALDAIN, CHRIS 1-06 (1)
- GIPSON, JAKE 0-0 (0)
- MURPHY, SHAWN 0-0 (0)
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Serious anglers across the country rely on Stratos Boats to give them the performance advantages it takes to consistently deliver big fish and even bigger tournament wins. In the world of hardcore angling where bigger is often better, Stratos rounds out its lineup of multispecies boats with the all-new 326 XF. Delivering the size and performance to tackle big waters, the beefy 326XF is ideal for anglers in search of giant walleye, trophy pike and monster musky.
Measuring 20 feet, 5 inches, the Stratos 326 XF is rated for 225 horsepower and available with a host of precision-matched, factory-rigged outboards. Built around a sophisticated hull design that provides plenty of hole shot, top-end speed and ultra-responsive handling for navigating rough waters, the 326 XF also benefits from an intuitive layout, which places the battery compartment and 50-gallon fuel tank in line with the keel at midship, resulting in a smoother, drier ride and a more stable fishing surface.
Honeycombed with storage throughout and equipped with fishing features any multispecies angler would want, the 326 XF delivers a walk-through windshield design, snap-in carpet, three custom-fitted folding seats; integrated drink holders, insulated cooler and lockable storage compartments (port and starboard). At the helm, the 326 XF console provides room to back-mount extra large electronics, while also providing digital, multi-function gauges. Loaded with standard equipment, the 326 XF comes factory equipped with a Humminbird 728 graph, Minn Kota 80lb, 24V trolling motor and 50 amp breaker as well as hydraulic steering and flush-mounted remote throttle control.
Keeping in mind the specific needs of multispecies anglers, the 326 XF also boasts an oversized livewell at the stern, a 5 ½ gallon aerated baitwell on the spacious front deck, complete with a recessed trolling motor foot pedal option. Under the front deck, the center rod storage can easily accommodate a dozen rods up to 8’ in length. In addition, the 326XF includes the ability to add rail systems for downriggers and rod holders for precise bait presentation.
Once the bite slows down, the 326 XF also gives owners an ideal rig for watersports and other on-water recreation. Whether it’s an evening cruise under the available bimini top or pulling friends and family across the wake using the optional ski tow, the 326 XF offers an exceptional level of versatility. With rear flip-up jump seats plus pedestal seats for three passengers, there is plenty of room for multiple people and gear.
The Stratos 326 XF comes paired with a custom-built, tandem-axle trailer. Designed to perfectly match the boat, Stratos trailers are equipped with a super-tough polyurea “Road Armor” protective finish, submersible, LED lights and individually balanced, aluminum wheels. The trailers also feature swing jacks that retract flush to the frame and locking, swing-away tongues. With stainless steel fenders and matching spare, the trailer delivers peace of mind when towing and serves as the perfect complement to the striking good looks of the new Stratos 326 XF.
2012 STRATOS 326 XF
Overall Hull Length: 20 feet, 5 inches
Beam: 100 inches
Maximum HP: 225
Transom Height: 25 inches
Inside Depth: 24.5 inches
Fuel Capacity: (1) 50-gallon tank
Total Persons/Motor/Gear: 2,000
Be looking for video of this boat very soon on Wired2Fish.com.
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FLW Outdoors announced that the newly formed FLW Outdoors Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) organization designed to connect America’s youth to their natural resources, promote education, conservation and an active lifestyle, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
The purpose of the Memorandum of Understanding is to establish a general framework for cooperation between the FLW Outdoors Foundation and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to:
 1. Advance the corporate and public appreciation of fish and wildlife and the challenges they face in our ever changing world.
2. Identify the needs and assistance required to protect and ensure the survival of fish and wildlife and their habitat.
3. Explore strategies and promote efforts to connect people and especially youth with nature.
4. Develop, encourage, and promote effective working relationships among agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and corporations working to protect and restore fish and wildlife and their habitats.
5. Support the organizational goals of both parties.
“We are proud to be partnering with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,” said FLW Outdoors President of Operations Kathy Fennel. “To join forces with this agency in educating future generations of fishing enthusiasts is a testament to FLW Outdoors’ legacy as a leader in both professional and recreational fishing.”
Fennel and FLW Outdoors President of Marketing Trisha Blake signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Bryan Arroyo, who is the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Assistant Director of Fisheries & Habitat Conservation on Wednesday as part of the preliminary activities to the Forrest Wood Cup being held Aug. 11-14 in Hot Springs, Ark.
“To have FLW Outdoors sign this memorandum is a victory for the fishing public,” Arroyo said. “Their history, reputation in the industry and hands-on experience in conservation will be a valuable resource in ensuring the youth of tomorrow will be able to enjoy the fruits of the country’s fisheries for years to come.”
The FLW Outdoors Foundation will function nationwide engaging thousands of volunteers at nearly 200 fishing tournaments and thousands of fishing expos to achieve measurable on-the-ground success in youth angler recruitment and retention. The Foundation seeks to maximize the impact of existing partnerships and expertise through experiential learning opportunities that meet the shared goals of partner schools, natural resource agencies and corporations. This hands-on approach will allow the Foundation and its partners to connect leisure activities with sound educational principles and inspire an active lifestyle that can help turn the tide in the fight against childhood obesity.
Funding helps support youth fishing and boating safety programs as well as career pathway programs for high school and college students. Foundation funding also supports conservation programs to enhance aquatic habitat and sustain quality fisheries for future generations.
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We are big believers in keeping fish alive. There are many very good additives that do the job of both keeping them alive but also adding the protective slime coat that they need. Many believe that Rejuvenade is the best. Others believe that Catch and Release is the ticket. For the last several years we have used both but have also found a product that we feel may be the best for all of the right reasons. It’s called U2 Pro Formula and it’s made by the Oxygenator folks and we have seen it do miracles on tanked bass. We have seen stressed fish right themselves and regain color and disposition of a freshly caught bass very quickly with U2. in fact, they will sometimes act more healthy than when they were caught upon release. We have not seen any delayed mortality either. We also season new boat livewells with U2 before placing fish in them for the first time too.
