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A lot of us fish quite a bit alone. I know I’ve always
wanted to have some sort of radio in my boat to keep me calm and help pass the
time as I rule out unproductive water. We recently talked to Chris Meyer, avid angler
and guide in Minnesota about the SonicHub now that he’s had a chance to run one
for a while. Meyer also works with engineers at Lowrance and with Dealer
Support for Lowrance, so he has a lot of technical knowledge to go with his
real world applications of the products.
Jason at Wired2Fish is getting ready to install a SonicHub
in his Ranger Z520 and had some questions for Chris on what to expect and to
know more about the unit itself. We figured some of you all looking to put a
radio in the fishing rig might want to know too.
Wired2Fish: How
hard is it to install?
Meyer: The
SonicHub is very simple to install. If you already have Lowrance HDS units and
a NMEA 2000 backbone, it’s basically plug and play. Just mount the server,
somewhere dry prefereably, the dock, and your two speakers. Then connect the
speakers and dock to the server with the wires included, and then connected the
server to your NMEA 2000 network. If you don’t have a NMEA network installed,
you’ll need to purchase a NMEA 2000 Starter kit and use it to link the hub to
your two units. It’s basically wires and t-connectors that have to be fished
through your boats conduit to each component.
Wired2Fish: How
hard is the functionality to learn?
Meyer: The functionality of the SonicHub is pretty
simple to learn. To use the SonicHub with your HDS units, you’ll need to have
3.5 or newer software running on your units. The current version is 4.0 of the
HDS software. The SonicHub will turn itself on, all you have to do is turn on
the Audio page on your HDS units and you can control the SonicHub from there.
Just hold the pages key until you get to the Audio page.
Wired2Fish: Can I
get Sirius Radio on my SonicHub?
Meyer:
Absolutely. You just need to have the Sirius Satellite Weather unit installed
in your boat. To connect the Sirius weather module to your radio you need to
purchase an RCA to mini cord from Best Buy or some other electronics store.
That’s basically all there is as well as having a subscription to Sirius radio
which you can do with your Inland Marine weather package.
Wired2Fish: How
hard is it to get to your music?
Meyer: My favorite part of the SonicHub is the fact
that you can use the keys to change all the audio functions. You can change
songs or stations with the arrow keys, The zoom in and Zoom out buttons will
turn the volume up or down, enter will mute the volume, etc. You don’t have to
use menu keys if you don’t want to. The AM / FM radio works just like any other
and you can save your favorite stations. You will have to connect to an
existing antenna on your boat or install a new one to receive those signals
though. The iPod/iPhone docking station is a nice water proof compartment that
docks your music device. There is also a USB and Aux port for other devices and
you can even insert a USB memory stick with all your favorite MP3’s on it which
is how I currently access my music in my boat. That way if someone like Scott
Glorvigen calls to ask how the bite is, I don’t have to keep ejecting and
inserting my iPhone into the dock.
Wired2Fish: How
much of a drain is the SonicHub on my battery?
Meyer: It is no
different than other radios. It has very little drain on the batteries if you
keep the volume down. The more volume, the more power your speakers will draw.
But I ran two HDS units, LSS1, Sirius Satellite Weather antenna and hub and a
Sonic Hub all off my cranking battery for 6 hours straight and never had an
issue with cranking the battery to start the boat.
Wired2Fish: What’s
the cost of the Sonic Hub?
Meyer: The SonicHub retails for $299.99 and includes
two 6 1/2-inch speakers, iPod/iPhone docking station, and the SonicHub server.
It also comes with various templates to make sure your iPod or iPhone fits
snuggly depending on which of the various models you have.
Wired2Fish:
Overall how have you liked having the SonicHub as the first radio in your boat?
Meyer: The
SonicHub has been a great addition to my boat. This is the first time I’ve ran
a radio in my boat, mostly because FM stations were so hard to pick up on the
water and all you heard was fuzz. Now I can listen to clear music on my iPhone
or clear music on Sirius without all the static and fuzz my buddies get on
their “old school” radios. I think my guide clients like it even more than me
as they can listen to a ball game or their favorite music and fish instead of
listening to me.
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Berkley has slowly been releasing new baits from their Havoc Soft Plastics
lineup around the Elite Series events this season. They've released eight shapes now and the latest shape released in
the Havoc line is a finesse worm called the Bottom Hopper. This worm
was designed by Larry Nixon to fill the straight-tail finesse worm void in
the line-up. Nixon has long been heralded as the king of worm fishing and he’s
had some first-place finishes thanks to the power of his light Texas rig and
shaky head worm prowess.
Now he has a soft plastic finesse worm in two sizes that
fits the bill in a Berkley soft plastic. The Bottom Hopper features a long slender profile with
slightly enlarged head and tail sections that will give the worm a lot of
action. The plastic is soft and the bait looked good in our tank tests. The
bait is going to be offered in several pro selected staple colors like green
pumpkin, watermelon red, junebug, as well as several new pro inspired new creations
like Shady Watermelon Candy and CandyBug.
The worm will come in two sizes – 6 ¼ inch and 4 ¾ inch. The
larger worm will come 12 to a bag while the smaller worm will be 15 to a bag.
And if the pricing holds true to the other Havoc baits in the lineup, the price
should be somewhere around $2.99 a pack at retailers like Tacklewarehouse.com.
The baits are said to hit shelves in late summer or early fall.
There are a lot of shaky head finesse worms in this retail
space, but having some new colors and slightly different profile can be good
sometimes. At the end of the day it gives anglers who love Berkley products a
good finesse worm under that brand. We hope to not fish a shaky head if we can
help it, but it’s always nice to have a few bags handy when those cold fronts
hit and the fishing gets tough or the water gets ultra clear.These worms should be effective on shaky heads, drop shots, light-Texas rigs, wacky rigs and Carolina rigs.
For more information on the Havoc line of soft plastics, visit Berkley-fishing.com.
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 Sonar Burghoff and Casey O’Donnell of
the University of Central Florida were very confident heading into the
final day of competition in the 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing
Championship. Trailing the day one leaders by less than a quarter of a
pound, the team believed they were on the fish to win the National
Championship.
After weighing in 17.07 pounds on day
one, Sonar and Casey caught one of only six, five bass limits recorded
on the final day. They added 10.85 pounds to their day one weight for a
total of 27.92 pounds, giving the team a comfortable margin of victory.
The key to their tournament winning pattern was to concentrate on small
pockets that featured deep water near the back. The team relied on the
Navionics Platinum map chip to locate the productive pockets and Texas
rigged Ouzo Chunky Monkeys as well as Secret Lures jigs to catch quality
bass positioned around isolated dead willow trees. “We expanded on our
water as the tournament unfolded both days,” said Sonar. “As we moved
around the lake, we’d stop and fish isolated bushes positioned in
pockets that had the right contour features.”
In an emotional moment, Sonar thanked
Topwater Clothing, Jetworks Air Center and Business Air for their
support. “There’s no way I could fish competitively without their
support,” he commented.
Starting the final day in 9th
place with 12.39 pounds, Scott Jones and Andrew Sanders of the
University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff hauled a 13.28 pound limit to the
scales and claimed second place with a total weight of 25.67 pounds. “It
feels good to do so well in an event of this magnitude,” said Scott.
“We never caught a fish prior to 11:00 either day but we persevered and
it paid off.”
The key for Jones and Sanders was to
concentrate on green bushes positioned in 2-3 feet of stained water and
avoid the muddy water resulting from the strong winds. The team utilized
¾ ounce Texas rigged Sweet Beavers and 5/16 ounce Eakins jigs to entice
the finicky Lake Lewisville bass to bite. The team wishes to thank
Berkley, Abu Garcia, Poor Man Jigs, BoatUS and all of the event sponsors
for their support.
Finishing day one in 17th
place with 10.71 pounds, Cody McCrary and Neil Arnaud of the University
of Louisiana-Lafayette rallied to claim third place on the strength of
an 11.17 pound five bass limit, giving the team a two day total of 21.88
pounds. “We just junked fished,” explained McCrary. “We hit a bunch of
spots based on previous experience and caught fish both shallow and
deep.” The team used a variety of lures including a shaky head, Carolina
rig, Texas rig and crankbait.
McCrary and Arnaud wish to thank their
sponsors: Wildlife Energy Drinks, Concrete 79520, Courtesy Automotive
Group, Don’s Specialty Meats, Seaguar, Lazer TroKar, Tony Chachere’s
Foods, Duckett Fishing Rods and OCR Custom Rods.
Rounding out the top 10 is:
4th Louisiana-Monroe Nick LaDart & Daniel Echols 21.55
5th Wisconsin-Steven’s Point Adam Kolbeck & Tyler Gollakner 21.38
6th Arkansas Mook Miller & Kyle Billingsley 21.30
7th Tarleton State Matt Carr & Cody Morrison 20.09
8th Alabama Jeremy Christian & Logan Johnson 20.02
9th Alabama Dustin Connell & Keith Kirkley 19.38
10th Arkansas Tech Dustin Huggins & Evan Barnes 18.95
The 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass
Fishing Championship awarded scholarships, travel funds, incentive
awards and merchandise prizes to the top finishers thanks to the support
of numerous event sponsors such as BoatU.S. Angler, Cabela’s, Sperry
Top-Sider, Columbia Sportswear, frogg toggs, Lazer TroKar, Abu Garcia,
Berkley, Costa, Ranger Boats, Onyx, HydroWave, Gemini Sport Marketing,
Big Bite Baits, Yamaha, Spro, Pepsi, and Sunline.
The 2011 Champions will advance to
fish the 2012 Bass Federation National Championship where they’ll have
the opportunity to win the “Living the Dream” prize package and move on
to compete in the Forrest Wood Cup.
The BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing
Series is sanctioned by the Association of Collegiate Anglers and will
be televised on Versus, part of NBC Sports Group, by CarecoTV beginning
the last Sunday in July at 2:00 p.m. ET. The weekly television series
will showcase the 2011 series of tournaments including the Collegiate
Bass Fishing Open presented by Pepsi which will be held June 27-30.
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Eddie Chambers Sr. started Zoom with the idea to build baits that catch fish. A simple concept but one that has become a reality for Zoom lovers everywhere. If i'ts in the familiar red and yellow Zoom package it catches fish...it's that simple. Being able to win tournaments is only part of the equation.
Chambers also makes a sought after W.E.C. Crankbait. Kevin Short has an Elite Series win credited to it. Casey Ashley also just won an Elite Series event on Lake Murray with a Super Fluke and a Finesse worm, all made by Zoom as well.
Thanks to everyone who participated in our latest Zoom Contest. A great response for a great bunch of products. The winners of the contest are:
Chad Vannoy
Boones Creek, TN
Ryan Wodka
Baltimore, MD
Glenn Cox
McCormick, SC
Mark Southern
Campbellsville, KY
Your packages of Super Flukes, Swimmin Super Flukes, stickers and great looking Zoom hat are in the mail.
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Wisconsin has joined the rest of the United States in permitting the practice of “culling” bass. Gov. Scott Walker signed the Wisconsin “culling bill” into law during ceremonies at the Golden Mast Inn Restaurant, located on the shores of Okauchee Lake, one of Wisconsin’s most popular bass tournament lakes.
Previously, it was illegal to release a bass alive once it had been kept in a boat’s livewell. The practice is common in tournaments in other states as anglers try to upgrade their catches by releasing smaller bass.
“Since 1980, Wisconsin B.A.S.S. and other anglers have been working with the Wisconsin State Legislature and fisheries managers to improve the management of black bass and black bass fishing, to include instituting bag limits, habitat programs and tournament standards,” said B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Noreen Clough. “Legislation to allow culling at bass tournaments is the major highlight in those efforts and has been a long time coming.”
State Assembly Rep. Joel Kleefisch, author of the bill, said the measure is important to the economic development of his state because it places Wisconsin on equal footing with surrounding states that do permit culling.
“Bass anglers have been working on this for 10 years,” he said. “I never imagined that allowing people to catch and release bass from livewells would create such a fight.”
“You can’t imagine how happy all of us here at B.A.S.S. are about being able to come to Wisconsin for events now,” said Jerry McKinnis to Rep. Kleefisch upon hearing that the bill was going to be signed by the governor. “For many years I did a television show on ESPN called ‘The Fishin’ Hole’ and made many trips to your state, so I know how great your fishing is. Thanks again to all who made this happen.” McKinnis is one of the new owners of B.A.S.S.
The signing here Friday morning was a victory for B.A.S.S. anglers, especially Dan Brovarney of Wauwatosa, the Wisconsin B.A.S.S. Federation Nation’s legislative director, who has lobbied the state’s Department of Natural Resources and the legislature for years trying to get culling allowed.
“There is very little impact in terms of mortality when it comes to bass that have been culled,” he said. “If there were data that proved culling or tournament fishing had a noticeable negative effect on the bass population, I would quit fishing tournaments, but there just isn’t proof.”
Brovarney was among numerous representatives of angling groups testifying on behalf of the bill in hearings in Madison, Wis., March 30. In Clough’s testimony, she cited a Wisconsin study conducted in 2006 that showed culling in bass tournaments does not significantly increase bass mortality.
“The economic contributions of bass tournaments are substantial,” she added. “For example, just recently because of the culling restriction, the decision was made to move the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Northern Divisional Championship presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats (which includes anglers from eight states and Italy) from Wisconsin to Iowa, at a loss of at least $270,000 to your state.”
Opponents of the bill complained that it favored tournament anglers because non-tournament anglers are not allowed to cull for their daily bag limit. Proponents argued that, unlike those who intend to keep bass for the fryer, tournament participants release their fish.
“Most people underestimate the amount of revenue a B.A.S.S. event can bring to this state,” Kleefisch said. “Wisconsin is now open for business and welcomes larger tournaments to our state.”
Way to go to all who were involved!
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The 3rd annual Marines Helping Marines bass tournament was held May 21, on the Upper Chesapeake Bay. The Nauti Goose Restaurant, located at the Anchor Marina complex in North East, Maryland hosted this event along with the Cecil County Department of Tourism.
The event for wounded Marines was put together by a two-man team of former Marines, Joby Poster of Saylorsburg, PA and Eric Kowal of Wind Gap, PA.
An outstanding 37 teams participated in this event which included about 15 wounded Marines who were wounded in Afghanistan and or Iraq. Five participants were both double amputees above the knee and one was a single leg amputee. Other injuries included traumatic brain injuries and blindness from explosives caused by improvised explosive devices.
Injured veterans from Walter Reed and Bethesda hospitals participated with professional anglers as a two-man team in a fundraising tournament that benefits the Marines Helping Marines Foundation which helps fund weekend retreats for wounded veterans in outpatient care and assists military servicemembers and their families in time of need.
Every team who entered this event was a winner regardless if they caught fish or not because part of their entry fee went to the Marines Helping Marines organization. Poster and Kowal were able to collect $2,340 for the non-profit organization after participating anglers were paid their winnings.
“We could not have done any of this without all our supporters and partners. We had ten people from the Stroudsburg area make the trip to Maryland to volunteer their time, along with the dozens of other volunteers,” Kowal said.
The Hollywood Casino in Perryville, MD hosted a pre-tournament dinner for the Marines on Friday night. As they entered the facility they were greeted by respectful applause by both patrons and staff of the casino.
Each Marine was paired with a top bass tournament angler in the Mid-Atlantic /Northeast region including BASS and FLW professionals including Dave Wolak, Pat Golden, Brian LeClair, George Acord, Joby Poster, and Jack Rinkers. Any two-person team could enter the tournament.
Bassmaster Open pro, Mike Kaminskas also took out a wounded Marine as well as former Marine and now professional angler, Joe Kowalski, who also took out a wounded Marine veteran.
After a quick briefing following registration the 37 teams were launched at 6:00AM sharp. Adding a unique twist to the standard team tournament was the opportunity to weigh in a big bass during three specific hours of the tournament. The heaviest bass weighed in during each of these periods would win the lucky team a generous sponsor award.
Poster and Marine, Larry Draughn who is one of the double amputees, won the first hourly award with a largemouth that weighed 3.18 pounds. That bass won Larry and Joby a St. Croix Legend fishing rod courtesy of Susquehanna Fishing Tackle. They were also fortunate enough to claim the second time frame with a real nice bass that weighed 4.23 pounds. They received an Optimum Marine battery as a reward.
Jack Rinkers and Marine, Jon Rist, also a double amputee, won the final hourly prize with a 2.14 pound bass. Watching Jon masterfully skip a 10” plastic worm under the docks into the smallest of areas left no doubt he could compete on tour with the “big boys.” The team received a $500 gift certificate toward a Power Pole anchoring system. They promptly sold the certificate following the awards ceremony and graciously donated the money to the Marines Helping Marines organization.
A multitude of prizes awaited all of the teams following the competition, including several amongst the Marines themselves. Soon the winners would be revealed as the first flight was scheduled to arrive back to the weigh-in station at the Nauti Goose at 1:30 PM.
The growing throng of spectators was treated to incredible sounds of the Pennsylvania band, “Gone Crazy”. They performed renditions of several Top 40 and classic songs that had the crowd dancing and singing along, all which heightened the excitement in anticipation of the weigh in ceremonies.
After the teams had arrived safely and on time at the Nauti Goose, a tribute to the Marines was offered by the Harford County Young Marines under the direction of Young Marines Staff Sgt. Nicholas White. They presented colors as the National Anthem followed by the Marines Hymm was played. Very few dry eyes were visible in the huge crowd.
The scales were declared open and the teams who were fortunate enough to catch at least one bass began carrying them to the weigh station. Each team was permitted to weigh in a limit of five large and smallmouth bass that must measure at least 15” in length. In addition, our injured Marines were allowed to weigh in a small bass and a large bass as awards would be presented to the winners in each of these categories.
Several beautiful largemouth exceeding 5 pounds were carried through the weigh-in line which included two 100 gallon tanks with aerated systems designed to circulate water in order to keep the bass alive.
As the final team finished weighing in their bass, the tournament organizers began the task of calculating the results including all of awards to be presented.
During this period the wounded Marines lined up to be the first to partake of the magnificent BarBeQue compliments of the Nauti Goose. On the menu were burgers, hot dogs, pulled pork BBQ, crab cakes, and all of the sides and fixin’s you could imagine. This was also the perfect opportunity for contestants and spectators alike to take advantage of purchasing uniquely designed military apparel from Devil Dog Graphix.
Mare Marine displayed a new Bass Cat Pantera II which drew lots of interest from the entire crowd. Rita’s of North East, MD was on hand providing their signature “Rita’s Ice” desert to the parched crowd. They were generous to contribute 100% of their proceeds to the Marines Helping Marines organization.
The many sponsors of the tournament donated tons of quality prizes which included fishing gear, baseball tickets, sunglasses, apparel, and more. Pro Angler Dave Wolak masterfully oversaw the duties of the raffle and everyone left happy.
The anticipation mounted as the final results were ready to be announced. Local PA Pro Bill McDonaugh and injured Marine partner Seth Stanford finished the competition with the lowest weight but were rewarded handsomely for their efforts. They received a new St. Croix Legend rod courtesy of Susquehanna Fishing Tackle for recording the lowest weight of the tournament. Mare Marine representing Bass Cat Boats presented Seth with a check for $250 for catching the smallest bass weighed in by a Marine.
Retired Marine, Jamie Andries, paired with pro Jason Strozier and was the Marine who weighed in the largest bass, also good for $250. Jamies’s bass weighed 5.77 pounds.
Pro angler, Joe Kowalski was paired with Marine, Shawn Dial the competition’s sole single leg amputee. They had a great tournament weighing in five bass that totaled 16.21 pounds. As the second highest finishing Marine, Sean won a brand new Nintendo Wii entertainment system complete with accessories generously donated by Cecil County Tourism and the North East WalMart.
Jason Strozier of Camber Corporation, one of the event sponsors, and Jamie Andries were the highest finishing “Team Marine” with 16.74 pounds. As the winning Marine Jamie is the lucky recipient of a one week vacation in Cancun! Tournament organizer Joby Poster announced that they were hopeful that enough money would be raised from the raffle to provide airline tickets.
The Big Bass Pot was optional and some teams chose not to enter perhaps because they had not located any big bass in practice. John Vanore and Ryan Bauman captured the second place Big Bass Award of the tournament with a giant 5.63 largemouth bass. They pocketed $145 in cash.
Donald Haskins and Marine partner Brandon Long, also a double amputee bagged the lunker of the tournament, a 5.76 pound bass that was fooled by a Jackall Flickshake. They were awarded $290 and had a great day on the water.
With 37 teams participating in the tournament, three places were paid via a 1-in 10 payback format. Finishing just out of the money with 18.78 pounds were Mike Browning and Ernie Leiphart. They experienced a breakdown during the day and, per tournament rules, Ernie and their fish caught a ride back with another tournament competitor.
Their luck was not all bad, however as they won two free passes to The Bass University, generously donated by touring bass pro Pete Gluszek. The Bass University offers everyone a chance to meet with top professionals who not only open up and share information on tackle selection, lure presentation, and techniques, but also allow one-on-one interaction with the attendees. This is a cherished prize!
Finishing overall in 3rd place were George Short and Tommy Turner who carried a giant limit of 5 bass to the scales which weighed 19.64 pounds. George and Tommy collected $500.
The team in second place finished just ahead with 19.91 pounds. Tony Osborne and Jason Hash had an excellent day on the Upper Chesapeake and for their efforts won $900. Bob from Mare Marine representing Bass Cat Boats presented Tony and Jason an additional $250 as the highest finishing team participating in a Bass Cat boat. That gave them an overall payday of $1150. In a very honorable gesture, Tony and Jason donated $400 of their winnings to help pay for Jamie’s airline tickets to Cancun! Classy move, guys!
Claiming victory was the only team to exceed the 20 pound barrier. John Vanore and Ryan Bauman carried a huge bag of bass to the scales. The digital numbers finally rested at 21.27 pounds, more than enough to declare them champions. Counting their second place big bass prize, John and Ryan’s winnings totaled $1805. They graciously offered to donate $600 to Jamie’s airline fare purchase also.
Also, a big “shout-out’ goes to Walt Ross who rescued 2 tournament boats in distress, towing them back to the marina, and Danny Rodriguez and Eric McNulty who gave Mike and Ernie along with their fish a ride back to weigh-in. Thanks also to Nauti Gooses’ own Anthony Harvey who skillfully handled the measuring and weighing of the bass.
A tournament of this magnitude could not have been accomplished without sponsor support. Marines Helping Marines wishes to thank Sandy Turner and Cecil County Tourism for promotional efforts that were second to none. They are always a class act when it comes to hosting tournament events on the Upper Bay.
Appreciation is also extended to, but not limited to Susquehanna Fishing Tackle, Anchor Marina, the Nauti Goose Restaurant, the Mariner Magazine, Camber and Jason Strozier, Hollywood Casino, Mare Marine, and Bass Cat Boats, Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s.
Plans are already underway for the 2012, 4th Annual Marines Helping Marines tournament.
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Get in on some good sale items and 15 Percent off most everything in stock at TackleWarehouse.com this weekend only.
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Igloo Products Corporation, the nation’s largest insulated cooler maker, announced it has become a sponsor of FLW Outdoors. Anglers and fishing fans will see Igloo’s products on display at several of FLW Outdoors’ national fishing tournaments.
“Igloo prides itself on designing and manufacturing superior coolers for a wide variety of uses,” said Igloo director of marketing, Sue Miller Payton. “We’re looking forward to working with the FLW community across the country as they promote fishing, using new, state-of-the-art equipment like ours. This new wave of technology has helped make fishing one of the world’s largest participant sports. Igloo will also work with FLW Outdoors, furthering its mission to preserve and act as steward to all waters used for fishing.”
Igloo will gain access to fishing enthusiasts and anglers in the United States to make sure they have coolers in their boats or on the bank, packed for camping or for use on the job site by being featured in a variety of media formats through FLW Outdoors.
Offering more than 500 products, Igloo will have the opportunity to display them and provide promotional offers to fans at the FLW Outdoors Expo, held in conjunction with tournaments on the Walmart FLW Tour; the College Fishing Festivals, held in conjunction with National Guard FLW College Fishing; and other tournaments and events held across the country.
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ABT Lure Company has announced today it’s re-signing of Elite Series Angler Grant Goldbeck with a multi-year contract. The company has also announced the release of its new line of baits called “The Next Generation”.
“Grant Goldbeck is a perfect fit with our company,” said ABT Lure Company’s President, Allen Borden. He went on to explain, “Grant over the years has given us a lot of input in helping to come up with baits that he believes will help him catch fish on tour. Grant has been with us for four years now and has really helped in letting us know what is needed around the country to help catch fish on every body of water. I think at this point, you can call us family.”
Elite Series Angler Grant Goldbeck agrees that this is really beginning to feel like family and is incredibly excited with the direction the company has taken. “I am really looking forward to applying the new line-up of baits on the Tour. I have not fished a swimbait, crankbait, nor topwater that I have this much confidence in,” said Goldbeck. “I just wish that they were ready at the beginning of the season; who knows how this year could have gone. I am really proud to be part of this company. Guys on the Elites are already telling me to get them some baits…they cannot believe what they are seeing. Grant Goldbeck states, “There is nothing like them out there, anywhere.I have not seen fish react to any other lure on the market the way they do when I fish these baits. I justdon’t get many followers on my swimbait anymore, they explode on it! I look forward to the last two Elite Series Events. The baits will play a big part in both tournaments for me.”
Allen Borden, ABT Lure Company’s President, has designed a new series of baits called “The Next Generation”. Allen was the original designer of the King Shad and several other popular baits for Strike King. “We just might have hit a homerun this time,” Allen said about his baits. “We have spent the last several years working on these new baits and I can finally say that we have done it. I personally cannot believe how realistic these baits are in the water and how easy they are to fish. With our Natural Image Transfer, they look and swim just like live baitfish.” These Next Generation Baits are priced so that the everyday angler can afford a high quality, top-of-the-line bait that the Pros rely on.
ABT Lure Company has just released their new lineup of “The Next Generation” baits. The lineup consists of a 4 ½-inch swimbait called the “Banshee”. This bait is a four-piece hard bait that has been released in blueback herring, threadfin shad, golden shiner, perch, and several other prey species of largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass. The “X-2 Crankbait” is a crankbait that gets down to depths of 12 feet incredibly fast and is an effortless bait to retrieve. The action is unlike any other crankbait on the market with its life-like swimming action.When casting this bait, distance is another plus. You can really get this bait out there. In addition, Borden has produced a new walk-the-dog type of topwater bait. Its jointed tail adds a life-like action to the bait that fish find impossible to resist. All of these baits in the new lineup come with the Natural Image Transfer so you can match the hatch on any body of water you fish.
A sneak peak of what’s to come at ICAST 2011: ABT Lure Company will be releasing a new and improved version of the King Shad jointed swimbait, which Allen Borden created (and Strike King popularized) about five years ago. The 3 ½ -inch ABT Diving Shad is slightly smaller than the King Shad, dives down to eight feet, and produces an even more enticing swimming action. While the King Shad’s sections are joined by plastic, the new ABT Diving Shad boasts ultra-durable steel hinges. Like the “Banshee” swimbait, the ABT Diving Shad comes in six different Natural Image Transfer finishes—each identical to the patterns/colors of favorite forage fish.
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Lew's® announces the hiring of Richard LaBauve to serve as the company's vice president of sales.
LaBauve brings nearly
20 years of related industry experience to the company, 12 of which were
spent in Columbia, S.C., where most recently he served as a senior
national accounts manager for Pure Fishing. He previously also held
sales roles with Penn Reels, Shakespeare Fishing Tackle Co. and Maurice
Sporting Goods.
"Richard knows this
industry, understands the rod and reel business and has a proven track
record of treating customers courteously and professionally. He's the
ideal person to lead our sales efforts," said Lew's president Gary
Remensnyder in making the announcement. "Richard is extremely dedicated
and very hardworking. He fits right into the culture we are developing
for the new Lew's, and he shares the same passion all have on our team
for returning this legendary American brand to retail prominence and
angler popularity."
LaBauve will
officially assume the new sales role effective June 6th. His
responsibilities include overseeing sales program development, managing
the contracted sales force, interacting with key accounts and
coordinating sales strategies.
Lew's was originally
founded in the 1950s. Longtime fishing industry executive Lynn Reeves
acquired the Lew's name and many affiliated trademarks, including Speed
Spool®, Speed Spin®, Speed Stick® and Laser®
from the Lew Childre family in 2009. The company also exclusively
markets the Wally Marshall Signature Series and Mr. Crappie rods, reels
and fishing line.
"I'm excited to be on
board with Team Lew's, and I couldn't be any prouder that Gary and Lynn
have entrusted me with leading the company's sales initiatives," LaBauve
said. "Without a doubt, a great deal of thought has gone into this
brand's new product development, price points and profit margins for
each level of distribution. I'm confident we have made this product line
a win-win for all concerned."
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 Winning $100,000 and the
most coveted title in bass fishing is like music to the ears of 99
Bassmaster Elite Series anglers vying to become the 2011 Toyota Tundra
Bassmaster Angler of the Year.
This Father’s Day, June
19, 2011, the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year will be
crowned at Ingalls Harbor during the final weigh-in of the 2011
Bassmaster Elite Series Dixie Duel tournament in Decatur, Ala., and to
help celebrate, country music artist Colt Ford will perform a free, live
90-minute concert.
The Dixie Duel, the last
of eight regular-season Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments offering
the chance to accumulate AOY points and move up in the standings, is
hosted by the Decatur/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau and
will take place June 16-19 on Wheeler Lake.
“I am always excited to
play music and I will also be excited to see who wins the event and the
title. I think that playing music and fishing for a living makes us all
lucky and I will do my part to make sure everyone has some fun,” said
Ford.
In 2010, Ford performed
more than 250 shows, including his Opry debut at the historic Ryman
auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. He has sold more than 500,000 albums
across all titles and earned his first-ever Academy of Country Music
(ACM) nomination for Vocal Event of the Year for his collaboration with
Jamey Johnson on “Cold Beer,” a song from his debut album, Ride Through the Country.
Ford has also been nominated for a 2011 CMT Music Award for the Nationwide Insurance On Your Side
Award — an award that recognizes rising stars known for putting on
outstanding live shows. The 2011 CMT Music Awards air live on CMT, June 8
at 8 p.m. (ET). Fans can vote daily at www.CMT.com.
“Country Thang,” his
fastest-rising radio hit to date, is currently available on iTunes. The
song is the latest single from his new album, Every Chance I Get, released May 3, 2011.
“I make music for
country folks; I talk about real life and I always talk about fishing
’cause that is who I relate to,” Ford said. “I also look forward to
meeting everyone and getting some fishing tips; maybe someone will offer
to take me fishing.”
Bass fishing fans in
attendance will get double their pleasure: They’ll witness two anglers
hoisting trophies and checks for $100,000 each — one for the Dixie Duel
champion, and one for the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year.
