Tale of the Tape - Sam Rayburn Preview - FLW Pro Circuit Stop #1
Vance McCullough
The Corps of Engineers impounded the Angelina River in the mid 1960’s, giving birth to Lake Sam Rayburn which sprawls over 114,500 surface acres making it the biggest lake wholly contained in the Lone Star State. Fifty-five years later Big Sam still turns out big bass and bunches of them.
Hydrilla is the primary cover as winter bass begin to stage along its inside edge in preparation for a move to the spawning flats in coming weeks.
Here’s the official Texas Parks and Wildlife report on the current state of bass fishing on Rayburn, as of January 1, 2020:
GOOD. Water stained; 57 degrees; 2.31’ low. Largemouth bass are good on Alabama rigs, crankbaits, and plastic worms staying 10 feet and shallower on creek edges.
Sounds about right for this time of year.
The FLW Pro Circuit will visit the famous lake with competition dates stretching from January 23 to January 26.
If conditions are indeed ‘normal’ on Rayburn in late January, look for the traditional ‘trap’ bite in 5 feet or less, which, apparently qualifies as ‘deep’ water for Louisiana guys – check out this quote from Kevin Lasyone of Dry Prong, LA who won the recent BFL on Rayburn: “I was basically fishing grass in three to five feet of water early, then I went shallow and finished out my day.”
‘Three-to-five feet and THEN went shallow’. Ha ha!
The report, courtesy of our friends at FLW Fishing.com, continues: Lasyone said he caught most of his fish on a Rat-L-Trap and a V&M Lures swimbait with a Lazyman weighted swimbait hook. He also added a few keepers with a Yamamoto Senko.
“I think the key to my victory was all of the time that I have spent on Rayburn over the years,” Lasyone went on to say. “The big ones really seemed to pull up when the sun came out, and they were up pretty shallow. I was fishing water that was only about knee deep, but it had to have grass.”
Lasyone won the single day event with 20 pounds, 8 ounces. Nobody else broke the 19-pound mark. And there were 230 boats with co-anglers, so Rayburn isn’t on fire yet. That may be good news for pros who want it to fire off for them later this month.
Word is, the hydrilla is a tad thin and fish are concentrated in predictable areas. This should produce a bunch of 15-to-17-pound bags and a handful of much heavier stringers when the FLW anglers arrive.
Terry Bolton won the FLW tourney on Rayburn last January with a total weight of 91 pounds, 3 ounces over 4 days. His Day 2 catch alone weighed an impressive 33-9. Crankbaits, fished along offshore humps that held grass in about 10 foot depths, were Bolton’s primary weapon.
That event ended on January 10th – a couple of weeks earlier than this year’s tourney and the lake was flooded super high, a confounding riddle that many anglers could not solve.
This year the lake is down a couple of feet. Still, crankbaits and other offshore favorites such as worms – Texas-rigged and Carolina-rigged – should play a big role.
Offbeat tactics will show up as well. Sometimes a guy can win with one. Nick LeBrun made a good charge at Bolton’s lead and finished runner-up with 90-7 by slow-rolling a big spinnerbait that sported a single Colorado blade.
The situation last year was that water got so high on the lowland impoundment that many bass scattered too far back into the woods and anglers could not get a lure in front of them. The ones that stayed offshore were prime for the picking – if you could find them. Big fish were bunched in small spots for those did find them and those guys brought in huge sacks.
Others hauled water.
This year expect a more level leaderboard but exciting weights just the same. The FLW Pro Circuit is about to kick off 2020 – ‘the year of clear vision’ -with a spectacle!
For a detailed look at the lake, check out Anglerschannel.com’s ‘Lakes’ tab. Then see the action unfold on live FLWFishing.com!
Bryan New Wins Bassmaster Eastern Open On Kissimmee Chain
| KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Knowing when to adjust proved essential for Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., who admits he employed a disjointed fishing regimen to win the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open on Florida’s Kissimmee Chain with a three-day total weight of 49 pounds, 8 ounces, cementing a spot in the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk..
“I’ve said it all week, I haven’t been dialed in to one thing, it was junk fishing at its best,” said New, who earned $52,500 and claimed the early lead in the race for the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year award. “I’ve fished a lot in Florida and I’ve never been able to junk fish. But you have five lakes in this chain, and I junk fished three of them (Toho, Cypress and Kissimmee).” New kept himself in the hunt from start to finish. He caught 21-0 on Day 1 to place second and backed that up with a Day 2 limit of 13-7 that put him in third. Catching the heaviest bag of Day 3 — a five-bass limit that weighed 15-1 — pushed him across the finish line with a winning margin of 4-6. New spent part of Day 3 working the offshore hydrilla spot in Lake Toho where he caught part of his big Day 1 catch. The first day saw him locking down to Lake Kissimmee. But when that failed to produce anything significant for him, he decided to maximize his fishing time by spending the next two days in Toho. The junk-fishing mentality came into play when he realized his offshore spot was not going to be enough. From there, he went shallow and bounced from spot to spot in an effort to establish consistency. New caught his bass on a Texas-rigged green pumpkin magic Damiki Stinger, a 1/2-ounce green pumpkin Z-Man ChatterBait with a green pumpkin Zoom Speed Craw and a Greenfish Tackle G2 squarebill in High Rock shad. The latter, he said, proved to be his biggest producer. “That G2 is a balsa bait that floats a lot higher than all the plastic baits, and it’s awesome for cranking this grass,” New said. “I know a lot of people throw (lipless baits) around the grass, and I actually found my main spot by throwing a (lipless bait). But once I switched to that squarebill, I started catching bigger fish.” After two days of warm, stable conditions, Day 3 brought cooler temperatures and blustery winds of up to 20 mph, which muddied the Kissimmee Chain. Before the big winds picked up mid-morning, New got his final day off to a strong start by catching a 6-1 around 7:18 a.m. From there, he said keeping his head down and focusing on productivity dominated his thoughts. “I knew it was a good start, but honestly, I had no idea how big it was,” he said. “I caught it, put it in the livewell and made another cast. It didn’t matter at the time because I knew it wasn’t enough. “I filled my limit about 10 minutes after that and it took me a little while, but I finally culled the 12-incher that was my first fish. After that, I said let’s go try to bust the dirty-30 (a 30-pound limit), but we didn’t do that.” Joshua Stracner of Vandiver, Ala., placed second with 45-2. After placing third on Day 1 with 19-5, Stracner added 12-10 on Day 2 and slipped to seventh. He boosted his performance in the Championship round by adding 13-3. “I had one offshore place — a 50-yard stretch of hydrilla in Lake Toho — and I could only catch them in the first hour or two,” Stracner said. “I’d catch a few of my better fish on a ChatterBait out there and after that, they’d shut down. “They’d start back up later in the day, so in between, I’d go to the bank and punch mats with a junebug Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver and a 1 1/2-ounce weight.” Greg Alexander of Hebron, Md., finished third with 45-2. (Ties are broken by heaviest single day catch.) His was the biggest comeback of the Top 12, as he rebounded from a 34th-place effort on Day 1 and reached the final day in sixth. Alexander turned in daily weights of 13-7, 19-1 and 12-10. “I tried to focus on stuff that didn’t look like everything else,” Alexander said. “There are miles of lily pads, miles of Kissimmee grass, miles of gator grass, big piles of bulrushes, big piles of reeds. So, if I saw a bunch of the same, I’d just keep on going. “I was trying to pinpoint those areas that had a uniqueness to them, or had a really good blend of different vegetation. Then, I’d try to pick out the most isolated cover in that spot.” Alexander caught his bass on a watermelon/green fleck Senko and a junebug Zoom Speed Worm. Jerrod Albright of Kissimmee, Fla., won Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 10-3 largemouth. Don Harvey of Franklin, Tenn., won the co-angler division with 28-2. Entering the Championship round in third place, Harvey added a limit of 8-12. “I was fortunate, I got to do the same thing with my pros each day,” Harvey said. “Every fish I weighed in, I caught on a Megabass 110 Magnum.” Harvey believes the larger profile tempted bigger bites, but he also made sure he was using an effective retrieve. “It was a jerk-jerk-pause,” Harvey said. “Some of the people I was fishing with were really fishing (their baits) fast; I just wanted the fish to have an opportunity to see my bait.” Jeff Queen won the Phoenix Boats Big Bass award among co-anglers with his 8-6. The event was hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission.
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Seaguar® connects with Student Anglers
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(January 7, 2020) – We need more kids and young adults fishing. Those of us who have fished since our youth recognize the joy and fulfillment that accompanies time on the water. More than 80% of adult anglers report that their fishing experiences began as children, so if we want people to fish throughout their lives — and to care about fish, fishing, and the outdoors as adults — we need to start them young. Organized fishing teams and leagues at the high school level are helping to bolster participation by teenagers and young adults, and that’s a good thing – for those participants as individuals, and for the future of fishing as a whole. A pivotal organization in the national youth fishing movement is The Student Angler Federation (SAF), founded in 2007 by The Bass Federation (TBF). In 2019, the Student Angler Federation hosted 63 high school-level events, including the 10th Annual High School Fishing World Finals that featured 405 registered teams from 38 states. The coming year of events promises to be bigger and better than ever. |
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The SAF’s High School Fishing Program works hard to eliminate barriers to participation in fishing and to recognize the accomplishments of their anglers. Indeed, every event on the High School Fishing tournament schedule has NO entry fees for participants, and last year, the prize pool of scholarships awarded to student anglers was a staggering $2.8 million! Beyond an extraordinary experience for all of its participants, the SAF’s National High School Fishing Program positions young adults for success — both on and off the water. |
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Seaguar, the originators of fluorocarbon fishing line, is proud to announce its partnership with the Student Angler Federation in support of the National High School Fishing Programfor 2020. By connecting avid student anglers with the best 100% fluorocarbon lines and leaders and braided main lines available, Seaguar will help them to meet their lofty goals in the boat, in the classroom, and in the community. Kelly Gohman, the Student Angler Federation VP for Sales and Marketing, notes that, “The High School Fishing Program is the best-kept secret in the entire world of competitive fishing. We pride ourselves in providing the best tournament experiences possible, from the pre-event meetings to the final weigh-ins, so that we can attract and retain enthusiastic young anglers and provide them with the opportunity to enjoy the sport of fishing throughout their lives.” “We are excited to welcome Seaguar to our family of partners for 2020,” continued Gohman, “so that all of our anglers can experience the difference that Seaguar lines and leaders can make in their fishing — whether in a tournament or just out for fun with family and friends.” One benefit that student anglers can access immediately is the exclusive Seaguar High School VIP program. Team coaches of any Student Angler Federation club can register for the program online, and then purchase any Seaguar line, leader, or branded apparel for their young anglers at a substantial discount. Now, student anglers can spool up with Seaguar 100% fluorocarbon and braided lines more easily than ever before. Gerry Benedicto, Seaguar General Manager, reflects that, “no matter where we fish or what we’re fishing for, we all measure the success of a trip by the number and size of the fish we catch. 100% Seaguar fluorocarbon leaders and premium braided lines can have an immediate positive impact on success by helping anglers to catch more and bigger fish. Seaguar is excited to partner with the Student Angler Federation for 2020, so that young anglers across the country can experience the difference that Seaguar lines and leaders can make in their tournament success.” |
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“We know that we’re going to see Seaguar anglers carry heavyweight sacks of bass across weigh-in stages in 2020,” continued Benedicto, “but more importantly, we’re also going to witness the thrill of victory and the joy of fishing on scores of young faces, thanks to the efforts of the Student Angler Federation.” |
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The positive impact that organized youth fishing has on anglers, both on and off the water, is undeniable. Hunter Sales, Coach of the Carson-Newman University fishing team, asserts that, “competitive fishing is great for the development of students at all levels. Not only are they learning to become better anglers, but they are also learning valuable life lessons – especially how to work as a team. As these young anglers get older, and perhaps compete at the collegiate level or simply enjoy recreational fishing as an adult, their memories of traveling, competing, and fun days on the water with their friends will be priceless.” “Terrific lines like Seaguar Red Label fluorocarbon and Seaguar Smackdown braided line have put our anglers in position to catch some giant bass under challenging circumstances,” continued Sales. “and have helped us leap from 66th to 11th place in our overall team-of-the-year standings.” Those are positive results that any competitive angler — at the high school, collegiate, or professional levels — can easily appreciate! |
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We need to encourage more young adults to be involved in fishing. It’s good for our sport, it’s good for us, but above all, it’s good for them. Seaguar is proud to partner with the Student Angler Federation and the National High School Fishing Program to help increase young anglers’ access to the outdoors, and we anxiously await the parade of big bass and young Seaguar anglers across weigh-in stages in 2020. To learn more about the Seaguar Scholastic Program — Click HERE. |
A Year to Remember: Chris Zaldain on his 2019 Campaign with Minn Kota and Humminbird
Courtesy of Gunpowder
In his 8th season, Chris Zaldain laid down a performance for the story books in the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series. With three 2nd place finishes, five top tens, a 4th place finish in Angler of the Year points and the most total weight caught throughout the season, Zaldain had the kind of year most anglers only dream of. The fact that the 2019 season was his first running the One-Boat Networkä with Minn Kotaâ and Humminbirdâ products should be no surprise and was quickly credited by the Texas pro as an instrumental factor in his success.
“The most advantageous piece of equipment I had on my boat this year was no doubt the Humminbird 360 Imagingâand a close second was LakeMasterâ mapping,” explained Zaldain.
“I had three second-place finishes this year, and the one that sticks out the most to me was my second-place finish at Lake Lanier. I was catching huge spotted bass, a lot of which were suspended over trees in literally 50 to 60 feet of water. I was getting my bites in 40 to 50 feet of water. There is absolutely no way I would have had the confidence to fish that program without 360 Imaging.”
Zaldain went on to emphasize how the Humminbird technologies have changed his technique this season. Originally a California kid, he comes from a Western background, so he has always felt somewhat comfortable fishing off the bank in deep, clear water. But he felt especially confident out there this year.
“360 Imaging absolutely changed the way I fish. I spent a vast majority of my time fishing off the bank. I don't remember in eight years of tournament fishing where I spent the majority of my time out there. But with 360 Imaging, nothing was able to hide from me at any point, which gave me the confidence to stay out in those unpressured areas,” offered Zaldain.
It can be challenging to stay out in those unpressured areas for long periods of time. Zaldain explained how useful his Minn Kota Ultrexä trolling motor was when it came to locking in on perfect offshore fishing spots. “The Spot-Lockäfeature on my Minn Kota Ultrex was another huge contributor to my confidence in unpressured areas this tournament season. Once I found offshore spots I liked, I was able to accurately lock my boat to the exact pin-pointed area without fail,” commented Zaldain. “All I had to do was push a button on my Ultrex, and Spot-Lock made sure my boat didn’t drift from the hot spots I found. If I needed to move or adjust, I was able to do so with ease using the Jog feature moving my Spot-Lock position in 5 foot increments to where I needed to be.”
But it wasn’t just 360 Imaging or the Ultrex with Spot-Lock that took his confidence to the next level. Combining these products with Humminbird LakeMaster mapping offered new locations and destinations he could be confident in, helping him take home third place at the Saint Lawrence River.
“This was my fourth year competing on the Saint Lawrence, but it was so different than years prior. LakeMaster mapping exposed areas that I’d never seen before and I was able to commit to a long 90-mile run to the mouth of Lake Ontario. Covering 180 miles each day only left me with five or so hours to fish, you need to be confident to be able to settle in on one area so far away from the ramp. Relying on LakeMaster’s pinpoint accuracy and confirming what I saw with 360 Imaging gave me enough confidence to stay down there. I found humps and drop-offs I hadn’t seen before and was able to get a few extra bites and take home that 3rd place finish.”
An extra bite or two can make a world of difference in tournament fishing. LakeMaster mapping was key to helping Zaldain and others on the Humminbird team find areas where they could connect on those key bites and secure top finishes this year. The ability to accurately select your casting locations once on the spot also saves casts and is giving today’s competitive anglers the ability to use their time more efficiently on the water.
“A lot of times this year I would find myself fishing in the same areas as Keith Combs, Seth Feider and other guys who also run the LakeMaster chip. Certain hot-spot areas stick out like a sore thumb to those guys. But others who were running different mapping cards just couldn’t find those areas. Being able to locate hot areas that other guys couldn’t led those of us on the Humminbird team to some really, really solid finishes.”
Zaldain placed in the top 10 the majority of his 33 competition days this year, including the three second place finishes he mentioned, and one third-place finish. He attributes this success not only to Humminbird 360 imaging and the LakeMaster chip, but also his use of some of the connected capabilities of the One-Boat Network.
“This was the first time in my Elite Series career that my electronics, trolling motor, and shallow water anchors all talk to each other, and it made my life a whole lot easier. Wherever I was at in my boat, I could look down at a screen, see waypoints that I placed and get to work. When you can control your Ultrexä trolling motor or Talons right from any Humminbird unit, it really unlocks a new level of efficiency. Even in my first season using these products, I quickly came to learn how to get the most out of the network.”
Looking back at Zaldain’s 2019 Elite Series season, efficiency and execution are two words that come to mind. Four top five finishes confirm this was his most successful year in tournament fishing thus far.
“This was an amazing year,” finished Zaldain. “But I truly believe I’ve only begun to scratch the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the capabilities of the One-Boat Network. I’m already working on rigging my boat for 2020 and you can bet I’ll be putting the best from both Minn Kota and Humminbird back to work on the Elite Series next season.”
AC Insider Rookie Podcast with FLW Pro Circuit Rookies Lane Olson and Barron Adams
Professor Duran is back in class this week talking to FLW Pro Circuit Rookies Lane Olson and Barron Adams. Two young up and comers who will want to keep your eye on beginning next week on Sam Rayburn. Check it out and meet your 2020 Rookie Class
Brandon Palaniuk and Brent Ehrler Return to SIMMS
BOZEMAN, Mont. (Jan. 16, 2020) – Simms Fishing Products, the preeminent manufacturer of waders, outerwear, footwear, and technical apparel in fishing, today announced the homecoming of two major figures in the bass fishing industry with the signing of Brandon Palaniuk (Rathdrum, ID) and Brent Ehrler (Redlands, CA), rounding out an already impressive roster that spans all three Tours, Open and Series level anglers.
“Welcoming Brandon and Brent back into the Simms family was one of the easiest decisions of my career,” said Patterson Leeth, Simms Community Manager. “We are beyond stoked to see them back representing the Simms brandmark.”
Palaniuk’s move to the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2020 means he’ll be joining forces with Simms Elite Series pro, Seth Feider. Feider is coming off an impressive win on Lake St. Clair and a 5th place finish in Angler of the Year (AOY) points in 2019. Palaniuk will also be joining Jeff Gustafson (Kenora, Ontario) who finished his rookie season on the Elite series in 2019 with a 28th place finish in AOY points. Based on their performance in 2019, both Feider and Gustafson solidified competing spots in the 50th Annual Bassmaster Classic being held March 6-8th on one of bass fishing’s most prolific bodies of water, Alabama’s Lake Guntersville.
“Over the years, I’ve learned that you simply can’t put a price on quality gear when protecting yourself from what Mother Nature throws your way. As anglers we are exposed to some of the harshest elements and there’s no room for sacrifice. Growing up in Idaho I’ve been a fan of Simms since I was a kid because of their great people and products. Needless to say, I’m beyond excited to join this amazing brand.”
Ehrler finished 3rd overall in 2019 on the Bass Pro Tour and will join fellow Simms Pros, Aaron Martens (Leeds, Alabama), Ish Monroe (Oakdale, CA), Casey Ashley (Donalds, SC), Brett Hite (Phoenix, AZ), Cody Meyer (Auburn, CA ), Shaw Grigsby ( Gainesville, FL), James Elam (Tulsa, OK) and Gary Klein (Mingus, TX) in their quest for the RedCrest Cup.
When asked about his decision to return to the Simms brand, Ehrler stated, “I just spent a few days at Simms’ headquarters in Bozeman, MT. Afer my visit, I’ve come to realize that a brand is only as good as the people behind it. I’ve always known Simms product is the best, but I just have to reiterate, the people at Simms truly make it shine.”
In addition to the return of Palaniuk and Ehrler to the Simms squad, John Cox (Debary, FL) will also be joining the Simms team. Aside from his angling prowess, Cox has made a name for himself by pushing the envelope of what’s possible and never being afraid to roll the dice when a win is within reach. He’s currently the only angler at the tour level competing in both the Elite Series and the FLW Pro Circuit.
“When you fish as many tournaments as I do, one thing is for sure, you’re going to face a lot of bad weather,” said Cox. “I can’t afford to not use the most reliable equipment there is and when it comes to rain gear, there’s no doubt in my mind, it’s Simms.”