U2 is a conditioner/additive that is used to ship tropical fish and is approved for use with the Oxygenator. Small amounts, ½ ounce for 30 gallons, is used and it is non-toxic to humans, eliminates nitrates and removes chlorine, ammonia, chloramines, and heavy metals that can be found in our lakes but are intensified in a livewell. U2, used in conjunction with a good livewell system keeps oxygen established in the livewell and won’t allow for any ammonia build up from urine secreted by captive fish.
U2 is also good for use when using live bait. There is also a saltwater version as well. The dispenser bottle works perfectly to add an accurate amount.
U2 is made by O2 Marine Technologies and can be purchased at Tackle Warehouse. It retails for $8.99 for 8 ounces.
You can learn more about U2 by clicking here.
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We got up at 4:45 a.m. and drove out to Brady Mountain Resort where the Forrest Wood Cup is launching on Lake Ouachita near Hot Springs, Ark. It was thundering, lightning, raining and windy when we got there but by the time the field got ready to take off, the storming had passed. The air temperature was cooler than it had been all week. And the added cloud cover had several anglers smiling today. The word on the street is there are a lot of schooling fish on the lake and the big bites have been few and far between. So a little cloud cover to start the 2011 FWC was not a bad thing for some.
The rods on the decks ranged from finesse baits to power flipping baits and everything in between. There were a lot of topwaters on the decks. Drop shots, big worms, jigs, spinnerbaits and more. What you'd expect on about any fishery that was in the throws of summer.
We'll be running to launch, the expo, the weigh-in and a lot of stuff in between over the course of the next several days. We'll post up results and interviews here on the site and we'll also post some extra photos and updates through our FACEBOOK PAGE. Be sure to follow on both.
Today is setup day at the Outdoor Expo. It doesn't open until tomorrow but we should be able to get some behind the scenes stuff on what the show has to offer.
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 The 2011 Oakley Big Bass Tour will be on Lake Sam Rayburn on Sept. 10-11, for the First Annual Kelly Jordon Big Bass Classic presented by the Lufkin Convention & Visitors Bureau and Kicks 105. Based at Cassels-Boykin Park, this open big-bass tournament will offer amateur anglers the chance to compete for thousands in cash and prizes during the two-day event. The angler with the largest overall big bass of the tournament will take home $10,000 guaranteed.
The tournament will be open to amateur anglers only. There will be seven hourly weigh-ins each day with thousands in hourly cash payouts and the overall largest fish of the event will earn the winner $10,000. The first 100 two-day entrants to register online will receive a custom Oakley rod from Quantum. Anglers may pre-register online at www.oakleybigbass.com. Anglers may also register by phone, fax or mail. One day entry fees are $100 per angler and two day entry fees are $150 per angler. The final on-site registration will be held at Cassels-Boykin Park on Friday, September 9th from 11am-7pm. Anglers may pick up registration forms at Kicks 105 or Jeff Buchanan Realty.
Saturday and Sunday's weigh-ins will take place at the Toyota Tundra Stage at Cassels-Boykin. The public is welcome at the live weigh-ins from 8am-3pm on Saturday and Sunday and after the weigh-ins there will be angler and attendee activities from 3-5pm each day.
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Quantum’s fun new “Fish it First” video contest is intended to give angling consumers a chance to be among the very first to fish with an industry-leading EXO reel, with top pro Gerald Swindle as your personal fishing guide on Guntersville.
Quantum’s EXO is bass fishing’s hottest new reel. Gerald Swindle is the funniest pro angler on tour. And Lake Guntersville is one of the greatest bass fishing reservoirs on earth. Upload a creative home video of less than a minute in length to Quantum’s new EXO microsite and you might win the chance to experience all three this October 13-16th as the winner of the fun-filled all expenses paid “Fish it First” contest. Four runner-ups will win a free EXO reel.
Your short home video doesn’t have to be slick, but creativity and fishing experience count. Your video also needs to show you are motivated to fish at a Quantum level.
Hurry, fans are already beginning to submit and post their videos. You’re encouraged to check them out to see whom your competition is, as well as to learn more about the contest and bass fishing’s hottest new reel at QuantumFishing.com/EXO/contest.
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One of the coolest things about bass fishing is the crossover. Many have compared it to NASCAR and golf. We want to compare it to drag racing!
Some fans who love to fish also love racing and drag racing is power filled, just like catching a 10-pound bass on a topwater plug. Bass fishing has the Bassmaster Classic and the Forrest Wood Cup and drag racing has the U.S. Nationals. No event is bigger, and a whole weekend is dedicated to racing and legends of drag racing.
If you like drag racing, the outdoors and lots of horsepower, you might want to head to Indianapolis over Labor Day weekend.
Below are the details of what is in store:
MAC TOOLS U.S. NATIONALS presented by Lucas Oil
August 31-September 5 - Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis
Already the biggest, most prestigious event in drag racing, the 2011 edition of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals promises to be one of the most memorable events in NHRA history. Championship points and a shot at the title will be on the line with every qualifying and eliminations run John Force, Larry Dixon, Tony Schumacher, Doug Kalitta and the biggest stars in drag racing make.
And new this year, as a part of NHRA's 60th anniversary celebration, they will honor Bob Glidden and Shirley Muldowney! Glidden, a Pro-Stock pioneer is the career leader with nine Mac Tools U.S. Nationals wins, while Top Fueler Muldowney was the first NHRA driver, male or female, to win three world champions. We'll honor both legends throughout the weekend with autograph sessions, car displays and more.
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Veteran publishing industry executive Bruce Akin of Birmingham has been named chief executive officer of B.A.S.S. LLC.
