B.A.S.S. Communications
It is somewhat ironic that after only one season in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Northern Opens, Florida-born and Southern-bred angler Kyle Fox made it into the 2012 Bassmaster Elite Series. The irony is sharper because his Northern success came after toiling four seasons in the closer-to-home Bassmaster Southern and Central Opens.
Although the Elites came to him from an unexpected direction, Fox sees his five years in the minors as necessary for an angler who wants to become a well-rounded pro.
“It was all a learning experience,” he said. “I feel I’ve taken something from all the tournaments I’ve been in, things that will help me in the Elites.”
And time, after all, was on his side. He was 19 years-old in 2007 when he set out on his journey to be an Elite. He’ll be 23 when he competes in his first two Elite events. Even when he turns 24 in April, he still will be one of the youngest in the field.
Fox can’t remember a time without fishing. He cut his angling teeth on Florida fisheries and became a Bassmaster Junior angler. When he decided to go for pro status in 2007, he elected the Bassmaster Southern Open circuit. From 2008 through 2010, he fished both the Southern and Central divisions. He competed in dual divisions for four years, but each time fell short of the qualifying cut.
In 2011, he again went with the Southern Opens. But he made the decision to pass on the Central and try the Northern Open division instead. He says he wasn’t thinking that the Northerns would lead to the Elites. He was after only what he could learn from the Northern’s 2011 stops: vast and open Lake Erie, the smallmouth factory of Oneida Lake in upstate New York, and the tidal James River.
He discovered that almost everything about the three Northern fisheries was foreign to him.
“I’d never had to target smallmouth, fish in open water, or fish a dropshot or a tube. I spent all my practice time before a tournament to figure out each new thing for myself,” he said.
Becoming his own teacher, he proved to be a good student. He finished 30th on the James, 12th on Erie, and 36th on Oneida. That shook down to fourth place in Northern points, within the top-five cutline for an Elite invitation.
Achieving his goal was not, as some might think, redemption for his missed chance in 2007. After his first Open season in 2007, he qualified for the Wild Card tournament, a “last chance” for Open anglers to advance to the Elite level that year. He finished 24th, not high enough.
Fox now sees he wasn’t ready at that age.
“I hadn’t had the experience I needed,” he said. “I would have jumped into the Elites and probably got my butt whooped, and never tried it ever again.”
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Wired2Fish now has some killer new products to help you keep a shine on that new boat or make your old one look better. Tested in the Man Cave and used routinely on our boats and vehicles these products do what they say they will. Great for use on both fiberglass or aluminum boats each product is designed to take the work out of detailing and keeping your investment looking new.
We recently ran a contest on Wired2Fish to give 4 readers a chance to be one of the first to use our new products.
The winners of the Clean Up Your Boat contest are:
Grant Kelly-McDonough, GA
Jack Anderson-Baxter, KY
Teena Ross-Fairfield Bay, AR
Gil Minor-Hamilton, OH
Your products are on the way and thanks to everyone for entering.
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Randy Howell's Bassmaster Elite Series title sponsor is King's Home. King's Home is a Alabama ministry that provides help and hope to abused and homeless youth, women and moms with children. December 4th, Randy and Kings Home will be giving away his 2011 Triton. You can still get involved by sending a $100 donation to Kings Home. Your entry fee will be used to provide safe, loving homes for kids and moms who need your help. The weekend will be filled with all sorts of activities including the Kampfire for the King Christmas Celebration, Howells Fishing Derby and much more. You do not have to be present to win.
Randy's boat comes equipped with a 250 Mercury Pro XS Optimax, Bob's Machine Shop Hydraulic Jackplate, Dual Power Poles, 2 Lowrance HDS units, 4 Odyssey Batteries, a Motorguide 109 trolling motor, Dual Pro 4 Bank Charger, Keel Shield Hull Protector, Tandem Axle Trailer with Stainless Steel Fenders and a Fury Prop. Value of the boat is $67,000
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Norwegian based investment company and energy and engineering services company Borre Nordheim-Larsen, NLI Utvikling has issued a standardized notification to the Norwegian Competition Authority for its bid to purchase O. Mustad & Sons hook company. This motion was filed on Nov. 21 and they have until Dec. 12 to provide formal details on the purchase to the competition authority.
Rumors have circulated for months about Pure Fishing and Rapala purchasing Mustad and this seems to be pretty solid evidence to the contrary. NLI Utvikling is a $2.3 Billion NOK company with 1,300 employees worldwide. They have interests in gas, solar, wind, rainwater and other renewable energy sources as well as having engineering, fabrication and business development arms.
Angling International Editor Mel Bagnall reported in his recent newsletter that it was all but a done deal now. Here is his take on the acquisition with a full report to be featured in the January issue of Angling International:
After
months of fevered speculation, the future of troubled Norwegian hook
manufacturer Mustad looks to have finally been assured.
In a surprising twist to the long-running saga which has seen both Rapala
and Pure Fishing linked to moves to acquire Mustad, Norwegian industrial
and investment company, NLI Utvikling, has announced its intention to
purchase the company.
The owner of NLI Utvikling, Borre Nordheim-Larsen, this week notified the
Norwegian Competition Authority about the ‘possible acquisition of
O.Mustad & Son AS’. He told it that some financial matters had yet to
be settled, but that these were likely to be resolved in the next month
after which a final decision on the acquisition will be made.
News of NLI Utvikling’s interest in Mustad has come as a shock to
industry insiders as it was widely expected that one of the angling
industry’s giants would eventually acquire the iconic hook brand.
Relatively unknown outside its homeland, NLI Utvikling, describes itself
as a company that has a tradition in investing in companies in
‘demanding’ situations.
In a press statement the company said: “NLI Utvikling sees great
potential in further developing the Mustad world brand.”
NLI Utvikling is a privately-owned and independent investment group with
a strong tradition and deep roots in Norwegian industry. Since its
inception in 1946, it has grown into an organization that has nearly
1,300 employees and in 2011 had revenue of approximately 2.3 billion NOK.
It is said to invest in companies with potential for growth, but which
find themselves in ‘demanding situations’.
Mustad seems to be an ideal fit for its growing portfolio as the
company’s financial woes have been widely reported in the media.
Speculation over its future heightened earlier this year when it closed
its troubled Philippines operation – making around 200 employees
redundant – and announced its decision to concentrate on its core
business of hook manufacture.
NLI Utvikling currently has interests in the oil, gas, hydropower and
renewable energy industries as well as the property and health sectors.
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It's Cyber Monday, so we figured why you were online shopping for the missus or the kids, you might also want to pick up something "really nice" for the holidays for yourself. So we knocked 20% off everything in the Wired2Fish Store and we're throwing in free decals with every order. So stop by the Wired2Fish store and check out everything from Hoodies to Floor Graphics and get some great discounts on your favorite boat and clothing items.
Note: The 20 percent off price will be reflected when you add the item to your cart. The sale will last until Midnight CST on Wednesday.
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By Terry Brown
Webster describes an elixir as a substance held capable of changing base metals into gold and/or a substance held capable of prolonging life indefinitely. Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer has this definition down pat. It can indeed make a silk purse out of a sows ear with cars and trucks too, prolonging engine life and making your car run like gold again. Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer seems almost like magic as it quiets, decreases smoke and increases performance the instant it's poured in the vehicle.
The Product
Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer is a thick honey-like
petroleum liquid that can be used on both new and older vehicles.
Designed to eliminate dry starts, the number one cause of wear in
engines, Lucas Oil Stabilizer also decreases smoking, knocking and oil
consumption. It seals worn cylinders and eliminates blow-by causing less
pollution too. It's a two-in-one product that can also be used in
transmissions and differentials too. It will not void new car warranties
and will make your old car run like new again.
Two Tests
Case in point is my son's 2003 Audi A4. Generally speaking, it has run well, but gas mileage has decreased with age, performance had dropped and there were a few rattles during cold start and on acceleration. Tuning it up helped a bit but the most significant improvement occurred right after we ran a quart of Lucas Oil Stabilizer in it. It was almost instantaneous. From the moment we poured it in, the engine quieted and he gained horsepower and fuel economy back. One trip around the block the A4 ran like a new car again and has to date, as well. We might have thought it was a coincidence or a fluke but the same thing happened with our Wired2Fish engineer's Blazer. He added it and his car changed so quickly, he could not believe the improvement. Quiet, better starts and better fuel economy. By reducing friction it makes all internal parts run smoother and increases oil pressure plus reduces heat. Your tow vehicle will run cooler which means it will run BETTER.
Using Lucas Heavy Duty Oil Stabilizer is a great choice as an oil additive and based on the results we have seen here in the Man Cave, it will work for your cars and tow vehicles too.
Pardon the pun, but there is no smoke and mirrors with this product. It is the real deal.
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As you know we currently have a Wired2Fish Contest going for a chance to be one of the first to try our new line-up of car and boat care products we are about to launch. For almost two years we have been testing different detailing products in the Man Cave. We wanted to have our own brand of polishing, cleaning, waxing, spot removing, and finishing products that would meet our standards and do the job correctly the first time.
We settled in on 8 Wired2Fish approved products initially but will be adding more as we test. They had to work right out of the gate and these product do the job.
We will be adding all of the products to the Wired2Fish Store but in the meantime if you would like to give them a shot you can get them by going to the SuperiorProducts.com. |
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REBEL LURES TO GIVE
AWAY FULLY EQUIPPED SKEETER BOAT
Ever dream of hitting the lake in your own shiny, glossy and
completely off-the-hook wrapped bass boat? Drop those shades over your eyes and
idle slowly out of the marina while other anglers elbow each other and ask,
“Who is that?”
Gotta be a pro.
That’s what they’ll think if you’re the winner of the Rebel
50th Anniversary Skeeter, to be given away to one lucky angler
during the 2012 Bassmaster Classic. You need not be present to win. In fact,
you hardly have to do anything at all.
The boat is a 2011 Skeeter FX21, fully equipped with the
Motor of the Year, the Yamaha SHO 250hp, a Minn Kota Fortrex 36-volt trolling
motor, Humminbird 1197 electronics with side scan technology at the dash and a
Humminbird 997 mapping unit on the bow and a Power Pole on the back. It comes
complete with a dual axle trailer with surge brakes and a Toughcoat Trailer
Protection surface.
This 21-foot Skeeter is fully wrapped in beautiful Rebel
Lures 50th Anniversary graphics. But wait, there’s more!
This glorious rig will be given away on Sunday, Feb. 26 --
the last day of the Classic -- and you don’t need to be present to win, although
you might want to be. If you’re the lucky winner and are in attendance you not
only win the boat, but an additional $5,000 worth of lures and gear!
Entering the contest is easy. Simply Like the
Lurenet.com facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FishingLures?sk=app_127345964042199
and complete the entry form. No purchase necessary. Just click Like, answer a
couple questions and then sit back and wait to see if the 2012 Bassmaster
Classic makes you a winner, too.