In addition to Palaniuk and Ehrler, and Cox, Elite Series rookie, Bob Downey (Hudson, WI) will also be representing Simms at the 50th Annual Bassmaster Classic
Falcon Rods Signs On For Bassmaster Opens Angler Of The Year Sponsorship
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Falcon Rods, which has designed and built specialty rods since 1990, has signed on as the first title sponsor for the new Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year Award, B.A.S.S. announced today.
The Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year title will award a $10,000 prize to the overall points winner in the pro division. The top co-angler will have entry fees into the 2021 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens division of their choice paid — a value of approximately $7,200.
“The 2020 Bassmaster Opens are setting up to be among the most competitive in history as some of the top names in our sport try to qualify for the 2021 Elite Series,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “We are thrilled to have Falcon Rods join us in recognizing the best of the best in both the pro and co-angler divisions.”
The 2020 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens features four events in two divisions — Eastern and Central — with the winners of each event earning an automatic berth into the 2021 Bassmaster Classic, provided he or she has fished all four events in that division. The Top 4 anglers from each division’s final points standings will receive an invitation to fish the 2021 Bassmaster Elite Series. As a new addition, Elite Series invitations will also be extended to the Top 4 anglers from the cumulative standings for both divisions for a total of 12 invitations.
Currently, 53 anglers have registered to fish all eight tournaments; however, that is not a requirement for winning the Falcon Rods Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year title.
“We are certainly excited to be part of the first ever Bassmaster Opens Angler of the Year,” said Chris Beckwith, Falcon Rods Vice President of Marketing. “The Opens format is especially interesting with a mix of anglers that includes up and comers and some of the best in the world, like Jason Christie. The race for the Falcon Rods AOY award has the makings for one of the most dramatic competitions in fishing.”
The 2020 Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens kick off this week with the first Eastern Open event on Florida’s renowned Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Jan. 15-17.
Canterbury to represent Fishlife Conservation products on Bassmaster Elite Series
Maplesville, Ala. – January 14, 2020 – Fishlife Fish Care Products, a company dedicated to conservation and protecting bass fishing’s most precious resource, announces the addition of 2019 Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Scott Canterbury to their national pro staff.
Canterbury, who has known the owner of Fishlife, Randall Carter, through his days of competing in local tournaments in the State of Alabama, will represent the entire Fishlife line of fish care products as he competes on the Bassmaster Elite Series, the Bassmaster Opens and other specialty events he competes in locally.
As someone who makes his living competing in professional tournaments, Canterbury knows the importance of protecting the resource. “As someone who makes my living catching fish, I know how important every one of them are, and I am passionate about protecting the resource,” said Canterbury. “A single dead bass could have been the difference between me winning or losing the Angler of the Year title last year; these products will help me keep fish alive and return them to the water unharmed.”
Carter, an avid tournament angler himself echoes those positions, and explains why he wanted to work with Canterbury. “We are extremely excited to have Scott on board with Fishlife Fish Care Products. He is not only one of the best on the water, he is also one of the best people off the water,” said Carter. “Scott will definitely be a huge asset for us and he has some very good ideas. We look forward to working with Scott and we wish him the best of luck fishing this season. We hope his focus can be 100-percent on fishing and not worrying about his limit in the livewells.”
Fishlife Fish Care products can be found at Tackle Warehouse and many independent dealers throughout the country – dealer inquiries are welcome.
About Fishlife Fish Care Products
Fishlife Fish Care Products makes everything to help get your fish to the scales. Owned by Randall and Amanda Carter, they produce fish care treatment chemicals and livewell cleaners, Fin Clips, Fizz Needles and Fish First Aid Treatment, designed to stop bleeding in deeply hooked bass. Information regarding Fishlife Fish Care Products is available at their website, https://fishlifefishcareproducts.com/. Follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Fishlife-Fish-Care-Products-110571530283005/
Briarwood Champions Will Add To List Of Firsts With Bassmaster Classic Appearance
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — When Briarwood Christian School’s Grayson Morris and Tucker Smith went wire-to-wire to bring home the 2019 Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School National Championship presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, they became the first high school team to repeat as national champions. This duo is now set to add another coveted first to their resume when they become the first high school anglers to fish alongside the pros at the iconic Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk in March.
As 53 of the world’s best anglers takeoff to compete on Day 2 of the Bassmaster Classic, they will be led onto the storied waters of Alabama’s Lake Guntersville by Morris and Smith, B.A.S.S. announced today.
Surrounded by friends and family at a pep rally celebrating their National Championship wins, Morris and Smith were surprised to learn that they not only would be fishing on Day 2 and participating in Classic festivities, but that Academy Sports + Outdoors would be providing a specially wrapped boat for their use during Classic Week.
“I'm speechless and so thankful,” said Smith. "It is amazing that we'll be the first high school team in the Classic, and I know we wouldn't be in this position without the support of our families and coaches."
As the realization that they will be participating in the Bassmaster Classic set in, the duo immediately began planning how to make the most of this rare opportunity.
"To be honest, my first thought is how I'm going to catch fish on Guntersville," said Morris. "I never thought I'd be fishing the Classic this spring, but now I want to make sure I learn from the pros while we have the chance."
After spending Saturday on the famed fishery, Morris and Smith will head 75 miles from Lake Guntersville to Birmingham, where their five-fish bag will be weighed-in to the cheers of thousands of enthusiastic fishing fans at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.
“Academy Sports + Outdoors is excited to partner with B.A.S.S. and provide Grayson and Tucker the opportunity to fish alongside the pros on Lake Guntersville,” said Lawrence Lobpries, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Academy Sports + Outdoors. “We’re excited to help grow the sport by not only elevating the 2020 Bassmaster Classic through our title sponsorship, but also promoting youth participation in fishing.”
While the bright lights and big stage of the Classic will be new to the pair, Smith and Morris have already enjoyed a taste of the limelight. The duo appeared as part of a series called Winning Edges — a show produced by high school students to present educational and inspirational video content.
And fellow high school anglers can certainly gain inspiration from this talented team.
The pair enjoy a long list of accolades off the water in recognition of their dedication to conservation and community service projects. Morris and Smith have worked extensively on managing a private lake in their home state, adding fish habitats and baitfish. While Smith has volunteered for years with the Kampfire for the King events benefiting the King’s Ranch and Hannah Home, Morris has done mission work in Haiti, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Smith was one of just 12 young anglers named to the the 2019 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team while Morris earned Honorable Mention honors.
“I am so proud of what Grayson and Tucker have accomplished as well as how they have given all of the glory and praise to God for these opportunities,” said Briarwood Fishing Team Coach Curtis Gossett.
The 2020 Bassmaster Classic will be the culmination of 50 years of top-tier tournament bass fishing, and attendees can expect a range of exciting events, coveted giveaways and celebrity appearances during the tournament, which runs March 6-8. Daily launches will take place at Civitan Park in Guntersville, with daily weigh-ins and the annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo held in Birmingham at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. For more information, visit bassmaster.com.
Hunter Moves Into Lead At Bassmaster Eastern Open On Kissimmee Chain
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KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Consistency was in John Hunter’s favor, as the Simpsonville, Ky., pro added 18 pounds, 13 ounces to the 18-6 he weighed on Wednesday to total 37-3 and take the Day 2 lead at the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open on Florida’s Kissimmee Chain. Hunter attributed his success to one special spot he described as a thinner area within a large, dense grassbed in 6 to 7 feet. The spot produced his weight both days, but Hunter said the Day 2 mood was significantly different from that of Day 1. “Yesterday, it was just average; I only caught a couple of good ones there in the morning and I went back later and caught a couple of good ones,” he said. “This morning, it was absolute chaos. “My first two fish were 4 1/2-pounders and then I lost two 5-pounders right after that, which was heartbreaking. But they stayed fired up and I was able to catch the rest of my weight in the next 20 minutes.” A mix of reaction baits and dragging-style baits produced Hunter’s catch, but the former carried most of the weight. Noting that most of the fish he was catching in practice were prespawner bass, Hunter said Day 1 delivered a mix of prespawn fish and some that were thin for their size — likely postspawners. His Day 2 catch was mostly postspawners. “That’s what I like about this spot — I have a chance of catching a fat prespawner coming in, and it’s a good stopping place for a postspawner to gang up,” he said. “This is a good place for them to set up, feel safe and feed before they go in and out (of the spawning flat)." Hunter said he’s cautiously optimistic about returning to the magical spot on Day 3. He said he leaned on the spot hard today, but seeing it reload significantly from Day 1 was encouraging. “I’m a little concerned that it’s running thin, but hopefully, it will reload again, so fingers crossed,” he said. “That’s one of the only things I have working right now. Tomorrow, with fewer people on the lake, it will be a lot more open. I’ll have some room to move around on some other things that I’ve found on practice but I haven’t been able to fish well because there were so many boats there.” Losing a 6-pounder and a 5-pounder on Day 1 was not the way Jason Casteel of Winter Garden, Fla., wanted his first Bassmaster Eastern Open to begin. Losing his front depthfinder and dumping another 5-pounder on Day 2 didn’t help, but relying on his faith and keeping his cool allowed him to fish his way into second place with 36-8. Today’s limit of 22-5, which included an 8-14, bolstered the 14-3 he weighed on Day 1. Casteel found his fish in a deeper spawning area with hard bottom surrounded by grass in about 8 feet. Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., is in third place with 34-7. He remained in Lake Toho all day and found all of his bass on the same offshore hydrilla spot he fished on Day 1. Mixing it up with a squarebill and a Zoom Old Monster worm, New added 13-7 to his 21 pounds on Day 1. “This morning, it was lights-out; my co-angler and I caught them on almost every cast until 9:15 and then it was like a light switch,” New said. “I’d catch one 45 minutes later and never got another bite. After that, I ran around and culled up about half a pound once.” Jerrod Albright of Kissimmee, Fla., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 10-3. Jeff Queen of Catawba, N.C., leads the co-angler division with 20-12. Boating an 8-6 kicker two hours into his morning anchored a limit that went 16-5 and moved Queen up from 112th place on Day 1. “I was just casting my 1/2-ounce Queen Tackle tungsten jig with a big 5/0 hook, so when I hooked that big one, it felt good,” Queen said. “We saw that fish on the Humminbird 360 three times. It swam around the boat three times and hit my bait.” Queen holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead among co-anglers with his 8-6. Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at Big Toho Marina at Kissimmee Lakefront Park. The championship weigh-in will be held at Bass Pro Shops in Orlando. The event is being hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission.
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Patrick Walters Takes Slim Lead At Bassmaster Open On Kissimmee Chain
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KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Patrick Walters, a Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Summerville, S.C., had approximately eight hours on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, but he needed less than 20% of that to catch a five-bass limit of 21 pounds, 4 ounces that gave him the Day 1 lead at the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open. Around 10:30 a.m., Walters found himself without a keeper. But once the show started, it happened quickly. “I caught all my fish in an hour and a half, because after 12 o’clock, I didn’t catch another fish,” he said. “I started deep, bouncing around a lot. I found a bunch of fish offshore in practice because the shallow bite wasn’t really any good. They were dropping the water, it was a full moon — there was something holding those fish back a little bit. “Yesterday afternoon, right before we came to the meeting, I found a couple more areas where it looked like the fish had pulled up on the bed. Today, when nothing was happening out deep, I ran shallow and it happened quick.” With a 7-13 largemouth anchoring his limit, Walters said he was targeting spawning fish, but he was not sight fishing. Rather, he was making 15-yard fan casts to promising areas. “It was on the outside a little bit, they weren’t way in there where you’d want them to be spawning,” he said. “They were a little further out on the first actual spawning cover. The water has been warming up 2 degrees every day; it was 77 today. They’re definitely making a push. I think they’ll make an even bigger push tomorrow.” Walters took a unique approach, targeting his fish with a Tokyo rig — a setup that has a weight suspended from the eye of a hook. This allowed him to present a traditional soft plastic in a horizontal fashion and, most importantly, with strategic precision. “I was dragging a Zoom Zlinky (stickworm) on the Tokyo rig with an 1/8-ounce weight,” he said. “I’d throw it in there and let it sit for 30 seconds. “The Tokyo rig keeps the bait of the bottom about 2 1/2 inches. The best thing is that it will fall vertically, whereas, if you have the worm on a Texas rig, it glides. You’re casting at a hole that’s the size of a basketball. So if the bait glides, you’re already out of the spot. When the Tokyo rig lands, it goes straight down." Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., is in second place with 21-0. Despite breaking the 20-pound mark, New described an exasperating day devoid of consistency. “I wanted to catch spawners and it didn’t happen, so I ended up junk fishing,” New said. “It wasn’t one thing. I caught three big ones doing three different things. You can’t just go do that and expect to catch big ones every day. I was flipping some pads and hydrilla, I caught them on a ChatterBait, a Rat-L-Trap and some on a worm.” Joshua Stracner of Vandiver, Ala., is in third place with 19-5. His catch included an 8-11 largemouth that he caught flipping a Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver. “I lost a 3 1/2-pounder that would have helped, but that was the only other big one I saw,” Stracner said. “I did a lot of punching mats with a big weight and I hit four or five offshore spots. I was just bouncing back and forth in Kissimmee.” James Castillo of West Richland, Wash., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 8-12 largemouth. Alexandre Jelev of Ontario, Canada, leads the co-angler division with 15-7. Describing his day as slow and inconsistent, Jelev said he found his fish in a particular area of pads. He caught his fish on a 3/8-ounce Treeshaker swim jig with an X Zones Lures swimbait. “They wanted it slow, I was dragging the swimbait through (the cover),” Jelev said. Jelev holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead among co-anglers with a 6-12. Takeoff Thursday and Friday is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET from Big Toho Marina at Kissimmee Lakefront Park. Thursday’s weigh-in will also be held at the park at 3 p.m. Friday’s championship weigh-in will be held at the Bass Pro Shops in Orlando. The event is being hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission. |
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Natty Night!
Its a crazy night as the guys get ready for the National Championship game and decide to go Facebook Live. FLW Pro Ryan Salzman joins the circus and more! Check it out!
Kristine Fischer Joins Plano Pro Staff
Be Dawn Ready - Check out Costa's Sunrise Silver Mirror Lenses
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Yao wins AnglersQuest Lake Houston Individual Event
Edward Yao came in first place with the only limit that was caught today, weighing 10.3 lbs. Edward reported fishing out of his Skeeter ZX200 powered by a Yamaha down south. All came from the south end in very shallow water, all on wacky rigs. Edward won $675.00 or his day on the water.
Dillon Harrell came in second place with his three fish weighing 6.27 lbs. Dillon says he runs a Bass Cat powered by Mercury. “ I fished the west fork in extremely shallow water fishing as slow as I could possibly go. My 7’4” American Pride Rod paired with a black / blue V&M J-bug on a 5/0 Hayabusa Fpp straight got the job done. I’d also like to give a special shout out to Megaware Keelguard for providing products to protect my boat from days like today when you have to push into those skinny areas ! “……..
Dillon won $290.00 for his day on the water.
Robert Sheffield had one keeper bite all day, but that one bite was enough to win big bass of the tournament and $100.00……….
I want to thank all the fishermen that came out to fish today. I sincerely appreciate each and every one of you. Hope to see you all next Saturday back at lake Houston for the first team tournament of 2020 !!!
Clark & Pinkston Win Bass Champs on Rayburn for 20K Payday!