Akin, who currently serves as president of ChipRewards Inc., a healthcare incentive and rewards company, previously held several key positions at Birmingham-based Southern Progress Corp., a subsidiary of Time Inc., between 1985 and 2008.
At Southern Progress, he worked for Don Logan, then CEO and later, chairman of Time Inc., who purchased B.A.S.S. in 2010 along with two partners, Jerry McKinnis and Jim Copeland.
“Bruce is a resourceful leader who has achieved success in digital media, events and magazine and book publishing, all of which are key components of B.A.S.S.,” Logan said. “He was a key part of the team that grew Southern Progress for 20 consecutive years, and I’m confident he will grow Bassmaster Magazine, Bassmaster.com and our other media properties.”
“B.A.S.S. and its related brands have a storied history and a bright future,” Akin said. “I have followed and admired the B.A.S.S. organization over the past 40 years and look forward to working with the talented, passionate B.A.S.S. team to expand and support the already successful brands, media properties and tournaments.
“I am thankful for and excited about the opportunity to lead B.A.S.S. as we serve our members, anglers, viewers and sponsors.”
Akin will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of B.A.S.S. beginning Aug. 22 and will report directly to the owners. He will divide his time between B.A.S.S. headquarters in Celebration, Fla., and the JM Outdoors division in Little Rock, Ark. As previously announced, B.A.S.S. headquarters will be relocated to Birmingham in November.
Akin was hired by Don Logan in 1985 as manager of corporate planning for Southern Progress. He rose to vice president and general manager of the book publishing division, Oxmoor House, in 1991, and became executive vice president of Southern Progress in 1995. In 2006, Akin was promoted to president of the newly formed SPC Digital Division, while still maintaining oversight of the company’s corporate development, brand licensing, magazine consumer marketing and commerce groups. He was awarded the Time Inc. President’s Award in 1993 for innovations in direct marketing.
A graduate of the University of Alabama, Akin is active in civic affairs, serving on the board of directors of the St. Vincent’s Hospital Foundation and working to raise cancer awareness through the media.
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Lake Guntersville is the frog fishing factory and October 9th Mann's Bait Company is putting it to the test again. Froggin and Flippin Frogs will be included in this tournament but only (4) Mann's Baits can be used, the Super Frog, Weasel, Swim Toad and FrankenToad. The First Annual Mann's Frog Fest will be held at Guntersville's Val Monte Lakeside Resort and Marina. A Bass Cat Boat and twenty five places will be paid no matter how many boats register. Over $22,000 in cash and prizes. For more information call 256-535-6556 or email Randy McBride at RandyMcBride@bellsouth.net |
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 When 58 pro anglers cast for the $500,000 top prize at the Forrest Wood Cup tournament on Lake Ouachita this week, young Jacob Wheeler, age 20, will be one of them.
Wheeler, who has temporarily put college on hold to chase dreams of becoming a pro angler, has already created a financial pillow for himself through the $100,000 top prize he won as the 2011 BFL All-American champion back in May.
In good timing, the Indianapolis young gun also signed up and became eligible for the BoatUS Angler contingency program days before his six-figure win. Consequently, he collected an additional $1,000 in BoatUS Angler “Weigh-to-Win” cash as a result of his BFL Championship win.
If he wins this week on Ouachita, he’ll get a $1,500 bonus from BoatUS Angler. And while that may seem like peanuts compared to the half-a-million top prize, Wheeler, who started fishing tournaments at age 9 with his dad and Uncle Morry, will tell you the peace of mind alone from his BoatUS Angler membership is worth the college student friendly registration fee.
“You’re foolish to go out on the water, or tow your boat down the highway without a membership to BoatUS Angler,” said Wheeler. “If something goes wrong – and things do happen out there – you have the security of knowing BoatUS will dispatch somebody to help you.”
Wheeler lists BoatUS Angler “Weigh-to-Win” members Kevin VanDam, David Dudley and Edwin Evers as his favorite pros, and he will actually compete against Dudley this week.
“There’s nothing in the world to me like tournament fishing,” said the aspiring pro. “Every day on the water is different, and the guy who puts all the pieces of the puzzle together the fastest gets the prize."
If Wheeler is the fastest puzzle builder on Lake Ouachita this weekend, not only will he get the half-a-million top prize and the BoatUS Angler “Weigh-to-Win” bonus, but also a likely extension on his collegiate sabbatical.
Getting a BoatUS Angler membership, and signing-up for their Weigh-to-Win program like Jacob did, is easy. Memberships are as affordable as $38. Just dial (918) 742-6424 and ask for Kendell. She’ll make sure you’re registered.
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Lund is offering FREE motor upgrades on the 186 Tyee GL and 186 Fisherman GL! Purchase either model and you’re automatically eligible to upgrade the sporty 150-hp Mercury Verado to the brawnier 175 Verado at no additional charge. That is a huge savings and adds performance enhancement opportunity to both boats. More lean muscle without exercising your wallet. Contact your nearest Lund Dealer for details.
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In recognition and appreciation of the thousands of service men and women across the country, Ranger Boats announces an expansion of its “Operation Troop Salute” retail incentive program. From August 1 to October 31, 2011, any current or former member of the U.S. Armed Forces is eligible to receive a deluxe incentive package with the purchase of a new, qualifying Ranger boat from an authorized Ranger dealer.
The “Operation Troop Salute” incentive includes a factory rebate of $2 per engine horsepower, $100 RangerWear clothing and accessories coupon card and an exclusive military appreciation jacket, t-shirt and decals. To be eligible, customers must either be currently serving, retired from or have previous service in the United States Armed Forces. Qualifying boats include any new Ranger boat, motor and trailer package that has not been previously registered; and the program is not limited to the current model year.
For more details on “Operation Troop Salute” or to see the 2011 Ranger models, contact a local Ranger Boats dealer or visit rangerboats.com.
