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.
AFTCO To Sponsor Elite Event On St. Johns River
December 6, 2019
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — AFTCO, maker of precision tackle and performance fishing clothing, has signed on as title sponsor for the premier event of the 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series season, B.A.S.S. announced today. The 2020 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River will be held Feb. 6-9 in Palatka, Fla.
“We are proud to partner with AFTCO to present the first tournament of what is sure to be an exciting 2020 season,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Both brands have a long history focused on both conservation and growing the sport of bass fishing, and our enthusiastic fans are the perfect audience for AFTCO to promote their gear and clothing.”
As part of the festivities at the Bassmaster Outdoors Expo, fans can enjoy live music, kids’ activities, Elite angler clinics, opportunities to meet their favorite pros and more prior to weigh-in.
According to AFTCO President Casey Shedd, “It is a great association for AFTCO to further partner with B.A.S.S. the same year they are celebrating the 50th Bassmaster Classic. In an industry where clothing and tackle companies are increasingly encroached upon by private equity firms looking to maximize short term profits over quality, B.A.S.S. is a heritage organization that, like AFTCO, is ultimately owned and operated by a family business that prioritizes long-term thinking. From outfitting anglers with the perfect set of cold weather clothing to their favorite sun hoodie, we look forward to being the title sponsor of first 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series event at Palatka, Florida.”
More than 9,350 fans attended last year’s tournament on the St. Johns, which was one of the most exciting in B.A.S.S. history. Legendary angler Rick Clunn weighed 34 pounds, 14 ounces — a bag that included two bass over 9 pounds — on Championship Sunday to come from behind and win with 98-14.
FLW, TBF Extend Strategic Partnership
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 5, 2020) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) and The Bass Federation (TBF) announced today a new strategic partnership. This agreement extends bass fishing’s longest-running alliance between two pioneering organizations in service to grassroots anglers from coast to coast and around the world. Terms were not disclosed.
The partnership between FLW and TBF, two independent companies, continues to afford opportunities for co-membership and FLW tournament bids to TBF anglers in this agreement. The top boater and co-angler from each of seven divisions at the TBF National Championship will advance to FLW’s Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American. Additionally, TBF introduces a revamped and expanded “Living the Dream” prize package for anglers in 2020 and beyond. Preston Craig, the 2019 TBF National Champion from Philadelphia, Tenn., will be the first “Living the Dream” angler to benefit from the new partnership with his entry fees paid for the 2020 FLW Pro Circuit.
“We are proud to continue our longstanding relationship with FLW to provide grassroots fishing opportunities for our adult and student anglers alike,” said Robert Cartlidge, TBF President. “We value of the tradition of TBF and FLW working together. This relationship allows TBF the flexibility to do more for our members.”
FLW and TBF will continue to co-manage the nation’s largest High School Fishing program that includes 66 tournaments and a host of sanctioned trails serving more than 20,000 students across the United States. Participation in FLW and TBF High School Fishing tournaments is free to all Student Angler Federation (SAF) members, as SAF membership includes both TBF and FLW membership.
“We are thrilled to announce our continued partnership with TBF,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager. “Since 2006 we’ve worked more closely than any two organizations in the history of our sport, and we intend to strengthen that relationship under our new ownership for the benefit of all the anglers we serve.”
The “Living the Dream” prize package, continues to include fully paid FLW Pro Circuit entry fees, use of a tow vehicle and boat, and travel stipends for many events. Previous winners include MLF pro Mark Daniels, Jr.
“Living the Dream kicked off my career,” Daniels said. “It literally changed my life. I always dreamed of an opportunity to fish for a living, and TBF was the saving grace that granted me that chance.”
Daniels won the 2013 TBF National Championship, which led to him fishing the 2014 FLW Tour. He fished the FLW Tour in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Daniels finished 28th in the 2019 inaugural Bass Pro Tour and has won more than three-quarters of a million dollars fishing professionally. Daniels will continue as a competitor on the 2020 MLF Bass Pro Tour.
“MLF fully supports the continuation of the long relationship between TBF and FLW,” said Don Rucks, MLF Executive Vice President and General Manager. “TBF competitors now have a dream path that leads all the way to the no-entry-fee Bass Pro Tour.”
“The proof of the partnership is in the things we have accomplished together,” said Cartlidge. “When TBF founded the national High School Fishing Program, FLW was our first partner and together we have invested to grow it into something neither organization could have accomplished alone, which will underpin our sport for decades to come.”
TBF members will continue to receive priority entry into FLW tournaments and will receive a subscription to the FLW Bass Fishing magazine.
About TBF
The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF) is the nation’s largest and oldest organized grassroots fishing, youth and conservation organization and a member of the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. TBF is owned by those it serves and dedicated to the sport of fishing. TBF-affiliated state federations and member clubs conduct more than 20,000 events each year and have provided a foundation for the entire bass fishing industry for nearly 50 years. Visit bassfederation.com or highschoolfishing.org for more information.
Brandon Card Joins Vexus
Flippin, Arkansas – Vexus Boats and Brandon Card have announced a partnership for the upcoming season. Card will compete during the 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series season while riding in a Vexus VX21 powered by a Suzuki 250SS outboard.
Brandon was the first tour-level professional angler to sign with the brand and will be joined by fellow Elite Series angler Mike Huff on the team.
Card said that he first became aware of the Vexus fiberglass lineup at the 2019 Bassmaster Classic.
“Like everyone else, I was intrigued by the new brand and all the new, unique features. As someone who has struggled with back and neck pain my whole life, the AirWave™ pedestal bases for the seats were the first thing that appealed to me,” said Card.
Before joining Vexus, Card was able to visit the factory and test drive a boat on Bull Shoals. “Usually, when you do a demo ride, it is flat calm, but that day the wind was howling. It was the perfect day to put the Vexus to the test, and it exceeded all of my expectations,” added Card. “It chewed up the rough waves, and I was shocked at how smooth it was! I was just as impressed with the genuine, down-to-earth, hard-working people at Vexus.”
“Brandon carries himself in a fashion that aligns perfectly with our core philosophies. Couple that with his proven performance on the trail, and the fit just seems natural,” said Vexus President Keith Daffron. “Our team is more than excited about 2020 and watching Brandon compete out of a VX21.”
About Brandon Card
Brandon Card, who competed for the University of Kentucky, was the first Bassmaster College Series angler to qualify for the Elite Series. In his first season, he won the 2012 Bassmaster Elite Series Rookie of the Year. For his career, he has accumulated over half a million in winnings with Bassmaster, secured 16 Top 10 finishes, and has qualified for the Bassmaster Classic three times.