Daily launches are at
6:45 a.m. (ET), and weigh-ins begin at 3:15 p.m. (ET) at Ingalls Harbor,
701 Market St. SW, Decatur, AL 35601.
Immediately following
the final weigh-in of the Dixie Duel and the crowning of the AOY, Bishop
Black will perform followed by local group Southern Comfort. Rounding
out the day’s events is Ford’s performance followed by an elaborate
fireworks display.
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Lew's has
entered into a two-year agreement with Bass Tubs of Oklahoma to become
the exclusive rod and reel sponsor of the popular mobile traveling
displays that are part aquarium and part casting tanks.
By the end of this year,
Bass Tubs will have appeared in at least 18 states, ranging from New
Mexico to Florida, and from Texas to New York, and touched more than 3
million people. A number of show bookings are already on the schedule
for 2012. As part of the sponsorship, Bass Tubs staff will use and
display Lew's products, and Lew's will have prominent logo placement on
the tanks for brand visibility while rolling down the highways and on
exhibit at shows.
"While it's impossible for
us to take everyone fishing to give them a personal demonstration of
just how good Lew's rods and reels really are, we can showcase our
products as part of the realistic fishing demonstrations by the Bass
Tubs staff at their stops all across the county," said Lew's president
Gary Remensnyder. "This is a perfect way to let anglers see, touch and
feel the difference of Lew's products."
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B.A.S.S. Communications
McKinnis and Clough to continue B.A.S.S. work on influential council:
B.A.S.S. owner Jerry McKinnis and B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Noreen
Clough have been appointed to the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership
Council (SFBPC) by Ken Salazar, secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
 Through the
director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the SFBPC advises the
secretary on aquatic resource issues that impact recreational fishing
and boating. The council also fosters conservation partnerships among
industry, the public and government.
“I consider this
appointment as one of the most important of my career,” McKinnis said.
“I am excited that B.A.S.S. can contribute in yet another way to healthy
fisheries for future generations.”
This is McKinnis’
first term on the council. Clough has served two previous terms, once as
a primary appointee and once as an alternate.
“B.A.S.S. is
honored to be able to continue our role with the council, working with
the other members of the sportfishing and boating community to ensure
that the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service understand and emphasize their commitment and responsibilities
to America’s anglers,” said Clough, who was appointed as alternate to
McKinnis.
The B.A.S.S.
commitment to the SFBPC stems from the council’s inception in 1993, when
then-B.A.S.S. owner Helen Sevier, along with Berkley’s Tom Bedell,
spearheaded the council’s creation. In the years since, other B.A.S.S.
leaders have been active participants on the council.
What’s in the cards for Card?:
Just a couple of weeks away from the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern
Open’s final 2011 tournament, a 24-year-old rookie from Tennessee ranks
as the circuit’s No. 3 angler.
Brandon Card, in fact,
is keeping some high company. His name appears just below those of
Bassmaster Elite Series stars Gerald Swindle and Bobby Lane (Nos. 1 and 2
in points, respectively).
Keeping such company
could be an omen of bigger things: If he can finish the Open season in
the Top 5, Card will receive an automatic invitation to join the 2012
Bassmaster Elite Series. He’ll accept, he says, especially if he can
muster some additional sponsor support.
 “Qualifying for the
Elites is my goal for the season,” Card said. “What makes the Southern
Open so neat is that I could qualify the first week of June, giving me
about six months to line up sponsors.”
The Open schedule is
working in his favor. He has solid experience on Douglas Lake, site of
the Southern division’s season-ender, June 2-4 in Jefferson County,
Tenn. It’s not home water, but Douglas (just east of Knoxville) is not
far from where Card grew up in LaFollette, Tenn. A decent showing on
Douglas would cement a Top-5 points finish and punch Card’s ticket to
the 2012 Elite Series.
Card has been dreaming
since he was a young teen about a bass fishing career. His father broke
him in on bait and bobbers when he was a small child, but it was his
brother Jordan’s purchase of a bass boat at age 16 (Brandon was 14) that
turned Brandon into a Micropterus hunter.
“We pretty much taught ourselves how to bass fish. We watched The Bassmasters on TV, read Bassmaster Magazine and went out on the water anytime we could,” said Card, who entered his first tournament at age 14.
After high school, he
left home to attend the University of Kentucky, but he didn’t drop his
fishing. He was the president of UK’s bass fishing team for more than
three years, leaving the team only when he graduated in May 2009 with a
degree in landscape architecture.
While a student, he also
got into B.A.S.S. Federation Nation competitions. He qualified for the
2009 and 2010 Federation Nation championships presented by Yamaha and
Skeeter Boats but missed his goal of earning a Bassmaster Classic
qualification by winning in his division.
“After two championships, I figured I should step up and fish the bigger tournaments, and I chose to fish the Opens,” Card said.
To finance the venture,
he worked up to 60 hours a week in his Knoxville, Tenn., landscape
business, a partnership with his father. He said he put back enough
money to use toward the Opens as well as for a second goal: to live on
Lake Guntersville. Since March 1, he has been splitting his time between
Caryville, Tenn., and Guntersville, Ala., so he can learn from the big
Tennessee River impoundment.
Grass is the attraction to Guntersville, he said.
“My biggest weakness as
an angler is lack of experience fishing grass,” he said. “That’s one
thing I can teach myself on Guntersville.”
While he recognizes his
weaknesses, he knows what he’s got working for him. But more important
than his fishing skills is his brother, he said. Both he and Jordan,
fishing partners since they were tots, joined the 2011 Southern Open
circuit together. They support each other and share information.
“I can trust my brother a
lot more than anybody else. I know we’re going to be 100 percent honest
with each other. It’s a team effort for us,” he said.
Brandon has found more success in his first Open season than has his brother, but he expects Jordan to catch up soon.
“He’s married, living in
North Carolina and doesn’t fish as much as I do now, so it’s harder for
him,” Brandon said. “But we share the same dream of working our way up
to qualify for the Elite Series.”
Elite pros mop up in Toyota Bonus Bucks: Ten Bassmaster Elite Series pros so far this season have picked up 14 bonus checks totaling $40,000 through the Toyota Trucks Bonus Bucks program.
The pros were the first-
and second-highest finishers of Elite events who were registered Bonus
Bucks participants. They own a qualifying Toyota Truck and simply signed
up for the program, an online registration process that takes minutes
and is free.
 Elite rookie Brandon
Palaniuk has cashed the biggest check of the season: $7,500 for a better
finish (fourth place) in the 2011 Bassmaster Classic than any other
Classic competitor eligible for the Bonus Bucks deal. Although it was
his first Classic and he had not yet begun the Elite season, Palaniuk
was an old hand at Bonus Bucks from his days in B.A.S.S. Federation
Nation competitions.
“I bought my Toyota last
May, registered for Bonus Bucks, and through the Federation last year,
including the Nationals, which got me to the Classic and Elite Series, I
won a total of $6,250 in Bonus Bucks in 2010,” Palaniuk said.
The $7,500 Classic bonus changed how he approached his rookie year as an Elite angler.
“It helped me
concentrate on fishing and not stress out about finances,” he said.
“That was $7,500 I hadn’t planned on, and at the time I was barely
scraping by. It was a huge deal to me.”
Double-dipping is
perfectly OK in the program, as Edwin Evers and Davy Hite know. Evers
collected $3,000 when he won the Power-Pole Citrus Slam, and another
$3,000 when he was the runner-up in the Pride of Georgia. Likewise, Hite
received $3,000 in Bonus Bucks when he won the Alabama Charge, and
$2,500 as the result of his runner-up finish in the Evan Williams
Bourbon Carolina Clash.
Alton Jones is
displaying a knack for winning Toyota bonuses. He has earned three Bonus
Bucks awards that totaled $6,000. That’s on top of the $1,000 bonuses
he won for each of the four times he led the 2011 Toyota Tundra
Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race. So far, that’s a total to
Jones in Toyota bonuses of $10,000, with more than half of it from Bonus
Bucks.
Other Elite winners so
far in 2011: Brent Chapman, $2,500 through the Classic; Stephen
Browning, $3,000 in the Elite season opener, the Sunshine Showdown;
Bobby Lane, $2,000 after the Alabama Charge; Andy Montgomery, $3,000
from the TroKar Battle on the Bayou; Randy Howell, $2,000 at the Pride
of Georgia; and Casey Ashley, $3,000 when he won the most recent Elite
event, the Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash.
Toyota Trucks offers the
Bonus Bucks program to other anglers in other tournament circuits,
including the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events presented by Yamaha and
Skeeter Boats, and Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens. A full list is
online at www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/events.
Clash Quotes: Heard from the stage at the May 15 finale of the Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash:
* “This would mean as
much to me as winning another Bassmaster Classic.” — Davy Hite on the
hot seat in front of a hometown crowd. He didn’t win, but came in
second.
* “One of these days, I’ll be a bride again, I swear.” — Michael Iaconelli as he realized he did not win
* “It was just one of those days when I didn’t execute too well.” — Fred Roumbanis after a tough final day
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How long can you fish? Find out in the
2011 24-Hour Fish-A-Thon,
Sept. 9 – 10, and you could also help improve the waters you fish
in. In its third year, anglers across North America compete to see who
can raise the most money – and catch the most fish – while creating
awareness about the problems facing our waters. Teams also compete for
prizes such as the fishing trip of the lifetime.
 “Anglers will fish around the clock and across North America to
raise awareness of problems facing our fisheries, and money to help
solve those problems,” said Teeg Stouffer, executive director of
Recycled Fish,
a national non-profit organization of “anglers living a lifestyle of
stewardship both on and off the water, because our lifestyle runs
downstream.”
The 24-Hour Fish-A-Thon is open to freshwater anglers in all 50
states and Canada. To participate, anglers begin by becoming a
Fish-A-Thon Ambassador at recycledfish.org, and sign up their team of two to four anglers, along with a $25
registration fee. After they receive their Fish-A-Thon welcome kit in
the mail, each team member’s next step is to secure donations from
family, friends, co-workers and the public in general. Donations in the
past have ranged anywhere from $5 - $500.
Next they go fishing! Lines are cast Friday, September 9 at 7 pm
until Saturday September 10 at 7 pm. During the event anglers are also
encouraged to pick up any trash and use tackle that is easier on the
environment, such as lead-free weights or biodegradable baits and lures,
and practice good catch-and-release tactics.
“Fishing for 24 hours can be quite the challenge. It’s like the
marathon of fishing”, said Ben Leal, Program Director for Recycled Fish.
“One of the great things about this event is not only does it helps
raise funds for Recycled Fish, it also helps raise awareness on a
specific body of water that each team is fishing on. This year each
teams message will be, “We are more than sportsmen…We are stewards.”
Every team raising a minimum of $100 will get a complimentary
24-Hour Fish-A-Thon shirt for all team members, plus additional prizes
like tackle, apparel and gift cards.
Participating anglers take photos of their fish and self-score their catch at the
online Angling Masters Fish Calculator,
then submit their score to the Fish-A-Thon judges. Top prizes go to the
team with the most funds raised and the team with the highest score
based on their best five fish photos. Prizes are also given for the best
photos, the most “unusual” trash picked up and more!
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Dave Mansue of Texas has been elected President of the Professional Anglers Association by the PAA Board of Directors.
Mansue, 58, lives on Toledo Bend Reservoir and competes on the PAA
Tournament Series and Bassmaster Open circuit. He moved there in 2009
with his wife, Andrea, upon his retirement as a lieutenant after a
30-year career with the West Windsor (N.J.) Police Department.
 Other
officers elected for the 2011-12 term are Vice-President Kurt Dove of
Texas, Treasurer Matt Reed of Texas and Secretary Brian Snowden of
Missouri. Mansue, Reed and Snowden joined the PAA in March 2005 and Dove
joined in December 2006.
“I would like to offer my heartfelt gratitude to my fellow members of
the Board of Directors for having the faith in me to lead the
Professional Anglers Association,” Mansue said. “From my humble
beginnings as a kid learning to fish on Grover’s Mill Pond in New Jersey
to the leader of the greatest bass anglers in the world is not only an
honor but one of the greatest moments of my career.”
Mansue stays busy with some guiding on Toledo Bend “and a lot of home
improvements,” as well as work related to the PAA. His hobbies include
travel, hunting, fishing and cooking. He welcomed industry veteran and
TV show host Charlie Ingram to the PAA Board of Directors and
congratulated Dove, Reed and Snowden on being elected to their officer
positions.
Nominees from the membership are accepted each year for PAA Board of
Directors positions and then voted on by PAA Tour members. Board members
then nominate and vote on candidates for officers. Dove, Reed and
Snowden have served on the board for the last two years.
“Charlie is a true ally to the PAA and his experience will prove
invaluable to achieving our mission,” Mansue said. “I am honored to
serve with these men. I know that together, we will make a strong
foundation of leadership for the PAA.”
Mansue noted the PAA’s successes in the last year including growth of
membership and sponsors, the success of the PAA Tournament Series and
inaugural no-entry PAA All Star Series tournament held in April, and the
continued association with the no-entry Toyota Texas Bass Classic held
in October.
“I have been a member of the PAA from the inception,” Mansue said. “I
have always believed that to truly and significantly improve the lives
of all our anglers and their families we must develop a system of
tournaments in which we are no longer competing for our own entry fees.
As a non-profit organization the PAA is in the best position to provide
that opportunity. The PAA, despite our youthful status as an
organization in this industry, has successfully provided such
opportunities to our members with PAA All Star Series and TTBC events.
“I can assure you that I, along with the entire Board of Directors, will
work tirelessly to continue these opportunities and to reach the goals
of our organization’s mission statement. The coming year will bring
great challenges not only to me but the Board of Directors and the
organization. With membership support, together, we have the opportunity
to make this organization stronger and more influential than ever
before.”
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By Al Lindner
While the spawn is mostly over in the Deep South, anglers in
the northern two-thirds of the United States are still encountering the often
finicky behavior of bass that are just about to reproduce.
There is a time period in the early prespawn that bass will
chew the paint off a jerkbait or whatever you choose to put in front of
them. And then, there is about a week
immediately before they lock on to their spawning beds that they won’t hardly
touch anything you throw at them, they act freaked out and terribly spooky.
I experienced the “pre-spawn spookiness” last week, and
wouldn’t you know it, this happened as I was trying to film two TV shows for
Angling Edge. I’m telling ya’, two weeks
ago, the strike zone was anywhere within 10-feet of a bass’ nose. Then we go out to shoot the TV shows and the
strike zone had shrunk to 10 inches.
The first thing I do when this happens is reach for spinning
tackle rigged with light line and extremely light lures. Baitcasting equipment is pretty much not an
option.
Spinning tackle is the answer for a lot of reasons. First,
it allows you to easily cast light line such as 6-pound fluorocarbon. Secondly, I was using feather-like 1/16-ounce
jighead and tube and hair jigs on these spooky fish, and you can’t cast a
feather with baitcasting equipment. I
was making long cast with a 6’ 10” Quantum Smoke rod, and a Quantum spinning
reel built with a performance tuned drag system. Because when you hook a
4-pound bass on 6-pound line, if your drag heats up and sticks, your line will
break.
I was dropping my lures right in front of their nose with as
little splash as possible. You’re aiming to keep everything as stealth as
possible. I mean if you lift the rod to
cast and throw a shadow the wrong direction, these crazy pre-spawners won’t
give you the time of day.
The good news is my extremely subtle approach worked. They
ate my tubes and finesse jigs. We caught
bass up to 4 3/4 pounds and made what I think is going to be a very informative
TV show.
The same can work for you no matter how freaky these
pre-spawners are acting. If you see bass
cruising shallow and they dart away from the splash of more standard-sized
lures thrown at them with baitcasting equipment, then back off. Take a suppressed
approach. For me that starts with
spinning rods and reels.
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You may not have heard of A.B.T Lure Company but we believe you certainly will very soon. Allen Borden, President of A.B.T, has created a killer looking new swimbait called the Banshee 4.5 that is worth a serious look. Unique image paint schemes and a fantastic wobble, the Banshee 4.5 is great for pre-spawn, spawning and post spawn fish. Take a look at this video and then read more at the A.B.T. Lures website.
ABT Lures: Banshee Swimbaits from ABT Lures on Vimeo.
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Our floor graphic items have been very popular this year and this prompted us to come up with something we could use that still have that cool factor. Here's a new item we're introducing for the store today. We've been using it for a week or so and really like it. It's not intended to take the place of the precise aluminum boards out there. It's more of a quick reference for convenience. It's printed with the weight conversion chart for bass as well. Click here to get one for your boat.
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Zoom just posted on their page that they are now offering the California 420 color in their soft plastic baits, starting with the Zoom Swimming Fluke and Zoom Swimming Fluke Jr. The Cali 420 color features a dark back that gradients to watermelon with red flake toward the bottom.
To read more about the new color, visit this page on ZoomBait.com.
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Michael Iaconelli gives us a teaser look at the new Abu Garcia Revo MGX. The reel is said to weigh 5 ounces and we're guessing is a magnesium frame reel. Our guess this will be a high-end enthusiast reel being that it's made of magnesium which is not a cheap material to work with but can drastically reduce the weight of a reel without compromising the durability of the reel. We like the sleek matte finish of the reel in the video as well. So we're anxious to get a closer look at this from Abu Garcia. We just got a box of new goodies from Pure Fishing with new products for ICAST. And we'll be reviewing those and getting information out on those shortly. For now here is the sneak peak at the new REVO MGX.
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 Rob Russow photo
By Terry Brown
Most of the spring has been about rain. Tons of it. Just about every tournament has been cold and rainy in Illinois, but as we get further into the season, with the rain comes rising warmer temps. Anglers are looking to stay dry but also not uncomfortable due to warm temps. The Simms Pro-Dry fits the bill in both categories. Using the proper layering it keeps you comfortable in cool temps but where this rainsuit shines is when it warms up. This special suit, made with GORE-Tex, keeps the wind and rain out in cool conditions but also keeps you comfortably dry in warmer ones.
This past weekend the fickle weatherman was calling for more showers but temps were expected to be in the 80s. Much different than our previous two events. We started the derby, a benefit for Relay for Life, in cool wet conditions, but as the day progressed the forecasted rains did not materialize. They were always a threat. That meant that a rainsuit had to be kept close. I decided from the beginning and for testing considerations to wear the Simms Pro-Dry the whole day. I wanted to see if it lived up to the reputation I had been hearing about from the pros for the last several months regarding comfort.
I wore it the entire day even in the cloudy 80 degree temps. Not one time did I feel uncomfortable, and the light weight nature of the suit made it easy to fish in the entire day. It doesn't bind and has a quiet softness found in GORE products. The bibs fit comfortably, and the straps don't pull you down so fatigue is not a factor. It is so light you can't even tell it's on. They also look great.
If you fish a lot as a professional angler, heavy tournament angler or guide for a living, the Simms Pro-Dry is an exceptional rainsuit for all kinds of conditions. You can get your name and credentials to Simms for a chance to get a premier quality suit at a deeply discounted price in this special promotion. Send them to proangler@simmsfishing.com. If you are on the water all the time and cannot choose only the best days you may want the piece of mind of having the right rainsuit. The Simms Pro-Dry is a great rainsuit and one you would be proud to own.
You can learn more about other Simms clothing by going to the SimmsFishing website.
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 Don Logan, one of three new owners of B.A.S.S., was named the Distinguished American Sportsman for 2011 by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Logan, an Alabama native and resident of Birmingham, was honored for his lifetime of contributions to sports, including his ownership of the Birmingham Barons minor league baseball team, his service on the Auburn University Foundation, and his recent purchase of B.A.S.S.
He received the award during the induction banquet of the Class of 2011 of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. Also inducted were NFL stars Shaun Alexander, Jeff Rutledge and David Hill; Major League Baseball greats Frank Thomas and Al Worthington; Winter Olympics gold medalist Vonetta Flowers; Auburn University basketball standout Henry Hart; and sportswriter Jimmy Smothers.
As the former chairman of Time Warner Inc.’s Media and Communications Group, Logan said he especially enjoyed overseeing the publication of Sports Illustrated, which enabled him to attend major sporting events through the world, and Field & Stream and Outdoor Life, which provided opportunities to fish some of the nation’s best waters.
In his acceptance speech, he compared sporting events to fishing in that both activities form a bond between parents and children. “If you’ll take your kids on the water, I guarantee when they catch a fish they’ll remember that moment for the rest of their lives,” he said.
Because of his love for bass fishing, Logan said he had dreamed of buying B.A.S.S. even before ESPN purchased the company in 2001. The dream finally was realized when he and two partners, Jerry McKinnis and Jim Copeland, bought the company in November 2010. He currently serves on the boards of Time Warner Cable, Auburn University Foundation, Birmingham Business Alliance and The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.
Past Distinguished American Sportsman honorees have included B.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott, former President George H.W. Bush and entertainer Bob Hope.
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 MotorGuide and B.A.S.S. LLC, the worldwide authority on bass fishing, have announced that MotorGuide has become a Supporting-level Sponsor of the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation.
“MotorGuide is pleased to have such a long history with B.A.S.S. and the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation, and we look forward to our ongoing relationship,” said David Walsh, marketing manager of MotorGuide.
MotorGuide has a reputation for providing powerful trolling motors for the sport's finest anglers. The company has, for many years, proudly supported premier fishing events throughout the country and is committed to the growth of the sport, including the many anglers who don’t fish for a living.
It’s no secret that the company proudly supports those who do fish for a living, however. Six Bassmaster Elite Series pros sponsored by MotorGuide have taken home first-place trophies from different B.A.S.S. events so far this season.
“We take great pride in the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation, and we’re excited about MotorGuide coming on board to support this program,” said Jerry McKinnis, one of three owners of B.A.S.S. “Partnerships with respected brands like MotorGuide help to keep B.A.S.S. and its anglers at the top of their game.”
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Photo by FLWOutdoors.com
John Cox of DeBary, Fla., caught a five-bass limit weighing 7 pounds, 13 ounces Sunday to lead wire-to-wire and win $100,000 at the Walmart FLW Tour on the Red River presented by OFF! with a four-day catch of 20 bass weighing 48-8.
The catch gave him the win by a 5-pound, 4-ounce margin over National
Guard pro Mark Rose of Marion, Ark., who caught a total of 19 bass
weighing 43-4 and earned $32,553.
“I’m kind of numb,” said Cox, who claimed his first Tour-level title with the win. “I don’t believe it yet.”
Cox said the win couldn’t have come at a better time. He had considered
withdrawing from the tournament before it began because of a lack of
funds. He wanted to fish the Red River event because he had fished there
before and thought there might be a chance he could win. He considered
selling the Power-Poles rigged to his boat to raise funds, but a friend
told him not to. The friend let him borrow the money that allowed Cox to
compete.
“I’ve got some people to pay back,” Cox said. “My buddy said, ‘Don’t sell those Power-Poles. Those are too sweet.’
“Maybe I’ll give him a little extra,” Cox added.
In addition to owing people money, Cox also came through on a promise
to his girlfriend after he claimed the victory. Cox had told his
girlfriend they would get married after he won a Tour event. Cox relayed
the story to the audience and then proposed on-stage to his girlfriend.
Cox’s win could be called incredible just for the effort that he put
into the competition on the first two days. Cox had discovered a pond
that was accessible because of the elevated water level. The only access
to the pond, however, was through a large pipe – an opening just large
enough for a small bass boat.
Cox fished the first three days of competition from a 17-foot boat
powered by a 75-horsepower Mercury outboard with hopes the lighter rig
would allow him to access shallow-water areas the other competitors
could not. Cox said he made a two-hour run each way to his fishing spot
on the first two days and then faced a 45-minute ordeal of squeezing the
boat through the pipe to access the pond.
“The whole way down there I was thinking, ‘There’s no way I’m getting
in there,’” Cox said. “I got there and got ready to go in and my camera
guy said, ‘You’re going to go through that?’ I said, ‘I hope so.’ And it
was a miracle we worked (the boat) back and forth and somehow got in
there. When we got in there we were exhausted and sweaty, but it was
worth it.”
The receding water level did not allow Cox to fish the pond on the
final two days of competition, so he fished an area he was familiar with
from a previous competition. The area paid off on day three, but proved
to be stingy the final day. Cox said he had only two fish at noon and
was beginning to get nervous.
“The way the morning started I thought, ‘Man, I’m not going to win this
thing,’” Cox said. “I stopped breathing, I think. I think I held my
breath from noon until I caught the rest of my fish.
“I thought I was going to throw up I was so nervous,” Cox added.
With only two keepers in the boat, Cox said he relocated in hopes of
catching more fish. When the moved proved unfruitful, he returned to his
starting spot at 1:30 p.m.
“I was hopeful an opportunity would come again, and it did,” Cox said.
Cox said he quickly caught three more keepers for a total of five – the
only five keepers he caught during the course of the day.
“This place was tough because of the high water and I just went into survivor mode,” Cox said.
Cox opened the tournament in first place Thursday with five bass
weighing 14-10 that he caught on a Dandy Baits jig. On Friday he added
another five bass weighing 14-0 using a chatterbait and swimbait to
maintain his lead. He then caught five bass weighing 12-1 on a variety
of baits Saturday to make the crucial top-10 cut in first place. On
Sunday he sealed his victory using a Producto Buzz Tail Shad.
The remaining top 10 pros finished the tournament in:
3rd: Clint Brownlee, Tifton, Ga., 20 bass, 40-1, $28,636
4th: Castrol pro Darrel Robertson, Jay, Okla., 20 bass, 40-0, $23,219
5th: Gary Yamamoto, Palestine, Texas, 20 bass, 37-11, $18,553
6th: National Guard pro Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 19 bass, 35-0, $15,753
7th: Castrol pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 20 bass, 34-10, $14,819
8th: Mike Reynolds, Modesto, Calif., 19 bass, 34-9, $14,386
9th: Jon Strelic, El Cajon, Calif., 19 bass, 34-6, $12,953
10th: Christian Romans, Carrollton, Ky., 20 bass, 33-8, $12,019
A complete list of results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.
Overall there were 50 bass weighing 87 pounds, 4 ounces caught by 10 pros Sunday. The catch included 10 five-bass limits.
Keith Carson of DeBary, Fla., won the Co-angler Division and $20,000
Saturday with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 24 pounds, 12 ounces
followed by Jeff Sprague of Forney, Texas, in second place with 14 bass
weighing 22-7 worth $6,977.
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The University of Mississippi’s Ole Miss Fishing Team edged local favorites Auburn University-Montgomery (AUM) to win the College B.A.S.S. East Super Regional with a winning weight of 28 pounds, 5 ounces. AUM staged a strong runner-up effort, coming from sixth place yesterday to post a final weight of 27-8. The two-day competition wrapped up today on the Alabama River.
Both teams are one step closer to the ultimate win in this collegiate bass fishing league, which is a history-making slot for one angler at the 2012 Bassmaster Classic. The next step toward earning that goal is the Collegiate B.A.S.S. National Championship, July 7-9 in Little Rock, Ark., where the top teams from three regional competitions will compete in an elimination-format for the Classic berth.
“We had kind of a one-two punch in our strategy,” said Brock Mosley, 22, of Meridian, Miss. “We fished our strengths and mine was power fishing.
“I was kind of the clean-up guy, mopping up behind him in places where he couldn’t hit with his baits,” added Ole Miss teammate Andy Halford, 23, of Columbus, Miss.
“We had a postspawn bite with these fish being in transition from the shallow lake back to the river,” noted Mosley, a business marketing major at Ole Miss.
“We left the area yesterday at 9 a.m. with the 12-pound limit, knowing there would be more fish moving out,” said Halford, a secondary education/social studies major. “Today we had another limit about the same time, including the 5-pounder.”
The power-finesse approached involved covering an area the team described as a backwater lake off the Alabama River. The primary casting zone extended from the bank to a 4-foot contour line and then dropping into 7 feet, a depth termed by the team as the deepest water in the area.
On the power fishing side of the boat, Mosley applied a chartreuse/black Strike King KVD 2.5 crankbait along the dropoffs. With overcast skies much of this morning, he added to the equation a Heddon Super Spook, fishing the topwater classic over submerged cover along the dropoff.
Halford’s clean-up bait was a 5/16-ounce Spot Remover shaky-head style jig with a green pumpkin Zoom Trick Worm. He worked the rig along any wood cover extending from the bank to the deeper water.
The runner-up team from AUM was led by Corey Pierce, 20, of Prattville, Ala., and Henry Foster, 20, of Chelsea, Ala. The team’s post-spawn pattern focused on staging areas used by the outbound fish from shallow water.
The team strategy began each morning with a yellow/black Spro Frog fished atop submerged grass beds. Midmorning sunshine moved the fish to deeper water, forcing a switch to a watermelon/red Texas-rigged Zoom lizard, rigged Texas style with a ¼-ounce weight. Alternatively, they fished a white 3/8-ounce Strike King Kevin VanDam Swim Jig.
“We fished the ends of laydowns and the key was casting to the submerged side of the cover, places we couldn’t see but knew there was structure,” said Pierce, a business management major.
“The key was fishing the jig and worm on the deep side of the cover,” emphasized Foster, a business management major at AUM. “We never got a bite fishing the shallow end, making us believe the fish were on moving, postspawn action.”
Two remaining events are on the aschedule leading up to the national championship. Up next is the Collegiate B.A.S.S. West Super Regional, June 2-3 in Russellville, Ark. The regional season wraps up June 27-28 at the North Super Regional in Syracuse, N.Y.
For final standings, visit Bassmaster.com.
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Carson Wins Co-Angler Title, $20,000
John Cox of Debary, Fla., caught a
five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds, 1 ounce Saturday to maintain his
lead at the Walmart FLW Tour
on the Red River presented by OFF! and advance to the top 10 as the
crucial No. 1 seed. With a three-day catch of 15 bass weighing 40-11, he
now holds an 8-pound, 8-ounce lead in the tournament going into the
final day of competition.
“It was slow today,” said Cox, who now has led the first three days of
competition. “I went to go into the first hole I wanted to go into and
there was somebody in there, so I left and started running around. I hit
a pond and caught five real quick.”
Cox said he began catching fish at 10 a.m. and had a limit in an hour.
He said he put down his Power-Pole and fan cast to hydrilla to catch his
limit. Cox said he caught a 3-pounder and culled once and his action
was done for the day. He then left to find more fish for the final day
of competition.
“Every fish I caught was on something different,” Cox said. “I caught
one on a spinnerbait, one on a jig, one on a Fluke and one on a worm.
“Everything was just falling into place throughout the day,” Cox added. “I was just making the right calls.”
Cox fished the first three days of competition from a 17-foot boat
powered by a 75-horsepower Mercury outboard with hopes the lighter rig
would allow him to access shallow-water areas the other competitors
could not. Cox said he made a two-hour run each way to his fishing spot
on the first two days but opted not to make the run in case the water
level was too low to access the pond that brought him early success in
the tournament.
“I almost got gas about 9 o’clock and made the run because I hadn’t had
a bite yet,” Cox said. “It was going through my head, but I didn’t. I
was glad I just stuck it out.
“Now that I’ve found that other area I feel pretty good about it,” Cox
added. “There’s good fish there; they’re just hard to catch. There are
3-pounders in there. As long as I catch a couple of fish … ”
Clint Brownlee of Tifton, Ga., advanced to the final round of 10 pros
in the No. 2 spot with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 32-3.