| Place | Boat | Truck | Angler 1 | Angler 2 | Fish | Big Bass | Wt. | Prize Amt. | |
| 1 | SCOOTER CLARK CENTER , TX |
RYAN PINKSTON CENTER , TX |
5 | 0 | 25.34 |
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| 2 |  |
CHRIS LEWIS LONGVIEW , TX |
KEITH JONES WHITE OAK , TX |
5 | 0 | 23.57 |
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| 3 | DAVE REDINGTON WINNSBORO , TX |
LEE SANDERS HILLSBORO , TX |
5 | 10.90 | 22.79 |
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| 4 | ANDREW GOLDEN CENTER , TX |
JOHN BARRERA MILAM , TX |
5 | 0 | 22.60 |
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| 4 |  |
MATHEW ARMAND HESSNER , LA |
JARRED WILLIAMS BUNKIE , LA |
5 | 0 | 22.60 |
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| 6 | |
HAROLD ALLEN SHELBYVILLE , TX |
MATT LOETSCHER MANY , LA |
5 | 0 | 20.90 |
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| 7 | |
JESSE SHERLOCK NEW CANEY , TX |
DERRIN RIDDICK KINGWOOD , TX |
5 | 11.66 | 20.08 |
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| 8 | KRIS WILSON MONTGOMERY , TX |
BRYAN LOHR LUMBERTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 20.01 |
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| 9 | JACOB JOHNSON LAKE CHARLES , LA |
SHANE CORMIER RAGLEY , LA |
5 | 0 | 19.96 |
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| 10 | ROBERT DAVIS LUFKIN , TX |
ALAN MOORE LUFKIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 19.04 |
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| 11 | |
BOBBY VICE GROVES , TX |
RICKY GUY HUMBLE , TX |
5 | 8.48 | 18.70 |
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| 12 | JOHN HIGHTOWER BROOKELAND , TX |
ROBERT CHRISMAN WHITEHOUSE , TX |
5 | 10.65 | 18.22 |
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| 13 | |
DEAN LEWIS BOSSIER , LA |
JOHNNY COSTELLO BOSSIER CITY , LA |
5 | 0 | 17.85 |
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| 14 | SAM HUCKABEE SHREVEPORT , LA |
TOBY JOHNSON BOSSIER , LA |
5 | 0 | 17.70 |
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| 15 | BUD PRUITT HOUSTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.68 |
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| 16 | CODY PITT MANY , LA |
LANE MASTERS FISHER , LA |
5 | 0 | 17.59 |
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| 17 | GERALD MITCHELL JENA , LA |
JASON LEBRUN CHOUDRANT , LA |
5 | 0 | 17.55 |
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| 17 | NORMAN LAND CLEVELAND , TX |
TRAVIS MOORE CLEVELAND , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.55 |
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| 19 | |
DERRICK LABORDE HESSMER , LA |
RAYFORD LABORDE HESSMER , LA |
5 | 0 | 17.34 |
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| 20 | |
SCOTTY VILLINES COMPTON , AR |
CHARLES JONES JR ROGERS , AR |
5 | 0 | 17.14 |
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| 21 |  |
MARK MARTIN VIDOR , TX |
JIMMY MOORE ORANGE , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.13 |
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| 22 | |
LANCE DUFF LUMBERTON , TX |
COLE COSTLOW LIBERTY , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.09 |
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| 23 | |
TOMMY HILL JR PINELAND , TX |
BUBBA FRAZIER PINELAND , TX |
5 | 0 | 17.07 |
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| 24 | |
JADEN PARRISH LIBERTY , TX |
CODY PARRISH LIBERTY , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.99 |
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| 25 | ERIC MCGAHA MONTGOMERY , TX |
KRIS WERNECKE CYPRESS , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.95 |
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| 26 | MIKE EDWARDS ETOILE , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.72 |
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| 27 | KEVIN WOLFORD ORANGE , TX |
PATRICK RAINEY VIDOR , TX |
5 | 6.45 | 16.64 |
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| 28 | PHILLIP CRELIA CENTER , TX |
TJ GOODWYN CENTER , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.51 |
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| 29 | GREG OSTERTAG MT VERNON , TX |
BRENT EDWARDS MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.50 |
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| 30 | |
EASTON HEIGLEY BROOKELAND , TX |
BLAKE SCHROEDER WHITEHOUSE , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.36 |
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| 31 | BOB SIGNORIN OAKHURST , TX |
TRAVIS SIGNORIN WILLIS , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.30 |
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| 32 | JOSPEH NORRIS BOSSIER CITY , LA |
BARTON BLAKELOCK WAELDER , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.29 |
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| 33 | MICHAEL BREWTON NACOGDOCHES , TX |
LARRY PEACHER BENTLEY , LA |
5 | 0 | 16.21 |
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| 34 | SAMMY CHRISTIAN LUMBERTON , TX |
ALLAN SHIVERS JASPER , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.20 |
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| 35 | |
CHAD KEMP BRIDGE CITY , TX |
BRENT KEMP ORANGE , TX |
5 | 0 | 16.12 |
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| 36 | LARRY BYRD LAKE CHARLES , LA |
TRAVIS BROUSSARD LAKE CHARLES , LA |
5 | 0 | 16.08 |
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| 37 | SEAN MECHE LAKE CHARLES , LA |
RODNEY OWENS RAGLEY , LA |
5 | 0 | 15.92 |
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| 38 | JUSTIN MORTON ETOILE , TX |
RANDY TURNER LUFKIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.91 |
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| 39 | CHRIS GABLE BILOXI , MS |
STEVEN RAMSEY DIBERVILLE , MS |
5 | 0 | 15.63 |
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| 40 | CODY BARCHENGER TAYLOR , TX |
WYATT FRANKENS CORRIGAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.59 |
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| 41 | RANDY QUINN HUFFMAN , TX |
DEAN COLEMAN HUMBLE , TX |
5 | 6.45 | 15.40 |
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| 42 | |
CHET SLAYDON DE RIDDER , LA |
JOHNNY FRANKS HEMPHILL , TX |
5 | 0 | 15.39 |
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| 43 | CODY NAQUIN THIBODAUX , LA |
BLAKE NAQUIN THIBODAUX , LA |
5 | 0 | 15.20 |
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| 43 | CRAIG MASSEY HOUSTON , TX |
SCOTT HOLIFIELD GRAND BAY , AL |
5 | 0 | 15.20 |
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| 45 | JASON MOORE BUNA , TX |
JOHN SINGLETARY FRED , TX |
5 | 7.86 | 15.02 |
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| 46 | BRIAN SHOOK CHINA , TX |
JOHN ILES LUFKIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.79 |
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| 47 | CHAD SENSAT LAKE CHARLES , LA |
KYLE REED SCOTT , LA |
5 | 0 | 14.63 |
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| 48 | JODY GOODRUM DAYTON , TX |
JAKE GOODRUM CLEVELAND , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.42 |
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| 48 | |
CHANCE ARCENEAUX LAKE CHARLES , LA |
DWIGHT ABSHIRE SANTA FE , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.42 |
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| 50 | COBY CROSS ORANGE , TX |
LOGAN WOOD BEAUMONT , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.38 |
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| 51 | |
DALE BOREN FORT WORTH , TX |
RICK SCOTT HUMBLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.37 |
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| 52 | |
CORY RAMBO ORANGE , TX |
RUSTY CLARK SAM RAYBURN , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.11 |
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| 53 | |
RAY BECK BROOKELAND , TX |
CJ NICHOLS ALEXANDRIA , LA |
5 | 0 | 14.10 |
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| 54 | SHELBY SHAW HUNTSVILLE , TX |
WESLEY LEWIS KIRBYVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 14.07 |
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| 55 | ANDRE MARTIN LENA , LA |
GLEN FREEMAN ZWOLLE , LA |
5 | 0 | 14.02 |
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| 56 | CLAYTON BOULWARE ZAVALLA , TX |
ALBERT COLLINS NACOGDOCHES , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.95 |
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| 57 | |
RICHARD GILL EDMOND , OK |
DALE BEST BROOKELAND , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.67 |
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| 58 | JOHN MADDOX LUFKIN , TX |
JEFFERY WISE LUFKIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.62 |
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| 59 | BUBBA NUGENT POLLOCK , LA |
DANA NUGENT GEORGETOWN , LA |
5 | 0 | 13.56 |
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| 60 |  |
MIKE RICHARDSON THORNDALE , TX |
CHANCE WOODS MILLERSVIEW , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.55 |
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| 61 | |
BEN SOUTH JASPER , TX |
BRYAN SOUTH JASPER , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.40 |
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| 62 | |
RICKY COLLINS WOODVILLE , TX |
JOHNNY MCKEE WOODVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.31 |
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| 63 | LEE SHEARIN BRIDGE CITY , TX |
TYLER SHEARIN BRIDGE CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.24 |
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| 64 | ROBERT LAIRD JR GOODRICH , TX |
MOLLY LAIRD GOODRICH , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.22 |
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| 65 | GARRETT HILTON BEAUMONT , TX |
DUSTY ANDERS DEVILLE , LA |
5 | 0 | 13.20 |
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| 66 | JOSH RODGERS BEAUMONT , TX |
CASEY BURLEIGH ORANGE , TX |
5 | 0 | 13.13 |
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| 67 | |
DOUG MCCAIN LAKE CHARLES , LA |
MASON MCCAIN LAKE CHARLES , LA |
5 | 0 | 12.97 |
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| 68 | TERRY STEVENS HUTTO , TX |
JASON HARPER MONTGOMERY , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.92 |
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| 69 | |
COLLYN EASTHAM RED OAK , TX |
KYLE WILLIAMS MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.91 |
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| 70 | |
DOUG MORROW HOUSTON , TX |
KENNY CORLEY HOUSTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.86 |
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| 71 | NATHAN STROUP WILLIS , TX |
WELSEY JOHNSON WILLIS , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.85 |
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| 72 | WESLEY DAWSON CHESTER , TX |
TEDDY CLOIDE VIDOR , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.74 |
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| 73 | |
MICHAEL LAFLEUR ORANGEFIELD , TX |
KEITH WORTHY ORANGE , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.56 |
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| 74 | BRYAN LANDERS BROOKELAND , TX |
TYLER LANDERS COLLEGE STATION , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.51 |
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| 75 | MATTHEW WRIGHT ORANGE , TX |
CAMERON MALLETT BUNA , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.33 |
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| 76 | |
KYLE DELEON BEAUMONT , TX |
CAMERON SPIVEY BEAUMONT , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.17 |
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| 77 | PERRY CLARK POINT BLANK , TX |
CASEN CLARK POINTBLANK , TX |
5 | 0 | 12.05 |
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| 78 | JOEL MAYFIELD PERKINSTON , MS |
RYAN PATTERSON PASCAGOULA , MS |
5 | 0 | 12.02 |
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| 79 | |
LORIN LIVELY MONTGOMERY , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.98 |
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| 80 | |
MARKUS ELDER NEW WAVERLY , TX |
ROBERT MIKES SHINER , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.97 |
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| 81 | CADE DURIO LAKE CHARLES , LA |
JOHN DURIO HEMPHILL , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.96 |
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| 82 | JOHN FROESE SEMINOLE , TX |
2 | 0 | 11.93 |
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| 83 | JOHNNY VINES GROVES , TX |
SHANNON PRICE PORT ARTHUR , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.91 |
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| 84 | JAMES DAVIS JR FERRIDAY , LA |
CEDRIC JACKSON SR SICILY ISLAND , LA |
5 | 0 | 11.78 |
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| 85 | |
DANNY BENNETT HUNTSVILLE , TX |
NEIL CLEMENTS PASADENA , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.77 |
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| 86 | TYLER WALKER BURTON , TX |
STEVEN WALKER BURTON , TX |
3 | 0 | 11.67 |
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| 87 | |
BYRON BIONDI KENNEDALE , TX |
MARK BIONDI SR BURLESON , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.66 |
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| 87 | KIRK LELEUX KIRBYVILLE , TX |
ROGER JOHNSON JR VIDOR , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.66 |
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| 89 | BLAKE HARVEY VIDOR , TX |
CODY CLARK BUNA , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.49 |
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| 90 | |
KALEB LASYONE DRY PRONG , LA |
JOHN BENOIT POLLOCK , LA |
5 | 0 | 11.43 |
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| 91 | KELLY OWENS CROWLEY , LA |
BRENT BROUSSARD ROSENBERG , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.19 |
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| 92 | CODY BROWN SARATOGA , TX |
ROY BROWN JR SARATOGA , TX |
5 | 0 | 11.16 |
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| 93 | BRANNON MIRE BLOUSSARD , LA |
DENNIS NARCISE ST MARTINVILLE , LA |
5 | 0 | 11.14 |
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| 93 | JOSEPH DUHON SULPHUR , LA |
KENNETH CONSTANCE JR LAKE CHARLES , LA |
4 | 5.76 | 11.14 |
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| 95 | MATTHEW DELANEY POLLOCK , LA |
MATTHEW NUGENT DRY PRONG , LA |
5 | 0 | 11.02 |
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| 96 | |
COLBY BASCO CHENEYVILLE , LA |
DEREK BASCO CHENEYVILLE , LA |
5 | 0 | 10.89 |
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| 97 | DANIEL HICKMAN HUNTINGTON , TX |
PATRICK GAMMILL LUFKIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.82 |
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| 98 | RICKEY ELLIOTT SPRING , TX |
JOHNNY GRICE ARP , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.77 |
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| 98 | SHAWN VERINSKY LUMBERTON , TX |
BLAKE COLE ORANGE , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.77 |
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| 100 | |
KEITH DELANEY POLLOCK , LA |
TED PATE ALEXANDRIA , LA |
5 | 0 | 10.76 |
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| 101 | MARTIN ELSHOUT ABITA SPRINGS , LA |
MARK PRICE RUSTON , LA |
5 | 0 | 10.72 |
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| 102 | DUSTIN GUNSTREAM VIDOR , TX |
PRUITT PERKINS ORANGE , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.61 |
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| 102 | RONALD RISENHOOVER LUFKIN , TX |
LARRY GREEN LUFKIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.61 |
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| 104 | CHRIS GALLENDER VILLAGE MILLS , TX |
DOUGLAS SCHYSM RAGLEY , LA |
5 | 0 | 10.59 |
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| 105 | BILL STARK EVADALE , TX |
DAVID MORGAN SILSBEE , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.56 |
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| 106 | |
HEATH CROCKER CALHOUN , LA |
JUSTIN WEBB CALHOUN , LA |
5 | 0 | 10.32 |
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| 107 | LUCAS BARRIENTES ROWLETT , TX |
TED PRIESING DALLAS , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.31 |
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| 108 | |
DARRELL LYONS HEMPHILL , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.24 |
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| 109 | JOHN WALKER BROOKELAND , TX |
KIRK MCCARTY BROOKELAND , TX |
5 | 0 | 10.10 |
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| 110 | |
ROBERT VANZANDT MONTGOMERY , TX |
JOE DAW MONTGOMERY , TX |
4 | 0 | 10.08 |
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| 111 | |
NOLAN GASKIN BROUSSARD , LA |
CHRIS TORRY YOUNGSVILLE , LA |
4 | 0 | 9.99 |
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| 112 | |
DON DICKERSON PINEVILLE , LA |
JASON FOUNTAIN PINEVILLE , LA |
5 | 0 | 9.92 |
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| 113 | |
BOB VOTE KINGWOOD , TX |
ANDY VOTE KINGWOOD , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.84 |
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| 113 | LAMARCUS MCCRAY HOUSTON , TX |
JAMES ROZELL PORTER , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.84 |
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| 113 | LAMAR JONES III BEAUMONT , TX |
DEON FORD BEAUMONT , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.84 |
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| 116 | DUANE PITTMAN PRAIRIEVILLE , LA |
DWIGHT MINOGUE KEITHVILLE , LA |
5 | 0 | 9.82 |
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| 117 | |
JEFF BRIDGES LUMBERTON , TX |
KEVIN WALKER JR BUNA , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.78 |
|
||
| 118 | BARRET ROBINSON JASPER , TX |
JARRED CHRISTIANS LIVINGSTON , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.60 |
|
|||
| 119 | JAMES NITSCHKE WILLIS , TX |
JASON BONDS LUFKIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.58 |
|
|||
| 120 | |
ANDREW FATERKOWSKI MONTGOMERY , TX |
BILLY DRIGGERS HUNTSVILLE , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.46 |
|
||
| 121 | |
KEN SMITH DALLAS , TX |
KEVIN LASYONE DRY PRONG , LA |
4 | 0 | 9.39 |
|
||
| 122 | NICK BROWN LINDALE , TX |
CHAD THEDFORD TYLER , TX |
5 | 0 | 9.22 |
|
|||
| 123 | SCOTT DEAN TERRELL , TX |
TERRY PEACOCK ROYSE CITY , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.83 |
|
|||
| 124 | HAYDEN HECK LUFKIN , TX |
KEN BERTHELOT LUFKIN , TX |
5 | 0 | 8.77 |
|
|||
| 125 | |
ROBERT MORE LEESVILLE , LA |
JERRY COUTEE MONTGOMERY , LA |
3 | 0 | 8.74 |
|
||
| 126 | DAMON BOREL HEMPHILL , TX |
JOHN GREEN HEMPHILL , TX |
4 | 0 | 8.12 |
|
|||
| 127 | JEREMY LEMMONS TOMBALL , TX |
3 | 6.53 | 7.37 |
|
||||
| 128 | |
TOMMY WOODARD CONROE , TX |
SCOTT HOOVER MONTGOMERY , TX |
3 | 0 | 7.01 |
|
||
| 129 | |
THOMAS DECLET JR THIBODAUX , LA |
THOMAS DECLET SR HEMPHILL , TX |
4 | 0 | 6.61 |
|
||
| 130 | BRIAN BAYLESS PORTER , TX |
CHRIS CAVITT PORTER , TX |
3 | 0 | 6.03 |
|
|||
| 131 | |
WARREN CONNER MAGNOLIA , TX |
MIKE HANKS HEMPHILL , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.38 |
|
||
| 132 | ERIC PHILLIPS KERENS , TX |
KYLE MIERS MALAKOFF , TX |
2 | 0 | 4.19 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
BLAYNE PREJEAN CARENCRO , LA |
DRAKE MENARD CARENCRO , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
PHILIP HANKS BUNA , TX |
RODNEY SAMMONS BUNA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | JACOB ROOT BROOKELAND , TX |
ZACHARY ROOT BROOKELAND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | JOSHUA SMITH SULPHUR , LA |
RUDY VAUSSINE LAKE CHARLES , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
TYLER TATE BEAUMONT , TX |
BLAKE CAIN BEAUMONT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | LESLIE HARPER HEMPHILL , TX |
GARY FRICK HEMPHILL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
LANCE HUGHES TIMPSON , TX |
STEPHEN BURGAY TIMPSON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | BILL CUNNINGHAM ONALASKA , TX |
JOHN WILBANKS PASA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | ROBERT NAQUIN JR DEVILLE , LA |
STEPHEN TRAIL RECTOR , AR |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | JODY HOLT SIEPER , LA |
RAYMOND BALCEROWICZ CROSBY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
TREY BURFORD GLOSTER , LA |
CHARLES YOUNG GRAND CANE , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
ROY GEESEY CROWLEY , LA |
JEFFRY NICKEL CROWLEY , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
DANNY LASHLEY BOYCE , LA |
MICHAEL IVEY OTIS , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | KLINT CALONGNE CYPRESS , TX |
COLBY CALONGNE CYPRESS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | CODY CLARK HERMPHILL , TX |
CODY JORDAN HEMPHILL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
JIM PROTHRO GILMER , TX |
TOMMY MORRISON GRANBURY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
CLIFFORD MCCARTY LONGVIEW , TX |
CHARLIE BROWN III FLINT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | EDWARD LACOSTE HEMPHILL , TX |
CHRIS NEWMAN HEMPHILL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
TROY REED NACOGDOCHES , TX |
MARY SMITH NACOGDOCHES , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
|
COLE BREWER LEESVILLE , LA |
ROB RICHARDS SPRING , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 133 | BRADLEY PAGE FRIENDSWOOD , TX |
JOHN NEMECEK FRIENDSWOOD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
GENE BAGLEY BEAUMONT , TX |
MITCH STEPHENSON BEAUMONT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | WILL CARSTENS ALEXANDRIA , LA |
ROSS BRYANT ALEXANDRIA , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | MALCOLM WILLIAMS BRONSON , TX |
STEVE SMART BRONSON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
TOBY JONES STONEWALL , LA |
CARL JONES DAYTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | RONNIE BLAND FLORIEN , LA |
MALCOLM FRANKS FLORIEN , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | JOE MAZZURCO LUFKIN , TX |
TERRI MAZZURCO LUFKIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
JERE BICE LAKE CHARLES , LA |
MICHAEL MCDONALD IOWA , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
KURTICE FLOYD NEWTON , TX |
ED PULDA SR JASPER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
DOUG PERKINS PORTER , TX |
BRAD HENSLEY CLEVELAND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | STEVE WOODIE SOUR LAKE , TX |
TREY JOHNSON BEAUMONT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
|
JUSTIN DUBOSE PARADISE , TX |
STEVE LYNAM SOUTHLAKE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 133 | COLLIN BODE CONROE , TX |
JACKSON CARRELL BEDIOS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | DONALD HARMESON HAUGHTON , LA |
STEVEN KENNON HAUGHTON , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | JASON BAKER CROSBY , TX |
CADE CORMIER HUFFMAN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | CLINT WEST BEAUMONT , TX |
NATHAN PRINE BUNA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
PAUL BATMAN SILSBEE , TX |
ANTHONY SHARP VILLAGE MILLS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | CLINT WADE HUNTSVILLE , TX |
STACY SPRIGGS HUNTSVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
KEVIN MASON COLDSPRING , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
DEREK MONG MANY , LA |
CD MONG MANY , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
STEFAN CLOEREN ORANGE , TX |
SCOTT GULLER ORANGE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
|
ROBERT CASE JR POINT , TX |
ROBERT CASE III POINT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 133 | |
MIKE SOLIZ ORANGE , TX |
EDDIE CHOATE BEAUMONT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
JACK TINDEL III ORANGE , TX |
DALTON SOLIZ ORANGE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | CHRIS LEWIS TRENTON , TX |
BOBBY LYNN RICHARDSON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
ERIC BRISMAN BRYAN , TX |
HAROLD MOORE CALDWELL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | LUKE OGDEN DELHI , LA |
JAKE OGDEN DELHI , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
ALLEN SHELTON FARMERS BRANCH , TX |
STRIDER BROWNING GUN BARREL CITY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | SHANNON HALE NACOGDOCHES , TX |
TODD NEWMAN NACOGDOCHES , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
NATHAN BYRD MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
JOE BYRD SPRING , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | JARRETT LATTA CEDAR PARK , TX |
BRIAN LOWRANCE NACOGDOCHES , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | BRETT HORTMAN NATCHITOCHES , LA |
DEREK MUNDY BROADDUS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | BRADLEY HILLEBRANDT RAGLEY , LA |
JORDAN BREAUX SULPHUR , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
LARRY WEPPLER HOUSTON , TX |
DENNIS FIKES HOUSTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | MIKE TAYLOR JASPER , TX |
RANDY DEARMAN ONALASKA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
|
ERIC HUNT BUNA , TX |
STEVEN MOORHEAD JASPER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|
| 133 | BRAD MIERS KOUNTZE , TX |
MIKE ATCHLEY LIVINGSTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
JONATHAN SIMON ORANGE , TX |
COREY STANLEY ORANGE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | JARED DEAN HUNTINGTON , TX |
JOHN BRANDENBURG HUNTINGTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | LARRY DEAN HUMBLE , TX |
DENNIS GAY MAGNOLIA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
JIMMY DUCK III CENTER , LA |
BENJI DUMAS MINDEN , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
IKE STEPHENS SIMPSON , LA |
LEE BROWN LEESVILLE , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | DAVID GORE KOUNTZE , TX |
JUSTIN SOWELL SILSBEE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
RICHIE THORNTON SPLENDORA , TX |
RYAN CLENDENNEN CLEVELAND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | OSCAR LANGELE JR MANY , LA |
