Fishin' Tip Friday - Get Rid of the Rust
By Vance McCullough - AC Insider
Can the way you store your tackle make you a better angler?
You bet!
For starters, look out for those hooks – your connection to the fish in the first place.
The higher the carbon content in a metal, the better it will take an edge, or hold a point in the case of a hook. But carbon is a double-edged sword, pardon the obvious pun. While it provides a sharper point, carbon is also highly prone to rust.
One way to protect your hooks from rust is to store them in specialty boxes designed to prevent the oxidation of metals. While these storage options may prove effective in preserving your hooks, the cost to immediately swap out all of your tackle boxes can put a dent in the fishing budget.
A simple trick that has served the purpose for years is to save the silica desiccant packets that come packaged with new electronic devices and the like. These little pouches of pellets are designed to trap moisture and protect sensitive equipment from humidity and dampness.
And if you’ve been good this year, maybe you’ll be getting your hands on some of these moisture-wicking wonders soon, along with the presents they were protecting.
Instead of tossing the packets out, repurpose them by placing one or two in each tackle box, especially if said box will be making trips to tidewater or full-on saltwater environs.
Of course, tight-fitting lids and secure latches go a long way towards keeping moisture out of a tackle box. While they cost a few dollars more, the latest systems will return handsomely on the investment as they protect your lures and, especially, those high-quality, high carbon hooks for years to come.
Another handy trick is to simply spray away the corrosion before it has a chance to set in. Salt Off from Starbright is a great for, you guessed it, getting salt off your fishing gear. Intended for use on everything from your boat to your baitcasters, Salt Off will extend the life of your equipment after use in marine and brackish environments. A dash will do the trick on hooks as well.
Plan now to preserve those fishing gifts you’re hoping Santa leaves beneath your tree!
B.A.S.S. announces high-powered 2025 Elite Series field
Dec. 19, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — On the heels of a record-setting 2024 Bassmaster Elite Series, where attendance and viewership numbers were equaled only by record weights and nail-biting finishes, the competitive field for the 2025 season has been set. Although last year’s rookie class took the Elites by storm, the young guns stepping up to the big stage this year are just as fierce. However, the veterans will have something to say about who will be holding the blue trophies when the scales settle.
All 104 anglers invited to join the 2025 Elite class accepted the challenge, including seven former Bassmaster Classic champions and eight former Angler of the Year champions. The rookie class is led by Easton Fothergill, who won two Bassmaster Opens events in 2024 and the points race in the 2024 Elite Qualifiers division to punch his ticket to the big show. Cody Meyer, Tucker Smith, Paul Marks, Emil Wagner, Andrew Loberg, Dakota Ebare, Beau Browning and Evan Kung are also part of the stacked freshman class.
Two legends will be joining the 2025 Elites, both dragging a Classic trophy alongside them. Randy Howell won the world championship in 2014 and has almost $2 million in B.A.S.S. winnings. Cliff Pace hoisted the Ray Scott Bassmaster Classic trophy in 2013 and has almost $1.7 million in career earnings.
Each event will kick off with the full field of 104 anglers on Days 1 and 2 before the field is cut to 50 for the semifinal round. The field will then be cut to the Top 10 on the final day, with the winner taking home the title and the $100,000 first-place prize.
The 2025 Elite Series will kick off with the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River February 20-23. From there, the competitors will rattle rods through six other states while battling for the Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year title and a berth into the 2026 Bassmaster Classic.
2025 Bassmaster Elite Series Field
Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C.
Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala.
Drew Benton, Panama City, Fla.
Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark.
Beau Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.
Scott Canterbury, Odenville, Ala.
Blake Capps, Muskogee, Okla.
Brandon Card, Salisbury, N.C.
Hank Cherry, Lincolnton, N.C.
Jason Christie, Welling, Okla.
Joey Cifuentes III, Clinton, Ark.
Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C.
Keith Combs, Huntington, Texas
Drew Cook, Cairo, Ga.
John Cox, DeBary, Fla.
John Crews, Salem, Va.
Will Davis Jr., Sylacauga, Ala.
Greg DiPalma, Millville, N.J.
Bob Downey, Detroit Lakes, Minn.
Tim Dube, Nashua, N.H.
Dakota Ebare, Brookeland, Texas
Seth Feider, New Market, Minn.
Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn.
Easton Fothergill, Grand Rapids, Minn.
Jacob Foutz, Charleston, Tenn.
Marc Frazier, Newnan, Ga.
Kyoya Fujita, Minamitsuru, Yamanashi, Japan
Cooper Gallant, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
John Garrett, Union City, Tenn.
David Gaston, Sylacauga, Ala.
Robert Gee, Knoxville, Tenn.
Wesley Gore, Clanton, Ala.
Buddy Gross, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Jeff Gustafson, Keewatin, Ontario, Canada
Greg Hackney, Gonzales, La.
Justin Hamner, Northport, Ala.
Ray Hanselman, Del Rio, Texas
Jamie Hartman, Newport, N.Y.
Matt Herren, Ashville, Ala.
Randy Howell, Guntersville, Ala.
Cody Huff, Ava, Mo.
Mike Iaconelli, Pittsgrove, N.J.
Taku Ito, Chiba, Japan
Carl Jocumsen, Toowoomba, Australia
Chris Johnston, Otonabee, Ontario, Canada
Cory Johnston, Otonabee, Ontario, Canada
Jonathan Kelley, Old Forge, Pa.
Steve Kennedy, Auburn, Ala.
Kenta Kimura, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
Evan Kung, Pickering, Ontario, Canada
Caleb Kuphall, Mukwonago, Wis.
Logan Latuso, Gonzales, La.
Jordan Lee, Cullman, Ala.
Shane LeHew, Catawba, N.C.
Brandon Lester, Fayetteville, Tenn.
Lee Livesay, Longview, Texas
Andrew Loberg, Guntersville, Ala.
Wes Logan, Springville, Ala.
Ed Loughran III, Richmond, Va.
Bill Lowen, Brookville, Ind.
Paul Marks, Cumming, Ga.
Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla.
Trey McKinney, Carbondale, Ill.
Mark Menendez, Paducah, Ky.
Cody Meyer, Eagle, Idaho
Ben Milliken, New Caney, Texas
Brock Mosley, Collinsville, Miss.
Paul Mueller, Naugatuck, Conn.
David Mullins, Mt. Carmel, Tenn.
Bryan New, Leesville, S.C.
Kyle Norsetter, Cottage Grove, Wisc
Cliff Pace, Ovett, Miss.
Brandon Palaniuk, Rathdrum, Idaho
Luke Palmer, Coalgate, Okla.
Logan Parks, Auburn, Ala.
Kyle Patrick, Cooperstown, N.Y.
Chad Pipkens, DeWitt, Mich.
Clifford Pirch, Payson, Ariz.
Jacob Powroznik, North Prince George, Va.
Jay Przekurat, Plover, Wis.
KJ Queen, Catawba, N.C.
Alex Redwine, Blue Ash, Ohio
Tyler Rivet, Raceland, La.
Matt Robertson, Kuttawa, Ky.
Cole Sands, Calhoun, Tenn.
Pat Schlapper, Eleva, Wis.
Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md.
Bernie Schultz, Gainesville, Fla.
Hunter Shryock, Ooltewah, Tenn.
Bryant Smith, Roseville, Calif.
Tucker Smith, Birmingham, Ala.
Caleb Sumrall, New Iberia, La.
Gerald Swindle, Guntersville, Ala.
JT Thompkins, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Emil Wagner, Marietta, Ga.
Patrick Walters, Summerville, S.C.
Kyle Welcher, Opelika, Ala.
Alex Wetherell, Middletown, Conn.
Brad Whatley, Bivins, Texas
Jake Whitaker, Hendersonville, N.C.
Tyler Williams, Belgrade, Maine
Jason Williamson, Aiken, S.C.
Matty Wong, Honolulu, Hawaii
Chris Zaldain, Fort Worth, Texas
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Bass Fishing History and Christmas Spirit on Display at Vexus®
If you’ve enjoyed a ride in a Vexus® or Ranger® during the past 55 years, you might send boat designing icon Randy Hopper a brief “Thank You” note. He probably had a serious hand in building it, and if you’re struggling to find the spirit of Christmas, he’d also be a good one to call.
Hopper, along with fishing boat industry leaders Keith Daffron, Lance Newton, Gary “White Cloud” Howard, Mendel Hughes, and others, started Vexus eight years ago by turning a vacant field in Flippin, AR, into the home of Vexus Boats—a first-class facility that would make a NASCAR team envious, and Hopper has since taken on the fun challenge of decorating the building’s lobby each Christmas.
“I love decorating for the sake of our employees. We have great camaraderie at Vexus. There is a lot of mutual respect for one another. And I can’t imagine our folks working at a place where they thought their leaders didn’t care about Christmas,” smiles Hopper.
Much like the roughly 200 new boat launches he’s been a part of the past five decades, the challenge of delivering something new and innovative for the lobby each December takes a lot of creative soul-searching. Last year featured one of Forrest L. Wood’s prized sleighs.
“Forrest plowed a lot of ground with mules and never lost his love of working horses. He even used them to pull sleighs when snow fell on the Ozarks. Heck, he even picked up former B.A.S.S. owner and Bass Fishing Hall of Famer Helen Sevier in his sleigh when she landed on a snowy day at the Flippin Airport,” grins Hopper.
Once again, a big dose of bass fishing history can be found inside the Vexus lobby in the form of dear friend Jerry McKinnis’ state-of-the-art 1969 bass fishing machine that Forrest built, being towed by the 1960 Corvette that Hopper restored.
“We restored the boat more than 20 years ago for Jerry, and it’s been in the Forrest L. Wood Gallery here in Flippin ever since. Stephen Vannada, who runs our Vexus trailer shop, custom built a trailer for it recently, and we couldn’t be prouder to have the rig greeting our employees and visitors this year at Christmas,” says Hopper.
For those who love bass fishing history, Jerry McKinnis and Forrest L. Wood, now both deceased, met as total strangers when Jerry showed up from St. Louis for a guided fishing trip to catch big brown trout on the nearby White River below Bull Shoals Lake.
Wood extended his hand and said something like, “I’m Forrest Wood, and I’ll be your guide today,” and an instant friendship began in a narrow river boat on that day nearly 60 years ago. Together, the two changed bass fishing history.
But in the short term, Randy Hopper is just trying to increase the Christmas spirit of folks who enter the Vexus lobby each day during this most wonderful time of the year. “They’re already asking me what I’m going to do for decorations next year. I told them maybe we’d create a couple of mechanical camels or something,” laughs the good-natured Hopper.
To learn more about the rich culture of innovation and craftsmanship Randy Hopper leads each day, please visit vexusboats.com.
Vexus Viewpoints - Trailer Talk
In this Vexus Viewpoint Feature, AC Insider Danny Blandford talks trailers after logging over a thousand miles with the Anglers Channel Dream Rig. Made in-house by Team Vexus, these trailers are custom fit to each boat and loaded with features. Take a look at ours, or if you want to see more about how they build them, take a factory tour for yourself, right here! Vexus Custom Trailer Advantage
https://youtu.be/gZhN-7Pyu3M?list=PL9N1WhdRXZIlaTRMWjkYLSmLGHLzw42ob
Catch the Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show, Presented by Sportsman’s Warehouse Saturday mornings on Discovery! The program airs at 6:30 am EST through the month of December! It will be available on Pursuit starting in January, AND you can watch anytime at OutdoorAction.com.
Gritter Grabs Yamaha Power Pay on Grand Lake
Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships
Michigan angler and former Bassmaster Elite Series® pro earns $5,000 at the 2024 B.A.S.S. ® Nation Championship on Oklahoma’s famed Grand Lake.
It’s no secret that blue-collared anglers are the lifeblood of tournament bass fishing. Many anglers work long hours throughout the week, waking up early and coming home late to take care of their families and hopefully make just enough scratch to enter some tournaments every now and then.
That’s exactly the story of 37-year-old Luke Gritter from Otsego, Mich., who runs a residential construction company that has been in his family for over 60 years. The knuckle-busting labor and late nights allowed him to qualify for the 2024 B.A.S.S.® Nation Championship on Grand Lake. Just as you’d expect, the long drive to Oklahoma didn’t stop him from an impressive 19th-place finish in exceptionally challenging conditions.
“I did pre-practice on Grand but before that, I’d never seen the lake in my life,” Gritter said. “We got nine inches of rain in the two days of official practice, so everything most of us found was totally washed out by the time the tournament started. The top-half of the lake was super muddy but there were a few creeks down the lake that were much cleaner.”
With this knowledge, he relied heavily on a run-and-gun approach. He knew he could catch decent keepers as far south as Duck Creek while pitching around the backs of pockets and drains, but that meant a lot of cranks and trust in his Yamaha 250-horsepower V6 V MAX SHO®.
“I was jumping around like crazy, but I didn’t really have a choice,” Gritter said. “I’d fish five minutes in one little creek and bounce to the next one. Then, I’d make a long run back to the upper end of Grand Lake to the dirty water, and that’s where I normally caught my bigger ones.”
The outboard Gritter is currently running happens to be his third Yamaha, and the Michigan angler didn’t have any reservations about his strategy.
“Man, these outboards are just so reliable,” he said. “The hole shot is amazing, and the service is super easy. I can’t remember a single time I’ve had to sit on the sidelines or at a service trailer waiting for motor work. No matter what the pattern is and regardless of where I feel like I need to run, the last thing I worry about is my outboard.”
For his finish, Gritter earned a solid $5,000 check from the Yamaha Power Pay program, making his solid finish even sweeter. It’s safe to say he’s sold on the performance, dependability and fuel mileage of these outboards.
There are dozens of collegiate, amateur and semi-pro tournament trails sanctioned by the Yamaha Power Pay program. To become eligible for bonus payouts, anglers have to register. It’s free to sign up and just like Luke Gritter, you don’t have to place first in your tournament to cash in on the Power Pay money. To learn more, please visit https://yamahapowerpay.com/.
Exotic Fishing Trips for the Solo Fishing Traveler
By Pete Robbins - Half Past First Cast
As a confirmed introvert who spends a lot of time in the boat alone by choice, I understand the pleasure of fishing by yourself. I spend long days in my bass boat without talking to anyone, only checking the phone occasionally and doing what I want, when I want to do it – those days are restorative and necessary for my mental health. Even when I travel with a group, I still need some “me time” in the course of the day to center myself.
Despite those professed loner tendencies, I rarely take a long-distance fishing trip by myself, unless I’m going somewhere to visit someone. Even I have learned that sometimes having a great partner or great group enhances the trip – both the camaraderie and the fishing part of it, as you can put your heads together to figure out a pattern.
Going Solo?
In some cases, you may want to go on the trip by yourself, or perhaps you can’t find a friend to go. Maybe they can’t afford it, can’t get off work or aren’t as adventurous as you are.
If that leaves you traveling alone by choice, in many cases you will have to pay a “single supplement,” usually 20 to 50 percent extra, in order to account for the lodge or outfitter’s sunk costs. For example, they can’t sell the second bed in your room, and the same number of guides are committed, so they have to make up the difference somehow. It’s usually a fair trade. If it’s a bass fishing trip, you’re guaranteed to get a shot at the “money” cast every time, as well as more attention from the guide. If you’re trolling for mahi or billfish, you’ll get to handle every strike. That sounds great, but in a true first-world problem it can get tiring.
Do You Want to Get Paired Up?
Many potential travelers on our hosted trips who don’t have someone to go with them ask us what they think is an innocuous question: “Can’t you just find someone to go with me?” We often do have additional single travelers, and while many lodges recommend strongly against semi-random pairings, in some cases putting two people together can be amazing. Several of our “singles” have become lifelong friends. Two of them even dated for several years (long story).
We have, however, had two pairings that were absolute disasters. In one, the anglers strongly disliked each other, and in the other they tolerated each other but were both relatively unhappy. That’s not cool – everyone is hoping to go on a bucket list trip, and if you cannot get along with your roommate and fishing partner it’ll put a damper not only on your trip, but also on the trips of everyone around you. We’ve learned from those experiences to really try to get the two potential roommates to speak ahead of time, and to vet them for any idiosyncrasies that might not allow it to work. We will be increasingly vigilant about that in the future.
It's also incumbent upon the single looking for a roommate to be honest about his or her tendencies and quirks. Do you snore? Drink a lot? Can you only sleep with the TV on? Let them know before you go. You may also have to be a little bit flexible, allowing your partner the front of the boat, or the bed of his or her preference, to make things work.
When Hanna and I pair up two strangers, if we have any suspicion that things are not ideal we will try to fish with them for a day to break up any tension. Even if there isn’t any tension, it allows them a different perspective on the fishery.
Joining a Group
For most of us, going on an offshore fishing trip alone is cost-prohibitive. It could end up costing two or even three times as much as you’d pay to go with friends. However, for some of our trips and destinations, there are ways to go as a single and still get the group experience while enjoying some alone time. For example, Casa Vieja Lodge has a “Singles Week,” usually in June and November. You get your own single room and each day you will fish on a different boat, typically of varying sizes, with different groups of anglers. It’s actually a great way to get the full CVL experience – normally you reserve one boat for the entirety of your trip for your group, so you get broader exposure to the boats and captains this way. We know several people who’ve done this trip multiple times, and they’ve invariably met likeminded people from around the country or the globe who will travel with them elsewhere.
Our trips to Sport Fish Panama Island Lodge are also perfectly tailored for single anglers. We’ve typically gone with a total of eight (including me and Hanna), although next May we’re going back with 12. On each trip we’ve had multiple single anglers go along. On the island, you will typically get your own room in one of the guest houses, and we fish four to a boat. The groups change every day so everyone gets to fish with everyone else over the course of the four or four and a half days on the water. The trip price is based on double occupancy at the Hilton during the one night in Panama City, but for a modest charge you can have your own room there, too.
Pack Obsessively
One advantage of going in a group or with a partner is that you don’t have to bring everything under the sun to have everything you need. You can split up certain necessities (and even buy them in bulk in the case of things like Senkos). I’ve borrowed medicine and bandages in the jungle, crankbaits in the Sierra Madres and water shoes in Central America. Unfortunately, there’s no way to know exactly what you’ll need on any given trip, but if you’ll be among strangers be sure to pack everything you might need within the limitations of the airlines, your luggage and what you can carry.
Note on Tipping
I understand that going alone sometimes means shouldering a heavier cost than what you’d spend if you went with a partner. Things like taxis and other random expenses end up falling exclusively on your shoulders. There are some areas where you can skimp, but tipping is definitely not one of them. Your guide, captain, mates and the service staff will work just as hard if not harder, so be sure you pay them as if there was a full boat or a full room. In many of the places we go they are highly dependent on gratuities and it’s not fair to undertip just because you’re alone.
If any of this makes you want to join us on a trip – as a single or otherwise – or if you have questions about the ins and outs of traveling alone, shoot us an email and we’ll happily discuss any issues or booking options.
B.A.S.S., FOX announce expanded 2025 television schedule
Dec. 16, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. and FOX have announced details of an expanded television schedule for the 2025 Elite Series and 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. The schedule includes coverage of all nine Elite Series events on FS1, with the last days of competition at Lake Fork and Lake Tenkiller being aired on the flagship FOX broadcast channel. FOX will also air the last two days of competition of the 2025 Bassmaster Classic at Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas.
“We are beginning our fifth year with FOX/FS1 and are proud of the relationship we have established with them and their dedication to bringing the best live tournament action from the biggest stages in professional bass fishing,” said B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer Phillip Johnson. “We look forward to providing even more tournament coverage from the worldwide authority on bass fishing that will reach an even broader audience in 2025.”
The new expanded schedule is the result of a 2024 season of record viewership and increased interest in Bassmaster LIVE programming and includes a massive 300% increase in hours of coverage on the flagship FOX broadcast channel, setting the stage for a monumental surge in viewership for 2025.
B.A.S.S. expects the new agreement to deliver more than 20 million viewers in 2025, which would be the biggest television audience in the history of the sport.
Bassmaster on FOX 2025
| Air Date | Start Time | Tournament | Location | Network | |
| Sat 2/22/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #1: St. Johns River | Palatka, Fla. | FS1 | |
| Sun 2/23/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #1: St. Johns River | Palatka, Fla. | FS1 | |
| Sat 3/1/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #2: Lake Okeechobee | Okeechobee, Fla. | FS1 | |
| Sun 3/2/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #2: Lake Okeechobee | Okeechobee, Fla. | FS1 | |
| Sat 3/22/25 | 12:00PM | Bassmaster Classic: Lake Ray Roberts | Fort Worth, Texas | FOX | |
| Sun 3/23/25 | 12:00PM | Bassmaster Classic: Lake Ray Roberts | Fort Worth, Texas | FOX | |
| Sat 4/12/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #3: Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound | Elizabeth City, N.C. | FS1 | |
| Sun 4/13/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #3: Pasquotank River/Albemarle Sound | Elizabeth City, N.C. | FS1 | |
| Sat 4/26/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #4: Lake Hartwell | Anderson, S.C. | FS1 | |
| Sun 4/27/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #4: Lake Hartwell | Anderson, S.C. | FS1 | |
| Sat 5/10/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #5: Lake Fork | Yantis, Texas | FS1 | |
| Sun 5/11/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #5: Lake Fork | Yantis, Texas | FS1 | |
| Sun 5/11/25 | 12:00PM | Elite Series #5: Lake Fork | Yantis, Texas | FOX | |
| Sat 5/17/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #6: Sabine River | Orange, Texas | FS1 | |
| Sun 5/18/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #6: Sabine River | Orange, Texas | FS1 | |
| Sat 6/14/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #7: Lake Tenkiller | Cookson, Okla. | FS1 | |
| Sun 6/15/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #7: Lake Tenkiller | Cookson, Okla. | FS1 | |
| Sun 6/15/25 | 12:00PM | Elite Series #7: Lake Tenkiller | Cookson, Okla. | FOX | |
| Sat 8/9/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #8: Lake St. Clair | Macomb County, Mich. | FS1 | |
| Sun 8/10/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #8: Lake St. Clair | Macomb County, Mich. | FS1 | |
| Sat 08/23/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #9: Mississippi River | La Crosse, Wis. | FS1 | |
| Sun 08/24/25 | 8:00AM | Elite Series #9: Mississippi River | La Crosse, Wis. | FS1 | |
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Bailey Gay Secures His First NPFL Victory on Lake Murray
Kentucky angler Bailey Gay earned his first-ever NPFL win at Stop Six on Lake Murray, with a two-day total weight of 39 pounds, 15 ounces. Demonstrating consistency throughout the shortened event, Gay brought in 18 pounds, 12 ounces on Day One and an impressive 21 pounds, 3 ounces on Finale Friday, securing victory by a margin of 2 pounds, 7 ounces.
Gay faced a tough practice, with bites decreasing each day. Heading into day one with low expectations, he capitalized on being one of the few anglers focusing on the lower end of the lake. Settling in, he methodically worked the small sections of grass he located during practice.
“I did not expect to do well after my practice, but I knew I was alone down there and just went to work,” he said. “There were big fish around, and I was able to find quality ones using the grass edges. I relied heavily on forward-facing sonar and kept a bait above the grass on a dropshot rig.”
On day one, most of his fish came from the grass. However, late in the afternoon, he found additional fish on main lake points near the dam—a discovery that ultimately made the difference.
“This morning, it was really slow,” Gay explained. “I had one three-pounder and decided to make a change and go for the win fishing on the points. I fished every point inside the dam and took my time locating single bass.”
Focusing on depths of around 35 feet, he identified big bass tight to the bottom and picked them off one by one, steadily upgrading throughout the day. Gay weighed all his fish on the dropshot, a technique he’s highly confident with, and struggled to find the words after the weigh-in.