Rounding out the top 10 pros and advancing to the final day of competition are:
3rd: National Guard pro Mark Rose, Marion, Ark., 14 bass, 30-9
4th: Castrol pro Darrel Robertson, Jay, Okla., 15 bass, 29-3
5th: Gary Yamamoto, Palestine, Texas, 15 bass, 27-7
6th: Christian Romans, Carrollton, Ky., 15 bass, 27-4
7th: Castrol pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 15 bass, 27-4
8th: National Guard pro Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 14 bass, 26-14
9th: Mike Reynolds, Modesto, Calif., 14 bass, 26-10
10th: Jon Strelic, El Cajon, Calif., 14 bass, 26-4
Finishing in 11th through 20th are:
11th: Diet Mountain Dew pro Jason Christie, Park Hill, Okla., 15 bass, 25-9, $11,553
12th: Travis Fox, Rogers, Ark., 14 bass, 25-3, $11,553
13th: M&M’s pro Jim Moynagh, Carver, Minn., 13 bass, 25-1, $12,053
14th: Glenn Chappelear, Acworth, Ga., 13 bass, 24-12, $11,553
15th: National Guard pro Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 15 bass, 24-11, $11,553
16th: Mike Wurm, Hot Springs, Ark., 14 bass, 23-15, $11,086
17th: Gene Eisenmann, Frisco, Texas, nine bass, 23-1, $11,086
18th: Koby Kreiger, Okeechobee, Fla., 15 bass, 23-1, $11,086
19th: Kevin Hawk, Guntersville, Ala., 13 bass, 22-15, $11,086
20th: OFF! Pro Terry Bolton, Jonesboro, Ark., 11 bass, 20-13, $11,086
Final results for the remaining field can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.
Overall there were 85 bass weighing 143 pounds, 3 ounces caught by pros Saturday. The catch included 12 five-bass limits.
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Photo by David A. Brown / FLWOutdoors.com
Jacob
Wheeler of Indianapolis, Ind., caught a five-bass limit weighing 7
pounds, 9 ounces Saturday to become the 2011 BFL All-American champion
and win $100,000. Wheeler caught a total of 15 bass that weighed 36-3
for the three day event. Jake Morris of McKee, Ky., came in second place
with a tournament total of 12 bass weighing 27 pounds, 1 ounce to win
$20,000. The Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy
was held on Cross Lake in Shreveport, La., May 19-21 and featured the
top 49 boaters and top 49 co-anglers from across the country.
“This is the biggest thing that has ever happened to me in my
entire life. It is life changing,” said the 20-year-old Wheeler, who is
fishing in his first BFL All-American. “I have been fishing since I was
two and dreaming about becoming a pro fisherman since I was four. I have
been draining my bank account every tournament to fish. This was a
great day and has been a great week.
“Everything just seemed to go my way this week,” added Wheeler.
“I spent a lot of time practicing down here and learning the lake. On
the first day I went to an area where a pond was being drained into the
lake which caused a current. It was loaded with fish. That was really
why I had the success I did to start the tournament. I went back on day
two but the pump had been turned off and I had to adjust a little bit.
This lake is full of fish and you just have to find those key areas.
“On day one I did a lot of running and gunning. Days two and
three I really slowed down,” Wheeler went on to say. “My strategy was to
maintain my lead and try to bring home the win. I mostly sat on one
spot and worked through it. I caught most of my fish on tubes. I caught
my biggest one today with a Pop-R. I feel so blessed.”
The final top 10 boaters in the All-American are:
3rd: Charles Cummings, Leeds, Ala., 14 bass, 24-10, $15,000 plus $8,000 Ranger Cup bonus
4th: Lloyd Pickett Jr., Bartlett, Tenn., 12 bass, 23-6, $14,000 plus $7,000 Ranger Cup bonus
5th: Mike Hicks, Goochland, Va., 10 bass, 22-14, $13,000 plus $6,000 Ranger Cup bonus
6th: George Kapiton, Inverness, Fla., eight bass, 22-7, $12,000 plus $5,000 Ranger Cup bonus
7th: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., seven bass, 21-12, $11,000
8th: Kip Carter, Loganville, Ga., eight bass, 19-14, $10,000
9th: Harry Barton, Sterrett, Ala., 10 bass, 18-0, $9,000
10th: Don Boeger, Caldwell, Idaho, nine bass, 16-1, $8,000
Overall there were 27 bass weighing 54 pounds, 7 ounces caught by 10 boaters Saturday. The catch included two five-bass limits.
Wheeler‘s victory has qualified him for the 2011 Forrest Wood
Cup presented by Walmart, the world championship of bass fishing. This
year’s Cup is being held in Hot Springs, Ark., Aug. 11-14 on Lake
Ouachita where pros are competing for a top prize of $600,000 – the
sport’s biggest award.
Shane Winchester of Glasgow, Ky., won the Co-angler Division and
$50,000 Saturday with a total of nine bass weighing 22-2 followed by
Kyle Radake of Cape Girardeau, Mo., in second place with 10 bass
weighing 17-0 worth $15,000.
“My goal coming into the tournament was to catch five small fish
each day,” said Winchester. “I didn’t do that. I was lucky enough to
land that 8 pounder on the first day and that’s what really carried me
through the tournament.
“I was able to mostly do the same thing all week,” Winchester
went on to say. “I was using a Roboworm skipping docks and tress. I
would throw the bait very slowly and slightly shake it after it fell. I
am so excited to be going to the Forrest Wood Cup. Hopefully it will
turn out like this.
The remaining top 10 co-anglers finished the tournament in:
3rd: David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., eight bass, 13-6, $6,000
4th: Kermit Crowder, Matoaca, Va., eight bass, 12-11, $5,000 plus $1,600 Ranger Cup bonus
5th: Greg Gilley, Orange Beach, Ala., five bass, 12-6, $4,500
6th: Kevin Crady, Desoto, Mo., six bass, 12-1, $4,000
7th: Tyler Wood, Collinsville, Miss., four bass, 11-2, $3.500
8th: Gerrit Goins, Cleveland, Tenn., seven bass, 11-0, $3,000
9th: Jason Hester, Haleyville, Ala., six bass, 9-15, 2,500 plus $1,100 Ranger Cup bonus
10th: Tony Grubb, Ann Arbor, Mich., eight bass, 8-11, $2,000
Overall there were 16 bass weighing 25 pounds, 7 ounces caught
by 10 co-anglers Saturday. The catch included only one five-bass limit.
Winchester will also competein the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup.
Coverage of the BFL All-American tournament will be broadcast in
high-definition (HD) on VERSUS. “FLW Outdoors,” will air Sept. 4 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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Jacob Wheeler of Indianapolis, Ind., weighed a five-bass limit Friday totaling 10 pounds, 4 ounces to lead day two of the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy
on Cross Lake. Wheeler, with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 28-10,
holds a massive 9-pound, 8-ounce lead going into the final day of
competition. Mike Brueggen of La Crosse, Wis., is in second place with a
two day total of 19 pounds, 2 ounces in a tournament featuring the top
49 boaters and top 49 co-anglers from across the country.
“Today was a much tougher day for me,” said Wheeler, who is
fishing in his first BFL All-American. “The wind really muddied up a lot
of my water and changed the way I fished today. I slowed down a lot and
just tried to maintain my lead, I was very fortunate to gain a few
pounds with a much smaller bag than yesterday.
“Yesterday I hit about 30 spots, today only 10. I tried to fish
each area thoroughly and didn’t do nearly the running and gunning I did
yesterday. Most of my fish were caught on tubes, cranking and with
topwater baits. I had a ton of unders today, but only five keepers. I
know tomorrow is going to be different again and I just hope I can
figure something out.”
While the wind hurt both the leaders in the boater and co-angler
division today, it helped second place Brueggen jump all the way from
42nd place into second place with a massive 17-14 stringer. Brueggen entered the day with only 1-4.
Rounding out the top 10 boaters and fishing tomorrow for the BFL All-American crown are:
3rd: Lloyd Pickett Jr., Bartlett, Tenn., 10 bass, 18-10
4th: Kip Carter, Loganville, Ga., six bass, 17-7
5th: Mike Hicks, Goochland, Va., seven bass, 17-4
6th: George Kapiton, Inverness, Fla., six bass, 17-0
7th: Charles Cummings, Leeds, Ala., nine bass, 16-7
8th: Jake Morris, McKee, Ky., nine bass, 15-4
9th: Don Boeger, Caldwell, Idaho, eight bass, 14-11
10th: Harry Barton, Sterrett, Ala., seven bass, 13-6
Overall there were 126 bass weighing 224 pounds, 11 ounces
caught by 49 boaters Friday. The catch included nine five-bass limits.
Boaters are competing for a top award of up to $130,000 this
week plus qualification into the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup presented by
Walmart, the world championship of bass fishing. This year’s Cup is
being held in Hot Springs, Ark., Aug. 11-14 on Lake Ouachita where pros
are competing for a top prize of $600,000 – the sport’s biggest award.
Shane Winchester of Glasgow, Ky., leads the Co-angler Division
with a two day total of six bass weighing 14-8 followed by Greg Gilley
of Orange Beach, Ala., in second place with a two day total of five bass
weighing 12-6.
“I’m still shaking from my catch yesterday, I didn’t get much
sleep last night,” said Winchester, who caught the biggest bass of the
tournament so far. “The wind really hurt me today. I just couldn’t get
my game on. I had a lot of bites and I had a lot of fish in the slot. I
just couldn’t do what I did yesterday. I am hoping tomorrow is better.”
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers and fishing the final day are:
3rd: Kermit Crowder, Matoaca, Va., seven bass, 11-3
4th: Tyler Wood, Collinsville, Miss., four bass, 11-2
5th: Gerrit Goins, Cleveland, Tenn., seven bass, 11-0
6th: Kevin Crady, Desoto, Mo., five bass, 10-8
7th: Kyle Radake, Cape Girardeau, Mo., five bass, 9-10
8th: David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., five bass, 9-5
9th: Tony Grubb, Ann Arbor, Mich., seven bass, 7-11
10th: Jason Hester, Haleyville, Ala., four bass, 7-10
Overall there were 58 bass weighing 77 pounds, 6 ounces caught
by 49 co-anglers Friday. The catch included only one five-bass limits.
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 John Cox of Debary, Fla., caught a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds even Friday to extend his lead on day two of the Walmart FLW Tour on the Red River presented by OFF!. His two-day catch of 10 bass weighing 28 pounds, 10 ounces gives him a commanding lead heading into the third day of the tournament. The top 20 anglers will fish day three and the top 10 will compete for the title on day four.
Cox fished the first two days of competition from a 17-foot boat powered by a 75-horsepower Mercury outboard with hopes the lighter rig would allow him to access shallow-water areas the other competitors could not. Cox said he made a two-hour run each way to his fishing spot.
“The whole way down there today I was thinking, ‘There’s no way I’m getting in there,’” Cox said. “I got there and got ready to go in and my camera guy said, “You’re going to go through that?’ I said, ‘I hope so.’ And it was a miracle we worked (the boat) back and forth and somehow got in there. When we got in there we were exhausted and sweaty, but it was worth it.”
The gamble paid off; however, Cox said his strategy will have to change on the third day of competition. Cox said he caught bass in the secluded pond on the second day of competition on a Gambler Big EZ swimbait, but the lower water level will render the pond unfishable on Saturday.
“I’d have to get a canoe or something to get in there,” Cox said. “It just ain’t gonna happen. I’ve got a spot here I always fish. I’m going to go in there. Usually there’s a few people in there and it usually hurts it, but there’s only 20 of us fishing tomorrow. I think I’ll be able to sight fish tomorrow.
“There’s no telling what will happen,” Cox said. “ I’m just going to get five and maybe I’ll see a big (fish) sitting there.”
National Guard pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif., is in the No. 2 spot with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 21-6.
Rounding out the top 20 pros that will fish another day on the Red River are:
3rd: Mike Reynolds, Modesto, Calif., 10 bass, 20-9
4th: Clint Brownlee, Tifton, Ga., 10 bass, 20-7
5th: National Guard pro Mark Rose, Marion, Ark., nine bass, 19-14
6th: Gary Yamamoto, Palestine, Texas, 10 bass, 19-12
7th: OFF! Pro Terry Bolton, Jonesboro, Ark., 10 bass, 19-11
8th: Christian Romans, Carrollton, Ky., 10 bass, 19-11
9th: Glenn Chappelear, Acworth, Ga., 10 bass, 19-9
10th: Castrol pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 10 bass, 19-4
11th: Diet Mountain Dew pro Jason Christie, Park Hill, Okla., 10 bass, 19-1
12th: Jon Strelic, El Cajon, Calif., nine bass, 18-14
13th: Gene Eisenmann, Frisco, Texas, seven bass, 18-12
14th: Mike Wurm, Hot Springs, Ark., 10 bass, 18-5
15th: Travis Fox, Rogers, Ark., 10 bass, 18-0
16th: M&Ms pro Jim Moynagh, Carver, Minn., eight bass, 17-13
17th: Kevin Hawk, Guntersville, Ala., 10 bass, 17-13
18th: National Guard pro Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 10 bass, 17-11
19th: Castrol pro Darrel Robertson, Jay, Okla., 10 bass, 17-9
20th: Koby Kreiger, Okeechobee, Fla., 10 bass, 17-8
Final results for the remaining field can be found on FLWOutdoors.com.
Moynagh caught the Snickers® Big Bass weighing 5-5 on the pro side to win $500.
Overall there were 505 bass weighing 825 pounds, 2 ounces caught by 135 pros Friday. The catch included 59 five-bass limits.
Pros are competing for a top award of up to $125,000 this week plus valuable points in the hope of qualifying for the Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart, the world championship of bass fishing. This year’s Cup will be in Hot Springs, Ark., Aug. 11-14 on Lake Ouachita where pros are competing for a top prize of $600,000 – the sport’s biggest award. Pro anglers are also vying for the prestigious 2011 Walmart FLW Tour Angler of the Year presented by Kellogg’s that will be determined by the most points accumulated over the six Tour Majors with the winner receiving $100,000 for their accomplishment.
David Lauer of Lady Lake, Fla., leads the Co-angler Division with an opening-round total of 10 bass weighing 18 pounds, 13 ounces, followed by Keith Carson of Debary, Fla., in second place with 10 bass weighing 17-12.
Rounding out the top 20 co-anglers are:
3rd: Timothy Sisk, Gastonia, N.C., eight bass, 16-4
4th: Billy Dehart, Burlingame, Calif., nine bass, 15-11
5th: J.R. Wright, Truckee, Calif., nine bass, 15-8
6th: Mike McDonald, Randleman, N.C., six bass, 14-4
7th: Richard Peek, Centre, Ala., seven bass, 13-15
8th: Mark Denney, Somerset, Ky., eight bass, 13-8
9th: Patrick Bone, Cleveland, Ga., 10 bass, 13-5
10th: Jeff Sprague, Forney, Texas, nine bass, 13-2
11th: Timothy Lane, Momence, Ill., 10 bass, 12-15
12th: Dan Thill, LaCrosse, Wis., seven bass, 12-6
13th: Aaron Beshears, Van Buren, Ark., five bass, 11-11
14th: Chris Hults, Vancleave, Miss., seven bass, 11-9
15th: Paul Mueller, Southbury, Conn., six bass, 11-0
16th: Tony Nation, Springdale, Ark., eight bass, 11-0
17th: Max Wilson, Everton, Mo., six bass, 10-13
18th: Anthony Brooks, Cornelia, Ga., five bass, 10-12
19th: Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., seven bass, 10-11
20th: Andy Scholz, Reno, Nev., six bass, 10-3
Final results for the remaining field can be found on FLWOutdoors.com.
Brooks caught the Snickers® Big Bass weighing 3-15 in the co-angler division to win $250
Overall there were 270 bass weighing 412 pounds, 13 ounces caught by 107 co-anglers Friday. The catch included 16 five-bass limits.
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Thanks to everyone who participated in the Frabill FXE rainsuit contest here at Wired2Fish. No doubt a great rainsuit is high on the list for anglers who fish in adverse conditions. The Frabill FXE cut new ground in 2010/2011 in design, fit and features. Tight fit hood, reinforced knees, loads of pockets and a lightweight material that keeps you dry were all incorporated.
The winners of the Frabill FXE Contest will be receiving a brand new rainsuit directly from Frabill. Congrats!
The winners were:
Lee Cannon
Conway, SC
Travis Horinek
Buffalo, MO
Stay dry!
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Jacob
Wheeler of Indianapolis, Ind., crossed the stage Thursday with a
five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 6 ounces to lead day one of the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy
on Cross Lake. Wheeler holds a commanding 7-pound, 8-ounce lead over
Lloyd Pickett Jr., from Bartlett, Tenn., who caught five bass weighing
10-14 in a tournament featuring the top 49 boaters and top 49 co-anglers
from across the country.
“God blessed me today,” said Wheeler, who is fishing his first
BFL All-American. “I knew the lake would be difficult because of the
slot limit. Lakes with slots are horrible to fish tournaments in so I
knew it was going to be a bear to fish. I covered a lot of water and
just kept moving. First I’d catch a fish by a dock then in some trees
and then by a dock again. I just kept moving and adjusting and it paid
off. Buzzbaits, crankbaits, flipping, cranking, it all produced.
“It is hard to stay consistent on a lake with a slot limit. The
guy that can bring a 10-pound average per day to the stage is the guy
that is going to win and it is not going to be easy,” Wheeler went on to
say. “Tomorrow I will go back to some of the same areas and do pretty
much the same thing I did today. I had eight keepers, four over and four
under. I also had six slot fish…”
In a tournament that saw many anglers struggle with the slot
limit, the lake seemed to tease anglers with what she has to offer. The
biggest fish of the day was a giant brought in by the co-angler leader,
weighing 8 pounds, 15 ounces. Many agreed the fish were there, they just
couldn’t catch them. Cross Lake has a slot limit on fish from 14 to 17
inches in length that allows anglers to keep fish that measure more than
the minimum length of 12 inches to under 14 inches as well as fish that
measure more than 17 inches.
Rounding out the top 10 boaters after day one on Cross Lake are:
3rd: Shonn Goodwin, Moore, Okla., five bass, 10-3
4th: Kip Carter, Loganville, Ga., three bass, 9-6
5th: Derik Hudson, Hurt, Va., four bass, 9-2
6th: Charlie Russler, Hedgesville, W. Va., four bass, 8-11
7th: Jake Morris, McKee, Ky., five bass, 8-5
8th: Michael Roy, Ivy, Va., five bass, 7-10
9th: Charles Cummings, Leeds, Ala., four bass, 7-6
10th: Mike Brower, Texarkana, Texas, five bass, 6-15
Overall there were 126 bass weighing 227 pounds, 14 ounces
caught by 49 boaters Thursday. The catch included only seven five-bass
limits.
Boaters are competing for a top award of up to $130,000 this
week plus qualification into the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup presented by
Walmart, the world championship of bass fishing. This year’s Cup will be
in Hot Springs, Ark., Aug. 11-14 on Lake Ouachita where pros are
competing for a top prize of $600,000 – the sport’s biggest award.
Shane Winchester of Glasgow, Ky., leads the Co-angler Division
with four bass weighing 12-2 followed by Greg Gilley of Orange Beach,
Ala., in second place with four bass weighing 11-8.
“I am rendered speechless,” said Winchester, who caught the
biggest fish of the day. “I really have to thank my boater who put us on
some fish and luckily I caught the big one.”
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers are:
3rd: Kevin Crady, Desoto, Mo., five bass, 10-8
4th: Kermit Crowder, Matoaca, Va., four bass, 7-9
5th: Gerrit Goins, Cleveland, Tenn., four bass, 7-7
6th: David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., four bass, 6-10
7th: Jason Hester, Haleyville, Ala., three bass, 6-4
8th: Tony Grubb, Ann Arbor, Mich., five bass, 5-7
9th: Jeff McCarnan, Henderson, Ky., two bass, 5-3
10th: Kyle Radake, Cape Girardeau, Mo., two bass, 4-13
Overall there were 73 bass weighing 127 pounds, 6 ounces caught
by 49 co-anglers Thursday. The catch included two five-bass limits.
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John Cox of Debary, Fla., crossed the stage Thursday with a five-bass limit weighing 14 pounds, 10 ounces to lead day one of the Walmart FLW Tour on the Red River presented by OFF! Cox now holds an 11-ounce lead over Mike Reynolds of Modesto, Calif., who caught five bass weighing 13-15 in a tournament featuring 280 anglers from all across the country.
Cox chose to fish the tournament from a 17-foot boat powered by a 75-horsepower Mercury outboard with hopes the lighter rig would allow him to access areas the other competitors could not.
“I started off in an area I found in the last day of practice,” Cox said. “I got into a shallow pond and it was loaded. I caught my first five in five flips. I was real lucky there was still enough water to get in there. It worked out great.”
Cox said he began throwing a chatterbait but switched tactics after the chatterbait didn’t produce the results he was looking for. He said he made the switch to a Dandy Baits jig and the change paid off immediately.
“I pulled in and started off throwing the chatterbait and said, ‘Something’s not right,’” Cox said. “So I switched to the jig. You could really throw anything in there.
“It’s all just falling into place now,” Cox added. “Well, today it did. Who knows what the rest of the week will hold. We’ll see. I’m going to do same thing tomorrow.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros after day one on the Red River are:
3rd: Indiana National Guard pro Wes Thomas, Hanover, Ind., five bass, 13-7
4th: Gene Eisenmann, Frisco, Texas, five bass, 13-1
5th: National Guard pro Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., five bass, 13-0
6th: Blake Nick, Adger, Ala., five bass, 12-14
7th: Micah Frazier, Newnan, Ga., five bass, 12-12
8th: National Guard pro Mark Rose, Marion, Ark., five bass, 12-10
9th: Lance Vick, Mineola, Texas, five bass, 12-7
10th: OFF! Pro Terry Bolton, Jonesboro, Ark., five bass, 12-0
For a full list of results visit FLWOutdoors.com.
Reynolds caught the Snickers® Big Bass weighing 5-2 on the pro side to win $500.
Overall there were 525 bass weighing 880 pounds, 10 ounces caught by 132 pros Thursday. The catch included 73 five-bass limits.
Pros are competing for a top award of up to $125,000 this week plus valuable points in the hope of qualifying for the Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart, the world championship of bass fishing. This year’s Cup will be in Hot Springs, Ark., Aug. 11-14 on Lake Ouachita where pros are competing for a top prize of $600,000 – the sport’s biggest award. Pro anglers are also vying for the prestigious 2011 Walmart FLW Tour Angler of the Year presented by Kellogg’s that will be determined by the most points accumulated over the six Tour Majors with the winner receiving $100,000 for their accomplishment.
Mike McDonald of Randleman, N.C., leads the Co-angler Division with five bass weighing 12-1 followed by Timothy Sisk of Gastonia, N.C., in second place with five bass weighing 11-7.
Rounding out the top-10 co-anglers are:
3rd: Keith Carson, Debary, Fla., five bass, 9-13
4th: Billy Dehart, Burlingame, Calif., five bass, 9-10
5th: Chris Hults, Vancleave, Miss., five bass, 9-8
David Lauer, Lady Lake, Fla., five bass, 9-8
7th: Alan Hults, Gautier, Miss., four bass, 8-8
8th: Jeff Sprague, Forney, Texas, five bass, 8-7
9th: J.R. Wright, Truckee, Calif., five bass, 8-1
10th: Larry Hostetler, Floyds Knobs, Ind., five bass, 7-15
For a full list of results visit FLWOutdoors.com.
Aaron Beshears of Van Buren, Ark., caught the Snickers® Big Bass weighing 5-1 in the co-angler division to win $250.
Overall there were 245 bass weighing 391 pounds, 1 ounce caught by 106 co-anglers Thursday. The catch included 14 five-bass limits.
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Fred Roumbanis is fishing very well so far in 2011. He is not overthinking and is fishing free and easy. Today on Weighing In Radio with Terry Brown Roumbanis talks about the differences this year and gives his perspective on the sport he loves. To listen click here. |
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Courtesy B.A.S.S. Communications
College
B.A.S.S. kicks off this week: On July 11, a single college-age angler will
claim one of bass fishing’s biggest prizes: an entry in the 2012 Bassmaster
Classic.
The first
steps toward that banner day will happen May 20-21, the dates of the 2011
season opener of the College B.A.S.S. circuit. The tournament, the College
B.A.S.S. East Super Regional, will be on the Alabama River out of Montgomery,
Ala., birthplace of B.A.S.S.
“We’re
expecting about 50 two-angler teams from colleges and universities throughout
the eastern United States,” said tournament manager Hank Weldon. The teams will
compete for prize money awarded to their entire college team, bragging rights
for their college and the chance to advance to the next level.
That next
level is the College B.A.S.S. National Championship, July 7-9 in Little Rock,
Ark. Qualifiers from the East Super Regional, along with two other regional
events this season, will compete in the championship. The two anglers on the
winning National Championship team will compete against each other July 11 for
the Classic berth.
At this
week’s event, team members will fish from the same boat and combine their
catches. Each team can weigh up to five largemouth or spotted bass (minimum
length of 12 inches). The team with the heaviest weight over two days will win.
The public
is invited to watch the students bring their catches to the scales. The
weigh-ins will begin at 4 p.m. CT at the corner of Commerce and Tallapoosa
streets at the downtown Riverwalk facility on the banks of the Alabama River.
The tournament will run concurrently with Montgomery’s annual Jubilee Cityfest.
Daily
results will be available at Bassmaster.com. College B.A.S.S. events will be
aired on ESPNU at dates to be announced.
This is the
sixth season for College B.A.S.S. but the first under the B.A.S.S. corporate
umbrella. Previously run by JM Associates as College Bass, the circuit migrated
to B.A.S.S. after JM Associates was purchased by B.A.S.S. in April. After a
slight name change, the student circuit is now known as College B.A.S.S.
Information
about the entire 2011 season is available at Bassmaster.com/college.
Scroggins
takes the hot seat:
Backstage after the third event of the Bassmaster Elite Series season, Terry
Scroggins declared it was way too early to be strategizing about the Toyota
Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race.
Now, three
events later, it’s no longer too early for dreams of triumph and plans of how
to get there. And, boy, does Scroggins now have something to dream about: The
pro from Palatka, Fla., took the TTBAOY lead after the Evan Williams Bourbon
Carolina Clash, but by only 19 points over former leader Alton Jones and former
No. 3 Kevin VanDam.
Jones and
VanDam have accumulated the same number of points, but VanDam’s to-date weight
tally beats that of Jones, so VanDam was awarded the No. 2 spot in the
standings, which change after each Elite Series event.
Full TTBAOY
standings are posted at Bassmaster.com.
Classic
race heats up:
Who is lining up to compete in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic?
The Top 28
in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings will qualify for
the Bassmaster Classic in February 2012 on the Red River out of
Shreveport-Bossier City, La. In the case of double-qualifiers, B.A.S.S. will
work down the list further.
The Top 28
saw many changes after last weekend’s Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash.
Some of the more significant moves around that cutline:
Denny Brauer
fell out (28th to 41st).
Stephen
Browning also created some work for himself (26th to 34th).
Michael
Iaconelli climbed up to safer ground (27th to 16th).
Todd Faircloth
(30th to 23rd) ducked under the rope.
Rookie Brandon
Palaniuk crept closer (37th to 29th) to his second Classic appearance.
Bill Lowen
continued to slip, this time from 22nd to 30th.
Full TTBAOY
standings are posted at Bassmaster.com.
DeFoe
solidifies:
A close look at the numbers reveals that Ott DeFoe of Knoxville, Tenn., is now
running away with the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year contest.
A week ago,
DeFoe had only 48 points on Andy Montgomery; DeFoe now is 156 points ahead of
Montgomery. David Walker, trailing Montgomery by far a week ago, now is only 23
points behind Montgomery.
The
change-up can be traced back to how the three did at last weekend’s Lake Murray
event. Montgomery finished in 82nd place. DeFoe did better at 28th; Walker
ended at 40th.
DeFoe is
making his mark in the overall points race, too. He’s now in seventh place, a
remarkable showing for a rookie.
Life is
good for new dad Billy McCaghren: Billy McCaghren didn’t make the Top 50 cut
in the Carolina Clash on May 13, but cut him some slack. He had something else
to do that Friday: get back home to Mayflower, Ark., for the birth of his first
child.
McCaghren
was on the water, 800 miles away from home, when he got a call from his wife,
Norma, at about 11 a.m. on May 13, three days before the baby’s due date.
(McCaghren had been cleared by tournament officials to take a call from the
water.) Here’s how the conversation went, according to McCaghren:
“Are you
catching them?” Norma asked. “Do you have your limit yet?”
“Yes,”
McCaghren said. “But Norma, you can’t be calling me just to ask if I’m catching
them.”
“I’m not,”
she said, “but since you have your limit, you might want to come home. I’m in
labor.”
He called
tournament officials, who allowed him to come off the water early. He left his
truck and boat in the hands of friends. Tilly Davis, wife of Elite Series pro
Mark Davis, drove McCaghren to the Charlotte, N.C., airport. He caught a flight
Friday night to Little Rock and arrived in time for the baby’s birth in the wee
hours of Saturday morning.
McCaghren
got credit for his Friday catch, thanks to his marshal, Brandon Bryant of South
Carolina. Bryant held McCaghren’s Friday catch at the tanks until 2 p.m., when
the scales officially opened for early weigh-ins.
Mother and
baby boy, named Callen, are doing well, McCaghren reported. He is, too.
“I didn’t
catch enough to make the money cut, but May 13 is the best day of my Elite
Series career,” he said. “Now I just sit and look at him; I am so thankful to
have a child.”
McCaghren,
39, had not expected to have a child.
Callen
already owns a life jacket, fishing pole and a baby blanket with fish on it,
handmade by the mother of Elite Series pro Jami Fralick.
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Francesco Dotto, President and CEO of Airrus International announced the appointment of Ken Whiting to head up Airrus U.S.A. as a part of the initial
restructuring after its purchase of Airrus this past March.
After the sale of Airrus in late 2003, Ken retained his position as President of Airrus until 2007, when he accepted an offer from e21. Ken has spent the last couple of years working as a consultant for several companies within the tackle industry. Ken’s return to Airrus brings him full circle back to the company he founded in 2002.
During the past nine years Ken’s offerings in the New Products Showcase at ICAST have garnered him Seven Best of Shows in the Rod Category, One Best of Show in the Apparel Category and One Overall Best of Show in 2007. Three of the rod awards were won back to back in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Ken was further honored by Outdoor Life as he was named to their OL25 list for 2009. The OL25 are 25 individuals selected in any given year, who have made significant contributions to Outdoor Sports in a variety of categories including Innovation. As a part of the OL25 competition following his selection, Ken received Outdoor Life’s prestigious “OL 25 Readers Choice Award”.