JAMES CAMPISE ORANGE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
JASON GLENDE CYPRESS , TX |
TYLER BEARDEN TOMBALL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
DONNIE MARTIN JOAQUIN , TX |
MATTHEW JONES HUMBLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | ROBBY JONES ORANGE , TX |
PAUL WOODS BUNA , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
SHAWN ONEAL DRY PRONG , LA |
CHRISTOPHER ATWELL POLLUCK , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | RYAN ONEAL WOODVILLE , TX |
THOMAS LINGLE WOODVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | YARRI SCHREIBVOGEL BROOKLAND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||||
| 133 | PAUL PIKE BROOKELAND , TX |
RIKI PIKE BROOKELAND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
GREG GREEN BEAUMONT , TX |
RICHARD WAGNON JASPER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | KENNY COBB HODGE , LA |
BOBBY LOGAN COUSHATTA , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | CLAY DARDEAU RAGLEY , LA |
CRAIG BEAN LAKE CHARLES , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | DENNIS COURTNEY LAKE CHARLES , LA |
GRADY MAYEAUX RAGLEY , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | KENNETH CATES ZAVALLA , TX |
RODNEY SPIVEY OAKHURST , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
ERIC WILSON MARSHALL , TX |
HOWARD WILSON NACOGDOCHES , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
DEWAYNE REESE DIBOLL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | RICKY BLANKINSHIP MANY , LA |
DAVID CURTIS BROOKLAND , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | NEIL MATHEWS PORTER , TX |
COLE STOREY HOCKLEY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | STEPHEN SHANNON ARLINGTON , TX |
JACOB SHANNON ARLINGTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
RICKY MADOLE MANY , LA |
RONNIE MADOLE SHREVEPORT , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | CHRIS EAVES PORTER , TX |
ROBERT SCOTT KINGWOOD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | JESSE FLOYD NEDERLAND , TX |
RODY GUY LUMBERTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
LINDY HADLEY BROOKELAND , TX |
TY QUICK JASPER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | IVAN DAIGS RUSTON , LA |
RANDY BRANCH RUSTON , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
BILL DAIGLE LAFAYETTE , LA |
ANDRE CHAPMAN CHURCH POINT , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
TERRY NEWCOMER MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
SHAUN ALEXANDER MIDLOTHIAN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | JAMES BLYTHE JR ELM GROVE , LA |
RICKY SIMS CENTER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | BRANDON DAVIDSON LITTLE ELM , TX |
JIM FURR HEMPHILL , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | MATTHEW BENEFIELD HUFFMAN , TX |
LARRY BENEFIELD HUFFMAN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
ERIC PLEDGER TIMPSON , TX |
WILLIAM LLOYD SHELBYVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | DANNY CHERRY KIRBYVILLE , TX |
MARK LANHAM LUFKIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | CHRIS MCCLAIN DEWEYVILLE , TX |
PERRY NELMS ORANGE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
JESSIE AYERS ANTLERS , OK |
CHAD AYERS JASPER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | CHRIS HARVEY JASPER , TX |
RUSTY HARVEY LUMBERTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | MICHAEL RISINGER WEST MONROE , LA |
SONTUS MITCHELL RUSTON , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | CAMERON ROANE BEAUMONT , TX |
JORDAN WOOD LUMBERTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | CLINT KIRBY LUFKIN , TX |
ANDREW KIRBY LUFKIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
VERNON TYSON LEEVILLE , LA |
TIMOTHY CYR LESSVILLE , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
DANIEL BARNES BELTON , TX |
BILLY FORD BELTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | TREY CLARK LEESVILLE , LA |
CHRIS BRIGNAE VILLA PLATTE , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | COREY HARMON PORT NECHES , TX |
JESSE JOHNSON PORT NECHES , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | BILLY STRACENER DERIDDER , LA |
MARILYN LINDSEY DERIDDER , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | WILLIAM WALKER JENA , LA |
SAMUEL CANOE GEORGETOWN , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
CHRISTOPHER GORDON CLARENCE , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
BRYAN CARETHERS SILSBEE , TX |
JUSTIN HOLMES LUMBERTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
BILL BABB GARLAND , TX |
GARY BABB THE WOODLANDS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | RICHARD ALLEN ANACOCO , LA |
TREVOR WEST PITKIN , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | MATT MORRIS SHREVEPORT , LA |
BILLY GASTON SHREVEPORT , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | GEORGE AUCOIN ORANGE , TX |
HUNTER AUCOIN ORANGE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | VIRGIL CHANEY JASPER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||||
| 133 | |
LARRY COTTEN HUFFMAN , TX |
NICK DIBERARDINO JASPER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
JUSTIN CHILDRESS MANSFIELD , LA |
ROY LOVE JR MANSFIELD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | RODNEY DOTSON BROOKELAND , TX |
DAVE DAIGLE LAFAYETTE , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
DAVID MORTON LUFKIN , TX |
JOHN MOREHEAD HUNTINGTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
CHARLES HICKMAN HUNTINGTON , TX |
TERRY HICKMAN KINGWOOD , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | JOSEPH CHILDERS SULPHUR , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||||
| 133 | |
KEITH HAWKINS LAKE PROVIDENCE , LA |
J. DUCK HAWKINS IRVING , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | CHUCK NAOMI BRANCH , LA |
ANDRE ADAMS LAFAYETTE , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | MICHAEL OATES BUNA , TX |
ROBERT MCKINLEY KIRBYVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
CHAD PRIMOS SHREVEPORT , LA |
BRIAN HEADRICK DEBERRY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | MICHAEL LATHAM LUFKIN , TX |
BEN VAUGHAN LUFKIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | ADAM DUNN HOUSTON , TX |
JOSHUA WARE NEW CANEY , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
CHRIS HUEBEL BEAUMONT , TX |
DON GOULD MAURICEVILLE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | PHIL MARKS DALLAS , TX |
BRET STAFFORD BELTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | |
DUSTY WOOD STONEWALL , LA |
BEAU LOUGHMAN MANSUCCA , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | |
BRAD DEAL SPRING , TX |
STEVE UBERNOSKY HOUSTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||
| 133 | MICHAEL GROSSMAN DALLAS , TX |
JAY KENDRICK DALLAS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | JOHN LEWIS SOUR LAKE , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
||||
| 133 | BRADLEY DRAKE PARIS , TX |
JASON SARTOR PARIS , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | CHRIS CLEMENS LUFKIN , TX |
DALLAS COLE LEESVILLE , LA |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | MATT MATTHEWS JR KEITHVILLE , LA |
BRAD HUGHES JOAQUIN , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | MIKE LOTT MONTGOMERY , TX |
JIMMY ROZELLE JR PORTER , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
|||
| 133 | JEDIDAH HOLT LIVINGSTON , TX |
CODY MILLER LIVINGSTON , TX |
0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Put the Smackdown on bass with Mark Zona
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(January 13, 2020) – What does it take to be the best? Experience is certainly the best teacher, so in the fishing world, becoming the best starts with time on the water. Anybody can fill the livewell when the fish are on the chew — but what happens when the weather, intense fishing pressure, or other circumstances combine to turn a sweet bite sour? Can you find tournament-winning fish when everyone else is struggling? Can you trigger those fish to bite? Can you land them when a paycheck, or your pride, is at stake? Being the best also means using the best tools for the job. Seaguar, the originators of fluorocarbon fishing line and the leading manufacturer of 100% fluorocarbon and braided lines, helps transport anglers to the winner’s circle with Smackdown: an eight-carrier braid featuring an extraordinarily tight weave, yielding a line with a round profile and a smooth finish that will withstand every on-the-water test and exceed your highest expectations. |
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And now, Seaguar offers you a chance to spend a day on the water — chasing some of the biggest, meanest bass that you’ll ever encounter — with professional angler and TV personality Mark Zona. Enter to win one of 50 prizes in the Seaguar Zona Smackdown contest, including the grand prize of a fun-packed, all-expenses-paid fishing adventure with Mark Zona, one of the most knowledgeable, entertaining, and influential anglers in the entire fishing industry. |
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“I’ve been told that I’m a little intense in the water,” noted Zona while chasing bronzebacks in his home state of Michigan. “Well, one of you is going to win a fishing trip with me, so you can witness that intensity for yourself. And when you step into the boat, you’ll be throwing the best braided line on the planet: Seaguar Smackdown!” From now until June 30, entrants can visit http://www.winseaguar.com/smackdown to enter the Seaguar Zona Smackdown contest. You could walk away a winner with your very own spool of Seaguar Smackdown braided line, or the grand prize of a fishing trip with Mark Zona, including airfare, ground transportation, lodging, meals, and some great Seaguar gear. |
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There’s no better way to increase your catch rates than to spool up with Smackdown, and there’s no better Smackdown coach than Mark Zona. “Seaguar Smackdown is the strongest, longest casting, and smoothest braided line you’ll ever encounter,” continued Zona, “and it’s perfect for an incredible range of bass-catching presentations. Smackdown is, quite simply, the best.” Finesse anglers and line watchers will appreciate Smackdown Flash Green, a high-visibility pattern that makes it easy to visually detect subtle bites. When chasing bass in ultra-clear waters or when throwing topwaters, Smackdown Stealth Grey minimizes line visibility so you can target even the wariest fish. If you’re the winner of the Seaguar Zona Smackdown contest, you’ll have the chance to experience all of this, with help from Mark Zona: the Smackdown master! |
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Entrants in the Seaguar Zona Smackdown contest must be 18 years old or older, and legal US residents residing in one of the 48 contiguous United States or the District of Columbia. Entries are accepted starting at 12:00:01 on January 1, 2020 and ending at 11:59:59 on June 30, 2020. The contest has a limit of one entry per person. It’s never been easier to fish with the world’s best braided line, or to have a chance to spend the day fishing, learning, and laughing with one of world’s best bass anglers. Enter the Seaguar Zona Smackdown contest today by visiting http://www.winseaguar.com/smackdown and you could win your own spool of Smackdown, or a day on the water with Mark Zona! |
Carper Dominates Gator Division Opener on Stingy St Johns
Vance McCullough
Eddie Carper mined a single spot in Lake George for a 26-pound limit that give him a huge lead and an even bigger pay day of over $12,000 (for a $200 entry fee) in the FLW Phoenix Boats Bass Fishing League Gator Division season opener presented by A.R.E. on the St Johns River out of Palatka, Fla. He bested a field of 139 boats.
$7,000 of that money was a contingency bonus from Phoenix Boats.
Carper also took big bass honors with a 9-pound, 15-ounce specimen.
His nearest competitor was Yoan Alvarez of Miami. Fla. who had a total weight of 21-14.
Lee Stalvey of Palatka, Fla. was 3rd with 19-12.
Carper got his first look, ever, at the St Johns River on Friday, the day before the tournament. He’s from Valliant, Oklahoma, but a work assignment had him stationed in Georgia and he decided to ride down and fish the big river in North Florida. “I took yesterday off and just drove down and fished. I got in the truck about 10:30 Thursday night, hooked up the boat and drove down here. At 4 o’clock I hung around the ramp a little and then went riding. I had 1 bite all day, so that (spot) is all I had. Just a little 30-by-30-yard, I guess an old pier or something, but a bunch of pilings in two feet of water. It was on the east side of George, about halfway to the bottom end.
“Beginners luck, I guess,” concluded the 47-year-old Carper.
Carper caught a single fish first thing Saturday morning on a finesse model War Eagle spinnerbait. After that, he caught everything on a Zoom Ultravibe Speedworm, junebug, on a 1/8 oz. weight and 20 lb fluorocarbon line. “If I used a heavier weight, they wouldn’t touch it. It was hard to cast it in that wind. I probably had the chance to have about 29 or 30 pounds today, but I jumped a bunch of fish off today. I don’t know why. They were grabbing the back of it, didn’t have the hook good.”
‘Slow’ was the way to go. “I had to point my rod tip down to the water to keep my worm on the bottom and just drag it real slow and they would pick it up. When it got cloudy, they shut it down but then the sun would come back out and they’d feed again. I believe they were there the whole time, right beside the pilings.”
Carper credits his co-angler, Charles Owens, with an assist. Not only was he a good net man, but Owens showed extreme respect for Carper’s small area. “Hands down, the best co-angler I’ve ever fished with. He wouldn’t throw in there. I told him to throw in there, gave him the bait, said ‘here’s the bait, throw in there’. He wouldn’t do it. He just let me have it all to myself until I had a limit and, probably, an hour after that, he finally did and wound up catching 2 fish.” Owens, of Rockledge, Fla. would go on to place 11th in the co-angler division with 2 fish that weighed 5-10.
Carper’s contention that the fish were biting weird was echoed by Florida fishing giant John Bitter, owner of Bitter’s Baits who said he slowed down and switched to an 8-inch ribbontail worm when he couldn’t get the fish hold onto a trick worm. “I had 60 bites today, just pecking at the tail, running with it. Those 5 are the only ones I hooked,” said Bitter of his 10-3 limit. “I got to the point where I just let them swim with it like I was walking a dog on a leash before setting the hook.”
Carper wasn’t the only one to boat bass on a spinnerbait. Co-angler Kyle Gelles of Pingree, Idaho won big bass in that division with a 6-11 that ate a chartreuse and white spinnerbait about noon time on shallow wood.
It only counted once, but Carper caught his big fish twice. “About 15 minutes before I caught her, I was using some lighter line - 15 lbSeaguar - and the line broke when I set the hook. I pulled another rod out of the locker, loaded it up with 20 lb Seaguar, tied everything back up and made a circle back around my little patch of pilings, got another bite and set the hook. When I got her in, my co-angler looked in the net and said ‘hey, isn’t that the hook you lost in that other fish?’ I’m saying the good Lord blessed me!”
Then again, Carper was blessed before he left Oklahoma. “I’ve got a good wife, Becky. She stays there and takes care of the house and the grandkids. I just work. And go fishing once in a while.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Eddie Carper of Valliant, Okla., five bass, 26-0, $5,415 + $7,000 FLW PHOENIX BONUS
2nd: Yoan Alvarez of Miami, Fla., five bass, 21-14, $2,360
3rd: Jerry Stalvey Jr. of Palatka, Fla., five bass, 19-12, $1,574
4th: Mike Jackson of San Mateo, Fla., five bass, 19-5, $1,101
5th: Terry Fisher of Jacksonville, Fla., five bass, 16-4, $944
6th: Trevor Brown of Deltona, Fla., five bass, 14-8, $865
7th: Kyle Walters of Grant Valkaria, Fla., five bass, 13-13, $787
8th: Dawayne Burke of Cross City, Fla., five bass, 13-10, $708
9th: John Mobley of Macclenny, Fla., five bass, 13-4, $629
10th: Jason Reed of Hollister, Fla., five bass, 13-1, $551
New Ranger Cup Program Announced for FLW Pro Circuit and FLW Series Events
Ranger Boats announces today a new Ranger Cup program designed to reward owners fishing FLW Pro Circuit and FLW Series events in 2020. Combined with the BFL payout announced recently, Ranger is making more than $1.5 million available to qualified Ranger owners through Ranger Cup incentives across all 2020 FLW events.
Starting with the FLW Pro Circuit, which kicks off January 23 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, any angler that wins a Pro Circuit regular-season event and meets Ranger Cup criteria will be awarded a $25,000 bonus.
Meanwhile, anglers fishing FLW Series events, kicking off January 27 on Lake Chickamauga, will also have more opportunity than ever to take home bonus money from Ranger.
Any angler that wins a FLW Series event fishing in the Pro division and meets Ranger Cup criteria will be awarded a $25,000 bonus. In the case a Ranger angler doesn’t win the event, a $1,500 bonus will be paid to the highest finishing Pro angler meeting Ranger Cup criteria. In the co-angler division, any angler that wins a FLW Series event and meets Ranger Cup criteria will be awarded a $5,000 bonus.
In addition, Ranger has included an Angler of the Year race tied to the FLW Series, which will award a guaranteed $50,000 at the 2020 Series Championship on Lake Cumberland November 5-7.
The Angler of the Year bonus for FLW Series competitors will include the highest Ranger Cup qualified angler from each of the eight pro divisions, based on point standings, heading into the championship event. Those eight anglers will be qualified for the $50,000 bonus, awarded to the highest finisher at the championship. If that angler was to also win the event, the total Ranger Cup payout becomes an unprecedented $75,000.
Specific details and sign up information are available at Rangercup.com, which is now accepting 2020 entries. With so much opportunity at numerous competitive levels, Ranger boat owners are encouraged to sign up now to make the most of every event.
About Ranger Boats
Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation's premier manufacturer of legendary fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, with acclaimed models and series in the bass, multi-species, fish 'n play, saltwater, waterfowl utility and pontoon boat segments. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water. For more information, go to RangerBoats.com.
Texas Team Trail Presented by Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's 2020 Season Preview - Sam Rayburn
Giant Limits Could Be Caught During Bassmaster Eastern Open On Kissimmee Chain
January 10, 2020
KISSIMMEE, Fla. — When the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open kicks off Jan. 15-17 on Florida’s renowned Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, these Central Florida waters, which are a short hop from Disney World, will offer a magic kingdom of rod-bending potential.
Daily takeoffs will be at 7 a.m. ET from Big Toho Marina at Kissimmee Lakefront Park, and weigh-ins the first two days will be held at 3 p.m. at the marina, while Saturday’s championship weigh-in will be held at 4 p.m. at the Bass Pro Shops in Orlando.
Elite pro Jesse Tacoronte has been making the short trip from his Orlando home to explore tournament waters, and he’s expecting mostly a prespawn event. The Sunshine State can see spawning activity as early as December, but speaking 10 days prior to the event, Tacoronte said he had yet to see solid evidence of a shoreward movement.
“There were a lot of empty beds when I was out there last,” he said. “There were no bucks (male bass) or anything, and then the cold front we got stalled them even more.”
Beginning in downtown Kissimmee, the namesake chain includes four major lakes — Toho (22,700 acres), Cypress (4,097), Hatchineha (6,559) and Kissimmee (34,948) — all linked via canals. The Kissimmee River, headwaters of the Florida Everglades, runs through the chain and into Lake Okeechobee.
Within tournament waters, anglers will find plenty of fishable habitat including hydrilla, pad stems, reeds, Kissimmee grass and trash mats. Laydowns, stumps and open-water shellbeds enhance these vegetation-centric lakes.
Without any major rains in recent weeks, water clarity should be fairly good. However, windy conditions could change that. All of the Kissimmee Chain lakes are relatively shallow (approximately 13 feet maximum), and strong winds easily stir the bottom sediment.
While some might prefer bedding bass, as this brings sight fishing into the picture, Tacoronte knows that prespawn typically means aggressive fish with liberal appetites.
“It’s wide open right now, from ChatterBaits to Texas-rigged Senkos to Rat-L-Traps, jerkbaits and frogs; it’s crazy right now,” Tacoronte said. “When they’re all over, you can catch them any way you want.”
In addition to bait diversity, the Kissimmee Chain’s geographic range also presents options. Plenty of competitive fish live in Toho, but some anglers prefer distancing themselves from crowds. The Kissimmee Chain offers lots of room, but running time vs. fishing time remains a strategic calculation.
Those who choose to fish below Toho will need to watch the clock, both in terms of overall distances and the locking process. For prudent time management, Tacoronte suggests allowing an extra hour each way.
If history is any indication, several anglers should break 20 pounds, with a 30-pound bag a serious possibility. Recent early-season Florida events saw anglers exceed that 30-pound mark, including last year’s Eastern Open on the Harris Chain of Lakes when Whitney Stephens opened with a Day 1 limit of 32-12 en route to victory.
Tacoronte believes 15 pounds a day will earn a Top 10 finish. Another 30-plus bag is completely realistic, he said.
“I had almost 30 pounds during practice,” Tacoronte said.
Weather is likely to play a major role in this event, as the year’s first quarter can prove particularly fickle. Florida bass grow big, but they have pitifully low tolerance for meteorological change.
“A cold front could come in a make those fish abandon everything they’ve been doing,” Tacoronte said. “If they’ve been up in the pads on a prespawn deal, a cold front could send them right back out and put them under (deeper) mats.
“But if you get a warm spell, they could be up on the beds spawning. So, weather could really change it. In Florida, it could be cold in the morning and hot in the afternoon. This time of the year is so fun because it’s a constant challenge.”
Exact game plans will probably be defined the night before competition commences, but those who fare best will be the ones who choose the right lake and react best to the week’s weather.
Based on a field of 150 boats, the winning angler in the pro division will earn $35,000. The winning co-angler will earn $17,000. Payouts are adjusted based on field size.
The event is being hosted by the Kissimmee Sports Commission.
Bass Pro Tour Rule Changes Including Variable Minimum Weight for 2020
Courtesy of MajorLeagueFishing.com
By Joel Shangle - January 9, 2020
TULSA, Okla. – Some notable rule changes and competition twists will be in play for 2020 on the MLF Bass Pro Tour, including a new minimum weight requirement that raises the standard on the size of bass weighed at national tour-level events.
Under rules approved this week by the Major League Fishing Anglers Association (MLFAA) and drafted into the official league rulebook, MLF will introduce a variable minimum weight system for Bass Pro Tour competition waters in 2020, starting with a 2-pound minimum weight for a scorable bass at the season opener at Lake Eufaula, Alabama (Feb. 7-12).
Minimum weights will be determined individually for each competition water to follow, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery. With quality largemouth and smallmouth factories like Lake Fork, the Kissimmee Chain, the Raleigh-area lakes and the St. Lawrence River on the 2020 schedule, the potential exists for even more robust minimum weights.
“The goal is to offer a minimum that’s a quality bass for that fishery, to set the bar higher at each fishery than has traditionally been set,” said MLFAA Board Director Boyd Duckett. “We’ll start with a 2-pounder as the minimum at Eufaula – that’s a realistic minimum for that fishery – and assess our fisheries almost like you would in golf, where every course has a different par. At certain lakes, a scorable bass would be 2 pounds, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a 3-pound minimum at a place like Lake Fork or Toho. These are unprecedented minimum sizes.”
Raising the Bar at Eufaula
The 2-pound minimum for Eufaula significantly raises the average scoring requirement above the 12- to 15-inch minimums mandated by most state fisheries managers (and used for traditional tournament scoring). According to extensive nationwide research compiled by bass biologist Steven Bardin, an average 12-inch largemouth in good health weighs 0.9 pounds (14 ounces); an average 15-inch largemouth weighs 1 pound, 13 ounces.
The Lake Eufaula 14-inch minimum mandated by Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries – the standard used by tournament organizations as the minimum size allowed in a tournament weigh-in on the Alabama/Georgia border lake – translates to a 1-pound, 8-ounce bass (25 percent smaller on average than the 2-pound Bass Pro Tour minimum)
“The fish in Eufaula will weigh the heaviest they weigh all year when we fish there because they’ll be pre-spawn and carrying their weight through the winter, but a 2-pound minimum on anyfishery is a game-changer,” said MLF NOW! analyst Marty Stone, who competed in over 230 tour-level events in his 16-year professional career. “These anglers will be competing on the equivalent of an 11-foot hoop in basketball or swinging for a 400-foot fence in baseball.