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A new product line has been born on the lakes of north Georgia that can help every angler catch more fish. These products do not come with hooks, but will help anglers find the right lure and rod needed to catch the next fish and be more efficient and do it quicker.
The Line Rite Rod Tags and Line Rite Tackle Tags system will help anglers “Get Organized” on and off the water. The color-coded Line Rite Rod Tag is a must for the serious angler and gives anglers the ability to see what line type and line size is on a specific rod at any time. Line Rite Rod Tags are available in 2lb-30lb for Monofilament (red), 2 lb-25 lb for Fluorocarbon (blue), and 15 lb-65 lb for Braid (green). Using this system will give all anglers the ability to choose the rod that carries the correct line type and line size for the needed technique in an instant.
Line Rite Tackle Tags can help control an angler’s tackle. These colorfully designed tags allow anglers to reach for the desired lure that is hidden in a compartment full of individual tackle boxes. Time is of the essence during a fishing day, and it is critical to stay organized. Using Line Rite Tackle Tags can quickly lead an angler to the right box containing a favorite spinnerbait, crankbait, or jig in an instant. They come in 4 colors, (Red), (Blue), (Yellow), and (Black) for a variety of different lures in these categories; Hard baits, Soft baits, Blades, Jigs, and, Specialties.
Bassmaster Elite Series angler Mark Menendez agrees with the need to “Get Organized”. “The hardest part of my job is organization. Whether I am preparing for a tournament or cleaning up after the event, the Line Rite Rod Tags and Tackle Tags system simplifies the task at hand. It gives me the opportunity to make more casts!”
For ordering or additional information about Line Rite Rod Tags and Line Rite Tackle Tags, please visit www.line-rite.com, www.facebook.com/Line-Rite, or call at (706) 272-9717.
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Kelly and Misti Jones at Kicker Fish Bait Company have been with Wired2Fish since day one. They were our first advertiser and for 4 years have continued to grow with us. They have showcased their products like the Original Texas Wacky Worm, the Bird Dawg, Xplodin Toad and the Kicker Craw right here on Wired2Fish. They launched their new high floating High Tail Series here and now have announced the Bubble Fry as well.
Thanks to everyone who entered the Kicker Fish Contest and congrats to 10 winners who will be receiving a full selection of everything Kicker Fish.
The winners are:
Ray Charpentier - Simi Valley, Calif.
Garry Rogers - Statesville, N.C.
Melisha Blair - Junction City, Kan.
John Clapp - Meridian, Idaho
Steve Winter - North Kingstown, R.I.
Chris Rivers - Ocean Springs, Miss.
Robert Volinic - Peachtree City, Ga.
Gary Longley - South Londonberry, Ver.
Jamie Waterman - Monroe, La.
Alexander Ghaffari - Cincinnati, Ohio
Congrats to all, and your Kicker Fish Baits are on the way.
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A day after clinching NASCAR Camping World Truck Series “Rookie of the Year” honors by finishing 5th in the Ford 200, NASCAR Driver Joey Coulter continued his big weekend by winning the Hot Rods & Reels Charity Fishing Tournament at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday, November 19. The Hot Rods & Reels Charity Fishing Tournament with NASCAR Drivers annually benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to SUPPORT people with paralysis and PREVENT spinal cord injuries.
Coulter’s team of Tim Nichols, Steve Marcus, Haithan Mustafa won the tournament by catching bass with a combined weight of 6.10lbs.
“It was great to be here and great to support Darrell,” said Coulter. “This is such a cool event to fish on the infield lake. We really had a great time.”
Coulter drives the No. 22 Darrell Gwynn Foundation Chevrolet in the NASCAR Camping Word Truck Series which sports the Darrell Gwynn Foundation logo on the hood. He and his family are great supporters of the foundation.
Richard Childress caught the biggest fish of the day, catching a 4.08lbs. bass in the tournament.
The annual Hot Rods & Reels Charity Fishing Tournament pairs foundation supporters with NASCAR Drivers and personalities for a day of bass fishing on the infield lake at the Homestead—Miami Speedway. The annual event benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation and offers companies an opportunity to entertain clients and reward employees during Ford Championship Weekend.
You can learn more about participating in the next Hot Rods & Reels tournament at the Daytona International Speedway at the Daytona 500 by visiting hotrodsandreels.com. Boats and sponsorships are available.
Despite a scheduling change due to inclement weather Friday night to Sprint Cup Practice that conflicted with this year’s fishing tournament Saturday morning, several NASCAR Drivers still made time to attend the event and participate including: Ryan Newman, Joe Nemechek, Greg Sachs, Clint Bowyer, Martin Truex and Joey Coulter. Team owner Richard Childress also fished along with FOX NASCAR analyst Larry McReynolds. NASCAR President Mike Helton also visited the tournament.
At the Hot Rods & Reels Charity Fishing Tournament the Darrell Gwynn Foundation, on behalf of its donors, donated a $10,000 power wheelchair to Tyron Cunningham of Miami Gardens, Fla. The wheelchair donation was made through the foundation’s national Wheelchair Donation Program. You can help support the foundation’s wheelchair donation program and Give the Gift of Mobility by donating today: https://darrellgwynnfoundation.org/the-gift-of-mobility.php.
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 Numa Optics owner, Jake Bennett and Pro Staff Manager, Brad Lutz are pleased to announce the addition of Legendary West Coast Angler, Gary Dobyns, to the Numa Optics pro staff.
"We couldn't ask for a more well respected angler and ambassador to the sport than Gary Dobyns to have on our staff," Lutz said.
"It is exciting to be part of such a great company like Numa, that is dedicated to creating the highest quality eyewear, built to last, no matter the conditions," Dobyns said.
Numa Optics frames are constructed from our patented Tough-Flex™ and Lite-Flex Frame Materials™, which can be bent, flexed, sat on, whatever, they won't break. All models feature reinforced hinges and nose-bridge for durability. All of our lenses are made of impact-resistant and shatter-resistant polycarbonate, surpassing the most stringent optical clarity standards.
Key features of Numa frames are rubberized nose and/or temple pads to prevent slippage, a tight "wrap" to protect against wind, dust and debris, venting between lens and frame on "extreme wrap" models to prevent fogging. All lenses provide 100-percent protection from harmful UVA, UVB and UVC rays.
A pair of frames with lenses in place weighs between 23-31 grams for Numa's Tough-Flex Frame series (approximately 1 ounce), and an astounding 19-24 grams for Numa's Lite-Flex Frame series (about 3/4 ounce). So light that you hardly feel you're wearing them!
Numa Sport Optics was founded by a Special Forces soldier and triathlete who saw that all of his gear was rugged and tough except for his sunglasses. Numa was created to fill that need and to set a new standard for rugged, lightweight, dependable high quality sunglasses.
For more information on Numa Optics, please visit numaoptics.com or e-mail jim@numaoptics.com.
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The
Fresno State team of Kong Moua and Christopher Delgado both of Fresno,
Calif., won the National Guard FLW College Fishing Western Regional
Championship Saturday with two bass weighing 3 pounds, 6 ounces. The
team had a three day total of 10 bass weighing 23 pounds, 11 ounces to
take home a prize package worth $50,000.
The team
will split the prize between their university and the university’s bass
fishing club - $12,500 and a Ranger 177TR with a 90-horsepower outboard
wrapped in school colors for the bass club and $12,500 for their school.
The duo also earned a berth in the National Guard FLW College Fishing
National Championship which will be held in April 2012. Moua and Delgado
beat their closest competitor, California Polytechnic, by a solid 8
pounds.
“This is what
dreams are made of, I’ve been so blessed,” said the senior history major
Delgado. “Kong and I make a great team and to be able to win like this
is unbelievable.
“The change in
weather really shut down the fishing today,” Delgado went on to say. “We
really struggled and had to grind it out. We caught our first two fish
within the first hour this morning and then nothing. We went to the same
spot we were in yesterday, we weren’t about to leave the dog pound.
Unfortunately we sat there so long we drained our battery. One of the
high school teams had to “escort” us in.
“You really had
to fish slow or go home this week,” Delgado continued. “We were
drop-shotting morning dawn and oxblood with red fleck in 35- to 60-feet
of water. It was a tough week and I am so thankful for our 15-pound sack
yesterday.”
Exhausted and
overwhelmed by their victory, the two are looking forward to their first
trip to the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship
next April.
“This is
unbelievable, I know how tough it is to come in third, my mind is blown
right now,” said Moua a junior recreational management major. “Today was
a grind. We caught our two fish early and I lost two big ones that I
thought would really hurt us. Thankfully our weight held up and we were
able to pull out the win.”
Rounding out the top five teams and also qualifying for the National Guard FLW College Fishing National Championship are:
2nd:
California Polytechnic – Scott Hellesen and Damian Bean, both of San
Luis Obispo, Calif., eight bass, 15-11, $10,000
3rd: Sacramento State – Robert Matsuura, Sacramento, Calif.,
and Thomas Kanemoto, Elk Grove, Calif., nine bass, 14-3, $5,000
4th: Chico State – Thomas White, Fountain Valley, Calif., and Frank Vogt, Chico, Calif., six bass, 13-15, $5,000
5th: Chico State – Bo Harkins, Chico, Calif., and Anthony Dayton, Walnut Creek, Calif., eight bass, 13-4, $5,000
For a complete list of final standings visit CollegeFishing.com.
Overall there were ten bass weighing 16 pounds, 15 ounces with zero five bass limits caught by the five teams.
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With one made-for-tv event with television coverage from Outdoor Channel under their belts after Amistad, Major League Fishing is creating a buzz among media and anglers. Results of that event still are under gag order but today on Weighing In with Terry Brown Gary Klein talks about how it went and the ground swell following the week long sports event. To listen click here. |
 FLW Tour Pro Justin Kerr broke the Colorado River System Smallmouth bass record with a 5.63 pound fish from Lake Havasu on November 9th. Kerr used an Evergreen Combat Crank 480 in Bluegill color to entice the record-breaking fish. At 5.63 pounds, Kerr’s fish eclipsed the old mark of 5.39 pounds by almost four ounces.
“I was out fun fishing with my good friend John Perkins for a few hours before dark when Icaught it. We were sure it was over 6-pounds, and on our handheld scale it was. So we decided to take it in and weigh it. We took it to a certified scale at Bass Tackle Masters, John Galbraith’s tackle shop, and it weighed 5.63 which was enough to be the new record,“ Kerr explained.
Once the fish was weighed Kerr and Galbraith filled out the appropriate application for the Arizona Game & Fish and sent it in. Kerr received confirmation on November 15, 2011 that his application was approved and his fish is now considered the Colorado River System record Smallmouth.
The Colorado River System includes Lake Havasu, Lake Mead, Lake Mojave, Lake Martinez and LakePowell.
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 Zeko Shoes signed Scott Martin, winner of four FLW Tour bass fishing events and the 2011 Forrest Wood Champion.