FLW ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE, RULES AND ENTRY DATES FOR 2020 HIGH SCHOOL FISHING SEASON
Both Members of Winning Team at the High School Fishing National Championship Advance to the FLW Series Championship to Compete as Co-anglers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 5, 2019) – Today FLW (Fishing League Worldwide) announced the schedule, rules and entry dates for the 2020 FLW High School Fishing season. New for 2020, the winning team (two anglers) at the National Championship will both advance to the 2020 FLW Series Championship to compete as co-anglers and fish for the top prize of $30,000, in addition to each receiving a $5,000 scholarship to a school of their choice.
“We are extremely excited to announce our plans for the 2020 season, and I am confident that it will be the most successful High School Fishing season yet,” said Kevin Hunt, FLW Senior Director of Tournament Operations, College and High School. “The fact that both anglers from the National Championship winning team will now advance to the FLW Series to compete as co-anglers alongside some of the top anglers from around the world is a great reward for the young anglers. I’m confident that our High School Fishing anglers will be very excited with this new opportunity.”
Registration for the 2020 FLW High School Fishing season is now open. Teams can register atFLWFishing.com or by calling 270.252.1000. There is no entry fee for high school anglers to compete in any FLW or TBF High School Fishing tournament, however both anglers must be a member of the Student Angler Federation (SAF). The $25 SAF membership fee includes membership to both FLW and The Bass Federation (TBF) and eligibility to fish any Student Angler Federation tournament, including FLW High School Fishing events, TBF State Championships and TBF Challenge tournaments. Membership can be purchased at FLWFishing.com or HighSchoolFishing.org.
FLW High School Fishing tournaments are two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12, and open to any SAF-affiliated high school club in the United States. The top 10-percent of each FLW High School, TBF State Championship and TBF Challenge tournament held prior to June 8, 2020, will advance to the 2020 High School Fishing National Championship held in conjunction with the High School Fishing World Finals June 23-27 on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Launched by TBF in 2010, the World Finals is the world’s largest open high school bass tournament. At the 2019 World Finals and National Championship anglers competed for more than $2.8 million in scholarships and prizes.
The majority of FLW High School Fishing tournaments are held on Saturdays, following an FLW College Fishing tournaments that take place on Fridays. This allows high school anglers the opportunity to network with prospective college fishing teams and coaches to help them decide if and where they would like to start their collegiate fishing career.
2020 FLW High School Fishing Schedule:
- Feb. 8 Lake Seminole Bainbridge, Ga.
- March 7 Table Rock Lake Branson, Mo.
- March 15 Lake Havasu Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
- March 28 Fort Gibson Lake Wagoner, Okla.
- April 18 Smith Mountain Lake Huddleston, Va.
- April 25 Lake Guntersville Guntersville, Ala.
- May 3 California Delta Bethel Island, Calif.
- May 30 Mississippi River La Crosse, Wis.
- Aug. 1 Lake Erie Sandusky, Ohio
- Sept. 12 Ohio River Paducah, Ky.
- Sept. 26 Chesapeake Bay Edgewood, Md.
- Sept. 27 Clear Lake Lakeport, Calif.
- Oct. 3 Ouachita River Monroe, La.
- Oct. 17 Lake Hartwell Anderson, S.C.
- Nov. 14 Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas
2020 FLW/TBF High School Fishing National Championship & World Finals
- June 23-27 Mississippi River La Crosse, Wis.
Complete rules for the 2020 FLW High School Fishing circuit can be found online at FLWFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow FLW High School Fishing on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
PHOENIX BOATS SIGNS AS EXCLUSIVE BOAT SPONSOR FOR FLW
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: BENTON, Ky. (Dec. 4, 2019) FLW (Fishing League Worldwide) announced Tuesday that it has reached a sponsorship agreement with Phoenix Boats, a leading boat manufacturer known for innovation, performance and an angler-centric business approach. Effective immediately, Phoenix will assume title sponsorship of the FLW Bass Fishing League, which recently announced decreased entry fees to offer grassroots anglers the best payouts at the lowest cost available. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“The partnership with FLW and the Bass Fishing League is a perfect fit for Phoenix Boats,” said Gary Clouse, President of Phoenix Boats. “I know from personal experience from fishing my first BFL in 1981 and many more since that the FLW platform delivers a great angler experience at each of their 128 tournaments. That alone makes this a perfect fit for Phoenix.”
“Phoenix Boats is the only boat company whose co-Founder and current President is also a Pro Angler,” said Teresa Johnson, Chief Operating Officer of Phoenix Boats. “We focus on building a product from an angler’s perspective and are extremely invested in the sport of tournament bass fishing.”
The Phoenix Bass Fishing League includes 24 divisions devoted to weekend anglers with five tournaments in each division plus six no-entry-fee regional championships, a no-entry-fee wild card championship and the prestigious no-entry-fee All-American that pays $100,000 to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler. The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held April 30 through May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina. The highest-finishing boater and co-angler from each regional championship and the wild card at the All-American also qualify for the 2020 FLW Series Championship where pros compete for a $200,000 first-place award and co-anglers fish for a new Phoenix bass boat. 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.
“We built our company around delivering a positive customer experience, and FLW is a natural fit with that. FLW tournaments are known for their family-type feel, and they have always treated their fans, customers and employees with respect and genuine care, and that is really important to us. We know that anglers will have a great experience fishing the Phoenix Bass Fishing League,” said Clouse.
A professional angler since 1982, Phoenix President Gary Clouse first worked in Customer Service and Sales for Stratos Boats before becoming the National Sales Manager for Triton Boats in 1996. He returned to Stratos as President in 2001 and worked for six years before launching Phoenix Boats in 2007 alongside his colleague Teresa Johnson – all while maintaining his career as a pro angler. Clouse’s unique background of marine sales, customer service and proven leadership in the bass boat market have earned Phoenix Boats a reputation for their high-quality, innovative, angler-focused bass boats with an unmatched customer service experience.
In addition to its title sponsorship, Phoenix Boats will also receive exposure across all FLW platforms, including the FLW Pro Circuit, FLW Series, FLW College Fishing and FLW High School Fishing, on-site activation, FLWFishing.com, FLW Live on-the-water and weigh-in streams, social media, FLW Bass Fishing magazine and the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, which will air 312 hours of programming in 2020 on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
“FLW is excited to start our partnership with Phoenix, a brand known for its performance, reliability and commitment to tournament anglers,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager. “The team at Phoenix is committed to expanding the sport at the grassroots level, and we look forward to building on this mutually beneficial partnership to do exactly that.”
Registration for the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League opens Dec. 9 at 8 a.m. Central time. Visit FLWFishing.com for complete details. The season kicks off Jan. 4 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Brookeland, Texas.
Details on a lucrative enhanced Phoenix First Flight contingency program for FLW anglers will be announced soon.