“We’re going to show up at one of the best fisheries in the country at Eufaula and ask these guys to fish for a minimum weight standard that’s the highest in the history of our sport. We know they’re going to catch big ones, but raising the bar to a 2-pound minimum resets the playing field. I’ll be interested to see how that affects the game.”
The variable minimum weight will not be incorporated into MLF Cup competitions or the World Championship.
Automatic Championship Berths on the Line Early
Another major addition to the Bass Pro Tour competition framework for 2020 is an automatic berth in the 10-man Championship Round for the two anglers with the heaviest combined weights in the newly renamed Qualifying Rounds (formerly the Shotgun and Elimination Rounds).
Days 3 and 4 of the Bass Pro Tour – the second Qualifying Rounds for each 40-angler group – will result in one angler apiece earning a berth in the finals, which gives them a 1-in-10 chance of earning a championship trophy, automatically guarantees a paycheck of $12,000 to $100,000, and secures a minimum of 71 of 80 possible points in Cup standings (which translates into more guaranteed money for every Cup event an angler qualifies for).
It also refocuses pressure on the Top 10 and encourages anglers to fish more aggressively in the early rounds, whereas they may have laid off fish in 2019’s Elimination Round competition structure.
“There were plenty of days (in 2019) where I caught them really good on Day 1, caught them just ‘good enough’ on Day 2 to stay where I needed to stay in that Top 10, then started to shake fish off or stayed completely out of some of my best areas,” admitted Andy Morgan, who, in addition to winning Stage Four on Lake Chickamauga, finished in the Top 10 in five qualifying rounds where he did not eventually advance to the championship. “Being able to come right out of your Qualifying Rounds and go to the championship is a big deal. If we had this rule in place in 2019, I’m pretty sure I could’ve made a run at several more Championship Rounds.”
Alabama Bass Trail Expands in 2021
Decatur, Ala. (January 9, 2020) – The Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) held a news conference today to unveil a new addition to its tackle box. The Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series will make its debut in January 2021 and will be held on three of the Alabama Bass Trail lakes. Attracting professional and amateur anglers from across the United States, the new three tournament series features a $25,000 first place prize and pays 20 places totaling $100,000.
The ABT 100 Series is open to professional and amateur anglers and features three tournaments. The maximum number of boats for each tournament is 100. Entry fee for each event is $1,000 and teams must fish in all three tournaments. (No single entries allowed.)
“The Alabama Bass Trail is excited to introduce this new series. Our team has worked tirelessly to put together another team trail that checks off many of the boxes on our anglers’ wish list. Hopefully, this new trail satisfies some of the cravings anglers have expressed to us while fulfilling the desires our sponsors have to continue to grow the sport of bass fishing,” said ABT Program Director Kay Donaldson.
Tournament dates and locations for 2021 Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series:
January 9, 2021 Lay Lake / hosted by Shelby County Commission
June 5, 2021 Lake Eufaula / hosted by Eufaula-Barbour Chamber of Commerce
November 20, 2021 Lake Guntersville / hosted by Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau
"Lake Guntersville is honored to be chosen as one of three sites for the ABT 100 Series. Recently named the #2 bass lake in America, Lake Guntersville is a challenging and exciting fishery for anglers of all levels. Competitive fishing is what we do best, and we are pleased to play host to this new tournament series,” said Katy Norton, president of the Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Each tournament features a $25,000 guaranteed first place prize and pays 20 places plus a $1,000 big fish totaling $100,000.
Payout Schedule:
First place$25,000
Second place$12,500
Third place$10,000
Fourth place$ 9,000
Fifth place$ 7,500
Sixth place$ 6,000
Seventh place$ 5,000
Eighth place$ 4,000
Ninth place$ 3,000
Tenth place$ 2,000
11th – 20th $ 1,500 each
Big Fish$ 1,000
The ABT 100 Series will be televised on Fox Sports Southeast later in 2021. The weigh-in and Live Leaderboard will be streamed live on www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org and on Facebook at Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series.
The entry fee for each event is $1,000 per team. Each team may choose to pay a $1500 nonrefundable deposit to hold the team’s spot. The balance of $1500 must be paid by December 1, 2020. Registration is limited to 100 boats and will open to the public on June 1, 2020, at www.AlabamBassTrail100.org.
“The Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series provides another opportunity to attract anglers to our state in hopes they leave a little bit of tourism dollars in these communities,” added Donaldson. “In recent years, the Alabama Bass Trail has generated an economic impact that eclipses $3 million annually. We look forward to seeing that number climb with the addition of the 100 Series.”
ABT 100 Series sponsors include Phoenix Bass Boats, FishAlabama.org, America’s First Federal Credit Union, T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., Wedowee Marine, Garmin and Jack’s.
For more information, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit online at www.AlabamaBassTrail100.org, on Facebook at Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series and on Instagram at albasstrail100.
About Alabama Bass Trail
The Alabama Bass Trail is a program of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association. Its mission is to promote Alabama as a year-round fishing destination, to preserve natural resources for generations to come, and to educate high school and college-aged students to be good stewards of natural resources. The 13 bass fishing lakes consist of Lake Guntersville, Wheeler Lake, Pickwick Lake, Lewis Smith Lake, Neely Henry Lake, Weiss Lake, Lake Martin, Lay Lake, Logan Martin Lake, Lake Jordan, Alabama River, Lake Eufaula, and the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta. For more information, visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.
AC Insider Podcast - Episode 116 Featuring Randy Blaukat
This week Chris, Jason and the Circus kick off the new year and decade with the one and only Randy Blaukat to talk about his moving to the BASS Opens in 2020 and his new choice of boats for this tournament season!
FLW Series Championship Returns to Lake Cumberland in 2020
BURNSIDE, Ky. (Jan. 7, 2020) – FLW (Fishing League Worldwide), in conjunction with the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission, announced today that the 2020 FLW Series Championship will be held at Lake Cumberland in Burnside and Somerset, Kentucky, Nov. 5-7, 2020.
The 2020 FLW Series Championship will feature 251 boats – the top 25 pros and co-anglers from each of the eight FLW Series divisions, the highest finishing boater and co-angler from each regional at the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American, the College Fishing presented by YETI national champions, and as many as 18 international pros and co-anglers from 10 countries – competing for a top prize of $200,000 in cash plus lucrative contingency bonuses. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a $30,000 Phoenix bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard.
“On behalf of Somerset Tourism, we are thrilled to be selected as the tournament host for the 2020 FLW Series Championship,” said Leslie Ikerd, Director of Tourism for the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission. “After the successful event last year, we look forward to welcoming the anglers back to our community. Make plans to come early or stay late and explore The Spirit of Southern Kentucky.”
“Burnside, Kentucky is honored to co-host the FLW Series Championship again in 2020,” said Frank Crabtree, Executive Director for the Burnside Tourism Commission. “Lake Cumberland is a massive fishery and the stage is set for one final slugfest to complete the 2020 season. Anglers will launch from the historic battleground of General Burnside Island State Park, and our town can’t wait to have FLW, their fans, their anglers and their families back here for the Championship.”
Lake Cumberland has played host to 38 FLW tournaments across five circuits in the 25-year history of the organization. The south-central Kentucky impoundment has hosted two High School Fishing tournaments, one College Fishing tournament, 29 Phoenix Bass Fishing League events, three FLW Series tournaments and three FLW Tour (now FLW Pro Circuit) events.
“We’ve had great success hosting our FLW events on Lake Cumberland in the past, and the fantastic fishing and fan enthusiasm at our previous tournaments have made coming back an easy choice,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager. “We are proud to bring our FLW Series Championship back to our fans in Somerset and Burnside.”
The 2020 FLW Series schedule, along with complete details, rules and payouts for the season can be found online atFLWFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information on the FLW Series visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the FLW Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram andYouTube.
2019 BASS ROY Cook eyes bigger prize in 2020
Vance McCullough
“I feel like I left AOY out there on the table and I ain’t happy about it.”
After taking Bassmaster Rookie of the Year honors amid the strongest field of rookies in Elite Series history, Drew Cook can only think of what might have been. “I’m very appreciative for winning Rookie of the Year, but I lost angler of the Year in four days. That gives me a little fuel for next year.”
“Without a doubt” Cook says he will come out swinging harder in 2020.
Cook rolled into Detroit for the AOY Championship with an 11-point lead. He nearly unified the ROY and AOY titles.
“I feel like it was a rookie mistake. I tried to go catch a bag that would put me in the Top 10 so I could go fish the next day. That’s the only time it’s really hurt me, doing that. I made a really long run, took a really big gamble and was fortunate to scrape up 13 or 14 pounds on the way back. Had I just gone and done what I did the day before and caught 18 or 20 pounds, then I would have moved up there around 16thplace and that would have saved me. I ended that tournament in 35th. I lost a lot of points in that one day.
“I’m not saying to not fish to win every event, but at some point, you’ve got to sit back and look at the big picture of AOY and make a decision on that. It may not have worked out either way, but that was one that stuck with me. And it didn’t feel right. All day. That was when I knew I had made a mistake.”
The costly choice on St. Clair contrasts sharply with Cook’s performance in what many consider the toughest tourney of the year. “At Lake Tenkiller, I was in 2nd or 3rd going into the 3rd day. I didn’t weigh-in but one bass but all day long, I felt, and I told my camera guy, ‘I feel like it can happen at any time’. Ten minutes before weigh in, 5 minutes before weigh in, I was never spun out, never worried. It just didn’t happen, so you’ve just kind of got to deal with that.”
When rookies are competing for the AOY title right into the championship event, one has to wonder how they got so good so fast. For one, the younger pros are quick to embrace technology. “There are some people fishing on the Elite Series that still use flashers,” notes Cook. “We didn’t ever have flashers growing up. I’m not the most tech-savvy but in our group of young anglers, that has a tremendous amount to do with it – the quick success – not just being a shallow water power fisherman and only being able to do well whenever those events come around. We’re all good at it now. We grew up with these electronics. It’s a lot easier for us to learn them. We have things at our fingertips that nobody has had before, between the internet and Google and Google Earth and YouTube. I mean there is nothing you can’t YouTube and figure out how to do. Within 30 minutes you know how to do something you’ve never done before because of YouTube.”
YouTube aside, Cook’s favorite electronics include his Lowrance HDS Live units. “There is one tournament that I would not have caught them in if I did not have the Lowrance Live Sight real-time sonar. At Cayuga I was able to see the little isolated clumps of grass and points in the grass line. I was throwing a crankbait and without that I would not have been able to do what I did,” said Cook of his 9th place finish.
Technology notwithstanding, Cook polished his old-fashioned decision-making skills on the Elite Series. He points to the Cayuga tournament for another example, “It was a very bad practice. The dock talk was terrible. People were saying that 16 pounds was going to be a big bag. Well, the first morning I caught 19 pounds in about 30 minutes and I laid off my fish. Gonna save ‘em, you know. I got to weigh in and I was in 25th place. I had to lean on them even harder the 2nd day and I caught 22 pounds to get up into the Top 10 but if I would have known the first day and went ahead and caught 21 or 22 I think my day 3 and day 4 would have been better because I had to throttle them the 2nd day to make up for it and going through a bunch of three-and-three-quarter-pounders and four-pounders to get up to that 22, well I could have just caught 21 and 21 the first two days and had 21 more the 3rdday and been right there in the hunt.”
Though he made mistakes, Cook feels he was well prepared for Elite Series competition. “It was everything I thought it was going to be and more. I feel like I was very prepared. In 2007 a rookie would have fished some weekend tournaments and then jumped into the Top 150’s or whatever. Me, I fished with B.A.S.S. from Juniors to High School to College to the Nations to the Opens to the Elite Series, so it wasn’t like a big leap. It was just a small step because I had steppingstones all the way up there. That’s another thing with these young guys who are up and coming – they know how to fish three-and-four-day events because we have them in college and in the Opens so it’s not as much of a shock to everybody coming up now.”
While he was disappointed at losing AOY, Cook knows that his ROY title will mean more to him as the years pass, especially considering the guys he had to beat. “It’s a big deal right now that I won from this class but 10 years from now when Garrett Paquette, Patrick Walters, Lee Livesay, Luke Palmer and Tyler Rivet are all household names, it will mean even more. All of those guys are very good. They are here and they will stay here for a long time. To be able to win against them was a big deal.
“My main goal was to win Rookie of the Year because you only get one shot at it. I can win Angler of the Year next year. I didn’t have to win it the first year. I would have liked to but, you only get one shot at Rookie of the Year.”
Cook’s other main goal going into 2019 was to qualify for the 2020 Classic. Check that box. “I’m beyond excited about being in my first Classic, but it being on Guntersville is really special because Guntersville played a big role in me making the Elites. The team trail I fished right out of high school, their championship was on Guntersville two years in a row and winning both of them gave me the money to fish the Opens to qualify for the Elite Series.”
The only tournament Cook hasn’t won on Guntersville was the Elite tourney he fished there this past year. “I feel like that one should have gone a lot different. But I like the lake, spent a lot of time there, had good success there. I’m really looking forward to the Classic.”
As advanced as the young guys are in the art of angling, Cook is also wise beyond his years off the water. With respect to his first Classic experience, “I would like to just take a step back every once in a while, and soak it in, not just let it zoom by. And it’s gonna be hard to do, obviously. And with it being the 50th Bassmaster Classic, it’s going to be huge.
“I’ve thought about this tournament my whole entire life. To finally make it, it’s gonna be surreal.”
Before the Classic rolls around, Cook and friends have a couple of Elite tourneys to fish. He hopes for good weather as they return to the St Johns River where he jumped from 61st on Day 1 in 2019 to 18th on Day 2 with a big sack of bass. “That set the tone for the whole year right there.”
Back to his point about missing the AOY title last season, Cook is fired up for 2020. “I’m still going to fish every event to win it, but if I do get in that situation where it comes down to AOY stuff, I’m going to evaluate winning it and AOY points instead of just going for it. We’ve got an amazing schedule for my strengths.”
BassCat and Mark Davis together again
MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. (January 7, 2020) – Mark Davis, a 2019 inductee into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame and still competing at the top levels of tournament fishing after over three decades as a full-time pro, has rejoined the Bass Cat Boats pro team.
In 1995 Davis became the first professional angler to win both the Bassmaster Angler of the Year title and the Bassmaster Classic trophy in the same year. He went on to win the Angler of the Year title twice more, along with four more B.A.S.S. victories and an FLW Tour tournament. In addition to 20 Bassmaster Classic appearances, he competed in three Forrest Wood Cups. Between those two circuits he has totaled well over $2 million in winnings. In 2019 he moved to the Bass Pro Tour where he’ll continue to compete in 2020 and beyond.
“I started my career with Bass Cat and I owe the Pierce family a lot,” Davis said. “My wife Tilly and I recently went on a plant visit and it was like we’d never left. It’s great to be back.”
Bass Cat President Rick Pierce stressed the Davis serves as an important link between the history of the sport and the younger generation of anglers rising today. “Mark has unimpeachable ethics and can tell a story just about better than anyone else on earth. He may have temporarily run another boat, but he never left the Bass Cat family and we hope he finishes out his career with us, no matter how long that lasts.”
This year Davis will run the 20’8” Lynx, a wide-bodied model that offers an incredible balance of performance and comfort.
“It’s very innovative and fits my style of fishing,” he said. “It’s a fairly new hull, and the layout suits me really well.”
Bass Cat Pro Staff Manager Kevin Short was thrilled to be able to add Davis back to the team.
“We have an incredible array of talents across all three major tours,” Short said. “To be able to add an angler of Mark’s caliber and accomplishments to the fold is a gift. He has always been one of those people that everyone looked up to as an example of what it means to be a professional angler on every level.”
B.A.S.S. Officially Announces 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — After a 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series season that was widely regarded as one of the best ever, the entire field has decided to come back for an encore.
B.A.S.S. announced the field for the 2020 Elite Series today, and all 75 anglers from the 2019 roster are returning, along with 10 qualifiers from the Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens, two veteran anglers, who returned to the trail through Legends Exemptions, and the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation champion.
“To have all 75 guys back from last year — plus 100% of the anglers who were invited — says a lot about the positive momentum we have with the Bassmaster Elite Series,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “The reaction to last season was overwhelmingly positive from sponsors and fans, and it’s great that everyone wants to continue with us on what will be another exciting journey in 2020.”
The list of returnees will include Scott Canterbury who fished a brilliant season to secure his first Bassmaster Angler of the Year title. Longtime Elite Series veterans like Drew Benton, Hank Cherry, John Crews, Micah Frazier, Matt Herren, Bill Lowen and Chris Zaldain will also be back.
A talented 2019 rookie field of anglers that included Rookie of the Year Drew Cook, Lee Livesay and Patrick Walters will now enter their sophomore campaigns with the Elites.
They will be joined by a new talented crop of rookies that includes Eastern Opens qualifiers Bryan Schmitt of Deale, Md., Destin DeMarion of Grove City, Pa., Buddy Gross of Chickamauga, Ga., Austin Felix of Eden Prairie, Minn., and Kyle Welcher of Opelika, Ala. The anglers who qualified through the Central Opens are Wes Logan of Springville, Ala., Caleb Kuphall of Mukwonago, Wis., Taku Ito of Chiba, Japan and Bob Downey of Hudson, Wis.
Cody Hollen of Beaverton, Ore., will also join the rookie class after winning the TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell in November.
“Last year’s class of newcomers was obviously the biggest we’ve had since the start of the Elite Series,” said B.A.S.S. Tournament Director Trip Weldon. “That was one of things that made the season so exciting — watching all of those young guys grow into pro fishing stars.
“They put on a great show, and I know the guys who are joining us this year will do the same. I imagine that is why every one of the anglers who were invited to join the Elite Series accepted their invitation.”
John Cox of DeBary, Fla., actually earned an Elite Series invitation through both Opens divisions, finishing second in the Central Opens and fourth in the Eastern Opens points. This will be his first season on the Elite Series, but he will not be eligible for the 2020 Rookie of the Year race due to career earnings with B.A.S.S. and FLW.
Any angler who has a combined earnings of at least $500,000 with B.A.S.S. and FLW is not considered a rookie. Schmitt will also be ineligible for Rookie of the Year honors.
Instead, Cox and Schmitt will join Brandon Palaniuk and Gerald Swindle as established anglers competing on the Elite Series. Palaniuk and Swindle, who left briefly to fish another pro circuit in 2019, are returning on Legends Exemptions that are sometimes offered to anglers who have accumulated points through winning Bassmaster Classic and Angler of the Year titles.
“My reason for wanting to return to the Elites Series was simple — it’s home,” Swindle said when he made the announcement he had accepted the Legends Exemption. “It’s all I know, it’s what I’m comfortable with, the format, the weigh-ins, the tournament schedule, etc.”
Other industry giants like Rick Clunn, David Fritts and Jay Yelas — three former Classic champions with 26 wins between them — will also be back, along with Brandon Cobb and Jamie Hartman — a pair of two-time winners last season.
The 2020 Elite Series schedule will begin Feb. 6-9 with the AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla. From there, it will wind through eight states for nine events as anglers compete for cash and prizes and attempt to qualify for the 2021 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
Each tournament will begin with 88 anglers on Days 1 and 2 before the field is cut to 40 for the semifinal round on Day 3. Only the Top 10 remaining anglers will fish the final day of each event with a $100,000 first-place prize on the line.
“Momentum is a powerful thing in any business or sport,” Akin said. “We built a lot of momentum last season, and we have a field of anglers who will help us keep it going this year.”
2020 Bassmaster Elite Series Field
- Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C.
- Todd Auten, Lake Wylie, S.C.
- Drew Benton, Panama City, Fla.
- Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark.
- Scott Canterbury, Odenville, Ala.
- Quentin Cappo, Prairieville, La.
- Brandon Card, Knoxville, Tenn.
- Tyler Carriere, Youngsville, La.
- Hank Cherry, Lincolnton, N.C.
- Gary Clouse, Winchester, Tenn.
- Rick Clunn, Ava, Mo.
- Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C.
- Keith Combs, Huntington, Texas
- Drew Cook, Midway, Fla.
- John Cox, DeBary, Fla.
- John Crews, Salem, Va.
- Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala.
- Destin DeMarion, Grove City, Pa.
- Rob Digh, Denver, N.C.
- Greg DiPalma, Millville, N.J.
- Bob Downey, Hudson, Wis.
- Seth Feider, New Market, Minn.
- Austin Felix, Eden Prairie, Minn.
- Micah Frazier, Newnan, Ga.
- David Fritts, Lexington, N.C.