“I just can’t believe it,” he said. “It was my first time with a camera in the boat, and I got to put on a show. I’ve been chasing one of those cool trophies all year, and this was the perfect way to end the season. God is good. Big thanks to Wieda’s Marine for working after hours to keep my boat running all year.”
Brock Bila
Missouri angler and Bait Wrx pro Brock Bila secured a second-place finish at Lake Murray with a two-day total weight of 37 pounds, 8 ounces. Bila started strong on Day One with a 19-pound, 9-ounce bag and followed it up on the final day with another solid effort, weighing in 17 pounds, 15 ounces.
Fishing in a style similar to how he approaches waters back home in the Ozarks, Bila identified three to four key areas in the midsection of the lake during practice, where bass were suspended over deep water. Throughout the event, he relocated the schools and targeted bigger fish as the tournament progressed.
“I found those fish suspended between 30 and 50 feet, but throughout the off day and Day One of the tournament, they floated up near the surface,” he said. “I had to change my approach and target them with the minnow.”
His focus was on areas adjacent to creek mouths and other locations where bass would school up on baitfish. Relying on Miller Tech Lithium Batteries from Wholesale Batteries, Bila moved around until he found active groups.
“I had one area where I could get a limit, and then I’d search for the bigger fish,” he said. “Herring lakes have always been semi-difficult for me, so ending the season on a good note feels really good.”
Bila is thrilled with his successful 2024 season, which landed him high in the Progressive Angler of the Year race and qualified him for the 2025 NPFL Championship.
“The opportunity to prove myself against pro-level competition is a really cool deal. I’m looking forward to that championship next year—40 anglers fishing for $100,000. It’s been a great season.”
For his efforts, Bila also secured the NPFL Bass Cat Boats contingency award as the top Bass Cat Boats pro.
Patrick Walters
South Carolina angler Patrick Walters remained consistent in his home state, weighing in 17 pounds, 11 ounces on Day One and 17 pounds, 14 ounces on Day Two. His total of 35 pounds, 9 ounces earned him a third-place finish overall at Lake Murray.
Focusing on a slow, methodical approach—unlike his usual style—Walters targeted isolated cover and structure in a key depth range.
“Practice was tough for me overall, but I’ve fished Murray in December a handful of times and knew where I wanted to be,” Walters said. “I went against my typical style and targeted rocks, brush, and stumps with a small football jig. It was painfully slow for me.”
Welcher Secures Progressive AOY
Overcoming a four-point deficit at the start of the event, Kyle Welcher captured the Progressive Angler of the Year (AOY) Golden Shield with a two-day total weight of 35 pounds, narrowly edging out Drew Cook. Cook, who capped off a stellar season with a 14th-place finish at Murray, made the race a thrilling battle to the very end.
“It feels incredible to win AOY—it’s a huge relief,” Welcher said. “I’ve been in contention all year, but it always felt like I was chasing. This title means more to me than any individual tournament victory.”
Familiar with winter fishing, Welcher drew on his experience from competing in local Alabama tournaments to adapt successfully at Lake Murray. After starting the event targeting shallow water, he shifted early on Day One to focus on suspended fish using forward-facing sonar. This ability to adapt not only earned him a strong fourth-place finish but also secured his first NPFL Angler of the Year title.
Welcher relied on a Crush City Mooch Minnow paired with a 12-pound Sunline Shooter fluorocarbon leader. This setup allowed him to efficiently fight striped bass to the boat and maximize his success during the two-day event.
Power Pole Big Bass
Florida angler Matt Massey claimed the Power-Pole Big Bass Award at Lake Murray with an impressive 8-pound, 3-ounce lunker caught on Day One. Massey had a strong showing throughout the event, weighing in 16 pounds, 6 ounces on the first day and adding four bass for 18 pounds, 6 ounces on the final day. His two-day total of 34 pounds, 12 ounces secured a top ten finish.
Top Ten Anglers
Bailey Gay 39-15
Brock Bila 37-8
Patrick Walters 35-9
Kyle Welcher 35-0
Matt Massey 34-12
Zack Birge 34-10
Dustin Williamson 34-2
Louis Fernandes 33-5
Michael Stout 33-0
Justin Kimmel 32-10
Dustin Williamson Grabs NPFL Lead at Lake Murray
South Carolina angler Dustin Williamson takes the lead at Stop Six of the NPFL at Lake Murray with 19 pounds, 13 ounces. Known for a "hit or miss" history on this lake, Williamson wasn’t sure how his tournament would play out. But in the shortened event, he delivered big today.
Before the tournament, Williamson hinted that a shallow bite might produce the biggest fish of the event, and he might be right. However, he also noted that the offshore fish were less volatile and had the best chance of holding up over three days. With the event cut to two days, he’s focused on milking his area for all its worth and making a run on Finale Friday.
“I’m fishing a typical deal, similar to how I would back home at Clarks Hill this time of year,” he said. “I’m fishing three spots in one main area, and the key is finding the baitfish. I have never fished in this particular area before besides practice, but it has the right ingredients for how I want to target them.”
Purposefully leaving out details on how he’s catching the bigger, quality bass, Williamson mentioned he hasn’t had much company from other anglers, and figured out later in the day how to catch the bigger fish, after culling through over 25 bass throughout the day.
“My two biggest were over four pounds, and the other three were solid,” he said. “I’m around the right fish; the hard part is getting them to bite. Once I caught those two big ones, I stopped and saved them for tomorrow. I’m looking forward to going after them one more day.”
Brock Bila
Missouri angler and Bait Wrx pro Brock Bila sits in second place just behind the leader with a strong 19-pound, 9-ounce bag on day one of fishing at Lake Murray. His solid bag puts him in striking distance heading into the final day.
Coming into the event, Bila had a practice plan in mind, but a split-second decision early on changed his entire approach. While he’s keeping the key details of his pattern under wraps, Bila shared that his strategy feels familiar to the way he fishes back home on Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock.
“I had no idea that I could catch them this way coming in, but luckily, I had one of the boxes with me and decided to give it a try,” he said. “I was confident with my practice, boating 17-plus pounds each day, and the canceled day one actually worked in my favor. It might’ve been tough to fish how I am if we had started on time.”
Bila is targeting actively feeding bass in key areas around the lake and notes that he has the majority of his “four or five” spots to himself. Despite his confidence, the fish this morning had shifted due to post-front conditions, forcing him to relocate his schools.
“I’m rotating several spots, and on all but one of them – the key spot where I caught my biggest fish – the fish had vanished,” he added. “It took me a while, but once I figured it out, I was able to get on them and get to work.”
Part of his strategy involves staying on the move, and he credits his sponsor Wholesale Batteries for supplying him with Miller Tech Lithiums, which kept him charged and powered up throughout the day. With the shortened event, Bila is confident that potential weather changes may work in his favor on the final day.
“Today it was bluebird skies and chilly,” he concluded. “I think tomorrow we may have some clouds, and that will help my bite. I’m looking forward to getting back out there.”
Bila leads the NPFL Bass Cat Boats Contingency program with his strong day one of fishing.
Ron Farrow
South Carolina pro Ron Farrow sits in third place with an impressive 19 pounds, 6 ounces, including a 6-pound, 0-ounce lunker, after day one of fishing at Lake Murray. Farrow’s strong start puts him in a prime position heading into the final day of competition.
Growing up on Lake Murray and fishing his first tournament on these waters, Farrow is no stranger to the lake. He focused his efforts on the shallow water, relying on his knowledge of the area’s history and running a milk run of productive spots.
"I used to live here twenty years ago, so I know this place pretty well," he said. "It’s changed, but I’m sticking with what I know—throwing some moving baits and slowing down when I hit the right areas."
His morning started slow, likely due to the lack of wind, but as the afternoon progressed, he settled in and was able to put together his third-place bag.
"I was hoping to fish on Wednesday, but it is what it is," he added. "It’s fishing. I think they’ll bite better tomorrow for everyone, but we won’t know until we get out there. The cold front after the storm slowed them down, but hopefully, they’ll get back to normal tomorrow."
Power Pole Big Bass
Florida angler Matt Massey delivered a solid day one at Lake Murray, weighing in 16 pounds, 6 ounces, anchored by a massive 8-pound, 3-ounce kicker. Massey leads the Power Pole Big Bass with one day remaining. “The big fish came late in the afternoon after I returned to a productive spot,” said Massey, on stage. I caught it on the first cast.
Top Ten Anglers
Dustin Williamson 19-13
Brock Bila 19-0
Ron Farrow 19-6
Kyle Welcher 19-3
Bailey Gay 18-12
Zack Birge 18-9
Angel Rosario 17-14
Patrick Walters 17-11
David Williams 17-7
Hunter Sales 17-4
B.A.S.S. announces Elite Angler Advisory Board, modifications to payouts, enhanced Angler Services
Dec. 12, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — In an effort to facilitate better communication and collaboration with Elite Series anglers, the Bassmaster Elite Angler Board of Professionals (ABP) has been created, B.A.S.S. announced today. The Advisory Board consists of six Elite anglers who were voted on by their peers and who will speak on behalf of the entire field in communicating with B.A.S.S. in order to provide a more direct and efficient way of discussing any current challenges and future opportunities.
The ABP was assembled to include competitors who represent every career phase within the Elite Series ranks: rookies, sophomores, multi-year competitors and veterans. The 2025 Advisory Board roster is comprised of Ben Milliken, Alex Wetherell, Lee Livesay, John Crews, Drew Benton and Mark Menendez. See the Bassmaster Elite Angler Board of Professionals photo gallery here.
B.A.S.S. and the anglers who compete in the Elite Series recognize the importance of effective communication between the organization and the competitors in order to advance and promote the sport and better serve the fishing community. Challenges during the 2024 season revealed an opportunity to improve those communication channels, which led to the formation of the ABP.
"B.A.S.S. is the unquestionable leader in professional bass fishing and has been that way for over 50 years,” said veteran Elite angler John Crews. “The professional bass angler has long been the tireless, passionate competitor that simply wants to catch the biggest bass possible. In the past, the competitors and the league have not found a lasting structure to work together to help each other. Until now. The formation of the ABP, Angler Board of Professionals, is an organically created group of Elite Series anglers trying to help B.A.S.S. and the anglers stay in consistent, productive, positive communication. After numerous roles as an angler representative over the years, I am very excited about being selected as the leader of this inaugural group. It’s a truly humbling honor that I do not take lightly."
The Advisory Board representatives and B.A.S.S. believe the formation of the ABP will ensure that anglers and the league can understand important topics from each other’s point of view, which will help to restore a foundation of respect and trust. The Advisory Board recently had its first meeting with B.A.S.S. to primarily discuss the recently announced payout structure for the 2025 Elite Series. B.A.S.S. and the ABP agreed on multiple options to be presented to the full field of Elite anglers to vote on, which included boosting the payouts through an angler-determined contribution.
After constructive discussion and multiple rounds of voting, the payout for 2025 (which already included an additional investment of $200,000 from B.A.S.S.), was restructured to better meet the current preference of a majority of Elite anglers. For 2025, the pros decided to make an angler contribution of $10,000 for the season, which will be applied entirely to the Elite Series and Bassmaster Classic payouts. Moving forward, B.A.S.S. and the ABP will discuss if an angler contribution continues to be the preference of the majority of the Elite angler field.
See the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series and AOY payout structure and 2026 Bassmaster Classic payout structure.
B.A.S.S. also announced the creation of a new Angler Services program to assist Elite Series pros with marketing, improvement of pitches to sponsors and professional development off the water. Former Elite Series pro and Classic champion Davy Hite has been named angler liaison lead to ensure that communication channels remain open between all Elite anglers and the league. B.A.S.S. Director of Marketing Will Flowers will spearhead the Angler Business Services program designed to provide angler marketing and brand support.
“We are excited to be working with the ABP to ensure consistent and clear communication between B.A.S.S. and the Elite anglers,” said Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. CEO. “There have been challenges trying to communicate with 103 anglers who, understandably, have 103 different priorities when running their individual businesses. We consider the formation of the ABP an opportunity to build a more constructive relationship with anglers as we work together to advance and grow the sport of bass fishing. We remain committed to being the leader in the sport of bass fishing and believe that working with the ABP will strengthen our leadership position and better prepare us for the future.”
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
B.A.S.S. announces 2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series schedule
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. is continuing to build the wildly popular Bassmaster Kayak Series and has announced the schedule for the 2025 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft. The schedule features six stops across six states and presents some of the best fishing opportunities in the country for tournament kayak anglers.
“In 2024 we saw the anglers’ continued commitment to the series, and for 2025 we wanted to add some fisheries that had never hosted a national-level kayak event or maybe hadn’t held one in several years,” said Bassmaster Kayak Series Tournament Director Steve Owens. “And we made our best effort to align those events with prime fishing times.”
“The participation in the Bassmaster Kayak Series has exploded since its inception, and the 2025 schedule should be a treat for anglers and fans alike,” said GL Compton, tournament manager for the B.A.S.S. Nation, who oversees the Bassmaster Kayak Series.
The 2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series schedule will begin the season Jan. 18-19 at Lake Havasu in Havasu City, Ariz., a first for the series. Lake Havasu is formed by Parker Dam on the Colorado River on the border between San Bernardino County, Calif., and Mohave County, Ariz. Lake Havasu City sits on the Arizona side of the lake, and Havasu Lake is the California counterpart. Havasu features a healthy smallmouth and largemouth bass population in a desert setting.
Kayak Series anglers will then cross the country for another first-time series stop at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Feb. 1-2 in Kissimmee, Fla. The Kissimmee Chain is no stranger to B.A.S.S. competition — three of the Top 10 heaviest bass in B.A.S.S. competition have come from its waters. The Kissimmee Chain also holds a Bassmaster Classic record for heaviest bass caught during Classic competition, an 11-10 heavyweight caught by Preston Clark in 2006.
“We are excited to bring the 2025 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series to Kissimmee,” said Tyler Weyant, director of sports development for the Kissimmee Sports Commission. “Our community takes great pride in hosting premier fishing tournaments, and the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes is a favorite among anglers. We want to offer anglers, families and spectators an unforgettable experience in the heart of Florida and invite everyone to explore our local restaurants, attractions and shops while enjoying the tournament.”
After the Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship scored by TourneyX at Lake Fork in Yantis, Texas, held March 19-20 in conjunction with the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour March 21-23 at Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas, anglers head to another first-time destination, Dale Hollow Reservoir in Byrdstown, Tenn., April 26-27. After Dale Hollow comes Lake Tenkiller in Cookson, Okla., May 31-June 1. Tenkiller was the site of the 2024 Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship, where Drew Gregory, a 44-year-old resident of Kent, Ohio, clinched the championship with a total of 10 bass measuring 180.5 inches.
Anglers will then head north to Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, N.Y., July 26-27. Champlain is a storied smallmouth fishery familiar to other B.A.S.S. tournament series but will be a first for Kayak Series anglers. Champlain checked in at No. 6 in the Northeastern Division of Bassmaster Magazine’s annual 100 Best Bass Lakes list for 2024 and supports a strong population of both largemouth and smallmouth bass.
The Kayak Series season ends with yet another first-time Kayak Series event at Toledo Bend Reservoir in Hemphill, Texas, Sept. 27-28. Toledo Bend placed sixth in the Central Division of Bassmaster Magazine’s 2024 100 Best Bass Lakes list, and for good reason — Kyoya Fujita broke into the Century Club at the 2024 Elite Series event on Toledo Bend with a 100-13 winning total.
“We are excited to have the 2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series coming to Toledo Bend,” said Sabine County Judge Daryl Melton. “Participants will experience a memorable fishing adventure and will enjoy the emphasis that has been placed on kayaking with the development of four paddling trails on the lake. We hope this event will be the catalyst for many more events in the future since Sabinetown Park, a world-class tournament facility, is slated for completion in 2026.”
2025 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft
Jan. 18-19, Lake Havasu, Havasu City, Ariz.
Feb. 1-2, Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, Kissimmee, Fla.
April 26-27, Dale Hollow Reservoir, Byrdstown, Tenn.
May 31-June 1, Lake Tenkiller, Cookson, Okla.
July 26-27, Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Sept. 27-28, Toledo Bend Reservoir, Hemphill, Texas
The Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft is scored by TourneyX.
2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Newport
2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series Presenting Sponsor: Native Watercraft2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium
NPFL Cancels Day 1 at Lake Murray
Newberry, S.C. — The National Professional Fishing League has canceled Day 1 at the final stop of the 2024 NPFL season on Lake Murray out of Newberry, South Carolina, due to unsafe weather conditions.
The decision was made after tournament officials reviewed reports from the National Weather Service and other sources issuing Lake Wind Advisories and calling for sustained winds of greater than 20 mph and gusts up to 40 mph.
“Our commitment is to the safety and well-being of our anglers,” said NPFL president Brad Fuller. “We’re eager to get this tournament in the books, to wrap up our Progressive Angler of the Year race and finalize our field for the 2025 NPFL Championship, but safety will always come first, and the current weather situation presents a threat that’s too great to risk.”
The cancelation of today’s competition means that NPFL Stop 6 on Lake Murray hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country will be reduced to a two-day event starting Thursday, December 12, and ending Friday, December 13. At the conclusion of competition, NPFL will crown its 2024 Progressive Angler of the Year and set the field for the 2025 NPFL Championship on Lake Hartwell next October.
About the National Professional Fishing League
The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) was founded to bring competitive fishing to a broader audience and offer anglers a platform to compete at the highest level. The NPFL is committed to fostering integrity, competition, and innovation in the sport, providing anglers and fans alike with an exciting and unique experience.
Media Contact: Ken Duke — (407) 574-1898 or [email protected].
MLF Bass Fishing Magazine to Transition Content Delivery to Digital Platforms
BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 10, 2024) – After more than four decades of delivering premier bass fishing journalism through its print publication, Major League Fishing (MLF) has announced the December 2024 issue of MLF Bass Fishing magazine will be its final printed edition. This decision reflects evolving reader preferences and MLF’s commitment to providing content in the formats anglers and fans overwhelmingly prefer.
Originally launched in 1981 as CAST Magazine, MLF Bass Fishing magazine has been a trusted source of bass fishing expertise and inspiration for millions of anglers. However, as the digital era continues to transform the way people consume information, MLF is pivoting to focus on delivering its world-class content through video, social media and other digital platforms.
“Today’s consumers demand instant access to engaging content, with a significant emphasis on video,” said Boyd Duckett, President and CEO of Major League Fishing. “Research shows that video now accounts for 82% of all internet traffic, and viewers retain 95% of a message when delivered through video compared to just 10% through text. While it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to our printed magazine, this transition allows us to focus our resources on continuing to expand our digital presence and create new opportunities to connect with our fans, anglers, and sponsors.”
The transition to a digital-first approach aligns with MLF’s vision to meet the demands of a mobile, fast-paced society while continuing to provide unparalleled access to bass fishing content. This change will also allow MLF to expand its storytelling capabilities, offering more interactive and immersive experiences for audiences around the world.
This shift will not impact MLF’s editorial and design teams, who remain integral to the organization’s future. Instead, these teams will focus on producing dynamic, high-quality digital content that continues to engage and inspire the bass fishing community.
“Content is king, no matter the medium,” added Duckett. “Our team’s creativity and passion will remain at the heart of everything we produce. We are committed to delivering the best bass fishing content to our fans.”
As part of the transition, MLF is reducing its premium membership fee from $95 to $85 – reflecting the cost of the magazine subscription. Premium members will receive a pro-rated credit for any unfulfilled magazine issues, while subscriber members will be issued refunds for unfulfilled issues.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Z-Man® Adds New Talent
Fishing industry vets Richard Dunham & Abbie Skeen enrich tackle company's creativity, culture
Ladson, SC (December 10, 2024) – It’s just some random Tuesday, and the vibe inside Z-Man headquarters is popping. Offices and their occupants pulse with positive energy. Phones buzz and rattle off desks. Front doorbells chime, nearly nonstop. Up and down halls, spirited voices punctuate perpetual watercooler repartee. Roughly 12,879 times a day, some version of the word fish makes an audible appearance. Meanwhile, multiple office dogs do their rounds, lending a nice laidback mood to the madness.
In short, business at Z-Man is booming. Evidence of its free-spirit subculture are the people—a cool collection of fishy characters of all stripes, united by their excitement to work under the big Z banner.
Lately, the twenty-year-old fishing tackle company has exhibited undeniable signs of success—an increasingly rare indie-fishing operation that thinks for itself. Today, an expanded, newly minted warehouse, distribution center and lure lab coalesce for efficient workflow across all departments. Among a growing staff of over 100 full time employees, its two newest associates—Richard Dunham and Abbie Skeen— are already injecting fresh perspectives, youth and a passion for epic bites.
Dunham, a lifelong bass fisherman and industry veteran, recently joined Z-Man as its newly created Product Manager—aka hardcore fishing dude with a knack for designing innovative new tackle. Jumping into Z-Man’s Marketing Specialist role, Abbie Skeen is already enriching the company’s image and visual branding via exceptional photo and video, as well as mad skills in graphic design.
When asked how he got his start in the biz, Dunham hopped on the wayback machine: “When I was 18, a new Bass Pro Shops opened near my home in Indiana and I was lucky enough to snag a job there,” recalls Dunham, already two years into his tournament bass gig at the time. “That first job in the fishing industry opened so many doors for me. Met so many awesome people who worked in fishing, which eventually led to jobs at two major fishing tackle distributors.
“Every day since I can remember, I’ve woken up knowing exactly what I wanted to do: catch bass and contribute to the angling community in meaningful ways. This (new position at Z-Man) is especially cool because it’s legitimately my dream job,” admits Dunham.
A graduate of Southern Illinois University, Dunham fished on the collegiate bass fishing team, serving as president in 2006. He fished five national college championships before participating in B.A.S.S. Opens, Toyota Series and FLW Tour as a co-angler. While Dunham has fished across the country, his favorite pursuit remains power fishing for big Florida largemouth bass near his home in Tampa—speed dragging a Turbo FattyZ™ or slinging a ChatterBait® bladed jig.
Adds Z-Man President Daniel Nussbaum: “I've known Richard for around fifteen years and have felt for a while that he'd be the perfect fit for our team and culture,” notes Nussbaum. “His years of retail and wholesale sales experience have fostered a keen understanding of the lure market as well as strong organizational and analytical talents. Richard’s background, skills and passion for bass fishing will absolutely take our product development efforts to the next level.”
Working alongside award-winning lure designer and Director of Product Development Jose Chavez, Dunham will immediately elevate the creativity and fish-catching allure of Z-Man baits.
On an equally aquatic path, having grown up around boats and water, new Z-Man Marketing Specialist Abbie Skeen brings a fresh eye and keen talents to the team. A graphic communications major and 2022 graduate of Clemson University, Skeen acquired valuable experience in marketing, photography and design during tenures with Sportsman Boats and Toadfish. A North Carolina native, Skeen now lives in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina near Z-Man headquarters.
“My dad worked in the boat industry for a long time, which instilled in me a love for being around boats and water from day-one,” said Skeen, whose current angling obsession is stalking bull redfish with a fly rod. A talented competitive water skier, Skeen was recruited by the prestigious Clemson University Waterski team, where she specialized in the 3-event circuit. She remains active in the sport yet today, frequently participating in South Carolina and Southern Region tournaments.
“In just a few months here, I’ve grown to really appreciate the Z-Man team,” adds Skeen. “It’s been a super supportive, welcoming community. Every day offers a different challenge. Plus, you gotta love a company that lets you bring your dog to work,” she laughs. (Skeen’s field retriever/Gordon setter mix fits right in with the office’s eclectic collection of labs, setters and spaniels.)
“Abbie’s talents are already making a strong impact on our marketing and branding efforts,” adds Nussbaum. “We’ve run with a lean marketing team and needed to add a jack-of-all-trades who's well-versed in multiple areas. From the moment I met Abbie and studied her portfolio, her strong graphic design, photography, social media, and email marketing skills jumped off the page. Right away, I knew Abbie’s positive attitude and can-do demeanor would help the Z-Man brand continue to thrive and grow.”