Bassmaster Team Championship On Hartwell To Determine Final Classic Spot
December 4, 2019
ANDERSON, S.C. — The Bassmaster Team Championship is obviously one of the most important tournaments on the schedule each year because a pair of anglers will be crowned the top team after a year’s worth of team trail events from around the world.
But what truly makes the Team Championship such a hotly contested derby is that one angler is going to grab the last spot in the 2020 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
The race for the 53rd and final spot in the 2020 Bassmaster Classic begins Dec. 11 on Lake Hartwell in the northwest corner of South Carolina, and bass fishing fans can expect the finest team trail anglers in the country to be gunning for glory during full days on one of America’s foremost fisheries.
The team portion of the event will be held Dec. 11-12 and will feature anglers from 30 states and several foreign countries. The winning duo will win a $20,000 Nitro/Mercury cash prize and handsome trophies to commemorate the accomplishment, but they’ll also lead the charge into the Classic Fish-Off which will take place Dec. 13-14.
The top three teams through Day 2 — six anglers in all — will have their weights zeroed and then compete individually in the Fish-Off. The competitor with the heaviest two-day total of the group will nab the final coveted berth in the historic 50th Bassmaster Classic, which will be held March 6-8, 2020 on Lake Guntersville in Alabama. Weigh-ins will take place daily at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex in downtown Birmingham.
B.A.S.S. Nation Director Jon Stewart said any tournament that has a spot in the Classic on the line is a big event. But the chance to fish in the 50th installment of what has is known as the “Super Bowl of Bass Fishing” brings added luster.
“That whole Classic week next March is going to be a celebration of our sport and all of its history,” Stewart said. “It’s going to be amazing. For anyone to be a part of that is going to be really, really special. I’m sure it’s going to be on the minds of many of the anglers competing on Lake Hartwell in the Bassmaster Team Championship. The Classic is what everyone shoots for, and they’ll have a chance to get there if they do well.”
The tandems set to battle on Hartwell have been tested through a series of qualifying tournaments on their respective team trails from around the globe. Stewart said there were between 10,000 and 11,000 anglers vying for a spot in the Team Championship, which is a record number for B.A.S.S.
“The way these anglers are qualifying through the trails, it’s impressive,” Stewart said. “The grass roots of our sport is excelling. It’s as strong as ever before.”
William Samples of South Boston, Va., and Charles Purcell of Townsville, N.C., teamed to win the 2018 Bassmaster Team Championship on Florida’ Harris Chain of Lakes last December. Matthew Robertson of Kuttawa, Ky., won the Classic Fish-Off and finished 47th of 52 anglers competing in the 49th Bassmaster Classic on the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tenn.
Daily take-offs and weigh-ins during the Bassmaster Team Championship will be held at Green Pond Landing in Anderson, S.C.
The event is sponsored by Visit Anderson.
Follow all the action on Bassmaster.com.
More Females in Fishing
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Traditions Media recruits two of the brightest young talents in the fishing industry |
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Minneapolis, MN (December 4, 2019) – Traditions Media, a pioneering provider of fishing-, hunting- and outdoors-focused public relations, media buying, and digital/social marketing strategy is proud to announce the onboarding of two exceptional talents, Kristine Fischer and Lee Rose Koza. Both have joined the marketing team under the guidance of Dena Vick, Director of Fishing and Marine Marketing Strategy and Communications. “These two accomplished women have already established themselves as successful and respected tournament anglers and solid influencers,” says Traditions Media co-owner, Leslie Sundahl. “The fact that they want to leverage their authentic fishing skills and knowledge through communications is good for the industry and good for our clients here at Traditions Media. Women are one of the fastest-growing segments of the fishing population, but remain largely underserved in media coverage. We’re proud to help provide a platform for their voices, keyboards, and knowledge, and welcome Kristine and Lee Rose to the Traditions Media family.” Kristine Fischer, who got underway with Traditions Media in October, works side by side with Dena implementing advertising strategies and delivering and tracking creative materials on behalf of several of the agency’s clients. |
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Kristine, a familiar fishing face on social media, worked at a major sporting goods retailer for five years before chasing her dream to live a freer lifestyle, while still being engaged in the outdoors industry. She left her fulltime job to pursue a career in competitive angling. Kristine now travels the country with her fiancé fishing in national kayak bass tournaments (Hobie Bass Open Series and Kayak Bass Federation), freelance writing, generating engaging social media content… and now providing valuable support to Traditions Media. Results prove Kristine’s potency in competitive kayak angling; she earned three national-level victories and a runner-up in 2019 and claims the title of being the first women to qualify for the Hobie Fishing Worlds. Kristine is also co-founder of the Women’s Worldwide Fishing Federation (WWFF), an organization created to empower and educate women to get out and participate in the sport. Lee Rose Koza, a communications major at Carson-Newman University and a proud member of the Carson-Newman Eagle Anglers, also joins the Traditions Media team. Lee Rose, as an intern, will be aiding Dena with media buying, in addition to developing and managing social media for Traditions Media clients. An avid angler, Lee Rose earned several first-place tournament wins fishing the Georgia Bass Nation 2018-2019 season, even claiming Angler of the Year. Recently, she and her teammate Maddux Walters earned second place out of 216 boats on Lake Hartwell in the FLW College Southeastern Open, claiming a spot in the 2020 Yeti FLW College Fishing National Championship. Lee Rose also works with youth fishing camps to help children learn the sport of fishing. |
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Dena Vick and Lee Rose Koza |
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Aspiring for a career in the industry, Lee Rose wants to “learn the business of fishing, versus just learning how to keep fishing better.” Vick, a well-known fishing-industry veteran, has become a respected mentor to women who have what it takes to advance in the adapting, but still-male-dominated fishing biz. She gives specific thanks for being introduced to Kristine and Lee Rose: “Randy Hamilton, Regional Area Manager for St. Croix Rod encouraged both women to reach out to me. After meeting and learning more about them and their goals, I invited both to work with me at ICAST this past July. Their professionalism, work ethic and knowledge of the sport and business was impressive. Bringing them on was a no brainer,” says Dena. “It’s refreshing to work with women who share my passion for fishing. In these roles, both can grow their communications and marketing careers while still pursuing tournament fishing dreams. Traditions Media has developed positions that allow for their growth in competitive angling while simultaneously learning the business side of the sport,” she adds. Others in the industry share Vick’s enthusiasm, while applauding her, Traditions Media and other companies for having the foresight to seek out hires that speak to recreational fishing’s increasing diversity. |
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Lee Rose Koza |
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“Over the last several years, women have increasingly made up a larger percentage of fishing participants overall, so it doesn’t surprise me that they’re making waves in the industry too,” said Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) SVP of Marketing & Communications, Stephanie Vatalaro. “Here at RBFF we like to say, ‘The Water is Open to Everyone,’ and I truly believe that having a diverse mix of fishing-industry talent that includes women and other non-traditional groups will give us the insight we need to help shape the future of the sport.” Today, we have a new generation of young anglers with sharp marketing minds that, like me, dreamt of a career in the fishing industry. An increasing number of them happen to be women, which is a great thing,” Dena says. “Traditions Media is very fortunate to have reeled in two of the best.” |
"The Heart wants what the Heart wants."