Airrus is proud to announce the introduction of three new rods, the Micro Pulse, Co-Matrix 2.0 and the Ken Whiting signature series called Nano Fusion which will be shown for the first time in July at ICAST. Of the three, Nano Fusion will be the rod that will be shown in the New Products Showcase. Ken feels “Nano Fusion” is the most innovative and technically advanced rod he has ever designed. The blank is constructed utilizing one of the latest in cutting edge materials to come out of the composite industry called “Bucky Paper” and integrating it into the blank by way of a proprietary Airrus process called “Carbon Nanotube Layering”. This process has produced a rod that is so sensitive you will just have to try one to believe it.
Nano Fusion will be the only new offering to feature the new “Custom Balance” weight port capable of weight adjustments from 5 to 60 grams. However all three new Airrus rod series will have a new Micro Guide System specifically designed to reduce friction and provide for longer, smoother and more accurate casts. Be sure to look for the new Airrus at ICAST this year, you won’t be disappointed.
Airrus International has also appointed Trophy Technologies of Mc Cordsville, Indiana as exclusive distributor for all Airrus products within North America as well as customer service, warrantee issues and returns. Trophy Technologies are best known as the owners of the Reaction Strike and Castaic, two extremely well known brand names in the North American marketplace.
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By Terry Brown
It is already ledge time in many places around the country, and one of the quickest ways to dial
bass in which have moved to their summertime haunts is with a Carolina
Rig. Some call it dragging, some riggin’ and yet others call it one of
the dumbest ways in the world to fish deep. We call it money. It doesn’t
matter if there is current, wind or calm, the Carolina Rig is a great
way to fish structure and do it well. Dialing in on the drop, point or
the bottom make-up can aid the search, but in particular on new lakes,
it’s a great way to find schools of big summertime bass quickly.
Preferred depth, bottom make-up and current are keys when fishing the
rig. If you have two of the aforementioned, you will usually find bass,
and if all three are there, “hold on."
There are several approaches when “dragging” that all work and are
equally effective. The bait and weight can be hopped with the rod tip
high, drug across the bottom with the rod in the 3 o’clock position and
it can be deadsticked in the school when you find the sweet spot. The
preferred way for us when we are searching for fish is dragging the
weight across the bottom. The set up is crucial and knowing when to use
which one fine tunes the technique.
We use a 7-foot, 6-inch St. Croix flipping stick with 17-pound Seaguar or Vicious Elite
fluorocarbon line teamed with 6.4 reel for this application. We really
like the new Invisaswivel fluorocarbon swivels, and found it works well
with a 1/2 to 1-ounce Eco Pro Tungsten weight or a Jewel Rock and a
lighter 15-pound leader most of the time. We like the “ROCK” when
rocks are present. It is mandatory to have either a glass bead with lead
or a harder metal one when using tungsten. The clicking can attract
bass and knots should be checked often.
The length of the leader varies,
but a general rule is a long leader in cooler water and a shorter one
in warmer water. Slowly moving the bait with a long leader leaves the
bait in the strike zone longer while the same action on a shorter leader
causes the bait to dart. We love a Zoom Lizard or Brush Hog on a long
leader and a Baby Brush Hog or a small worm on the shorter leader. The
action is enhanced in current and most bites are just a dead feeling on
the line. They can be a hard hit when bass are aggressive. We also use
scent most of the time, and really like BANG garlic or the new Power Team
Hog Tonic for rigging. The verdict is still out on scents, but we
believe it won’t hurt and can fire a school up if they are neutral.
The new InvisaSwivel is the ticket for a couple of reasons. It gives
the angler more feel to the bait without the line twist and because it
is fluorocarbon it is invisible to the fish. Fish will sometimes hit the
brass swivel. We like its durability, even in rocks and no sharp edges
are cut when fishing gravel like sometimes can occur with brass
swivels. Line size determines what size InvisaSwivel is used. It's subtle but effective alternative to brass swivels.
As fish move out to deep water, we follow the creek channels or drains
to the main river channel and if structure is present there, it can be
the mother lode. As summer progresses, fish will find rock piles, brush
and drops more to their liking. We have found that the shady side of
points and drops can be killer this time of year. Knowing the position
of the sun in conjunction with current is an added plus. Getting the
right “line” is crucial most of the time. When current is present, we
like to drag the bait with it, and we like to cross-section points when
current is slack. Diagonal casts to the point down the sides out to the tip are a good place to start. This keeps the bait on the edge
longer and allows the school to key in on the bait.
We like to sweep the hookset when possible and have found a long sweep works must better than a quick jerk for the rig.
Although some anglers think Carolina Rigging is cumbersome, we argue it
is a killer technique, and knowing how to fish it correctly can turn a
so-so day into a pay day.
To buy InvisaSwivel, St. Croix, Seaguar, Zoom and Vicious Elite as well as the other products mentioned, click here.
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A few weeks ago we spoke to Cyrille Mathieu at VMC hooks
about their brand. Today we are talking to Syd Rives at Gamakatsu about their
products and what makes them one of the industry leaders in hooks.
Wired2Fish: Gamakatsu
has been around a long time and has a hook for just about every technique. How
many different hooks does Gamakatsu make?
Rives: We make more than 50
different models of needle-point hooks today. That is an extensive inventory,
and we indeed have the perfect hook for every application. Our hooks are made
in Japan, and painstaking detail is placed on sharpness, durability and finish.
Wired2Fish: Since you are talking
about sharpness, what makes Gamakatsu different?
Rives: The sharpness of our hooks is
unmatched. We are not only concerned with having the sharpest hook but one that
stands up as well. The tempering of a Gamakatsu hook is a critical step we do
not scrimp on. We see others that are sharp, but most don’t stand up to a Gammy.
Our points don’t bend over, which is very important to anglers.
Wired2Fish: Innovation in design and
workmanship seems to be very important to Gamakatsu. What are some of the
innovations you are most proud of?
Rives: We invented the EWG (Extra
Wide Gap) hook. We have them in both worm hooks and trebles, and our round-bend
trebles are without equal. We also have a round bend and an offset bend that
are both very sticky and, depending on the technique, versatile in their uses.
The tempering process we mentioned above is very important, and we do not cut
corners. It’s about doing it right the first time at Gamakatsu.
Wired2Fish: Where can I find
Gamakatsu hooks?
Rives: We are literally everywhere.
From Big Box Stores like Bass Pro Shops to great online retailers like Tackle Warehouse.
There is a very large selection, and since we sell multiple quantities, the die-hard
or the weekend angler can get what they want. Our hooks are technique specific,
and anglers who use Gammy know that they are getting the best. We work very
hard to make sure they can find them and having a large distribution network
makes them available to just about every angler. We sell four to six hooks per
package depending on size of hook, but you can also buy them in bulk packs of
25, 50 and 100 as well.
Wired2Fish: What are you most proud
of at Gamakatsu?
Rives: We build the best hook for the best price.
That is pretty simple. Anglers know quality and depend on us, many to make a
living. We take this business very seriously. We build a premium hook at
a good value and offer something for every type of angler. We have hooks
in nickel, black and red, and depending on what you like, we have the right
hook for the application.
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Sasquatch Media announces the launch of FishingGold.com, the first website to quantify fishing pattern information for anglers.
Eighteen months in development, FishingGold! allows anglers to search for pattern information from bass fishing tournaments – by lake, lake type and time frame. Cumulative pattern data is displayed in graphs, charts and tables. From there, anglers can drill down to see the details of any individual pattern.
"We're super excited to make FishingGold! available to fishermen everywhere," said CEO Jay Kumar. "FishingGold! is both a revolution and an evolution of how pattern information can be used to improve fishing success."
FishingGold! launches with nearly 1,500 tournament records covering more than 650 events over 40 years on more than 150 lakes. Most are BASS tournaments from the start of BASS in the '60s all the way up to this year, and more are on the way. FishingGold! staffers are entering more tournament data regularly, from a variety of circuits.
FishingGold! members can also enter their own pattern information – tournament finishes or just fishing logs/reports – and benefit from all of the same tools.
Kumar added: "Pattern information is hugely valuable for anglers, especially the most avid fishermen. That's why at BassFan, we pioneered ultra-detailed pattern reporting. But there's so much pattern information now – really too much. So much that fishermen spend hours and hours looking for pattern nuggets across multiple websites.
"We wanted to solve that problem, and at the same time reinvent how pattern information is presented and used. Since reinvention is what we do here, we banged our heads together and the result is FishingGold!."
FishingGold! head of membership Al Smith said, "We're excited to be able to offer a new tool to grassroots fishermen that'll help them with their fishing and tournament success. Keep your eye out for more new opportunities coming soon."
A discounted $35 annual membership is available for a limited time. For more information, go to FishingGold.com.
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The second Bass Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series stop of the season will
continue as planned and move its first two days’ events to Chateau on
the Lake Marina in Branson, Mo., to provide better access for
participating anglers and fans attending daily weigh-ins and launches.
The tournament is scheduled for June 23-25 on Table Rock Lake, featuring
some of the top professional bass anglers in the nation. Official
morning blastoffs and the first two days’ afternoon weigh-ins will take
place at Chateau on the Lake Marina. Saturday's final afternoon weigh-in
will be held at Bass Pro Shops at Branson Landing.
 Record
high water levels on Table Rock Lake necessitated the move during the
tournament but many of the facilities and businesses around the lake
remain open and ready for visitors. Table Rock State Park and State Park
Marina are open for camping and activities.
PAA officials made the decision during a conference call Monday with
officials from Table Rock State Park and the Branson Chamber of
Commerce/CVB. Consideration had been given to moving the tournament
dates, but that will not be necessary.
“We’ve been monitoring the situation closely for the last several weeks
and are extremely glad to be able to work with Branson, Chateau on the
Lake and Table Rock State Park officials about this,” said PAA Program
Director Danny Blandford.
“We understand this has been a challenging time for everyone in the
Table Rock Lake area and our thoughts have been with those who are
affected. Our PAA pros and staff look forward to visiting Branson again
and enjoying what should be outstanding fishing on the lake, as well as
the area’s great hospitality.”
“Table Rock State Park welcomes the PAA tournament to the area and is
ready to accommodate them however we can,” said Bill Bryan, Missouri
State Parks director. Bryan said the facilities at the park are ready
for the tournament and all guests and visitors with them.
“In spite of the high water level that impacted some areas, the season
is well under way in Branson,” said Ross Summers, President/CEO of the
Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB. “Our live shows, theme
parks, family attractions, museums, restaurants and shops are all open.
All the theatres are high and dry, and ready with their new
productions.”
The three-day tournament will be the second of the season in the Bass
Pro Shops PAA Tournament Series presented by Carrot Stix. Competitors
will be vying for a prize package including cash and a new Nitro Z-8
with a Mercury 225 and T-H Marine Atlas Jackplate. The angler with the
biggest bass of the tournament will win a new Humminbird 898c Si Combo
sonar unit.
Pros also will be battling for PAA Tournament Series points, which will
help determine the field for the Toyota Texas Bass Classic in October on
Lake Conroe. The top 15 in the PAA Tournament Series point standings,
along with the top 15 from the Bassmaster Elite Series and FLW Tour and
four sponsor exemptions, will comprise the TTBC field. Any double
qualifiers will be filled from the PAA Tournament Series standings.
PAA Member Observer positions are available for the Table Rock
tournament. For only $50, official observers can ride with the pros
during tournament days to watch the action up close. At least a PAA
General membership ($50) is required. It’s a great way to learn about
strategy, lure selection and other ways to increase your fishing
knowledge.
For more information on Observer opportunities, call the PAA at (270) 527-2030.
Table Rock State Park: www.mostateparks.com
State Park Marina: www.stateparkmarina.com
Chateau on the Lake: chateauonthelakebranson.com/
Branson Lakes Area Chamber/CVB: www.ExploreBranson.com
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As a result of new EPA regulations, changes to portable marine fuel tanks, fuel hoses and primer bulbs will soon affect boat builders, marine dealers and consumers. Consumers should become familiar with the changes in the system components and their operation. They should also become aware of a new Yamaha-exclusive fuel line connector.
Apart from supplying new components that meet the regulations, Yamaha has engineered additional features into its fuel line connectors that are designed to be used with the new fuel system components. With ease of use and security in mind, these fuel line connectors used on Yamaha outboards, portable fuel tanks and hoses will be different from those traditionally used in the industry.
Yamaha’s new fuel line connectors will employ a twist-on locking seal design to arrest fuel flow prior to connection or disconnection. This feature helps reduce the potential for fuel spray or leakage when the fuel line is removed or installed, as the new generation portable fuel tanks may build pressure. These Yamaha-specific connectors are found on both the outboard side and the tank side of the new Yamaha fuel lines.
In addition to the use of low permeation fuel hose, required since 2009, new boats are now using low-permeation primer bulbs (effective January 1, 2011) and for boats that use portable fuel tanks, new tanks must now meet both low-permeation and evaporative emissions standards (effective January 1, 2011). This requires, in part, that the fuel system (tank, lines, and components) be sealed, which may cause them to become pressurized.
On the new tanks, the fuel filler cap will not permit uncontrolled venting of fuel vapor to the atmosphere. Fuel vapor when not allowed to vent to the atmosphere will create pressure inside the tank. The fuel cap remains sealed up to 5 psi before allowing the vent to open and reduce internal pressures. Also, new low-permeation tank material, used in the construction of the fuel tank and cap assembly, is certified to reduce hydrocarbon loss during daily temperature swings (tanks with production dates of 1/1/2011 and later).
New products affected by the regulation are 3-gallon and 6-gallon portable fuel tanks, which are applicable to all Yamaha F4 through F70LA models.
These new tank systems will be accompanied by instructions that outline the correct methods of tank operation. Dealers should ensure correct (matching) components are installed in the fuel system prior to delivery, and the end-user should become familiar with these new components and procedures upon delivery and before leaving the dealership.
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This week the FLW Tour pros tackle the tough Red River
in Shreveport, La. The river is high but falling and muddy but clearing in the
backwater areas. The result most experts and anglers predict will be a lot of
guys fishing in a few areas. The pros we spoke to this week, who will remain
nameless as of right now so as not to divulge too much about who is doing what,
have all said the main river is muddy, too muddy and too much current for most
anglers liking. So that is going to put the anglers looking for backwater areas
either in the pool the tournament launches out of or locking down to the next
pool.
Locking always adds an element of risk as limited access to
the locks means you have to schedule your fishing and running around being at
the lock at a certain time to get back to the weigh in. It’s a gamble anytime
you lock as barges can take precedence and bump you from the locks all
together.
We look for a very challenging tournament for the anglers.
Someone will no doubt find a good limit or two from the backwater areas, but
because of pressure and crowds, it’s anyone’s guess as to how long the fishing
will hold up in the smaller backwater areas.
Jumping stumps, beaver dams, log jams and other obstacles is the name of the
game as is tearing up equipment in the process. Many anglers have torn up lower
units and bent prop ears in the process of hunting for the best bunch of bass
in practice. Whoever wins this tournament is going to earn it in a big way.
But without further ado, here are some anglers we think will
factor into this week’s contest.
Terry’s Picks
Chad Brauer- He’s won here before, and it’s setting up for how
he likes to fish, a flipping bite.
Glenn Browne – He’s a great flipper and can find them in
very skinny water.
Jason Christie – Christie has momentum now and growing up in
Oklahoma has given him experience on red rivers.
Clark Wendlandt – He’s been a perennial hammer his whole
career and always seems to buoy to the top in tough events. Never mind that he’s
an understated flipper.
Bryan Thrift – He’s on a major roll and can catch them in a
bucket of water. Tough events seem to be his forte too.
Todd’s Picks
Chad Brauer – This is the lock pick for me after he won so
convincingly here just a short while ago. He loves to flip and pitch and this
event should be a grind and right up his alley.
Glenn Browne – Another outstanding flipper and likes to be
in real skinny shallow water with lots of cover. This fishery sets up like
Browne likes it.
Bryan Thrift – How can anyone bet against him anymore?
Rusty Salewske – This is one of those gut picks. He’s a
stick with a chatterbait and a jig. While the Red River is no California Delta,
that experience could really play well here.
Brent Ehrler – Another pick you just have to make. When the
going gets tough, the tough get a win. So we’re picking a tough winner.
Jason’s Picks
Chad Brauer – Yeah we’ll make it three for three on our picks
with the younger Brauer. Let’s see this tournament is likely to be won on a jig
and a spinnerbait, his two favorite things. He’s won here recently by an
impressive margin no less and he feels comfortable on this fishery which will
give him a leg up on about 75 percent of the competition.
Andy Morgan – The big stick will be swinging in this event
and Morgan is an ole river rat from East Tennessee who can get it done junk
fishing and flipping, two patterns that ought to be strong this week.
Ramie Colson, Jr – The “stump master”. This fishery is
loaded with massive stumps, and Ramie is as good a stump fisherman as there is
in the field. We look for the stump to rule here.
Terry Bolton – He’s known as an offshore guy but he’s a
pretty good shallow spinnerbait and jig fisherman too. He’s good casting to
targets like stumps. I think he’s been waiting to have a unique fishery to make
his mark on this season. Something feels right about this one.
Bryan Thrift – I’m not betting against Thrift in a junk
tournament where he’ll have to milk an area for every bass possible. He’s
proven he can do well on tough rivers at Pittsburgh, so we look for him to do
well yet again.
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In 2006, a small group of retired, active and reserve Marines got together in Huntsville, Ala., to focus their deep desire to continue their patriotic efforts after having honorably served the nation in the military, and the result became the Semper Fi Community Task Force. The Task Force applies the core values of courage, honor and commitment to the service and growth of the community through volunteerism. In short, these volunteers serve those in need and assist others during times of distress.
In November of each year the Task Force conducts a Hero’s Week in association with the Wounded Warriors organization, which aids those who return from battle with severe injuries.
“We’re planning to bring a total of 50 to 60 Wounded Warriors/spouses/caregivers to north Alabama in November for a week of much deserved rest and relaxation,” said Joe Bongiovanni, Chairman of the SFCTF. Our most important mission is to ensure that our men and women who serve and sacrifice for our country know and feel that there is validation for what they do.”
To raise money for Hero’s Week, a Pro/Am style bass tournament is set for Pickwick Lake June 20-21. Money raised during this tournament goes to defray the costs of bringing in the Warriors and their spouses or caregivers for the week, which also will include a bass tournament that the Warriors themselves participate in.
“This Pro/Am tournament is a great opportunity to fish with a top B.A.S.S. or FLW pro on Pickwick Lake, one of the best lakes in the country, while doing something good for those who put it all on the line for our freedom,” said Alabama pro Jimmy Mason.
Among the professional anglers participating are Terry Scroggins (currently No. 1 in the B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year race!), Gerald Swindle, Timmy Horton, Clark Rheem, Casy Ashley and many more. Cost is $850 per person, which includes a registration dinner and partner pairing, including entertainment and an evening of talking fishing with the pros. Accommodations also are included in the fee at the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa, and each attendee will receive a gift bag valued at more than $250. Plus, it’s all tax-deductible!
“We’ll be fishing the full day tournament out of Macfarland Harbor,” Mason said. “The Pickwick ledge bite will be wide open then and everyone should have an awesome day of fishing.”
The November Hero’s Week provides those Wounded Warriors with a part of the healing process that can share with fellow Marines/soldiers.
“In the 2007 Wounded Warriors tournament, I fished with Timmy Horton and Lance Corporal Brent Calender, who was severely wounded by an IED in a humvee, then shot after that, and he could barely walk,” said Bongiovanni. “The tournament was the time of his life. Brent has since married and he and his beautiful wife have a brand new baby boy.”
A complete list of professional anglers giving their time to fish this tournament is as follows:
Terry Scroggins
Gerald Swindle
Jimmy Mason
Timmy Horton
Jonathan Newton
Russ Lane
Clark Rheem
Brandon Palaniuk
Chris Lane
Marty Robinson
Terry Bolton
Casey Ashley
Kyle Mabry
Justin Lucas
Kevin Hawk
For more information contact: Jimmy Mason
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Bassmaster Elite Series pro Mark Menendez of Paducah, Ky is offering another round of his three-week course on bass fishing through the Kentucky Community & Technical College System. Menendez is as good as any angler in the professional ranks at conveying what he's learned in 20 plus years of competitive fishing to other anglers. His classes are enjoyable and informative and even the the most seasoned anglers will learn something from this pro.
The classes will be offered on Thursdays starting this Thursday, May 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Hopkinsville Community College. The cost of the class is $65 and includes a tackle pack for every student.
You can visit this link to get a listing of classes and contact information to sign up for the course. Under categories just select Sports & Wellness and then find Mark's class.
Here is the Class Description:
From the seasoned tournament angler to the eager beginner, this course
will help the angler catch more bass. Course content will be technique
specific for local waters; topics such as seasonal patterns, water
temperature, and structure fishing will be addressed. This course is
designed for the bass enthusiast. Taught by Mark Menendez, three-time
Bassmaster champion and record-holder. Course fee includes tackle pack.
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Our friends over at Denali Rods have not only been updating and working on rods but they've also been updating their web presence and the logo for the company. The new "D" sign is slick looking and gives the brand a new awareness in the marketplace. The rods are going strong as evidenced by top pros like Ray Scheide, Terry Bolton, Pete Gluszek and more.
We've fished with their rods a bunch now and love the stylish designs featuring different types of wood on the foregrip that not only server a cosmetic function but also a sensitivity improvement on the blanks. Our favorite rod has to be the spinnerbait rod and we're hoping to test a flipping stick very soon.
Take a second and check out the new website design, which will feature blogs from the pros, updates on the rods and new products and more.
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Gore-Tex guarantee's it will keep you dry. Waterproof, windproof and breathable, the Gore-Tex material is also durable. Combined with the great look of Simms Clothing, you have the perfect rainsuit. Dry, comfortable and with features that make it stand out in a crowd, the Simms Pro Dry is a piece of clothing every angler should own. Today we are going to talk about hoods and collars.
The Simms Pro Dry GORE-TEX® Parka design features a 3-point storm hood that cinches down to offer complete range of movement without allowing water around your face and neck. And the high collar includes a microfleece lining to avoid chin chafing.
If you are a professional angler or guide, you can still take advantage of the deep discount on this great rainsuit by sending your information to proangler@simmsfishing.com.
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Courtesy of B.A.S.S.
Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., won the Bassmaster Elite Series Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash on Sunday with a total weight of 61 pounds, 3 ounces.
The leader on Day Three, Ashley closed the deal with a fourth-day catch of 15-5. He won with a 3-pound, 2-ounce margin over fellow South Carolinian Davy Hite and New Jersey’s Michael Iaconelli, who tied for second place at 58-1.
Ashley’s prize was $100,000 and an instant entry into the 2012 Bassmaster Classic.
It was Ashley’s second Bassmaster Elite Series win. His first was in 2007, his rookie year. The two wins feel very different, he said.
“The win at Smith Mountain Lake was special because it was my first, and in my first year on tour. I really didn’t know then what it meant to win,” he said.
“Now I know they’re hard to come by. I’m glad I won, but I’m real glad I won in South Carolina with all my family and friends.”
Two 3-pounders in the last 45 minutes of fishing put Ashley over the top. He took both on a shaky head rig after deciding that finesse techniques was what he had to do to correct a day that began slow and shut down quickly.
He had started fishing Sunday in what he said turned out to be the wrong choice of spots.
“The fish were there, but they just wouldn’t bite,” he said.
About two hours into his day, he made an adjustment by going to a new spot that got him going with a 3-pounder. He left it, came back, then lost a big one, and came back to catch another fish.
“And then it was over,” he said. “I had to go totally to finesse fishing after that.”
Sunday’s biggest bass, a 4-8, was brought in by Brian Snowden. But the 6-9 weighed by Day One leader Jami Fralick won the Berkley Big Bass of the Tournament competition for a $500 bonus.
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Photo by David A. Brown, FLWOutdoors.com
Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats pro Jim Tutt of Longview, Texas, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 19 pounds, 4 ounces Saturday
to win the EverStart Series Texas Division event on Lake Texoma with a
three-day total of 13 bass weighing 44 pounds even. For his victory,
Tutt earned $26,722 and a 198VX Ranger boat with a 200-horsepower
Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor.
 “I tried to catch them on a spinnerbait all week
but just couldn’t do it,” said Tutt. “I threw a Gambler Giggy Head and
got a lot of bites. On day two, the wind blew into my area and I had
four bites and caught three and thought I had blown it.
“And today I went to a little area that I had
fished and caught one small keeper,” continued Tutt. “I told myself I
was already in the top 10 and that is the hard part and I got a chance
to win, so I picked up the shaky head and went to brand new water. I
pulled into a little pocket and all four of my fish were within 20 feet
of the area and I fortunately caught them all.
“The money is awfully nice, of course, but the win
is cool,” added Tutt, who won his first event since 2002. “It is so
hard to win one of these things with so many good fishermen out there.
It is really cool because my wife and my dad came up to see me weigh-in
and it means a lot. I am very fortunate.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros are:
2nd: Gary Vining, Morgan City, La., 15 bass, 40-2, $9,162
3rd: Todd Castledine, Nacogdoches, Texas, 12 bass, 40-0, $7,635
4th: Don McFarlin, Gordonville, Texas, 15 bass, 33-11, $6,871
5th: Jerrel Pringle, Hemphill, Texas, 14 bass, 32-4, $6,108
6th: Charles Bebber, Willis, Texas, 13 bass, 31-7, $5,344
7th: Ryan Lovelace, Denison, Texas, 13 bass, 29-6, $4,581
8th: Todd Thomas, Fouke, Ark., 12 bass, 26-10, $3,817
9th: David Mauldin, Round Rock, Texas, 13 bass, 26-2, $3,054
10th: Landan Ware, Jewett, Texas, nine bass, 25-6, $2,290
Jeremy Guidry of Opelousas, La., caught the
biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division Thursday – a 6-pound,
3-ounce bass – that earned him the day’s EverStart Series Big Bass
award of $200.
Daren Scott of Fort Worth, Texas, won the
Co-angler Division and a Ranger boat with an Evinrude or Mercury
outboard motor with a three-day total of 11 bass weighing 21 pound, 15
ounces.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers are:
2nd: Gregg Swindle, Katy, Texas, eight bass, 18-14, $3,652
3rd: Brett Rachal, Monroe, La., 10 bass, 18-11, $3,246
4th: Russell Lohman, Pineville, La., seven bass, 16-10, $2,841
5th: Kenny Moser, Alba, Texas, six bass, 15-6, $2,435
6th: Bill Fussell, Thibdaux, La., six bass, 15-6, $2,029
7th: Stephen Francis, Brookeland, Texas, seven bass, 15-3, $1,623
8th: Lat Nichols, Deport, Texas, seven bass, 14-7, $1,217
9th: Trevor Rogge, San Antonio, Texas, six bass, 14-6, $812
10th: Aaron Towner, Anna, Texas, seven bass, 13-8, $649
Johnny Manning caught the biggest bass of the
tournament in the Co-angler Division Thursday – a 6-pound, 1-ounce bass –
that earned him the day’s EverStart Series Big Bass award of $133.
For more stories, photos and full results, visit FLWOutdoors.com.
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B.A.S.S. Communications
Four sporadic morning hours on a topwater bite were enough to carry Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., from the runner-up spot to the top Saturday in the Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash on Lake Murray.
Helped by a 15-13 day, Ashley added up 45 pounds, 14 ounces over three days, enough for a shot at a Bassmaster Elite Series win in his home state on Sunday.
He bested Michael Iaconelli of Pitts Grove, N.J., by 2 pounds, 9 ounces. But with the way the lake’s been fishing, the pro from New Jersey said it’s not enough for Ashley to feel complacent.
Ashley didn’t think so either. He’d be the first — was the first, actually — to acknowledge that the Lake Murray title is in the crosshairs of any of the top pros’ sights.
“I’ll have to catch 14, 15 again tomorrow to stay up in first place, and I could be passed then even if I do catch that,” Ashley said. “It’s tough out there, and it’s a day-to-day thing. The only thing that separates somebody having 15 pounds from 12 pounds is a big bite. Yesterday and today I got a good bite. Who knows if I get one tomorrow.”
Tough Lake Murray once again reshuffled much of the leaderboard Saturday. Trailing Ashley and Iaconelli were three rising pros within 4 ounces of each other: Jeff Connella, up from sixth place into third with 42-4; Kevin Wirth, up from eighth into fourth with 42-1, and Tommy Biffle, who jumped from 14th on Day Two into fifth with 42-0, thanks to a Day Three sack of 16-7.
The field was cut to the top 12 for the final day Sunday. The winner will claim the Bassmaster Elite Series trophy, $100,000 and an instant entry into the 2012 Bassmaster Classic.
Ashley made do on only seven bites Saturday. They all happened for him between 7:30 and 11:30 a.m.
“It took a while this morning for them to get fired up,” he said. “Then, after 11:30, I did not get another bite.”
He said he could not get a bass to take his lure unless he threw it into the center of schooling bass, and even then only one in 10 would commit.
“You could throw right into the middle of them, and they wouldn’t pay you any attention. It was crazy,” he said.
Iaconelli’s largest bass of the day, close to a 5-pounder, upgraded him enough to challenge the leader. While Iaconelli’s bites were earlier than Ashley’s, the New Jersey pro said all the action shut down as soon as the sun got high in the sky.
“I struggled then,” he said. “I keep trying different things to get those fish to bite after the sun gets high. So far I can’t do it.”
From Bentley, La., Connella was consistent. He produced similar-size bags three days in a row, all on the same pattern, every day. He said he was covering a lot of water, and “whoever follows me tomorrow is going to burn a lot of gas.”
Wirth of Crestwood, Ky., settled in at fourth place by “pecking away” at it and, perhaps, finding subtle differences that others are missing to sustain a bite beyond a few morning hours.
“I’m trying to key in on some off-the-wall stuff,” he said. “And I’ve been fortunate enough to get some better bites.”
Day Two leader Fred Roumbanis stumbled into 12th place, just making the cut. Day One leader Jami Fralick headed into the final round in sixth place. Edwin Evers sacked 18-8 to catapult from 45th and fish again Sunday.
Saturday’s biggest bass, a 6-2, was brought in by Russ Lane. But the 6-9 weighed by Day One leader Jami Fralick still holds the lead in the Berkley Big Bass of the Tournament competition for a $500 bonus.
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Utah’s Jordan Lochhead has been bass fishing for just three years, but he seemed a seasoned pro yesterday as he edged Colorado’s Seth Willard in the 15-18 age bracket to advance to the Junior World Championship later this year. In the 11-14 group, Washington’s Tanner Boday squeezed past Colorado’s Josh Villa by just an ounce.
A member of the High Country Junior Bass club, Lochhead also seemed a real pro at telling fish stories as he related how he caught the final keeper, which gave him an 8-9 limit. The bass hit his tube twice and twice he missed it, he said.
“Then I hooked it, but my line broke. I retied, put on another tube, and the fish hit again. This time I got him in and there was my first tube deep in his mouth.”
The 18-year-old senior from North Ogden caught all of his keepers on a tube rigged on a jighead, with the bite spread throughout the day. He dragged the bait along the bottom around big rocks and “transition” areas, he explained.