Martin has earned nearly $2 million in tournament winnings in his short 12-year career and has a very successful television program -- The Scott Martin Challenge. Martin is the son of the legendary angler, Roland Martin. Roland has 19 BASS tournament wins and nine Angler of the Year titles with BASS, along with his own successful television show, “Fishing with Roland."
“More important than all of Scott’s successes is that he is a well-rounded family man that is down to earth," said Bill Goldsmith, President of Zeko. "We couldn’t be more pleased for Scott to represent Zeko Shoes.”
“I am very impressed with how light and comfortable the Zeko Shoes are, and they are by far the best shoes I have ever fished in," Martin said. "I am very excited to work with Zeko in the outdoors market.”
Zeko Shoes was created in 2009 with the desire for a comfortable, lightweight, and cooling everyday shoe for active people. Zeko shoes weigh less than 6 ounces, have a quick-dry ventilated upper membrane and soles that drain water and ventilate air.
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 MAJOR LEAGUE FISHING Commissioner Don Rucks announced today that the organization has completed filming for what he termed a “successful first event that exceeded our most optimistic expectations.”
The Jack Link’s MAJOR LEAGUE FISHING CHALLENGE CUP presented by Busch Beer took place Nov. 6-11 on Lake Amistad near Del Rio, Texas. The event will be offered to the public via a web-based pay-per-view broadcast in January and will be aired on Outdoor Channel beginning in April 2012. Details of pay-per-view programming will be announced in December.
“We couldn’t have been more pleased; the drama surpassed what we had hoped for. We had fierce competition and close finishes, and I believe every fishing fan in America will be surprised and excited when they see the amazing skill and enthusiasm these great anglers delivered,” Rucks said.
The Lake Amistad event debuted an innovative format that allows anglers to compete with no limit on the number of legal fish they can weigh. Competitors were not allowed to begin competition with stored, user-generated GPS waypoints. The anglers also were equipped with real-time leader boards in their boats, which showed where they ranked in the standings at all times.
The CHALLENGE CUP included six competitive days, with anglers being eliminated during each round of competition. Each day, anglers competed on different zones of the lake. They were not notified of their specific zone until the night before their early-morning launches.
“I’ve talked with every angler and the unanimous feeling is that this event was like nothing they’ve ever fished,” said pro angler Gary Klein, who was instrumental in creating the event format.
“I think it’s safe to say that the pressure they felt during competition was even more intense than they expected, and I can assure you they expected it to be tough,” Klein said. “I think we’ve added a new and much-needed dimension to competitive bass fishing.”
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Rapala announced today that they have a new look website that will give Rapala and Sufix users more information about products in a user friendly format that makes items easier to find and purchase. The new online shopping experience has special discount programs and allows anglers to get they want when they want it. This includes baits, line, tools and more.
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 As Colin Moore noted in his blog this week at FLWOutdoors.com, Roland Martin, legendary competitive bass fishing angler and television personality is returning to competitive bass fishing with the FLW Tour Majors in 2012. He'll also be fishing on his home waters of Lake Okeechobee in the FLW Tour Open there next season.
Martin, now 71, will make for some interesting story lines as he competes against many of the sport's top young anglers, including Forrest Wood Cup champion, and son, Scott Martin. It will be interesting to see what Martin can do on tour next year, and there certainly were a lot of legends winning events in 2011 in competitive bass fishing with Paul Elias winning an FLW Tour Open on Guntersville, Denny Brauer winning a Bassmaster Elite Series on the Arkansas River, Shaw Grigsby winning a Bassmaster Elite Series in Florida and more.
Can Roland put on a George Foreman-like comeback tour in 2012. We are intrigued to see what he can do.
To read more about his fishing next season and his thoughts, check out Moore's blog at FLWOutdoors.com.
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Todd Hollowell of Fishers, Ind., will fish the FLW Tour in 2012 and will sport the Red Gold logo and boat wrap. Fans will also see Red Gold and Hollowell at the popular FLW Outdoors Expo at FLW Tour Majors events.
Hollowell is an up-and-coming pro that has successfully worked his way up the ranks with FLW Outdoors and earned his spot for the 2012 FLW Tour. He qualified for the 2006 BFL All-American. In 2011, Hollowell fished his first full pro circuit in the EverStart Central Division where he finished 6th in the points and qualified for the EverStart Championship.
“This is an exciting opportunity for me to advance to the highest level in the sport of professional bass fishing with FLW Outdoors,” said Hollowell. “Red Gold is a great partner that I’m honored to represent. Growing up in Central Indiana, I’m very familiar with their great tomato products. Tomatoes are healthy and versatile in many meals, from chili to meatloaf, and people love Red Gold and their products. They also make great salsa and ketchup products that I’ve grown to love over the years.”
Red Gold, an Indiana company, is one of the largest privately-owned tomato processors in the nation. The third generation family owned company traces its roots, investment and job creation in Indiana back to 1942, when it began producing tomato products for the soldiers overseas. Red Gold produces premium quality canned tomatoes, ketchup, and tomato-based products for the retail, foodservice, private brand, and club channels of distribution. The Red Gold family of consumer brands includes Red Gold, Redpack, Tuttorosso and Sacramento.
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Paul Strege did an exceptional job detailing the fishing life of legendary angler Gary Dobyns in an article in BassWest Magazine. Dobyns parlayed a stellar professional career into a stellar rod company and used that fishing knowledge to build high quality, technique specific rod that are catching fish all over the country. His rod company is now becoming legendary.
Dobyns jumped right in at Wired2Fish and allowed us to run a contest for 4 Dobyns Savvy Rods. Today we announce the winners of that contest.
They are:
Rocco Metzger- Massillion, Ohio
Jordan Anthony-Killeen, Texas
Chris Daniel-Muncie, Indiana
Brandon Burns- Iuka, MS
Thanks to everyone who participated and below is a little bonus coverage of some great smallmouth action from a Dobyns angler Paul Mueller. Enjoy!
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We recently received a phone call from our good friend and FLW angler Anthony Hunt telling us about a new company we needed to know about. Anthony knows products and even though a new spinnerbait isn't necessarily revolutionary, curiousity got the best of us. We had to check it out.
The company is Advantage Bait Company and they build a high quality spinnerbait. You might say "it's just another spinnerbait" but we like creativity and we like quality and this company keyed on both. This spinnerbait shouts quality. Utilizing a patented Extreme Flash Technology blade they are preported to provide more flash. The blades come in 24K Gold plated, bright nickel plated, bright copper plated and various powercoated candy finishes as well. The etched finish feels rough to the touch and shimmers even in the package.
The skirts are high quality 70 strand silicone "creature" skirts and each bait comes equipped with two built in necktie trailers. The hook is a Mustad Ultra Point attached to a lifelike handpainted shad shaped head with 3D eyes. A two-part clear coat paint makes them super durable. The blades are attached via a high quality ball bearing swivel and separated with a stainless steel wire form. All of these baits are handcrafted in the USA.
We really like the creativity in packaging as well. Each comes in a reusable tube that floats. Baits come in both 3/8 and 1/2 ounce sizes. All combinations are tandem and come in Colorado leading willowleaf, double willowleaf and tandem Colorado and numerous multi-color skirt patterns are available as well.
It looks like Anthony has found a good one in Advantage Baits.
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Slick Lures, LLC, the owner and developer of The Alabama Rig®, and Mann’s Bait Company, Inc. have concluded an agreement which designates Mann’s as the sole and exclusive licensee for the manufacture, marketing and sale of The Alabama Rig® to the fishing tackle trade.
Andy Poss, the inventor of The Alabama Rig®, explained “It was vitally important to our company and to the long term success of The Alabama Rig® to affiliate with a high profile company having a widely recognized brand throughout the fishing tackle industry. In these uncertain times, we are particularly pleased to be able to partner with a company that is committed to making 100% of its products in the U.S.A.”
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Jeff Kriet shares his expertise on how to setup your Hydrowave effectively to fish deep trees and why full blast volume is a bad thing when fishing for deep suspended fish in deep trees.
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 Larry Jenkins of Memphis, Tenn., won the
Walmart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Chevy Wild Card on Lake Barkley
Saturday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 37 pounds, 9 ounces.
For his victory, Jenkins won a berth in the BFL All-American presented
by Chevy and an optional pot worth $3,621. The Wild Card tournament is
made up of BFL anglers who previously entered all five events within one
of 24 divisions and did not qualify for their respective regional
tournament.
“Practice was tough for me,” said Jenkins. “I
thought about leaving on Thursday before the tournament even started; a
few of the guys I know actually did leave. But, I have never run from a
tournament so I stayed and boy, I’m glad I did!
“On the first day of the tournament I found an
area near Duncan Creek,” continued Jenkins. “It was out of the wind and
away from everyone else. I started throwing a five-hook umbrella rig and
on my second cast I caught a 3 1/2-pounder and the fish just kept
biting. I caught about 20 bass the first day; it was tremendous.
“The second day was even better,” Jenkins went on
to say. “I was culling 4-pounders. I used the umbrella rig all weekend. I
didn’t catch a fish on anything else. I was using three-inch swimbaits
with flat tails on all five hooks. I had brought an old flipping stick I
found laying around in my garage and tied it with some 60-pound braid
because I had heard you need a strong rod to throw the umbrella rig. It
worked perfectly. I had never used the umbrella rig before this
tournament. Boy, are my arms sore.”
The remaining top six boaters who also qualified for the BFL All-American were:
2nd: Kevin Snider, Elizabethtown, Ky., 10 bass, 35-3, $1,811
3rd: Brent Sain, Manchester, Tenn., 10 bass, 34-12, $1,368
4th: Marty Johnson, Benton, Ky., 10 bass, 33-3, $966
5th: David Wootton, Collierville, Tenn., 32-7, 10 bass, $764
6th: Duane Snyder, Hanson, Ky., 10 bass, 32-6, $684
Rounding out the top 10 boaters were:
7th: Frank McClain, Scottsburg, Ind., 10 bass, 31-2, $604
8th: Brian Wilson, Somerset, Ky., eight bass, 31-1, $543
9th: Michael Wooley, Collierville, Tenn., 10 bass, 30-5
10th: Mike Harris, Watkinsville, Ga., 10 bass, 30-0, $483
Danny Mosley of Collinsville, Miss., won the
Co-angler Division Saturday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 27
pounds, 2 ounces. His efforts won him a berth in the BFL All-American
presented by Chevy along with $1,887 from the optional pot.