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Thanks to everyone for reading Wired2Fish and entering our contests. Thanks for all of the comments on your entries as well. Great to get feedback about how we are doing as we are doing our best to bring you the latest in tackle, news and information from the pros. As they used to say on the A Team "Its great when a plan comes together" and for the folks below the plan is pretty sweet. They will each win a brand new, in the box, Pflueger President Spinning Reel.
The new Pflueger President is refined. Its lighter, handles braid very well, and is still very affordable at right around $60.00.
Stay on the look-out for more great products from Pflueger.
The winners are:
Paul Finn
Olathe, KS
Oliver Bonner
New Market, AL
Chris McConnell
New Eagle, PA
Lebaron Hill
Mobille, AL
Congrats to all and your reels are on the way!
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Want to win a new bass boat? Pinnacle fishing wants to give you a chance. Sign up and you have a chance to win a:
GRAND PRIZE: 18’ BASS CAT SABRE FTD BASS BOAT/MERCURY OPTIMAX PRO XS 115 HP MOTOR & TRAILER
You also have a chance to win:
FIVE (5) SECOND PLACE PRIZES: Pinnacle Optimus XLT Reel/Perfecta Rod Combos
FIVE (5) THIRD PLACE PRIZES: Pinnacle Performa XLT Baitcast Reels
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 BASS photo
To say Ott DeFoe had a stellar year is an understatement. While fishing the BASS Elite Series he was crowned Rookie of the Year, made the 2012 Classic and just won the BASS Toyota All Star post season in Alabama. To top it off he is a great guy. Today on Weighing In Radio with Terry Brown he speaks about his year. To listen click here. |
Yamaha pro Russ Lane knew things were getting close, but as with any lure design the prototypes required another little tweak … and another … and another …
His new SPRO Big Daddy Crank deep-diving crankbait got some thorough workouts over the last several months. Lane kept returning the baits to SPRO’s design team with suggestions for a little more of this or a little less of that. Finally, the Alabama cranking specialist knew it was good to go.
“I kept sending it back, probably at least 3-4 times or more to change a few little things and get it exactly right,” Lane said. “It just has a lot of little things that I wanted, like the body that I came up with, a mid-sized profile bait instead of one with a large body.
“But I also wanted a bait you could land fish with, so it had to carry two full-size No. 2 Gamakatzu EWG treble hooks. I think those are the best you can get, so the hook hangers had to be turned at the right point and the one on the back had to be placed high. We added a little slant to the tail to keep the hooks from tangling.”
Lane showed off the Big Daddy Crank in late April during a writer’s event at Lake Lanier in Georgia. It was to be introduced at the annual ICAST fishing trade show just six weeks later, but he found a couple of more little things to tinker with. By the time the show rolled around in mid-July, it was ready.
“I’m pleased with it, for sure,” he said. “Everyone has some different ideas about crankbaits but if you get one you’re confident with and it catches fish, then you gravitate toward that bait. This bait is not the only one you’ll ever need. A crankbait to me is a tool and you use the right one for the right situation on the lake. But this one, to me, is probably going to be a little more versatile and could turn into a line or series for SPRO. I’m really excited about it.”
Lane’s new deep-diver will get some use on Neely Henry Lake during the Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series presented by Carrot Stix. The final event of the 2011 PAA Tournament Series season is set for Aug. 18-20, going out of Coosa Landing in Gadsden, Ala.
Daily weigh-ins are 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday at Coosa Landing, with the final weigh-in set for 4:30 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops in Leeds. The field will compete for cash and prizes, including a new Nitro Z-8 with a Mercury 225 and T-H Marine Atlas jackplate, and a Humminbird 898c Si Combo sonar unit as the MinnKota Humminbird Big Bass Award for the tournament’s biggest lunker.
Also at stake is the PAA Angler of the Year points championship, currently led by Ranger pro Todd Auten of South Carolina with 351 points. Right behind is Gene Larew pro Tommy Biffle of Oklahoma, the defending Angler of the Year, with 347 points, and Hefty pro Mike McClelland of Oklahoma, with 343 points. Nitro pro Stacey King of Missouri (323 points) and BoatUS Weigh-to-Win pro Troy Morrow of Georgia (307) are within reach of claiming the honor.
Neely Henry will present the pros with dual options, despite the summer heat and high water temperatures. As one of the impoundments of the famed Coosa River, the pros can head offshore for deep structure and spotted bass or try their luck upriver or shallow for spots and largemouth.
Lane’s affinity for cranking deep structure was honed on the lower end of the Coosa and also the Tallapoosa and Alabama rivers near his central Alabama home. One key of his new crankbait is the lack of any internals noise-makers.
“It doesn’t have rattles because I think that’s important after fish have been beaten on after several days of practice and a tournament,” he said. “Running silent like that doesn’t spook the school. One other element is the bait has more of a rolling action instead of an ‘X-ing’ action, so easier to reel. It’s a sneakier bait and I think it will surprise the fish and make them react.”
Deep-diving crankbaits have, for years, typically had large bodies and giant bills, or lips, to get them to depths of 15 feet or more. The old Poe’s 300 and 400 Series, Bagley Diving B3 and Bomber Fat Free Shad designs are great to mimic larger threadfin or gizzard shad plowing along the bottom.
But in recent years, a trend toward more slender, sleeker deep-divers has emerged. Strike King’s popular XD6 is one, as are the Lucky Craft deep divers. Strike King also has a new XD5, with a smaller body that still gets deep. Lane wanted similar body characteristics with the Big Daddy Crank.
“The size isn’t too small but isn’t overbearingly big,” he said. “You can throw it on 10-pound test Sunline on a long cast to get to 14 feet or more, or on 14-pound fluorocarbon in water just six feet deep. I believe it’ll be a versatile bait.
“If there are fish offshore from 6-14 feet, that bait will get the job done. You might have to change line size or the distance on your cast, but that’s what good crankbait fishermen do. I’m looking forward to putting it to the test.”