The Day Three bite was considerably better than what he experienced during two days of practice, when he caught just one fish and lost another. “Mostly we just figured out the lake, and then I got help from the team,” said the Utah angler who credited his friend, Tyler Ivie, for introducing him to bass fishing.
Boday also caught just one bass during practice. “It was kind of hard,” said the member of the Tri-City River Runners. “But we saw guys on the other side of the channel catching fish and that was where we headed the first thing this morning.”
The 13-year-old from Moses Lake quickly caught his two keepers on Day Three, with one coming on a crankbait and the other on a jerkbait. He pulled both of them out of water between rocks, he said.
This is Tanner’s second time as a Juniors state champion for Washington, added father Jeff Boday. “We live between Potholes Reservoir and Moses Lake,” he said. “Those are the best waters in the state for bass and so he gets lots of practice.”
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A prayer for Jennifer: Saturday morning on the takeoff dock, a man in a red shirt stood close to the edge, clutching plastic plates in his left hand.
He said he was Garry Frick from Indianapolis, Ind., and that he had been a Marshal on Friday, riding out with Bassmaster Elite Series pro Lee Sisson.
Saturday, Frick turned out to show his support for Sisson, a first-year Elite pro who had made his second top-50 cut of the year. Frick grabbed what was available — throwaway dinnerware — to create simple hand-written messages to hold up so Sisson would see them.
Plate No. 1 read: “Lee, Good Luck!”
“Friday, when I got in the boat and sat down, I could tell there was something weighing on him heavy,” Frick said. “He said, ‘I’m kind of torn about being here or home in Winter Haven, Florida.’ I asked him what he meant, and he began to tell me the story.”
Sisson, as Frick related it, was a new grandfather, the baby his son’s. The child was born weighing 2 1/2 pounds.
“Lee said they had to take the child early because the 36-year-old mother, Jennifer, had been diagnosed with a recurrence of brain cancer,” Frick related. “Lee said he wanted to go home, but he wanted to try to win $10,000 to give to the new parents.”
Sisson began the day in 40th place, well inside the top-50 “money” cutline that pays $10,000 through 49th place.
Plate No. 2 read: “One fish at a time.”
“He didn’t have a fish in the boat until about 10:30, and he was getting a little bit worried. But then he started figuring it out and got a limit, but you could see he was still worried about what was happening at home,” Frick related.
Frick readily related to medical troubles. He had recovered last year from a broken neck, an accident that happened when he was wade fishing. In January he fell into a diabetic coma in his home during a winter storm. A firefighter neighbor discovered him after four days, near death, said Frick.
“I know what I went through, and I’m OK now, so it’s no comparison to what Lee and his loved ones are going through. I’m the lucky one, and I wanted to show my support for Lee out there fishing today. He told me that if I had one prayer to spare, that I could send it to Jennifer.”
Plate No. 3: “One prayer for Jennifer.”
Rescue by Elite pro garners attention: When media outlets around Columbia, S.C., learned how an Elite pro helped rescue a man and a 2-year-old Thursday on Lake Murray, they wanted the story.
Suddenly Elite pro James Niggemeyer and his Day One marshal, Russ Sorrells of Lancaster, S.C., were on TV and being interviewed by various area print media. Bassmaster.com’s own Don Barone wrote about the incident.
The next day, Niggemeyer did not make the cut to fish Saturday.
“I guess this one’s over for me,” he said.
“But it’s not over for that child,” a reported said.
“That is what’s important here, isn’t it?” Niggemeyer replied.
A fluke catch: Many Elite pros are skipping flukes on Lake Murray this week, trying to key in on the pattern of bass busting spawning blueback herring, the lake’s prolific forage.
Marty Robinson, using a double fluke rig, hooked two bass on it Thursday at the same time. He fought them long enough to see both of the fish.
“One was bigger than the other, about 4 pounds,” he said. “They pulled against each other, and the heavier fish won.”
If neither fish had won the tug-of-war, Robinson would have fared much better on the first day’s leaderboard. Still, he went into Day Three in 11th place.
Robinson, local favorite from Lyman, S.C., has fished Lake Murray for years.
Sister support: Jason Williamson’s sisters sang the national anthem Friday at the Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash. The 21-year-old twins, Kayla and Nicole, often team up to perform, and sang at the 2008 version of the Clash as well as at other Elite tournaments near their Aiken, S.C., home.
They sung at the Clarks Hill event of the Elite Series in May 2010, which Jason Williamson won.
“So it was really special that time,” Nicole said. “We come to see Jason whenever we can,” Kayla added.
The sisters said they have performed together all their lives. They began to enter gospel competitions when they were 14. Now they are college students aiming for medical careers.
Williamson (the Elite pro) was in 18th place after two days.
Lure-shy: “It’s all about change here. If you don’t get that first bite, you have to keep changing (lures), show the fish what maybe nobody else has shown them — or at least that nobody’s shown them in the past 30 minutes.” — Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C.
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Pro
Jeff Graves of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and co-angler Keith Keivens of
Toledo, Ohio, caught five walleyes weighing 42 pounds, 7 ounces Friday
to propel Graves into the lead at the National Guard FLW Walleye Tour
tournament on Lake Erie. Graves now has a two-day catch of 10 walleyes
weighing 82-9 and a slim 12-ounce lead over second place going into the
final day of competition. Anglers are fishing for top awards of up to
$63,000 in the Pro Division and up to $10,500 in the Co-angler Division.
“We were boat number two, so we were the last boat out today,” Graves
said. “So we got to follow the pack today, but we got out and set our
lines and got into the fish early. We had three doubles today and caught
a total of nine fish and lost two.”
Graves estimated his largest fish of the day to be just more than 11
pounds and said he caught his first double at 8:15 a.m. Graves credited
the Reef Runner crankbait to his success on the water Friday and said he
had his work cut out for him in order to protect his fragile lead on
the final day of competition.
“It’s not much of a lead,” Graves said. “It’s just a couple of ounces.
It’s going to be a tough day of fishing but hopefully we’ll get it
done.”
Rounding out the top 10 pros are:
2nd: Tom Keenan, Hatley, Wis., 10 walleyes, 81-13
3rd: Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis., 10 walleyes, 73-5
4th: Day one leader Danny Steffens, Oxford, Wis., nine walleyes, 71-15
5th: AMP Energy/Diet Mountain Dew pro John Balla, Bartlett, Ill., 10 walleyes, 70-3
6th: Scott Geitgey, Canton, Ohio, nine walleyes, 62-13
7th: Mark Gwizdala, Kawkawlin, Mich., nine walleyes, 60-13
8th: Shawn Ritchie, Spencer, Ohio, nine walleyes, 58-15
9th: Mark Brumbaugh, Arcanum, Ohio, 10 walleyes, 57-8
10th: Jeff Vereeke, Grand Rapids, Mich., 10 walleyes, 56-10
Ed Szymczak of Osceola, Ind., leads the Co-angler Division with 10
walleyes weighing 63-12 followed by Daniel Leach of Linwood, Mich., in
second place with 10 walleyes weighing 63-1.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers are:
3rd: Mike Bentz, Brookville, Ind., nine walleyes, 60-9
4th: Todd Rairigh, Sheffield Lake, Ohio, nine walleyes, 59-0
5th: Jim Milewsky, Bondurant, Iowa, nine walleyes, 58-0
6th: John Spiegel, Appleton, Wis., seven walleyes, 56-13
7th: Dale Janota, Gillette, Wyo., eight walleyes, 56-1
8th: Tim Depooter, Rock Island, Ill., eight walleyes, 55-11
9th: Mike Taylor, Midland, Mich., seven walleyes, 53-15
10th: Tyrone Larson, Amherst, Wis., nine walleyes, 53-1
Overall there were 342 walleyes weighing 2,071 pounds, 5 ounces caught
by 131 boats Friday. The catch included 29 five-walleye limits.
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Story and photos courtesy of B.A.S.S. Communications
In a second-day rally to repeat his 2008 Bassmaster Elite Series title on Lake Murray, Fred Roumbanis shot from 34th place into the lead Friday at the Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash.
With a catch of 18-4 Friday for a two-day total of 30-9, the pro from Bixby, Okla., kept two South Carolina challengers at bay, but just barely. Eight ounces back was Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., who put up 30-1 for two days. A home-lake favorite, Davy Hite of Ninety Six, S.C., fell one spot into third with 29-7 after two days.
Fourth and fifth places were secured by pros from Missouri: Brian Snowden with 28-5, and Rick Clunn with 27-12.
Roumbanis struggled on the first day, but was able to turn it around and establish a pattern he said is strong enough to carry him to a repeat win. He encountered a slight hitch: The pattern drew strikes from stripers, too.
“It was a little slow because I started catching striped bass. Every time I’d hook a fish, I’d say, ‘Please be a bass, please be a bass.’”
But after about two hours of fishing, the fish he was hooking into began to be largemouth. The action picked up speed, and it was success for the remainder of the day.
“I caught a good 15-pound bag in an hour,” he said. “And then it really picked up even more.”
He said his pattern held from spot to spot, producing a fish every time he put the trolling motor down.
At one point in the day, he tried to catch a fish that wrapped a tree and broke off the first day. He made up for it Friday by patiently playing a 4-pounder that was wrapped in a tree in deep water, probably a Christmas tree someone planted as a fish attractor, he said.
“I hooked it and could feel it getting stuck in something. I could look down and see the tree. I held there for 15 minutes, going back and forth on the trolling motor to make it move just a little each time. I knew it was a big one.”
The bass popped free from the tree branch, and Roumbanis reeled it in. Added to a 5-5 earlier, he was pumped for the day.
“It’s so much easier when you can catch a couple big ones from the get-go,” said Roumbanis, whose 2008 win on Murray was his most recent Bassmaster win, and first Elite-level victory.
South Carolina native Ashley climbed from seventh place to take the runner-up position. His second-day bag was 15-4, not too off from his first-day catch of 14-13, but it carried him past others who were not as consistent.
Ashley keyed on the early morning blueback herring bite.
“I got a big bite this morning,” he said. “I watched that fish come up, blowing bait on a point, five times yesterday, but I couldn’t get her to bite. This morning, I pulled in there and pretty much just waited for it to come up.”
Ashley patiently waited five minutes, and the fish hit the bait as soon as it hit the water on the first cast. He said he could see other fish on the same spot, but he could not get them to bite.
“These banks have been beat by everybody throwing topwaters, everybody throwing flukes,” he said. “The fish are still there, they are just very educated.”
Hite, who lived in Prosperity before moving to the nearby town of Ninety Six, fell one place Friday with 13-0, not as good as his first day of 16-7. He’s confident he can move back up.
“I missed a couple opportunities,” he said. “You don’t get many opportunities for good quality fish, and yesterday I capitalized on the ones that bit, today I didn’t.”
He said the bass are “hook-shy” due to pressure and don’t commit to the bait, so it’s easy to lose one.
Friday’s biggest bass, a 5-9, was by Dean Rojas, the winner of April’s TroKar Battle on the Bayou in Louisiana. Thursday’s biggest bass of 6-9 brought in by Day One leader Jami Fralick still holds the lead in the Berkley Big Bass of Tournament competition for a $500 bonus.
The competition for $100,000 and an instant entry into the 2012 Bassmaster Classic will continue Saturday with the top 50 finishers from Friday. The field will cut to the top 12 for Sunday’s competition.
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Rod and reel anglers of all kinds are connected by a common thread, literally, in that they rely on fishing line as their link between man and fish. Nylon monofilament, ever since first coming on the fishing scene in the mid-1930s, has grown to become the predominant line type of choice because of its affordability, strength and durability.
In fact, monofilament line is so durable that scientists say it can remain in the environment for as long as 600 years. With that said, there's probably not a fisherman out there who hasn't lost a fish or a favorite lure because of having become entangled in old fishing line snags underwater. The reality is that our country's 30 million anglers, age 16 and older, who spend an average of 17 days per year fishing, use a lot of fishing line.
Fortunately, leaders in the recreational fishing industry have always been the ones to keep the environment and tomorrow's anglers in mind, and that is exactly why Eagle Claw® Fishing Tackle Co. proudly offers bioline®, a true 100 percent biodegradable premium fishing line that was born from the medical industry. Bioline is engineered to retain its strength and durability for 10-12 months of use, and then completely degrade in water or on land within five years.
"Bioline has all of the performance properties of monofilament - outstanding abrasion and knot strength, and the clarity of fluorocarbon - but is highly more environment friendly," said Chris Russell, Marketing Director at Wright & McGill Co. "Fishermen themselves have always been this sport's greatest advocates for doing the right thing to pass forward the legacy of fishing, and fishermen really 'get it' as to why biodegradable fishing line is a big deal."
Bioline is made from a special formula of biodegradable polymers, resulting in the earth-friendly alternative to nylon because it does breakdown so much faster to become a simple combination of carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O) and biomass. The degradation process starts at the surface of the line, with microorganisms breaking down and digesting bioline with the aid of sunlight and moisture.
Bioline begins to lose its tensile strength in 10-12 months of use. As its tensile strength deteriorates, it becomes much less a nuisance to all who enjoy the aquatic environment, including wildlife and anglers.
Of all anglers, crappie fishermen in particular especially benefit from biodegradable fishing line because they spend the majority of their pursuit of the species in and around cover, especially submerged wood. Hardwood brushpiles can provide good crappie habitat for years and years, but the most popular ones can end up a mess through an accumulation of snagged and broken-off lines over time.
"Without a doubt, old fishing line in the water is our number one nuisance in how a lot of us fish for the big slabs here in Mississippi," said crappie guide Bo Hudson of Jackson. "When we're long-line trolling over or near brush with several lines out, it can get ugly in a hurry upon encountering snagged lines down there. Who wouldn't want biodegradable fishing lines to become the standard for our sport?"
Mike Taylor, a fishing guide from Okmulgee, Okla., shared similar thoughts. "I have favorite brushpiles I have to avoid with my novice-angling clients because they get hung up so bad on all the previous break-offs down there," he said. "It's a lot easier to get a lure, hook or fish free from a branch or stump than it is from snarled fishing line. I love the thought of my brushpiles being self-cleaning through use of bioline."
Another reason bioline is a natural for crappie anglers is because of available line sizes and filler spool capacities. Bioline comes in 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 lb. test, and each size is sold on a spool containing 225 yards. As a general rule, crappie reels are small and hold less than 100 yards of line, meaning a spool of bioline is good for two or three fill-ups. Bioline retails for around $11.99 per spool.
Bioline packaging is engineered to be air and water tight for use in storing the unused portion in between refills. It is recommended the package be kept in a cool and dry place.
"Today's reels perform best with fresh line and their spools filled to the maximum level, so anglers in-the-know are already changing their line on a frequent basis throughout the season," said Russell. "Since we guarantee bioline to retain 100 percent of its strength for the average use of 10 months, this Eagle Claw product is the perfect answer for anglers interested in doing their part for the environment. Bioline is a first-class line and worthy of consideration for any angler and all kinds of fishing."
Eagle Claw got its start in the late 1920s and has always been a leader in innovative, environmentally friendly products that serve the present needs of current anglers while also preserving the planet for future generations to enjoy. In addition to bioline, other "Fish Green®" products in the Eagle Claw lineup include non-lead weights and sinkers, circle hooks, barbless hooks and degradable packaging.
For more information about Eagle Claw bioline, visit www.biolinefishing.com. For more information about Eagle Claw, visit www.eagleclaw.com.
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Pro Danny Steffens of Oxford, Wis., and co-angler Brandon Finck of
Jackson, Minn., brought in five walleyes weighing 42 pounds, 15 ounces
Thursday to lead day one of the National Guard FLW Walleye Tour
tournament on Lake Erie. The pair now holds a 1-pound, 10-ounce lead
over their closest rivals in the event featuring 131 pros and 131
co-anglers fishing for top awards of $63,000 in the Pro Division and
$10,500 in the Co-angler Division.
“This morning we were going out to some places where I was running some
harnesses and things just weren’t picking up,” Steffens said. “We got
some small fish right away. And I said to Brandon, ‘I came here to win. I
know where there are some big fish. Let’s go see if we can catch
them.’”
Steffens said he relocated to a spot where the water was clearer and
the pair got into the walleyes. Steffens didn’t want to tip his hand to
his methods but was quick to share his excitement about his catch.
“It was an amazing bag,” Steffens said. “I couldn’t believe it was
happening. I hope I can stay right in this thing here and really come
through for tomorrow.
“I’m super pumped,” Steffens added. “I’m so pumped up right now I could just cry.”
Rounding out the remainder of the top 10 pros and co-anglers after day one on Lake Erie are:
2nd: Gary Parsons, Glidden, Wis., Dave Barrett, Mosinee, Wis., five walleyes, 41-5
3rd: Jeff Graves, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, John Spiegel, Appleton, Wis., five walleyes, 40-2
4th: AMP Energy and Diet Mountain Dew pro John Balla, Bartlett, Ill., Mirko Canji, Belle River, Ont., five walleyes, 38-15
5th: Keith Kavajecz, Kaukauna, Wis., Dale Janota, Gillette, Wyo., five walleyes, 38-8
6th: Charles Robinson, Perrysburg, Ohio, Todd Rairigh, Sheffield Lake, Ohio, five walleyes, 36-8
7th: Shawn Ritchie, Spencer, Ohio, Tim Depooter, Rock Island, Ill., five walleyes, 36-7
8th: Tom Keenan, Hatley, Wis., Don Bell, Fritch, Texas, five walleyes, 35-7
9th: David Kolb, Rockford, Mich., David Lukjanovs, Springfield, Ohio, five walleyes, 35-6
10th: Chase Parsons, Brillion, Wis., Daniel Leach, Linwood, Mich., five walleyes, 35-2
Overall there were 292 walleyes weighing 1,727 pounds, 2 ounces caught
by 113 boats Thursday. The catch included 20 five-walleye limits.
In Walleye Tour competition, pro and co-anglers are also competing for
valuable points in the hope of qualifying for a shot at the 2011 National
Guard FLW Walleye Tour Championship held on the Missouri River in
Bismarck, N.D., Sept. 22-25.Anglers are also vying for the coveted
Angler of the Year title, which earns them a place in the 2012 Walleye
Tour Championship, as well as $10,000 for the pro and $2,500 for the
co-angler.
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Photos and story Courtesy of B.A.S.S. Communications
Jami Fralick was struggling on Lake Murray until he landed a 6-pound, 9-ounce largemouth, the anchor to his 17-9 bag and the key to the first-day lead in the Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash.
“It was tough out there. I didn’t get the number of bites I thought I was going to get. I was fortunate to catch that 6-9 — that turns around a tough day pretty fast,” said the pro from Martin, S.D.
Fralick edged ahead of Davy Hite of Ninety Six, S.C., who considers Lake Murray home water. The winner of the season’s third event, Hite had 16-7 to show for his day.
Bass fishing legend Rick Clunn was third with 15-12, and John Crews ended the day in fourth place just 1 ounce behind Clunn. Rounding out the top five with 15-8 was Steve Kennedy, who on May 8 won the Elite event on West Point Lake in his native Georgia.
The day started with fishing-favorable overcast skies, but ripened to hot sun over slick water, factors that made the postspawn bite on Murray a challenge for most of the Bassmaster Elite Series field. Only 78 of the 99 anglers were able to bring in limits.
Fralick was still after his limit when he landed his 6-9 at about 11 a.m. He followed up with an afternoon of junk fishing.
Unlike many in the field, who pulled up in a spot only to see another boat and then move on, Fralick said that after he landed his big bass, he moved to an area he had mostly to himself, an area that was new water for him. It was his remedy for the slow afternoon he had learned to expect over three days of practice. His decision helped him to 10 keeper-size bass Thursday.
“I caught one here, one there, doing a lot of different things, just fishing. If I saw a flat that looked good, I’d go fish it,” he said.
Contrary to his practice experience, Fralick was stumped by the early morning blueback herring-spawn bite.
“I had five bites in the first hour and a half. I never landed them, they came off. But that’s the key here. Tomorrow I’m going to have to catch them first thing in the morning,” said Fralick. He expressed surprise that he could take the lead of the Clash without the early bite that many in the field had declared was critical.
Hite said he caught fish in many areas and throughout the day.
“Early morning’s better, I think for everybody a little bit. But it’s key to catch fish throughout the day,” he said.
He declined to comment on the role an early blueback herring bite played or did not play in his day, and emphasized that the tournament was just beginning.
“I like to call this (Thursday) the first quarter — we have four days to fish,” he said.
Clunn said his day began — and almost ended — with the textbook Lake Murray early morning herring bite that lasted two to three hours for him.
“You’ve got to get your good fish then,” he said. “After that, you might as well go have coffee and biscuits.”
Fralick’s 6-9 set the pace for the event’s Berkley Big Bass of Tournament bonus of $500.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Jami Fralick Martin, SD 5 17-09 305
Day 1: 5 17-09
2. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 5 16-07 295
Day 1: 5 16-07
3. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 5 15-12 290
Day 1: 5 15-12
4. John Crews Salem, VA 5 15-11 285
Day 1: 5 15-11
5. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 5 15-08 280
Day 1: 5 15-08
6. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 5 15-04 276
Day 1: 5 15-04
7. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 5 14-13 272
Day 1: 5 14-13
8. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 5 14-10 268
Day 1: 5 14-10
9. Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 5 14-05 264
Day 1: 5 14-05
10. Jeff Connella Bentley, LA 5 14-04 260
Day 1: 5 14-04
10. Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 5 14-04 260
Day 1: 5 14-04
12. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 5 14-02 254
Day 1: 5 14-02
12. Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, NC 5 14-02 254
Day 1: 5 14-02
14. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 5 14-01 248
Day 1: 5 14-01
15. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 5 14-00 245
Day 1: 5 14-00
16. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 5 13-15 243
Day 1: 5 13-15
17. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 5 13-13 241
Day 1: 5 13-13
18. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 13-12 239
Day 1: 5 13-12
18. Morizo Shimizu Matsugaoka JAPAN 5 13-12 239
Day 1: 5 13-12
20. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 5 13-11 235
Day 1: 5 13-11
21. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 13-10 233
Day 1: 5 13-10
22. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 5 13-03 231
Day 1: 5 13-03
23. David Smith Del City, OK 5 13-02 229
Day 1: 5 13-02
24. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 5 13-01 227
Day 1: 5 13-01
25. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 5 12-15 225
Day 1: 5 12-15
26. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 5 12-14 223
Day 1: 5 12-14
27. Dean Alexander Georgetown, TX 5 12-12 221
Day 1: 5 12-12
27. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 5 12-12 221
Day 1: 5 12-12
29. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 5 12-11 217
Day 1: 5 12-11
30. Rick Morris Virginia Beach, VA 5 12-10 215
Day 1: 5 12-10
30. Clark Reehm Lufkin, TX 5 12-10 215
Day 1: 5 12-10
32. Keith Poche Troy, AL 5 12-09 211
Day 1: 5 12-09
33. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 5 12-07 209
Day 1: 5 12-07
34. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 5 12-05 207
Day 1: 5 12-05
35. Peter E Thliveros St Augustine, FL 5 12-02 205
Day 1: 5 12-02
36. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 5 12-01 203
Day 1: 5 12-01
37. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 5 12-00 201
Day 1: 5 12-00
37. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 5 12-00 201
Day 1: 5 12-00
39. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 5 11-15 197
Day 1: 5 11-15
40. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 5 11-14 195
Day 1: 5 11-14
41. Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 5 11-11 193
Day 1: 5 11-11
42. Kelly Jordon Palestine, TX 5 11-10 191
Day 1: 5 11-10
43. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 5 11-09 189
Day 1: 5 11-09
44. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 5 11-03 187
Day 1: 5 11-03
44. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 5 11-03 187
Day 1: 5 11-03
46. Derek Remitz Grant, AL 5 11-01 183
Day 1: 5 11-01
47. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 5 10-14 181
Day 1: 5 10-14
48. Chad Griffin Cresson, TX 5 10-12 179
Day 1: 5 10-12
49. Randy Howell Springville, AL 4 10-11 177
Day 1: 4 10-11
50. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 5 10-10 175
Day 1: 5 10-10
50. David Walker Sevierville, TN 5 10-10 175
Day 1: 5 10-10
52. Nate Wellman Newaygo, MI 5 10-08 171
Day 1: 5 10-08
53. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 5 10-02 169
Day 1: 5 10-02
54. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 10-00 167
Day 1: 5 10-00
55. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 5 09-14 165
Day 1: 5 09-14
56. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 5 09-13 163
Day 1: 5 09-13
57. Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, FL 5 09-12 161
Day 1: 5 09-12
57. Zell Rowland Austin, TX 5 09-12 161
Day 1: 5 09-12
57. Lee Sisson Winter Haven, FL 5 09-12 161
Day 1: 5 09-12
60. Bradley Hallman Norman, OK 5 09-11 155
Day 1: 5 09-11
60. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 09-11 155
Day 1: 5 09-11
62. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 5 09-08 151
Day 1: 5 09-08
63. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 5 09-03 149
Day 1: 5 09-03
64. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 5 09-02 147
Day 1: 5 09-02
65. Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 5 09-00 145
Day 1: 5 09-00
66. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 5 08-15 143
Day 1: 5 08-15
67. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 5 08-13 141
Day 1: 5 08-13
68. Terry Butcher Talala, OK 5 08-09 139
Day 1: 5 08-09
69. Ben Parker Union City, TN 5 08-08 137
Day 1: 5 08-08
70. Billy McCaghren Mayflower, AR 5 08-07 135
Day 1: 5 08-07
71. Matt Greenblatt Port St Lucie, FL 5 08-03 133
Day 1: 5 08-03
72. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 5 08-02 131
Day 1: 5 08-02
73. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 08-01 129
Day 1: 5 08-01
74. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 5 07-14 127
Day 1: 5 07-14
75. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 4 07-14 125
Day 1: 4 07-14
76. Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 4 07-12 123
Day 1: 4 07-12
77. Pete Ponds Madison, MS 5 07-11 121
Day 1: 5 07-11
78. Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 5 07-10 119
Day 1: 5 07-10
79. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 4 07-10 117
Day 1: 4 07-10
80. Dennis Tietje Roanoke, LA 5 07-00 115
Day 1: 5 07-00
81. Craig Schuff Watauga, TX 4 07-00 113
Day 1: 4 07-00
82. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 3 06-10 111
Day 1: 3 06-10
83. Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, OK 5 06-01 109
Day 1: 5 06-01
84. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 5 05-14 107
Day 1: 5 05-14
85. Jonathon VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 4 05-12 105
Day 1: 4 05-12
86. Russell Parrish Riesel, TX 4 05-11 103
Day 1: 4 05-11
87. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 3 05-08 101
Day 1: 3 05-08
88. Alton Jones Waco, TX 4 05-05 99
Day 1: 4 05-05
89. Travis Manson De Pere, WI 4 05-02 97
Day 1: 4 05-02
90. Matt Herren Trussville, AL 3 05-02 95
Day 1: 3 05-02
91. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 3 04-14 93
Day 1: 3 04-14
92. Ryan Said Wixom, MI 4 04-08 91
Day 1: 4 04-08
93. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 3 03-14 89
Day 1: 3 03-14
94. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 2 03-13 87
Day 1: 2 03-13
95. Brent Broderick Oregonia, OH 2 03-06 85
Day 1: 2 03-06
96. Pat Golden High Point, NC 2 02-02 83
Day 1: 2 02-02
97. James Stricklin Texarkania, TX 2 02-01 81
Day 1: 2 02-01
98. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 1 01-11 79
Day 1: 1 01-11
99. Grant Goldbeck Boerne, TX 1 01-02 77
Day 1: 1 01-02
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 78 455 1009-07
----------------------------------
78 455 1009-07
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A pair of accomplished anglers from Grand Rapids will host Governor Mark Dayton and Lt. Governor Yvonne Prettner Solon on Pokegama Lake for the 2011 Governor’s Fishing Opener on May 14. Wired2Fish's Scott Glorvigen will fish with Governor Dayton, and Gordon Fothergill will fish with Lt. Governor Prettner Solon.
Glorvigen is a professional walleye angler, co-owner of Gemini Sport Marketing and Wired2Fish, and host of Wired2Fish Television. Among his career accomplishments, Glorvigen is the only person to have won both the Professional Walleye Trail (PWT) and the RCL walleye championships.
When he is not competing in fishing tournaments, Glorvigen enjoys hunting trophy whitetail, duck hunting with his kids, and steelhead fishing on rivers throughout the Great Lakes area.
Fothergill has been fishing for most of the 40 years he has lived in the Grand Rapids area. With a passion for the outdoors, he takes full advantage of every season. Summer is filled with fishing tournaments and days spent with others on the water. Other favorite activities include snowmobiling, camping, and bow hunting.
Forthergill works as the quality control manager and raw material procurement specialist for Lonza Inc., a specialty chemical company.
Glorvigen and Forthergill are seasoned veterans on Minnesota's many fine fisheries and the Governor and Lt. Governor are sure to have a blast fishing with these two. We'll post some pictures from the event through our social networking channels and on Wired2Fish.com.
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Every now and again we find a product we go gaga over and ask the question "why didn't we think of that?" SeaDek Foam pads from Seadek Marine Products are one of those products. Todd Hammill, COO at Wired2Fish, was looking for something to both protect the top surface of the nose of his boat and keep him from slipping when he was getting into his Ranger from the dock. He found it with Seadek.
SeaDek foam pads can be ordered for specific boats but different sized sections and colors can be purchased online as well. For less than 60 bucks you can get a piece that can be cut to size easily with a pair of scissors and the application is simple. All you have to do is cut a template from a piece of paper or cardboard, draw around it and cut it to size. An adhesive backing allows them to stay in place. These pads are made for wet conditions and won't absorb water but even wet have good grip.
Terry Brown, President of Wired2Fish, put 4 pads on his Ranger Banshee, both on the front and back decks, to provide a non-slip surface while fishing. They not only keep you from slipping but can relieve fatigue on your legs as well.
This is a great product and one we thought we should pass along to Wired2Fish Readers!
To learn more about SeaDek or to order go to the SeaDek Website. They also provide some instructional videos that can help you with your installation on the site. |
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By Terry Brown
There are more and more tournaments that are instituting off limits periods prior to their events. This is true for professional events, but more and more year-end classics are instituting this rule as well. You are dying to get on the water and may have the available time and resources to go early, but the off limits rule restricts you from being there. An old trick I have used for years is to do an area search for a lake near the tournament waters that meets tournament directors guidelines for the off limits period and can be fished. Dialing in a pattern or where the fish are positioned on the alternate body of water can clue you in to what will happen when practice begins and off limits is lifted.
Some considerations for comparison includes:
1. Find a similar size lake if one is available. If one is not available look for one that has similar characteristics. Creeks, points, bottom structure, flooded timber or rock. This can give you a clue where to start on the tournament lake.
2. Check main lake water temps- this is a good indicator of water temps on the tournament lake if the lake is smaller than the tournament destination.
3. Depending on time of year and weather check water clarity. This can help narrow down bait selection and areas of the lake bass are likely to congregate.
4. Check for current-this is easy to accomplish by looking at day marks or fixed objects. Typically if one lake is pulling both may be.