Its a busy week here at AC and the boys welcome in BASS Elite Series Pro's Brandon Palaniuk and Gerald Swindle to talk about their move back to the Elites and how hard that decision was to make. Chris goes off on the whole sheep and wolf debate......
Major League Fishing Adds "Heavy Hitters" to the 2020 Bass Pro Tour Schedule
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 3, 2019 (Tulsa, Okla.) Major League Fishing announces an original tournament, “Heavy Hitters,” on the Kissimmee Chain Lakes in Kissimmee, Florida, May 16-20, 2020 featuring nearly three- quarters of a million dollars in event payouts. This special event, the first of its kind, extends the Bass Pro Tour to nine events. The Bass Pro Tour began in 2019 and features 80 of the best professional anglers in the world, including Kevin VanDam, Edwin Evers, Aaron Martens, Mike Iaconelli, Jordan Lee, and Skeet Reese.
To qualify for Heavy Hitters, the weight of an angler’s single largest bass from each of the first five Stages of the Bass Pro Tour will be recorded. For example, if an angler’s heaviest fish in Stage One is 7 pounds; in Stage Two, 5 pounds; in Stage Three, 9 pounds; in Stage Four 8 pounds; and in Stage Five 6 pounds, that angler’s qualifying weight will be 35 pounds. The 30 anglers from the 80-angler field of the Bass Pro Tour with the highest cumulative weight across five stages earn a spot to compete in MLF’s Heavy Hitters.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to experiment with formats so we can discover new ways to present the sport of competitive bass fishing,” remarked Jim Wilburn, President and CEO of Major League Fishing. “As a young, angler-centric league, MLF strives to take notice of what’s happening in our industry and invent entertaining events that both teach trusted techniques from the best anglers in the world and invite new fans to the sport.”
The five-day tournament format will parallel REDCREST, featuring a 30-angler Shotgun Round (day one) and a 30-angler Elimination Round (day two). The top 20 anglers at the end of the two-day total qualify into a Knockout Round (days three and four). The top five anglers from each of days three and four will qualify into the 10-angler Championship Round (day five). Scorable bass vary each round. Shotgun and Elimination Rounds will score 1 pound or higher. For the Knockout Round, Major League Fishing will test a 2-pound minimum for scorable bass. In the Championship Round, MLF will test a t3-pound minimum on scorable bass on the Kissimmee Chain Lakes.
The full field of 30 anglers will receive a minimum payout of $6,000 and the tournament winner will earn $100,000. In addition to the championship purse, anglers will have the opportunity to earn a daily bonus for their biggest bass of the day based on the following graduating scale: Day One $25,000; Day Two $25,000; Day Three $50,000; Day Four $50,000; Day Five (Championship Day) $100,000. The five-day payout totals $745,000 for MLF Heavy Hitters.
Major League Fishing will live stream Heavy Hitters from Kissimmee, Fla. and produce original programming for Discovery as a part of the Bass Pro Tour television lineup.
Stage Five moves to Grand Lake
With the addition of MLF Heavy Hitters, Stage Five of the Bass Pro Tour will move to Grand Lake o’ the Cherokees, April 24-29, 2019, launching from the Wolf Creek Boat Ramp in Grove, Okla. Each stage of the Bass Pro Tour includes six days of competition using the Major League Fishing, catch-weigh-and-immediately-release format, where every bass over 1 pound counts toward a cumulative weight total for the day. The field of 80 anglers is divided into two groups of 40 to compete on days one and two respectively for the Shotgun Round. On days three and four, the Elimination Round culls the field based on a combined two-day total weight from each angler’s Shotgun and Elimination Round. The top 20 anglers from each group in the Elimination Round (40 total) advance to the Knockout Round on day five, which determines who will compete on that final day, the Championship Round, for the Stage title and $100,000.
The 2020 Bass Pro Tour begins on Lake Eufaula (Ala.) on February 7th and ends on Lake Champlain (Vt.) in late July. Each Stage of the Bass Pro Tour is broadcast live on the Major League Fishing app, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV), and majorleaguefishing.com, totaling more than 325 hours of original programming. Fans can follow the fast-paced nature of the MLF format as it unfolds on the live leaderboard through “SCORETRACKER® updates.” Highlights from each Stage of the 2020 Bass Pro Tour will air on Discovery Network beginning in July 2020 and Sportsman Channel in early 2021.
Major League Fishing Announces the 2020 Bass Pro Tour Field
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, November 27, 2019 (Tulsa, Okla.) Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the 2020 Bass Pro Tour field. The roster includes 78 returning anglers, including 2019 Points and REDCREST Champion Edwin Evers and General Tire World Champion Jacob Wheeler, as well as Kevin VanDam, Mike Iaconelli, Jordan Lee, and Skeet Reese. 2020 welcomes two new additions: 2019 FLW Tour Angler of the Year David Dudley and 2019 Forrest Wood Cup Winner Bryan Thrift. 2019 Bass Pro Tour competitors Gerald Swindle and Brandon Palaniuk will not return in 2020.
“We’re tremendously excited to begin the 2020 Bass Pro Tour,” said Jim Wilburn, MLF President and CEO. “Our initial goals of growing the sport of competitive bass fishing through an angler-centric league and tour continue to manifest itself with these exceptional pros.”
The following professional anglers will compete on the 2020 Bass Pro Tour: Casey Ashley, Justin Akins, Adrian Avena, Josh Bertrand, Tommy Biffle, Zach Birge, Stephen Browning, Brent Chapman, Jason Christie, Luke Clausen, Dustin Connell, Brandon Coulter, Cliff Crochet, Mark Daniels Jr., Mark Davis, Ott DeFoe, Boyd Duckett, David Dudley, Brent Ehrler, James Elam, Paul Elias, Edwin Evers, Todd Faircloth, Shin Fukae, Anthony Gagliardi, Shaw Grigsby, Greg Hackney, Roy Hawk, Brett Hite, Timmy Horton, Randy Howell, Mike Iaconelli, Alton Jones, Alton Jones Jr., Kelly Jordon, Gary Klein, Jeff Kriet, Jason Lambert, Bobby Lane, Chris Lane, Russ Lane, Jordan Lee, Matt Lee, Dave Lefebre, Jared Lintner, Justin Lucas, Aaron Martens, Mike McClelland, Cody Meyer, Ish Monroe, Andy Montgomery, Andy Morgan, John Murray, Britt Myers, Michael Neal, Takahiro Omori, Cliff Pace, Keith Poche, Jacob Powroznik, Skeet Reese, Marty Robinson, Dean Rojas, Mark Rose, Fred Roumbanis, Bradley Roy, Terry Scoggins, Fletcher Shryock, Gerald Spohrer, Jeff Sprague, Wesley Strader, Scott Suggs, Randall Tharp, Bryan Thrift, Kevin VanDam, Jonathan VanDam, Greg Vinson, David Walker, James Watson, Jacob Wheeler, Jesse Wiggins
David Dudley joins the MLF Bass Pro Tour following an exceptional 2019 as the FLW Tour Angler of the Year. Dudley who has earned just over $4 million in his 25-year professional career ($3.8 million at FLW, which makes him the league’s all-time highest earner) – became the only angler in FLW history to win four AOY trophies when he finished the 2019 season with 1,250 points.
