Shimano North America Fishing congratulates Shimano Pro Alex Davis on his victory at the National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) event on Alabama’s Lay Lake, presented by Work Sharp.
Photo credit: The National Professional Fishing League
A Close Competition
It was a razor-thin battle against one of the toughest fields in professional bass fishing. Davis secured his win with a three-day total of 51 pounds, 10 ounces.
The multi-day fishing event took place over the recent Memorial Day weekend. It marks Davis’ first career win on the NPFL trail — a milestone that also came with $100,000 in first-place winnings.
Davis maintained his lead, finishing just shy of a pound ahead of second‑place angler Patrick Walters. The result extends Davis’s remarkable season and highlights the trusted performance and reliability valued by top‑tier professional bass anglers.
Great Gear, Big Wins
Davis relied on his Shimano gear to efficiently target fish in multiple scenarios around Lay Lake throughout the event.
The Shimano Curado 150 M consistently helps anglers to tournament wins like this. It’s a durable reel built for smooth casting and precise control. Featuring Shimano’s MGL Spool III, SVS Infinity braking, and Hagane Body construction, the Curado 150 M excels in both close-quarters dock skipping and long open-water casts.
Davis paired the reel with the Curado 72MH rod featuring Hi-Power X construction. He noted that the setup offers the perfect balance of sensitivity, backbone, and tip action needed to work baits properly, drive strong hooksets, and draw fish from heavy cover.
“When skipping docks, I used the Curado rod because it has the power to get them out,” said Davis. “It has the perfect action to work the bait properly but not move it much in the water column and has plenty of backbone to get great hooksets. This setup was key to winning the tournament.”