The remaining top six co-anglers who also qualified for the BFL All-American were:
2nd: Brent Wilkens, Liberty Township, Ohio, 10 bass, 24-14
3rd: Curtis Callahan, Church Road, Va., nine bass, 23-9, $944
4th: Keith Sebastian, Rogersville, Mo., eight bass, 20-9, $712
5th: Tommy Dove, Caledonia, Miss., seven bass, 20-7, $503
6th: Ricky Williams, Russellville, Ala., six bass, 20-6, $398
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
7th: Dave Nentwick, Richmond, Ky., five bass, 20-5, $356
8th: Greg Gilley, Orange Beach, Ala., seven bass, 17-8, $315
9th: Donald Roscovius, Tomah, Wis., seven bass, 17-5, $283
10th: Taylor Wisniewski, Lexington, Ky., six bass, 16-6, $252
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Preparing for a tournament or even a once a year fishing trip takes planning for success. Having great maps is part of that equation. Angling Technologies has a great interactive system that not only allows you to look at topography and sateliite images but annotate your personal maps as well. You can define structure on points, flats, and ledges and can get a birds eye view of that sweet spot that holds the big ones. You can add contours, profiles, and points of interest, as well.
Advanced features include allowing the angler to log locations and add specific reference information for future trips.
"Angling Technologies has taken mapping to the next generation with their Interactive Fishing Maps" said Terry Brown, President of Wired2Fish. "I use them on my favorite lakes but also use them when I am about to take a trip to fish or cover a tournament. The detail is amazing and being able to overlay topography on Bing or Google satellite, Google Streets, Google Terrain or NAIP aerials takes out much of the guess work. Welcome to Wired2Fish, Angling Technologies."
"Angling Technologies is pleased to work with Wired2Fish to provide anglers with a fishing map perspective on the news they care about" said Brian Welde of Angling Technologies. "Maps are central to the sport and understanding or appreciating fishing information is best accomplished when location is included. Our interactive service is unique in that it allows anglrs access to a wide variety of digital fishing map content based on geography along with the ability to control how the map is viewed and even help build a map by adding their own private or public content."
Data is available for 48 states, coastal areas and the Gulf of Mexico. The cost of the service is only $14.99 for a full year.
We plan on using their maps to enhance our content and also help you determine what to look for and pinpoint the best locations when you go fishing.
To learn more and try out their offering go to Angling Technolgies Website.
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BASS Northern Open Angler of the Year Michael Simonton will be joining the Elite Series in 2012. He has sent his first installment of entry fees in. Simonton had qualified for the Elites in 2010 but not take the jump then. "I am super excited about the chance to fish the Elites and glad I have the opportunity" said Simonton.
Crown Battery will be his major sponsor and will be wrapping his boat. "I am a big believer in Crown and have been using their batteries for years" said Simonton. "They build a very beefy battery that has never let me down and I am excited about showcasing them on the road and at events in 2012."
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 Just in time for Veterans Day, Dobyns Rods introduces the Coalition Series in partnership with ArmyBassAnglers (ABA), a non-profit group dedicated to assisting returning military veterans. The Coalition Series includes four casting and two spinning models, in the most popular lengths and powers. As with all Dobyns Rods, the new series boasts a high-quality blank, angler-friendly components, and perfect balance. As a final touch, the rod is finished with a distinctive digital camouflage pattern. Dobyns Rods is proud to offer the Coalition Series through ArmyBassAnglers. They will also be available at Tackle Warehouse.
Anglers that either purchase or demo any Dobyns rod from a participating dealer now through the end of the year will be eligible to win a fully-rigged Ranger Boat. For promotional details as well as a comprehensive list of all new rod models and detailed specifications, visit DobynsRods.com.
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The Tulsa World Newspaper is reporting that BASS and Tulsa Sports Commission are set to announce in a press conference at 11 a.m. that Grand Lake will be the site of the 2013 Bassmaster Classic. The event will be held Feb. 22-24, 2013 and weigh-ins and the outdoor Expo will be at the Oklahoma BOK Center.
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 FLW announced this week that Chad Gay has been promoted to Director of Public Relations. He replaces Andie Belfry who replaced Jeff McCoy earlier this year. Gay has been with FLW for the last 6 years and should bring some needed stability to the position. His training and familiarity with the direction of the company should help FLW's presence in the media.
“I’m thrilled to be offered the opportunity to be the Director of Public
Relations at FLW," Gay said. "I’ve been with the organization since 2006 and have
gained valuable insight into FLW and the direction they are headed. This
move came at the right time for me, and I’m excited to be a part of
this experienced communications team and look forward to building on
what we have already established and spreading the word for FLW. 2012
promises to be a fantastic year for us and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Gay was formerly prostaff and communications manager for Pradco Brands on the fishing side so he's had a long history in the fishing industry.
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FLW announced today
that Ranger Boats has signed a
multi-year contract extension as the exclusive boat sponsor of FLW and
their premier tournament trails, which included 191 events in 2011.
The tournament-fishing landscape changed dramatically on July 24,
1996, when Jacobs purchased a little-known bass-tournament organization
in the small town of Gilbertsville, Ky., renamed it FLW Outdoors after
the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, and signed major
corporations as sponsors for the world’s most lucrative bass-tournament
circuit — the FLW Tour. Ranger Boats, a longtime partner and supporter
of tournament fishing, has supported FLW since its inception, making
this their 16th year as the official boat of FLW.
“To have Ranger Boats demonstrate this type of commitment says a lot
about their dedication to being the premiere bass and walleye boat
manufacturer in the world,” said FLW chairman Irwin Jacobs. “FLW and
Ranger Boats have been together since the beginning, and we have enjoyed
growing together and making professional bass and walleye fishing the
exciting and marketable products they are today.
“Ranger Boats’ innovations are the perfect vehicle for today’s
tournament anglers and offer unmatched safety and design features for
recreational anglers while being tough enough to stand up to the rigors
of life on the FLW Tour,” Jacobs added. “We couldn’t be happier that
Ranger Boats has chosen to extend this partnership.”
As part of the sponsorship, Ranger Boats will retain exclusive
exposure across all platforms of FLW, including its tournaments, FLW’s
multiple websites, FLW Outdoors Magazine and various FLW events.
“We have such a tremendous history with FLW,” said Ranger Boats
President Randy Hopper. “From the very first tournaments we’ve shared a
vision dedicated to the growth and conservation of the sport of
fishing. Our Ranger Cup contingency program continues to deliver the
highest rewards to Ranger owners across the country and we’re fortunate
to have been a part of so many advancements and opportunities in angling
over the years. We look forward to even more exciting things to come as
we continue to grow together with FLW.”
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Fred Myers of Panama City, Fla., and Bruce Lindheim of Pensacola, Fla., weighed in four redfish that totaled 34.27 pounds to win the IFA Redfish Tour Championship event at Chalmette La., on November 5. To win the two-day event, which operated out of Gulf Outlet Marina, the team topped a large field of two-angler teams to take home a new, fully rigged Ranger 173 Ghost powered by a 115-horsepower, four-stroke Yamaha outboard and equipped with a Power-Pole shallow water anchor, Minn Kota trolling motor, Humminbird electronics, Blue Point Fabrication metal work, Bob’s four-inch Ultra Light Jackplate, an OPTIMA battery and a Loadmaster trailer valued at $35,000.
Myers and Lindheim, winners of the 2009 IFA Redfish Tour Championship, ran 103 miles during the Chalmette event sight-fishing with hardbaits in clear waters. The winning team also took home an additional $250 for being members of the National Boat Owners Association and the $2,500 Cabela’s Anglers Cash Award.
“The conditions were ideal for shad-type baits,” Myers said. “The water was clear and all the pieces fell together. It really couldn’t get any better.”
Second-place finishers, Mark Cruz of Lakeland, Fla., and Cameron Schrulknight from Venice, Fla., brought 34.20 pounds of redfish to the scales during the Chalmette event utilizing popping corks with Berkley Gulp! baits. The team did well despite this being their first time fishing in the Delacroix (La.) area.
“The water was lower than we had expected,” Cruz said. “This pushed the fish out from the creeks and we had an easy time hooking into those reds.”
The third-place team of Blake and Wes Nelson, both from Niceville, Fla., weighed in 34.16 pounds during the championship. After a 45-mile run to Delacroix, the team experienced great weather and fished with Gulp! baits to land their limit.
“With the good weather we were able to fish how we wanted,” Nelson said. “We had an absolute blast catching big Louisiana reds.”
Dwayne Eschete and Eddie Adams, who finished in 5th place, won the Cabela’s 2011 Team of the Year Award and took home $5,000. Chad Dufrene and Jay Cedotal also went home with $5,000 for the 2011 IFA Ultra 6 Award. Also, Jason Melvin and Jimmy Watson, 24th-place finishers, weighed in a 9.33-pound redfish caught with Gulp! to win the Berkley Gulp! Big Fish Award.
The IFA Redfish Tour continues to draw redfish anglers from Texas to the Carolinas and beyond, offering two-angler teams the opportunity to compete in six different divisions, each offering a three-event regular season. Low entry fees for the one-day, regular-season tournaments allows anglers to fish close to home and minimize expenses, while still being a part of a premier inshore, catch-and-release redfish tournament organization. Teams fishing any three of the IFA’s 18 regular-season events are automatically qualified for a no-entry-fee championship event, pitting qualifiers from each of the six divisions for a combined $78,200 in payouts and prize packages, as well as a shot at the coveted Cabela’s Overall Divisional Team of the Year Award for the six regular-season division winners.
In addition to a possible $60,000 in payouts per event (based on a 100-boat field), the first-place prize package for all 18 IFA Redfish Tour regular-season events remains extremely lucrative. In 2011, every regular-season tournament winner is guaranteed – regardless of field size – a fully loaded 2011 Ranger Banshee Extreme. The boat is powered by a 60-horsepower, four-stroke Yamaha outboard and is equipped with a Power-Pole shallow water anchor, Minn Kota trolling motor, Humminbird electronics, Blue Point Fabrication metal work, Bob’s four-inch Ultra Light Jackplate, an OPTIMA battery and a Loadmaster trailer. The entire first-place prize package is valued at $30,000. Lucrative contingency programs added for 2011 include $50 prize to the team claiming the big fish award in an IFA Redfish Tour event if the fish is landed with an EGO Net, $25 prize for both the big redfish and big trout in IFA Kayak Tour events; $250 prize to a qualifying winning team which competes from a boat equipped with OPTIMA Batteries; $250 prize from NBOA Boat Insurance to the winning team if they are program-qualified; PENN reels for tournament-winning anglers who compete with PENN reels.
For more information or to become a member of the IFA, the fastest-growing inshore fishing tournament series in the United States, go online to www.redfishtour.com or www.ifakayakfishingtour.com. To discover more about kayaking and Hobie Fishing go to www.hobiefishing.com.
IFA events are made possible through the sponsorship and continued support of the fishing industry’s most respected brands: Ranger Boats, Hobie Fishing, Cabela's, Gulp!, Gulp! Alive, PENN reels, Yamaha Outboards, Columbia Sportswear, Minn Kota, Humminbird, OPTIMA Batteries, Power-Pole, Wrap This, Blue Point Fabrication, EGO Nets, Spiderwire, Sebile, Bob’s Machine Shop, 321fish.com, Kayak Angler Magazine, Loadmaster, NBOA Marina Insurance, Powertex Group, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Local sponsors include the St. Bernard Parish Government, Gulf Outlet Marina and Marina Motel.