2025 Big Bass Tour Registration Opens Friday, December 13th, at 9:00 AM EST/8:00 AM CST
Montgomery, Texas – December 9, 2024 – The Big Bass Tour is excited to announce that registration for all 2025 events will officially open on Friday, December 13th, at 9:00 AM EST/8:00 AM CST. This year’s season brings much anticipated exclusive rewards for early registrants and a new event on Pickwick Lake.
For the 2025 season, anglers who qualify for the early entry prize will receive an Abu Garcia Revo SX Reel, valued at $169.95, for every event excluding the Lake Conroe (TX) and the Lake Murray Spring (SC) tournament. All anglers who register for two (2) or more days for Lake Conroe and anglers who qualify for the Lake Murray Spring early entry prize, will receive an Abu Garcia Veritas Casting Rod.
“These early entry rewards are a way to thank our anglers for their enthusiasm and dedication,” said Scott Gordon, Tournament Director. “The Abu Garcia Revo SX Reel and Veritas Rod are top-tier gear, and we’re proud to offer these exclusive incentives to kick off what promises to be an unforgettable season.”
Key Details
Registration Opens: Friday, December 13th, 2024, at 9:00 AM EST/8:00 AM CST
Early Entry Prizes:
- Abu Garcia Revo SX Reel (Value $169.95): Awarded to early registrants for all events excluding Lake Conroe and Lake Murray Spring.
- Abu Garcia Veritas Casting Rod: Awarded to all anglers who register for two (2) or more days for Lake Conroe and anglers who’s qualify for the early entry prize for the Lake Murray Spring event.
- Harris Chain of Lakes, FL: February 7-9
- Lake Conroe, TX: February 28 - March 2
- Douglas Lake, TN: Mar 7-9 (Rescheduled from 2024)
- Clarks Hill Lake, GA: March 14-16
- Table Rock Lake, MO: April 4-6
- Smith Mountain Lake, VA: April 11-13
- Lake Murray Spring, SC: April 25-27
- Chickamauga Lake, TN: May 16-18
- Pickwick Lake, AL/MS/TN: May 30 - June 1 (New Event)
- Upper Mississippi River, WI: August 1-3
- Douglas Lake, TN: October 3-5
- Guntersville Lake, AL: October 9-12 (Four Day Event)
- Lake Murray Fall, SC: October 17-19
Since 2010, the Big Bass Tour has been the nation’s premier big bass tournament series, offering amateur anglers the opportunity to compete at world-class fisheries with unmatched payouts and rewards. With guaranteed prizes exceeding $2 million and events across ten states, the 2025 Big Bass Tour season promises unparalleled competition and excitement. Early registration is strongly encouraged as these highly sought-after rewards are expected to go quickly.
For full details on registration, prize structures, and tournament rules, visit www.bigbasstour.com.
Contact Information:
Big Bass Tour
2300 Woodforest Pkwy. N Suite 250-444
Montgomery, TX 77316
Phone: 877-958-8687
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.bigbasstour.com
B.A.S.S. welcomes Native Watercraft as presenting sponsor of Bassmaster Kayak Series
Dec. 9, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. has announced Native Watercraft has taken the role of presenting sponsor for the 2025 Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series. Native Watercraft takes pride in their decades of boat-building knowledge and their passion for paddling’s history and its future.
“Today we welcome Native Watercraft as presenting sponsor of the Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series,” said B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer Phillip Johnson. “Native Watercraft’s goal of a cleaner environment to sustain a fishable future mirrors B.A.S.S.’s goals, and we look forward to sharing the kayak fishing stage with them.”
“The partnership between the Bassmaster Kayak Series and Native Watercraft represents a seamless alignment of values and purpose,” said BIG Adventures/Native Watercraft Chief Operating Officer Tyler Brown. “Native Watercraft’s TitanX and Slayer [Propel] Max fishing kayaks are perfectly suited for competitive kayak-tournament fishing, providing anglers with the tools they need to excel in any Bassmaster Kayak event. These kayaks not only enhance performance on the water, but also offer the exceptional quality and experience that both Native Watercraft and Bassmaster are known for. Partnering with Bassmaster, the gold standard in tournament bass fishing, is an excellent opportunity to elevate the sport and support anglers in achieving their best on the water.”
Through the partnership, Native Watercraft will gain exposure through Bassmaster’s diverse platforms, including the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, which will be held March 21-23 at Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas. The Bassmaster Kayak Series Championship, held in conjunction with the Bassmaster Classic, will take place on Lake Fork in Yantis, Texas, March 19-20.
“We are incredibly excited to be partnered with Bassmaster this year,” Brown said. “Bassmaster embodies the pinnacle of excellence in bass fishing. This legacy aligns perfectly with the qualities we seek in a partner, making this collaboration a natural choice.
“We are genuinely excited to see how anglers customize and rig our kayaks for success in this year’s tournaments. Kayak fishing has been evolving rapidly, and we’ve worked hard to stay at the forefront with innovative designs that empower anglers to tailor their Native Watercraft to meet their unique needs. It’s inspiring to witness the creativity and ingenuity kayak anglers bring to outfitting their kayaks, and we can’t wait to see what they achieve on the water this season.”
The Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series presented by Native Watercraft is scored by TourneyX.
2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Newport
2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series Presenting Sponsor: Native Watercraft2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium
About Native Watercraft
Native Watercraft fishing kayaks are proudly manufactured in North Carolina, USA. Renowned for their innovative designs, these kayaks are specifically crafted to meet the needs of today’s kayak anglers. By delivering exceptional quality and performance, Native Watercraft has distinguished itself as a leader in the fishing kayak market. To learn more, visit nativewatercraft.com.
Ounces are enough for Campbell to win Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off
Dec. 7, 2024
PARIS, Tenn. — The bitter cold and whipping winds anglers endured during the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship this week on Kentucky Lake took a much friendlier turn Saturday.
Things were especially bright for Tyler Campbell, who caught five smallmouth bass weighing 22 pounds, 5 ounces — just enough to win the one-day Classic Fish-Off on this storied, 160,0000-acre reservoir in the northwest corner of the Volunteer State.
The win earned Campbell the final berth in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, which is scheduled for March 21-23 on Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas.
It also broke a string of second-place finishes Campbell has suffered the past few years, including at the Classic Fish-Off in 2022 and again in August at the Strike King Bassmaster College National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. Adding to the disappointment was that those derbies were held on Lake Hartwell, which is home water for the 24-year-old Martin, Ga., resident.
He spit those bitter pills, however, with the big win Saturday on Kentucky Lake.
“I’ve been second in three college tournaments, too,” the Emmanuel University graduate said. “It’s been second place so many times, just a whirlwind of near misses. To win today, to qualify for the Classic, this is a life dream. Most guys never make it. To accomplish this at a young age … I’m just so thankful.”
Campbell relied on a Zoom Winged Fluke 5-inch minnow (Tennessee Shad) throughout both the Team Championship and Classic Fish-Off this week. On Saturday, he returned to a spot where he and Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Series teammate Blake Campbell (no relation) caught a 21-13 sack and took the lead on Day 1 of team competition.
Tyler caught three big smallmouth there Saturday morning, but his bites grew increasingly difficult and he moved to a similar area of the main channel around noon.
It was a wise choice. Campbell boated his two biggest smallies of the day in new water, which provided him the weight to edge Clint Knight, a 27-year-old Russellville, Ky., resident who finished second in the Fish-Off with 21-14.
“That new spot was huge for me,” Campbell said. “It was the same kind of set-up as the spot I fished earlier this week. I saw it on my map, and it looked good. So, I wheeled in there and right away caught a 5-pounder. Current is king on this place. Anywhere where the fish can get out of it, I was catching fish. But today was harder on me than the past few days. I only had about nine or 10 bites today.”
Campbell and Campbell came close to winning the Team Championship on Friday but were nipped in the end by Knight and Noah Morgan of the National Team Bass Association. It was another second-place finish that Tyler admitted hit hard.
“I was upset,” he said. “I got back to the house, got a bite to eat, took a shower and went to bed. I didn’t want to think about it. But I had to put it behind me and get a fresh start. Clint is a good guy, and he’s the man on this lake. I knew I had to keep my head down today and get it done.”
Behind Campbell and Knight in the Fish-Off standings are, third, Fisher Anaya, Alabama Bass Trail, 20-13; fourth, Blake Campbell, Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Series, 2-10. Ryan Anaya, also of the Alabama Bass Trail, and Morgan both zeroed Saturday.
The Top 3 teams from the Team Championship advanced to Saturday’s Classic Fish-Off. The six remaining anglers had their weights zeroed and fished individually, with the angler with the heaviest one-day total sliding his way into the Bassmaster Classic.
Saturday’s weather was practically balmy, with temperatures in the low 50s and cloudless skies. That was a huge difference from the rest of the week, when temperatures were near or below freezing and winds blew steadily anywhere from 10 to 15 mph. The winds were gusting so much on Thursday, in fact, that B.A.S.S. officials canceled the day’s action and moved Day 2 of the Team Championship to Friday. That made the Classic Fish-Off, typically a two-day event, a one-day affair, and it compounded the pressure to perform with a Classic berth on the line.
A total of 217 duos from around the U.S., as well as Canada, Mexico and South Africa, qualified for the Team Championship, which initially was scheduled for the Ouachita River in Monroe, La. Problems with a dam there prompted B.A.S.S. to move the title tournament to Kentucky Lake only six weeks before the event was to begin, however, and the slight jog north ensured anglers would face colder climes. Approximately 140 tandems weighed fish at Kentucky Lake on Day 1, but Thursday’s cancellation winnowed the field to 114 duos when competition resumed Friday.
The Top 50 teams in the Team Championship split a cash purse of $125,000. Alex Korol and Cameron Alldredge, of New York’s Empire Team Trail, won the Big Bass Award of $500, courtesy of the 7-11 largemouth they caught on Day 1. They finished eighth overall.
The City of Paris, Tenn., hosted the event.
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. names Newport title sponsor of Bassmaster Kayak Series
Dec. 6, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. has announced Newport, an industry leader in kayak motors, electric outboards, trolling motors, batteries, inflatable skiffs and accessories, as the title sponsor for the 2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series.
“We are proud to welcome Newport as the title sponsor of the Bassmaster Kayak Series,” said B.A.S.S. Chief Operating Officer Phillip Johnson. “The Kayak Series has seen exponential growth over recent years, and Newport is ready and committed to help build that growth through continued development of innovative propulsion and power systems for kayak anglers in years to come.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Bassmaster, a true icon in the fishing world,” said Newport Brand Marketing Manager Howie Strech. “This collaboration allows us to bring Newport’s dedication to innovation and excellence to a larger audience while strengthening our position as the go-to brand for small watercraft electric propulsion. Together, we’re not only elevating the sport of kayak fishing, but creating visibility into a clean, quiet and capable alternative to gas for anglers.”
Newport will connect with passionate bass fishing fans through Bassmaster’s diverse platforms, including the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, which will be held March 21-23 at Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas. During the course of the season, Newport will showcase their propulsion systems, interact with thousands of customers face to face and share their vision for a more efficient and sustainable future in fishing.
“Partnering with B.A.S.S. and the Bassmaster Kayak Series is a monumental step for Newport as we continue to drive our mission to be the leading brand in electric propulsion,” Strech said. “This collaboration not only allows us to support the growth of the sport of kayak fishing but also to showcase Newport’s innovative propulsion and power systems to the entire world of bass fishing through Bassmaster’s reach. It’s a privilege to join forces with Bassmaster’s legacy and push the boundaries of what anglers can achieve with electric power on the water.”
The Newport Bassmaster Kayak Series is scored by TourneyX.
2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series Title Sponsor: Newport2025 Bassmaster Kayak Series Angler of the Year Sponsor: Dakota Lithium
About Newport
The leading innovator of next-generation electric small boat motors, Newport has delivered unrivaled experiences on the water for more than a decade. As passionate, lifelong members of the angling community, we are committed to a cleaner, simpler future and a better fishing experience for everyone. Newport’s pioneering technology redefines electric power to reduce the hassle, cost and harmful impact on our environment associated with traditional gas-fueled motors. At Newport, the way forward is electric. Visit newportvessels.com for more information.
Fishin' Tip Friday - Strike King Gravel Dawg
We're swapping out our normal Fishin' Tip Friday with this Strike King Gear Review from a recent episode of the Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show. Vance and Greg West are talking about the new Strike King Gravel Dawg, available in 8 and 10 foot diving models, and over a dozen different colors, if you're looking to "Dig In", look no further.
Catch the Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show, Presented by Sportsman’s Warehouse Saturday mornings on Discovery! The program airs at 6:30 am EST through the month of December! It will be available on Pursuit starting in January, AND you can watch anytime at OutdoorAction.com.
Vexus Viewpoints - The People
We're highlighting our Vexus Viewpoints, a new segment in the Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show, Presented by Sportsman's Warehouse. In these segments we'll be taking viewers through Vexus Boats, and not just the products, but the people behind them.
In this first episode, we draw from the Heart & Soul Series, highlighting the deep heritage behind what seems like a "new" boat company. If you want to learn even more about the people and the rich history of the Vexus family, check out the full series of Heart & Soul.
Catch the Anglers Channel Bass Wrap Up Show, Presented by Sportsman's Warehouse Saturday mornings on Discovery! The program airs at 6:30 am EST through the month of December! It will be available on Pursuit starting in January, AND you can watch anytime at OutdoorAction.com.
Family is a Beautiful Thing
Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships
Team Toyota pro Matt Arey has learned some important lessons while raising his young family; the outdoors remains important but his priorities have changed as his girls have grown.
When Team Toyota pro Matt Arey used to wrap up his professional bass-fishing seasons, you’d be hard pressed to find him anywhere but in a deer stand on a cool hardwood ridge throughout the fall and winter months. Not only is he one of the best in the world at catching bass, but he’s also a very accomplished hunter. Heck, he’d often show up to high school an hour or two late after a quick wood duck hunt with his buddies. He and his principal would simply exchange wry grins and off to class Arey went; that principal knew he was bound to do big things in the outdoor industry and thankfully he allowed him to explore his passions as long as his grades didn’t suffer.
What became an outdoor obsession for the North Carolina native has now turned into an obsession over his growing family. Arey and his wife, Emily, have two daughters—Reese is 12 and Wren is 7. As his girls get older, he has found himself craving more time with them instead of rutting bucks and cold mornings.
“When I’m done with the season, I take the girls to school nearly every single day,” Arey said with a smile. “I don’t do it because I have to. I do it because I want to. Every now and again, Emily and I might have to divide and conquer due to all of their different activities. But I really try to spend as much time as possible with them. I also pick them up from school most days because being involved in their activities is just awesome for me. I know I’m gone a lot but for the few months I’m home, they get every single ounce of me.”
The Arey family definitely isn’t a still or quiet household. Between their girls’ after-school activities and work, their Toyotas are rarely parked in the driveway.
“If they don’t have anything after school, I love to take them for ice cream after I pick them up,” Arey said. “But lately, it seems like every afternoon they have something going on, which is great, but definitely busy. My oldest made the local cheer team and does ballet, jazz dance and lots of youth activities at church. My youngest isn’t as busy quite yet but she does dance classes a few days a week. My wife and I get into a routine but I’m still guilty of forgetting where I need to be and when. We constantly text each other and coordinate who has to be where and at what time. It’s chaos some days but man, I honestly wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
As far as his deer-hunting passion goes, it has taken more of a backseat this year but Arey is totally fine with that. He wants to do everything he can to be involved and present when he’s off the long road that is the professional bass-fishing tour.
“I never thought I’d be watching a middle-school football team play in the middle of the week but here I am,” Arey joked. “But when your daughter cheers for ‘em, you go watch and enjoy every single minute of it.”
His love for the outdoors can’t be totally tamed, however. Arey makes a concerted effort to involve his family in his outdoor pursuits as he believes it will allow his girls to grow into more well-rounded individuals.
“My wife and oldest daughter haven’t caught the bug quite yet and that’s totally fine,” Arey said. “Reese is the girly-girl and she’s more interested in being ‘cool’ now and I think any girl dad can relate to that. But my youngest, Wren, is the total opposite, man. She wants to deer hunt all the time and she even pulled her own tooth yesterday without even telling us. She’s our wild child!”
In an age filled with social media noise and distractions by way of technology, the Areys’ put in a lot of work to make sure their daughters are present and not too reliant on the latest gadgets and gizmos.
“Our 12-year-old doesn’t have a phone yet because we don’t think it’s the right time,” Arey said. “Both daughters have a tablet but we closely monitor what they can and can’t do on them. We aim to diversify their childhood and we want to show them what’s truly out there. Showing kids the true meaning of enjoying the outdoors is more important now than it has ever been. Keeping them involved in God’s creation is so important for both their mental and emotional states.”
So, what does it take to “properly” introduce your children to the outdoors? It’s not as complicated as you may think, according to Arey.
“Their first few experiences have to be engaging,” he said. “Get connected with the right people in your community with the right access to resources. There are outdoor ministries throughout the entire country and now there are plenty of middle and high-school fishing teams that will teach them a ton. Here in North Carolina, they even have stocked trout ponds where you can take the kids and they’re almost guaranteed a bite. I’m telling you, once they get that string stretched the first time, they’ll catch the bug.”
Aside from the importance of experiencing the outdoors, Arey seems to reflect most often on the lessons fatherhood has taught him over the past 12 years. Patience and priorities are most important to him, whether he’s driving them to school in the Tundra or burning up the interstates on the way to his next tournament.
“There is simply no love like the love you have for your own child,” Arey said. “And I realize now how much I appreciate my parents. The discipline they gave me and prayers they prayed for me… they all make so much sense now. There is nothing in this world I care about more than my kids. I’ve learned what love really is and it’s a beautiful thing.”
Through the ups and downs of both fatherhood and tournament fishing, Matt Arey’s girls know, without a shadow of a doubt, that he will be there for them no matter what. And just like the love they taught him over the past 12 years, that too, is a beautiful thing.
Applications open for 2025 scholarships honoring former B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Noreen Clough
Dec. 4, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Noreen Clough Memorial Scholarship for Females in Fisheries. In memory of the late Noreen Clough, the longtime U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service administrator and former National Conservation Director for B.A.S.S, her friends and colleagues established a scholarship honoring her contributions to the field of fisheries management and conservation, as well as her trailblazing role as a female leader in the American conservation community.
Up to two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded by the Black Bass Conservation Committee of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society in summer 2025 to deserving students. Last year’s recipient is honored in an article on Bassmaster.com. Details of Noreen’s career in conservation and the 2025 application information can be found here.
“2025 will mark the ninth year that this scholarship will be awarded,” said B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Gene Gilliland. “The young women who have been recipients of the scholarship in previous years have gone on to productive careers in fisheries research, management and policy. Noreen was an inspiration to each, and I’m sure she would be very proud of that legacy.”
Deadline for applications is April 1, 2025.
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Major League Fishing’s General Tire Heavy Hitters Special Presented by Bass Pro Shops at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes to Air Sunday on CBS
BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 5, 2024) – Get your popcorn and chicken wings prepped and ready to go for Sunday… but this week, it’s not for football. This week, it’s for fishing.
On Sunday, Dec. 8, Major League Fishing (MLF)’s General Tire Heavy Hitters Special Presented by Bass Pro Shops all-star event on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in central Florida will premiere nationwide on CBS and Paramount+ from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET OR 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET (depending on local NFL schedule).
The star-studded General Tire Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops event, hosted by Experience Kissimmee, featured 30 anglers who qualified from MLF’s Bass Pro Tour, competing in a six-day tournament on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes for a purse of more than $500,000. In addition to the top payout of $100,000 to the tournament winner, anglers also compete for Berkley Big Bass Bonuses of $10,000, $30,000, and a whopping $100,000 reward for the biggest bass weighed during the Championship Round.
Sunday’s airing on CBS will showcase the highlights from all six days of competition with behind-the-scenes angler commentary and interviews. Competitors include multiple former bass-fishing champions, including reigning REDCREST champion Dustin Connell, Jordan Lee, Jacob Wheeler and legendary pro Kevin VanDam , fishing in the final professional tournament of his storied career.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 General Tire Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops included: Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Star brite, Toyota, U.S. Air Force and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Campbell duo hold slim Day 1 lead at Bassmaster Team Championship on Kentucky Lake
Dec. 4, 2024
PARIS, Tenn. — With Day 2 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship postponed before Day 1 even concluded, competitors on Kentucky Lake wanted to make a strong statement Wednesday in the final Bassmaster event of 2024.
Tyler and Blake Campbell, of the Lake Hartwell 5 Alive Sunday Series, did that with a five-bass limit totaling 21 pounds, 13 ounces. That put them in the pole in the tournament, which will (quite literally) be put on ice for a day with extreme weather descending upon the northwest corner of the Volunteer State.
B.A.S.S. officials postponed Thursday’s Day 2 competition due to expected high north winds and freezing temperatures that could create unsafe conditions for anglers. The competition will begin again Friday, with the two-day Classic Fish-Off shortened to a single-day battle on Saturday. That sets up a dramatic finish for the final spot in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour scheduled for March 21-23 at Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas.
But to have a chance at that last Classic berth, every one of the 430-plus anglers in the Team Championship spent Wednesday dealing with less-than-hospitable conditions already in effect at Kentucky Lake. Temperatures didn’t climb out of the 40s on Day 1 and stiff winds blew a consistent 15 mph across the massive 160,000-acre lake.
For the Campbells, Day 1 began with a trio of waves crashing over the bow of their boat, soaking them entirely before they even made a cast in the Team Championship. The nephew-uncle duo shook off the frigid start, however, catching an unexpected 4-pound largemouth after running into a pocket off the main river to dry off and collect their senses.
Then, they went to work on their original game plan.
“That largemouth wasn’t anything we’d even practiced,” Tyler Campbell said. “But it told us ‘OK. We can do this.’
“So, we moved out and got onto our main deal. We caught two 4-pounders on the first place we pulled up to. The next spot was another 4-pounder. And then another one later on.”
The Campbells’ Day 1 bag included four smallmouths and that early largemouth.
Tyler said their best bass came on breaks in the main-river current. On Wednesday, they focused on a single, 5-mile stretch of the massive reservoir.
“Every single place I stopped was just loaded with them,” he said. “I’m excited to get back out here on Friday without all this wind to see what we can do with them. The hardest thing has been staying on the fish. But once you get a bait on them, it’s game on. My lure has been a Zoom Winged Fluke 5-inch minnow in Tennessee Shad color.”
The 23-year-old, who honed his skills competing in the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops for Emmanuel University, said choosing that lure was just about the only easy thing on Wednesday.
“This might have been the roughest day of fishing I’ve ever had,” Tyler said. “To catch a good limit … we have confidence.”
The Campbells said they won’t spend Thursday inside, despite the higher winds and freezing temperatures expected.
“Having tomorrow off was music to my ears,” Tyler said. “We’re gonna drive about an hour north of here and go duck hunting. We’ll get in the woods and shoot some ducks, then we’ll get back out here Friday and catch some fish. I’m looking forward to all of it.”
Noah Morgan and Clint Knight, Kentucky residents repping the National Team Bass Association, are just behind the Campbells with a limit weighing 21-12. Rounding out the Top 5 are third, Alex Korol and Cameron Alldredge, of New York’s Empire Team Trail, 21-6; fourth, Preston and Jaden Bovee, of the Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation Team Trail, 21-3; and fifth, Ryan Ollard and Braxton Hopper, of Alabama’s Coosa River Team Trail, with 21 pounds.
Korol and Alldredge had the Big Bass of the Day — a 7-11 largemouth that helped them into third place overall, only 7 ounces from the lead.