Dudley has accumulated 53 career Top 10s and nine tour-level wins. Two of those wins came on fisheries on which he will compete in the 2020 Bass Pro Tour: Lake Champlain and Lake Okeechobee.
2020 will mark his 26th year as a professional angler and he said the opportunity to push himself to new levels drove his decision to make the move. “I’m motivated to start a new chapter and set new goals for myself on the Bass Pro Tour,” reflected Dudley. “This format will present some new challenges and opportunities for me to grow as an angler; I will have to practice hard this winter to compete, which makes me both nervous and excited - feelings on which I thrive as a competitor.”
Bryan Thrift enters the Bass Pro Tour after what some consider to be the five most successful years for a professional bass angler. In 2019 he filled out his already impressive trophy case with one piece of hardware he was missing: the 2019 Forrest Wood Cup. That August win brought Thrift’s tour-level career win total to 12, boosted his list of Top 10s to 68 (the most in FLW history), and pushed him over the $3 million in career winnings.
Thrift has put together 25 Top 10s since 2013, including 18 Top 5s. He owns four wins on fisheries where he will compete on the 2020 Bass Pro Tour (Lake Champlain, Lake Okeechobee and Lake Eufaula x 2).
“Moving to the Bass Pro Tour is an exciting opportunity that I feel grateful to have earned,” said Thrift. “Featuring the top pros in the world and no entry fee, this is THE professional league, akin to other pro sports leagues like NFL and Major League Baseball; those athletes don’t pay entry fees. I’m excited and nervous to see what I can accomplish on the (MLF) Bass Pro Tour.”
Gerald Swindle resigned his position on the Bass Pro Tour in an effort to take a different direction and focus his time on his family. “I’m looking forward to finding personal happiness as I compete with my nephew at the beginning of his career,” commented Swindle. “It’s a promise that I made to my brother and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to spend this last quarter of my career fulfilling that promise.”
Swindle finished 42nd in the points standings in the 2019 Bass ProTour with 333 points, missing a REDQUEST qualification by 28 points. He advanced to the Knockout Round three times during the season in Stages One, Five, and Six, and qualified for the MLF Patriot Cup.
Brandon Palaniuk resigned from the Bass ProTour in hopes of pursuing lifelong career goals. “These types of decisions are never easy,” reflected Palaniuk. “I want to thank the entire MLF staff, boat officials, and especially the anglers for 2019. I have learned a ton about many things, mostly myself, and the reality is that I have some goals outside of the Bass Pro Tour.”
Palaniuk finished the 2019 Bass Pro Tour season 27th in Points Championship standings with 371 points, qualifying for REDCREST. Palaniuk finished ninth in that event on the Mississippi River, marking his third Top 10 of the season, after he finishing second at Stage Seven on Table Rock Lake and ninth at Stage Four on Lake Chickamauga.
“On behalf of all the anglers on the Bass Pro Tour, we wish Gerald and Brandon great success in their careers,” commented Boyd Duckett, Board Chair of the MLF Anglers Association, the non-profit players association for Bass Pro Tour anglers. “Roster changes are commonplace in professional sports and bass fishing is no exception. We’re thrilled to welcome Bryan and David to our ranks and look forward to a competitive and exciting 2020 Bass Pro Tour.”
The 2020 Bass Pro Tour begins on Lake Eufaula (Ala.) on February 7th and ends on Lake Champlain (Vt.) in late July. Each Stage of the Bass Pro Tour is broadcast live on the Major League Fishing app, MyOutdoorTV (MOTV), and majorleaguefishing.com, totaling more than 325 hours of original programming. Fans can follow the fast-paced nature of the MLF format as it unfolds on the live leaderboard through “SCORETRACKER® updates.” Highlights from each Stage of the 2020 Bass Pro Tour will air on Discovery Network beginning in July 2020 and Sportsman Channel in early 2021.
“2020 is the second year of this new beginning of professional bass fishing,” exclaimed MLF Pro Greg Hackney. “Stage one of the Bass Pro Tour kicks off at Lake Eufaula in southern Alabama with both lots of giant bass and the best fisherman on the planet. Giddy-up!”
The Bass Pro Tour began in 2019 and features 80 of the best professional anglers in the world, including Kevin VanDam, Edwin Evers, Aaron Martens, Mike Iaconelli, Jordan Lee, and Skeet Reese. Each stage includes six days of competition using the Major League Fishing, catch-weigh-and-immediately-release format, where every bass over one-pound counts toward a cumulative weight total for the day. The field of 80 anglers is divided into two groups of 40 to compete on days one and two respectively for the Shotgun Round. On days three and four, the Elimination Round culls the field based on a combined 2-day total weight from each angler’s Shotgun and Elimination Round. The top 20 anglers from each group in the Elimination Round (40 total) advance to the Knockout Round on day five, which determines who will compete on that final day, the Championship Round, for the Stage title and $100,000.
Buckeye Partners with Clay Dyer for 2020
Press Release:
Buckeye Lures is thrilled to partner with Clay Dyer as one of the Buckeye Pro staffers. Clay’s incredible skill set and motivational speaking is like none other in the industry. He is a dedicated, extremely talented, Christ loving fisherman that is known throughout the industry. His talents on and off the water make it a perfect fit to partner with Buckeye Lures. By: Justin Altman, Owner Buckeye Lures
Clay Dyer on partnering with Buckeye Lures:
Being blessed to be a professional angler for over 20 years, I rely on my equipment on a daily basis to help keep me at the top of my game. I’ve used Buckeye Lures for many years because of their quality, attention to detail in every aspect and because they’ll flat out catch bass. When Justin Altman at Buckeye Lures contacted me about joining their team, I knew instantly with their Christian, family values it was a win, win for both of us. A true company that’s getting young folks involved in fishing. I’m excited to be a part of having input on product development and striving to continually improve an absolutely incredible brand and product. It was absolutely a yes for my wife, Kim and I, to partner with such an incredible company. We are truly blessed and honored to partner with Buckeye Lures in 2020 going forward!