IFA Championship
Chalmette, La. (Top 10)
1. Myers/Lindheim – 34.27 lbs.
2. Cruz/Schrulknight – 34.20 lbs
3. Nelson/Nelson – 34.16 lbs
4. Vercello/Peters – 34.09 lbs
5. Eschete/Adams – 33.98 lbs
6. White/White – 33.41 lbs
7. Dufrene/Cedotal – 33.36 lbs
8. Jones/Gornto – 33.35 lbs
9. Sierra/Benoit – 33.33 lbs
10. Lamb/Lamb – 33.27 lbs.
Berkley Gulp! Big Fish Award ($700) + Cabela’s Gift Card ($500):
Melvin/Watson (9.33 lbs.)
Cabela’s 2011 Team of the Year ($5,000):
Eschete/Adams
2011 IFA Ultra 6 ($5,000):
Dufrene/Cedotal
Cabela’s Angler Cash Award ($2,500):
Myers/Lindheim
NBOA Insurance Award ($250):
Myers/Lindheim
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FLW Outdoors unveiled their new logo recently along with their new trail logos for 2012. The new logo is shown above, branding their company initials (Forrest L. Wood for the founder of Ranger Boats) in a new light. The eye has been removed from the trademarked hook logo and FLW is much more prominent in the oval. This gives the company a more consistent branding across their various tournament platforms, but we're curious what you all thought of the new logo and tournament logo extensions. It's always interesting to see what customers and fans think of new branding in the fishing industry.
Here are the other new logos:
 
 
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The Alabama Rig has taken the fishing world by storm. Without question, it has been the biggest buzz in fishing since the trolling motor. The original Alabama Rig helped Paul Elias win a FLW Tour event on Guntersville and Dan Morehead win the Everstart Series Championship on Kentucky Lake. Russ Lane and Anthony Gagliardi got third and fourth respectively on that same rig at the FLW Tour event. Since those and other wins, numerous other companies have gotten into the fray with similar products. Be prepared for even more coming out as well.
One of the neat offshoots of this craze is savvy companies are also quickly looking at what gets attached to it. Companies like Spro can highlight their Power Swivels, bait companies can tout their existing swimbaits or design new ones just for this technique.
Buckeye Lures has just announced a new J-Will lead head that will work perfectly with Berkley Hollow Bellies, Strike King Shadalicious, or other boot tail swimmers. This head will also work equally well on Zoom Swimmin Super Fluke, Reaction Innovations Skinny Dippers, and others with slight modifications to the nose of the baits.
A beefed up Mustad hook and a unique concave head shape of the Buckeye J-Will allows it to be glued on the nose of the solid baits.
"The 1/8-ounce head is lighter and is what anglers have been asking for," said Jon Hair of Buckeye.
They will be available very soon at local retailers.
In the meantime contact Hair at Buckeye Lures at 706-863-5468 for more information.
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The 381 Horsepower Crews Missile >Never did pro angler John Crews think that the nickname “Crews Missile”, given to him by good buddy Rick Hawkins, would grow so popular.
Not only does the nickname appear in the well-liked Virginia pro’s email address, but these days, Crews is also often referred to as ‘The Crews Missile’ on stage during B.A.S.S. weigh-ins.
Crews never thought he’d trade away his diesel tow vehicle for a gas powered Toyota Tundra either, but like the nickname, Crews’ new Tundra has serious horsepower.
“Based on my experience, the Tundra is the only gas powered truck out there that will keep up with a diesel. It’s the strongest gas powered truck on the road from what I’ve witnessed,” said Crews, who will tow his SPRO Lures sponsored Bass Cat with the new 381-hp Tundra throughout the upcoming 2012 Bassmaster Elite and PAA season.
“Not only will it be cheaper to buy gas than diesel, but I’m also looking forward to a quieter, smoother ride across the 30,000 miles I typically tow each year,” said Crews, who describes his dream fishing trip as any lake in Mexico where they’re biting a SPRO Little John DD.Crews will also have a chance to haul home cash bonuses he wasn’t eligible for previously.
“Being eligible for the Toyota Trucks Bonus Bucks definitely played a role into buying a Tundra. I feel like I have a good shot at grabbing some of that Bonus Bucks money,” said Crews, who has practiced a strict health and fitness lifestyle en route to qualifying for five Bassmaster Classics.
The “Crews Missile” is right on track. When you buy or lease a 2007 or newer Tundra, Sequoia, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser or Tacoma, send in your registration like he did, and be the highest finishing eligible participant (must finish in the top 50% of the field) in your FLW or BASS affiliated tournament – and you win the Bonus Bucks. To find out more and to make sure you’re signed up please visit www.ToyotaFishing.com or call Kendell at (918) 742-6424.
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VRX Fishing has increased their product line with 5 new product lines for 2011/2012. You know about the Rod Glove and all of the benefits it provides but now they have 5 other families including Bait Glove, Reel Glove, Rod Glove WrapZ, Rod Glove Saver and E-Cable Glove. Each are designed to protect valuable equipment and make it more manageable.
The new Bait Glove is a lure wrap that comes in three sizes, 6-inch, 9-inch and 12-inch. It covers your baits for storage or travel and also has a side benefit of keeping your buddies from knowing what you are throwing. Its great for bass anglers but also works effectively on musky lures too.
The Reel Glove is a high-quality baitcasting reel cover that comes in two sizes.
The Rod Glove WrapZ are neoprene straps that allows the angler to bundle his/her rods for transport.
The Rod Glove Saver is a quick release clip that secures your Rod Gloves. They can be placed on the rod when you need them and removed easily when you don't.
E-Cable Glove is a a kit of flexible sleeving that is perfect for covering your electronics cables.
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Ray Scott, legendary angler and founder of B.A.S.S., will serve as the official spokesperson for American Bass Anglers. The announcement was made at the 2011 American Fishing Tour National Championship on October 29, 2011.
“Ray has been a close personal friend of American Bass Anglers for many years and this solidifies our relationship,” said Morris Sheehan, President of American Bass Anglers. “Ray is here today supporting this organization because of his love for the sport and the weekend bass angler. We are proud to have him represent American Bass Anglers -- the largest tournament trail for the weekend angler.”
Ray Scott founded the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society, better known as B.A.S.S., in 1968. Under his leadership, the organization grew to more than 600,000 members. A true angling pioneer, Ray ignited a multi-billion dollar industry and a highly competitive professional sport with millions of fans.
“It’s like going home,” said Scott of the warm reception he enjoyed at the competition. “The enthusiasm and camaraderie reminds me so much of the early days of B.A.S.S. The grassroots anglers are the foundation of our sport. We were kind of an underground movement before 1968. I recognized what a genuine passion bass fishermen had for their sport. It wasn’t just fishing -- it was bass fishing. No other species would do and the passion cut through every socio-economic, ethnic, gender and age group. It is a truly awesome bond for anglers from U.S. presidents to pipefitters. ABA fully understands and respects that spirit.”
The ABA was originally founded for military bass fishermen in 1975 and was called Military Bass Anglers Association (MBAA) at that time. In the early 1990s, non-military anglers were welcomed to join and the organization grew more rapidly. In 2000, Morris Sheehan, a life member of MBAA and once angler of the year, bought the organization and renamed it ABA to emphasize that the organization was open to all fishermen. At the same time, the organization retains its strong loyalty to the military and patriotic traditions while providing a tournament trail for military anglers.
“It’s a great formula,” Scott said, “and I’ve never seen such well run tournaments. The ABA staff is outstanding.”
ABA operates about 1,000 bass tournaments across the country every year with three different trails for everyone including the B.A.S.S.-sanctioned Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, which was licensed to ABA in 2007. The boater/co-angler format lets boaters compete against boaters and co-anglers compete against co-anglers. At the end of the season, the national boater champion automatically advances to the Bassmaster Classic.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for good amateur anglers to have a crack at the world championship of bass fishing,” said Scott who created the Classic event in 1970. He held that first Classic at a “mystery venue,” which turned out to be Las Vegas. He points out that several pro anglers got ready for the big leagues in the ABA including Davy Hite, a former Bassmaster Classic champion who fished the original MBAA in the early 1990s.
“I have always loved the ‘Cinderella’ angle in tournaments,” Scott admitted. “ABA makes sure that anyone with a dream can work for that top spot. And what would we do without dreams?”
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The Z Train is headed south to Alabama to shoot a commercial with my buddy, and B.A.S.S. emcee, Dave Mercer. I’m driving all 12 hours alone. It’s actually a good time to get caught up on phone calls, and it gives me plenty of time to just think. I know … that’s scary … me, ‘thinking’ for 12 hours.
I’m still thinking of the smallmouth trip we just did in Traverse City, Mich. with BoatU.S. Angler sweepstakes winners Layne Lowrey and her boyfriend Rick Clark. Layne has been a BoatU.S. member since 2009. They live and boat around King’s Bay in Florida, and to think that people as cool as them actually sign up for contest to fly up here and go fishing with me is just mind-boggling. It’s humbling.
The fishing conditions in Traverse City were not ideal for smallmouth, but Layne, Rick and Steve Levi from BoatU.S., who was there to make sure I didn’t do anything strangely weird to freak-out Layne and Rick, still managed to catch 10 smallmouth weighing more than 4-pounds. Here’s the craziest part … we saw 100 smallmouth weighing more than 5-pounds.
That’s right, with no wind, and those fish having moved out of the deep warm weather haunts where they chase baitfish, back into the shallows to look for crawfish, it was unbelievable how many ‘tanks’ we saw swimming. Problem is, they were way too aware of us to even think about biting. We’d cast a tube at them, and they’d torpedo in the opposite direction. We had to cast weightless wacky worms to catch them.
Giant smallmouth aside, seeing those clear waters around Traverse City surrounded by autumn colors, and spending time with people like Layne and Rick that have such a passion for life is just good for the soul. It brings you back down to earth; plugs in your ground wire, and set me on the right path for this trip to Alabama.
Speaking of this trip to ‘Bama and BoatU.S., I feel so much more at ease now when I tow my boat since becoming a member of BoatU.S. Let’s be honest, given the fact that I have no mechanical ability, and that my only toolbox contains a roll of duct tape, a hammer and an old pack of Black Cat firecrackers, at least I know if I have mechanical issues on the highway, I can call the toll free number on the BoatU.S. membership card in my billfold, and somebody with way more mechanical skill than me, will be there to help me out.
Until next time, you guys be safe on the road, on the water, in the deer woods, or wherever life takes you.
Mark Zona
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She may not fish, but she definitely knows a thing or two about the people who do. Christy McNabb of Kerman, Calif., used that knowledge to claim $100,000 in the richest fantasy sport on the planet.
While the game may be fantasy, the reality is McNabb was the overall point champion during the 2011 season of FLW Fantasy Fishing presented by Straight Talk. Jason Harper, the host of television’s FLW Outdoors, rang McNabb’s doorbell in Kerman at 10 a.m. Monday and surprised her with a replica check for $100,000.