Eight teams weighed more than 20 pounds on Day 1. A total of 72 teams that qualified for the championship zeroed or did not fish on Wednesday.
A total of $120,000 will be awarded Friday, including $25,000 to be split by the winning tandem. The Top 3 teams (six anglers in all) will compete in the Classic Fish-Off on Saturday. Their weights will be zeroed and the individual angler who has the best day on Kentucky Lake will qualify for the Bassmaster Classic in March.
Take-offs on Friday and Saturday will be held at Paris Landing State Park at 6:30 a.m. CT with weigh-ins each day back at the park at 2:30 p.m. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com.
The City of Paris, Tenn., is hosting the event.
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. postpones Day 2 of Bassmaster Team Championship at Kentucky Lake
Dec. 4, 2024
PARIS, Tenn. — B.A.S.S. officials are postponing Day 2 of competition at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship due to high winds out of the north that will be against current and could create potentially unsafe conditions.
The full field of anglers will now compete on Friday. The Team Championship Classic Fish-Off, normally a two-day event, will change to a one-day fish-off on Saturday. Kentucky Lake will be off-limits Thursday.
Daily takeoffs will be held at Paris Landing State Park at 6:30 a.m. CT with weigh-ins each day back at the park at 2:30 p.m. Bassmaster LIVE will be streaming on Bassmaster.com.
The City of Paris, Tenn., is hosting the event.
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
Major League Fishing Announces 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Tournament Directors as Registration Opens
BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 2, 2024) – As registration opens today for the 2025 Major League Fishing (MLF) Phoenix Bass Fishing League (BFL) Presented by T-H Marine, the organization announced the tournament director assignments for each of the 24 divisions for the upcoming season. With a total of 134 tournaments held throughout the season, the BFL is the sport’s premier grassroots tournament circuit for weekend anglers.
Michael Bucy (Great Lakes, Northeast, Savannah River and South Carolina)
Michael Bucy, a Gulf War veteran and seasoned outdoorsman, will take over tournament director duties for the first time this season. Michael has been part of MLF since 2020, when he started as a BFL tournament assistant. In his five years of experience, Michael handled numerous tasks including the on-site tournament logistics and coordination of the weigh-in livestream. Outside of work, Michael is an avid bowhunter and fisherman and is also a certified scuba diving instructor. Raised in Murray, Kentucky, he’s been fishing since childhood, often alongside his father, a longtime BFL competitor who qualified for multiple Regionals and the All-American. Family is central to his life, and he enjoys spending time with his wife, Kimberly, their six children and four grandchildren. Michael’s love for the sport and his commitment to people make him a valuable asset to MLF and its tournament anglers.
Robert Evans (Illini, LBL, Mountain, Volunteer)
Robert Evans has been with MLF since 2008, starting as part of the full-time crew under Ron Lappin with the Toyota Series. Over the years, Robert worked his way up, initially handling the release boat and driving the stage trailer before transitioning to full-time tournament director in 2010. With over a decade of experience, Robert loves his job as a director, enjoying the camaraderie of his colleagues and anglers and the unique environment of tournament fishing. Outside of work, Robert’s main passion is waterfowl hunting. Though he has fished in a few tournaments, he considers himself more of a lifelong fisherman rather than a tournament angler. Robert lives on Kentucky Lake (in Jonathan Creek) and is a proud father to two children: Clara, 14, and Clayton, 10. Robert says that his love for the outdoors and his family remain at the core of his life.
Alan Gray (Choo Choo, Mississippi, Music City, Okie)
Alan Gray is a seasoned tournament director with MLF, where he has worked since 2008. Starting in membership services, he transitioned to event operations, including pulling the stage trailer for the Toyota Series and assisting on tournaments for the BFL. In 2010, Alan was running multiple divisions of the BFL and was named the full-time director of the FLW Walleye Tour. In 2013, Alan transitioned to full-time BFL tournament director. Known for his passion, Alan finds great fulfillment in supporting his anglers – both celebrating their successes and offering some much-needed encouragement during tough times. Outside of fishing, Alan is a certified personal trainer, passionate about fitness and working one-on-one with people to help them achieve their goals. He lives in Benton, Kentucky, with his wife Shanna and their two children, Riley and Aiden. Alan loves to fish and is an extremely competitive angler – proud of the numerous notable fish that he has caught on Kentucky Lake, including a 10-pound largemouth, and a second-place finish in the Jet-A-Marina Classic.
Leroy Hensley (Buckeye, Bulldog, Gator, Hoosier)
Leroy Hensley began his career with MLF in 2007, when he was hired as a boat simulator operator, traveling to numerous parts of country to let people experience the thrill of driving boats. In 2009 he joined the college circuit as an assistant director under Kevin Hunt, and was then promoted to a full-time BFL tournament director in 2011. Now in his 14th season, Leroy has built lasting friendships across the country thanks to his work in the fishing community. Outside of work, Leroy enjoys fishing, golfing, and spending time with his family. He and his wife, Summer, have been married for 42 years and have three children and four grandchildren. Leroy occasionally competes in local tournaments with his son-in-law and plans to one day fish in BFL tournaments after his retirement. Leroy loves his job and mentions that he is deeply grateful to Kathy Fennel for the opportunities she has provided throughout his career.
Steve Sizemore (Arkie, North Carolina, Piedmont and Shenandoah)
Steve Sizemore began his career with MLF in 1999, running camera boats for the media department on Beaver Lake in Arkansas. In 2008, Steve was hired on as part of the FLW Tour event staff to help assist with convention center work. Steve was quickly promoted to the full-time Toyota Series crew, taking on various behind-the-scenes duties. By 2010, Steve was working at all Toyota Series and Tour events. In 2020, Sizemore was promoted to full-time BFL tournament director, a role he’s held ever since. Known as being tough, but friendly and fair, Steve enjoys building strong relationships with his anglers. Outside of work, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and spending time with his wife, Denise, their two sons, and nine grandchildren.
Shannon Storms (Bama, Cowboy, Michigan and Ozark)
Shannon Storms began his career with MLF in October 2011, starting as an assistant director for the college program under Kevin Hunt. Over the years, Shannon has shifted into roles with the Toyota Series and MLF Pro Circuit events, gaining invaluable experience behind the scenes. In 2023, he took on scheduling and operational duties for the BFL, and 2024 was his first official season as a full-time BFL tournament director. A lifelong fan of the sport of bass fishing, Shannon enjoys the camaraderie and relationships he’s built with anglers and staff over the years. Outside of work, he loves fishing, riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and spending time with his wife, Jennifer, in Cadiz, Kentucky.
New in 2025 for BFL competitors, MLF limited the use of forward-facing and 360-degree sonar transducers to two per boat, and eliminated boat-on-boat draws by giving boaters and co-anglers priority for entering together. Unlike years past, MLF will not confirm anglers beyond a balanced field. For co-anglers, MLF implemented a new three-fish limit to make competition more competitive and to help level the playing field.
Each qualifying tournament will continue to offer a top boater award of up to $13,000, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and a top Strike King co-angler award of $3,000. Top awards jump up to $16,000 for boaters, including a $7,000 Phoenix MLF Bonus, and $4,500 for Strike King co-anglers in super tournaments.
Anglers can register for the 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League season at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000, beginning at 8 a.m. CT on the dates listed below:
Dec. 2, 2024 – Bama, Choo Choo, Cowboy, Gator and Savannah River.
Dec. 3, 2024 – Arkie, Bulldog, North Carolina, South Carolina and Volunteer.
Dec. 4, 2024 – LBL, Mississippi, Okie, Ozark and Piedmont.
Dec. 5, 2024 – Great Lakes, Hoosier, Mountain, Music City and Shenandoah.
Dec. 6, 2024 – Buckeye, Illini, Michigan and Northeast.
Registration is now open in all divisions for Phoenix boat owners with current registrations or confirmation of a boat on order who will use their Phoenix boat in Bass Fishing League competition and TBF members.
The complete 2025 Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
NPFL Completes 2025 Schedule
WILKESVILLE, Ohio — The National Professional Fishing League is excited to announce that the second stop of the 2025 tournament season will be held on Lake Norman, April 16-18, 2025, out of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. This completes scheduling for the season and will be the league’s first tournament out of the Tar Heel State.
“It’s wonderful to complete the schedule for 2025 and to have met our goal of putting all of our events on high quality and challenging waters,” said NPFL President Brad Fuller. “This is also our first ever tournament out of North Carolina, and we’re glad to bring the NPFL to a state steeped in bass fishing tradition that has been very receptive to our league. It’s going to be a great tournament, and the season will be a true test of the best!”
The 2025 NPFL season is comprised of six regular season tournaments and the 2025 Championship. The full schedule can be found here.
About the National Professional Fishing League
The National Professional Fishing League (NPFL) was founded to bring competitive fishing to a broader audience and offer anglers a platform to compete at the highest level. The NPFL is committed to fostering integrity, competition, and innovation in the sport, providing anglers and fans alike with an exciting and unique experience.
Media Contact: Ken Duke — (407) 574-1898 or [email protected].
MN-FISH LAUNCHES “WORLD’S GREATEST ICE FISHING AUCTION”
|
Open Now, Online Auction is Your Chance to Bid on an Ice Castle Fish House, Portable Shelters, Electronics, Ice Fishing Trips, World-Class Gear, and Much More! Great Holiday Gifts Available! |
|
Rogers, Minn. (November 25, 2024) — MN-FISH’s “World’s Greatest Ice Fishing Online Auction” launched last week and runs until December 8. To participate, go to MN-FISH.com and click on red auction tab to bid on an amazing assortment of items including ice fishing gear, guides and destinations; there’s even an Ice Castle Special wheelhouse valued over $20,000! There’s also a remote, fly-in only three-day, two-person ice fishing trip for untouched, giant lake trout, pike, and walleyes through Bakers Narrows Lodge in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada – a lifetime trip valued at $12,000. Currently, there are more than 60 items up for auction and new ones may be added daily to the auction. Shop for yourself, loved ones or even a special client ahead of the upcoming holiday season. All proceeds benefit non-profit MN-FISH, founded in 2018 to give Minnesota anglers and businesses that support them a strong voice in St. Paul. “Over the past two years MN-FISH helped secure more than $110 million in investments into the state fishing/outdoor recreation infrastructure like fish hatchery modernization and invasive carp barriers, said MN-FISH Executive Director and former Minnesota DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten. “While we’ve made some huge advances in influencing the state’s allocation of funds, our work is far from done.” |
|
|
Model may vary |
|
A number of top high quality ice fishing packages have been donated by well-known companies, such Aqua-Vu, CLAM, Garmin, Vexilar, Aqua-Vu, Pure Fishing, Rapala, DAIWA, Shimano, and Humminbird. “This is a great opportunity to bid on stays at resorts on Lake of the Woods, Upper Red Lake, Mille Lacs, Leech Lake, Cass Lake, and other across the state. And the state’s best fishing guides have donated trips on Lake Minnetonka, Leech Lake, Lake of the Woods, Red, you-name-it,” said MN-FISH president Ron Schara. “What better way to raise funds than to work together, said MN-FISH secretary Steve Pennaz. “For so many individuals, companies, guides, and media to work together to support MN-FISH’s efforts is powerful. Of course, the public ultimately benefits the most as we work to improve fishing and fishing opportunities across the state. This auction just proves how much Minnesota’s fisheries mean to people around the entire Midwest,” said Pennaz. |
|
|
The current donation list includes tackle/accessories manufacturers Aqua-Vu, Catch Cover, CLAM, DAIWA, Eskimo, Fish Monkey, Garmin, Humminbird, Ice Castle, ION, Marcum, Northland Fishing Tackle, Otter Outdoors, LakeLady, Pure Fishing, Rapala, RAZR, Shimano, St. Croix Rod, Striker, and others. Retailers and resorts include Frankies Marine, L&M Fleet Supply, Leino’s Riverside Resort, Wishbone Resort, Trapper’s Landing Resort, Brindley’s Harbor Resort, Acorn Hill Resort, Tutt’s Bait & Tackle, West Wind Resort, Rogers on Red Lake, EJ’s Beacon Harbor Resort, River Bend Resort, Bayview Lodge, Arnesen’s Rocky Point Resort, and others. Notable guides, personalities, and media companies have also chipped in, including Angling Buzz, Dave Genz, Jason Mitchell, Brian Brosdahl, Tony Roach, Larry Hanson, Hayes Baldwin, Mark Newell, and many more! You also have the opportunity to fish with some celebs … hockey pros: Matt Hendrix and Jim Johnson and world series great and former Twin, Terry Steinbach! You can browse auction items and begin to bid right now until the auction closes at 8:00 PM CST on December 8th, 2024. |
|
  |
|
About MN-FISH MN-FISH Sportfishing Foundation & Coalition is Minnesota’s only non-profit organization formed as two entities in order to represent the interested of all Minnesota anglers and other stakeholders. MN-FISH Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit. Its mission is to restore, protect and enhance Minnesota sportfishing for present and future anglers to enjoy. The c-4 MN-FISH Coalition LLC was founded by the Foundation to become the voice of Minnesota Anglers before the DNR and state legislature on all fishing-related issues. To learn more, visit MN-FISH.com. |
Elevating the Everyday Fishing Line
|
FOOTHILL RANCH, CA (November 22, 2024) – First time braided fishing line buyers might have sticker shock when comparing prices to old school monofilament. But the advantages are manifold, to include exceptional strength, abrasion resistance, narrow diameter, improved sensitivity, longer casts, and a much longer lifetime on the spool. The next hurdle is sorting through the copious brands and models with wide ranging price tags. And then you’re confronted with specialty braids, when all you want is a high-quality multipurpose braid. The good news is Japan’s XBRAID has the perfect pick in its X8 8-strand braid – the #1 selling braided line in Japan. Although not the least expensive braid in the aisle, with XBRAID X8, you truly do get what you pay for. |
|
|
XBRAID X8 delivers superior performance and advanced construction that establishes a new paradigm in braided line. Made using WX braiding technology, the XBRAID X8 consists of 8 tightly weaved polyethylene strands, which result in a tight body with minimal stretch. Built in-house, the proprietary WX weaving machine and process produces the most consistent finished product possible. With a traditional weave utilized by other brands, the line comes off eight individual bobbins, causing line twists and inconsistencies. Not the case with XBRAID X8. The secret sauce is how the strands are delivered off the bobbin. Beyond the advanced WX weave, XBRAID X8 utilizes IZANAS® strands, which are considered the next generation of Dyneema. The ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene strands offer the strength and modulus of an organic fiber – 8x stronger than piano wire of the same gauge. We turn to DAIWA Field Marketing Manager, Chris Martin, for further discussion. “Beyond IZANAS being an unrivaled base material, it’s how individual weights of the entire X-BRAID family are manufactured that makes it far superior to the competition. Other companies take a single base material and stretch it to achieve the desired diameter and weight. This creates inconsistencies, which can lead to weak spots.” |
|
|
Uniquely, each diameter and weight of X-BRAID is produced from a dedicated spool. So, for example, if 10-pound X-BRAID FINESSE is the desired final weight, the base material fiber is 10-pound. No stretching. No inconsistencies. Martin goes on to underscore the weaving process employed for all X-BRAID lines. “The actual weaving machines are proprietary and built in-house to create the ‘WX Weave’. In traditional weaving used by other brands the line comes off multiple bobbins. That means an in an 8 strand weave there are 8 bobbins spitting out line. That results in line twist and inconsistencies.” In X-BRAID’s “top secret” WX Weave, the strands come together uniformly to yield exceptional consistency. Moreover, the X-BRAID process produces a denser weave – 1.5 X the competition – with more material in the finished product. That tighter weave results in a smoother, more abrasion resistant fishing line. The meticulous process also takes twice as long as the competition, and anglers are the beneficiaries of the patient production. The WX Weave also generates a rounder and slightly stiffer line. This modest amount of stiffness makes it much easier to handle and tie, closer to how monofilament feels. This manageability translates into fewer bird’s nests on the cast, too. But if you happen to snarl, the micro stiffness makes it much easier to untangle the knot. The awesomeness of X-BRAID FINESSE doesn’t end there. “The line making process concludes with the addition of a specialized coating that allows for extremely low friction, as well as heat, abrasion, and chemical resistance…not to mention longer casts,” said Martin. |
|
|
XBRAID X8 FEATURES:
MSRP $25.99 to $399.99 |
|
For Daiwa’s latest color catalog and/or information on Daiwa dealers in your area, call Daiwa’s Customer Service Department at 562-375-6800 or e-mail inquiries to: [email protected]. The URL for Daiwa’s web site is daiwa.us |
Nation’s top teams set for ‘slugfest’ at Kentucky Lake for Bassmaster Team Championship
PARIS, Tenn. — When it was announced that the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship had to be moved from Louisiana's Ouachita River to Kentucky Lake in Tennessee, there certainly were more than a few people who started scrambling.
Lloyd Pickett, Jr. was not one of them.
Pickett lives in a Memphis suburb, about two hours’ drive from Kentucky Lake, and considers the mammoth 160,000-acre fishery to be home water. So, no complaints at all from Pickett, who will be one of nearly 500 competitors in the final tournament of the 2024 Bassmaster season Dec. 4-7.
“I really was looking forward to the Ouachita, because I like that river,” Pickett said. “It’s a shame the (Columbia Lock and Dam on the river is messed up) right when we were coming to town. I feel for those folks losing the tournament because of that.
“But if the tournament had to be moved, it might as well be to Kentucky Lake. I like that place a whole lot, too,” he said.
Pickett didn’t hide his affinity for Kentucky Lake. He said he fishes a dozen tournaments or so there each year, accounting for some 30 days on the lake annually. He hasn’t fished it as much recently due to a lengthy job he’s undertaken as an electrical contractor at a steel mill being built in Arkansas, but even so, you don’t just erase a lifetime of experience.
Pickett proved as much in a USA Bassin’ tournament he entered a few weeks ago — finishing third in the team event even though he chose to compete by himself.
“I had 17 pounds of all largemouth,” he said. “The two teams ahead of me all had smallmouth. First place was 18-4 and second was 18-1. I had my shot that day, but I lost a big fish that I’m pretty sure would have won it for me.”
Kentucky Lake once again is producing sizable limits of both largemouth and smallmouth bass is a sign the storied fishery is on the uptick. Less than a decade ago, Kentucky Lake was considered one of the leading big bass lakes in the U.S., but its aquatic vegetation started to vanish. Like many other old sticks on Kentucky Lake, Pickett thought the state’s fisheries department might be trying to clear the lake of invasive plant life. Now, however, he’s convinced the loss of underwater plants so vital to bass had more to do with an invader of a different sort.
“Once the Asian carp showed up, the grass was lost within two years or so,” Pickett said. “Everything in the food chain went downhill — the bass, the shad, the plankton.”
Pickett said biologists have told him that the carp has a gene that causes it to feed on grass when forage fish are in shorter supply.
“The first carp there were huge, like a bomb,” he said. “Now they look like a tuna. They’re skinny like a torpedo. It's almost like they’re starving.
“The good part is that everything else is on the rebound. There’s still no grass to be found anywhere on Kentucky or Barkley (lakes), but the largemouth population is up, and the smallmouth population is exploding. I think it’s safe to say Kentucky Lake is back.”
Pickett said the wealth of fish right now should allow anglers to spread out across the giant reservoir and use any number of techniques. He said he plans to target largemouth bass with “a rig and a jig,” but noted that spinners, topwaters and squarebill crankbaits should be effective, too, as bass push into shallow water.
“More guys will be going for smallmouth than largemouth, I think,” he said. “They’re in a bit of a fall feeding frenzy right now. And the water temperature is continuing to get colder. If the water is in the upper 50s, it could just be crazy out there. So, I think it’ll come down to who doesn’t make a mistake. When you hook up with a key fish, you’ve got to get it in the boat.
“This should be a fun tournament. I’m expecting a real slugfest, to be honest.”
The full field of 240 duos will compete for two days, with the team champion duo being crowned after Day 2. At that point, the Top 3 teams (six anglers in all) will have their weights zeroed and compete individually in the Bassmaster Classic Fish-Off. The angler with the highest two-day total in the Fish-Off will earn the final berth into the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, which will be held March 21-23 on Lake Ray Roberts in Fort Worth, Texas.
A total of $120,000 will be awarded during the Team Championship on Kentucky Lake, including $25,000 to be split by the winning tandem. Anglers qualified through their individual state trails for the chance at handsome cash prizes and the ultimate prize — a berth in the most prestigious bass fishing tournament on Earth.
Daily take-offs will be held at 7 a.m. CT at Paris Landing State Park. Daily weigh-ins will begin at 3 p.m.
The City of Paris, Tenn., is hosting the event.
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.
Support Systems, Work Ethic and Thanksgiving Fellowship
Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships
Team Toyota pro Mark Daniels Jr. reflects upon his journey to the top ranks of professional bass fishing and his love and dedication to family ties.
Every single time I’ve ever shared a boat, or even a passing conversation, with Team Toyota pro Mark Daniels, Jr. I have noticed one commonality that’s difficult to ignore. Aside from his endless optimism and smiles, he’s always someone who brings up his family. I’ve worked with this man for many years and it is very apparent that family means the world to him. As one of the best professional anglers in the world, it would be easy for him to lose sight of the importance of his core, but he has never—and will never—waver.
We crossed paths recently and with the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, his views of family and commitment warranted a long and thoughtful conversation. At a time filled with sometimes chaotic family schedules and lots of travel, he doubled-down on the importance to stay flexible and enjoy every single minute with your loved ones.
“Family is the foundation of any man’s life, in my opinion,” MDJ said. “We are the providers and everything I do is to provide for my family and my two children, Mark and Morgan. If I’m not taking care of my family, I’m not doing anything. Any amount, no matter how big or small, I want to share it with my family.”
This comes from a man who, against astronomical odds, made it to the top ranks of professional bass fishing. You’ll see him in commercials, on national television shows and social media, but again, it all comes down to his family’s support, his grit and his never-die spirit to turn a dream into a reality.
“I spent a lot of time fishing the California Delta growing up,” MDJ said. “I’m originally from the bay area across from San Francisco; I grew up saltwater fishing as a kid and we’d fish jetties, piers… anything we could get access to. But through television and after moving to another town, I got into city pond freshwater fishing. I was watching legends like Roland Martin, Bill Dance and Hank Parker. I was copying every single technique they shared on these ponds. Most of the bass I was catching were tiny, but for whatever reason, it really excited me.”
In comes the Bass Anglers of Northern California (BANC). That’s when Daniels got the proverbial bug. He was hooked before he even knew it.
Neither he or his father owned a boat. But as faith would have it, the club was full of very engaged boaters willing to teach non-boaters everything they knew. Whether it was spinnerbait fishing or split-shot rigs, the boat owners were more than happy to teach Daniels Jr. and his father the ins and outs of the tournament bass-fishing game.
“I can’t say enough about the boaters who took us under their wing,” Daniels said. “They’d tell me everything they were doing throughout an entire day of fishing and I was just trying to be a sponge the entire time; I wanted to learn everything. When I was 14 years old, we were finally able to get an old bass boat and once that happened, I was on the water every single weekend. If I wasn’t in school or playing ball, I was on the water. Period.”
After several years and hundreds of weekend tournaments, an Agriculture degree and working in the agriculture industry for six years, some folks thought he was crazy to give up such a solid career. But deep down, Daniels knew he was meant for something different. And with the help of his family, he was able to pivot and turn his dream into a reality.
“It all came down to the undying support I received from my parents, sisters and brothers who understood my deep passion for this. They knew I had the talent and they knew I was going to give it my all. Without them, I might have been too cold-footed to take the jump but I knew if I had their support, I’d reach my goals.”
It comes as no surprise that the California-based angler is chomping at the bit to see his family this Thanksgiving. Following his pivot to full-time professional bass fishing, Daniels made the very tough decision to relocate from California to Alabama. Between the tournament schedules and travel demands, it was the most logical choice.