Clay Dyer was born on May 23, 1978, without any lower limbs, no arm on the left side and a partial arm on the right. However, these limitations did not dampen his determination and positive spirit.
Clay began fishing at age 5. A natural competitiveness became evident early. Clay never allowed his physical disabilities to be an obstacle and began competing in fishing tournaments at age 15. He fished with FLW from 2000 to 2010 and began his career with BASS in 2012.
Clay spends the majority of his time sharing his life experiences through motivational and leadership presentations to various companies, charities and churches. Clay currently fishes the Bassmaster Opens Series and select charity events, and is passionate about helping special needs kids.
Clay’s television appearances include ESPN, Fox, CNN Headline News, Versus, the Outdoor Channel, Fox Sports South, the 700 Club and CBS. Published articles about Clay have appeared in USA Today, Newsweek, Bassmaster, FLW Outdoors Magazine, and many more.
Open Mic Night, Thanksgiving and Iron Bowl Week!
On this Thanksgiving week episode, Chris and Jason continue thier old school ways and open the show up to loyal listener Matt Lazenby to discuss an email he sent in a few weeks ago and his opinion on B.A.S.S., FLW, MLF and MLFLW. Its a great show full of thanks and Jason Costa Countdown to Black Friday Deals!
What the Anglers are Saying - About the new MLFLW
Vance McCullough
“I’ve got nothing to say,” said an agitated David Dudley. “Everybody keeps calling me, wanting to know what I think about it. I don’t know enough to think anything yet. There’s nothing to say.”
The question that rubbed the usually talkative and often opinionated Dudley the wrong way was this: ‘How do you feel about the acquisition of FLW by Major League Fishing?’
The transaction has created a new entity – MLFLW.
“This is not a hostile takeover,” said MLF Co-Founder and Board Director Boyd Duckett.
Indeed, the FLW anglers provided some feedback and were accommodated by the new ownership. FLW Tour pros will fish their familiar 5-fish format with a live weigh in for all competition days during the regular season instead of the proposed split wherein they would have fished a couple of days under the 5-fish format and two more days under the weigh-‘em-all-and-immediately-release-them format used by MLF.
Another sticky issue for FLW Pro Circuit anglers was the initial ruling that their jerseys would have to adhere to the MLF template. In other words, two-thirds of the space would be covered in MLF logos, not those of the anglers who now need to sell more sponsorships in order to pay higher entry fees. Again, MLF listened. “That was a great show of good faith on their part,” said 2015 Forrest Wood Cup Champion Brad Knight.
Greatly increased visibility, primarily in the form of TV time, seems to be the big plus offered by MLFLW to the incoming FLW Tour veterans. So, rescinding the jersey rule was a good call as that jersey real estate, at least in theory, just became more valuable.
Still, anglers are cautiously optimistic about the new opportunities that may be afforded by the merger. Many still have questions.
“They’re selling a lot of promises,” said Knight. “Most people have a wait-and-see approach about it.
“The television time slot is good. It’s hard (for individual anglers) to sell ad space though, and until you monetize that, it’s all just numbers on a piece of paper.”
Knight appreciates that he and his peers will be able to rep their own sponsors all four days of each event in 2020. “On the good side, there are no logo restrictions anymore.”
The increased visibility brings added value. Still, Knight is doing the math. It doesn’t yet add up the way he would like. Payouts have gotten smaller over the years and the championship prize pot has taken another hit from the $300,000 awarded to Cup winners in recent years to the $200,000 top prize at stake in the 2020 MLFLW championship.
“Any time you have an entry fee increase, that’s alarming,” said Knight. “And I’ve got to pay $40,000 to go to work? I don’t see how that works. There’s got to be a direct correlation between what I pay and the payout or something.
“When I first started fishing the FLW Tour there were 6 events and I paid $4,000 per tournament - $24,000. First place paid $200,000, 2nd place was $100,000. Seventy-fifth place was $10,000. So, we have not gone in that direction.
“We’ll have to wait and see if it is worth it or not. They’re saying it is. You’d think it would be.”
Once fishing commences in 2020 Knight will be back in a good place, mentally, during competition. “My day to day activity doesn’t change. We still have a 5-fish limit. My job doesn’t change.
“The biggest thing to me is, I want to see if we can monetize this increased television time with a non-endemic sponsor base. That’s obviously the goal. The bottom line is this: the tournament expenses have outgrown what the (fishing) industry can support. The only hope you have is to add new companies from outside. And (MLF is) getting eyeballs. They have the stats to back that up.
“Again, until you can sell a deal and actually have money in your pocket, all that stuff is just numbers on paper.
“They’re giving anglers a chance to make that happen, from the grass roots level – the high school all the way to the Bass Pro Tour in a clear, defined path to get there. That can’t be bad, so the sky’s the limit. You just have to hope we all pull the rope in the right direction and take it to the next level.”
Fellow Cup Champion John Cox echoes some of Knight’s concerns. “Any time there’s any kind of change it’s always scary but we’ve got to hope it will all work out for the better with MLF buying FLW. Who knows what will happen, I mean, I don’t know,” chuckled the affable FLW Tour veteran.
If Knight is concerned with operating expenses, Cox should be doubly so. He announced in a recent article on AnglersChannel.com that he will fish both, the FLW Pro Circuit and the Bassmaster Elite Series in 2020. His entry fees will total approximately $82,000.
“I’m just thrilled that I’ve got a lot of different options as far as where I can fish,” said Cox. I’m excited about it.”
As for efforts by MLFLW to prove that it is an organization ‘by the anglers, for the anglers’ Cox said, “What I’ve seen so far, they’re trying to do everything they can to keep all the FLW anglers happy the best they can. I do notice. To be willing to change that format from the way they do it, I mean, that’s their whole deal,” said Cox in reference to the decision to feature a 5-fish limit and live weigh in all 4 days at FLW Pro events. “I thought that was huge. They said ‘we’ve got a bunch of guys that are not used to that format yet. Let’s let them do what they want to do, like they’ve been doing, and get everybody on board and ease them into that format’. I thought that was pretty nice.
“And Major League Fishing, they could have cut us down to like, 30 guys but they didn’t want to cut everybody out of the tournaments so they’re keeping 150 boats. I feel like that shows that they’re not wanting to just hang everybody out.
“Everybody’s so worked up about it, but I think down the road it’s going to get better and better and everybody will kind of grow into it.”