- Chris Groh, Spring Grove, Ill.
- Buddy Gross, Chickamauga, Ga.
- Jeff Gustafson, Keewatin, Ontario, Canada
- Skylar Hamilton, Dandridge, Tenn.
- Ray Hanselman Jr., Del Rio, Texas
- Jamie Hartman, Russellville, Ark.
- Matt Herren, Ashville, Ala.
- Dale Hightower, Mannford, Okla.
- Cody Hollen, Beaverton, Ore.
- Harvey Horne, Bella Vista, Ark.
- Derek Hudnall, Baton Rouge, La.
- Mike Huff, Corbin, Ky.
- Takumi Ito, Chiba, Japan
- Kelley Jaye, Dadeville, Ala.
- Carl Jocumsen, Graysville, Tenn.
- Chris Johnston, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
- Cory Johnston, Cavan, Ontario, Canada
- Steve Kennedy, Auburn, Ala.
- Koby Kreiger, Alva, Fla.
- Caleb Kuphall, Mukwonago, Wis.
- Robbie Latuso, Gonzales, La.
- Shane LeHew, Catawba, N.C.
- Brandon Lester, Fayetteville, Tenn.
- Shane Lineberger, Lincolnton, N.C.
- Lee Livesay, Gladewater, Texas
- Wes Logan, Springville, Ala.
- Ed Loughran III, Richmond, Va.
- Bill Lowen, Brookville, Ind.
- Mark Menendez, Paducah, Ky.
- Yusuke Miyazaki, Forney, Texas
- Kyle Monti, Okeechobee, Fla.
- Chad Morgenthaler, Reeds Spring, Mo.
- Rick Morris, Virginia Beach, Va.
- Brock Mosley, Collinsville, Miss.
- Paul Mueller, Naugatuck, Conn.
- David Mullins, Mt. Carmel, Tenn.
- Brandon Palaniuk, Rathdrum, Idaho
- Luke Palmer, Coalgate, Okla.
- Garrett Paquette, Canton, Mich.
- Randy Pierson, Oakdale, Calif.
- Chad Pipkens, Lansing, Mich.
- Clifford Pirch, Payson, Ariz.
- Brett Preuett, Monroe, La.
- Cliff Prince, Palatka, Fla.
- Tyler Rivet, Luling, La.
- Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md.
- Bernie Schultz, Gainesville, Fla.
- Hunter Shryock, Newcomerstown, Ohio
- Brian Snowden, Reeds Spring, Mo.
- Randy Sullivan, Breckenridge, Texas
- Caleb Sumrall, New Iberia, La.
- Gerald Swindle, Guntersville, Ala.
- Jesse Tacoronte, Orlando, Fla.
- Frank Talley, Temple, Texas
- Patrick Walters, Summerville, S.C.
- Bill Weidler, Helena, Ala.
- Kyle Welcher, Opelika, Ala.
- Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas
- Brad Whatley, Bivins, Texas
- Jake Whitaker, Fairview, N.C.
- Jason Williamson, Wagener, S.C.
- Jay Yelas, Lincoln City, Ore.
- Chris Zaldain, Fort Worth, Texas
Palaniuk joins Rod Glove
The Rod Glove Signs Bassmaster Elite Series Pro; Brandon Palaniuk
The Rod Glove is pleased to announce that they will have one of the most exciting bass professionals in the world joining their pro staff for 2020 and beyond; Brandon Palaniuk
Brandon Palaniuk says "The Rod Glove is one of those brands that anglers at all levels have in their boat because they simply work. The organization and protection of my rods just went to the next level in 2020."
Brandon joins fellow Rod Glove pro staffers – Gerald Swindle and Brent Ehrler.
“The Rod Glove is very excited to have Brandon on our team” says Rod Glove owner, Jim Van Ryn. “Brandon is the epitome of the present-day bass pro and having him represent our brand is nothing short of thrilling for us. Brandon’s ability to connect with all angler’s of every level is key to his appeal and is exactly how we want our brand portrayed in the marketplace.”
For more about the Rod Glove, visit their site at www.therodglove.com
Top Pro's Introduce new "BassForce" App
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Nine pro anglers representing nearly 200 years of tournament experience provide BassForce's intellectual data bank of knowledge.
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BassForce is available in two subscription options, either standard or premium. Standard provides access to one pro of choice, at a cost of $9.99 per month. A premium subscription gives total access to all nine BassForce pros, and costs $19.99 per month.
On that note, both standard and premium BassForce subscribers have access to the app's innovative Game Plan feature, which allows users to customize their fishing plans for the day according to pro input and available lure option information.
"Fishing the Moment" was key to Canterbury's AOY Run win 2019
Vance McCullough
“Fishing the moment is what helped me win last year,” said Scott Canterbury of a 2019 that saw him take the Bassmaster Angler of the Year title in his first season on the Elite Series. “I ran new water in tournaments that I looked at but didn’t even fish during practice. It was a big deal last year, keeping an open mind and trying to keep figuring them out every day.”
Canterbury kept his options, and his mind, open even during practice rounds. “I never thought I had a really good practice. All year long it was a tough, grinding practice. That sort of helps you. If you go out in practice and get on them, it’s going to change, and you’ve got to stay ahead of them. But the whole three days of practice if you’re still trying to figure them out, it’s coming to you and I felt like that was a big key last year.”
Canterbury fished 11 seasons on the FLW Tour, his highest standing in the points race being an 8th place finish in 2018. How was he able to finish atop a major tour in 2019?
“Experience was probably one of the biggest things that played last year because I never did really get nervous. I never got in a hurry or started trying to make things happen. That’s what I’ve done in the past – you try to force things to happen and that’s when things start to tumble and go wrong. Last year I kept my cool, fished my strengths and fished my speed all year.”
Canterbury says he was tested at Lake Tenkiller, as well as at the AOY Championship, but his relaxed confidence saw him through.
At Tenkiller, “I never did worry. It was a weird feeling because we were three-quarters of the way through the season and when I woke up in the morning I just felt like I was gonna catch ‘em, even if it was 12 o’clock and I hadn’t got ‘em, it still felt like I was gonna catch ‘em. That was one thing that was so great about last year. I’ve woke up before in the morning just thinking how hard it was going to be, and that I was going to struggle and all that. And I was right when I did that.
“It’s a positive attitude thing.
“I’ve had some really good runs in the past and then ended up stumbling a little bit, you know, having things go wrong.”
Successful tournament fishing is the result of decisions made. So is unsuccessful tournament fishing. “In my two worst tournaments I know where I went wrong,” says the Angler of the Year. “In every other tournament, there was a decision, a time that I changed in the middle of the event that just turned the whole tournament around. When you’re making decisions and you’re staying ahead of the fish like that it’s pretty easy, but I’ve also been on the tail end of that deal.”
Canterbury says the 75-man field size on the 2019 Elite Series didn’t hurt his chances, mathematically. Still, the Elite Series roster may be as talented as ever. Need proof? Consider the razor-thin margin of victory and the way the race came down to the last day, as it always has regardless of the names on the jerseys. It was a level of competition that never allowed Canterbury to save fish or simply bring in a small limit to protect his lead late in the season. “I tried to catch everything I could catch every day.
“At Tenkiller I was rooming with Matt Arey and Jay Yelas and I was talking with Jay and I said ‘I just need to survive. I just need to stay in the middle, do decent and I can keep my points’. Jay said ‘those guys are so good that you can’t do that. You’ve got to keep your foot on the throttle. You’ve got to try to win every tournament. If you let up just a little bit, somebody’s going to pass you’.”
The advice proved golden.
“Eight points separated 1st from 3rd place,” notes Canterbury. “I had to stand on it and catch everything I could catch every day of every tournament. Any day of the year, I can look back at one single fish and if I don’t catch that fish, I don’t win Angler of the Year.”
Another accomplishment that lights Canterbury’s fire is his berth into the upcoming Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville in his home state of Alabama. “Growing up, I used to get up every Saturday morning and watch Bassmasters. Since I was 6 years old, I’ve dreamed of being in the Bassmaster Classic. I fished 10 Forrest Wood Cups and it’s a great tournament, but there’s only one Classic. This is the 50th and I can’t wait to come across that stage.
“I am extremely excited about it; about the opportunity. I’m gonna fish my hardest, try to capitalize on every opportunity I get. I’ll be ready.”
Canterbury isn’t looking at the other anglers. He’s focused on the real competition. “If you catch what the lake is capable of producing the week that you’re there, you’re going to do good. I’m fishing against the fish. I’m not fishing against the other fishermen. I did that a couple of days my rookie year, I’d go out and fish against the guys I looked up to the whole time I was trying to qualify. I was beat already. I zeroed the first day I ever fished a tournament because I was beat before I went out, mentally. If you go out and just fish against the fish, I think it makes a big difference.”
Canterbury will have to wait until game time to fish against those Guntersville bass. He didn’t make a scouting trip. “I’ll be honest. I never went up there to look at it. I had a whole fall to go but I haven’t been. I used to would go spend all my time up there and try to figure it out but first week of March, things are really going to be changing in Alabama. I don’t have any preconceived notions. I know the lake really well, but I don’t even know where the best grass is growing this fall.”
With a pair of Elite Series events in February, the 2020 Angler of the Year race will be a quarter of the way done when the Classic takes place. Does Canterbury like his chances of winning another AOY title?
“Last year was a great ride. Momentum is a big thing. It’s a goal that, as fishermen we always set but, you’re not upset if you don’t achieve it. It’s been pretty amazing. Hopefully I can keep the momentum going and keep catching ‘em.
“I’m looking forward to the next tournament.”
Seth Feider Joins Plano Pro Staff
Louisiana Boater Kevin Lasyone Tops 230 Anglers on Sam Rayburn, Wins $6,000
Record-Setting Field Opens Phoenix Bass Fishing League:
BROOKELAND, TEXAS (Jan. 6, 2020) – The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine opened competition Saturday at the historic Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Brookeland, Texas, and featured a record-setting field size – 230 boaters and 230 co-anglers. The season opener, the largest field in more than 20 years, left with multiple anglers left on the waiting list.
Boater Kevin Lasyone of Dry Prong, Louisiana, caught the largest five-bass limit of the day (weighing 20 pounds 8 ounces) to win the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Cowboy division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps opener. Lasyone earned $6,000 for his efforts.
“It feels great to get the win against a field like this in the first event of the year,” said Lasyone, who earned his third career victory on Sam Rayburn in FLW competition. “I was basically fishing grass in three to five feet of water early, then I went shallow and finished out my day.”
Lasyone said he caught most of his fish on a Rat-L-Trap and a V&M Lures swimbait with a Lazyman weighted swimbait hook. He also added a few keepers with a Yamamoto Senko.
“I think the key to my victory was all of the time that I have spent on Rayburn over the years,” Lasyone went on to say. “The big ones really seemed to pull up when the sun came out, and they were up pretty shallow. I was fishing water that was only about knee deep, but it had to have grass.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament as follows:
1st: Kevin Lasyone of Dry Prong, La., five bass, 20-8, $6,000
2nd: Derek Mundy of Broaddus, Texas, five bass, 18-12, $3,000
3rd: Andre Martin of Lena, La., five bass, 17-15, $2,000
4th: Phil Marks of Dallas, Texas, five bass, 17-14, $1,400
5th: River Lee of Nacogdoches, Texas, five bass, 16-15, $1,200
6th: Randy Quin of Huffman, Texas, five bass, 16-12, $1,100
7th: Rylon Ganey of Pineville, La., five bass, 16-10, $1,000
8th: Skeeter Fowler of Grand Saline, Texas, five bass, 16-6, $900
9th: James Allen Pruitt of Houston, Texas, five bass, 15-13, $800
10th: Judah Morris of Forest Hill, La., five bass, 15-9, $665
10th: Ryan Pinkston of Center, Texas, five bass, 15-9, $665
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Mason Kellett of Kingston, Oklahoma, won the Boater Big Bass award of $1,000 after bringing a largemouth bass weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces to the scale.
Jaden Parrish of Liberty, Texas, won the Co-angler Division and $3,000 Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds even.
The top 10 co-anglers finished as follows:
1st: Jaden Parrish of Liberty, Texas, five bass, 15-0, $3,000
2nd: Larry Lovell of Emory, Texas, five bass, 14-12, $1,500
3rd: Todd Fontenot of Lake Charles, La., five bass, 13-12, $1,000
4th: Cannon Rush of Midlothian, Texas, five bass, 13-11, $700
5th: Chase Crawford of Kingwood, Texas, five bass, 12-13, $600
6th: Lindy Hadley of Sam Rayburn, Texas, five bass, 12-5, $550
7th: Antwon Harris of DeRidder, La., five bass, 12-3, $500
8th: Lat Nichols of Deport, Texas, four bass, 12-2, $425
8th: Brandon Ackerson of Afton, Okla., five bass, 12-2, $425
10th: Juan Barrientos of Clarksville, Ark., five bass, 12-1, $350
Clark Moore of Nacogdoches, Texas, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 15 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $500.
Phoenix Boats, title sponsor of the Bass Fishing League, announced a lucrative new FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program designed to reward Phoenix Boats owners for their performance in FLW events. Boaters are eligible to win up to an extra $7,000 per event in each Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine tournament if all requirements are met. More information on the FLW PHOENIX BONUS contingency program can be found at PhoenixBassBoats.com.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the Cowboy Division presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps based on point standings, along with the five winners of each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 22-24 Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri. Boaters will compete for a $60,000 prize package, including a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard and $10,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new 18-foot Phoenix bass boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American.
The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held April 30 through May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Lew's adds Grigsby, Swindle and others to 2020 Pro -Staff
Lew’s, the manufacturer of premium rods, reels and fishing accessories is proud to announce the addition of Bass Fishing Hall of Fame inductee Shaw Grigsby to their pro staff. Grigsby has long been an important member of the Strike King pro staff, and adding him to Lew’s means he will be endorsing the majority of the product lines for both brands.
Grigsby, from Gainesville, Fla., has been one of the most influential anglers in the sport for more than 20 years. A veteran of hundreds of Bassmaster events, and a founding partner of Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, Grigsby has always represented his sponsors with the highest integrity and professionalism.
In his professional career, Grigsby has been the host of One More Cast with Shaw Grigsby television; a show that spanned 20 years. He has won 9 Bassmaster events, finished in the top 64 times and amassed more than $2.2-million in career earnings.
Mark Copley, Director of Pro Staff and Media Relations for Lew’s and Strike King said that adding Grigsby has a very familiar feel. “Shaw has always been an important part of Strike King, and having him choose Lew’s feels like welcoming a family member home,” said Copley. “Shaw’s career is one that anyone would be proud to have, and he’s a one in a million kind of person; we couldn’t be prouder to see him adding the Lew’s logo to his jersey.”
As an angler who makes his living casting, Grigsby knows the type of quality he needs to perform on the water, but also knows that anglers of every skillset and level need great equipment to enjoy their pastime. “One of the most exciting things for me is that Lew’s makes great products for everyone,” said Grigsby. “Not only do they make amazing rods and reels for me to compete with, but they make something of quality for every angler, at any budget, and they give back too.”
Grigsby expounded on some of those programs. “From the American Hero program that supports first responders and our military, to the high school and college programs that help grow our sport, Lew’s is involved at every level,” he said. “It really was an easy decision for me to sign with Lew’s, I’ve already known so many of them from Strike King, and the product just makes it that much better; I’m really excited to be joining the Lew’s team.”
Copley finished by further bragging on Grigsby, “anyone who has ever met Shaw feels like they have made a new friend,” he said. “Not only is he a Hall of Fame angler, but he is equally as great a person; he is a natural fit for us, and we are excited to have him as a part of our family.”
Lew’s Adds Gerald Swindle, Lew’s and Strike King Add Brian Latimer and Cole Floyd
Lew’s, and sister brand Strike King; already featuring some of the most impressive pro teams in the fishing industry, announce the addition of Gerald Swindle to the Lew’s team, and Brian Latimer and Cole Floyd to the Lew’s and Strike King brands.
Swindle, from Guntersville, Ala. is a Bassmaster Elite Series pro and two-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year will represent Lew’s reels. Latimer, an FLW Tour Champion from Belton, S.C., will also represent Lew’s reels, as well as Strike King tungsten and Tour Grade fishing line. Floyd, a college fishing and Costa Series champion from Leesburg, Ohio, will represent the complete lines of both Lew’s and Strike King.
Mark Copley, Director of Pro Staff and Media Relations said that the brands look forward to the new additions. “The addition of these new anglers are great fits for Lew’s and Strike King,” said Copley. “Our brands have always featured some of the top names in the sport, and these are no different. Gerald is a highly accomplished veteran angler and one of the most popular amongst the fans, Brian is an exceptional talent that has been coming into his own, and Floyd is one of the best anglers to ever come from the college ranks; these are perfect additions to our teams.”
Copley said that the brands are very excited with the extension of platforms that especially Swindle and Latimer provide to the brands. “Gerald has one of the most loyal and active followings on social media, and Brian’s YouTube channel and social media presence are very exciting; they work very hard on those platforms,” said Copley. “Having our brands associated with this caliber of angler and the presence they generate on their social media channels will be invaluable in promoting Lew’s and Strike King.”
Ever the showman, Swindle said that using Lew’s reels in 2020 will help him on the water as he competes on the Bassmaster Elite Series, and help him feel relaxed, knowing his reels will function as intended. “Some folks think that Southern Comfort comes in a bottle,” said Swindle. “But, I think that it comes in a box of Lew’s reels; they are good to the last drop.”
Latimer said the quality of the products is what spoke to him. “The one thing you know about Lew’s and Strike King is that they spare no expense in producing top quality products,” Latimer said. “I’ve got great rod, hardbait and softbait sponsors, but having a Lew’s reel in my hands, spooled with Strike King Tour Grade line and fishing with Tour Grade tungsten, I know I’ll be able to get the job done.”
Copley summed up the new additions by saying, “having these guys on our teams is a big deal, we are looking forward to their accomplishments and contributions to Lew’s and Strike King.”
Follow Swindle as he competes on the Bassmaster Elite Series, Latimer as he competes in the Bassmaster Opens and Floyd on the FLW Pro Circuit in 2020.
KastKing Adds More Pro Fishing Tournament Anglers and Pro Fishing Guides to Roster
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BASS CAT PARTNERS WITH WILD WEST BASS TRAIL
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X Zone Lures Signs Bassmaster Elite Series Pro Brandon Palaniuk
X Zone Lures is pleased to announce that they will be joining forces with
Brandon Palaniuk to bring the bass fishing world some of the most exciting
new baits. Starting in January of 2020 Brandon Palaniuk will represent X
Zone Lures and become a major contributor to bait design for the premium
bait brand.
Brandon Palaniuk says "I'm beyond excited to join the family at X Zone lures
in 2020! Floating claws, high quality plastic, and no cheap fillers are
just a couple of examples of small details that make a huge difference in
bait design when that bait touches the water. I've always enjoyed bait
design, so this is an opportunity to get those ideas out there and add to an
already impressive lineup of baits."
Brandon joins fellow X Zone pro staffer - Elite Series Pro, Brandon Lester.
"X Zone Lures is very excited to have Brandon on our team" says X Zone Lures
owner, Jim Van Ryn. "Brandon is the angler of today. His attention to detail
and his creativity in bait design is among the best in the business. His
relatability to all anglers and his willingness to share the how and the why
of fishing techniques makes him valuable to the industry. Having Brandon on
our team designing and representing us out on tour is sure to be a major
step forward for our brand. We couldn't happier to have him with us."
For more about X Zone Lures, visit their site at www.xzonelures.com
Ranger Boats Announces Increased Ranger Cup Program for BFL Anglers in 2020
More overall payout with guaranteed prize money for highestfinishing angler
FLIPPIN, Ark. (December 30, 2019) - Ranger Cup, the industry's leading tournament contingency program for competitive anglers, will be even stronger in 2020 thanks in part to a new program just announced for BFL anglers.
Beginning with the first event on Sam Rayburn on January 4, anglers running Ranger boats will have more opportunity than ever to take home bonus money from the legendary boat builder.
For all 2020 regular season events, any angler that wins a BFL tournament and meets Ranger Cup criteria will be awarded a $5,000 bonus, representing a significant increase over past years. The enhanced program doesn't stop there. Ranger is adding a highest finisher guarantee for 2020 events as well. In the case a Ranger angler doesn't win the event, a $1,000 bonus will be paid to the highest finishing angler meeting Ranger Cup criteria.
"To date, more than $19 million has been paid out in bonus money to Ranger owners who have participated in Ranger Cup," said Ranger Sr. Marketing Promotions Manager Scott Arms. "That's more than the awards of all other competitive programs combined, and we are thrilled to make an even stronger commitment to our family of anglers in 2020."
"We've also got even more exciting news on the horizon," Arms added "Ranger anglers definitely don't want to miss signing up for this year's program."