It didn’t come without significant sacrifice, however, and he can't wait to make up for lost time this week.
“I miss my California family tremendously,” Daniels said. “That’s the hardest thing about living where I do. It’s beautiful, it’s quiet but I don’t get to see my elders. These sacrifices hurt me a lot. It absolutely kills me to not see my mom; I haven’t seen her in a year, man. And she’s 74 years old.”
With up to 70 family members awaiting him with open arms in California, Daniels can’t wait to fly his Alabama-based family to the West Coast. With all of the support they’ve showered him with throughout his career, he’s tickled pink to hug their necks, catch up on everyone’s lives and take a break from the chaotic world of professional bass fishing.
“Always remember the people who held you up when you were grinding,” Daniels said. “I know the fish are biting, the bucks are rutting and the ducks are flying this time of year. But please, if you don’t hear anything else I say, show up to those holiday gatherings, love your people, haul the casseroles around and enjoy every single breath you have with your loved ones. They are the people who will have your back each step of the way.”
Holidays can, indeed, be chaotic but we could probably all take something from Daniels’ perspective. As we gather around tables and enjoy ourselves this week with our loved ones, soak in every moment. Because the people at that table will be the ones who will have your back and love you no matter what.
Truck Cap Testimonials - LEER Has you Covered
Courtesy Dynamic Sponsorships
Truck caps and tonneau covers are extremely functional pieces of equipment for your truck. LEER caps and tonneaus offer additional safe and secure storage for your truck bed, and allow you to keep anything you’re packing protected from the elements, secure from wandering eyes and organized when you make it to your destination.
Especially for outdoorsmen and women, a LEER cap is a great piece of equipment and a worthy investment. Whether you’re a weekend tournament angler, someone who travels and works out of your vehicle, or headed out on a hunting trip having the added space for gear plus the peace of mind knowing your equipment is protected is worth its weight in gold.
But don’t take it from me, hear real world insight from professional bass anglers, traveling photographers and videographers who rely on their trucks as their mobile office every single day.
Bass fishing G.O.A.T. Kevin VanDam
Products:
“Whether it was fishing professionally full time or now traveling around shooting my TV show ‘The VanDam Experience” I couldn’t imagine not having a truck cap on my Tundra,” VanDam said. “When I leave my house in Michigan my truck might be on the road for months, and I pack everything I need plus a spare in the bed of my truck. Keeping that gear protected from the elements, wandering eyes, and organized is so critical. I’ll never own a truck without a cap and that Leer Locker system.”
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Mike Iaconelli
Products:
100XQ Truck Cap
“First off, I think a Leer cap really looks good on my truck, especially with a full graphics package like I sport fishing the Bassmaster Elite Series,” Iaconelli said. “Not to mention I just don’t know how you could travel and fish full time without one. I carry so much gear with me, probably more than most of my peers, and a truck cap system is truly vital. My cap allows me to keep a fishing kayak on top of my if I want, which is a huge value add for me, too. I’m also a big fan of the Leer Locker for organization and quick access to have-to-have items.”
Major League Fishing pro Mark Daniels Jr.
Products:
“Being a touring professional requires me to carry almost everything I own on the road,” MDJ said with a smile. “In all seriousness, I keep that cap packed full. Knowing all that gear is gonna stay dry, cool, and safe is of top importance to me. My Leer cap has lived up to that and then some.”
Bassmaster Elite Series Pro Matt Arey
Products:
“A truck cap or tonneau cover – some kind of truck bed cover – is simply a necessary piece of equipment for any outdoorsman or woman,” Arey offered. “I’ve had a Leer on my last five or six trucks and I couldn’t imagine going without a topper. Obviously, it’s critical during tournament season and long stints on the road, but it’s just as useful for me back home in North Carolina whether I’m bow hunting, working around the house, or chasing my girls around with their busy schedules.”
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Gerald Swindle
Products:
“When your job is to travel the country and fish, organization is absolutely everything,” Swindle explained. “A truck cap is paramount to protecting all the gear I keep in the back of my Toyota Tundra, and that LEER Locker is one of the best add-ons I’ve ever found for my rig. I keep that thing loaded down and organized with all the little things you don’t want sliding around your truck bed.”
BassmastHER and Bassmaster Opens pro Anastasia Patterson
Products:
“I keep my life in my truck cap,” Patterson exclaimed. “It covers my stuff, helps me stay organized, and I can pretty much live in and out of it on my travels. It’s the best thing I’ve added onto my truck for everything from quick trips to the lake, to long trips to hunt camp. Not more cramming my cab full of all my luggage… my Leer cap has me covered!”
Scot Arganbright – Traveling videographer / photographer
Products:
“After six months with my Leer XQ I can honestly say it is now a vital piece of gear for me on the road,” Arganbright said. “Dry, secure storage and even a little cozy spot to take a nap on road trips.”
Bassmaster College Champion and future Elite Series pro Easton Fothergill
Products:
“Since January of 2024 I put over 50,000 miles on my truck driving to and from fishing tournaments and there is no way I could pack all the equipment I need without a truck cap,” Fothergill said. “I had a Leer on my 2011 and now on my 2024 Tundra. They’ve been clutch for a college angler chasing bass around the country.”
Michael Engelmeyer’s Great Outdoor Studios
Products:
“Running productions all over the country in all four seasons of weather – my Leer topper is nearly as important as our production gear,” Engelmeyer said. “The cap keeps our vital gear dry, secure, and they are built solid. Since 2007 Leer has been the cap of choice for us. We’ve run a Leer Locker for nearly as long and there is not a better system to secure and hide smaller production gear in a truck. It does not eat into the truck bed real estate at all and it’s hardly visible to wandering eyes. A must for “on the go” photographers, videographers, and content creators.”
2024 Bassmaster High School All-American team names 12 new members
Nov. 22, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Twelve of the top high school anglers in the country have been selected as new members of the prestigious Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team.
“Over the past 10 years, the Bassmaster High School All-American program has spotlighted some of the hardest working and most successful student anglers in the country,” said Chase Anderson, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Since the inception of this program, we have seen former All-Americans go on to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Series, excel in the Bassmaster Opens, take the Bassmaster College Series by storm and even compete in the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing, the famed Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. I have no doubt that the 12 outstanding anglers selected for 2024 All-American honors will follow suit and continue to make a wonderful impact in the fishing community.”
Nearly 300 applications nominating students in grades 10-12 were submitted from 31 states across the nation. Of these, 45 students were chosen as Bassmaster All-State Anglers. After considering tournament resumes, conservation efforts, community service activities and recommendations from school officials and coaches, a panel of judges consisting of representatives from the sportfishing industry, media and conservation groups further narrowed the field to the Top 12 high school anglers in the country.
“Congratulations to this outstanding group of student athletes,” said Mandy Pascal, Managing Editor of B.A.S.S. Publications and Director of the Bassmaster High School All-American program. “I have had the pleasure of watching this program grow over the past 10 years, and I am continuously blown away by the passion, drive and talent each of these student anglers possess. It has been such a joy getting to see them excel at the collegiate level and beyond after receiving this honor, and I could not be prouder of each angler.”
The 2024 All-American team has been invited to the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, which will be held March 21-23 in Fort Worth, Texas. Each All-American angler will be honored on the biggest stage in bass fishing and have the chance to meet and interact with some of the greatest names in the sport.
Congratulations to the following student anglers for being named to the 2024 Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team. Following are short biographies of the 2024 team members.
Carsen Adcock, Haughton, La.
A junior at Haughton High School, Carsen Adcock earned four wins from spring of 2023 through 2024. Notably Adcock beat a field of 200 teams to win the 2023 Bassmaster High School Series event held on the Red River, and in March of this year he won the North Louisiana High School B.A.S.S. Nation event on Toledo Bend, again defeating over 200 teams to place first. Later in the month, he won the Bassmaster High School Classic on Keystone Lake. Alongside his wins, Adcock has amassed five Top 5 finishes, including second place at the MLF/TBF High School World Finals out of a field of 390-plus teams and a third-place finish at the MLF/TBF High School National Championship out of a field of over 250 teams.
“Carsen is well-balanced and excels at all he does,” says Sarah Thrash, guidance counselor at Haughton High School. “He goes above and beyond expectations while exhibiting the most positive attitude.”
Alongside being a member of two fishing teams, Adcock is also on his school’s baseball team and is a member of the Random Acts of Kindness Club, the ACT Domination Club and the FCA. This past year he was nominated by his school’s faculty to represent Haughton High in Louisiana’s Boys State. Adcock volunteers his time at both Carriage Oaks Church of Christ, where he assists with food and clothing drives as well as trash cleanup initiatives, and First Baptist Haughton Church, where he helps with neighborhood cleanups. Adcock also donates his time to cleaning up around local lakes as part of a project headed by local fishing leagues and churches and was highlighted by the Louisiana B.A.S.S. Nation Youth Director Tommy Abbott for his time and dedication to staying after tournaments and cleaning up trash to ensure that tournament venues are left for the better. Adcock manages all of this around his schoolwork, taking AP and dual-enrollment courses and maintaining a 3.81 GPA.
Elijah Coleman, Mount Sterling, Ky.
Montgomery County High School senior Elijah Coleman amassed an impressive three wins from 2023 to 2024, including beating out a field of over 435 boats at the 2024 15th Annual High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship. He earned an additional six Top 5 finishes, including fourth place at the 2024 Bassmaster High School Series event at Clarks Hill Reservoir out of a field of 200-plus boats, and also bagged five Top 20 finishes, placing 12th out of a 200-plus-boat field at the 2024 Bassmaster High School Series event at Douglas Lake. Coleman qualified for the Kentucky B.A.S.S. Nation State Tournament in 2023 and 2024 and is a three-time Kentucky High School Athletic Association Regional Tournament qualifier, as well as a Bassmaster High School National Championship qualifier.
“Elijah is always competing, always striving to get better and is a great representation of what hard work, dedication and determination can get you,” says Seth Sparks, an English teacher at Montgomery County High School English. “Elijah loves his community and wants to see his community thrive. Not only does he want to see it thrive, he wants to be one of the contributing factors to its success.”
When he isn’t competing, Coleman volunteers at the nursery at his church and assists the church with events and repairs. He is a longtime member of the FCA and has volunteered at the Montgomery County Food Pantry and at Mapleton Elementary School’s Fall Festival, where he ran a fishing booth. Coleman has also assisted Kentucky Fish and Wildlife with conservation efforts at Cave Run, his home lake, by working to create habitat attractors for fish. Coleman is an honors student and has flawlessly balanced his advanced courseload to maintain a 4.0 GPA.
Max Flatten, Watertown, S.D.
Watertown High School senior Max Flatten has three impressive wins spanning 2023 to 2024, including winning the South Dakota TBF High School State Championship in back-to-back years as well as winning the 2024 South Dakota Bassmaster High School State Championship on Lake Sharpe. Flatten has an additional win on the Glacial Lakes Extreme Team Trail as well as eight wins through the Kampeska Bass League. He qualified for the 2023 High School Bass Fishing World Finals and, in the past, has captured wins at the South Dakota TBF High School State Championship and the South Dakota TBF Junior State Championship.
“Max’s love for the outdoors is very apparent,” said Nathan Clark, teacher at Watertown High School. “He is a growing sportsman who has sacrificed countless hours in preparation as successful outdoorsmen do. He puts in early mornings, late nights and long drives across the United States. Living in a region of the U.S. dominated by walleye angling, Max stands out as a competitive bass angler.”
Flatten is a founding member of the Glacial Lakes High School Bass Fishing Club. He is also very involved in the FCA Leadership Committee, a lead donator to Sportsmen Against Hunger and a Gifted and Talented Education member. Flatten is also the co-founder of the Wednesday Night Kampeska Bass League, which helps promote fish care and catch and release. Flatten balances all of his extracurriculars alongside his schoolwork, maintaining a 3.35 GPA.
Rylan Hamlin, Jackson, Mich.
Rylan Hamlin, a senior on the Jackson Bass Fishing Team, has an astounding 24 wins spanning 2023 to 2024, including multiple wins on the B.A.S.S. High School Team Trail and, notably, the 2024 Michigan B.A.S.S. Nation High School State Championship on Sault Ste. Marie this past August. In addition to his gamut of wins, Hamlin has earned 17 Top 5 finishes, including a second-place finish at the 2024 Bassmaster High School National Championship on Chickamauga Lake out of a field over 270 teams, as well as 5 Top 20 finishes, with a sixth-place finish at the MLF/TBF National Finals and a 10th-place finish at the MLF/TBF World Finals, with both events having a field size of nearly 400 teams.
“Rylan’s fishing resume almost doesn’t look believable,” said Brady Cook, superintendent at the Michigan Center School District. “I come from a fishing family, and I know how hard it is to consistently be successful. Rylan seems to excel no matter where he drops a line, and no matter who he is fishing with. He is a model of hard work, high character, determination, ingenuity and grit.”
Hamlin is a three-time Michigan High School All-State champion, a three-time Michigan High School Angler of the Year winner and an eight-time B.A.S.S. High School Team Trail champion. He is very involved in his community and spends much of his time helping youth anglers learn to fish and get comfortable on the water. Hamlin also dedicates his time to local lake cleanups and has participated in the AFTCO Conservation Clean Up Program over the past two years. He does all of this whilst maintaining a 3.59 GPA.
Kyle Herrman, Topeka, Kan.
Jefferson West High School senior Kyle Herrman earned a notable four wins from 2023 to 2024, including first place in the 2023 World Fishing Tour High School Event and the 2023 Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation High School Qualifier 1 online event, as well as wins across two other Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation High School Qualifiers. He captured one Top 5 finish at the 2024 Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation High School State Championship at Cedar Bluff Reservoir alongside three additional Top 10 finishes. For the past three years Herrman and his partner have qualified for the Bassmaster High School National Championship and have won the Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation High School Team of the Year title in their freshman, sophomore and junior years.
“Kyle exhibits exceptional character and integrity,” says Jefferson West High School science educator Mark Farr. Describing Herrman's remarkable work ethic and commitment to excellence, Farr continues, “He holds high expectations for himself and encourages those around him to strive for greatness. His respectful demeanor fosters a positive environment in the classroom, and he treats his peers and teachers with kindness and respect.”
Herrman participates in basketball, cross-country and track, and when he isn’t competing, he spends his time mentoring kids from the local fishing club and taking them out on the water to learn techniques, helping with setup and teardown for Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation youth tournaments and helping out at the local kids basketball camp. He has spent the past four years working on projects to improve fish habitat in lakes and ponds in his community, including cleaning up trash and creating structures. Herrman, an NHS member, manages all of this while taking advanced classes and maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
Nicholas Herrman, Topeka, Kan.
A senior at Jefferson West High School, Nicholas Herrman amassed an impressive five tournament wins from 2023 to 2024, including the 2023 Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation High School Qualifier 1 online event, the 2023 World Fishing Tour High School Tournament on Truman Lake and the 2024 Kansas TBF High School State Championship at Melvern Lake. Alongside his wins, Herrman netted one Top 5 finish at the 2024 Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation High School State Championship and three Top 10 finishes, the latter of which included adult-level events. Herrman has qualified for the Bassmaster High School National Championship for the last three years, and he and his partner have left quite the mark on the Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation High School Trail, winning Team of the Year in their freshman, sophomore and junior years.
Describing Herrman as compassionate, resilient and fiercely determined, Jefferson West High School science teacher Stephanie Magill says, “He demonstrates an excellence in all things that he puts his mind to. I believe he has no limit to his growth and achievements for his future.”
When he’s not on the water, Herrman dedicates his time to his school’s band and 3D printer club, as well as cross-country, basketball and track, all of which he has lettered in. Alongside his extracurriculars, Herrman volunteers to take youth members of the local fishing club out in order to teach them techniques and assists with the Kansas B.A.S.S. Nation’s youth and high school tournaments. He has accomplished all of this whilst continuing to maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout the entirety of his high school career.
Presley Lannom, Lebanon, Tenn.
As a junior on the Mt. Juliet Fishing Team, Presley Lannom has an outstanding seven wins from spring of 2023 through 2024, including a win at the 2023 Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation High School event on Douglas Lake on a field of over 200 boats and a win at the Bill Dance Giant Bass Open at Pickwick Lake earlier this year. He has an additional six Top 5 finishes and 15 Top 20 finishes. In addition to his wins, Lannom was the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation High School Central Trail champion from 2023-24 and was part of the 2023 Mt. Juliet Fishing Team of the Year for 2023-24. He also placed in the Top 5 in multiple trails' points races, including the 2022-23 Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation High School Central Trail, North Central Trail and State Trail, and for 2023-24 placed second in the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation High School North Central Trail Points Race and third in the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation High School Southeast Trail Points Race.
“Presley has won countless tournaments, Tennessee Regionals, State Trails, adult tournaments and other youth trails,” said Gary Redic, head coach of the Mt. Juliet Fishing Team. “He has made the Nationals the past three years! Presley leads the way for other team members on and off the water. He has been a big part of all the community service projects we have done.”
When Lannom is not making waves on the water, he is excelling in his community. He actively engages in community service and spends his time doing countless conservation projects which showcases his dedication to preserving and improving the fishing environment around him for generations to come. In 2023 when a competitor had two of his graphs stolen from his boat while parked for a tournament, Lannom put together an auction through his podcast The Bass Lane to raise money to replace what was stolen off the angler’s boat. Through his podcast, Lannom has hosted renowned professional anglers, including Logan Parks, Robert Gee and Ott DeFoe, providing valuable insight and inspiration to his audience. Even with all of his success on the water and his involvement in his community, Lannom still maintains a 3.62 GPA.
Kael Moore, Cedar Falls, Iowa
Cedar Falls High School junior Kael Moore amassed an incredible seven wins from 2023 to 2024, including first place in the 2023 Iowa High School Bass Team Championship and in multiple legs of the Iowa TBF Eastern Division Team Trail. Alongside his wins, Moore placed second at the 2023 Iowa B.A.S.S. Nation High School State Championship and placed seventh in both the 2023 Iowa TBF High School State Championship and the 2024 Iowa High School Bass Team Championship, with the latter finish out of a field of 150 anglers. Heading into his junior year, Moore has already earned Angler of the Year twice for his school’s fishing team.
“Kael has had many successes as an angler on the Cedar Falls Fishing Team, but his leadership has been one of the team’s greatest benefits,” says Cedar Falls Fishing Team coach Brian Burkhardt. “The team was created because Kael and two other anglers wanted to find a way to participate in the sport. Through his success, and energetic personality, interest in the team grew very quickly. This allowed our team to grow to over 40 anglers in under three years.”
Described as a hardworking team player, Moore has dedicated his time to his fishing team, speaking at informational meetings, demonstrating new techniques and answering questions from incoming anglers. He has assisted with local lake cleanup projects, trout stocking days, Fleet Farm Kid's Fishing Days and Scouts fishing days, as well as volunteering his time at Northeast Iowa Food Bank events and at community events for Orchard Hill Church. Beyond his work within his community, Moore is a multisport athlete, participating in football, wrestling and track alongside fishing. He balances all of this with his studies, maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
Tanner Moulton, Enfield, N.H.
As a senior at Mascoma Valley Regional High School, Tanner Moulton has an outstanding nine wins alongside eight Top 5 finishes from 2023 to 2024. Among those wins is the 2023 NHIAA State Championship and the 2023 NHIAA State Championship Qualifier. He has also qualified for the Bassmaster High School National Championship for the past three years and, before that, qualified for the Bassmaster Junior Series National Championship every year from 2019 through 2021.
“Beyond his athletic accomplishments, Tanner has also demonstrated exceptional leadership skills,” said Tina Fleming, M.Ed., principal at Mascoma Valley Regional High School. “He has served as a student leader on our bass fishing team, where he has shown initiative, responsibility and a passion for the sport. Tanner has also brought a Bass Fishing State Championship to MVRHS. Tanner’s ability to motivate and inspire his peers is a valuable asset.”
When Moulton is not excelling on the water, he is very involved in many sports at school including soccer, basketball and track. Moulton is a member of the Student Athlete Leadership Team and donates his time to assisting with youth sports programs where he helps younger players improve their skills. He also spends time helping out in his community, where he volunteers for cancer fundraising events and also participates in state park cleanups. Moulton manages all of this while maintaining a 3.7 GPA.
Grace Olsen, Gardner, Ill.
Grace Olsen, a senior at Gardner-South Wilmington High School, has notched one win and an impressive eight Top 5 finishes from 2023 to 2024. Olsen also earned an additional eight Top 20 finishes, including in adult-level tournaments with the Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation. En route to winning the 2024 Illinois B.A.S.S. Nation Youth Series Team of the Year title, Olsen wound up fishing three of the five tournaments alone. She qualified for the 2024 Bassmaster High School National Championship, where she and her partner would place 13th out of a field of over 270 teams. She was invited to fish for the USAngling USA Bass High School Youth Team to compete in Zimbabwe in December of this year.
“Grace’s dedication was what was the main ingredient for (her) success,” says Gardner-South Wilmington fishing coach Jerry Olsen. “She has so much dedication to do her best and continue to learn. Not only is Grace dedicated to being a great angler, she is just as dedicated to everything she does.”
Outside of fishing, Olsen commits her time to her school’s varsity girls basketball team and volunteers within her community through various organizations, including the NHS, SADD, the Orange Crush Leadership Team and the Junior Explorers Program for the Grundy County Sheriff’s Department, a police offer training program that also helps the community. She has helped clean up trash through Adopt-a-Highway and assisted at the local food bank, as well as with Red Carpet Fundraiser events. She has received the “Outstanding Citizenship Award” from her Criminal Justice instructor. Even while dedicating so much time to fishing and her community, Olsen has maintained a 3.56 GPA.
Dylan Sorrells, Dallas, Texas
Highland Park High School senior Dylan Sorrells amassed an incredible six wins from 2023 to 2024, most of which were against field sizes of 140-plus teams, with his biggest win occurring at the 2023 THSBA event at Lake Lewisville, where Sorrells topped a field of over 250 boats. He earned an additional seven Top 5 finishes and 11 Top 20 finishes, including seventh-place finishes at both the 2024 15th Annual High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship and the 2024 MLF High School National Championship on fields of 437 teams and 349 teams respectively. His past accolades include winning the Casting Accuracy portion of the 2023 Bassmaster High School Combine and finishing fourth overall, as well as qualifying for the 2024 Bassmaster High School Classic at Keystone Lake and winning Angler of the Year for both the 2023-24 THSBA Metro Division and the 2023-24 Texas B.A.S.S. Nation Youth Northeast Region.
“Dylan’s dedication, humility and strong moral character distinguish him among his peers,” said Max Hawsey academic advisor at Highland Park High School. “He is well-respected by teachers, coaches and teammates for his integrity, drive and unwavering commitment to excellence. Dylan is not only an elite angler, but he embodies qualities of a true sportsman.”
When Sorrells is not competing, he spends his time volunteering as a counselor at Florida Fantasy Fishing Camp, where he has dedicated over 300 hours to helping educate and promote conservation ideas to youth anglers such as catch-and-release practices to preserve the marine environment. He also serves as the president of the Highland Park Bass Team and is the Highland Park Bass Team VP of Community Service. Sorrells has impressively balanced his time on the water and volunteering in his community with his schoolwork, maintaining a 3.43 GPA.
Joe Vaulton, Knoxville, Tenn.
Joe Vaulton, a senior on the Alcoa Fishing Team, has an impressive eight wins from spring of 2023 through 2024, as well as two Angler of the Year titles — the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Trail Angler of the Year and the 2023 Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation Angler of the Year, the latter of which was out of a field of 500 anglers. Vaulton also has eight Top 5 finishes, including a second-place finish at the 2023 Mountain Music Kids Tournament on Douglas Lake out of 275 teams and a fourth-place finish at the 2023 Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation State Championship against a field of 200 teams. He also has 10 Top 20 finishes to his name, with a 15th-place finish at the 2024 15th Annual High School Fishing World Finals and National Championship against a field of 437 teams.