5. The chosen lake should be in the same geographic area.
By fishing an adjacent or regionally alike lake, you can cut down your practice time on the tournament waters and pinpoint fish holding areas more quickly.
Make sure you check with your respective tournament director before fishing. He/She needs to know what you are doing so no rules are
compromised.
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The Abu Garcia design team based in Sweden has been nominated for The
Swedish Design Award for the Revo Premier low profile baitcast reel.
The video below showcases the development of the reel for the awards
ceremony and gives an insiders view of Patrik Svensson, the lead
engineer for Abu Garcia baitcast reels.
Here is a video about the award and design.
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Tournament organizers announced today that 191 teams representing 380 collegiate
anglers are registered to compete in the 2011
BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship. Because the field size for the
event is capped at 300 anglers, a waiting list has been created to identify
which anglers will fill the spots left vacant by registered anglers who are
unable to make the trip.
This year's event will
feature an international field, including a team representing the Canadian
Collegiate Bass Anglers as well as the defending national high school champions
from The Bass Federation, all of whom will meet at Lake Lewisville, Texas on May
26 and 27 to decide the 2011 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing National
Championship. The anglers competing for this prestigious championship title have
earned the opportunity to represent their schools based on their tournament
performances over the past year.
"These students have worked
hard to get here," said BoatUS
Angler Brand Manager Steve Levi. "Now their sole focus is all about landing
the biggest catch. Our focus will be to ensure that boat problems don't stand in
their way. We'll be providing on-the-water assistance just like we do in
waterways across the country, on every day of the year." Capt. Jay Nunnally of
TowBoatUS Lake Lewisville will shadow the fleet daily in his fully equipped
response vessel, ready to help with a breakdown, running aground or running out
of gas.
The official practice
fishing days are May 24 and 25. Following practice on May 24th, the Cabela's
retail store in Ft. Worth, Texas, will host the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing
Day where the competitors will enjoy meeting professional bass anglers like
Clark Wendlandt, Jeff Kriet, Mike McClelland, Kelly Jordon and others who will
be on hand providing seminars and shopping assistance. Every two-person team
attending the event will be provided a $100 Cabela's gift card to help outfit
themselves prior to the event.
Registration, the
pre-tournament banquet and rules meeting will take place on the evening of the
25th. Event sponsors will have displays on site for the purpose of providing
information about their products and services as well as product samples. All
told more than $100,000 in scholarships, prizes and product samples will be
awarded during the event.
The full field of anglers
will compete on May 26 and 27. Take off will occur at safe light each morning
from Sneaky Pete's and weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m. Careco TV will have camera
teams on hand to capture all the action for the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing
Championship television series which will air on the Versus network this fall on
Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. Eighteen-and-one-half hours of dedicated television
coverage will showcase the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series
which is sanctioned by the Association of Collegiate Anglers.
Full event coverage,
including updates from the water will be available throughout the event at www.collegiatebasschampionship.com.
"The amount of
registrations this year has simply been amazing because you've got the best
collegiate anglers - as determined by their own schools - competing for the
national title," said Tournament Director Wade Middleton. "It's never been more
evident on how tough it is for the college teams to determine who competes in
this prestigious field, as some of the schools have up to a dozen events that
help determine who will represent them at the national championship. This one
will be a great one to watch on-site as well as on television, no question about
it."
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Staying dry is not an option, its a must have and essential. The new Simms Pro-Dry Rainsuit will keep you dry in the most miserable of conditions. Light mist or a heavy down pour is not a challenge for the Pro-Dry.
Building a suit with the best material is a must. The GORE-TEX® Pro Shell fabric Simms, utilized in this suit, offers incredible breathability and 100% waterproof protection. This suit is guaranteed for Extreme Wet Weather – up to 22” of rainfall per hour! This light and comfortable suit was made for running in high powered boats and staying dry while on the water fishing.
If you are a guide or a professional angler you can get one of these killer suits at a discounted price by emailing your information to proangler@simmsfishing.com.
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We sat down and put together out pundit picks for this week's Bassmaster Elite Series even on Lake Murray in South Carolina. It's here about a week earlier than the 2008 event in which Fred Roumbanis won on a Snagproof Frog. But this is also a blueback herring lake which means their could be a crazy topwater and swimbait bite also. There are a few places that set up well for cranking and a mop jig always produces here. So it made picks for this one a little tough.
Todd's Picks
A. Kevin VanDam – KVD is looking to
take over the three-horse race down the stretch run of the Angler of the
Year. Not to mention this is the second half of the season where VanDam
usually starts winning events with his cranking system and making
things tough on the rest of the field.
B. Terry Scroggins – Like KVD, Scroggins also wants to lead the three horse race.
C. Fred Roumbanis –
I picked him last time thinking he had a breakout event coming. Since
it wasn't last week, it's a push to this week. Nevermind that he's
already won on the frog here.
D. Greg Vinson – Vinson is fishing extremely well thus far and mostly going unnoticed. He's also the highest ranked angler in Group D.
E. Andy Montgomery – This is probably the toughest group to
pick from. There’s at least 6 guys in this field that could close the
deal and win this event. Ultimately, I went with the most consistent
this season of the bunch.
Jason's Picks
A. Edwin Evers - Evers has simply been on fire with his fishing over the last 12 months. We expect it to continue here where he placed third three years ago. He's a tireless gamer who practices well past dark at times. Wouldn't surprise us to see him win another this season.
B. Casey Ashley - This is a blueback herring lake in the post spawn. Local knowledge can likely play in this type of tournament. So I'm going with a trio of SC guys starting with Ashley. He knows the lake and he's been relatively quiet this season. Maybe his new CD launch will put some good mojo in his boat.
C. Davy Hite - Another SC pick here. I like Hite for a couple of reasons. There is a chance a swimbait can play big here, but so could a mop jig or a topwater. He's good with all of them and I like the SC boys to do well in this event.
D. Marty Robinson - another relatively quiet season and nothing kick starts a year like fishing in your home state. Just ask Terry Scroggins.
E. Andy Montgomery - This could be one of those tournaments where covering a lot of water quickly could play big. Montgomery is a blitzer. He fishes fast but thorough and leaves no stone untouched. So he could really shine on this lake if moving fast is the name of the game.
Terry's Picks
A. Kevin VanDam - No grass here and anglers will need to power fish. Making timely decisions on the water will be crucial and that plays into KVD's wheelhouse.
B. Gary Klein - He needs a win or a strong performance. Always focused and this could fit his style.
C. Takahiro Omori - Tak needs a big finish here and the crankbait bite should be a key. Takahiro knows crankbaits like the back of his hand.
D. Greg Vinson - A carry over for me from the last event. He continues to gain momentum and his versatility has been impressive.
E. Ott DeFoe - Sticking with the horse I rode in on. A great stick and fishes to his strengths. Ott knows how to fish post spawn well and this could set up for a big time post spawn bite.
Who are your picks?
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Fresh off another fantastic Bassmaster Elite Series finish, Edwin Evers is giving away the farm. Well not really a farm, but $500 worth of lures, sunglasses and accessories ideal for stocking up on big bass this summer.
Edwin has handpicked all the lures he relies on for summer fishing. His choices range from Heddon’s Zara Spooks for the early morning topwater bite, to deep diving Bomber crankbaits for when the sun gets high in the hazy sky, and all sorts of YUM soft-plastics that have helped Edwin win nearly $2 million dollars on tour.
Plus to protect your eyes from summer’s blazing rays, Edwin is including a pair of Wiley-X sunglasses valued at more than $100 and a Cook’s Tackle System to help organize all the lures you might win.
No strings attached. All you have to do is visit the “contest” section at EdwinEvers.com, sign-up, sit back and hope Edwin randomly draws your name on May 31.
Edwin already has more give-aways planned for future months.
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Jones still on point after West Point: At first glance, the tiptop of the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings appears to be a snapshot of what it was before the May 5-8 Pride of Georgia event on West Point Lake.
Alton Jones still leads, Terry Scroggins is still the runner-up, and Kevin VanDam is still in third place.
The not-so-obvious difference is that there are 107 points between Jones and Scroggins, and 118 points between Jones and VanDam.
Jones of Waco, Texas, wrapped up another stellar performance and with it, the fifth-round claim to the lead in the 2011 race for Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year. Jones finished in sixth place at the Pride of Georgia, the fifth of eight events in the regular Bassmaster Elite Series season. That gave him enough points to secure the points lead for the fourth consecutive time.
“I’ve got to keep saying it: This is not a sprint, this is a marathon. Now, the last tournament — that’s going to be a sprint. But right now, it’s about consistency; it’s about making Top-12 cuts and high finishes,” Jones said.
He contends that his TTBAOY goal is helping him narrow his focus on the water.
“It’s fun to have the ‘big goal’ out there of Angler of the Year, but that’s got to be for between tournaments. When I’m on the water, the goal is the next fish. Every ounce is critical. I’m thinking about that with every cast, being real careful, making sure that I’m presenting the lure to make a catch that will help me,” Jones said.
Other big movers in the TTBAOY standings included Ish Monroe, up 29 places into 35th; Denny Brauer, up 17 places to 28th; Jared Lintner, up 15 ticks to settle in at 12th; and Bobby Lane, who helped himself into 20th place with a Top-12 finish in Georgia.
Lane’s advancement from 31st in points was also significant in that he’s now above the Bassmaster Classic cutline of 28th place — a long struggle since his bad start in Florida on home water. He and his brother Chris now are on track to qualify together for the 2012 Classic, which has happened only once before, in the 2008 Classic.
With three events left, he hasn’t thrown in the towel in the Angler of the Year race.
“Some have accumulated so many points that not too many guys can catch them, but it’s not over until the very end,” Lane said. “Alton might go in with the lead, but we watched Skeet lose it last year. So I’m not gunnin’ for one of them, I’m gunning for all of them.”
DeFoe vs. Montgomery? No way: Ott DeFoe now leads Andy Montgomery by 48 points, but no one should expect a contentious rivalry between them for this season’s Bassmaster Rookie of the Year award.
While the current frontrunners would like nothing more than to claim 2011 rookie bragging rights, DeFoe, 25, and Montgomery, 27, just so happen to be roomies on the road (it’s a way to shave the cost of travel) and the best of friends.
Sunday, May 8, as the Pride of Georgia competition ended, DeFoe of Knoxville, Tenn., speculated whether the official points tally would have his friend from Blacksburg, S.C., in the top spot.
“He’ll gain some ground on me, for sure,” DeFoe said, but then he shrugged. “Maybe we’ll tie for top rookie — that would be good. There’s a lot of pride in the award, but we’re friends, we help each other out. We even helped each other out in this tournament, and that’s the way it’s going to be.”
Fishing the same pattern, Montgomery suggested a bait adjustment to DeFoe after the first day when Montgomery was in 11th place and DeFoe struggled in 57th place. Defoe took the advice and sacked a 17-2 bag because of it. By Day Three, they were both fishing well enough to score Top 12s — DeFoe’s first, Montgomery’s second consecutive.
The tournament ended with DeFoe in 11th place. Montgomery ended in ninth place and with seven points more than DeFoe collected. Still, he didn’t surpass his buddy in the Rookie of the Year standings.
Few seasons have seen two rookies so high in the overall Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year points standings after five events. DeFoe sits in sixth place, and Montgomery is 10th.
Ring of champions: Kevin VanDam already owned three Bassmaster Classic rings, but it wasn’t old hat to get another.
The ring VanDam earned by winning the 2011 Bassmaster Classic was presented to him onstage May 7 during the Pride of Georgia by Jerry McKinnis, one of three investors who purchased B.A.S.S. last fall.
“Lookin’ good — and it fits, too,” VanDam said after he stepped off the stage and displayed to reporters the gold ring with a bass cut into the centerpiece and surrounded with diamonds.
“I’ve seen some Super Bowl rings, and they’re pretty cool, but to me nothing is cooler than this right here,” he said as he took a first good look at the ring himself. “I’ve got four of them now — all different — and I’m super proud to have each one of them.”
The 2011 Classic win was VanDam’s fourth. He also won in 2001, 2005 and 2010.
Ashley’s album: This week, as he competes in his home state, Bassmaster Elite Series pro and country singer Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., will be tracking the progress of his newest venture, two years in the making.
The 27-year-old pro plans to introduce Release, a six-song demo album (a CD, actually). He said the demo will go up this week at CaseyAshley.com.
“I’m excited to see where it goes,” he said.
A demo album contains polished songs, but fewer of them than a CD’s usual 10 to 12 tracks, he explained. He’s been working on the project for about two years, and he has been very selective about which songs he records.
“It took a while to find some songs I really liked, but we got them, six good ones,” Ashley said.
One of the tracks is Fisherman, which he first recorded in 2008 just days before he competed in the Greenville, S.C., Bassmaster Classic. Fisherman, which became Ashley’s signature song on the Elite Series trail, is about a professional angler’s life.
One of the new songs is titled What I’m Fishing For — “not really a tournament, go-get-’em song,” Ashley said.
The others he described as “good timin’ songs” and “summertime songs” — music about having a good time, but not necessarily about fishing.
Four of the album’s six songs were written by Rodney Clawson, a Nashville songwriter who loves to go bass fishing. The author of Fisherman, Clawson has many credits, including co-authoring I Saw God Today, recorded by George Strait. Clawson also was the producer of Release, Ashley said.
Ashley said clips of the new songs will be available on his website.
Bonus awards: Bonuses earned at the April 14-17 TroKar Battle on the Bayou event were awarded to Bassmaster Elite Series anglers during the next event, the May 5-8 Pride of Georgia:
* Alton Jones cashed in for the fourth time for leading the 2011 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race. A “big check” presentation commemorated his newest $1,000 award from Toyota.
* Also on stage, Ish Monroe received $500 from Berkley for his 10-pound, 15-ounce catch, the bass that won the Berkley Big Bass of the Tournament contest in the Battle on the Bayou.
Autographs for tornado victims: Bobby Dennis held out a pen and a map to a Bassmaster Elite Series pro as he stepped off the stage.
“Could you sign this? It’s an auction item for storm victims,” he said.
Dennis repeated the request 99 times, and 99 times a pro signed the map of West Point Lake.
Dennis, a lure designer with Elite Series supporting sponsor Luck “E” Strike USA, was helping out a stranger he had met at the May 5-8 Pride of Georgia event, just days after the April 27 plague of tornadoes that attacked the South.
“The guy walked up to me and asked if I would help. I said sure,” Dennis explained.
The auction is being organized by ProAnglerRadio.com, a new venture of Drew and Kelli Berry, a couple from Douglasville in northern Georgia and Matt Driver, the director of the website.
“We were spared, but just 20 miles north and 30 miles south was not,” Drew Berry said. He said the map will be one item in an auction he is organizing for victims. The money raised will be donated to the American Red Cross or other relief organizations, he said.
Go Fish Georgia: The new docks, multiple-lane boat ramp and large-capacity parking area of Pyne Road Park in LaGrange, Ga., helped the May 5-8 Bassmaster Elite Series event come off smoothly.
The facilities were built through a successful program called Go Fish Georgia.
The statewide initiative started with $19 million in state funds. Private donors and local communities contribute the rest of the money needed to launch a local project.
Docks and ramps aren’t the only types of projects in the program. Others improve the quality of fisheries, promote fishing to attract major circuits or help educate the public about Georgia’s aquatic resources.
The Pyne Road Park boat launch area is one of eight “mega ramp” projects completed; a total of 17 are planned. A Bassmaster event on Lake Seminole last fall enjoyed the use of another mega ramp.
One of the newest stars of the Go Fish Georgia initiative opened in October 2010. The Go Fish Education Center in Perry, Ga., provides angling information and learning experiences as well as a hatchery.
Quotes from the May 8 finale of the Pride of Georgia on West Point Lake:
Due credit: “Steve earned it today.” — Edwin Evers on being overtaken by Steve Kennedy, who came from behind to win
Missed opportunity: “You don’t get very many opportunities to win one of these things, and you need to make the most of your chance when it comes. I had the bites to win; I just didn’t get them in the boat.” — Edwin Evers, leader for two days, ending in second place
A fight for the win: “Every day has been a struggle. There are plenty of fish in this lake; we just haven’t had the right conditions.” — Steve Kennedy
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Popular Bassmaster Elite Series and Toyota Tundra pro Michael Iaconelli has taken his videos to an all new site, called GoingIke.com. Going Ike will feature regular videos shot on Ike's HatCam LLC camcorders. It will be videos of fishing, life on the road as a pro and life as a father raising daughters while traveling the country working as a top professional bass fishing angler.
The pro is a fan favorite for his passion for fishing and his eagerness to talk to people and share his knowledge and passion about the sport. He's always looking for new avenues, like his City Limits fishing show. This weekly webisode site will feature the world or professional bass fishing from his perspective. He's human like any of us and even though he's already a proven top angler, he's continually learning from his mistakes and learning to keep his head in the game on tough breaks.
The honesty of his videos and his charismatic approach will make this something you'll want to tune into each week and he promises to put videos up whenever the mood strikes him even if it hasn't been a week.
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Ray Scheide posted this clip of Arkansas KLRT coverage of the TBF High School Bass Fishing Championship in Arkansas this past weekend. The event was originally scheduled for the Arkansas River but flooding and dangerous waters forced them to move to nearby Lake Maumelle. Dover High School in Dover, Ark. and their Dover Bass Mafia won the tournament.
Here is the clip from KLRT about the tournament. Jason's wife is a Dover graduate, so congrats to the Pirate Bass Fishing Team from Wired2Fish and fellow Dover graduates!
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By Alan McGuckin
By the time the scales stopped spinning at West Point Lake,
Kevin VanDam felt like he’d been sitting between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for
four days on a west Georgia roller coaster ride.
KVD posted up and down daily limits ranging in weight from
23-pounds on Day 2 to 7-pounds on the final day. In the end, he posted his third Top 12 in
five events thus far this season, finishing this one in seventh place.
The man who virtually expects to win every time he launches
his boat, made no excuses for coming up a little short at West Point.
“You gotta capitalize on the conditions every day, and I
didn’t do that,” said VanDam in a matter of fact fashion.
“My best pattern throughout the week was throwing a Strike
King Shadalicious swimbait around isolated stumps and laydowns in shallow water,”
VanDam said. “I rigged it with a 3/8-ounce Mustad swimbait hook, and threw it
on 17-pound XPS fluorocarbon line with a Quantum 6.6:1 Tour KVD reel and a
7-foot, 2-inch TKVD medium-heavy action rod. I like that particular reel with swimbaits because it helps me slow down
to the perfect speed for that bait.
“I went out there to win today, but I didn’t have a single
keeper at nearly 11:00 a.m., so I tried to pull off a last-minute miracle with
the square bill and my cranking system. I caught a fast limit with it, but not
nearly enough weight.”
“This lake has been like Jekyll and Hyde,” he said in
summation on the weigh-in stage before climbing into his Toyota Tundra and
heading north five hours to Lake Murray with hopes of finding a reservoir with
a consistently more congenial personality.
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The
Fresno State team of Christopher Delgado and Kong Moua dominated the
National Guard FLW College Fishing Western Division event on the
California Delta Saturday with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 14 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 Western
Division Regional Championship.
“We started out early in the morning using a dropshot but
were only catching smaller bass,” said Moua, a freshman from Fresno,
Calif. “We knew those small fish were not going to get us into the top
five so we went to some familiar spots I fished in 2009 and 2010.”
“We were hoping to catch some fish that had not spawned
yet,” said Delgado, a senior from Fresno, Calif., majoring in history.
“We pulled up on our spot this morning and saw some fish on beds and
were excited.
“After our dropshot was not working, I switched to a
7-inch Senko and was dead-sticking it similar to winter fishing,”
continued Delgado. “I kept it real calm as the larger fish were not
moving much and that helped us bring in our five big ones.”
“We put it on the line today,” added Moau. “I did not want
this to be Chris’ last tournament and now we are heading to
regional’s.”
Rounding out the top five teams and also advancing to the Western Regional Championship are:
2nd: Humboldt State University – Ben Smith and Dominic Vitali, both of Samoa, Calif. (five bass, 16-10, $3,000)
3rd: University of Nevada, Reno – Jared Malone,
Sonora, Calif., and Brandon Murphy, Boulder City, Nev. (five bass, 15-1,
$3,000)
4th: Sacramento State – Thomas Kanemoto, Elk Grove,
Calif., and Robert Matsuura, Sacramento, Calif. (five bass, 14-7,
$3,000)
5th: Boise State University – Tanner Bice, Middleton,
Idaho, and Michael Zawacki, Boise, Idaho (five bass, 13-5, $3,000)
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Courtesy of B.A.S.S. Communications
Steve Kennedy had been counting down the months ever since the 2011 Pride of Georgia location was announced as West Point Lake more than a year ago.
“I was very confident I had a chance to win this tournament. I knew exactly what I was going to do, and it worked,” he said after coming from behind Sunday to win the fifth stop of the 2011 Bassmaster Elite Series.
He collected $100,000 and an instant entry into the 2012 Bassmaster Classic for the win, his second Bassmaster title.
Kennedy squashed Edwin Evers’ hopes for a second Elite win this season. Leading after two days, Evers ended up in second place — 2 pounds, 1 ounce behind the winner. Kennedy had 64-14 to Evers’ 62-13 over four days.
Day Three leader Ish Monroe dropped to third, finishing up with 61-3. A late surge by Jared Lintner didn’t carry him home: 22nd on the first day, then up to 10th, to 7th, and stopping at 4th. His total was 60 pounds and 5 ounces.
Nate Wellman, in his second Top 12 showing of his rookie season, claimed fifth place with 56-9.
Kennedy started the tournament in a strong position, coming in second to Evers on the first day. Then Kennedy took a backward step for two days. He went into the final round Sunday in fourth place, but only 1 pound, 8 ounces behind leader Monroe.
Kennedy, 42, tapped into a long West Point history. Raised in Georgia and now living in Auburn, Ala., he fished West Point Lake since the age of 2 or 3 with his brother and father, traveling to the lake to fish about twice a year. More recently, he narrowly missed winning on the Alabama-Georgia border impoundment in 2005 in a non-Bassmaster event. Back then, he said, he blew a 4-pound lead on the final day.
“That’s what’s been going through my mind all morning: ‘Don’t blow it!’” Kennedy said Sunday.
He said he fished the same patterns and locations as he did in that 2005 tournament.
“I didn’t own a swimbait back then, so a swimbait was a new addition (for the Pride of Georgia event),” he explained. “And the weights were up significantly because of it.”
He said he threw two swimbait models — one a “no-name” model out of production, the other a Basstrix.
“I’d get them to swim out and show themselves. On a clear lake like this, I can see what’s there, what size of fish is on the structure,” he said. If he liked was he saw, skipped a watermelon-seed Kinami Flash to get the strike.
“It almost looked like a little baitfish skipping on top of the water,” he said of his skipping technique. “Then I just let it settle and let the line lay there — I call it flylining. I used mono so it lays on top of the water, and I watched for it to start swimming (moving).”
He allowed a bass to pick up the Flash and swim out of heavy cover before setting the hook.
Other lures of the week included a white D&L jig with a white chunk trailer.
Kennedy debunked the dock talk during Pride of Georgia practice days that had the bass pegged as scarce, finicky and tough to catch. Kennedy said he found plenty of big bass during practice.
“I was just chompin’ at the bit to get at them,” he said. “I tried to show out, I knew where some big ones were.”
After leading two days in a row, Evers was disappointed he could not close on the win.
“I feel dejected, horrible,” he said. “You can’t win one of these things by weighing in only four fish.”
Evers was one bass shy of a limit Saturday. He lost by just over 2 pounds, and he could not help but replay every lost fish of the event, including four on Saturday that would have been solid additions to his weight.
“I had my hand on one, then it ran under a log and I never could get it. It just came off,” he said. “But hey, it’s part of the game,” he shrugged.
Monroe was not displeased with his third-place finish. It was his second top-12 in a row for the season, and a big boost to his bid for a 2012 Bassmaster Classic seat. He credited his recently acquired ability to relax and remember to have fun.
“I was putting too much emphasis on how serious it is and forgot what it was all about,” Monroe said. I took some kids out fishing during the off-season and got back to enjoying it.”
The Berkley Big Bass of the Tournament bonus of $500 was won by Dustin Wilks of Rocky Mount, N.C., who landed a 7-pound, 8-ounce largemouth on the first day.
The next stop for the Elite Series will be this week on Lake Murray out of Columbia, S.C. The dates of the competition, the Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash, are May 12-15.
FINAL STANDINGS- PRIDE OF GEORGIA
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 20 64-14 0 $100,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-03 Day 2: 5 10-14 Day 3: 5 13-02 Day 4: 5 18-11
2. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 19 62-13 0 $25,000.00
Day 1: 5 22-04 Day 2: 5 15-03 Day 3: 4 09-00 Day 4: 5 16-06
3. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 20 61-03 0 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 21-00 Day 3: 5 14-00 Day 4: 5 13-08
4. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 20 60-05 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 16-07 Day 3: 5 13-09 Day 4: 5 16-01
5. Nate Wellman Newaygo, MI 20 56-09 0 $14,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 16-11 Day 3: 5 13-07 Day 4: 5 11-01
6. Alton Jones Waco, TX 20 54-08 0 $14,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 17-15 Day 3: 5 09-15 Day 4: 5 12-12
7. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 19 53-12 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 23-10 Day 3: 5 09-05 Day 4: 4 07-04
8. Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 20 53-02 0 $12,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 09-01 Day 3: 5 12-10 Day 4: 5 12-09
9. Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 20 52-11 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 17-11 Day 3: 5 12-00 Day 4: 5 07-05
10. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 20 51-09 0 $11,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 13-00 Day 3: 5 11-07 Day 4: 5 12-00
11. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 20 49-15 0 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 17-02 Day 3: 5 14-03 Day 4: 5 09-02
12. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 16 43-12 0 $10,500.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 10-15 Day 3: 5 13-06 Day 4: 1 00-14
BERKLEY BIG BASS OF TOURNAMENT
Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, NC 07-08 $500.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 88 470 1087-10
2 76 447 952-12
3 34 226 466-06
4 10 55 137-09
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208 1198 2644-05
TOYOTA TUNDRA BASSMASTER ANGLER OF THE YEAR POINTS
as of 08-May-2011
Angler Points Lbs-Oz
1 Alton Jones Waco, TX 1,096 140- 0
2 Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 1,040 135-15
3 Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 982 129- 3
4 Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 947 119-10
5 Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 934 116-15
6 Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 932 100-15
7 Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 925 118-11
8 Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 915 123- 5
9 Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 900 122- 3
10 Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, FL 889 122-14
11 Pat Golden High Point, NC 886 113-14
12 Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 878 111-10
13 Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 870 106- 7
14 Edwin Evers Talala, OK 864 117-11
15 Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 863 107- 1
16 Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 858 102- 4
17 Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, NC 857 108- 2
18 Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 853 117- 8
19 Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 850 112-15
20 Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 845 109- 9
21 Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 844 109- 0
22 Keith Poche Troy, AL 842 111- 5
23 Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 837 115- 4
24 Randy Howell Springville, AL 827 107-12
25 John Crews Salem, VA 820 116- 3
26 Kelly Jordon Palestine, TX 816 107- 4
27 Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 815 118- 3
28 Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 811 99- 0
29 Peter E Thliveros St Augustine, FL 802 99-12
30 Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 800 119-10
31 Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 790 104- 8
32 Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 785 111- 7
33 Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 784 110- 4
34 Cliff Pace Petal, MS 782 103- 3
35 David Walker Sevierville, TN 769 108-15
36 Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 768 100- 3
37 Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 767 93-11
38 J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 765 121- 7
39 Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 762 103-12
40 Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 759 98- 6
41 Matt Greenblatt Port St Lucie, FL 755 107- 4
42 Rick Morris Virginia Beach, VA 752 92-14
43 Keith Combs Huntington, TX 749 102-15
44 Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 742 95- 4
45 Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 740 93- 3
46 Matt Herren Trussville, AL 736 101- 8
47 Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 732 102- 1
48 Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 730 100-14
49 Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 728 107-14
50 Paul Elias Laurel, MS 726 104- 7
51 Billy McCaghren Mayflower, AR 715 107- 3
52 Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 702 95-15
53 James Niggemeyer Van, TX 697 106- 9
54 Zell Rowland Austin, TX 676 97- 6
55 Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 676 85-13
56 Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 674 95- 5
57 Jeff Connella Bentley, LA 674 93- 8
58 Craig Schuff Watauga, TX 672 95- 1
59 Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 665 91- 4
60 Clark Reehm Lufkin, TX 658 96- 4
61 Jonathon VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 647 88-13
62 Grant Goldbeck Boerne, TX 644 84- 6
63 Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 640 91-13
64 John Murray Phoenix, AZ 638 96- 0
65 Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 638 87-11
66 James Stricklin Texarkania, TX 637 92- 3
67 Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 632 89- 7
68 Rick Clunn Ava, MO 626 87- 0
69 Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 624 91- 3
70 Jami Fralick Martin, SD 624 83- 7
71 Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 619 86-11
72 Nate Wellman Newaygo, MI 619 84- 6
73 Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 600 87-15
74 Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 598 91- 4
75 Russ Lane Prattville, AL 598 87- 0
76 Dean Alexander Georgetown, TX 594 85- 4
77 Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 590 89-13
78 Ben Parker Union City, TN 590 83-10
79 Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 584 89-14
80 Travis Manson De Pere, WI 570 85-15
81 Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 564 84- 1
82 Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 564 81-13
83 Chad Griffin Cresson, TX 562 87- 1
84 Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 546 83- 5
85 Lee Sisson Winter Haven, FL 544 73-13
86 Russell Parrish Riesel, TX 540 86-10
87 Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 534 83- 0
88 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 506 77-12
89 Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 502 73- 2
90 Dennis Tietje Roanoke, LA 498 70- 1
91 Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, OK 496 78- 4
92 Ryan Said Wixom, MI 496 72- 7
93 Morizo Shimizu Matsugaoka, JPN 492 73- 3
94 Bradley Hallman Norman, OK 468 69- 4
95 Pete Ponds Madison, MS 460 73- 3
96 Terry Butcher Talala, OK 452 70- 5
97 Derek Remitz Grant, AL 375 61- 9
98 David Smith Del City, OK 366 56- 9
99 Brent Broderick Oregonia, OH 338 47- 5
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Securing his second Bassmaster Elite Series top-12 cut in a row, and this time with the lead, Ish Monroe was a happy man Saturday. He has, in fact, been feeling great about his fishing in general.
“I’m going out there, fishing, and having fun, there’s nothing special about what I’m doing,” Monroe said. “I don’t get mad, I don’t get frustrated, I’m chattin’ it up with the crowd back there near me, and enjoying the day. That’s what it’s all about.”
The Hughson, Calif., pro said his buoyant mood was a case of success breeds success: A great second day — a single sack of 21 pounds — acted as a confidence boost, in turn a springboard to a Day Three catch of 14-0.
Not a 21-pound bag, but still better than almost all other anglers could show after a slow day, and enough to push Monroe up and over Edwin Evers and Kevin VanDam in the Pride of Georgia.
Monroe’s three-day total was 47 pounds, 11 ounces, besting VanDam by 1 pound, 3 ounces. VanDam managed just 9-5 on Saturday to hold at second place. It’s his launching pad for a run at his 21st Bassmaster tournament title, not to mention more points toward a fifth Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.