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 Former Elite Series pro Marty Stone has been on hiatus from professional tournament fishing after a couple of down years in his fishing. In that time he's had a chance to reflect on his fishing and is now returning to fishing in a big way, announcing that he'll fish the FLW Tour and Major League Fishing in 2012. As a result he also announced his first new sponsors, Eco Pro Tungsten and Kumho Hooks.
We've spent quite a bit of time in the boat with Marty, and he's a heck of a good stick and a real innovator when it comes to tweaking his tackle and suggesting better ways to skin a cat.
"When I decided to come out of retirement to fish Major League Fishing and the FLW Tour, I wanted to do this stage of my career very differently," Stone said. "One of the most important things was working with manufacturers that valued my opinion, allowed me some freedom in the designing of products and most importantly made high quality products at a price point that everyone in today's economy can afford."
"I have done all this by working with Tim Norman at Eco Pro and Kumho. Tim is an icon in this industry. He understands how to get a great product from the manufacturer to the market place. He is also a friend who I always wanted to work with in this capacity for a long time. We have so many projects that we are discussing it is incredible. This is a company that I wanted to work for and have now been granted that privilege. To say I am excited about this opportunity is an understatement!"
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Major League Fishing launched today with a press release announcing the partnership between 24 high level pros and the Outdoor Channel. We sat down with one of the leaders of the new "made for TV" venture, Gary Klein, and he gave his insights and answered questions about what they are doing. To listen click here. |
To raise money for the
charity King’s Home, Randy Howell is offering raffle tickets on his 2011
Bassmaster Elite Series competition rig.
The raffle is scheduled for Dec. 4. Only 1,000 tickets at $100 each will be sold.
“That’s good odds to win a $67,000, fully rigged Triton package,” he said.
The proceeds will go to a
nonprofit, Christian-based organization that provides homes and
services to at-risk youth, women, and mothers and their children. “Where
Hope Lives” is the group’s slogan — wording that stretches across
Howell’s wrap design.
“Triton, Mercury and I
worked out a deal so we could give the boat away,” Howell said.
Normally, he’d exchange the boat for a new model at the end of a season.
The rig is a Triton 21HP
with a 250 PRO XS Mercury OptiMax. Features include dual Power-Poles, a
MotorGuide trolling motor and two Lowrance HDS units.
Tickets are available at KingsHome.com and at RandyHowell.com.
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Mustang Survival has become a Proud Partner of B.A.S.S. and will provide personal flotation devices (PFDs) to promote the safety of anglers across areas of B.A.S.S.
As part of the partnership, Mustang Survival has agreed to provide 140 PFDs each year to the competitors in the 2012 and 2013 Mercury College B.A.S.S. National Championships. The company will also give away PFDs to the first 20 people taking demo rides at all 2012 and 2013 Bassmaster Elite Series events.
“We are really excited to be renewing our partnership with B.A.S.S.,” comments Shannon Ward, director of recreation business development at Mustang Survival, which partnered with B.A.S.S. during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
“We look forward to sharing industry-leading products through the College and Elite Series events, and are eager to leverage the partnership to develop innovative products designed specifically for the fishing community.”
“Life preservers are one of the most important tools our anglers have in the boat with them out on the water," said Hank Weldon, director of Mercury College B.A.S.S. "Mustang offers a product second to none, and we are extremely proud to have them aboard as a partner for the next two years.”
For more information about Mustang Survival, visit mustangsurvival.com.
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The Outdoor Channel and 24 top-tier professional bass anglers have partnered together to create a new fishing tournament circuit called Major League Fishing. This new tournament-fishing endeavor aims to bring new high-intensity challenges as well as entertainment and education to anglers and fans.
The new league has some very interesting format twists from the norm of fishing tournaments. Competitors will have no limit on the number of "legal" fish they can weigh. They also won't be allowed any practice time before the events and GPS coordinates will not be allowed in their units prior to the start of each event.
“Major League Fishing will offer sports fans a unique way to view bass fishing competitions with production features that go beyond just fishing to focus on the personalities, struggles, strategies, conflicts and emotions of the anglers,” said Outdoor Channel CEO and President Roger Werner. “Outdoor Channel is proud to be involved in this project from the ground floor and we see an outstanding future in this partnership. This latest venture reflects Outdoor Channel’s ongoing commitment to innovative, high-quality content that our core and loyal base of viewers has come to expect from us.”
MLF will feature 24 well known pros from the top tiers of bass fishing. There are 22 Elite Series anglers as well as Brent Ehrler from the FLW Outdoors side and a familiar name that has been in hiatus for a couple of years, Marty Stone.
“It is like nothing we’ve ever done or seen at this level, and I can assure you the anglers are excited about this,” said legendary pro Gary Klein.
“The format is exciting, and the television production will be top-notch,” Duckett said. “Our goal was to put together a group of the most influential anglers in the business, and we have done that. They understand we’re offering something that will enhance the way the public views our sport.”
Skeet Reese, a former Bassmaster Angler of the Year and Bassmaster Classic champion, called MLF “a new frontier.”
“What your grandfather did, your father did, and what I did last week in tournament fishing has been around for decades,” Reese said. “If you want to see a new, fun and exciting format that will take competitive fishing to a new level, then you’ve got to check out Major League Fishing.”
Jim Wilburn, founder and chairman of the Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Winnercomm production company, has been named general manager of MLF. Don Rucks, a former B.A.S.S. general manager, will serve as the league commissioner.
“I’ve been involved for many years with sporting events of all kinds, and I can honestly say that I’ve never been more excited about a project than I am about Major League Fishing,” Wilburn said. “We have a great concept, and we have the enthusiastic participation of the best anglers in the world. I believe this is going to be extraordinary.”
A weeklong event – the MAJOR LEAGUE FISHING CHALLENGE CUP - will be held later this year. The event will be broken down into episodes and aired in the second quarter of 2012 on the Outdoor Channel.