“Joe began fishing with our club as an eighth grader and has been competitive in bass fishing since the team’s inception,” said Alcoa Fishing Team coach Joe Vaulton. “Joe has honed his craft and has mastered multiple modalities to not only catch fish, but to also teach those in the community about fishing.”
When Vaulton is not excelling on the water, he spends his time helping out in his community, including fundraising for the Children’s Miracle Network, organizing a casting competition for youth anglers and working with the Mountain Music Kids Tournaments. He has spent countless hours working on conservation projects, including many lake cleanups, some through the Tennessee B.A.S.S. Nation and some that he organized himself. Vaulton maintains a webpage dedicated to fishing and conservation and also works hard on his lifestyle brand Bigs Only, a clothing brand that he established and that he uses as a way to give back to charities within his community. Vaulton has done all of this while maintaining a 4.2 GPA.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.
Drew Gill and Marshall Robinson Run Away with General Tire Team Series
Team Coign catches 38 bass weighing 69-11 to earn victory in final Team Series event of season
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. (Nov. 22, 2024) – In a field of anglers that included a former REDCREST champion and multiple Bassmaster Classic winners, it was a pair of young guns that absolutely ran away with the event. Representing Team Coign, 22-year-old pro Drew Gill of Mount Carmel, Illinois, and 21-year-old pro Marshall Robinson of Landrum, South Carolina, combined to catch 38 bass weighing 69-11 on Lake Garcia – more than double the total weight of second place – to win the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches.
The event was the fourth and final General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops event of the 2024 season.
Finishing in second place was Team Star brite, represented by brothers Bobby and Chris Lane, who caught 23 bass weighing 31-7. Team REDCON1 – Skeet Reese and John Murray – finished in third with 13 bass weighing 31-3, while Terry Scroggins and Britt Myers, representing Team Lucas Oil, weighed in 12 bass totaling 21-6 to finish fourth.
“Oh my gosh, what a week,” an elated Gill said in his post-game interview. “It’s been a long week, and we’ve put in a lot of work: three different lakes, no practice. We came out here and got it done today and had an absolute ball. This lake was a super good time.”
Lake Garcia was the playing field for the anglers in the Championship Round, and like Headwaters and Stick Marsh earlier this week, vibrating jigs, lipless crankbaits and flipping and punching were expected to dominate. Gill and Robinson bucked that trend completely, pairing spinning rods and drop-shot rigs with forward-facing sonar to run away with the victory Friday.
“I knew right away from the start that we had made a good decision,” Robinson said. “We caught a couple early and we had the momentum rolling right away within the first 45 minutes. It kind of happened just like it did yesterday (in the Knockout Round) – we got out to an early lead and then just tried to maintain it and keep the pace.”
In a fishery that is known for its plentiful grass and vegetation, MLF NOW! host and Western Florida native J.T. Kenney joked that the duo went out in the 30-minute ride around prior to the start of competition and located one of maybe three locations in the entire lake that could be fished in that style. That location was all that the two young anglers, known for being proficient with their electronics, needed.
“The deal for me, the last two days specifically, was the drop-shot,” Gill said. “I was throwing a 7-inch finesse worm on a 1/0 medium-wire drop-shot hook with a 1/4-ounce drop-shot weight. I was using a 14-pound test leader – a little bit over a foot – and throwing an upsized worm, which was really important. It's been windy with adverse conditions, and being able to make precise casts and cut through that wind with the heavier weight, upsized worm and thicker leader but also (light enough) to help keep that bait falling nice and slow, allowing it to drift where it needed to go, was super important.
“We switched between a couple of colors – mainly green pumpkin and plum,” Gill continued. “It was a 1-2 punch for us. We came out and won our Knockout Round with this bait on Stick Marsh, and then came out here on Garcia. We fished the offshore sand flats and hydrilla clumps and looked for clean water and isolated targets. That was the deal for us today.”
“We'd been talking about it all week – how badly we wanted to win this one,” Robinson said. “There were some really big names in this tournament, and to get the win today and get to bring one of these trophies home, it’s pretty sick. These trophies are huge, and I’m so pumped.”
The top four teams at the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches finished:
1st: Team Coign, 38 bass, 69-11
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 23 bass, 45-15
Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 15 bass, 23-12
2nd: Team Star brite, 23 bass, 31-7
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 14 bass, 18-9
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., nine bass, 12-14
3rd: Team REDCON1, 13 bass, 31-3
John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., four bass, 7-9
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., nine bass, 23-10
4th: Team Lucas Oil, 12 bass, 21-6
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., six bass, 10-14
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., six bass, 10-8
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 86 bass weighing 153 pounds, 11 ounces caught by the four teams competing in the Championship Round Friday on Lake Garcia. Gill caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day on a drop-shot rig – a largemouth weighing 4 pounds, 7 ounces.
The Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches was hosted by Visit Indian River County and Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism and took place over six days in Indian River County, Florida. The competition water for each day was top-secret and only revealed to the anglers when they arrived at the boat ramp each morning.
The Summit Cup featured 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they entered the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams competed each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Tuesday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams competed in a one-day shootout to determine which team was the winner of the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer HItches.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series was comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – and featured two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour anglers competing from the same boat. Each event featured a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams have competed throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in May 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Gill/Robinson and Lane Bros. Advance to Championship Round at General Tire Team Series
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. (Nov. 21, 2024) – It’s been a tale of two fisheries this week for Team Coign at the fourth and final General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops event of the 2024 season. On Monday, the duo of Drew Gill and Marshall Robinson staged a dramatic comeback during Elimination Match 2 on Headwaters Lake after spending most of the day in third place, with Robinson’s clutch 3-9 catch in the final 2 minutes narrowly pushing the team above the Elimination Line to advance to the Knockout Round. Fast forward to a vastly different experience on Florida’s famed Stick Marsh Thursday, where Team Coign shot out of the gate in Knockout Round Match 2 and dominated the competition. Gill and Robinson hauled in 13 bass for an impressive 26-11 in the first period alone before ending the day in the top spot with 26 bass weighing 55-11.
It was Gill who stole the show during the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches competition on Thursday, racking up 11 bass for 21-7 in the first period, more than the rest of the entire field combined. The Bass Pro Tour rookie went on to boat 22 bass weighing 43-13 on the day, surpassing the combined weight of the Team Star brite duo of brothers Chris and Bobby Lane, who finished the day in second with 25 bass weighing 42-14.
Team Coign and Team Star brite now join Team REDCON1 and Team Lucas Oil in advancing to Friday’s Championship Round. Eliminated from competition was Team Kubota – Bradley Roy and Jason Vance – who caught 11 scorable bass weighing 21-15.
While a 180-degree change in the wind direction Thursday threatened to blow out many of the fishery’s prime locations, Team Coign used that shift to their advantage. The duo spent the day utilizing forward-facing sonar to throw drop-shot rigs in muddy water along the banks of the main dike, targeting terrestrial grass and bushes in the middle of Stick Marsh.
“We backed up a very good first period with a solid second period, so we couldn’t be more thrilled,” said Gill. “We pulled up on a little stump flat in the third period, and I felt like it was the kind of place we could run into a couple big ones.”
“We just tried to find areas where the wind was blowing off the bank, so it was pretty protected, and stay away from the spots that were getting trashed,” said Robinson. “We were able to keep the pace steady for most of the day, so we didn’t feel like we needed to make any big changes or do anything crazy.”
While reeling in piles of fish, the young rookies shared tournament stories and reminisced on lessons learned in their young careers on the MLFNOW! livestream.
“I picked Marshall as my teammate because he's clearly an extremely skilled angler,” said Gill. “He’s got an insane list of achievements on his resume in a very short amount of time, and picking somebody clutch like that that's super level-headed when things get tough, that's an all-around win.”
“Drew’s 22, I'm 21, and we met two years ago at the Toyota Series Championship,” said Robinson. “We hit it off quick and became good buddies, and I feel like we work well together and have a lot of good chemistry in the boat.”
Gill did all his damage on a 7-inch finesse worm on a 1/0 medium-wire drop-shot hook with weights ranging from 1/4 to 1/8 ounce.
“I changed it up depending on the scenario and the depth of the water or the cover and what I wanted the bait to do,” said Gill. “I ended with a 1/4-ounce weight, just trying to get the fish to be more reactive. I fished through some stuff I had already fished toward the end, so I wanted to give them a little bit different look than I had earlier in the morning.
“It’s really important whenever you're fishing at an area-based fishery like the one we're on today that you show them something different each time you go through,” Gill continued. “It should be a little bit different with your presentation and your boat position on each pass.
“We did that really well today, and it's what allowed Marshall and I to have the awesome day that we had out there in Stick Marsh. This bait was an absolutely essential part of it and caught every single one of our scorable bass today.”
Team Star brite started out in a unique area by the dam, where they found large areas of schooling fish. Despite visually targeting the fish with multiple baits, the brothers struggled early in the day, spending the entire first period in third place before rallying at the start of Period 2. They made a hard charge in the third period, pulling within 10 pounds of the lead, but couldn’t keep pace with Team Coign.
“We just spent the day going through it and through it and through it,” Chris said. “The one thing about Florida is when you find fish, you really don't want to leave them. You just have to wait for them to bite. You have to sit there and go through the process of figuring out exactly what they want to bite.”
“That was a hard-fought day, I’m telling you,” said Bobby. “That was some ‘brother power’ right there. We overcame adversity for sure. We fished through an area, caught a couple of dinks, but the other teams were catching them. We pulled up to this point around the dam and they started schooling. We went through everything in our box to try to figure them out, and we didn't.
“I think the only reason we're advancing to the Championship Round is, No. 1, there's a big north wind today. That lake was rough and mean, and we really didn't have anywhere else to go. So, we just kept circling and circling, and it was enough to just keep us in second. That's kind of what our goal was – stay in second just to advance. Maybe to a new lake, I don’t know.”
“I hope so,” Chris added with a groan.
“We stayed with it, we fought hard, and we fished hard,” said Bobby. “When they came up schooling, we capitalized on the ones that we needed to catch. So, Team Lane is moving on. I'm excited.”
The top two teams from the second match of the Knockout Round at the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches that now advance to Friday’s Championship are:
1st: Team Coign, 26 bass, 55-11
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 22 bass, 43-13
Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., four bass, 11-14
2nd: Team Star brite, 25 bass, 42-14
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., 12 bass, 20-11
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., 13 bass, 22-3
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team Kubota, 11 bass, 21-15
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., two bass, 2-15
Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind., nine bass, 19-0
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 62 bass weighing 120 pounds, 8 ounces caught by the three teams Thursday on Stick Marsh. Coign pro Marshall Robinson earned the Berkley Big Bass of the day with a 4-pound, 14-ounce largemouth that he caught in the second period.
The final day Championship Round will take place Friday featuring Team REDCON1 (John Murray/Skeet Reese), Team Lucas Oil (Britt Myers/Terry Scroggins), Team Coign (Drew Gill/Marshall Robinson) and Team Star brite (Bobby Lane/Chris Lane).
The Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches is hosted by Visit Indian River County and Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism and takes place over six days in Indian River County, Florida. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live each day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Summit Cup features 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they entered the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer HItches.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams have competed throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in May 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Vexus’ Stewart Has a Heart for Service
If you were to follow Jason Stewart around for a day at Vexus® Boats in Flippin, Arkansas, somewhere between watching him manage logoed apparel inventory in the company lobby and test-driving a boat on Bull Shoals, you might find yourself a tad confused as to what the heck the former Air Force veteran’s job truly is.
Fact is, for the last six years, Stewart has served as the relatively new boat brand’s Swiss Army knife, the jack-of-all-trades, who’s had a heavy hand in managing everything from Vexus’ social media posts to proofreading catalog and website copy—a task he’s more than capable of, given the fact he’s authored four fiction novels of his own, including White River, which is set in the Ozark Mountains he now calls home.
Speaking of mountains, Stewart grew up fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. He bought a used bass boat before he bought his first truck and spent many hours chasing smallmouth bass on Fontana Lake.
Inspired largely by his grandfather, a WWII Navy veteran, he joined the military right out of high school. “My grandfather had a deep love for his country and helping others, and his influence played a big part in my decision to serve in the military. It was an honor to serve alongside so many great Americans for twenty years,” he reflects.
He served America at several stateside bases and overseas in Honduras and South Korea. His time in South Korea set the stage for the most enjoyable job of his two decades of service to our country, where he worked in the Air Operations Center at Osan Air Base as a mission weather forecaster.
However, it was time spent at Little Rock Air Force Base where he discovered the greatest love of his life, Janice, his bride now of 27 years.
“Military life can be tough on spouses and kids. So, I’m proud of my wife and daughter for putting up with all the moves around the globe and the time we spent apart. There’s no way I could have had a successful military career without their support and understanding,” says a grateful Stewart.
After he retired from the Air Force, Janice’s family ties to Arkansas, as well as the couple’s desire to live somewhere rural with plenty of bass fishing opportunities, led them to Flippin, Arkansas, near Bull Shoals Lake. And there are a lot of folks at Vexus who are certainly glad they did.
“Our company is blessed with talent, not just experience. Jason is a great example in that he wears many hats, executes flawlessly, and does it with a personality that is truly enjoyable to be around. I suspect it’s the result of a strong Christian family upbringing, coupled with his willingness to serve our country. What I am sure of is that we’re lucky to have him,” says Vexus leader Keith Daffron.
Job titles don’t matter much at Vexus, but getting the job done the right way matters a bunch. So, Jason Stewart’s heart for service, whether serving his country for two decades or test-driving a treasured customer’s boat to assure optimal performance, is indeed a perfect fit for the premium boat builder’s culture.
Frankly, he’s a guy everybody at Vexus is grateful to have in their squadron.
To learn more about the top-quality boats the former Airman lends his best efforts to each day, please visit vexusboats.com.
Murray/Reese and Myers/Scroggins Move on to Championship Round at General Tire Team Series
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. (Nov. 20, 2024) – The Team REDCON1 duo of longtime West Coast friends John Murray and Skeet Reese picked up right where they had left off Tuesday at the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches.
After catching fire in the final period of Tuesday’s Elimination Round match on Headwaters Lake, Team REDCON1 found itself on a new fishery for the Knockout Round Wednesday – Florida’s famed Stick Marsh. But the West Coast gurus managed to keep their momentum and the strong spinnerbait bite that worked so well at Headwaters rolling on Stick Marsh.
Murray and Reese caught 46 bass weighing 87 pounds, 2 ounces to become the first team to advance to Friday’s Championship Round. Also advancing, representing Team Lucas Oil, were pros Britt Myers and Terry Scroggins, who caught 22 bass weighing 54-6 to end the day in second place. Team Knighten Industries – Brandon Coulter and John Hunter – finished in third place with 19 bass weighing 39-3 and were eliminated from competition.
Match 2 of the Knockout Round is now set for Thursday, with the top two finishing teams joining Team REDCON1 and Team Lucas Oil in Friday’s Championship. This event is the fourth and final General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops event of the 2024 season.
“That was one heck of a day,” Reese said in his postgame interview. “I hope that everyone at home enjoyed that today, because we sure as hell did. I’m not even sure how many fish we caught, but I know it was a lot. To be out here competing with one of my best friends on the planet, this week has already been such a blast.”
After Murray found the spinnerbait bite on Tuesday afternoon, he picked up the old school bait again on Wednesday and, after a brief morning lull, went to work. Murray threw the spinnerbait for most of the morning and boated eight keepers. He then switched to a speed worm in the afternoon and added another 10 scorable bass, before picking up the spinnerbait again late in the day and adding three more. All but one of the 25 scorable bass that Reese weighed in came on a junebug-colored swimming worm.
“John and I just kicked butt together as a team today” Reese said. “We’d get on the grass lines, and I’d be throwing the worm on the inside line and John would be chunking the spinnerbait on the outside.”
“With the little bit of wind, it created a diamond ripple on the water, and with the little bit of clouds that we had they were really eating the spinnerbait today,” Murray said. “There isn’t as much grass here as there is in Headwaters, but it didn’t seem to matter – they were biting for us.”
This Summit Cup event means a little bit more to these West Coast buddies and longtime travel partners, as Murray is fishing what could be his final MLF Cup event.
“This is likely going to be John’s last Cup event with us – he’s heading off to fish the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, so we really wanted to finish with a bang on this one,” Reese said. “Now that we’ve made the finals, we’ve got a shot. And coming in, that’s all we wanted and cared about – we wanted to have a shot at the end. It’s been a really great event so far, and hopefully we can come out here on Friday and send John out with the W.”
The top two teams from the first match of the Knockout Round at the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches that now advance to Friday’s Championship are:
1st: Team REDCON1, 46 bass, 87-2
John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., 21 bass, 40-6
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., 25 bass, 46-12
2nd: Team Lucas Oil, 22 bass, 54-6
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., eight bass, 22-13
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., nine bass, 31-9
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team Knighten Industries , 19 bass, 39-3
Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., 10 bass, 17-12
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., nine bass, 21-7
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 87 bass weighing 180 pounds, 11 ounces caught by the three teams Wednesday on Stick Marsh. Lucas Oil pro Britt Myers earned the Berkley Big Bass of the day with an 8-pound, 9-ounce largemouth that he caught in the second period.
The Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches is hosted by Visit Indian River County and Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism and takes place over six days in Indian River County, Florida. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live each day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Summit Cup features 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they entered the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer HItches.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams have competed throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in May 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Gill Fishing Launches Quest Layers: Your Ultimate Versatile Layers
Buford, GA, November 2024 – Gill Fishing, a leader in performance-driven outdoor and fishing apparel, is proud to introduce its latest innovation: Quest Layers. This cutting-edge collection features leggings, ¼ zip tops, and hoodies, all engineered to provide an extra layer of warmth and style for your day, whether you’re braving the elements on the water, exploring the slopes, woods, or simply staying cozy during everyday activities.
The Quest Layers collection reflects Gill Fishing’s commitment to creating high-performance apparel that blends functionality, comfort, and durability. Designed for active lifestyles on and off the water, these pieces are crafted with advanced materials and thoughtful construction to ensure superior warmth without sacrificing mobility or breathability.
Performance Meets Comfort: What Sets Quest Layers Apart:
Each item in the Quest Layers collection is thoughtfully designed to meet the demands of outdoor enthusiasts while maintaining a sleek, versatile look suitable for any occasion:
- Leggings: Crafted with thermal, moisture-wicking fabric, these leggings offer a snug, supportive fit perfect for layering under outerwear or wearing on their own. Reinforced seams and stretchy material ensure comfort and durability during any activity.
- ¼ Zip Tops: Featuring a streamlined design, these mid-layers are made from breathable yet insulating materials to regulate body temperature. The zip neckline provides customizable ventilation, while flatlock seams prevent chafing for all-day comfort.
- Hoodies: Designed for ultimate coziness, these hoodies combine warmth and practicality. With a fleece-lined interior and water-resistant exterior, they are perfect for unpredictable weather. The tailored fit ensures they layer easily under jackets or over base layers.
“At Gill, we’re always looking to create products that enhance our customers’ experiences, whether they’re out on the water or navigating their day-to-day adventures,” said Matt Clark, Production Development Director at Gill. “The Quest Layers collection was developed with this in mind—a functional, stylish solution for staying warm and comfortable no matter where life takes you.”
Built for Every Season
The Quest mid layers are designed to perfectly fit beneath protective outer layers such as the Gill Apex Pro-X, Meridian-X or Aspect without unnecessary bulk and without restricting freedom of movement. Pocket positions, garment length and fabric selection have all been carefully considered to make this an integral component of any fishing clothing system.
The Quest Layers collection is available now on Gill Fishing’s gillfishing.com and at select retailers. Explore the full range of colors, sizes, and styles to find the perfect layering pieces for your needs.
About Gill Fishing
Gill Fishing is a global leader in technical apparel designed for the outdoor and marine lifestyle. With a focus on innovation, durability, and sustainability, Gill creates products that empower people to embrace their passions, no matter the conditions.
Lane Bros. and Murray/Reese and Advance from Final Elimination Round Match on Headwaters Lake at General Tire Team Series
Knockout Round to start Wednesday with three teams competing to advance to Friday’s Championship Round
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. (Nov. 19, 2024) – The Team Star brite duo of brothers Chris and Bobby Lane caught 17 scoreable bass weighing 34 pounds, 2 ounces, to narrowly win Tuesday’s final Elimination Round match at the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches. They earned the victory by a slim 15-ounce margin over Team REDCON1, John Murray and Skeet Reese, who had charged to the top of the leaderboard after a furious third period rally from Murray, before being overtaken late in the third period by Team Star brite.
Four teams started the day on Headwaters Lake, but by the end of the day it was really a two-horse race for the top spot. The final hour turned into the John Murray show – after starting the period in third place, Murray caught fire for Team REDCON1, catching five keepers in the final hour to catapult them past Team Smokey Mountain and Team Star brite and into first place.
However, after leading for pretty much the entire day to that point, the Lane brothers refused to be denied the victory.
Chris boated a 1-pound, 7-ounce scoreable bass with 24 minutes remaining in the day to retake the lead and give Team Star brite just enough to hold on to victory in Elimination Round Match 3 at the fourth and final General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops event of the 2024 season in Indian River County, Florida.
“I couldn’t have had more fun today,” said Chris Lane, who caught nine scorable bass throughout the day for 19-3. “Being out here with my brother, Bobby... I think the last time that he and I fished as a team, in the same boat, you’d have to go back to when we were like 20 or 22 or something like that. Our whole careers, we’ve been competitive – back and forth, back and forth. And we saw that today, I think I caught one more than he did. But it was a really great day to be fishing with my brother.”
The Lane bros. used a 1-2 punch on the day with Bobby flipping almost the entire day to catch eight bass for 14-15, while Chris alternated between a Bass Pro Shops Stik-O Worm and a couple of different topwater baits.
“We worked hard today and we grinded,” Bobby said. “Fishing as a team, alongside my brother at the front of the boat, was just a really cool experience. But there was some tension. I could feel the turmoil between he and I today, when he would flip in front of me or catch my line. But we kept it cool.”
“Turmoil, Bobby?” Chris responded.
“Yes, turmoil! I could feel it,” Bobby replied. “I could feel the heat. When you would flip and cross my line, I wanted to elbow you in the side of the face, Chris. We weren’t clicking. But I knew we had to keep our cool. And now we’ve won the round. We don’t need that to happen again in any of these rounds.”
“Yeah, don’t let it happen again captain,” Chris joked. “Coming into this event, our goals were high – we’re not settling for anything less than first place. I’m glad that we’re fishing again on Thursday, but it really didn’t matter whether we fished tomorrow or the next day. We’re here to win.”
A six bass, 16-pound final period from Team REDCON1 – five from Murray – was the highlight of the day for most of the audience watching the livestream. The key for Murray was picking up an old-school, big-bladed spinnerbait. After not throwing it at all earlier in the day, the spinnerbait was the difference maker for Murray and Reese to rally and claim the final Knockout Round spot.
The top two teams from Elimination Round Match 3 at the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches that advance to the Knockout Round are:
1st: Team Star brite, 17 bass, 34-2
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla., eight bass, 14-15
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala., nine bass, 19-3
2nd: Team REDCON1, 16 bass, 33-3
John Murray, Spring City, Tenn., seven bass, 20-3
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif., nine bass, 13-0
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches, nine bass, 21-7
Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., four bass, 12-1
Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz., five bass, 9-6
4th: Team 7 Brew Coffee, eight bass, 15-15
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., three bass, 3-11
Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., five bass, 12-4
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 50 bass weighing 104 pounds, 11 ounces caught by the four teams in the final Elimination Round Match Tuesday on Headwaters Lake. The Berkley Big Bass of the day went to Murray, who boated a largemouth weighing 4 pounds, 4 ounces in the third period.
The Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches is hosted by Visit Indian River County and Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism and takes place over six days in Indian River County, Florida. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Summit Cup features 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they entered the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches featured four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round now advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer HItches.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in May 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
With Sons Now Grown, Hammaker Appreciates Toyota Owners Fellowship More Than Ever
Courtesy of Dynamic Sponsorships,, Walker Smith
A nine-hour drive wouldn’t deter anglers Guy Hammaker and Jim Thornburg from getting in on the fun on Lake Hartwell. The culture and fellowship brought them and the fishing action was just an added bonus.
A few weeks ago, I spent a lot of time wandering around the registration site of the Toyota Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament on Lake Hartwell and made a concerted effort to find interesting people to speak to. For my own knowledge, I simply wanted to learn more about what makes such a massive group of anglers take a pilgrimage from all throughout to country to a single event each and every year.
We were about to wrap things up and something in my gut kept drawing me towards two fishermen—Guy Hammaker and Jim Thornburg. They had the biggest smiles of anyone and were just eating up every single minute of fellowship and camaraderie. I couldn’t help but learn more about their story.
“This is my eighth Bonus Bucks Owners Tournament,” Hammaker said. “We’re both from Ohio and absolutely wouldn’t miss this for the world. We hopped in my 2023 Tacoma and drove nine long hours down here to experience it.”
As the evening cold front was rolling in, the western skies began to darken and the brisk wind caused him to raise the hood on his Toyota Fishing Team sun shirt. Most other folks were worried about the affect this rapid weather change would have on the next day’s fishing. Hammaker, however, was smiling as always.
“I’m’ just so thrilled every time I get to attend one of these,” he said. “You never know who you’re going to sit next to in the meeting, which big-time pros you’ll get to meet or who you’ll meet in the weigh-in line. I have a few friends from previous tournaments with whom I’ve been in constant contact for years. All year long, we talk, we keep up with each other’s families; it’s just fantastic.”
The reason behind Hammaker’s smile is simple: Most everyone attends this event for the same reason. A bunch of outdoorsmen and women, enjoying a common interest and leaving the hectic world in the rearview of their Toyotas for a few days. The unity is palpable and you won’t find anyone with disagreements or a harsh word to say about one another.
We shouldn’t leave out the meals, though. Both Hammaker and Thornburg made it a point to brag on the wonderful suppers provided at the event.
“Have you had the apple cobbler yet?” Hammacker joked. “Man, it is phenomenal. Before that we had some great chicken, macaroni and cheese, potatoes, a fresh salad… between that and all the awesome gear we got at registration, you get treated like royalty here.”
I’ve always been told that people are naturally drawn to positive individuals. I believed it but I received a first-hand lesson while talking to Hammaker and Thornburg.
A nine-hour drive? No problem.
A brutal incoming cold front? No worries.
These two Ohioans were just happy to be there. With Hammaker’s sons growing up and beginning to fish with other people, the companionship of the Toyota Owners Bonus Bucks Tournament was just what the doctor ordered. After all, everyone needs a good fishing partner or two. And it’s evident Hammaker found one in his buddy, Jim.
Myers/Scroggins and Gill/Robinson Advance after Elimination Round Match 2 on Headwaters Lake at General Tire Team Series
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. (Nov. 18, 2024) – Four new teams set out on Headwaters Lake early Monday morning for Elimination Match 2 of the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches, the final event of the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops season. Whether due to the fact that he was the only Florida native in the field or celebrating his birthday, no one could keep pace with Terry Scroggins.
The Team Lucas Oil duo of Scroggins and Britt Myers held the top spot on SCORETRACKER® for much of the day and finished in first place with 43 pounds, 10 ounces on 18 scorable bass. Scroggins accounted for 38-9 of that by himself — more than any other two-angler team. That tally was bolstered by a 7-8 lunker, which easily represented the biggest bass caught through two days of competition on Headwaters.
Meanwhile, the other three teams waged a tight race for second place during an explosive third period. Team Coign, made up of Drew Gill and Marshall Robinson, ultimately slid into the second-place spot thanks to a 3-9 in the final 2 minutes. They finished the day with 15 scorable bass weighing 28-15.
Team Lucas Oil and Team Coign will advance to the Knockout Round, to be contested Wednesday and Thursday. The Ferguson team of Marty Robinson and Jonathon VanDam and Team Builders FirstSource – Nick Hatfield and Takahiro Omori – were eliminated from the competition.
Team Lucas Oil spent the competition day on the east side of Headwaters Lake punching heavy, dense vegetation. The pair held the lead most of the day, relinquishing it briefly to Team Ferguson at the end of the first period. But as the sunshine peeked out, burning off the cloud cover, Team Lucas Oil regained the lead and never looked back.
“We started off this morning, hit a little stretch and had seven or eight bites real quick,” said Scroggins. “We caught a few, lost a few, and then we ran away from them — there’s just so many targets out here to fish. So, we went back to that area during Period 2 and was able to capitalize on them.
“It’s like a needle in a haystack out there — there are mats and hydrilla everywhere. You can go and go and not get a bite, but then you’ll run into seven or eight bites. So, we knew we just needed to keep moving. Once we had a little sun and had a break from the cloud cover, that made a big difference for us.”
The duo spent the day targeting fish in big fields of hydrilla but said the key was finding the matted pennywort and water hyacinth on top of the hydrilla.
“That’s what the fish were keying in on, so we just kept running those mats,” said Scroggins. “Today was just one of those absolute fun days fishing. We only fished two baits — a little creature-style bait, black, blue and silver-colored, and then a craw in the same color — on 65-pound braid. We threw that on a little MHX light flipping stick with a 1 1/2-ounce weight on a 3/0 hook.”
“I couldn't ask for a better General Tire Team Series event, being out here with one of my best friends,” said Myers. “We room together, but when the tournaments are over, we're both busy. We hardly ever get to fish together, so this has been great.”
After a rough start to the day, Team Coign was 9 pounds 14 ounces below the Elimination Line at the start of the third and final period. The duo racked up nearly 21 pounds in Period 3 alone to finish in second place.
“It was on overwhelming first period to say the least,” said Gill. “We had five or six scoreable bites but only put two of them in the boat. We just had several missed opportunities. It's easy to get lost in the sauce in a place like Florida and all of the good options, all the good-looking cover.
“We tried to run some places that might have some flow, some depth access and places with a clean bottom. We just tried to fish a little fast, burn some water and stay around one of those deeper stretches.”
With two minutes remaining in the final period, Robinson boated a 3-9 to put them over the Elimination Line and earn the berth to the Knockout Round — knocking his father, Marty, out of the second spot in the process.
“That was freaking clutch,” said Gill. “That was our second-biggest fish of the day. We said we just needed one fish a piece in the last hour or so, and we did it.”
“I’d just told Drew we needed a 5-pounder, and we immediately caught a 3-9 and a 4,” said Robinson, laughing.
The top two teams from Elimination Match 2 at the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches that now advance to the Knockout Round are:
1st: Team Lucas Oil, 18 bass, 43-10
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., three bass, 5-1
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla. 15 bass, 38-9
2nd: Team Coign, 15 bass, 28-15
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., five bass, 8-11
Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 10 bass, 20-4
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team Ferguson, 14 bass, 27-3
Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C., eight bass, 16-8
Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich., six bass, 10-11
4th: Team Builders FirstSource, 13 bass, 24-0
Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn., three bass, 4-3
Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan., 10 bass, 19-13
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 60 bass weighing 123 pounds, 12 ounces caught by the four teams in Elimination Match 2 on Headwaters Lake. Team Lucas Oil pro Terry Scroggins caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 7 pounds, 8 ounces.
The Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches is hosted by Visit Indian River County and Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism and takes place over six days in Indian River County, Florida. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Summit Cup features 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer HItches.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in May 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Coulter/Hunter and Roy/Vance Advance from Elimination Round on Headwaters Lake at General Tire Team Series
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. (Nov. 17, 2024) – Florida’s 10,000-acre manmade Headwaters Lake was the playing field, Sunday, for Match 1 of the Elimination Round at the fourth and final General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops event of the 2024 season. The four two-man teams competing at the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches were greeted by near optimal conditions – light wind, slightly overcast skies, and temperatures in the upper 70s.
The beautiful day set the stage for an extremely competitive matchup – the closest Team Series event so far this season. At one point in the third period, with just under two hours remaining in the competition, less than 1 pound separated first place from last place. But, as time expired at 2:15 p.m. ET, it was Team Knighten Industries who sat alone atop the leaderboard.
The Knighten Industries duo of Brandon Coulter and John Hunter caught 22 scorable bass weighing 44 pounds, 11 ounces, to win the first Elimination Round match and become the first team to advance to the Knockout Round. Also advancing, in second place, was Team Kubota – Bradley Roy and partner Jason Vance – who boated 16 scorables weighing 37 pounds even.
The B&W Trailer Hitches team of Matt Becker and Spencer Shuffield and Team U.S. Air Force – Stephen Browning and Cliff Crochet – were eliminated from the competition.
“Man, that was a fun afternoon,” said Hunter, who caught seven bass for 20-12. “We got into an area in the second period that seemed really promising. We got some bites and then were able to slow down, and then in the third (period) we just expanded on it.”
“We talked about it for the whole first and second periods, and if you ever fish in Florida just remember it,” Coulter said. “You just gotta keep moving. When you find where they are, in Florida, you catch them. But there is a lot of water that you have to cover where the fish are not grouped up. You can go all day and only catch three fish. But when you get in an area that’s got fish moving in, or fish setting up, you can have a third period like we had today.”
The Knighten Industries duo started the final period in third place, but the bite turned on and got better in the third period – for all teams. Coulter boated 10 of his 15 scorable keepers in the third to lift Team Knighten to the top, and all told 36 of the 74 bass caught by the four teams came in the third period.
“Every bass that I caught today came on a little (Berkley) Slobberknocker – the vibrating jig did all the work for me,” Coulter said. “I had confidence that it would work today, and it did. It is a fish-catcher, simple as that. It was a great day, today, and we are excited we get to stick around in Florida for a little while.”
Team Knighten Industries’ dramatic final period was shared with Team Kubota, who also had a high octane finale. With just four minutes remaining in competition, Team U.S. Air Force was in second place and Team Kubota was in third, 2-9 below the elimination line.
Then things got exciting.
“It was like someone turned on a switch. Earlier they had just been swiping at the bait, but all of a sudden they just started eating,” Vance said. “We came down the same path we had been. We figured if we were going to get one at the end, it would be down that stretch. So, we turned around and hit it again, and they just started committing.”
Vance landed a chunky 3-pound, 11-ounce largemouth – their biggest bass of the day – to overtake Team U.S. Air Force and vault Team Kubota into second place and the final qualifying spot.
“No kidding, we should have had another 20 pounds, today,” Vance continued. “I’m grateful that big one bit at the end, though. You can’t script that.”
To add insult to injury for Team U.S. Air Force, Team B&W Trailer Hitches then added two scorable bass of their own in the final two minutes – both by Spencer Shuffield – to overtake Browning and Crochet for the third-place finish and push Team U.S. Air Force down to fourth place.
The top two teams from Elimination Round Match 1 at the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches that now advance to the Knockout Round are:
1st: Team Knighten Industries, 22 bass, 44-11
Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn., 15 bass, 23-15
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky., seven bass, 20-12
2nd: Team Kubota, 16 bass, 37-0
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky., eight bass, 19-7
Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind., eight bass, 17-9
Eliminated from competition are:
3rd: Team B&W Trailer Hitches, 16 bass, 36-8
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., five bass, 14-10
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 11 bass, 21-14
4th: Team U.S. Air Force, 20 bass, 35-13
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 12 bass, 23-10
Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La., eight bass, 12-3
Complete results from throughout the week can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Overall, there were 74 bass weighing 154 pounds even caught by the four teams in Elimination Round Match 1 on Headwaters Lake. Team B&W Trailer Hitches pro Matt Becker caught the Berkley Big Bass of the day – a largemouth weighing 4 pounds, 9 ounces.
The Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches is hosted by Visit Indian River County and Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism and takes place over six days in Indian River County, Florida. The competition water for each day is top-secret and is only revealed to the anglers when they arrive at the boat ramp each morning. Anglers are driven directly to the day’s competition area launch ramp by their officials. Competition begins on the water at 8:45 a.m.
The MLFNOW!® broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live every day of competition from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW!® is live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
The Summit Cup features 12 two-man teams divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Round matches. Each of the three Elimination Round matches will feature four new teams, with the top two teams from each match of the Elimination Round advancing to the Knockout Round on Days 4 & 5. In the Knockout Rounds, three teams compete each day, with the top two teams from each Knockout Round match moving on to the Championship Round on Day 6. In Friday’s Day 6 Championship Round, the final four teams will compete in a one-day shootout to determine which team will win the 2024 Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer HItches.
The 2024 General Tire Team Series is comprised of four events – Challenge Cup, Heritage Cup, Patriot Cup and Summit Cup – featuring two-man teams of MLF Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat. Each event features a roster of 24 anglers, teamed up and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000. Teams were formed through a selection process, where 48 team captains – based on Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) standings throughout the 2024 Bass Pro Tour season – selected a teammate. Teams will compete throughout the fall of 2024.
Television coverage of the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will premiere on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour episodes in May 2025. New MLF General Tire Team Series episodes will premiere each Saturday morning on Outdoor Channel and posted to MOTV.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Fishin' Tip Friday - Drop Shotting with John Murray
By Vance McCullough - AC Insider
John Murray on the Dropshot: Keep it Simple, Throw it Everywhere
Two-time US Open Champion John Murray built his reputation in the clear, deep waters of the West though he now gets his mail in Spring City, Tennessee. An early adopter of the drop shot, Murray still loves the technique for its simplicity and its versatility.
“It’s just a weight with a length of line, usually 10-to-12-inches, and a hook,” emphasizes Murray. “Don’t get caught up in too many details when you’re starting out. People can make it more complicated than it really should be, but drop shotting is just a simple way to catch a lot of fish so it’s a great technique for people who are new to bass fishing or for a seasoned pro.”
If the average angler is missing a trick with the drop shot, Murray says it’s this: “Rig it weedless, Texas rig style on a 1/0 straight shank hook. Use the same worms you would otherwise use and don’t be afraid to cast it into cover, the same places you would pitch a Texas rig. A lot of people think the drop shot is just for open water. It’s not. It’s versatile. It works great in heavy cover.
“And it’s not only a deep-water bait. It’s just like any other worm fishing technique. You can cast it to the bank, drag it out and follow the lake’s contours whether that takes you down 10 feet deep or 50 feet.”
Murray imparts minimal action. “Keep a fairly tight line and work it gently, not a lot of shaking, nothing too crazy with it. Picture the worm swimming like a minnow. Just a gentle pull is best.”
Less is more with the hookset too. “Tighten up and keep reeling. Use a small, sharp hook and just reel it into their mouth.”
B.A.S.S. announces registration dates for rebranded Elite Series AmBASSador program
|
ALABAMA’S KING’S HOME FOR AT-RISK YOUTHS BENEFITS AGAIN FROM BASS PRO RANDY HOWELL’S BOAT GIVEAWAY
|
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (November 14, 2024) – With the 2024 bass tournament season now complete, noted pro bass angler Randy Howell is once again doing his part to support King’s Home by donating his fully-rigged boat during the ‘Randy Howell Hope Festival & Boat Giveaway’ this Saturday, Nov. 16. This is Howell’s 14th year working with King’s Home and it programs to help troubled youth and mothers. Over those years, the efforts with the boat giveaway has raised more than $3.1 million to provide refuge, hope, and assistance to thousands of abused youth and women. Taking place at King’s Home Lake in Chelsea, Ala., “the fishing rodeo and outdoor event is the highlight of the year for the kids living in the homes at King’s Home, and we’re hoping you’ll help us make memories that’ll last a lifetime,” said Howell. A $100 tax-deductible donation will give anyone interested in a chance to win his boat, and the winner does not have to present to win. To purchase tickets – up through noon on Nov. 16 - and more information about the event, visit the King’s Home website at https://www.kingshome.com/ |
|
|
Howell notes fishing will begin at 10am this Saturday, Nov. 16, concluding at 1:45pm CST with the drawing for Howell’s fully-rigged Triton bass boat taking place at 2pm CST. The drawing will be live-streamed at www.facebook.com/ “We would love to have as many junior high and high school fishing team members in attendance as possible, as it's a great opportunity to help give back to the local community and help kids that may never get to go fishing like we do,” Howell said. “These kids from King’s Home look forward to this event because it's the only day they get personal attention from expert fishing team members like you all!” Follow the link to donate online - https://www.kingshome.com/ |
|
B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series schedule set for 2025
Nov. 14, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. officials have announced the 2025 Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance schedule, and the slate features some of the hottest bass fisheries in America to give anglers the opportunity to qualify for the Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Lowrance and a shot at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
“We're thrilled to unveil the 2025 Bass Nation tournament schedule, featuring an exciting lineup of iconic fisheries and new locations that will challenge and inspire our anglers,” said GL Compton, tournament manager for the B.A.S.S. Nation. “Each venue has been carefully chosen to showcase diverse fishing conditions and vibrant communities, providing opportunities for competition and camaraderie at every level. We can't wait to see what this season holds and are looking forward to the unforgettable moments that lie ahead on the road to the championship.”
The 2025 season will kick off March 12-14 at Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala. Pickwick hosted the 2022 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship, where Bassmaster Elite Series angler Will Davis Jr. won with 43 pounds, 8 ounces.
The qualifiers will then head west to Lake Eufaula in Eufaula, Okla., April 9-11. The St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN last visited Eufaula in June of 2024, where Easton Fothergill weighed in 52-8 over three days of competition to take the victory, and Nation anglers will find ample bassing opportunities on the largest lake in Oklahoma; the body of water covers 105,500 surface acres and features 800 miles of shoreline.
The third qualifier is scheduled for the James River in Richmond, Va., April 23-25, where Nation anglers will get a rare chance to compete on Virginia’s largest river. Although the James has hosted numerous Opens events in the past, there has not been a B.A.S.S. Nation event held there in more than 10 years.
The July 16-18 Lake Erie qualifier in Monroe, Mich., will be the last of the season and promises to provide anglers with ample opportunities for healthy limits.
“Explore Monroe is thrilled to host the B.A.S.S. Nation qualifier at Sterling State Park,” said Cody Cooper, director of event coordination and education for Explore Monroe. “This event highlights Monroe County’s exceptional outdoor recreation and the beauty of our Great Lakes shoreline. We can’t wait to welcome competitors and spectators alike for a memorable experience.”
Both individual B.A.S.S. Nation anglers and club members from each state will be able to enter national qualifier events, with the top finishers advancing to the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. Additionally, club anglers will be able to qualify directly from their state tournaments to the championship.
The 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship is slated for Oct. 22-25 on the familiar Upper Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis., where anglers will target feisty smallmouth in current in pursuit of the $50,000 first-place cash prize that accompanies the title of B.A.S.S. Nation champion.
The Top 3 anglers from the overall standings will compete in the 2026 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour. Also, the winning angler will be named the Nation’s Best, punch their ticket to the 2026 Elite Series and enjoy the use of a fully rigged Nitro boat. The second- and third-place finishers and nonboater champion will each earn paid entry fees for all divisions of the St. Croix Bassmaster Opens presented by SEVIIN with the opportunity to qualify for the Elite Series.
For more information on registration, visit Bassmaster.com/b-a-s-s-
2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Schedule
March 12-14 Pickwick Lake Florence, Ala.
April 9-11 Lake Eufaula Eufaula, Okla.
April 23-25 James River Richmond, Va.
July 16-18 Lake Erie
2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Championship
Oct. 22-25 Upper Mississippi River La Crosse, Wis.
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Title Sponsor: Mercury
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Presenting Sponsor: Lowrance
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew's, Lowrance, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
2024 Bassmaster Nation Series Youth Sponsors: Seaguar, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, cgay@bassmaster.
Under Armour signs with B.A.S.S. as presenting sponsor of 2025 Bassmaster Classic
Nov. 14, 2024
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — B.A.S.S. and Under Armour, Inc., a global innovator in performance athletic and outdoor apparel, footwear and accessories, are proud to announce a new partnership for the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic in Fort Worth, Texas. Under Armour will be the presenting sponsor of the biggest show in bass fishing. The collaboration brings together two iconic brands and sets the stage for an epic world championship event.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with B.A.S.S. to bring the Bassmaster Classic to Texas,” said Sean Eggert, senior vice president of sports marketing at Under Armour. “Under Armour has a strong tradition of producing innovative outdoor products for the best athletes in the world, and the Bassmaster Classic is the pinnacle of bass fishing, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to take our support for the sport to its biggest stage."
At the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour, Under Armour will introduce their innovative UA Fish Elite apparel line. This collection is designed to tackle one of the biggest gear challenges faced by anglers — sun protection. Featuring the lightest fabric ever created by Under Armour, the line offers 40+ UPF sun protection and superior moisture-wicking capabilities, ensuring anglers stay cool, dry, protected and comfortable in the most demanding conditions. Attendees will also get a chance to experience the UA Shoreman Deck Boot, winner of the “Best New Footwear” award at the 2024 ICAST sportfishing trade show.
Under Armour will also offer exciting experiences for attendees, including:
- Custom T-shirt Printing: Visit the UA booth to choose a design and watch your custom T-shirt come to life as your shirt is pressed.
- UA Freedom Day (Saturday): Under Armour will honor first responders and military personnel with special discounts at their booth, along with a live national anthem performance by Purple Heart recipient JP Lane at the weigh-in ceremony.
- Giant Shoreman Deck Boot: Fans can visit the arena lobby to see a giant, Texas-sized replica of the UA Shoreman Deck Boot and enter for a chance to win one of 30 pairs, with 10 winners announced daily.
- Exclusive Giveaways: Each day, fans will have the chance to go home with special prizes.
- UA Fish Athletes: Fans will have a chance to get up close and personal with some of the top anglers, including reigning Progressive Insurance Bassmaster Angler of the Year Chris Johnston, his brother and fellow Elite Series angler Cory Johnston and other special guests.
“We couldn’t be happier to announce Under Armour as the presenting sponsor for the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “As companies, we are committed to being leaders and innovators in our respective industries; now we will share the largest stage together at the Super Bowl of Bass Fishing in Texas in 2025 before what could be a record-setting crowd of the most passionate and devoted fans in professional fishing.”
The Bassmaster Classic is sportfishing’s most iconic event, and fans were paying attention at the 2024 Classic in Tulsa, Okla. The world championship of bass fishing exploded on social media, setting records for impressions (22 million), video views (6.5 million) and engagements (2.2 million). Fans also streamed 28 million minutes of content across Bassmaster LIVE digital platforms, and live coverage on FOX and FS1 reached 3.8 million viewers across the two days of coverage on those networks. Following the success of the 2024 season, the final two days — Saturday and Sunday — of the 2025 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour will be broadcast live on FOX with expanded coverage.
2025 Bassmaster Classic Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
2025 Bassmaster ClassicPresenting Sponsor: Under Armour 2025 Bassmaster Classic Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2025 Bassmaster Classic
Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha 2025 Bassmaster Classic
Outdoors Expo Presenting Sponsor: GSM Outdoors 2025 Bassmaster Classic Local Partner: Anderson Merchandisers, BDS Suspension, Cavender's, MAXAM Tire, TNT Fireworks
2025 Bassmaster Classic Host: Fort Worth Sports Commission
About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore, Md., is a leading inventor, marketer and distributor of branded athletic performance apparel, footwear and accessories. Designed to empower human performance, Under Armour's innovative products and experiences are engineered to make athletes better. For further information, please visit about.underarmour.com
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting-edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series presented by SEVIIN, Mercury B.A.S.S. Nation Qualifier Series presented by Lowrance, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series scored by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic presented by Under Armour.