As is Knight, Cox is disappointed at the lower top prize for the eventual MLFLW Champion - $100,000 right off the top. “It just sucks that that money is not there. It does, honestly. But I think, once we see how the TV time is and the sponsors start seeing it, I think we will be able to eventually get some more money once we start seeing more TV time.”
Cautiously optimistic.
"Unfinished Family Business" with B.A.S.S. Opens Anglers Scott Martin
On a special episode Chris and Jason welcome in Ranger Boats Pro Scott Martin to talk about the tough decision he recently made regarding his 2020 Fishing Season and his career.
FLW ANNOUNCES SCHEDULE, RULES AND ENTRY DATE FOR 2020 FLW COLLEGE FISHING PRESENTED BY YETI
Winning Team at FLW College Fishing National Championship Advances to the FLW Series Championship to Compete as Pros, Second, Third and Fourth-place Teams Advance to the BFL All-American to Compete as Boaters
BENTON, Ky. (Nov. 21, 2019) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) announced Thursday the schedule, rules and entry dates for the 2020 FLW College Fishing presented by YETI season, highlighted by the FLW College Fishing National Championship on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida, and advancement opportunities for anglers to compete in the Bass Fishing League (BFL) All-American and the FLW Series Championship. All teams also now have the freedom to add as many nonconference tournaments to their schedule as they like.
" src="blob:https://anglerschannel.com/194b078d-915c-4c28-8223-c333893ddda9" alt="image006.jpg" width="288" align="right" hspace="12" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2" class="Apple-web-attachment Singleton" style="opacity: 1;">Both members of the winning team at the 2020 FLW College Fishing National Championship will advance to the 2020 FLW Series Championship where they will compete for a top prize of $200,000. Both members of the second, third and fourth-place teams will advance to the 2020 BFL All-American to compete as boaters where they are guaranteed $1,500 plus a shot at winning the top prize of $100,000. Both members of the fifth and sixth-place teams advance to the 2020 All-American to compete as co-anglers where they are guaranteed $750 plus a shot at winning $50,000. Additionally, each angler finishing in the top 10 at the 2020 National Championship receives priority entry into the 2021 FLW Series.
Each regular-season tournament, the FLW College Fishing Open and the FLW College Fishing National Championship will feature FLW Live weigh-in coverage. The National Championship will also receive national television coverage.
FLW will continue to recognize top performing schools with FLW College Fishing School of the Year titles, awarded to the top overall school of the season as well as the top school from each of five conferences. Schools earn points based on their top two teams in each tournament. The school with the most points in each conference and overall at the end of the season win. School of the Year points are only awarded for in-conference tournaments.
“Opening up conferences for participation by nonconference teams was a request several schools had this season, so we are glad to extend this opportunity to all teams in 2020,” said Kevin Hunt, FLW Senior Director of Tournament Operations, College and High School. “This change will allow teams the opportunity to travel and fish incredible lakes and rivers that are not in their conference. It also gives teams more chances to qualify for the National Championship while maintaining the prestige of our conference and overall School of the Year titles.”
Registration for teams wanting to compete in the 2020 FLW College Fishing tournaments is now open. Teams can register at FLWFishing.comor by calling 270.252.1000. The entry fee is unchanged for 2020 at $75 per team for teams entering prior to onsite check-in. The onsite entry fee is $100 per team.
FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open advance to the following year’s FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats or 200 boats in the Open. The 2020 FLW College Fishing National Championship is on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida, Feb. 26-28, and is hosted by Lake County, Florida.
FLW College Fishing tournaments in the Central, Northern, Southern and Southeastern conferences will continue to be held on Fridays to allow colleges to network with prospective students participating in FLW’s increasingly popular Bass Pro Shops High School Fishing Opens held Saturday in conjunction with each tournament. Western conference tournaments will take place on Saturdays with High School Fishing tournaments following on Sundays.
2020 FLW College Fishing presented by YETI Schedule:
FLW College Fishing Open
- March 17-18 Kentucky Lake Gilbertsville, Ky.
Central Conference
- March 6 Table Rock Lake Branson, Mo.
- May 29 Mississippi River La Crosse, Wis.
- Sept. 11 Ohio River Paducah, Ky.
Northern Conference
- April 17 Smith Mountain Lake Huddleston, Va.
- July 31 Lake Erie Sandusky, Ohio
- Sept. 25 Chesapeake Bay Edgewood, Md.
Southeastern Conference
- Feb. 7 Lake Seminole Bainbridge, Ga.
- April 24 Lake Guntersville Guntersville, Ala.
- Oct. 16 Lake Hartwell Anderson, S.C.
Southern Conference
- March 27 Fort Gibson Lake Wagoner, Okla.
- Oct. 2 Ouachita River Monroe, La.
- Nov. 13 Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas
Western Conference
- March 14 Lake Havasu Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
- May 2 California Delta Bethel Island, Calif.
- Sept. 26 Clear Lake Lakeport, Calif.
FLW College Fishing National Championship
- Feb. 26-28 Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla.
2020 FLW College Fishing presented by YETI Payouts:
FLW College Fishing Open
(Open to teams from all conferences)
Place Club
1 $30,000 premium 17-foot bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard
Top 20 teams advance to the 2021 National Championship. One additional team advances for every 10 teams over 200 competing.
Qualifiers
(Open to teams from all conferences. Nonconference teams do not earn School of the Year points.)
Place Club
1 $2,000
2 1,000
3 500
4 500
5 500
Top 10 teams advance to the 2021 National Championship. One additional team advances for every 10 teams over 100 competing.
2020 National Championship – No Entry Fee
Place Club + Anglers
1 $30,000 premium 17-foot bass boat with a 115-horsepower outboard + 2020 FLW Series Championship entries
2 5,000 + 2020 BFL All-American as boaters
3 4,000 + 2020 BFL All-American as boaters
4 3,000 + 2020 BFL All-American as boaters
5 2,000 + 2020 BFL All-American as co-anglers
6 2020 BFL All-American as co-anglers
Complete rules for the 2020 FLW College Fishing presented by YETI program can be found online at FLWFishing.com.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow FLW College Fishing on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
New Pure Fishing President Named
Fishing Industry Veteran Dave Bulthuis Announced as New President of North America for Pure Fishing®
COLUMBIA, S.C. (November 20, 2019) – Pure Fishing® named Dave Bulthuis the New President of North America this week. Bulthuis is the former Vice President of Sales for Costa Sunglasses, where he served in a number of capacities since 2003. A long-time champion of the sport and industry of fishing, Bulthuis has been retained to further establish meaningful relationships with key North American stakeholders including customers, industry associations and governmental agencies.
Bulthuis was honored in October 2018 with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) during the organization's annual summit, in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and lifelong commitment to sportfishing. He has served on ASA’s board of directors for eight years, including a stint as Chairman of the Board in 2015 and 2016.