Major League Fishing Competitors
Tommy Biffle
Denny Brauer
Mark Davis
Boyd Duckett
Brent Ehrler
Edwin Evers
Shaw Grigsby
Greg Hackney
Tim Horton
Michael Iaconelli
Alton Jones
Kelly Jordon
Gary Klein
Jeff Kriet
Aaron Martens
Mike McClelland
Ish Monroe
Takahiro Omori
Jason Quinn
Skeet Reese
Dean Rojas
Marty Stone
Kevin VanDam
Byron Velvick
For more information about this new circuit, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com.
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Trigger X®, along with Rapala®, VMC® Hooks and Terminator Spinnerbaits, has added professional angler Davy Hite to its pro-staff lineup.
Hite – a professional bass angler for over 15 years – is one of the most successful anglers of all time. He has won four major titles, including two-time BASS angler of the year, a Bassmaster Classic champion and FLW champion. He has won nine national tournaments and qualified for the Bassmaster Classic in an impressive 13 seasons.
“I am thrilled to be joining the Trigger X, Rapala, Terminator and VMC pro staff,” said Hite. “The innovation and design behind these brands is amazing and I look forward to lending my knowledge and expertise to further enhance the stellar line of Trigger X soft baits.”
“It’s an honor to have Davy on our pro staff,” said David James, field promotion and media relations manager for Rapala. “Davy is an outstanding angler and respected promoter. We know he’ll have a strong influence on our brands.”
Meticulously fine-tuned for the ultimate performance, Trigger X soft baits portray a mesmerizing action through the water. Immersed in Ultrabite® Pheromones, each bait features a ribbed surface area that creates a softer, lifelike feel while increasing lure surface area, which allows for increased pheromone distribution.
Packaged in resealable bags, Trigger X comes in multiple shapes, sizes and pro-inspired color patterns.
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The Toyota Texas Bass Classic is proud to introduce the first ever ShareLunker Club Tournament (SCT) on Lake Conroe, October 1 – 21, 2011. This unique tournament allows the everyday angler to compete like a pro for the chance to win $100,000.
To participate in the tournament, interested anglers need to register and become a SCT member, and then fish on Lake Conroe anytime between October 1 – 21, 2011 (the “Tournament Period”). A $100 contribution is required to become a member of the SCT and only pre-registered members will be eligible for the $100,000 prize. The member that catches the largest Toyota ShareLunker from Lake Conroe, during the Tournament Period, will win a cash prize of $100,000. A portion of the proceeds from the program will benefit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s youth outreach programs.
“The ShareLunker Club Tournament is a great way for anglers from throughout the state to fish for big time money at Lake Conroe, the home of the Toyota Texas Bass Classic,” said Dave Terre of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “Lake Conroe and the City of Conroe are incredible hosts of this event and we’re excited to start the ShareLunker season off with a bang. The funds raised from this tournament provide fishing opportunities for youth and their families through the Department’s Neighborhood Fishin’ Program.”
A Toyota ShareLunker, as defined by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is considered any legally-caught largemouth bass that weighs at least 13.00 pounds and is accepted into Toyota ShareLunker Program. The contest will be limited to the first 1,000 anglers signed up and anyone who signs up after Sept. 29 will be subject to a 48-hour grace period before they are eligible to participate. Visit toyotatexasbassclassic.com to download a registration form and submit the membership fee. In addition, anglers can submit their registration and membership fees at Roadhouse Tackle (936-856-3009) located at 1360 Cude Cemetery Rd. in Willis, Texas.
The 2011 SCT will kick off the annual Toyota ShareLunker Program across the state of Texas. The Toyota ShareLunker Program runs Oct. 1 through April 30 with the mission of promoting the catch-and-release of large fish and selectively breeding trophy largemouth bass.
The ShareLunker Club Tournament is the perfect lead-in to the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, which will be held on Lake Conroe, Oct. 28-30. The Toyota Texas Bass Classic will feature 50 of the best professional anglers in the world along with three days of concerts. The anglers will compete for three days for the undisputed world championship of professional angling.
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B.A.S.S. LLC and Montana-based Simms announced today that Simms has signed on to become a Supporting-level Sponsor of the remaining 2011 and all 2012 B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats.
Diane Bristol, director of marketing and brand management at Simms, stated, “We are very excited to partner with B.A.S.S. to launch into the broader fishing market. B.A.S.S. has incredible reach with avid anglers, which is an excellent channel for Simms to introduce the brand. Both Simms and B.A.S.S. strive to provide the best products, and that makes for a great partnership.”
As part of the contract, Simms will have the opportunity for on-site activation at all B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events, and the company will outfit the B.A.S.S. staff for the 2011 and 2012 B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats. In addition, Simms will also provide $100 gift cards to all B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship qualifiers.
“Tournament anglers have a lot to contend with. They put it all on the line and get the job done, rain, sleet or shine. Products such as what Simms develops enable anglers to compete under adverse weather conditions. B.A.S.S. is proud to have Simms become a supporter of the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation,” said Jerry McKinnis, an owner of B.A.S.S.
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We received a note from Jason Puris, producer of the FLW Outdoors television show on Versus. He turned in his resignation at the Pickwick Lake FLW Tour event, and the Forrest Wood Cup in Hot Springs, Ark., next week will be his final produced show for the company. No word on what future plans are for television production, but it's assumed the final two FLW Tour Opens will be filmed and produced by the group shooting the other non-FLW Tour shows for FLW Outdoors.
"I've had a great experience working with the folks at FLW and with my production team," Puris said. "They are seriously the hardest working crew in the business. I'm very proud of what we accomplished as a team as it really is a team effort. I think the shows are the best that they have ever been. But at this time, I'm moving on to pursue other projects and will have something to announce in the next few months."
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We got this quick note from the Tackle the Storm group that Don Barone started for kids effected by the tornado in Joplin.
TO THE YOUNG ANGLERS OF JOPLIN, MO:
Your magic wands of childhood are waiting for you.