Specific details and sign up information are available at Rangercup.com, which is now accepting 2020 entries. With so much opportunity at numerous competitive levels, Ranger boat owners are encouraged to sign up now to make the most of every event.
In addition to all regular season BFL events, Ranger Cup payout will continue to be available for the BFL All American. 2020 will offer strong bonuses for both pro-and co-anglers at the prestigious event with a $20,000 top prize available for those fishing on the pro division, as well as further incentives for 2nd-5th place, and a $5,000 top prize available on the co-angler division with additional payout available for 2nd-5th place co-anglers as well. Full details and 2020 registration links are available on Rangercup.com.
About Ranger Boats
Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation's premier manufacturer of legendary fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, with acclaimed models and series in the bass, multi-species, fish 'n play, saltwater, waterfowl utility and pontoon boat segments. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water. For more information, go to RangerBoats.com.
The Gift
Vance McCullough
As we enter that great period of limbo between Christmas and New Year’s Eve wherein nobody knows what day it is, or even the time, I reflect on a gift I was recently able to share. Truth is, I received more than I could ever give.
This was my second trip to Mariel, Cuba. Our 13-member team had three main objectives – share the love and good news about Jesus Christ and His forgiveness, help build an education wing for the local church, and deliver supplies and tools.
Last year, I made friends with an angler named Andy. We fished together and I was mightily impressed at the resourcefulness of Cuban fishermen. By the time we headed to the water, our trip had become an outing for half the church and our entire ministry team. I got to see how the locals used wooden rings as hand reels and how they spun their bait and lures overhead before casting them by hand into the water. A few, like Andy, had small fiberglass spinning rods and reels. A tiny handful of manufactured lures were prized possessions and were shown off with the pride normally associated with the island nation’s ubiquitous antique cars (’52 Chevy’s are the most common, therefore, probably the best built).
Most casting involved a hookless wooden float/popper made of whatever materials could be sourced. One guy used a ping pong ball. The idea was to facilitate a long cast, keep the hooks above the ever-present rocks and make noise to attract fish to the actual lure below. Behind the popping device was a leader with a small offering attached, usually a bare j-hook adorned with only a Strike King spinnerbait skirt. At least that’s what it looked like.
That was my first fishing trip in Cuba, and it was an eye-opener. I immediately wondered what these talented and relentless anglers could do with some more modern gear, so this year my return trip to Mariel included a personal ‘objective 3(b)’ – to deliver fishing supplies to my boy, Andy along with the medical items and construction tools.
I called Steve Miller – not the singer, but the really talented Steve Miller – at American Fishing Wire and he hooked us up with some great fluorocarbon line and shock leaders. Patrick Sebile’s A Band of Anglers shared so much stuff with us at an event this past spring that I instantly knew I would be shuttling a lot of it along to my Cuban fishing buddies. In fact, many in the fishing industry donated without knowing it. Strike King has been more than good to me for years and I was able to pass along the goodness. Z-Man, Rapala/VMC, LIVETARGET and Gambler will all catch ‘grandes’ along the coast of Cuba.
And, eventually, in her lakes as well.
Almost nobody I spoke with last year knew what a largemouth bass was, or that exceptional specimens swim in the numerous lakes on the island’s interior. An American missionary showed me a picture of a man on a bicycle toting a stringer of 3-pounders in another town. As we waited for our flight out last year, a Cuban man in a modern tournament jersey showed my pictures of multiple 10-pounders he had caught during the previous week. To give credit where it is due, my curiosity over Cuban bass began way back when I read in Jimmy Houston’s autobiography, Caught Me A Big ‘Un, that he had indeed caught ‘big ‘uns’ in Cuba many years ago.
I must have lit a fire in Andy’s mind with all the talk of largemouth last year because this year, as we stood on the flat roof of the church, looking out across the salty bay, he said, “Most of those lures you gave me will work for bass, right? I really want to catch my first bass. I am going to find a lake where I can get in there and fish!”
This year though, Andy had to leave for Pinar del Rio, a legendary fishing region in Cuba and he did not go to the beach with the rest of the construction crew that I fished with on our day off. But before he left, Andy gave me a gift – a few handcrafted jerkbaits made by his friend Tony in Mariel.
“These, I believe, will be good for the bass?” said Andy. I noted that the color schemes on a couple of them were perfect for Florida largemouth both, in Florida as well as any he might find in Cuba.
I was extremely honored that he would share these with me.
Andy’s trip to Pinar del Rio did not go as he had hoped. We didn’t catch ‘em on the local beach either but I had great fun teaching a couple of anglers how to use baitcasting gear. They were amazed at the ‘new’ technology, perplexed by the ‘problema’ of backlashes, and fascinated with the challenge of mastering the baitcaster. The catching of fish was a secondary goal at this point. A barracuda did follow our Engage Lures Twitshad but under the bright sun we had no takers.
Raul, a musician in the church, learned quickly how to pick out backlashes. “As soon as you get good at picking those out,” I assured him, “you won’t get them anymore.” He got a lot of practice on this windy day as we waded along a broad, round sandbar at the confluence of a river mouth and a wide bay that opens on the Gulf of Mexico, marked by the towering spew of white waves constantly crashing into the short rocky cliffs of the Cuban coastline a half mile away.
The 2nd largest coral reef on the planet is nearby, the largest being situated 90 miles north in the Florida Keys. Coral reefs host reef fish that pass along toxins to top predators such as barracuda. In my experience, an 18-inch ‘cuda is fine eating. Many Cubans will tell you this is among their favorite, its sweet, white, flaky meat enticing them to eat even the very large fish that have, occasionally, accumulated enough ciguatera toxins to cause serious illness. Most of the people I spoke with have had ciguatera poisoning, the most extreme case lasting for months and causing my friend, Lester, to bang his knee against a wall repeatedly in an effort to numb the pain in his joints. It was the best medicine he had at the time. The fever and nausea didn’t last as long but were very unpleasant.
People in the States don’t understand why anyone would take such chances. People in the states aren’t as hungry. Food is rationed in Cuba. Citizens can buy a certain amount of it at a great discount. After that it costs a lot more, if you can find it. So nobody is throwing away a five-foot barracuda.
Andy is smart about it “I test a small piece of the meat before I eat the whole thing.” He had a pair of giants in a photo he showed me. He fishes miles from shore in an old-fashioned inner tube. Called ‘cameras’ in Cuba the tubes are readily available as the classic cars there still use them. They are lightweight, portable and affordable. Andy has decked his out with utilitarian as well as decorative features, you know, just as many of us do with our boats. A boat is a boat and an angler an angler. No difference in that regard.
Raul passed my collapsible travel rod and baitcasting reel to Frank, an engineer at the local power plant. Frank and I have played baseball, ping pong and, because he all but made me do it, soccer together. “Vance! Why didn’t you take the shot,” he asked me as we ran toward the goal and he passed me the ball. ‘Frank. I explained, believe it or not, I tried to kick the ball, I just missed it,’ I replied.
But here, now, with a baitcaster in hand, I was a master. The outstanding competitor that he is, Frank caught up quickly. Well, as long as he didn’t cast into the wind. I waited a while to share that secret with the boys. I was having fun watching them figure it out and pick out backlashes. With braided line.
That was a marvel to them – that this thin, supple line was rated for 65-pounds. “It’s made of bullet-proof fibers,” I told Frank, who speaks English quite well, having been educated at the University of Havana. He shared the info with Raul in Spanish. We talked about different ways to attach the fluorocarbon leader. Thanks again to American Fishing wire for sending those!
As Frank and I left Raul with the rod and reel, I found a small fish on the beach. Frank rinsed the sand off of it and said, “let’s have some fun with this!”
He told the rest of our group, “look what we caught!” After he told them the truth, the preacher had a great idea - as I learned on this trip, some things are universal. With a little trick photography, we staged a photo of Frank and the ‘trophy’ jack.
My fishing buddies in Cuba are great people. They laugh often, share freely and deeply appreciate things many of us take for granted. I’m already thinking about next year and the rods and reels I’d like to take them – mostly spinning outfits which work well for saltwater applications, even though my talented friends adapted quickly to baitcasting gear when that’s all I had at the time.
If you’d like to follow the fishing scene in Cuba, check out the Facebook page: Al Jig En Cuba – which loosely translates to ‘jig fishing in Cuba’. My buddy, Andy is on there, along with a lot of others. Fishing is a universal language, but the ‘translate’ feature will still come in handy for many of us on this page. Y’all check it out and give a shout out to your fellow anglers across the Gulf.
In no way does the author of this article encourage anyone to eat barracuda. I lead a charmed life and have gotten away with all manner of bad decisions. While small ones rarely have enough toxins built up in their system to poison a diner, the consumption of reef fish, especially of their heads and organs that store toxins, can cause violent illness.
For the Procrastinative Santa
Vance McCullough
Waited (almost) too long to get a little something special for the angler in your life this Christmas? No worries. AnglersChannel.com has you covered. Check out these ideas:
Decked the halls? Great! Now deck out your fishing friends in some swag from Huk. While procrastination can cost you (for instance, the hot Subphantis Trucker Hat from Huk is sold out – for now) it can be your friend too because you’re right on time to save 25% on Subphantis Attack footwear featuring GripX Wet Traction Non-Marking Outsole, Fuzetek Support Cage, 360 Drainage, Performance Lacing and sweet-looking Subphantis Camo patterns. Available in 3 colors, the Attack is rightly described as ‘the most thoughtfully engineered, purpose-built, fishing shoe ever created’.
The discount applies on the company website – HukGear.com
Our friends at TH Marine have bundled some of the best holiday gifts into affordable packages that are sure to put smiles on faces. And they’ll need to smile if they’re filming their fishing exploits with the YouTube Starter Kit that gives them all the mounts, cameras and accessories needed to ‘go viral’ on the worldwide web! Oh, and there’s a TH Marine hat, gloves and gaiter so they can represent fully while mugging with their catch of the day.
Again, it pays to procrastinate as the price on the YouTube Starter kit has been slashed from 309.94 to 169.99. Also check the website to learn how you can get FREE shipping on this and any other gift bundles – such as the YOLOTek bundle, the ever popular Trolling Motor Package and for those who aspire to fish like the best, the KVD Ultimate Package with ultimate savings of about $450!
Troll on over to THMarineSupplies.com
For a quality gift that will serve for years to come, look no further than Lew’s and their outstanding line of rods and reels. While the entire product lineup is outstanding, we at AnglersChannel.com recommend a real ‘winner’. Lew’s won the “Best Rod & Reel Combo” category for the 6th consecutive time at this year’s ICAST Show with their Mach Smash Combo.
The Mach Smash SLP Baitcast Reel features a one-piece lightweight graphite frame with 3 drain ports, high strength solid brass Speed Gears, 8 bearings a 32mm spool and a 95mm handle with Lew’s Combat Grip™ paddle knobs for full control. It is paired with the Mach Smash Rod that boasts a new thinner diameter blank, which decreases weight and bulk. Premium IM6 high modulus graphite blank, Lew’s exclusive skeletal reel seat, Winn® Dri-Tac™ grip with EVA butt section make this rod both sensitive and comfortable to fish.
Perhaps the best feature of this combo is the price - $129.99. An extreme value to be sure, it is offered in both left and right-handed versions of 6’10” MH, 7.5:1 gear ratio, as well as a spinning combo offered at an MSRP of $99.99.
And of course, stuff the stockings with Strike King Lures! For year-round usefulness, pack a few Thunder Crickets, SK’s hot bladed jig designed in cooperation with Z-Man.
For immediate use, the Red Eye Shad comes to mind, especially in the Tungsten 2-Tap model in the ¾ oz. size that will get down and thump a deep tone sure to wake up sleepy cold-water giants. The Red Eye Shad glides down instead of dropping like a rock – important when targeting sluggish winter/spring bass.
For those headed to Florida, send them off with a new assortment of Tour Grade Tungsten Bullet Weights, and Hack Attack Heavy Cover Flipping Hooks so they can go in after (and pull out) the huge bass that live beneath thick mats in the cooler months of the early tournament season. A variety of Rage Tail soft plastics will complete the set up.
For those who do their fishing from a kayak, a membership to Tourney X will open the door to thousands of tournaments and challenges for multiple species, including redfish and crappie, but mostly for bass. The site includes a database of events, much like the exhaustive tournament calendar on AnglersChannel.com, and participants can register and pay for these tourneys right there on the site or in the app.
Kayak anglers have become as obsessed with add-ons as their bass boating brethren. YakGadget makes mounts that facilitate the addition of motors, anchor mounts, even the smart new YakWell designed by noted kayak angler Will Mansfield.
The QuickMount Anchor YakWell System is designed to install onto your kayak within seconds. Easy to use, it is designed to hold your net in place and keep your catch secure and calm. Just drop your net into the YakWell hoop and you have a side mounted live well that allows you to get ready to take the photo needed to win that Catch, Photo, Release tournament you signed up for on Tourney X – or just to show off on the internet.
A good lifejacket is a must for a comfortable day on the water and a requirement for participation in most kayak tourneys. Mustang survival offers options that are so sleek, you’ll forget you’re wearing them. This allows for a better hookset, and less bulk to restrict the movement of the rod’s butt when imparting action to a walking topwater lure, etc.
According to their web site, “Mustang Survival AUTO Inflatable PFD is designed for use in severe weather conditions. It incorporates an auto hydrostatic inflator which is not susceptible to spray, rain or humidity, and is maintenance free for five years from date of manufacture.”
It incorporates a lightweight, comfortable design and a neoprene Comfort Collar, zippered storage pocket and 35 lbs of buoyancy when inflated.
While it slips the mind right now, hot weather will require extra hydration. Space is often at a premium on kayaks. What if, instead of hauling so many water bottles (and creating extra plastic waste) you took along a magic filter that turned any water – say, that which you are fishing in, into safe drinking water?
Sawyer Products’ lightest and most versatile personal water filtration system, the Sawyer MINI weighs just 2 ounces, fits in the palm of your hand, and provides 0.1 micron absolute filtration — removing 99.99999% of all bacteria, such as salmonella, cholera and E.coli, removing 99.9999% of all protozoa (such as giardia and cryptosporidium), and removing 100% of microplastics.
Attach the easy-to-use MINI to the included drinking pouch, use the included straw to drink directly from a water source, connect it to hydration pack tubing, or screw it onto standard disposable water and soda bottles.
Rated up to 100,000 filtered gallons of water, the award-winning MINI is perfect for everything from camping with the kids to traveling abroad to fishing all day.
Alright, you’ve got a few days left, so get crackin’ you procrastinating Santa!
FLW SERIES TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION OFF TO AN IMPRESSIVE START
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 18, 2019) FLW (Fishing League Worldwide) announced today that entries into the FLW Series have increased over last year, and nearly one-third of those competitors are new to the Series. In the first 43 days of tournament registration, the number of entrants into the 2020 FLW Series has increased 63% compared to 2019 and 29% of those have not fished an FLW Series tournament in the last five years.
“Coming off of a successful 2019 season, we knew that the expanded schedule and reduced entry fees would be very well received by the thousands of tournament anglers that FLW serves,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager. “Our professional tournament experience appeals to both veteran anglers and anglers just starting out in the sport, and we’re seeing that in these early registration numbers.”
In late 2019, FLW announced a reduction in FLW Series entry fees to $1,700 for pros and $550 for co-anglers per tournament along with an expanded FLW Series schedule for 2020. The FLW Series championship payout was increased to $200,000 for first place and an additional $10,000 bonus for the highest-finishing pro from each of the eight U.S. divisions and the International division.
“We’re ecstatic with these registration numbers as it validates our decision to return nearly $3 million in revenue to anglers through Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine and FLW Series entry fees,” commented Jim Wilburn, MLF President and CEO. “Our acquisition of FLW forced us to take a long, hard look at how to sustain and grow the sport, and we believe that business decisions like these bring long-term stability to competitive bass fishing for all anglers.”
The 2020 FLW Series season will consist of three events in eight divisions, up from five divisions in 2019. Anglers who fish all three qualifiers in any of the eight divisions and finish in the top 25 will qualify for the no-entry-fee FLW Series Championship for a shot at winning $200,000 cash, plus lucrative contingency bonuses. The winning co-angler at the championship earns a new Phoenix bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at more than $30,000). Top payouts in each regular-season event remain $40,000 for pros and a new Phoenix bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard (valued at more than $30,000) for co-anglers. As field sizes increase, so do payouts, with awards reaching a maximum of $65,000 for the winning pro and $35,000 for the winning co-angler at 260 boats, and awards of $2,000 for pros and $550 for co-anglers extending through 65th place.
Registration for the 2020 FLW Series is open for all divisions. Visit FLWFishing.com for complete details. The season kicks off Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2020 at Toledo Bend Reservoir in Many, Louisiana.
Academy Sports + Outdoors Adds to Pro Team with Elite Series Angler Stetson Blaylock
KATY, Texas (December 17, 2019) — Academy Sports + Outdoors, title sponsor of the 50th Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville, announces its partnership with Elite Series angler Stetson Blaylock for the upcoming 2020 fishing season.
“We’re thrilled to work with a professional as passionate about fishing as Stetson,” said Lawrence Lobpries, Senior Vice President of Marketing. “As a pro angler and avid outdoorsman, he represents our commitment to the outdoors and the assortment of products we offer in-store and online. Stetson has proven to be a contender on the water and a force in the field, and we’re excited to add him to the team and be part of his continued success.”
Blaylock entered the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2017 following a successful 10-year run on the FLW Tour. He is the youngest pro to win an FLW tournament event and is rising quickly in the Elite Series ranks, including a first-place win at Winyah Bay in 2019 to go along with three second-place and 11 Top-10 finishes since he entered the series in 2017.
“I’m excited to represent Academy Sports + Outdoors this upcoming season,” said Blaylock. “Whether I’m headed out on the water or to the field, I can find what I need at the best prices at Academy. They’ve been my go-to for weekend adventures for years, and I look forward to a long-standing partnership with them.”
Stetson will represent Academy Sports + Outdoors at the 2020 Bassmaster Classic in Birmingham, Alabama. The 50th anniversary of the bass-fishing championship promises to bring hundreds of thousands of fans to the area. These fans will be greeted by an exciting lineup of activities being added to the schedule of events, including an additional Academy-sponsored event to be announced soon.
Blaylock joins professional anglers Greg Hackney and Jacob Wheeler as members of the Academy Sports + Outdoors pro-team, where they represent Academy at professional bass fishing events across the country for the 2020 season.
Last Man on the Bus!
In the last "live" episode of 2019, the boys welcome in Bassmaster Classic Qualifier Josh Busby from the Bassmaster Team Championship. Josh talks about the team tournament, how he got there and how feels being the last man on the bus for the 50th Bassmaster Classic!
Groh, Jocumsen Jerseys Raising Money For St. Jude
December 17, 2019
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Enthusiastic bass fishing fans still have time to win autographed jerseys from Bassmaster Elite Series pros Chris Groh and Carl Jocumsen while helping to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The anglers donated signed tournament jerseys that are being auctioned off on eBay, with all of the proceeds benefiting St. Jude. Last year, fellow Elite Series angler Seth Feider’s signed jersey pulled-in more than $1,000.
The jersey auction is part of the fundraising efforts for the Dick Hiley St. Jude Bass Classic, held annually in Minnesota. Now in its 22nd year, this tournament has raised more than $3.8 million for the kids of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. All proceeds from this event will benefit St. Jude, where families never receive a bill for treatment, travel, housing or food.
Angler Glenn Walker is part of the tournament’s organizing committee, and started the auction seven years ago as part of his personal fundraising efforts for the event. Last year, Walker and his team raised over $11,000.
“As a tournament angler, I already knew several pros and crossed paths with others who wanted to support the tournament and St. Jude,” said Walker. “With the support of these great guys, every year more anglers from the various pro circuits want to contribute.”
Other Bassmaster Elite Series anglers who have donated items for this on-going auction include Jason Williamson, Jeff Gustafson, Clark Wendlandt, Chad Pipkens, Cory Johnston, Patrick Walters and Keith Combs.
“We appreciate the work Glenn does in working with the anglers and giving us the opportunity to do something special for St. Jude,” said Groh.
Bidding on Groh’s jersey ends Wednesday, Dec. 18, while the auction runs until Sunday, Dec. 22 for Jocumsen’s tournament jersey. Interested anglers can learn more about the Dick Hiley St. Jude Bass Classic and register for the tournament, being held May 1-3, 2020, by visiting Fundraising.stjude.org/dickhileybassclassic.