“I never dreamed in a million years this would happen,” McNabb said. “This is absolutely amazing.”
The 38-year-old mother of two admits she didn’t know much about professional fishing before she started playing the free game and had to do all of her own research to keep up with her 20 family members in the Fresno, Calif., area who also play Fantasy Fishing. McNabb said that she and her mother are the only two females in her family who play Fantasy Fishing.
“I’m on Facebook a lot and I used to play FarmVille all the time and my dad talked me into playing Fantasy Fishing,” McNabb said. “I gave up FarmVille because I had no more time for it. I was busy with Fantasy Fishing.”
The 2011 Fantasy Fishing season consisted of 10 tournaments surrounding the Walmart FLW Tour. All the prizes are guaranteed, including $15,000 to the winning player for each of the qualifying events.
Fantasy Fishing participants choose the anglers they anticipate having the highest finish in no particular order. Players receive Angler of the Year points for each angler they have selected in the top 10. Of the 10 selected anglers, each player must choose the angler they think will win the tournament. For a tie-breaker, participants must choose the total weight for the winning angler.
In addition, participants may choose to employ the use of Player’s Advantage, a unique tool that offers additional resources and information to its members. Player’s Advantage members gain access to additional statistics, history on anglers, information about fisheries, weather conditions, plus several additional tips providing them the best advantage for each tournament. Players that had Player’s Advantage won at a rate of four-to-one over those that did not access Player’s Advantage.
McNabb said the $100,000 cash prize couldn’t have come at a better time. McNabb and her husband, who is a 20-year serviceman with the Army stationed in San Francisco, have a daughter with a muscular disorder who has required multiple medical procedures, including one in July that carried a price tag of $20,000. McNabb said the couple recently received three letters in the mail the same day from insurance companies denying coverage for the procedures.
“We’ll be able to have those done now,” said an emotional McNabb. “This weekend was horrible after receiving those letters. This is really going to help us out. I’ve been thinking about this all weekend and the chances of winning this money and how much it would help out. I’ve been doing a lot of praying.”
McNabb’s fantasy sport participation has turned into a very real life-changing experience and said she is already looking forward to the next season, which kicks off with the FLW Tour’s Lake Okeechobee event Feb. 9-12, 2012.
“I think everybody should play Fantasy Fishing,” McNabb said. “I cannot believe I won this much money and it was free to play.”
Terri Hett of Canton, Kan., claimed second place overall and won a Ranger Z-520 boat with a Ranger Trail Trailer, 250 Mercury outboard, Minn Kota Maxxum 80 trolling motor, Lowrance electronics and trolling motor batteries – all valued at $54,000. The mother of two is a self-proclaimed fantasy sports fanatic who enjoys fishing in ponds with her family.
Hett said she started playing Fantasy Fishing as a way to bond with her daughter, who was left severely disabled and confined to a wheelchair after contracting a virus during early childhood. The daughter loves to fish and uses custom fishing equipment, so the Ranger Z-520 boat they won is certain to provide new opportunities for the family to spend more time fishing new waters
Charlie Krueger of Hudson, Wis., finished third and took home a Chevy 1500 Silverado valued at $38,000 for his fantasy picks. Krueger began playing Fantasy Fishing last year after he bought a Ranger boat and said he loves Player’s Advantage and the tools it offers Fantasy Fishing players.
Steven Luce of Dracut, Mass., claimed fourth place and a FinCraft 17 Dual Console boat with a 115 Evinrude outboard that is valued at $27,000 in his third season of Fantasy Fishing. The 27-year-old is an avid fisherman who plays fantasy hockey with his friends, who Luce said questioned his involvement in Fantasy Fishing. The friends quickly became believers, however, after Luce won the first-place prize of $15,000 in the fourth regular-season Fantasy Fishing event.
Rusty Willhoite of Frankfort, Ky., finished fifth and won a BRP Can-Am Outlander 400 All-Terrain vehicle valued at $8,000. The 41-year-old schoolteacher loves to fish and loves Player’s Advantage and said his wife claims he’s “nuts” about Fantasy Fishing.
Sixth- through 10th-place finishers in this year’s FLW Fantasy Fishing won Walmart gift cards ranging in value from $9,000 to $5,000.
For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing presented by Straight Talk or Player’s Advantage, go to FantasyFishing.com.
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Photo by Steve Foss at MPR
The Minnesota Public Radio website shared a photo essay that focuses on the wildfire damage done in and around the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area. This place offers some very unique fishing opportunities and it's sad to see such devastation to one of the natural wonders in fishing.
To view the images from the photo essay, visit this link at minnesota.publicradio.org.
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Minnetonka, Minnesota-based Rapala USA, a member of the Rapala VMC Group, the world’s leading fishing tackle manufacturer, names Brian Bredenberg as field promotions manager.
Beginning November 14, 2011, Bredenberg will manage all pro staff operations and endorsements, along with being a point of contact for industry representatives.
“Fishing and spending time outdoors have been a passion since I can remember,” said Bredenberg. “I am very excited to be joining the Rapala organization and I look forward to jumping into my new role.”
“As an experienced sales and marketing leader, and outdoor enthusiast, Brian brings a wealth of in-depth knowledge to the company,” remarked Tom Mackin, president of Rapala USA. “We are thrilled to have him on board.”
In his free time, Bredenberg enjoys fishing for bass, bow hunting and pursuing waterfowl throughout the Midwest. However his favorite times are spent on the water with his wife, Laura, and two daughters, Jayna and Luca.
For more information on Rapala, please visit rapala.com or RapalaUSA.
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Sometimes we just don't have words to describe the mind of Gerald Swindle. This is one of those times. Check out the video below and we think you will agree.
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Bait Werks Custom Lure Painting launches a newly re-designed website.
The new BaitWerks.com has added several new features, including a store tab that allows customers to purchase new custom painted baits in some of Bait Werks’ most popular custom color patterns. The store also gives customers a way to order online when sending their own baits for painting, but of course the owner of Bait Werks, Dwain Batey, will work directly with customers to design custom colors or help them with the ordering process for those who want the personal contact while ordering.
“I've been upgrading things in the shop for a while in an effort to speed up my turnaround time, but the faster I get, the more orders pour in," Batey said. "I've still got a resonable turnaround time compared to many of my competitors, and now there are pre-painted baits in the store for those who want something immediately."
BaitWerks.com has been slowly gaining more and more BASS and FLW pros as customers though most of them like to keep their custom paint habit a secret.
“Dwain is the best lure painter there is,” said BASS Elite series pro, Clark Rheem. “I can request a pattern to match the baitfish in a certain lake we're fishing, and he'll match it every time.”
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We talk about the importance of being organized often. The last thing you want to do is be fussing with tackle and rods when you could be casting and catching fish. There are several good products for organizing your bass fishing, walleye fishing and panfishing tackle easily.
We talked recently in a blog about putting tags on your rods so you know what line you have on each of your rods. One company mentioned garnered several requests on ordering and now they have a website to check out their labels. We like the pro-packs for labeling various rods with different sizes of line. Their tackle box tags are slick too. They come with labels for all four sides of the box so no matter how you stick it in the compartments in your boat our your tackle bag, you can find the box you need easily.
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The Fisheries
Division of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will
outline its new Asian carp harvest program during a public meeting set
for 7 p.m. (CST) Nov. 15 at the Kentucky Dam Village Convention
Center.
Fisheries officials say commercial angling is the best way to help
control the expanding Asian carp populations in Kentucky and Barkley
lakes. Asian carp can present a hazard to boaters and compete with
native fish for food.
Officials will discuss the Asian carp problem and how the harvest
program will be implemented. Whether you are a fishing guide, a person
wanting to help with the issue, or are just interested in learning about
Asian carp, you will want to attend this meeting.
The Asian carp harvest program will include Kentucky Fish and Wildlife
observers and trained volunteers whenever commercial anglers are
scheduled to fish in normally restricted waters. Observers will monitor
Asian carp catch rates and non-target fish catch and disposition at
release. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will post commercial fishing
information and data from this program online at fw.ky.gov.
Commercial fishing is the most economic method of removing large
quantities of Asian carp from Kentucky and Barkley lakes and their
tributaries. This is an opportunity to demonstrate how the commercial
fishing industry can work alongside of and co-exist with anglers for the
benefit of Kentucky's native fish species.
Everyone interested is invited to attend this meeting. The convention
center is located at Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park in
Gilbertsville.
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The Pinnacle Fishing Tournament Class Rods and Reels has definitely elevated Pinnacles position with competitors this past year. High quality, good looking rods and reels, designed with die-hard anglers in mind, have helped weekend anglers and pros alike cash more checks this year. Building products that stand up to the grind of competition fairs well for anglers who are looking for quality but also an attractive price. Pinnacle Tournament Class does both.
The recent win by Paul Elias on the FLW Tour documents the durability of their equipment. Elias was chunking almost 5 ounces of baits on the Alabama Rig and the Perfecta Rod and Optimus Reel stood the challenge. He was fishing a 7'11" Heavy Perfecta Flipping Stick and using a Optimus 6.4:1 Tournament Class Reel in his win.
Thanks to everyone who entered the Pinnacle Perfecta Rod Contest. We truly appreciate the participation and enjoy the messages too.
The winners of the Perfecta Contest are:
1. Adam Mattingly-Richmond, KY
2. Dave Dunham-Swea City, Iowa
3. Scott Crabtree- Ironton, Ohio
Your rods are on the way.
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By Terry Brown
My experiences with the Pro Mariner Pro Sport 20 Plus
Where I live small lakes are the norm and horsepower ratings limit the size and type of boat. Horsepower restrictions vary from 10 hp to unlimited, but the lake I fish the most has a 10 hp limit. Looking for a boat that provides the fishability of a big boat being powered with a 10 hp is tough. Speed is not really an issue, but you do want a boat that has the accessories and width but also the ability to move around. I have owned and again looked at several different aluminum johnboats, but most were narrow or too large for my horsepower considerations. I finally decided on the Ranger 168.
When I began to rig out the Ranger Banshee 168, there were a lot of considerations taken into account. First, I wanted my small boat to fish like my big one. I wanted the same features. I wanted a 24-volt Minn Kota Trolling Motor, the best electronics, the best pumps and switches, the best wiring and the best batteries, and I wanted the BEST on board charger at the best price. I wanted this boat to be as comfortable as my big one for good reason. I spend more time in it.
The Ranger Banshee is a fiberglass flats boat. I was converting it into a bass boat and because of the layout and width and 4-inch draft, it was perfect. It has an 84-inch beam and is a light 675 pounds dry. It has three storage compartments and was laid out perfectly for what I had in mind. With a little elbow grease and a some creativity, I had the exact boat for which I was shooting. Believe it or not, performance and comfort can be accomplished in a small boat.