-30-
Connect with #Bassmaster on Facebook, Instagram, Twitte
r and TikTok. Media Contact: Chad Gay, Communications Manager, 205-313-0945, c[email protected]
Montevallo University takes Tackle Warehouse School of the Year Title for Third Time in Four Years
| BENTON, Ky. (Nov. 13, 2024) – The race for Tackle Warehouse School of the Year Presented by QuikTrip goes down to the wire nearly every year, and 2024 was no exception – the points were tight at the top. Lately, the University of Montevallo wins almost every year, too, and that stayed true. After finishing second to Auburn University in 2023, the Falcons got back on top of the standings for the third time in the last four seasons.
Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI has continued to grow, and with the institution of a national schedule in 2024, competition for School of the Year was very concentrated. All told, five different teams accumulated more than 1,700 points, with the two best finishes from three events counting toward the total. For Montevallo, that meant the team earned points at Table Rock, Lake Guntersville and Lake Chickamauga. At Table Rock, Nicholas Dumke and Easton Fothergill won the event with James Dubose and Daylon Milam finishing third. There, Montevallo put three other teams in the Top 20, including Peyton Harris and Dalton Head, who won last year’s National Championship. Later in the season, Logan Plueger and Charlie Wright finished sixth at Guntersville, with Dumke and Fothergill finishing ninth. To wrap up the season and edge out the University of North Alabama, Montevallo knocked their lights out at Chickamauga. Finishing second was the team of Connor Bell and Dumke, with Miller Dowling and Mason Kornegay finishing third. Incredibly, though it didn’t matter for points, Montevallo put five more teams in the Top 20 – a tour de force to prove the strength and depth of the program. |
|
| William Crawford, the Outdoor Scholars Program Director and Head Fishing Coach at Montevallo, has helped mold the fishing program into one of if not the best in the country. Folding the bass fishing team into the President’s Outdoor Scholars program in 2015 gave it more resources, and Crawford has since recruited a team of stars from all over the country.
“Our guys have bought in to this process that that we’ve laid out over the last four or five years,” Crawford said. “It’s just a special group to be around, and it’s fun to sit back and watch them perform. We have such a diverse group of guys that it really doesn’t matter where we go. It seems like somebody always figures it out.” While Montevallo has produced some real bass fishing stars lately, the foremost among them, Fothergill, credits the coach. “Since the year before I got there — it would have been the ‘19 season — they’ve had a pretty solid team, and that’s mainly due to the coach, William Crawford, being able to recruit from every corner of the country,” said Fothergill, who is from Minnesota. “It just brings so much knowledge to one school and one team, and we’re all able to bounce ideas off each other and really learn. I think that’s the main reason why the team has had so much success.” Crawford also credits recruiting and building a team-first atmosphere. “I think it has a lot to do with just the guys that we bring in,” Crawford said. “They fit the mold for what we try to do and accomplish. So, it’s just finding the right guys that fit our program and the way we try to run and operate things.” This year, while Montevallo was on fire in the college ranks, their highfliers also did well at higher levels. Fothergill won two Bassmaster Opens, and Head made it into the Knockout Round of REDCREST on Lay Lake – a testament to how deep the talent pool is at Montevallo, and perhaps college fishing in general. Dumke, who is in his fifth year on the team and pursuing a MBA, has seen a lot in college fishing and said this year was exceptional. “It was a fun one,” Dumke said. “It was one of the hardest ones I can think of in my time being there. It’s crazy what the competition level has come to. Everybody is really putting teams together that are competing at the highest level, and kids are really kicking out crazy bags. It seems like it’s getting better and better every single year. We had to work for it at every single event.” Like many collegiate anglers, Dumke has had an irreplaceable experience. “The best decision I’ve ever made was to go to Montevallo,” he said. “What William has done with the program is absolutely incredible. The guys that are there, I’ve truly made a bunch of lifetime friends, guys that I’ll be talking to for a long, long time. It’s meant the world to me, and it’s definitely the best decision I’ve ever made.” The top 10 school in the 2024 Tackle Warehouse School of the Year standings finished: 1st: University of Montevallo – 1,782 points Full 2024 standings can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com. The complete 2025 Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI schedule, rules and payouts are available online at MajorLeagueFishing.com. Registration for the 2025 season opens on Dec. 9, 2024. Fields are capped at 250 boats per tournament. Teams can register at MajorLeagueFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000. Proud sponsors of MLF Abu Garcia College Fishing Presented by YETI include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota and YETI. For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular College Fishing updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. About Major League Fishing |
March Madness at Casa Vieja Lodge
Are you planning a spring break trip? If so, get on the ball on and consider Casa Vieja Lodge in Guatemala. March of 2024 was a banner month for sailfish at Casa Vieja. That’s not surprising, because March is almost always a time of calm seas, perfect weather, and hefty fish counts, but this year there were a few days that were beyond exceptional.
Most notably, on March 9th, the Pica Más raised 88 sailfish, convinced 80 of them to bite, and brought 60 of them to the boat. It wasn’t like they were a complete outlier, though. The Hooker raised 75 and released 40 that day. Both boats also caught mahi, which enabled them to have the freshest lunch possible. I’m not sure that my arms and back could handle that type of constant strain, but I’m willing to find out.
Those weren’t the only great days. On March 24th, seven boats went out and landed between 19 and 36 sails each. The next day, the three boats that fished landed between 23 and 29. Over the course of the month, there were more “boat days” with double-digit releases than single digit releases. Where else can that happen?
The fleet also targeted other species, such as snapper, grouper and tuna. As noted above, mahi are a tasty bycatch. There were also quite a few striped and black marlin in the spreads. They’re not guaranteed, but they do show up with some regularity.
If you think that’s an aberration, you need only return to past years to see the incredible numbers that March can yield. For example, on March 28th of 2023, four boats landed between 21 and 39 sails. Shortly before that, on the 17th, The Hooker went 78/71/43, while the seven other boats that went out landed between 25 and 48 sails apiece. The Day before, the Makaira had 57, and three other boats had over 30.
Of course, past results are no guarantee of future success, but the March bite seems to be consistently good and reliable. If you don’t believe me, just check CVL’s historical reports.
Just be sure to book as soon as possible! Remember, not only is March a well-known producer of huge numbers of sailfish, but it’s also when a lot of families have spring breaks that enable them to travel together. Email Hanna asap if you’d like to get the process started. You don’t want to miss out on a near-triple-digit day because you waited too long.
MLF’s General Tire Team Series Set to Wrap Season with Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches Next Week in Florida’s Indian River County
Bass Pro Tour anglers compete as two-man teams on unknown east-central Florida waters in the season's final Team Series event, with all six days livestreamed and filmed for Outdoor Channel
VERO BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 11, 2024) – Twenty-four of the best professional anglers in the world will be visiting one of America’s happiest seaside locations, next week. Major League Fishing (MLF) is bringing the 2024 General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops to Indian River County, Florida, next week, Nov. 17-22, for the fourth and final Team Series event of the season – the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches.
Hosted by Visit Indian River County and Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism, the Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will feature 12 two-man teams of professional anglers from the Bass Pro Tour competing at fisheries in the region that are unknown to the competitors until they arrive to the launch ramp each morning.
“Indian River County is beyond excited to host the General Tire Team Series Summit Cup and offer up our beautiful area to the many fishermen participating in this tournament,” said Ben Earman, Vice President of Tourism & Marketing for Visit Indian River County. “We are honored to have been the chosen location and to feature the areas of our County that make it so special.”
The General Tire Team Series is livestreamed daily, meaning every cast and every catch is covered live and fans can watch teammates work together to break down a new body of water in real time. The MLFNOW! broadcast is livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and on Rumble. The broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live on all six days of competition at the Summit Cup from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET.
In keeping with traditional MLF Cup protocols, Indian River County, Florida was not revealed to Team Series anglers until 30 days prior to the start of the tournament. All fishable waters within 60 miles of Vero Beach, Florida, then went off limits to anglers. Fans watching the MLFNOW! livestream will find out the day’s competition waters right along with the anglers each morning, and then watch all the action unfold live as teams work together and share their knowledge as they compete for the Summit Cup and to claim a part of a season-long purse of more than $720,000.
“Most places in the country, fishing gets tougher in the fall. But not in Florida,” said pro Terry “Big Show” Scroggins of San Mateo, Florida, who will be competing alongside fellow pro Britt Myers for Team Lucas Oil. “Florida seems to fish better in the fall, so this is going to be a really fun tournament. The potential is there to see some really big days on the water.
“There are a ton of fisheries in play that we could be headed to,” Scroggins continued. “Things could get a little bit tricky, but for the most part I think we’ll be doing a lot of grass fishing next week – targeting pads, hydrilla and eel grass. Typical ‘Florida’ stuff.”
Scroggins said that he expects vibrating jigs, topwater baits and flipping baits all to be strong options for the teams competing.
“Those are the three baits that I’ll have tied on to start,” Scroggins said. “With the MLF format, it’s important to not get too far behind. The key will be finding the schools and getting on them… and then finding the schools that have the big ones.”
Scroggins said that he’s also very excited to share the boat for the first time in a competition with his travel partner Myers.
“I’ve roomed with Britt on Tour for a few years, and we’ve always gotten along great,” Scroggins said. “I think we’re going to be fine. I’ve never been in a team tournament with him, but he’s a great angler and a great guy and I am excited to see what we can find.”
The 12 teams that will compete in the General Tire Team Series Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches in Indian River County, Florida, are:
Team 7 Brew Coffee:
Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla.
Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark.
Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn.
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.
Team Builders FirstSource:
Nick Hatfield, Greeneville, Tenn.
Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan
Team Coign:
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill.
Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C.
Team Ferguson:
Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.
Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Team Knighten Industries:
Brandon Coulter, Knoxville, Tenn.
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky.
Team Kubota:
John Murray, Spring City, Tenn.
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
Team Lucas Oil:
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C.
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.
Team REDCON1:
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.
Jason Vance, Battle Ground, Ind.
Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches:
Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.
Josh Bertrand, Queen Creek, Ariz.
Team Star Tron:
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala.
Team U.S. Air Force:
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.
Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La.
The MLF General Tire Team Series Bass Pro Shops Summit Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches will also air on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting May 10, 2025, airing from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. The complete television schedule for the 2024 General Tire Team Series on Outdoor Channel will be posted at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Proud sponsors of the MLF General Tire Team Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Barbasol, Bass Boat Technologies, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, Builders FirstSource, C-MAP, Coign, Epic Baits, Ferguson, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Knighten Industries, Kubota, Lowrance, Lucas Oil, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Nitro Boats, Onyx, Plano, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala Baits, REDCON1, Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff, Star brite, Toyota, USAA, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the General Tire Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Hayden Marbut Wins 2024 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Bass Boat Technologies on Wheeler Lake
Standout collegiate angler for Auburn University reels in $235K with three-day total of 57 pounds, 12 ounces
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Nov. 9, 2024) – Bass Pro Tour angler Keith Poche gave it a great run, but in the end, it was 21-year-old Hayden Marbut of Birmingham, Alabama, that stole the show at the 2024 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Bass Boat Technologies on Wheeler Lake . Weighing 21 pounds, 6 ounces on Day 1, the young Alabama pro set the bar high, and he stayed on the gas all the way. Weighing 19-10 on Day 2 kept him within striking distance after Poche dropped an incredible 27-pound stringer, and when the shallow-water expert faltered on Day 3, Marbut was there with 16-12 for a 57-12 total and the win.
Earning $235,000 for his efforts, the win also qualified him for REDCREST on Lake Guntersville, which happens to be his home lake. Marbut has now banked $345,555 on the year in Toyota Series winnings alone – a spectacular amount of money for a 21-year-old and more than many pros win in several years. Of course, a hefty proportion of that is in the form of Phoenix MLF Bonus earnings, which he cashed in on twice this year.
Still, while the money spends, Marbut isn’t just in it for a cash grab – he has as much passion for tournament fishing as you can.
“It's unbelievable,” he said. “You know, I said during practice, ‘I want this one’. I want to make REDCREST, and for it all come together the way it did, it’s just unbelievable. I was able to stay calm all week – it was a little bit more stressful today, but I just kinda went fishing the first two days. I didn't even feel like I was fishing the tournament. It was just like I was out there having fun, and everything was just falling into place. I just cannot believe it.”
Marbut fished all week along bluffs that were on the main lake near the mouth of the Elk River. While a bunch of pros ran a very similar pattern closer to the dam, most of them ended up faltering, and losing ground to anglers plying the flats. That would not be the case for Marbut. When he won the Toyota Series Central Division event this winter at Lake Guntersville, he did it on bluffs as well, which meant he was extremely comfortable with the program.
“Honestly, I pretty much figured it out the first day I came out here in pre-practice,” he said. “I had, like, 20 pounds three weeks ago when it was it was colder, and there was more fish on it. And, it was what I love to fish, you know, similar to how I won Guntersville, and I was kinda stubborn after that.”
He tried the flats, marked some brush, and did other things. But, the first taste of Wheeler ended up being the best plan.
“I understand current, you know, how it affects different places down the lake, and current was definitely a major factor,” he said. “I was looking for the most obvious textbook stuff I could find: big channel swings, any point that stuck out into the river, anywhere a smallmouth could just pull up and feed. I wanted to have as many high-percentage areas as I could.”
Though plenty of pros ran bluffs for smallmouth, the zone of the lake that Marbut ended up in was key in his estimation.
“I had one main area, but in practice and pre-practice, down by the dam was better for me,” Marbut explained. “But throughout the week I noticed those fish down there were getting pounded on pretty hard, and it's clear water. Those fish are super smart, they're big smallmouth, mostly down there.
“So, I bounced around the Elk and made that my home,” he said. “It had a little bit more stained water. And it’s one of the biggest channel swings in the lake that right above the Elk, and it just seems like a good place.”
Despite putting himself in the best part of the lake and knowing what to throw, it still wasn’t a walk in the park. Catching four smallmouth and one meanmouth on Day 1, Marbut added in more largemouth every day after that, fishing mostly the same sorts of areas.
To do well every day required precise presentations and finely honed tackle.
“Especially the first day for the smallmouth, I definitely had to lead them, because they're swimming so fast,” he said. “They're hard to hit. You get one chance. If they see it out the corner of their eye and you hesitate and don't present it right, they're never gonna come up there and eat.”
For his tackle, Marbut used a Picasso Tungsten Ball Head, mostly in the 3/16-ounce size, several minnows, and a 6-foot, 10-inch, medium light G. Loomis NRX+ spinning rod and a few Shimano spinning reels. At Guntersville, Marbut used a 12-inch Garmin ECHOMAP, but he upgraded to a Garmin 1643xsv on his new boat, though kept mostly the same settings.
“I ran the blue color palette at Guntersville, but with the 16, I was running amber,” he revealed. “That’s kind of the stock pallet, and that's what I like mostly. And, for settings, I was running 30-foot depth and 90-foot out, really, like, the same exact settings as Guntersville.”
On the final day, Marbut showed off why he’s been such a force in tournaments, from his college days at Auburn to now. In addition to a mastery of modern fishing, he’s got a real knack for all the other things that make tournaments hard.
With the bluff bite lagging a little on the final day, Marbut caught his kicker off brush he’d marked weeks ago.
“I found it in pre-practice and caught one fish out of it,” he said of the fateful pile. “Today, I was running around the lake, and I was like, maybe I should hit that. So, I pulled over there, and I caught that 4-pounder. I couldn't even see it in there. I was just working my bait through it, and all of a sudden, it loaded up. That one settled me down a lot.”
Then, not knowing that Poche had failed to follow up his Day 2 success, Marbut pushed to the end, putting miles on the trolling motor while others were running back.
“The last day of pre-practice, I put in here at Ditto, and I ran all the way to the dam, and I put a stop sign every 10 minutes,” Marbut said. “So I knew exactly how much time I needed going 60 miles an hour, and I figured I'd be a little faster just to be safe. I timed it all out, and wanted to make sure I had a pretty bulletproof system, where I wasn't gonna screw anything up.”
After hoisting the trophy, locking in REDCREST and picking up the big check, it’s safe to say that Marbut didn’t screw up.
The top 25 pros at the 2024 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Bass Boat Technologies on Wheeler Lake finished:
1st: Hayden Marbut, Birmingham, Ala., 15 bass, 57-12, $235,000
2nd: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 15 bass, 52-10, $50,300
3rd: Laker Howell, Guntersville, Ala., 15 bass, 50-4, $30,000
4th: Austin Swindle, Parrish, Ala., 15 bass, 48-12, $35,000
5th: Ethan Fields, Breese, Ill., 15 bass, 46-11, $30,000
6th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 15 bass, 44-4, $14,000
7th: Brock Reinkemeyer, Warsaw, Mo., 15 bass, 44-3, $13,000
8th: Levi Thibodaux, Thibodaux, La., 15 bass, 42-10, $22,000
9th: Zane Parker, Kingwood, Texas, 15 bass, 42-9, $11,000
10th: Kennie Steverson, Umatilla, Fla., 15 bass, 41-4, $20,000
11th: Mike Raber, Elkhart, Ind., 15 bass, 40-15, $14,500
12th: Jeremy Gordon, Rutledge, Tenn., 14 bass, 40-11, $4,500
13th: Dillon Falardeau, Hixson, Tenn., 13 bass, 40-4, $4,500
14th: Britt Myers Jr., Lake Wylie, S.C., 15 bass, 40-0, $4,500
15th: Caleb Kuphall, Mukwonago, Wis., 15 bass, 39-15, $4,500
16th: Matteo Turano, Puryear, Tenn., 15 bass, 38-6, $3,500
17th: Chad Mrazek, Montgomery, Texas, 15 bass, 38-1, $3,500
18th: Jack Daniel Williams, Kingsport, Tenn., 12 bass, 37-2, $3,500
19th: Mitchell Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 12 bass, 37-1, $3,500
20th: Mickey Beck, Lebanon, Tenn., 13 bass, 36-6, $3,500
21st: Fisher, Anaya, Eva, Ala., 11 bass, 31-3, $3,000
22nd: Philip Dutra, Arab, Ala., 11 bass, 31-0, $3,000
23rd: Ryan Kirkpatrick, Benton, Ky., 12 bass, 30-6, $3,000
24th: Andrew Campbell, Rama, Ontario, 10 bass, 28-13, $13,000
25th: Jake Lawrence, Buchanan, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-3, $3,000
Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The top-finishing boater from each division (not including the winner) earned a $10,000 bonus for placing highest in the event. Those anglers included:
Central: Austin Swindle, Parrish, Ala., 4th place, $10,000
Northern: Mike Raber, Elkhart, Ind., 3rd place, $10,000
Plains: Ethan Fields, Breese, Ill., 5th place, $10,000
Southern: Kennie Steverson, Umatilla, Fla., 10th place $10,000
Southwestern: Levi Thibodaux, Thibodaux, La., 8th place, $10,000
Western: Todd Kline, San Clemente, Calif., 32nd place, $10,000
Wild Card Bonus: Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala., 2nd place, $10,000
International: Andrew Campbell, Rama, Ontario, Canada, 24th place $10,000
Overall, there were 94 bass weighing 235 pounds, 5 ounces caught by 23 of the final 25 boaters on Saturday. The catch included 16 five-bass limits.
David Bozarth of Montgomery, Texas, brought four bass to the scale weighing 10 pounds, 9 ounces, to win the Strike King co-angler division of the 2024 Toyota Series Championship and earn a new Phoenix 518 pro bass boat with a 115-horsepower Mercury outboard engine, worth $33,500. Bozarth’s three-day total of 10 bass weighing 29-4 earned him the victory by a slim 1-ounce margin over second-place co-angler Keith Honeycutt of Temple, Texas, who weighed in 15 bass weighing 29-3 over the three days of competition, good for the second-place prize of $12,500.
The top 25 Strike King co-anglers at the 2024 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Bass Boat Technologies on Wheeler Lake finished:
1st: David Bozarth, Montgomery, Texas, 10 bass, 29-4, Phoenix 518 pro w/115-hp outboard
2nd: Keith Honeycutt, Temple, Texas, 15 bass, 29-3, $12,500
3rd: Tyler Nekolny, Coral Springs, Fla., 14 bass, 26-15, $10,150
4th: Jeffrey Hamm, Thomasville, Ga., 13 bass, 24-13, $7,500
5th: Brock Blazier, Dunlap, Ill., 14 bass, 24-2, $5,000
6th: Casey Dunn, North Highlands, Calif., 12 bass, 22-8, $4,000
7th: Pop Catalin, Cookeville, Tenn., 12 bass, 22-8, $3,500
8th: Justin Parchman, Oologah, Okla., 14 bass, 22-3, $3,000
9th: Rich Frey, Guntersville, Ala., 12 bass, 20-3, $2,500
10th: Joe Lee, Midlothian, Texas, 10 bass, 19-15, $2,000
11th: Darren Kelly, Wartburg, Tenn., nine bass, 19-13, $1,800
12th: William Lisenby, Centreville, Va., 13 bass, 19-10, $1,500
13th: Stephen Draghi, Sparrow Bush, N.Y., 10 bass, 19-9, $1,500
14th: Jonathan Green, San Pablo, Calif., 10 bass, 19-7, $1,500
15th: Rabih Itani, Granville, Australia, 11 bass, 18-15, $1,500
16th: Steven Schantz, Alexandria, Va., 10 bass, 18-2, $1,000
17th: Matt Krekovich, Granite City, Ill., nine bass, 18-0, $1,000
18th: Justin Hoffman, Hindsville, Ark., seven bass, 17-13, $1,000
19th: Alejandro Morales, San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico, eight bass, 17-7, $1,000
20th: Mike Urbania, Mentor, Ohio, nine bass, 16-9, $1,000
21st: Dennis Young, Olathe, Kan., eight bass, 14-12, $900
22nd: Eric White, Cullman, Ala., six bass, 14-11, $900
23rd: Will Lancett, Jacksonville, Ark., eight bass, 14-7, $900
24th: Jerry Armstrong, Shelbyville, Tenn., seven bass, 14-2, $900
25th: James Steve Burgess, Killen, Ala., nine bass, 13-14, $900
The 2024 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Bass Boat Technologies at Wheeler Lake was hosted by the Huntsville-Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Madison County Commission and the Huntsville Sports Commission. The three-day, no entry championship event featured more than 404 pros and co-anglers from around the world, competing for the top cash award of up to $235,000, plus numerous contingency bonuses.
The 2024 Toyota Series Championship Presented by Bass Boat Technologies will premiere on CBS Sports in 2025.
The full field of anglers competed on Days 1 and 2 of the event, with the top 25 pros and top 25 Strike King co-anglers based on cumulative weight from the first two days continuing to the third and final day. The 2024 Toyota Series champions were determined by the heaviest three-day total weight.
The 2024 Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats consisted of six divisions – Central, Northern, Plains, Southern, Southwestern and Western – each holding three regular-season events, along with the International division and the Wild Card. The highest finishing pro from each division at the championship will claim a $10,000 bonus. The bonus will go to the second-highest finishing pro in the division represented by the overall champion.
The 2024 Toyota Series Championship field featured the top 25 pros, top 25 Strike King co-anglers and tournament winners from each of the six divisions; the top 25 pros and 25 co-anglers from the Wild Card division plus tournament winners; the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each of the six Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regionals and the TBF at the All-American; the top three teams from the College Fishing National Championship; High School Fishing National Champions; TBF National Champions; and MLF International anglers from Australia, Canada, Italy, Mexico, South Africa, Spain and Zimbabwe.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Toyota Series include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, FX Custom Rods, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Simms, Strike King, Suzuki Marine, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Toyota Series updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 17 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