FLW ANNOUNCES 2020 FLW PRO CIRCUIT ROSTER
BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 16, 2019, 5 A.M. EST) – FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today the 2020 FLW Pro Circuit roster. There was high demand to compete on the 2020 FLW Pro Circuit, with more than 165 anglers requesting a spot on the circuit in its first year since the acquisition by Major League Fishing. Per the FLW qualifying process outlined in the 2019 rules, the field will include 150 anglers plus five additional pros with medical and/or hardship exemptions. The 2020 FLW Pro Circuit field will feature 155 pros.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to introduce this exceptional field of professional anglers,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager. “Many of the most decorated pro anglers in the sport have gotten their start at FLW, and we expect our 2020 season to be one of the most exciting, competitive seasons in our history.”
The 2020 FLW Pro Circuit roster is headlined by a stout contingent of bass-fishing professionals, including former FLW Cup champions Brad Knight (2015), John Cox (2016) and Darrel Robertson (1999) along with former All-American champions Nick LeBrun (2018), Jeremy Lawyer (2016) and Troy Morrow (2010). They will be joined by bass-fishing legends Larry Nixon – after recovering from shoulder surgery – and Gary Yamamoto, along with veteran FLW stalwarts such as Terry Bolton, Greg Bohannan and Chad Grigsby.
The 2020 FLW Pro Circuit will also showcase rising stars like Bradford Beavers, the 2018 FLW Series champion; Joseph Webster, the 2017 TBF “Living the Dream” angler; and the McMillan brothers – Brandon and Jared – whose bass-fishing pedigree puts them in contention at almost any tournament, no matter the type of fishery. The 2020 FLW Pro Circuit will also feature 28 rookies from around the country, including the 2019 TBF “Living the Dream” winner Preston Craig. Medical and/or hardship exemptions were granted to Evan Barnes, Larry Nixon, Robert Pearson, Pete Ponds and Chris Whitson.
The field will be showcased across seven regular-season tournaments around the country with competition kicking off at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Jan. 23-26, in Brookeland, Texas, and culminating with the FLW TITLE championship on the St. Lawrence River, Aug. 8-13, in Massena, New York.
The top award at each regular-season tournament is $100,000 with $200,000 going to the FLW TITLE champion. Since the final field exceeds the published payout basis of 150 pros, FLW will survey all 155 participating pros to finalize the 2020 payout structure.
“I’m super excited to be fishing again in 2020,” said pro Greg Bohannan of Bentonville, Arkansas, a 13-year FLW veteran with more than $830,000 in career earnings. “We’ve got a great schedule – I’m especially excited for Lake Dardanelle because I played college football there and spent a lot of time on that fishery. I think we’ve got a very bright future ahead of us with the combined synergies of FLW and Major League Fishing.”
The 2020 FLW Pro Circuit will have 156 two-hour airings on network television, including 26 consecutive weeks of Friday night primetime airing on Outdoor Channel and 130 airings on Sportsman Channel for a total of 312 hours of FLW Pro Circuit programming. In addition to the tradition of live streaming the weigh-in, each of the final two days of competition will feature live-on-the-water coverage across 18 cameras. Fans can catch 54 hours of live action as it unfolds on FLWFishing.com and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
The 2019 FLW Angler of the Year (AOY) David Dudley and 2019 FLW Cup winner Bryan Thrift will not fish the FLW Pro Circuit as they have accepted spots on the MLF Bass Pro Tour roster. Beginning in 2021, the FLW Pro Circuit will serve as the only pathway into the no-entry-fee Bass Pro Tour. The top 10 anglers from the FLW Pro Circuit based on 2020 and 2021 AOY standings will receive invitations to compete on the Bass Pro Tour.
“I think that some people always look at mergers and acquisitions a little skeptical, but MLF has been very up front and willing to listen to the anglers,” said pro Terry Bolton of Paducah, Kentucky, a 24-year FLW veteran with 48 career top-10 finishes. “They have demonstrated that they are willing to listen and change things to benefit their customers – us, the anglers – and I think that is a very good thing. The new Pro Circuit will be different, but it’s a lot of the same old faces with some new twists involved and I think it brings a new energy to the tournaments. There are several lakes on the schedule that I am really looking forward to and I’m excited to get back at it.”
In FLW Pro Circuit competition anglers are vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2020 FLW TITLE championship. The 2020 FLW TITLE, featuring the top 50 FLW Pro Circuit anglers, will be held on the St. Lawrence River in Massena, New York, Aug. 8-13.
2020 FLW Pro Circuit Anglers
Jason Abram Piney Flats, Tenn.
*Barron Adams Mineral Bluff, Ga.
Randy Allen Gilliam, La.
*T.R. Andreas Kerrville, Texas
*Travis Archer Covington, Wash.
Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, Okla.
Evan Barnes Hot Springs, Ark.
Clayton Batts Butler, Ga.
Bradford Beavers Summerville, S.C.
Matt Becker Finleyville, Pa.
Bob Behrle Hoover, Ala.
James Biggs Euless, Texas
Daryl Biron South Windsor, Conn.
Greg Bohannan Bentonville, Ark.
Terry Bolton Benton, Ky.
Bailey Boutries Daphne, Ala.
Christopher Brasher Longview, Texas
Aaron Britt Yuba City, Calif.
Grae Buck Harleysville, Pa.
Miles Burghoff Hixson, Tenn.
*Dennis Cameron Travelers Rest, S.C.
Jon Canada Helena, Ala.
Ryan Chandler Hebron, Ind.
Glenn Chappelear Acworth, Ga.
Jason Christy Dadeville, Ala.
Joey Cifuentes Clinton, Ark.
Ramie Colson Jr. Cadiz, Ky.
Kyle Cortiana Coweta, Okla.
John Cox DeBary, Fla.
*Preston Craig Philadelphia, Tenn.
*Mitch Crane Columbus, Miss.
*Lance Crawford Broken Bow, Okla.
Alex Davis Albertville, Ala.
Darrell Davis Dover, Fla.
Randy Despino Colfax, La.
Tommy Dickerson Orange, Texas
Jeff Dobson Bartlesville, Okla.
Scott Dobson Clarkston, Mich.
Bradley Dortch Atmore, Ala.
Josh Douglas Isle, Minn.
Kurt Dove Del Rio, Texas
Tony Dumitras Winston, Ga.
Dakota Ebare Stephenville, Texas
Jon Englund Farwell, Minn.
Charlie Evans Berea, Ky.
Ron Farrow Rock Hill, S.C.
Mark Fisher Wauconda, Ill.
*Cole Floyd Leesburg, Ohio
Tim Frederick Leesburg, Fla.
Hunter Freeman Monroe, La.
Nick Gainey Charleston, S.C.
David Gaston Sylacauga, Ala.
*Kyle Gelles Pingree, Idaho
Sam George Athens, Ala.
*Darold Gleason Many, La.
Matt Greenblatt Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, Minn.
Chip Harrington Olathe, Kan.
Dylan Hays El Dorado, Ark.
Billy Hines Vacaville, Calif.
Jamie Horton Centreville, Ala.
Miles Howe San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
*Roger Hughes Bessemer, Ala.
John Hunter Shelbyville, Ky.
Bill Hutchison Bessemer, Ala.
Eric Jackson Walling, Tenn.
Rob Kilby Hot Springs, Ark.
Brad Knight Lancing, Tenn.
Jeremy Lawyer Sarcoxie, Mo.
Nick LeBrun Bossier City, La.
Richard Lowitzki Hampshire, Ill.
*Terry Luedtke Burton, Texas
*Erik Luzak Fenelon Falls, Ontario, Canada
*Kevin Martin Crown City, Ohio
Lendell Martin Jr. Nacogdoches, Texas
Michael Matthee Centurion, Gauteng Province, South Africa
Billy McCaghren Mayflower, Ark.
Chris McCall Palmer, Texas
Johnny McCombs Morris, Ala.
Bill McDonald Greenwood, Ind.
Brandon McMillan Clewiston, Fla.
Jared McMillan Belle Glade, Fla.
*Kevin Meeks Smyrna, Tenn.
Jason Meninger Saint Augustine, Fla.
*Colby Miller Elmer, La.
Kerry Milner Bono, Ark.
Kurt Mitchell Milford, Del.
Tom Monsoor La Crosse, Wis.
*Jake Morris McKee, Ky.
Troy Morrow Eastanollee, Ga.
Brandon Mosley Choctaw, Okla.
Jim Moynagh Carver, Minn.
Shawn Murphy Nicholasville, Ky.
*Robert Nakatomi Sacramento, Calif.
Chris Neau New Orleans, La.
Corey Neece Bristol, Tenn.
Ron Nelson Berrien Springs, Mich.
Dicky Newberry Houston, Texas
*Cody Nichols Fayette, Ala.
James Niggemeyer Van, Texas
Larry Nixon Quitman, Ark.
*Lane Olson Tigard, Ore.
*Jake Ormond Sterlington, La.
Jordan Osborne Longview, Texas
*Dave Parsons Yantis, Texas
*Tyson Patrick Midland, Texas
Robert Pearson Herndon, Va.
*David Perdue Wirtz, Va.
Pete Ponds Madison, Miss.
Drew Ratley Shreveport, La.
Tom Redington Royse City, Texas
Matt Reed Madisonville, Texas
Clark Reehm Elm Grove, La.
Jimmy Reese Witter Springs, Calif.
Jason Reyes Huffman, Texas
Darrel Robertson Jay, Okla.
Troy Roder Brookeland, Texas
Zell Rowland Montgomery, Texas
Rusty Salewske Alpine, Calif.
Ryan Salzman Huntsville, Ala.
Casey Scanlon Lake Ozark, Mo.
Braxton Setzer Montgomery, Ala.
Alvin Shaw Roaring Gap, N.C
Spencer Shuffield Hot Springs, Ark.
Charles Sim Nepean, Ontario, Canada
A.J. Slegona Pine Bush, N.Y.
Blake Smith Lakeland, Fla.
Derrick Snavely Piney Flats, Tenn.
Matthew Stefan Junction City, Wis.
Tyler Stewart West Monroe, La.
Chuck Stratton Chaffee, Mo.
Wade Strelic Alpine, Calif.
*Laramy Strickland Bushnell, Fla.
Mike Surman Boca Raton, Fla.
Rusty Trancygier Hahira, Ga.
Todd Tucker Moultrie, Ga.
Jim Tutt Longview, Texas
*Jason Vance Battle Ground, Ind.
John Voyles Petersburg, Ind.
Jacob Wall Jacksonville, Ore.
Chad Warren Sand Springs, Okla.
*Jimmy Washam Covington, Tenn.
Joshua Weaver Macon, Ga.
Joseph Webster Winfield, Ala.
Kyle Weisenburger Ottawa, Ohio
Chris Whitson Louisville, Tenn.
Scott Wiley Bay Minette, Ala.
Alton Wilhoit Noble, Okla.
David Williams Maiden, N.C.
Barry Wilson Birmingham, Ala.
*Chance Woodard Paris, Texas
Tyler Woolcott Port Orange, Fla.
David Wootton Collierville, Tenn.
Gary Yamamoto Palestine, Texas
Andy Young Isle, Minn.
*denotes FLW Pro Circuit Rookie
Busby’s Bassmaster Classic Dream Comes True On Final Day At Lake Hartwell
ANDERSON, S.C. — Josh Busby had dreamed of this moment since he was a young boy. So on Saturday, when he won the Bassmaster Team Championship Classic Fish-Off and secured the 53rd and final spot in the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, he was overcome with emotion. Busby pumped his right fist into the air, let out a yell and hugged a fellow angler. Then he fell to his knees on the Bassmaster stage, covered his eyes and wept. Such is the raw emotion that goes with earning entry into the biggest bass fishing tournament in the world. And the excitement is only beginning for the Rogersville, Mo., resident who is a 36-year old food scientist by trade, but now will compete against some of the world’s best bass anglers when the Classic takes place on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville on March 6-8. Busby fishes with the Ozark Mountain Team Trail, and he caught a five-bass limit Saturday on Lake Hartwell that weighed 16 pounds, 7 ounces. That was the heaviest bag of the two-day Fish-Off, and when coupled with the 10-5 limit he caught Friday, it gave him a 26-12 total. Brock Reinkemeyer had a 3-2 lead over Busby heading into the final day of fishing, but he caught 12-15 Saturday, which allowed Busby to maintain his hold on first place by a mere 6 ounces. “Honestly, I don’t think this has sunk in yet,” Busby said after Saturday’s weigh-in, still clutching the Classic Fish-Off trophy close to his chest. “I told my marshal I don’t think my hands, my arms, can cast anymore because I’ve thrown so many casts the last few days. Fishing has been such a big part of my life. I might have to have (Ozark Mountain fishing partner Timothy Taylor) drive us home.” Busby teamed with Taylor to place third in the team portion of this tournament which ended Thursday, and that showing got them into the Fish-Off. The six anglers from the top three tandems had their weights zeroed, and they fished individually for two more days with a berth in the Classic on the line. Busby said Thursday he wasn’t sure he had located the bites needed to win the Fish-Off, but he’s never been happier to be wrong. Sunshine and wind were key to his offshore bite, and Friday’s steady rain and cold didn’t help his cause. Busby struggled to scratch together a 10-5 limit and was in second place under less-than-ideal conditions after Friday. Then Saturday’s clear skies and brisk breeze reassured him he might be able to piece together a winning bag, after all. He caught a limit by 8:30 a.m. and upgraded several times later Saturday morning. “Probably the deepest I had the boat was maybe 40 feet,” he said. “The fish were setting up on the first or second ledge. If you fired out across the points, somewhere in that 18 to 24 feet (depth range), you could make them come up an react to the bait. I don’t think I missed one windy point or secondary point from the dam all the way back up (to Green Point Landing.) It might have been 75 or 80 points I fished.” Busby used Wiggle Wart and Rock Crawler crankbaits to entice his best bites this week. He opted for a variety of colors, but shad, phantom green and watermelon with chartreuse belly were most attractive to Hartwell’s bass, he said. Reinkemeyer enjoyed a magical tournament and was only ounces away winning the Fish-Off and making the Classic. He paired with Joe Bass teammate and fellow Missouri resident Brad Jelinek to win the team title on Thursday, and the duo split a $20,000 Nitro/Mercury cash prize for that win. Reinkemeyer, a 27-year old carpenter from Lone Jack, Mo., placed second in the Classic Fish-Off with a two-day total of 26-6. Taylor was third with 21-13. In all, 165 teams from 30 states and two foreign countries competed in the team portion of this tournament Wednesday and Thursday on Lake Hartwell. The Top 33 teams in the original field split a cash purse that totaled $87,000, including the $20,000 won by Reinkemeyer and Jelinek. Visit Anderson hosted the event.
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Jelinek And Reinkemeyer Keep Classic Dreams Alive At Bassmaster Team Championship
ANDERSON, S.C. — Brad Jelinek and Brock Reinkemeyer found a “magic spot” on Lake Hartwell during practice for the Bassmaster Team Championship and they maximized its potential in the final tournament of the 2019 B.A.S.S. season.
Jelinek and Reinkemeyer, who compete on the Joe Bass Team Trail in Missouri, caught a two-day total of 10 bass that weighed 38 pounds, 10 ounces. Their 23-10 haul was the second-heaviest bag weighed on Thursday, and it propelled them from fourth place on Day 1 to the top of the standings at the conclusion of the Team Championship portion of the event. The win earned Jelinek and Reinkemeyer a $20,000 Nitro/Mercury cash prize they’ll split. But more importantly, they each have a 1-in-6 chance to fish in the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk when it’s held on Lake Guntersville and in Birmingham, Ala. on March 6-8. The Top 3 tandems in the Team Championship advanced to fish in the Classic Fish-Off, which will be held Friday and Saturday on Lake Hartwell. All weights have been zeroed and the six remaining anglers will fish individually for two more days. The angler with the heaviest two-day total then will earn the 53rd and final berth in the Classic. In all, 165 duos from 30 different states and two foreign countries competed in the Team Championship. The top 33 teams split a cash purse of $87,000. Jelinek, 25, and Reinkemeyer, 27, were the most impressive tandem during the team portion. They put themselves in the thick of the title hunt on Wednesday with a 15-pound limit, but a few minor adjustments to their strategy supercharged their fortunes a day later. “We tried to fish for spotted bass on Day 1 and we figured out we shouldn’t be doing that,” Reinkemeyer said. “We had to go for largemouth, and it was all largemouth in the bag today. The biggest was 5-13 and we had a 5-3, too.” “We got several really good bites today,” Jelinek said. “My partner here executed, and I got a big bite at about 2 o’clock. At that point, I knew we just had to go back in and make sure we were there on time.” The “magic spot” was vital to their cause, too. “From the second we put the trolling motor down, we knew it was a magic spot,” Jelinek said. “We knew it was the winning spot.” “We expanded on it today,” Reinkemeyer added. “We fished it all day. We knew those fish were there.” Timothy Penhollow and KC Choosakul of the Carolina Bass Trail caught the big bag on Thursday — a 26-8 limit of five bass that dwarfed the 8-13 total they weighed on Wednesday. They were tied for 96th after Day 1, but zoomed to second overall with 35-5 and will fish in the Classic Fish-Off. The dramatic upsize in the catch came when they downsized their lures Thursday morning. “We found them in practice, and then we found them again yesterday afternoon, but they were really hard to get to bite,” Penhollow said. “They’re eating minnows that are an inch long, and we just went with it.” “Honestly, we tied on some crappie jigs,” Choosakul said. Penhollow and Choosakul had five largemouth on Thursday, the heaviest two weighing 5-12 and 5-10. They bagged three others in the 5-pound range, but missed a pair of kickers, one of which they said weighed 7 pounds or more. Catching bass that heavy on finesse equipment was tricky, they said. But they think they’ll give the method another go in the Classic Fish-Off. “A lot goes through your mind when you’re fishing with a little-bitty hook and 8-pound test line,” Penhollow said. “But the bigger fish are there.” Josh Busby and Timothy Taylor of the Ozark Mountain Team Trail in Missouri placed third overall with 10 bass weighing 31-14. They moved from 16th place to third and kept the dream of fishing in the Bassmaster Classic alive. “The wind was the difference for us today,” Taylor said. Anglers fished under cloudy skies with temperatures in the upper 40s on Thursday, but the weather is expected to deteriorate overnight. Rain is in the forecast beginning late Thursday and continuing through the final day of the Fish-Off on Saturday. Temperatures are expected to stick near 40 degrees during fishing hours, too. Raymond Archer and Kirk Albrecht of the Centennial Bass Club Team Trail in Colorado won $500 for catching a 6-11 bass, the heaviest on Thursday. Adam Smith and Jayme Rampey of South Carolina’s Palmetto Boat Center Team Trail won $500 on Wednesday for their 5-14 largemouth. Takeoffs are scheduled for 7:15 a.m. ET from Green Pond Landing in Anderson Friday and Saturday. Weigh-ins will take place beginning at 3:15 p.m. Visit Anderson is sponsoring the event. Follow all the action on Bassmaster.com.
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Berkley® Expands its Cast for Cash 2020 Bait Contingency Program
COLUMBIA, S.C. (December 11, 2019) – Berkley's® Cast for Cash will expand in 2020, bringing the successful tournament contingency program to even more anglers and more tournament circuits. On the heels of its successful 2019 launch, the Cast for Cast program will add nearly 300 new tournaments across 13 different tournament trails, including bass, walleye and bass kayaking competitions. Cash rewards for semi-professional and loyal weekend tournament anglers will be awarded to the top two finishers at each qualifying tournament.
To participate, anglers must be a member of the Berkley Cast for Cash program. Memberships for 2020 are $29.99 and come with an exclusive 2020 Berkley Pro Pack valued at $50. The Pro Packs include Berkley hard and soft baits, as well as a 2020 Cast for Cash hat and boat decal.
Prizes ranging from $100 to $1,000, depending on the tournament, will be awarded to the two top finishers at each Berkley Cast for Cash-eligible event, regardless of their place of finish. There is no cap as to how many times one can win.
"We recognize the pass for tournament fishing and want to do our part to reward anglers who put their trust in the science behind Berkley baits to help them catch more fish," said Jon Schlosser, Berkley VP of Marketing. "We saw success during the 2019 tournament season and, we are excited to expand the program for the 2020 tournament season.”
Partner tournament trails include Alabama Bass Trail, American Bass Anglers, American Bass Association, Bass Champs, BASSMASTER, Best Bass Tournaments, Competitive Sport Fishing League, Fishers of Men, FLW, KBF, Masters Walleye Circuit, AIM Walleye Series, and the Montana Walleye Circuit. A full list of sanctioned tournaments within these trails can be found on the Berkley website.
For more information on the Berkley Cast for Cash bait contingency program, and to become a member, visit www.berkley-fishing.com/CastforCash.
Florida Tandem Takes Day 1 Team Championship Lead At Hartwell
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Open Mic Night and new BPT'r Bryan Thrift!
Still fired up from last weeks show, Chris opens the phone lines and welcomes in two long-time listeners to the program to get their opinions on a few things. Then the whole crew talks with Bryan Thrift and his MLF BPT invitation for 2020.