On
Saturday, August 6th, at the North Park Mall, in front of the Macy's
store, from 1:00-3:00, the Joplin Backlashers Bass Club will be
distributing free fishing poles and tackle to you guys so you can get
back out on your lakes, ponds, streams, and the secret fishing holes you
only share with your Daddy and Momma.
We know what you have been
through, tornadoes take many forms in life, but the fishing stuff you
lost to the storm is now back. Go play, go fish, go get back some of
your childhood summer that you lost to the storm.
Where did this
stuff come from...it came from anglers around the world who care about
you. Anglers who want you to know that no matter how you feel
now...there is still treasure out there...and that we live on a planet
filled not with storms...but with Love.
And for you kids, this song: http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos/BruceHornsby/Fields-Of-Gray--2164853
Love Ya,
Tackle The Storm Foundation
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We got a chance to preview a new video from Matt Peters, FLW Tour angler and Trophy bass angler, called Southern Trout Eaters. The video is geared towards trophy bass fishing in the south with big swimbaits. Peters is a transplanted swimbait angler from California to Roswell, Ga. He's a high energy dude but this isn't your typical California music video of big bass catches. It's actually more narrated and instructional on why they do certain things and how they do certain things to catch big bass on big swimbaits in the south.
The video features a lot of catches from Georgia, the Carolinas, Arkansas and more. There is a lot of footage of great catches from around docks, bluffs, points, bridge pilings, dam walls and even bedding bass on a swimbait. It covers a huge variety of swimbaits from the Huddleston all the way down to the Big Hammer.
They go through rigging, footwork, playing fish, netting and more. Plus they have a support website that has rigging instructions and a huge portfolio of photos of catches and closeups of certain rigs.
The video is more than 2 1/2 hours long and retails for only $20.
To order the video, check it out here on TackleWarehouse.com. To find more out about the guys who made the video with Matt, visit their website SouthernTroutEaters.com.
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This years ICAST was upbeat and the new baits introduced gives us promise that good things are coming in upcoming months. We have highlighted our picks from that event but have yet to mention some of the new accessory items we thought were cool as well.
We got to spend some quality time late Thursday and Friday on accessories. Of note were the HydroWave, the S2 Slider Accessories from EGO, the 10' PowerPole, the Dock-N-Loc Steering.
You have heard us talk about the HydroWave before and rest assured it is the real deal. We have been using one for a few months now and genuinely believe in the technology. Upgrades continue to be developed and some new sounds and pause lengths are in the future for this unit. Speaker quality is very good and its durable too. Serious anglers will definitely want to get one of these units. They take about 30 minutes to install and are available for $389.95 at Tackle Warehouse. A great investment for both deep and shallow water applications.
The S2 Slider System was introduced in the 2010 ICAST Show and won a Best of Show Award. Adventure products ramped it up again with several accessories for both the recreational boater, mop, brush, dock pole and the serious angler, lure retriever and push pole. All can be used on any of the handles. They too can be found at Tackle Warehouse.
The PowerPole continues to gain momentum and the introduction of the new 10' Blade model increases their value even further. Some neat engineering features including a new pump and recessed storing position makes this unit very special. It is thinner, lighter, and more streamlined. It comes with a new wireless dash switch and has 3 speed settings for deployment and raising. A remote switch is also included. It is noted by the manufacturer that it can be installed in about an hour in most boats and comes with a 5 year warranty on hardware and a 2 year warranty on the electrical. What was once a 'nice to have' has become a 'have to have' item for serious fishermen. You can learn more about the new PowerPole Signature Series Blade by clicking here.
The Dock-N-Loc Steering lock is another neat product we oggled at ICAST. Made with heavy gauge stainless steel and designed to fit both manual and hydraulic steering this lock with protect anglers boats while docked at the marina, in the driveway or at a motel. The Polyarmor coating is oil, hydraulic fluid and gasoline resistant. It comes with a disc lock and storage bag and retails for $149.00. You can learn more by clicking here.
We will be highlighting new electronics and their features in upcoming weeks.
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 The 2011 Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart will return to Hot Springs, Ark., and Lake Ouachita Aug. 11-14. Hosted by the Hot Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, the world championship of bass fishing will feature 116 of the top bass anglers in the world casting for awards up to $600,000 in the Pro Division and up to $60,000 in the Co-angler Division.
Forrest Wood Cup competition consists of 58 pros and 58 co-anglers who have qualified by various means. This prestigious group includes the top 30 pros and co-anglers from the 2011 Walmart FLW Tour Majors, top 10 pros and co-anglers from each of the 2010 FLW Series Eastern and Western Divisions, four divisional winners and champion from the 2010 EverStart Series, the 2011 BFL All-American champion, the 2011 National Guard FLW College Fishing National Champion and the 2011 TBF Champion.
“This one’s going to be tough,” said Walmart pro Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tenn. “Usually in August in the dog days of summer fish don’t bite too well. I think there’s going to be a lot of suspended fish and hard-to-catch fish.”
The 2007 Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Ouachita played right into the hands of local favorite Folgers pro Scott Suggs of Bryant, Ark., who used his intimate knowledge of the lake to overcome the tough bite and win the championship title by fishing brush piles. Strader said he thinks this Forrest Wood Cup may play out a bit differently.
“The one problem with the lake’s brush piles is they’ve been beat on for two months by local fishermen,” Strader said. “In my opinion, those brush piles don’t replenish themselves because that’s a fish’s sunning spot and once he gets caught out of that brush pile, there’s not another one to replace him.”
“One thing that will help is the little bit of grass in the lake,” Strader added. “Somebody’s going to figure something out. The guy that figures out how to catch the suspended fish that are just out there roaming under the bait is going to be the guy who does real well.”
National Guard pro Mark Rose of Marion, Ark., who placed third in the 2011 Walmart FLW Tour Angler of the Year presented by Kellogg’s race, said he thinks there may be an early-morning topwater bite, but for the most part the tournament will be focused on deep water and deep-water baits such as 10-inch soft-plastic worms.