Back to the charger. I looked at all of them and was torn between the Minn Kota, Guest and the Pro Mariner. I had always had Dual Pro chargers in my big boats, but I was looking for lightweight, four-battery capability, 12/24/36v, with self monitoring, and definitely wanted reliability and 100-percent waterproof functionality. It also was going under the back deck so being able to stand up to the elements was very high on my list.
The first thing I did in my research was look at the specs and start reading other angler reviews on the internet. I went to Bass Boat Central, Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas, and West Marine for these reviews. I found it interesting that Cabelas has a Pro Mariner Cabela's branded. That fact did positively impact my decision To be honest, the reviews were a mixed bag. Some had glowing reviews and loved them while others were so-so on a recommendation. I tried to read between the lines on these reviews and really keyed on three items:
1. Was durability a concern? Would it hold up?
2. What were the strengths? What were the reasons for dissatisfaction?
3. Were the good comments exceedingly good or just so-so?
Without minimal prior experience with either the Minn Kota, Guest or the Pro Mariner choosing between them was tougher. I had owned a Guest on another aluminum boat but only had it for a short time and it was on it as part of the package. I wanted to dig further. This is where the reviews paid dividends.
Based on those reviews, discussion with several boat dealers, and talking to a trusted friend in the boating business, I decided on the Pro Mariner. Most all of the reviews had information that this was a durable unit and would do the job. Boaters like the automatic multi-stage charging, distributed on demand charge where the least charged battery gets the juice, the versatility of battery types including flooded(lead-acid) /STD AGM, GEL & High Performance(HP) AGM, and the fusable links to the batteries. All of these factors were important to me.
They also liked the LED display where at-a-glance status of: AC Power, Charge Mode, Battery Type, and Ready/Maintenance Mode was present. The negative comments were a bit of concern but most were cosmetic, size and color, or price. This unit weighs 8 pounds.
It is very compact, installs with 4 screws and has long enough cords to reach all batteries. The power cord is 5' long too. This charger came in at a fair price of $189.99 and has a two year warranty.
This unit installed in about 40 minutes and has been working in the Banshee for almost 3 years without any issues. I plug it in and in about 2 hours all batteries are fully charged. There has been no boiling issues and all batteries test full when placed on a meter.
I would highly recommend the Pro Mariner Pro Sport 20 Plus for big or small boats and because it is compact, approximately 11-inches x 7 inches x 2 inches, it takes up very little space in a storage compartment. They are available at Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops.
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Mining a miniscule area made Alabama’s Jamie Horton a champion for the second time on the Ouachita River.
The River Region Bass Fraternity club member relied on the same spot all three days to catch 36 pounds, 2 ounces to win the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats and a coveted seat in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic. In addition to his Classic berth, Horton earned the grand prize of a Skeeter Boat/Yamaha Outboard rig valued at $45,000 and an invitation to fish in next year’s Bassmaster Elite Series.
While other contenders shied away from Horton’s spot since local anglers had told them the water was too low to run there, Horton made the one-hour run and skimmed over thin water at times to reach his honey hole. “I was fishing up at a spillway, and the water has been coming over the spillway when the wind blows out of the north, and the fish were busting up there big time,” said the four-time FNC qualifier. “I caught over 30 fish there Thursday. Yesterday the water wasn’t coming over as good and I just caught but four there.”
Today it took him about 30 minutes to haul in a limit from the spillway. ”I stayed with them until about 1 o’clock and culled for my last time at 12:30.” His best five weighed 9-15, which was good enough to hold onto the lead.
The key to catching his fish in the spillway was to cast into an eddy about the size of a 5-gallon bucket. He was burning a chartreuse XCalibur crankbait and banged it into rocks in about 6 to 18 inches of water. “I could see bass up there busting on shad and I could see their heads out of the water,” said Horton, who also won a Bassmaster Series regional event on the Ouachita River the first week of November in 2006. “I just kept on hammering and hammering them.”
Horton and five other Federation Nation anglers will be competing in the 2012 Bassmaster Classic Feb. 24-26 on the Red River in Louisiana because they finished at the top of their respective divisions in the FNC. The divisional winners headed for the world championship of bass fishing are John Diaco of New Hampshire, representing the Eastern division; Idaho’s Josh Polfer, Western division; Tom Jessop of Texas, Central; Indiana’s Matt McCoy, Northern; and Chris Price of Maryland, Mid-Atlantic.
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By BASS Communications
Most of the 2011 Bassmaster Junior World Championship competitors said today could have gone better. But for James Graves III, it really couldn't have.
Graves blew away the field on Bayou DeSiard in Monroe, La., with 5 pounds, 12 ounces, which was 3 pounds, 10 ounces better than his closest opponent in the 11- to 14-year-olds age division, Adam Farner.
"I was catching them on almost every cast this morning," said Graves, a member of the Orange County High School Anglers in Virginia. "I caught about 10 today, but only four were keepers."
Graves was the only angler in the field to bring in more than two fish, and he credits the cypress trees in the shade against the bank for his good fortune. He was fishing a shaky head around the cypress trees slowly, and the bass would just pick it up.
Lance Freeman fished pretty slowly too, and it paid off for him as well. Freeman won the 15- to 18-year-olds age group with 2 pounds, 10 ounces — all from a single fish.
"I was fishing a spinnerbait and caught a few short fish," said Freeman, a member of the West Kentucky Junior Bassmasters. "But I caught the keeper flipping a Fish Candy Bait Co. Beave Bug in watermelon red."
Freeman and his Southern Division counterpart, Alan Shelton, covered a lot of water today, claiming they fished three-quarters of the bayou. They had most of their success on the northern end of the bayou. Together, the pair caught about 15 fish but only had three keepers in the boat.
"I am astounded that I won," exclaimed Freeman afterward as he held his trophy. "I'm just speechless."
The Junior Bassmaster contenders were driven around the bayou by volunteer anglers from University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM), all of whom were complimentary of the young competitors.
"I would have fished the same stuff James did," said Nick LaDart, Graves' driver. "He really adapted today from the cloudy conditions in practice yesterday. He did great."
The families of the winners gathered around as soon as Graves and Freeman were presented their trophies.
"I'm just so proud of him," said Lance's mother, Vonda Freeman, with tears in her eyes. "I knew he could do it. He never gives up."
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Denali Rods is looking for some good men and women to represent their product. They are currently taking applications for 2012 prostaff positions. If you are interested you may visit their website, www.denalirods.com, and click on the join prostaff link. You may contact them with any questions via phone (870-492-2231) or email (sales@denalirods.com). Great rods and a great opportunity!
Resumes may be sent to the email address or hard copies to:
Attn Pro Staff
Denali Rods
PO Box 1420
Mountain Home AR 72654
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 After nearly 28 years with FLW Outdoors, former CEO Charlie Evans is set to begin his second career as a professional angler on the 2012 Walmart FLW Tour.
“I was blessed with a great career with FLW Outdoors,” Evans said. “I love everything about FLW and this sport and wouldn’t think about not being involved in competitive fishing.”
During the 2011 season Evans started work on a book about the sport and competed as a co-angler in both the FLW Tour Majors and the FLW Tour Opens. He finished in the money in eight of the 10 events and qualified for the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup. He finished in ninth in the FLW Tour Co-angler of the Year standings, which qualified him to fish as a professional in 2012.
“It didn’t take me long to decide to make the leap to the pro side,” Evans said. “I’m looking forward to competing against the best anglers in the world, but I’m more excited about spending time with the friends I’ve made over the years while with FLW.”
Evans will run a Ranger Z521 powered by an Evinrude ETEC 250 HO with a RockyBrook Limestone Sinkers wrap.
“I wouldn’t think of running any other boat,” Evans said. “Ranger has supported FLW from the beginning and is the best you can get.”
His boat will be rigged with Lowrance electronics, a Minn Kota Fortrex trolling motor and two Power-Poles. Evans will cast Abu Garcia Revo reels spooled with Trilene and use Zoom plastics and Strike Pro crankbaits. He will stay at Comfort Inns at all tournaments.
“One of the things I learned during my career is that you need to have support to compete at this level, and you need that support to come from companies that produce products you can use and promote with confidence,” Evans said. “I am fortunate to be in a position to do exactly that. There are no finer products on the market than those made by the companies that will be backing me next year.”
Evans will launch a website, CharlieEvansFishing.com, before the start of the 2012 season. Visit the site to learn more about the companies supporting Evans and to track his progress throughout the year.
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B.A.S.S. Communications
With the Ouachita River fishing so small, some of the contenders held back on their fish today in the 2011 B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats, but Alabama’s Jamie Horton went all out.
Thinking about what Alabama football coach Nick Saban would say facing such tough conditions as Horton encountered on the Ouachita, the Centerville, Ala., angler put together a 16-pound, 4-ounce limit to take over the lead at the FNC. “Nick would probably tell you to focus on doing your best and preparing yourself and not focusing on the goal at the end,” said Horton. “I have been telling myself that over and over and hope these three days I can fish just as clean and as hard and as good as I can do and the result at the end will be what it is.
“It was a struggle all day and I only caught six fish,” said Horton, who caught only two fish in practice but stayed away from his best spots.
Some of the competitors kept mentioning during the weigh-in that they just concentrated on catching a limit and saving the rest of their fish for the next couple of days, but Horton had a different strategy. “I went to the biggest 12 fish I knew about first and caught five of them,” he said. “I felt excellent about what I had, and then I caught a 5-pounder right before I came in.
“It was just isolated fish on isolated pieces of cover. I moved around a lot and hit all of my best stuff. I didn’t hold back anything because the way the wind was blowing, I didn’t know what tomorrow might hold. I didn’t even have a plan because I didn’t have any expectations of catching them like that, but after I caught those five and thought I had about 10 or 12 pounds, I decided I wasn’t going to let up.“
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 If there’s one thing that bass anglers
love, it’s catching a big bass. The only thing better is catching two.
Catching more and bigger fish requires healthy waters, and a new
relationship between B.A.S.S. and Recycled Fish will help accomplish
that.
Through this new partnership, B.A.S.S.
Federation Nation Conservation Directors and B.A.S.S. clubs around the
world will help bring to life programs like the Recycled Fish 1 Million
Stewards program. In that program, they will provide reusable mesh lake
cleanup bags packaged with the “We Are Stewards” booklet. The booklet
describes everyday ways that anglers can care for their waters – even
when they’re not at the lake. When anglers use the cleanup bags, they
can visit a website to report their efforts and earn recognition and
prizes.
“There is no group of people more committed
to healthy waters than anglers, and B.A.S.S. members represent the most
passionate anglers in the world,” said Teeg Stouffer, Recycled Fish
Executive Director. “Together, Recycled Fish and B.A.S.S. can make the
point that as concerned anglers, we don’t just ‘do’ a lake cleanup once a
year, we are lake cleanups, and we can live a lifestyle where
our waters are better off on account of us. After all, healthy waters
grow more and bigger fish.”