Evers, the leader the first two days, had a rough day and took a back seat to both Monroe and VanDam with a three-day total of 46-7. In fourth place was Steve Kennedy with 46-3. In fifth was rookie Nate Wellman, who had 45-8.
The field was cut to 12 for Sunday’s competition, when the winner will claim $100,000 and an instant entry into the 2012 Bassmaster Classic.
Monroe said that where he’s catching his fish is probably shallower and contains “different” water than what other anglers are working.
“I’ve been catching fish on ‘nothing’ banks,” he said. He’s also on the lookout for bedding bass, rare in this tournament, but perhaps, Monroe speculated, a new wave will appear Sunday, the tournament’s final day.
The water level is rising, a fact that is changing the direction of his fish, he said. “I’d rather they pulled water, because it will suck all the fish into right where I know how to catch them.”
VanDam said Saturday, like Friday, was “just a grind” for him. He brought 9-5 to the scales.
“I never got any big bites, not where they’d eat it,” he said. “I had two or three come up and nip the bait.”
No water movement, rising water levels, and slick and sunny conditions hurt him, he said. “I couldn’t get the fish to react, to eat anything. I caught a small limit, but not what you want. I got on the wrong rhythm in the morning and never got a good bite.”
He said he got caught in the situation of running the same water as other pros, and that the spectator boats — about 30 of them at one time — churned the water.
“With Mother’s Day tomorrow, I think a lot of people will stay home and we’ll get a chance to really show off on this lake. I know some areas where there are some big ones swimming.”
Like VanDam, Evers could not break 10 pounds Saturday although he both broke a sweat trying. Evers and VanDam are only 1 ounce apart on the leaderboard.
“It will make it interesting for TV tomorrow,” Evers said.
He said he’s focusing on points with trees on them.
“I’m trying to hit as many as I can throughout the day,” he said.
Other than that, it’s “junk fishing 101,” the Oklahoma pro said. “I’ve caught some cranking, some topwater, a bunch of different ways. Tomorrow I need five big bites — I’d like to win this thing.”
Monroe plans to give him a run for the money.
“I’ve got a spot that’s got a shad spawn going on first thing in the morning,” Monroe said. “There are shad everywhere, and I know there’s got to be more big fish in there, so I’ll start tomorrow back there again and work the shad spawn.”
The day’s largest bass brought to the scales was a 6-8 by Keith Combs, matching the Day Two big bass by Scott Rook. Neither challenges the largest yet, a 7-8 produced by Dustin Wilks on the first day, still leading the competition for the Berkley Big Bass of the Tournament.
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Sean Minderman of Spokane, Wash., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 20
pounds, 15 ounces Saturday to win the EverStart Series Western Division
event on the California Delta with a three-day total of 15 bass
weighing 68 pounds, 5 ounces. For his victory, Minderman earned $31,442
and a 198VX Ranger boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury
outboard motor.
“It has been a while and what a great feeling,” said Minderman.
“It has been a tough go the last couple of years and I have not been
able to fish as much as I would have liked to. It just feels like God
has shined on me this week and I have to thank Ranger Boats, my family
including my wife Michelle, my son Kade and my daughter Kailey.”
“With the weather warming up, I figured the fish would be moving
up to spawn so I looked for areas where they would be moving into and a
found a couple that I felt would work,” added Minderman. “I burnt those
spots up the first two days as I caught a 9-pounder on the first day
and an 11-pounder on the second day, but had to scramble today and God
shined on me and I was able to find a spot where I caught my big three
today.”
Minderman went on to say that he caught all his fish on the
first day using a Senko and on the second day he caught his fish
flipping a beaver. He said he boated his big three on the final day
using a Roboworm drop-shot.
Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
2nd: Charlie Weyer, West Hills, Calif., 15 bass, 65-13, $10,780
3rd: Clifford Pirch, Payson, Ariz., 15 bass, 65-10, $8,983
4th: Stephen Tosh Jr., Modesto, Calif., 15 bass, 63-4, $8,085
5th: Mark Casey, Fairfield, Calif., 15 bass, 63-3, $7,187
6th: Joe Uribe Jr., Lake Forest, Calif., 15 bass, 62-11, $6,288
7th: Ken Mah, Elk Grove, Calif., 15 bass, 58-8, $5,390
8th: Robert Lee, Angels Camp, Calif., 15 bass, 58-0, $4,492
9th: Benjamin Byrd, Moab, Utah, 15 bass, 56-2, $3,593
10th: Michael Tuck, Granite Bay, Calif., 14 bass, 51-3, $2,695
Lee caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro
Division Friday – an 11-pound, 1-ounce bass – that earned him the day’s
EverStart Series Big Bass award of $254.
Kyle Baker of Lancaster, Calif., 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 41 pound, 14 ounces.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
2nd: Lester Albury, Temecula, Calif., 15 bass, 39-0, $4,143
3rd: Gary Morris, Tracy, Calif., 14 bass, 37-12, $3,683
4th: Steven Cook, Phoenix, Ariz., 15 bass, 37-10, $3,222
5th: Phil Risnes, Hartford, S.D., 13 bass, 37-2, $2,762
6th: Greig Sniffen, Saratoga, Calif., 15 bass, 35-11, $2,302
7th: Jared Frantzich, Sacramento, Calif., 14 bass, 35-4, $1,841
8th: Hideki Maeda, 13 bass, 33-0, $1,381
9th: Christopher Irigoyen, Henderson, Nev., 12 bass, 31-7, $921
10th: Mike Chen of Stockton, Calif., 12 bass, 29-9, $737
Morris caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the
Co-angler Division Friday – an 11-pound, 6-ounce bass – that earned him
the day’s EverStart Series Big Bass award of $169.
The EverStart Series consists of five divisions – Central,
Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of four
tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points in each
division that could earn them the Strike King Angler of the Year title
along with $5,000 for the pro and $2,000 for the co-angler. The top 40
pros and co-anglers from each respective division will qualify for the
EverStart Series Championship that will be held on Kentucky Lake in
Buchanan, Tenn., Oct. 27-30.
The final EverStart Series Western Division tournament will be
Sept. 22-24 on Clear Lake in Clearlake, Calif. and is hosted by Twin
Pine Casino & Hotel.
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B.A.S.S. Communications
 Run for the Roses: In 1981, Kevin Wirth rode Mythical Ruler to a 17th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.
Saturday, on the 30th anniversary of his Churchill Downs ride, Wirth took the wheel of a bass boat in the Pride of Georgia for another run at glory.
Wirth, born and raised in the racing world and now living in Crestwood, Ky., keeps up with it through family and friends, and through his equine dentist practice, which he restarted last fall. He recently worked on the teeth of a 2011 Derby entrant, Shackleford.
The Run for the Roses in Lexington, Ky., will happen early Saturday evening, so Wirth can catch it if he hustles from the tournament site to the nearest TV or radio. The estimated post time for the ‘fastest two minutes in sports” is 6:24 p.m. ET; the Pride of Georgia weigh-in will begin at 3:15 p.m. ET.
He admits to feeling a bit left out of the celebrations at home.
“I’d like to be a part of it, maybe at least a couple of mint juleps or something,” he joked.
His racing family and friends raised an eyebrow when he decided years ago to try fishing professionally.
“They thought I was absolutely insane, and didn’t give me much respect at first,” Wirth said. “But now you can go anywhere across the country, to any race track where they’re running, and talk to trainers, owners, jockeys — most anyone — and 95 percent of them would say they know me. They follow fishing just because of me.”
 The ‘flu pattern’ of Aaron Martens: Imagine competing while your head pounds and the pains in your gut make you moan out loud – especially when your head is hanging over the gunnels.
That’s what Aaron Martens has been going through for the past two Bassmaster Elite Series events.
Three weeks ago on Toledo Bend in Louisiana, Martens was feverish and queasy for days, but he finished in ninth place.
He kicked whatever bug he had, but turned up again with flulike symptoms in Georgia.
“It’s what you don’t want to get in a fishing tournament,” Martens said after two days in the Pride of Georgia competition on West Point Lake. “I hurt so bad (Thursday) that I had to lay down. I missed about five hours of fishing.”
Still, he managed 27th after two days.
“Just think how much better I could have done if I’d felt better,” said Martens, who seemed to be recovering Friday afternoon. Just off the water, he repeatedly asked his wife if they had time to pick up some sushi before the top-50 cut meeting.
“You have to keep going, you have no choice,” said Martens. “There are no sick days in tournaments. You couldn’t give up the points and risk not qualifying for the Classic.”
 The point(s) of West Point: No points are awarded until the fat lady sings, but that doesn’t stop Elite anglers from calculating how many points they could collect when the West Point Lake event wraps on Sunday afternoon.
Case in point: Edwin Evers. Friday, after taking the Pride of Georgia lead for the second day in a row, he mentioned the bonus points he’d already secured — five extra points for each day he led.
“I need all the extra bonus points I can get,” he said.
True. Coming into the West Point event, Evers was 232 points behind Alton Jones, the TTBAOY leader since after the season’s second tournament.
Especially true, considering Evers is 14th in points and has a lofty goal at this midway stage of the TTBAOY game: “I want to win Angler of the Year,” he declared Friday.
There isn’t an angler who would not desire the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year trophy. It is worth $100,000, but the award’s prestige and career benchmark are just as valuable to the winner.
Points leader Jones, strong so far at West Point, would have to suffer a big reversal to relinquish his points lead.
But Terry Scroggins, No. 2 on the points list, is likely to slip. Scroggins is doing OK at West Point — 16th after two days — so his points earning potential is solid. But Kevin VanDam could crash Scroggins’ party. VanDam, red-hot at West Point, threatens to move up from No. 3 in points and knock down Scroggins.
And then it would be an interesting two-horse race: Jones vs. VanDam. Jones has never won Angler of the Year. VanDam’s a quadruple winner, including the 2010 title.
Points also count toward Bassmaster Classic qualifications. The first cutline is at No. 28, a spot currently held by Kevin Wirth. While Wirth is holding his own at West Point (41st after two days), several pros a few ticks behind him in points could end up displacing Wirth, a 12-time qualifier who hasn’t missed a Classic in 10 years.
Marshals come from near and far: Andy Paluczak came from San Diego. Joe Bolder came from northern Wisconsin. They signed on to be marshals, the official observers who ride out with Bassmaster Elite Series pros on competition days.
Why do they come from so far for the experience?
“I have a passion for the sport,” said Paluczak, a stay-at-home dad who had to call in reinforcements so he could travel to Georgia for his first marshal gig.
Bolder, a retired postmaster, said he treated himself to a repeat marshal trip after enjoying his first time, the California Delta event of 2010.
“I’m going to try to make one every year,” he said.
 And baby makes three (for four or five): Billy McCaghren said his wife, Norma, is doing well, just 10 days away from the due date of their first child.
That date, May 16, is immediately after the Evan Williams Bourbon Carolina Clash out of Columbia, S.C. McCaghren said he plans to fly home to Arkansas if he has to and leave his bass boat in the good hands of friends.
Ott DeFoe and his wife are expecting twins, but the due date isn’t until the close of the season of the season in northern Alabama, not far from his home in Knoxville, Tenn.
“It will work out, I know it will,” he said.
Other Elite pros expecting to expand their families soon are Kelly Jordon and Fred Roumbanis.
Quotes:
“It’s hard to be the leader. You have a lot of boats following you … you have a lot more attention on you. For reasons like that, it’s easier to come from behind to win one of these.” — Pride of Georgia leader Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., who won the season’s second tournament with a late charge
“I was in the right area, doing the right thing, but I made a bait adjustment — thanks to Andy Montgomery, who clued me in.” — Ott DeFoe of Knoxville, Tenn., 21st place thanks to a 17-2 bag Friday
“Each day in practice, I’ve been trying to learn the lake. I didn’t think it would be nearly this good, that we could catch these fish.” — Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., second place after his 23-10 sack on Friday
“It was a grind. I didn’t catch my limit until 11 o’clock.” — Kevin VanDam about Friday fishing
“Fishing pressure is getting to these fish. A lot of the leaders are fishing the same area.” — Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C., fourth place after two days.
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Courtesy of B.A.S.S. Communications
Fishing on West Point Lake turned tougher for many of the Bassmaster Elite Series pros, even some of those who claimed top leaderboard spots in the Pride of Georgia.
That included first-day leader Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., who stayed in the top spot with 37 pounds, 7 ounces, over two days despite a so-so second-day bag of 15-3.
Evers, who led local favorite Steve Kennedy by 1 ounce on Thursday, found himself Friday with a 4-ounce lead on yet another formidable challenger, Kevin VanDam. The four-time Bassmaster Classic champ and six-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year smashed 23-10 Friday to jump from 26th place into second.
Friday saw other wild shifts in the leaderboard. Ish Monroe made a leap Friday, from 33rd to third, after slapping 21 pounds on the scales. That gave him 33-11 over two days.
Andy Montgomery ended the day in fourth place, up from 11th, with 33-6. Kennedy slipped to fifth after a 10-14 day. Other big movers included Gerald Swindle, up from 67th into 19th place, and Alton Jones, from 24th to hold down eighth place.
Evers said he culled his smallest fish, a spotted bass, only an hour before he had to call it a day and run to the check-in point. Those few extra ounces kept him in front, and Evers was ecstatic about that.
“I feel great, I’m still in the lead so I can’t complain,” Evers said. “I had six keeper bites and I was fortunate to get them all in the boat.”
He said the bass seemed even more finicky and unpredictable than on the first day, when he bagged 22-4.
“It was a lot harder to get bites today, and there were a lot more boats running the same kind of stuff I was running,” he added. “I didn’t catch a bass in the same spot two days in a row. Tomorrow I’ll just keep plugging away, find five good bites, not get in too big a hurry, and I hope I can stay up there.”
Evers won the Elite season’s second tournament by flying under the radar, then popping up the final day. This tournament, he’s in the catbird seat, a position he said he loves, because, win or lose this one, he still will garner extra TTBAOY points awarded to a daily leader. His goal is to be in contention for the TTBAOY award.
And that’s what VanDam, reigning TTBAOY, is aiming for too. But first things first, and that’s the West Point Lake competition. He said he made a few key adjustments Friday, and that made all the difference.
“I was able to get some of those better bites,” he said. “You have these windows, times when you see you can capitalize on a pattern, and that’s what happened today for me. I saw a pattern developing, and the wind and clouds came in to help me. But earlier I needed the sun, and that’s what we had the first half of the day. I caught a good limit doing that, but when conditions changed, I adjusted — same pattern, but blind fishing.”
VanDam declined to describe in detail the adjustments he made.
“I’m looking for certain things out there, certain objects, covering a lot of water,” he said.
Monroe said he tried to force a pattern Thursday, but took a step back, relaxed, and “just went fishing” Friday.
“But it’s not about patterning them,” he said. “Today I threw everything in the box.”
He started the day by losing a fish on a frog, but then rallied. A big contributor to his sack was a 6-pound bed fish that he caught on the first flip.
“That’s how things started to roll, when you just go out and go fishing like I did today. I’m just going to go out and have fun with it. I think that’s what I’ve been missing in my fishing.”
The day’s biggest bass was brought in by Scott Rook, a 6-8. It didn’t beat the 7-8 from Day One caught by Dustin Wilks and still the front runner for the Pride of Georgia’s competition for Berkley Big Bass of the Tournament honors, worth a $500 bonus.
The Elite field was cut to the top 50 for Saturday’s round. Sunday, only the top 12 will compete for a first-place prize that includes $100,000 and an instant entry in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic. Anglers are also trying to earn points that count toward three coveted prizes: the 2011 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year crown, 2011 postseason berths, and 2012 Classic qualifications.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 10 37-07 0
Day 1: 5 22-04 Day 2: 5 15-03
2. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 10 37-03 0
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 23-10
3. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 10 33-11 0
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 21-00
4. Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 10 33-06 0
Day 1: 5 15-11 Day 2: 5 17-11
5. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 33-01 0
Day 1: 5 22-03 Day 2: 5 10-14
6. Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, NC 10 32-15 0
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 12-12
7. Nate Wellman Newaygo, MI 10 32-01 0
Day 1: 5 15-06 Day 2: 5 16-11
8. Alton Jones Waco, TX 10 31-13 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 17-15
9. David Walker Sevierville, TN 10 31-00 0
Day 1: 5 21-03 Day 2: 5 09-13
10. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 10 30-11 0
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 16-07
11. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 10 30-00 0
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 5 11-13
12. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 10 29-08 0
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 10-15
13. Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 10 29-08 0
Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 15-15
14. Terry Butcher Talala, OK 10 28-13 0
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 14-01
15. Keith Poche Troy, AL 10 28-08 0
Day 1: 5 16-10 Day 2: 5 11-14
16. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 10 28-05 0
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 12-14
17. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 10 28-02 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 13-00
18. Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 10 27-15 0
Day 1: 5 18-14 Day 2: 5 09-01
19. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 10 27-05 0
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 18-09
20. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 26-14 0
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 14-09
21. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 10 26-10 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 17-02
22. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 10 25-08 0
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 14-15
23. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 10 25-05 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 15-13
24. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 10 25-02 0
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 13-01
25. Morizo Shimizu Matsugaoka JAPAN 10 25-00 0
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 12-09
26. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 10 24-11 0
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 09-10
27. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 10 24-10 0
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 13-13
28. Pat Golden High Point, NC 10 24-10 0
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 12-11
29. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 10 24-06 0
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 11-08
30. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 10 23-15 0
Day 1: 5 12-12 Day 2: 5 11-03
31. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 10 23-15 0
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 11-12
32. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 10 23-11 0
Day 1: 5 07-14 Day 2: 5 15-13
33. Bradley Hallman Norman, OK 8 22-15 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 3 07-13
34. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 10 22-14 0
Day 1: 5 14-13 Day 2: 5 08-01
35. Ben Parker Union City, TN 10 22-13 0
Day 1: 5 16-04 Day 2: 5 06-09
36. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 10 22-09 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 5 07-07
37. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 10 21-15 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 12-07
38. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 21-12 0
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 10-00
39. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 10 21-12 0
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 08-09
40. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 10 21-10 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 09-04
41. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 10 21-06 0
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 08-04
42. James Stricklin Texarkania, TX 7 21-04 0
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 2 05-15
43. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 10 20-15 0
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 12-03
44. Randy Howell Springville, AL 10 20-15 0
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 11-08
45. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 10 20-15 0
Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 10-07
46. Craig Schuff Watauga, TX 10 20-14 0
Day 1: 5 07-15 Day 2: 5 12-15
47. Peter E Thliveros St Augustine, FL 10 20-12 0
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 12-00
48. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 10 20-09 0
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 07-04
49. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 7 20-07 0
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 2 01-13
50. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 9 20-04 0
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 4 06-04
51. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 20-00 0
Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 11-13
52. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 7 19-13 0
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 2 04-05
53. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 10 19-12 0
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 06-14
54. John Crews Salem, VA 10 19-10 0
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 07-03
55. Matt Greenblatt Port St Lucie, FL 10 19-08 0
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 10-01
56. Billy McCaghren Mayflower, AR 10 19-06 0
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 06-14
57. Jami Fralick Martin, SD 10 19-06 0
Day 1: 5 07-05 Day 2: 5 12-01
58. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 10 19-04 0
Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 07-03
59. Pete Ponds Madison, MS 10 19-00 0
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 06-12
60. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 10 19-00 0
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 08-12
61. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 10 18-15 0
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 06-15
62. Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 10 18-14 0
Day 1: 5 10-10 Day 2: 5 08-04
63. Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 10 18-12 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 08-10
64. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 10 18-12 0
Day 1: 5 08-14 Day 2: 5 09-14
65. Derek Remitz Grant, AL 10 18-07 0
Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 09-00
66. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 10 18-04 0
Day 1: 5 06-11 Day 2: 5 11-09
67. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 10 18-04 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 5 08-02
68. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 10 17-15 0
Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 09-03
69. Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 9 17-08 0
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 4 05-15
70. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 10 17-04 0
Day 1: 5 07-14 Day 2: 5 09-06
71. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 10 17-00 0
Day 1: 5 06-11 Day 2: 5 10-05
72. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 10 16-15 0
Day 1: 5 06-05 Day 2: 5 10-10
73. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 16-15 0
Day 1: 5 06-08 Day 2: 5 10-07
74. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 10 16-09 0
Day 1: 5 10-03 Day 2: 5 06-06
75. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 10 15-13 0
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 5 06-08
76. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 8 15-10 0
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 3 04-14
77. Jeff Connella Bentley, LA 10 15-09 0
Day 1: 5 08-01 Day 2: 5 07-08
78. Dean Alexander Georgetown, TX 10 15-06 0
Day 1: 5 08-11 Day 2: 5 06-11
79. Ryan Said Wixom, MI 8 14-09 0
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 3 02-13
80. Russell Parrish Riesel, TX 9 14-02 0
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 4 04-13
81. Kelly Jordon Palestine, TX 10 13-13 0
Day 1: 5 06-00 Day 2: 5 07-13
82. Jonathon VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 9 13-09 0
Day 1: 4 06-12 Day 2: 5 06-13
83. Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, FL 4 13-09 0
Day 1: 2 08-06 Day 2: 2 05-03
84. Dennis Tietje Roanoke, LA 10 13-08 0
Day 1: 5 06-02 Day 2: 5 07-06
85. Lee Sisson Winter Haven, FL 7 13-01 0
Day 1: 5 08-10 Day 2: 2 04-07
86. Matt Herren Trussville, AL 9 12-11 0
Day 1: 5 08-01 Day 2: 4 04-10
87. David Smith Del City, OK 9 11-14 0
Day 1: 5 05-05 Day 2: 4 06-09
88. Clark Reehm Lufkin, TX 8 11-11 0
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 3 02-12
89. Travis Manson De Pere, WI 8 11-06 0
Day 1: 3 04-05 Day 2: 5 07-01
90. Brent Broderick Oregonia, OH 7 11-01 0
Day 1: 4 06-02 Day 2: 3 04-15
91. Zell Rowland Austin, TX 6 10-11 0
Day 1: 2 02-08 Day 2: 4 08-03
92. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 8 10-08 0
Day 1: 5 06-12 Day 2: 3 03-12
93. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 6 09-13 0
Day 1: 1 01-06 Day 2: 5 08-07
94. Grant Goldbeck Boerne, TX 6 09-10 0
Day 1: 3 03-15 Day 2: 3 05-11
95. Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, OK 6 08-05 0
Day 1: 4 05-01 Day 2: 2 03-04
96. Chad Griffin Cresson, TX 5 08-00 0
Day 1: 5 08-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
97. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 6 07-14 0
Day 1: 2 02-13 Day 2: 4 05-01
98. Rick Morris Virginia Beach, VA 5 07-13 0
Day 1: 2 03-04 Day 2: 3 04-09
99. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 6 03-05 0
Day 1: 3 00-00 Day 2: 3 03-05
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 88 470 1087-10
2 76 447 952-12
----------------------------------
164 917 2040-06
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Kim Bain-Moore captured the Lady Bass Anglers Association (LBAA) Lake Hartwell Tournament crown to become the young organization's first repeat winner. Bain-Moore caught another limit of Hartwell bass weighing 11.55 pounds to give her a two-day total of 28.37 pounds of bass.
 “I’m pretty overwhelmed,” Bain-Moore said. “I’ve been catching some really nice fish and enjoying myself.
“My pattern from day one held up pretty good, but I had to change up some of my morning spots. I went back to where I was yesterday morning and didn’t get any bites. I was a little disappointed, but I ran around to another nearby pocket that had plenty of bait and the docks that I was looking for and managed to catch a limit on five successive docks.”
Bain-Moore, who hails from Pelham, Ala. by way of Brisbane, Australia, was using Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper swimbaits rigged weightless in Money Shot Green and Money Shot Violet colors.
The LBAA Lake Hartwell Pro Division final “Super Seven” were Pam Martin-Wells in second with 21.77 pounds and Martin-Wells was followed in third by Heather Broom with 21.22 pounds. Fourth was Pam Ridgle at 16.65; fifth was Rhonda Pope with 16.47; sixth was Leslie Childers with 14.73 and Lynda Gessner claimed seventh with 13.51 pounds of bass.
 On the Co-angler side of the LBAA Hartwell event, Alpine, Ala.’s Kim Giddens led wire-to-wire as well to capture her first LBAA Co-angler crown.
“Both days I did a lot of top water fishing with Flukes and Spooks,” Giddens stated. “ Later in the day, we went up shallow and found some bait fish, and I caught my first ever bedding fish.
“It feels awesome to win in my first year ever fishing a women’s league in just my second tournament.”
The LBAA Lake Hartwell Co-angler final “Super Seven” was composed of Diana Uebelhack in second at 10.32; Vicki Henderson in third with 9.80; Diane Smith in fourth with 9.59; Bonnie Ward took fifth with 7.84; Alisa Johnson was sixth with 6.56 and seventh was Renee Price with 6.50 pounds.
The next stop for the LBAA 2011 Inaugural Tour is slated for Alabama’s Lake Guntersville on July 7-9 and it is followed by a stop at Tennessee’s Old Hickory on August 25-27. Those will be followed by the LBAA 2011 Tour Championship on October 6-8 at a site to be announced on August 26.
Full Standings Professional:
1 Kim
Bain-Moore 28.37
2 Pam
Martin-Wells 21.77
3 Heather
Broom 21.22
4 Pam
Ridgle 16.65
5 Rhonda
Pope 16.47
6 Leslie
Childers 14.73
7 Lynda
Gessner 13.51
8 Emily
Shaffer 13.31
9 Secret
York 12.29
10 Jenny
Nevans 11.57
11 Debbie
Warner 11.27
12 Doris
Parsons 10.98
13 Judy
Skibinski 9.87
14 Cheryl
Bowden 9.63
15 Debbie
Kemp 8.20
16 Susan
Gregory 7.64
17 Cheryl
Lalumandier 7.48
18 Robbie
Hartline 6.91
19 Patti
Campbell 6.10
20 Jennifer
Stelly 5.58
20 Teri
Cindric 5.58
21 Keri
Schieber 4.42
Co-Angler:
1 Kim
Giddens 11.30
2 Diana
Uebelhack 10.32
3 Vicki
Henderson 9.80
4 Diane
Smith 9.59
5 Bonnie
Ward 7.84
6 Alisa
Johnson 6.56
7 Renee
Price 6.50
8 Charlotte
Frazier 6.28
9 Teri
Neal 5.90
10 Martha
Goodfellow 5.19
11 Barbara
Harris 4.71
12 Donna
Newberry 4.60
13 Kimberly
King 4.14
14 Sarah
Davis 3.76
15 Renee
Key-Johnston 2.56
16 Brandi
Frasier 2.07
17 Jan
Bruner 2.03
18 Elizabeth Sanders 2.00
19 Gail
Wood 1.54
20 Shannon
Wood 0.00
20 Kim
Martin 0.00
20 Brenda
Drayer 0.00
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Power Team Lures has a proven big fish catcher in the Texas Rig Jig. It has a loyal following across the country for a great flipping and pitchin bait and has time and time again proven that it flat catches big fish. We have found a modification to the Texas Rig Jig will add life to your purchase but also utilize it more fully with a standard and swimming jig.
Its easy. Just cut the TRJ between the first and second segment next to the body and you are ready to go with both a large profile, pinchers and body on a bottom bouncing jig, to a sleek profile, with the tentacles trailing on a swim jig. The jig and TRJ Chunk is great dragged across the bottom and around stumps and the Swimming TRJ Chunk is super on a swim jig hopped and cruising along the bottom and around cover. The tapered body serves both purposes equally well and gives life to a swim jig.
Simply run the jig hook through the bait like you would a pork chunk and you are ready with both applications. Of course, you may also use the entire TRJ on a jig as well for a super big profile and the tentacles aid the skirt flare, as well.
A slick customization and one that allows you to use the Texas Rig Jig after a few fish have chomped on it flipping and pitching.
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By Alan McGuckin
Just after 6:45 this morning a caution light flashed atop a school bus on a foggy road near the Bassmaster Elite Series launch.
Just over the hill from where the school bus stopped to pick up students, Terry “Big Show” Scroggins was running nervously through what his Toyota teammate Gerald Swindle describes as “Scooby Doo thick” fog on West Point Lake.
Scroggins, who typically worries about nothing, emphasis on nothing, was visibly concerned about being able to make it safely through the soupy west Georgia morning air. “The fishing is so sporadic on this lake, that catching a bass is the least of my worries this morning. The fog is my biggest concern,” said Scroggins.
“I’m really kind of amazed we didn’t have a fog delay,” he added. “I get pretty nervous when I can’t see where I’m going, or who might be running up behind me. I guess that’s why they check to make sure we all have boat insurance,” said the likeable Floridian.
Scroggins, who has placed in the Top 10 in three of four events thus far this season, then turned his attention to fishing. “Heck, I didn’t have a keeper at 10:00 a.m. yesterday. And then in one hour around lunchtime, I caught 16-pounds. Then I couldn’t hardly catch a fish the rest of the day. You’re going to see things shake-up on the leaderboard today. Fishing won’t be nearly as good today as it was yesterday.”
Perhaps it was poor visibilities that lead to a B.A.S.S. cameraman struggling to find current tournament leader Edwin Evers as the emcee called-out over the microphone in an effort to connect the two before blast-off. Evers sat beached near the ramp, stating, “I just always seem to do best on lakes that I don’t know much about. I won at Erie and I won at Lake Norman, and just like here, I had no knowledge of those places. I think it’s because when I don’t have a history on a lake, I tend to fish more wide open,” theorized Evers, who proved how good these guys really are when he hauled a 21-pound limit to the scales yesterday.
While school bus drivers and “Big Show” Scroggins moved nervously, veteran Quantum pro Shaw Grigsby casually rigged his easy-to-indentify blue Tour Grigsby rods, tossed caution to the wind, and proudly held up what most anglers would consider two bad luck bananas. “That whole theory about having bananas in the boat being bad luck for fishing isn’t true,” said Grigsby.
Let’s hope he’s right. Between “Scooby Doo Fog” and sporadic bass, these guys are going to need all the luck they can get.
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The Lake Hartwell tournament saw some impressive catches and fun fishing action. Now you can watch Jason Christie capture his first FLW Tour title with a very unique pattern. FLW Outdoors released a preview of the this weekend's show for interested fans and anglers. The show airs on Versus on Sunday at 12 noon CST. Be sure to set your DVR if you're out on the water. This will be a show you'll want to catch.
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 He's outspoken and enjoys watching Caddyshack and reruns of South Park.
He's also a frustrated weatherman, a wanna-be bounty hunter, and listens
to Men at Work. But most importantly, he's the self-proclaimed
"knucklehead" host of TV's Bassmaster Elite Series and hosts his own
"Awesome" national TV fishing show that airs every Friday at 8 p.m.
Fishing legends such as Kevin VanDam and Bill Dance have experienced a
day on the water with this acclaimed and irreverent television fishing
show personality. Now you too can win a fishing trip with Mark Zona,
known as the "Z-Train," simply by becoming a BoatUS Angler member at BoatUSAngler.com/zona.