“I think if a man got 12 pounds every day he’d be in really good shape,” Rose said. “I think we’ll see bigger weights, though. And it may not take that much to win.
“You can’t ever tell,” Rose added. “This time of year you had just better be prepared for it to be hot.”
Anglers will take off from Brady Mountain Resort & Marina located at 4120 Brady Mountain Rd. in Royal, Ark., at 6:30 each morning. Daily weigh-ins will also be held at Summit Arena & Hot Springs Convention Center located at 134 Convention Blvd., in Hot Springs beginning at 5 p.m.
Fans will be treated to the FLW Outdoors Expo at the Summit Arena & Hot Springs Convention Center prior to the final weigh-ins on Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The first 1,500 kids 14 and under on Sunday will receive a free Zebco rod and reel combo compliments of US97. Fans can also register to win a fully rigged Ranger Z520 courtesy of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette which will be given away following the final weigh-in. The Expo includes Ranger boat simulators, the opportunity to interact with professional anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by sponsors, and fans can learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public.
Curb Records recording artist Steve Holy will bring his unique blend of 50s rock/pop/country to Summit Arena on Sunday, Aug. 14, at 4 p.m. to kick off the Forrest Wood Cup’s final weigh-in. Described by the Dallas Morning News as “Elvis Presley meets Dwight Yoakam” and “Ricky Nelson meets Chris Isaak,” Holy recently completed his third studio album, “Love Don’t Run,” featuring the single of the same name that was named a Top 5 most added single in the first week of 2011 by Billboard and Country Aircheck.
As part of FLW Outdoors’ commitment to community relations, FLW Tour anglers will be participating in a project with Teen Challenge of Arkansas on Wednesday, Aug. 10. Volunteer anglers will work with Teen Challenge to prepare a house for occupancy by a family who receives assistance from Potter’s Clay – a womens’ and childrens’ crisis center.
Coverage of the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on VERSUS. “FLW Outdoors” will air Sept. 25 from 1 to 2 p.m. ET. “FLW Outdoors,” hosted by Jason Harper, is broadcast to more than 500 million households worldwide.
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Jeff Kolodzinski, marketing head for Frabill, spent 24 consecutive hours fishing off a dock at Maynard’s on Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota, and in that time he was able to net over 2,000 fish and set a new world record.
He completed the marathon fishing event as part of Fishing for Life, a non-profit organization that exposes kids to the outdoors and creates a sense of community through fishing.
The new record is now 2,649 fish caught in a 24-hour period.
He had set the previous record last year at the exact same spot. Way to go Kolo.
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Photos courtesy of B.A.S.S. Communications
Leave it to the legends to put on a dramatic show. In an event in which the top three teams were separated by only 3 ounces, Guy Eaker and Ken Cook won the Bassmaster Legends Tournament by 2 ounces Sunday over Rick Clunn and Tommy Martin at the Bassmaster Toyota Trucks All-Star Week.
Bill Dance and Jerry McKinnis finished only 3 ounces behind the winners in an event that was held at a 100-acre private fishery located 40 miles northeast of Montgomery.
In the spirit of the smack-talking that went on all day among this group of longtime friends, McKinnis accepted the results under protest.
“We were so much better anglers than them, I assumed we were going to win,” said McKinnis, who is now a part-owner of B.A.S.S. “Bill and I are going to go study the tapes, analyze all that and make sure this is all on the up and up, then I’ll be glad to comment.”
McKinnis, 75, who hosted The Fishing Hole on ESPN for more than 25 years, and Dance, 69, who still hosts his show Bill Dance Outdoors, might not ever have had more fun than they did in the 4 1/2 hours of competition today.
“If we do it again next year, which I really want to do, we will have more teams and really make it a blow-out deal,” McKinnis said. “This was just a spur of the moment thing. We said, ‘Let’s go have some fun.’ And we darned sure did that.”
They caught plenty of bass on the way to doing it. Eaker, who is from Cherryville, N.C., and Cook, who now manages his hunting ranch near Lawton, Okla., caught a five-bass limit that weighed 19 pounds, 3 ounces. Clunn from Ava, Mo., and Martin of Hemphill, Texas, finished second with 19-0.
McKinnis, who lives in Little Rock, and Dance, who is from Collierville, Tenn., took third with 19-0. Bobby Murray of Hot Springs, Ark., and Guido Hibdon from Sunshine Beach, Mo., finished fourth with 9-11.
Those big names in B.A.S.S. history own nine Bassmaster Classic trophies, six Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year titles, 40 Bassmaster wins and 312 top-10 finishes.
Eaker, 71, fished the Bassmaster Elite Series through 2010, won more than $600,000 in B.A.S.S. events and qualified for 10 Bassmaster Classics. He ranked Sunday’s tournament as one of this top-five fishing memories of all time.
“We really had a great time,” Eaker said. “We caught most of our weight in the first hour-and-a-half. But we did cull some fish after that. And we were culling by ounces. If I hadn’t weighed the fish on a scale, we might have thrown the tournament away.”
As the four teams were leaving the dock at 9 a.m. Sunday, Dance landed a 5-3 largemouth. It came at 9:04 a.m., and it was fitting because Dance caught the first-ever bass in a B.A.S.S. tournament. In 1967, founder Ray Scott held his first tournament on Arkansas’ Beaver Lake. Dance had borrowed a boat that had a 60-hp motor on it. He raced out ahead of the field, stopped while the others were still leaving the takeoff area and caught a fish on his first cast.
Dance and McKinnis figured their chief competition would come from Clunn, 65, the four-time Bassmaster Classic champion, and Martin, 70, who had been catching fish from one area of the lake all morning long.
“Rick figured out a pattern in about 15 minutes, and we just blistered them,” said Martin, who qualified for 19 Bassmaster Classics and won it in 1974.
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