The partnership inspires habitat
restoration and improvement, helps fight the spread of invasive species,
encourages watershed-level stewardship and S.A.F.E. Angling practices,
and addresses access issues and participation in the sport of fishing.
“B.A.S.S. Conservation is committed to
caring for our waters from coast to coast and around the world,” said
Noreen Clough, B.A.S.S. Conservation Director. “Our award-winning
projects are creating, maintaining and sustaining black bass fisheries
and the habitats on which they depend. This partnership helps us
continue to do so efficiently and in new and exciting ways.”
Recycled Fish is the 501c3 non-profit
organization of anglers living a lifestyle of stewardship both on and
off the water, because our lifestyle runs downstream. We Are Stewards.
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PAA Communications
Three days after winning the biggest tournament of his life, Powerline
Services pro Keith Combs still was busier than he could imagine.
“I’ve been on the phone non-stop calling people who texted me or called
and thanking them,” he said. “It’s been wonderful, really, the support
and calls from so many people.”
You might think Combs would be ready to unplug and have a quiet moment
to celebrate. Sunday evening, with the sun setting in the Texas sky and
time ticking away, he caught a 15-inch bass on a big crankbait that won
the Toyota Texas Bass Classic world championship.
After three days of fishing, Combs and Toyota Trucks pro Mike Iaconelli
of New Jersey were tied with 76 pounds, 12 ounces. They returned to Lake
Conroe for a roughly 60-minute sudden death fish-off, with the first
one to catch a 14-inch or better keeper verified by the TTBC judge in
the boat to be the winner.
 With
15 minutes remaining, Combs slammed his Norman DD14 crankbait into a
brushpile and connected. He said his mind was racing while reeling in
the bass, whether to get the net or just boat-flip the fish. He chose
the latter, and his heart was pounding as his judge called TTBC
officials to listen as the fish was measured.
Combs beat 49 of the best pros in the three-day tournament that unified
the PAA Tournament Series, Bassmaster Elite Series and FLW Tour’s top 15
pros, along with defending champion Brian Snowden and four sponsor
invitees. He won $100,000 and a new Legend boat with Evinrude outboard.
Combs had an idea of what he wanted to do after qualifying for the 2010
TTBC, and he honed that plan during this year’s pre-practice and
tournament week practice periods. His favored style is to run ‘n gun,
hitting key spots and moving on after 3-5 casts if a big bass doesn’t
bite.
That may not work in every tournament and it’s something Combs probably
will have to modify as he competes on the Elite Series in his sophomore
season. But it worked to perfection for the TTBC on Conroe with his
300-plus waypoints and 50-stop tournament days.
“I really keyed on the main lake brushpiles and cover instead of going
into the pockets or creeks,” Combs said. “I knew I could catch some fish
in those areas but they weren’t what I wanted to key on. Nothing was
extremely deep, either … probably from 4-9 feet, and a mix of old brush I
knew had been there for a while and some new stuff. The older brush
seemed to be the best ones.”
Combs struggled in the mornings, picking up a few keepers before seeing
better results at midday and in the afternoon. On the final day,
Iaconelli busted a 25-pound limit early and then struggled the rest of
the day. Combs worked in reverse, going bananas in the final hour with a
stunning flurry that propelled him into the tie and sudden death.
He threw a Norman DD14 crankbait in “Nutter Shad,” which has a
bluish-green back, tinge of chartreuse on the side and red throat. It
dives 12-14 feet on 10-pound test, which Combs said he was using and is
most comfortable with.
With the crankbait’s ability to get deep, Combs slammed it into the brushy cover with a fast retrieve to garner reaction bites.
“I’d burn it through there without stopping and if it came through
cleanly that usually was the best,” he said. “I probably lost 20 or more
crankbaits during the tournament. Usually if I’m getting low and get
hung up, I’ll move in and try to get it. But I found out if I did that
(during the tournament), I’d never get a bite in there.
“I think the fish were in the top or just in front of the brush and if I
moved the boat over it, they’d move away or get down in it. It had to
be the perfect cast, coming through cleanly, and if I didn’t get a bite
in a few casts I’d move on.”
Combs threw the crankbait on a 7-foot Power Tackle PGC170 glass rod. He
said he also tried throwing a Carolina-rig a few times when his morning
bite waned, but never got a bite and didn’t have as much confidence with
it.
“I never lost a fish on that rod and if I had, that would have been the
tournament,” he said. “The difference with the glass is you can feel the
bite, but it’s forgiving enough to not pull the bait away from the
fish.
“I just tried to fish as much water as possible. My (Yamaha) SHO
performed flawlessly with as many stops as I made. That was as big as
anything, being able to move around knowing it would get me there.”
Combs guides through the winter months in south Texas. Instead of
resting on his successes this week, he’s on the water with clients.
“They booked some days at Falcon and I don’t see any reason to change
our plans,” he said. “We’re going fishing on a great lake and you can’t
beat that.”
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FLW
Outdoors announced Tuesday that Damiki Fishing Tackle has renewed its
sponsorship with the world’s leading tournament-fishing organization.
Damiki first signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 2010. This summer,
the South Korean-based company launched several new products including
the Air Craw, Hydra Evolution and DC 400 at ICAST.
Through their sponsorship, Damiki will continue to market these
new products as well as their established stable to the U.S. market.
Damiki will receive exposure across all platforms of
FLW Outdoors, including its tournaments, multiple websites, bass and
walleye magazines, and various FLW Outdoors events.
Trish Blake, President of FLW Outdoors Marketing Division,
stated: “We are delighted Damiki is returning as a sponsor for 2012.
They’ve been a valued partner and we look forward to building upon our
past successes.”
In addition to being an FLW Outdoors sponsor, Damiki upholds a
three-member pro staff which includes Bryan Thrift – one of the best
bass anglers in the world. Flagging Thrift in 2012 will be rookie pro
Zach Caudle, the first National Guard FLW College Fishing alum to join
the Walmart FLW Tour as a professional. While Thrift’s résumé speaks for
itself, Caudle has top-10ed in seven of the 10 college events he’s
entered – the highlight being a second-place finish at the 2011 national
championship. On the West Coast, pro Jason Milligan will represent
Damiki via the EverStart Series Western Division.
“FLW Outdoors has proven to be a great place to showcase our
tackle,” said Rodney Scott, marketing manager for Damiki USA. “We are
relatively new in the U.S. market, but we’ve made great strides in just a
few years; the response has been huge. Much of the credit goes to our
FLW partnership and loyal pros like Bryan Thrift.”
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For West Coast Anglers the FLW Everstart Series is one of the top circuits. It's one of the biggest trails and winning angler of the year is no easy feat. This year Richard Dobyns of Yuba City, Calif. was AOY in the Western Division, and today on Weighing In Radio, he talks about winning the title, what he will do next and his work with Dobyns Rods. To listen click here. |
Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc. with brands including Humminbird, Minn Kota, Cannon and more is announcing the promotions of several staff members and the addition of one new staff member.
“As our electronics business continues to grow, it is critical that we remain focused on innovation in key strategic market segments,” said Jeff Davison, senior business director – Humminbird, Geonav and LakeMaster. “We are putting people with great experience and talents in positions that will help us achieve our marketing goals for all our brands.”
Joining the Humminbird® team as brand manager is Jeff Kolodzinski. Kolodzinski, who will assume his role on the staff starting November 1, has been the vice president of marketing for Frabill the past four years. Prior to joining Frabill, he also held several sales and retail marketing positions with Gander Mountain®. An avid angler and outdoorsman, he brings extensive consumer insight that will help him direct the Humminbird brand going forward. His primary focus will include marketing strategy, advertising, promotion and public relations.
Dale Logue, who had been serving as brand manager for Humminbird, now assumes that position for the LakeMaster® brand. With extensive experience in engineering and marketing, Logue will work closely with LakeMaster founder Mike Wood – who is now an employee of Johnson Outdoors, which acquired the brand in July of this year. Wood and Logue will be developing short and long term plans to expand LakeMaster products into new markets. Logue’s responsibilities also include marketing strategy, advertising, promotions and public relations.
Geonav national sales manager Dan Ritchie has been promoted to sales and marketing director for the brand. Ritchie has proven to be a strong leader since joining the company in 2010, establishing a sales organization and developing a U.S. dealer and distributor network in a very short period of time. In this new role, he will be responsible for developing the overall strategic direction for Geonav®. He will also oversee long term product development plans and execute sales, marketing, advertising, promotions and public relations tactics.
John Luther is being promoted from product manager to senior product manager and will be responsible for the Geonav product initiatives going forward. Since joining the company in 2007, Luther has contributed to the Humminbird brand. More recently, he has been instrumental in launching Geonav products into the “blue water” market and continues to assist in developing a radar strategy for both brands.
Being promoted from marketing specialist to senior marketing specialist is Nicole Pritchard. Pritchard, who has been providing graphic design and website support for the Humminbird and Geonav brands, will now also support the LakeMaster brand. She will also be providing international distributors and catalog customers in the United States
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Although tightening essential bolts on the jackplate and engine should be done periodically during the year. Fall is a great time to schedule it.
Routine maintenance of the engine like lower unit lube, plugs, and greasing trim and tilt/steering fittings should accompany all tightening of essential hardware. Motor mounting bolts and jack plate is included in this process. If you have a hydraulic jackplate perform maintenance required there.
It's critical to use the proper hardware if replacement is needed for any mounting hardware. Stainless Nylock nuts and stainless bolts are a must. Hardened bolts are more durable and can be found at most hardware stores. Make sure you use the exact size specified by the manufacturer.
It's also good to tighten all screws and hardware on the console and front access at the same time. Vibration can cause them to loosen. Trolling motor bolts should also be checked and moving parts lubricated and prop checked at this time. Remove the prop, clear any debris and lightly grease the shaft of the trolling motor before replacing the prop. A small amount of good marine grease works well for this.
Also, check hydraulic steering fluid during your maintenance. Most boats have filling ports near the steering wheel and make sure to lay down a protective cloth under the filling area as this steering fluid can cause carpet to lift. Check manufacturers recommendations for the proper fluid. Boat rollers and bunks should be tightened now and its good to inspect and tighten these with the boat off of the trailer. Also, an overall check of trailer light wires and connections should be done at this time. Lighting hardware should be tightened if necessary. Check your license plate bracket and tighten if needed.
Fill oil reservoir at this time and make sure all batteries are fully charged if storing your boat. Before putting your cover on your boat make sure to wipe down the gunnel area with a good protectant like Lucas Slick Mist. This will not only protect the gelcoat but also keep the cover from wearing a scuff spot if towed with the cover on.
Tighten all lug nuts on the trailer and spare now too. If your boat is equipped with brakes make sure fluids are topped off here. Grease wheel bearings or fill hubs with fluid if bath style bearings are used. We use Lucas Hub Oil for this application. It not only lubricates well but stops leaks if they appear and prevents them in the future.
These few simple tips can save unwanted boat repair charges and assure everything works well for the next trip.
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