However, anglers must join by the contest entry deadline of July 31,
2011. The winner will be notified by August 10, 2011, and will receive a
$1000 prepaid Visa card (to be used for fishing trip transportation and
lodging) and a BoatUS Angler "prize pack." The trip will take place in
Mark's home state of Michigan.
Zona, also a former tournament angler, says he'll "be nice" to the
winner regardless of fishing ability, and says his "Awesome Fishing
Trip" will be the trip of a lifetime - even centuries - but he does not
promise any kind of guaranteed catch. "I'm going to show the lucky
winner all of my favorite local fishing holes and hope for the best, and
then I will have to erase their memories somehow," chuckled Zona.
BoatUS is the nation's largest association of recreational boaters, and
offers boat-owning anglers on-the-road and on-the-water towing
assistance as well as boat insurance. Benefits begin at only $38 for a
BoatUS Angler membership ($24) and Unlimited On-the-Road Towing ($14),
which provides services such as fuel delivery, jump-starts, flat tire
assistance, lockout service, ramp winching and tow truck service for
both your trailer and tow vehicle while trailering your boat.
Want extra opportunities to win? Recruit your fishing buddies and
sponsor a new BoatUS Angler member - once they join you get an extra
chance to win. To sponsor a BoatUS Angler member or view contest rules,
to go BoatUSAngler.com/zona.
For more information on BoatUS Angler, go to BoatUSAngler.com.
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You probably saw the Mercury Elite Series anglers wearing the new Simms Pro Dry rain suit at this year's Bassmaster Classic. You might have also seen our Man Cave Review where we outlined the features of this exceptional rain suit. This is the first time that this rain suit has been offered and this promotion will only be available for a short time.
Beginning today, professional anglers and guides can send in their credentials along with any questions to get the opportunity to own this rain suit, which includes the jacket and bibs, for a deep discount. Send your information to proangler@simmsfishing.com. Details about public purchasing will be released later this year.
Simms, an industry leader in performance outdoor clothing, teamed with GORE, the makers of GORE-TEX, on this very dry and comfortable suit. It comes in red/black, blue/gray, and green.
This will likely be the last rainsuit you will ever purchase!
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Pelham, Ala.'s Kim Bain-Moore is at it again. Less than 60 days ago the 30-year-old Australian native rocked the Lady Bass Anglers Association (LBAA) Tour with a commanding victory at Sam Rayburn. Bain-Moore is “on” again as the LBAA’s second stop of its inaugural 2011 tour has hit South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell this week
Bain-Moore brought her five-bass limit to the scale at Portman Shoals Marina, and her weight was officially recorded as 16.82 pounds.
“I’m covering a fair amount of ground fishing a swimbait primarily around docks and shallow points,” Bain-Moore said. “My fish are more in between the docks earlier because they are out moving around chasing herring. Then as the sun gets higher they are pulling back under the shade.”
 Can Bain-Moore do a two-peat and be a back-to-back winner on the 2011 LBAA Tour? “I hope what I’m doing will hold up,” she said. “It’s more like a pattern as opposed to a tiny area, and I feel like I’ve got 10 miles of this type of area with the stuff I’m looking for in it. I feel like I can buzz around to these places and catch them again.”
Big fish for day one at Hartwell was caught by Debbie Kemp, and her big bass weighed 5.99 pounds.
The LBAA Pro Division “Super Seven” at Hartwell after day one of competition are: Kim Bain-Moore leading with 16.82 pounds. In second is Leslie Childers with 13.11 and she is followed by Heather Broom in third with 12.06 pounds. Pam Ridgle is in fourth with 10.65 pounds and she is followed by Judy Skibinski in fifth with 10.37 pounds. Sixth and seventh place are held down by Lynda Gessner with 8.69 pounds and Debbie Kemp with 8.20 pounds of bass.
 In the LBAA Co-angler division, Kim Giddens three-bass limit allowed her to hold a slim tenth of an ounce lead going into day two of competition. Giddens, who is from Alpine, Ala., weighed in 6.88 pounds of bass. Giddens leads the LBAA Co-angler “Super Seven” and is followed in second by Diane Smith with 6.78 pounds, and Alisa Johnson in third with 6.56 pounds. Donna Newberry is in forth with 4.60 pounds and Vicki Henderson is fifth with 4.23 pounds. Diana Uebelhack holds down sixth with 4.01 pounds and in seventh is Charlotte Frazier with 3.93 pounds.
South Carolina’s Anderson Convention and Visitors Bureau is hosting the two-day Pro-Am here on Hartwell and the Pro-Am event will conclude tomorrow Friday, May 6.
On Saturday, May 7, the LBAA will host the 2011 Lake Hartwell Lady Bass Anglers Association Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club Charity Tournament. Entry fee is $100 per team with a guaranteed payout of $1,000 to first place. The highest finishing team with a female team member and the highest finishing team with a child age 12 or under will receive a $200 bonus. Membership in the LBAA is not required to fish this charity event. At the conclusion of the weigh-in, drawings for raffle items will take place adding another level of support for the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club. Numerous national and local organizations have donated raffle items.
Full results will be available shortly at LadyBassAnglers.com.
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Day one leader Edwin Evers with 22 pounds, 4 ounces / B.A.S.S. Communications
Steve Kennedy’s deep and wide West Point Lake history stood him well Thursday, but Edwin Evers went 1 ounce better to take the lead on the first day of the Pride of Georgia.
Evers of Talala, Okla., weighed 22 pounds, 4 ounces to Kennedy’s 22-3. They have more than a few ounces as a cushion against David Walker, in third with 21-3; Dustin Wilks in fourth with 20-3; and Bobby Lane with 18-4 claiming fifth place.
Ninety-nine Bassmaster Elite Series pros are competing on West Point Lake for a first-place prize that includes $100,000 and an instant entry in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic. Anglers are also trying to earn points that count toward three coveted prizes: the 2011 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year crown, 2011 postseason berths, and 2012 Classic qualifications.
Evers already has a Classic berth in hand. He came from behind in March to win the season’s second event, the Bassmaster Elite Series Power-Pole Citrus Slam on the St. Johns River.
Evers played it close to the vest Thursday, giving nothing away in hopes he can keep an advantage and score win No. 2 for the year.
“You have to keep it to yourself — these guys are too good,” he said.
He did reveal that his day started so slowly, he scrapped his initial game plan and “went fishing.”
“Man, that worked out really good,” he said, adding that he was covering “a bunch of water,” and burned 26 to 27 gallons of gas, jumping from spot to spot and blowing through his arsenal to try to isolate a bait, technique or a pattern that worked.
“I think I caught all five of my bass on five different baits,” he said, his largest bass of the day going 5-15.
He said that contrary to what he expected, the early spawning-shad bite didn’t happen for him.
Evers smashed the buzz from scouting reports and practice sessions that bag weights would be low in this tournament.
“I thought the fish were in this lake,” he said.
Kennedy thought the same thing. A Georgia native, he and his father often traveled to West Point Lake for fishing trips. Now living in Auburn, Ala., Kennedy is even closer to the lake and has been a regular, if not frequent, visitor over the years.
That experience helped Kennedy Thursday as he fished through water others had hit before him. Like Evers, he worked a long string of stops, staying on the move. He said he aimed solely for the bigger largemouth bass, quick-firing casts at targets he said that perhaps only he was trying.
“Some were just little, bitty isolated pieces of wood,” he said. “Some was rock, some was little points.”
The strategy resulted in his boating only seven keepers all day, but it was enough — or, rather, just 1 ounce shy of enough.
Ending the day in third place, Walker credited a fast start and no-error day.
“Everywhere I went, worked; everything I tried, worked,” he said. “You can catch them 2 foot to 20 foot. I came in 20 minutes early because what else was I going to do?”
He said he culled up frequently, building his bag of five largemouth.
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Story and photos courtesy of B.A.S.S. Communications
Matt Herren is a warhorse competitor, not easily rattled. But a week after the April 27 tornadoes that devastated his native Alabama, he was still shaken by the experience.
“You live in the South, you live with the threat of tornadoes, you hear the stories,” said the Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Trussville, a few miles northeast of Birmingham. “But until you’ve lived through it yourself, you can’t fathom what it’s like. I didn’t until I saw it.”
In other northern Alabama towns, several members of his family and many of his friends sustained extensive damage to their homes. So did Kotaro Kiriyama in Moody, a small town close to Trussville. To the west on Lake Guntersville, Chris Lane watched a tornado rip up the city where he lives.
But the three Elite pros are among the lucky ones, and they are grateful to be alive.
In LaGrange for the May 5-8 Elite event on West Point Lake, Herren, Kiriyama and Lane told their stories so that fishing fans could better understand the plights of storm victims who have lost everything. And so that fans can help, the Georgia Three Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross will be on site at the Bassmaster Elite Series Pride of Georgia event May 6-8 to collect cash donations (see below for details).
Herren was at home April 27, packing for the tournament. He happened to have the TV on when the first images of the Tuscaloosa, Ala., tornado were broadcast. He said he watched, incredulous, as the dirty blackness sucked its way through that western Alabama city and kept pushing eastward through areas where his friends and family members live.
“When I saw live footage of the storm going through Cullman, I tried to get (pro angler) Greg Pugh on the phone — where are you? are you OK? It was the same with Dalton Bobo in Northport, and all the anglers I know all across the state, and with all my friends and family.”
Before he could reach anyone by phone, he saw on TV that the tornado was on track to hit Trussville. He and his wife took cover.
“For the first time in my adult life, I grabbed the mattress off the bed and we hunkered down under it. It was the most horrifying feeling in the world, and the loudest, the worst winds I’ve ever heard,” he said.
Then all was quiet. Suddenly, rain hammered his house. He looked outside and was astounded by bright sunshine, torrential rain and trees bent down by hard winds, all at the same time.
“It was the wildest thing I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Herren said damage to his property was limited to broken trees. The tornado had apparently lifted up and gone over his town before moving eastward to wreak havoc in others.
By day’s end, he learned that his mother-in-law and his parents, in Alabama locales more than 40 miles apart, had been hit. Their homes were severely damaged, but they were not injured.
“We were blessed beyond belief,” Herren said. “Anybody who can help the people who lost their homes, lost their loved ones in the storms, please do.”
Kiriyama said that, oddly enough, the tornado he encountered came early and without warning on the morning of April 27 (most tornado touchdowns occurred that evening, and severe weather alerts had been issued by then). He was in his basement office making some calls to sponsors in his native Japan when he first heard rainfall. The storm became so loud, he called upstairs to his wife to take cover.
“Then it sounded like someone was throwing rocks at my house and windows. The house — it is made of brick — was shaking,” he said.
After the noise stopped, he climbed the stairs and surveyed the damage: holes in the roof, windows broken, and a rain of debris, including a refrigerator (not his). For two days, trees across roads trapped him and his wife at his house. Later he learned that nearby, two people had been killed, and many homes had been leveled.
“It felt strange. It was bad, very bad,” said Kiriyama, who was suffering from whiplash, the result of an auto accident the week previous. He said his car had been rear-ended by a texting driver. But a bit of luck: his bass boat was safe in the basement-level garage.
Chris Lane’s three children and pregnant wife traveled with him to LaGrange because there’s no power at his Guntersville, Ala., home and he doesn’t expect the power to be restored soon.
All around Lake Guntersville, he said, is “some of the most tragic stuff I’ve ever seen.”
“From the city of Guntersville, northward up the lake, there are sections with houses they can’t even get to because there are so many trees down,” he said. “They aren’t letting anyone into the Guntersville State Park; I heard that so many of the park trees are gone.”
Alabama wasn’t the only state to suffer. Many parts of the South, including northern Georgia, were hit by tornadoes and severe weather. NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) estimates that between April 25 to April 28, 305 tornadoes touched down in the South.
The outbreak of tornadoes is not the only weather story in the news. Historic flooding is occurring along the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys, and the nation is holding its collective breath.
So is Mark Menendez. From the Ohio River city of Paducah, Ky., the Elite pro is closely watching the situation. He said his home is on a feeder creek about six miles from the main river, and water has covered one road leading to his house. The house is situated high enough on a hill that it isn’t likely to be flooded, but other homeowners in the city aren’t so lucky.
“There are people in low-lying areas who are losing their homes and all their possessions,” he said.
How fishing fans can help: To assist weather victims, the Georgia Three Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross will be accepting cash donations Friday through Sunday on site at the Bassmaster Elite Series Pride of Georgia event at Pyne Road Park, 4481 Roanoke Road, LaGrange, GA 32040.
The first 5,000 donors will receive a Bassmaster autograph card.
“We are so pleased to work with B.A.S.S. and help provide assistance to families affected by the recent storms,” said Connie Hensler, executive director of the Georgia Three Rivers Chapter, which services 10 counties.
To make a donation online, go to Georgia Three Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross.
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 When rainfall saturated Branson, Mo., and
water levels rose to dangerous levels last week, permits were revoked
by the Water Patrol Division of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and
all events — including the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open — were
canceled on Table Rock Lake.
With the collaborative efforts of the
Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors
Bureau, Table Rock State Park, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bass Pro
Shops, the anglers will have their shot at tackling this fishery.
The Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open has been rescheduled for Oct. 20-22, 2011.
“Yes, it’s true that the water from the
2011 spring storm reached the highest level ever recorded on Table Rock
Lake, surpassing 935 feet,” said Ross Summers, president/CEO of the
Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors
Bureau. “By the time the October tournament gets here, the wind and wave
action will have reduced the leaves and small tree limbs to mulch along
the shoreline. The organic matter actually adds nutrients to the water
to provide for great spawning and cover, which is good for fishing!”
The new daily launch time is 7:15 a.m. CT
from Table Rock Lake State Park Marina, 380 State Park Marina Drive,
Branson, MO 65616.
Weigh-ins will take place Oct. 20 and
Oct. 21 at 3:15 p.m. CT at the launch location, and the final weigh-in,
Saturday, Oct. 22, will be at 4:15 p.m. CT in front of the Branson
Landing water fountain next to the Branson Bass Pro Shops, 1 Bass Pro
Drive, Branson, MO 65616.
“With immense postseason awards like the
Bassmaster Elite Series and the Bassmaster Classic at stake, we felt
that eliminating an event from the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central
Open division was not in the best interest of the anglers, fans and
sponsors,” said Chris Bowes, senior tournament manager of B.A.S.S.
“Once it was determined that the event
would be rescheduled, we knew we had great partnerships with
Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors
Bureau, Table Rock State Park, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and our
title sponsor Bass Pro Shops to make it happen. Staying at Table Rock
Lake was a no-brainer for B.A.S.S.”
For more information about the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on Table Rock Lake, go to www.bassmaster.com/open.
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We just saw on the Arizona Game and Fish website, Azgfd.gov, where Robert Lawler of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., caught a redear sunfish weighing 5.55 pounds out of Lake Havasu. The massive fish specimen was 16.75 inches long with an amazing 19 inch girth. We've caught some two pound redears on Kentucky Lake and thought those were giants. We can't even imagine a 5 pounder.
John Galbraith of BassTackleMaster.com snapped a photo of the specimen. The former state record was 4 pounds, 2.24 ounces and was also caught out of Lake Havasu on Feb. 16, 2010. That fish measured a measly 15.5-inches long.
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Do you fish with live bait? Do you know everything you need to know about the forage to keep them lively and looking natural to the predators you're after? Frabill is offering some education on different types of forage and how anglers can keep the bait in the best shape for maximizing their opportunities to catch fish.
We'll air some of these tips for those anglers that like to catch fish on live bait, starting with minnow care.
Minnows should be kept cool and oxygenated at a stable water temperature
of about 50 degrees. Change water every two days; be sure to use
non-chlorinated water and maintain consistent water temperature. If you
are using tap water, use Frabill Aqua Lung tabs to remove the
chlorine. Frabill insulated buckets will keep water temperatures stable
when transporting minnows in hot or cold conditions. Try the different Frabill bait stations – choose which will work best for you based on the
size and quantity of your bait.
We thought this video was educational on various minnow species, how to catch, care and rig them for natural presentations in your fishing.
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FLW Outdoors announced Tuesday that the National Guard FLW Walleye Tour
will feature nine pros running sponsor-wrapped boats for the upcoming
2011 season. The most lucrative tournament trail in professional walleye
fishing commences competition May 12 on Lake Erie in Port Clinton,
Ohio. The nine boats are just one of the many exciting facets of the
revamped FLW Walleye Tour, which features international television
coverage on VERSUS, a $10,000 National Guard Angler of the Year purse
and live streaming weigh-ins via FLW Live.
Chris Gilman, the reigning FLW Walleye Tour Championship winner,
will compete this season from an OFF!-branded Ranger 620. A longtime
member of the Rapala and Evinrude pro staffs, Gilman’s 2011 jersey will
continue to incorporate his faithful sponsors. The Chisago City, Minn.,
pro is known as “Mr. Consistency” on Tour, having won the 2009 Angler of
the Year award. More impressively, Gilman has finished in the top five
in the AOY race each of the last four seasons.
“It’s going to be a fantastic year,” he said. “The television
exposure and prize money have been increased thanks to these sponsors.
And the schedule looks just phenomenal; people are chomping at the bit.”
Dean Arnoldussen, the all-time money winner on the FLW Walleye
Tour, will fish for Team Walmart, joining the likes of George Cochran
and Wesley Strader on the bass side. Arnoldussen has three wins and over
$600,000 in career earnings.
Bill Shimota, the winner of the 2010 qualifier on Pool 3 of the
Mississippi River, will fish for Team National Guard. The Lonsdale,
Minn., pro was the points champion in the Western Division last season.
In addition, Shimota claimed the 2007 FLW Walleye League Finals on the
Mississippi River near the Quad Cities.
Other new wraps for 2011 include Amp Energy and Diet Mountain
Dew pro John Balla, Castrol pro John Campbell, Eggo pro Brian Brosdahl
and EverStart pro Dan Stier. Holdovers from last season include National
Guard pro Mark Courts and Chevy pro Jason Przekurat, the only two-time
AOY winner in FLW Walleye Tour history.
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Two current members and a veteran of the fishing industry have been
elected to serve on the Professional Anglers Association Board of
Directors.
 Charlie
Ingram of Tennessee joins the board as the newest board member.
Returning for another term on the board are John Crews of Virginia and
Kurt Dove of Texas. Crews has served as President and Vice President of
the association, and Dove has served as Secretary.
Ingram has fished professionally and been involved in the outdoors
industry for four decades. He has a successful television show, “Fishing
University,” that is in its 24th year and has served as a
consultant to numerous companies. He qualified for eight Bassmaster
Classics and four FLW Tour championships, and competes on the PAA
Tournament Series.
“Under these tough economic times, I feel I have the experience in
angling, in advertising and in marketing and will be able to help move
the PAA forward,” Ingram said in his platform statement to voting
members. “Having been in outdoor television for the past 24 years, my
past experience will hopefully help the board to explore all angles to
give both the PAA and the PAA fishermen the most exposure possible.”
Nominees were presented in March to the PAA’s Tour and Legends members
for voting. Nominees from the PAA Tour and Legends membership were
solicited from PAA members.
Other current board members include Mike McClelland of Arkansas, Dave
Mansue of Texas, Paul Elias of Mississippi, Zell Rowland of Texas, Matt
Reed of Texas, Brian Snowden of Missouri and Chad Morgenthaler of
Illinois.
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We're winding down the 2011 Bassmaster Elite Series Season. After this tournament there are only three tournaments left in the season. So this can be a make or break tournament for a lot of anglers. It makes choosing who's going to do well in a tournament more difficult because every guy really steps up his game. But we're going with some history, some hot streak and some gut instinct on these picks.
Jason
A Steve Kennedy - This is probably going to be a popular pick at this tournament. He learned to fish from his father fishing on West Point Lake. While he hasn't been to West Point in more than 5 years, he still knows how the lake fishes and he'll know some historically productive areas.
B Mark Menendez - the last time B.A.S.S. had an Open here, Menendez took home the trophy and the cash. So he knows a little about the lake as well. Plus Menendez has been relatively quiet, which means it's about time to get back in the top 12 cut.
C Russ Lane - This is going to be a post spawn tournament and Lane has proven that he's best when the bass leave the shallows and first start showing up offshore. He's a powerful crankbait angler who doesn't get enough credit for what he can do with a crankbait. This tournament should setup like he likes to fish.
D J. Todd Tucker - Going with a "Georgia" pick here. You always need a good local in the mix and J. Todd has been having a pretty good year especially for big bass. One or two big bass here will go far.
E David Walker - this was one of the tougher brackets to select an angler. I think there are a lot of good up and comers in this bracket but I went with a guy who can really catch them shallow after they spawn. He's a master of running obvious cover quickly and picking off the best bass on the most obvious places.
Terry
A Dean Rojas - He's on a roll and should be able to catch them on the frog and looking at them both here.
B Kelly Jordon - He's both a great sight angler and post spawn angler. Look for him to have a break out tournament. Always seems to happen in May and June.
C Takahiro Omori - He's tough in postspawn tournaments and whether it's shallow flipping or shallow cranking I like Tak in this one.
D Greg Vinson - He's a tough stick that you haven't heard much about this season. And he knows these type of waters well. If he can look at them, watch out.
E Keith Combs - He's always a threat. A home-run hitter who can win at this level, and West Point should play well to his strengths. Look for him to have a high finish.
Todd
A Mike Iaconelli - He's extremely focused and motivated right now. He seems to perform better when it matters more, like qualifying for the Classic.
B Gerald Swindle – Gerald’s on top of his game right now, both as an angler and as a superhero helping his fellow man!
C Fred Roumbanis – Boom Boom’s got a break out event coming, and I think it’s going to be here.
D J.Todd Tucker – He's been fishing too good this year to ignore any longer.
E Ott DeFoe – He was my preseason Rookie of the Year pick, and I’m just staying with him.
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Minnetonka-based
Rapala USA, a member of the Rapala VMC Group, the world’s leading
fishing tackle manufacturer, has promoted John Holterhaus to Regional
Sales Manager.
In
his new role, Holterhaus will be responsible for co-managing the West
Coast sales territory with Rapala Regional Sales Manager Roger Neufeldt,
along with overseeing all new business accounts. Holterhaus joined the
company in 2005 and quickly moved into the sales department in 2007,
where he managed key distributors and retailers throughout the country.
“As
an avid angler and outdoorsman, it’s been an amazing opportunity to
work and grow with such a great company,” said Holterhaus. “I’m excited
to focus my efforts on the West Coast territory. I look forward to
working with a great established sales agency, and an excellent range of
customers.”
“John
has been an instrumental part of our sales department,” said Zack
Swanson, Vice President of Sales for Rapala. “John’s remarkable
dedication and enthusiasm will continue to strengthen our position in
this important territory.”
In his free time, Holterhaus enjoys fishing for trout, salmon and bass, and spending time with his wife and new daughter.
For more information on Rapala, please visit rapala.com.
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Former Yamaha Marine Group President Phil Dyskow has been appointed by the U.S. Department of Commerce to the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, which provides counsel on national saltwater fishery management issues and laws that protect marine mammals, sea turtles and other ocean life.
“I am honored to have been chosen for this important assignment,” said Dyskow. “The management of our fisheries is a complex task; it requires that a balance be struck between many constituents. In that process, we need to make sure that the voices of recreational anglers are heard.”
The Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee is the only federal advisory panel charged with making recommendations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Commerce secretary on the department's living marine resource responsibilities.
MAFAC members draw on their expertise to evaluate and assess national programs, recommend priorities, and provide their views on issues concerning the Magnuson-Stevens Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, aquaculture, recreational fishing, and ocean governance.
In addition to his long career at Yamaha Marine Group, which culminated in his leadership as president from 1997 to 2010, Dyskow is a life-long angler and outdoorsman.
Established in 1971, the committee consists of 15 to 21 people who are selected through a comprehensive public recruitment process. Committee members represent commercial and recreational fisheries interests, environmental organizations, academic institutions, tribes and consumer groups from a balance of U.S. geographical regions. Member terms are three years, and they can serve two consecutive terms.
Yamaha Marine products are marketed throughout the United States and around the world. Yamaha Marine Group, based in Kennesaw, Ga., supports its 2,000 U.S. dealers and OEM partners with marketing, training and parts for Yamaha’s full line of products and strives to be the industry leader in reliability, technology and customer service. Yamaha Marine is the only outboard brand to have earned NMMA®’s C.S.I. Customer Satisfaction Index award every year since its inception. Visit www.yamahaoutboards.com.
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Strike King Lure Company,
one of the nations top fishing lure manufacturers, announces the recent
addition of Mark Copley as the Media Relations/Public Relations Manager.
Mark has been a part of Strike King since 2007 as a Video Producer for SchaZam
Productions. He will be taking over the duties of relationships and
support of the Media, Pro-Staff and Consumers and also manage the Social Media efforts
for Strike King. He will continue his duties with SchaZam.
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A very special thanks to all of the Wired2Fish readers for participating in the St. Croix Rods Personalized Mojo Bass Rod contest here at Wired2Fish. We found out just how strong the affinity is for St. Croix and the rods that they build. We truly appreciate the comments and it's clear that St. Croix fans love their rods.
Three winners were randomly selected from a large pool of correct entries to receive a new Mojo Bass Rod with both their name and the Wired2Fish logo. This is one sweet rod!
The winners are:
Paul Finn
Olathe, KS
Alan Sulik
Strongsville, OH
Mark Estrella
Topsham, ME
Your information has been forwarded to St.Croix and you should be receiving your rods shortly. Look for another great contest very soon.
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Elite Series pro Russ Lane has teamed with Spro and they have again come out with a new uniquely styled crankbait that will be ready for ICAST. Above is a sneak peek of a prototype of the new diver. Rumor has it it will be called the Big Daddy. Equipped with Gamakatsu hooks and a body shape that should be perfect for early summer cranking. Stay tuned for more on this bait and more from Spro.
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Our friends at Zoom talked recently with our buddy, Wired2Fish and Hefty Storage Elite Series pro Mike McClelland. He shared his insight on his current Bassmaster Elite Series season and a few upcoming events that he's looking forward to in the southeast part of the country. As the bass move offshore, McClelland moves into his fishing comfort zone. He talks about how one slip up the last time they visited Murray cost him a run at the title and how much he looks forward to redeeming himself.
To read the full interview on Zoom's website, click here.
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By Matt Pangrac
There’s no better way to earn faith and confidence in a product than to put it to the test.
That being said, I really don’t have a burning desire to test out my driver’s side air bag, the “emergency call only” feature on my cell phone, or the flare gun that I keep in my boat. It’s nice to know that those options are there, but if I’m using one of them, well, you get the picture.
So last week, I hook up the Skeeter and head south on I-35 fully intending to spend the morning sight fishing on a lake in Oklahoma about 60-miles from my place. 32-miles down the road I blow a tire on my single-axle trailer.
No big deal, right? Well, considering that I left my jack in a buddy’s truck after helping him fix a flat last month, I was in a predicament. As I sat on the side of the Interstate 35 pondering my next move, it occurred to me that in January I bought a yearlong membership to BoatUS Angler that included the Trailer Assist package. Not only that but it also included the chance to win bonus money at tournaments as a member of their Weigh-to-Win program.
 I called the 24-hour dispatch number on the back of my membership card, and Adam from BoatUS sent a tow truck to the scene within 30-minutes. After replacing the shredded tire with the spare, I was back on the road and headed to the lake without a dime out of my pocket.
As I pulled up to the ramp, Adam from BoatUS called back just to make sure everything went smoothly. At 26-years-old, I’m slowly starting to realize that I’m not bullet proof, and things do occasionally go wrong. It was a good feeling knowing that even though I was traveling by myself, the people at BoatUS Angler had my back.
After looking around and catching a few small ones, I finally spotted what I had been looking for – a bug- eyed, pot-bellied sow on a spawning bed. After working on her for more than an hour, I boated my biggest bass of the year an – 11-pound toad.
As it turned out, it took more time to get that bedding bass to bite than it took for me to call BoatUS Angler and get back on the road earlier that morning. That either means that I’m horrible at sight fishing or that BoatUS came through in a pinch when I put their product to the test.
I’m going to say it’s probably a little bit of both.
Purchase a basic membership to BoatUS Angler, add the Unlimited On-the-Road Towing (Trailer Assist), and you’ll also be eligible to register for the Weigh-to-Win contingency program that is a must-do for anybody that fishes tournaments. Go to BoatUSFishing.com to check it out or just call (918) 742-6424 and ask to speak with Kendell.
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On our daily checking of our friends at Bassmaster.com, we noticed they just unveiled a new facelift. But the changes at Bassmaster.com are more than just cosmetic. They've reorganized their content, created some new sections, and improved the searchability of their old content. The site appears more immersed in social networking and engaging readers to comment and share their stories. A good move on their part.
But we're anxious to see the new content they are going to be adding and to see how the site grows from here. It's very nice to be able to search on the site and find what you are looking for now which was always hit or miss on the old site. Now you can find what you thought you remembered reading one time on Bassmaster.com but couldn't remember where.
Ken Duke and the gang at Bassmaster.com and they are great folks to work with when you're trying to help relay information about tournaments and such for them on your own sites. So we hope this will be a move in the right direction for them on the dot com side.
Check out their site and a little intro from Ken, here.
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 The
Georgia Southern team of Jed Thigpen of Waycross, Ga., and Wesley
Maples of Statesboro, Ga., won the National Guard FLW College Fishing
Southeast Division event on Lake Eufaula Saturday with five bass
weighing 10 pounds, 14 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 Southeast Division Regional Championship.
“The key to our win was leaving the grass alone,” said Maples, a
senior geography major. “We didn’t fish grass until the last cast of the
day when I threw over next to some lily pads and caught a keeper that
actually culled.”
Maples said the team caught the rest of their fish on Zoom Mag II
worms paired with 3/8-ounce Tru-Tungsten sinkers fishing offshore brush
piles in 5 to 15 feet of water. Maples said the team stayed in an area
from Cowikee Creek to the Hwy. 82 bridge. Maples boated three of the
weigh fish, while Thigpen landed the other two.
“This is awesome,” said Thigpen, a junior biology major. “I mean,
this is our playoffs. Somebody could have easily weighed in a 15- or
20-pound bag if they had got in the right group of fish in the right
area. We knew we had a decent bag from what we had gotten in practice,
and we knew we had done what we could do, and that was it. As far as
winning it, we really didn’t think we had a shot at it.”
Rounding out the top five teams and also advancing to the Southeast Regional Championship are:
2nd:University of Georgia – Randy Tolbert Jr., Rome, Ga., and Chase Simmemon, Alto, Ga. (five bass, 9-2, $3,000)
3rd: South Alabama – Taylor Ramey, Hattiesburg, Miss., and John McGraw, Wilmer, Ala. (two bass, 8-0, $2,000)
4th: Clemson University – Chase Stewart, Seneca, S.C., and Jonathon Ball, Clemson, S.C. (five bass, 6-14, $2,000)
5th: Southern Polytechnic – Zachary Dixon, Kennesaw, Ga., and Edward Thomas, Gainesville, Ga. (three bass, 6-12, $2,000)
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