Prior to sixteen years at Costa, Bulthuis served as Director of Sales for several brands in the outdoor industry, including Fin-Nor Fishing Tackle, Jones and Company and several independent rep groups.
“I’ve been fortunate to have an incredible career in the fishing industry and worked on some initiatives that I’m extremely proud of,” explained Bulthuis. “Bringing those experiences to bear for one of the most iconic companies in the world at this time of growth and change gives me renewed excitement about what I can contribute to this sport I love so deeply.”
This new position will see Bulthuis taking over accountability for Pure Fishing’s sales and customer marketing efforts across North America. Within this role, he will continue fostering valuable relationships across organizations that can help fuel growth for the company, its stable of brands and the industry as a whole. Additionally, Bulthuis will champion the company’s conservation efforts, leveraging his passion for sustainable fisheries that aligns with Pure Fishing’s commitment to clean water and conservation.
“Adding Dave to the team at this time is exciting for me and the entire team at Pure Fishing,” Said Harlan Kent, CEO of Pure Fishing. “He is a proven, committed leader in this industry who has worked hard to establish and foster relationships that I believe will be invaluable as we rebuild momentum as the leading fishing company in the world.”
Bulthuis will begin his role at Pure Fishing on December 2, 2019 and will be based at the company’s headquarters in Columbia, South Carolina.
Lake Fork Announced As Site For 2020 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest
November 20, 2019
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Earlier this year, B.A.S.S. announced the bulk of its 2020 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule with a clear emphasis on visiting fisheries that hold giant bass.
On that front, they saved the absolute best for last.
An already amazing schedule was finalized today when B.A.S.S. announced that Lake Fork — the Texas fishery that produced a pair of four-day weights over 100 pounds last year — will again serve as the venue for the 2020 Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The tournament will be held June 5-9 on the Sabine River Basin with daily weigh-ins and festivities at the Sabine River Authority headquarters on the shoreline of Lake Fork in Quitman, Texas. South Carolina angler Brandon Cobb claimed the Texas Fest title last year with a four-day total of 20 bass that weighed 114 pounds.
“That was the most amazing four days of fishing I’ve ever had,” said Cobb, who received one of B.A.S.S.’s coveted Century Belts for topping the 100-pound mark, along with Michigan’s Garrett Paquette, who placed second with 101-15. “When you set the hook at Lake Fork, you never know what you’re in for. I’ve wanted to go back there since the moment we rolled out of town.”
Cobb, whose catch for the week included an 11-pound, 1-ounce monster largemouth, earned $125,000 as his winner’s share of the event’s $1 million total purse. He also received a Toyota Tundra pickup truck for weighing the heaviest bass of the event.
That same incredible purse will be in place next year.
“You can look at the weights from last year and understand pretty easily why we’re going back to Lake Fork,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “It’s obviously one of the premier fisheries in the country.
“That, combined with the partnerships we have with Gulf States Toyota, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and several other fantastic area groups makes it an event that everyone at B.A.S.S. is looking forward to — and one that we believe fans of the sport will really enjoy.”
Cindy Hamrick, Vice President of Marketing for Gulf States Toyota, echoed Akin’s excitement.
“We are proud to once again present the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which showcases the great Texas outdoors,” Hamrick said. “Our continued partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department allows them to offer the Toyota ShareLunker Program and a number of youth and urban outreach programs.”
Wood County, Texas, Judge Lucy Hebron, who has helped with efforts to bring the event back to Fork, said several groups have worked hard to make it a reality.
“We would not be able to host the tournament this year were it not for the efforts of (General Manager) David Montagne and the wonderful folks at the Sabine River Authority,” Hebron said. “We truly appreciate all their hard work to make this happen.
“We also appreciate the help of our friends in the City of Quitman and the Quitman Economic Development Corporation, who are generously providing assistance for the tournament.”
Lake Fork presents a unique set of challenges for a bass tournament using a traditional format because of its slot limit. Anglers are required to release bass that measure between 16 and 24 inches, and may only bring in one bass per day that measures more than 24 inches long.
To comply with the slot limit regulation, B.A.S.S. will work with TPWD to once again use the “catch-weigh-immediate release” format that was used for the first time at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic at Lake Fork in 2007.
A judge in each angler’s boat will weigh and record the official weight of each bass caught. The bass will be immediately released, except for one fish over the slot, which can be taken back to the Texas Fest weigh-in stage to show off to fans.
Last year, when Cobb caught his 11-1 giant, he already had an 8-13 in his livewell that was released.
“That’s the only time in my life I can remember letting almost a 9-pounder go during a tournament,” Cobb said. “But those regulations are what have made that lake so great — and I think the format is a lot of fun at a place like Fork.”
As in past years, the full field of Elite Series anglers will fish Friday and Saturday, June 5-6. Anglers will take a break Sunday, June 7, for special Fan Appreciation Day festivities, including a TPWD Outdoors Adventures area, Bassmaster University seminars, the Bassmaster Outdoors Expo and the annual Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team Tournament.
The Top 40 remaining anglers, based on heaviest weight, will return to the water for the semifinal round on Monday, June 8. Then the Top 10 will compete on Championship Tuesday, June 9.
Constructed as a water supply reservoir, Lake Fork is owned and operated by the Sabine River Authority of Texas. Impounded in 1980, Fork holds the state bass record of 18.18 pounds, it produced 30 of Texas’ Top 50 largemouth bass and seven of the Top 10. It dominates the list of Texas lakes that have produced 13-pound “Legacy” bass entered in the Toyota ShareLunker program. Fork has yielded more than 260 “teen” bass over the years and roughly 45% of the total ShareLunker Legacy entries statewide.
“In addition to its crucial importance as a major water supply reservoir for the east Texas area, Lake Fork has earned a global reputation as a premier largemouth bass fishery. Thanks to the longstanding partnership between the SRA and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Lake Fork Reservoir continues to positively impact our local and regional economies while providing a high quality, dependable supply of surface water,” said David Montagne, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Sabine River Authority of Texas.
“The SRA is proud to collaborate with other local entities, including Wood County, Wood County Economic Development Commission, the City of Quitman and the City of Quitman Economic Development Commission to host the Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament benefiting the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.”
The event will be covered in real time on Bassmaster LIVE with programming on Bassmaster.com and ESPN3 and in an episode of The Bassmasters television program to be aired later on ESPN2, ESPN Classic and The Pursuit Channel.
2020 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule:
Feb. 6-9, St. Johns River, Palatka, Fla.
Feb. 14-17, Chickamauga Lake, Dayton, Tenn.
March 6-8, Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk, Lake Guntersville, Birmingham, Ala.
April 2-5, Lake Eufaula, Eufaula, Ala.
April 16-19, Santee Cooper Lakes, Manning, S.C.
May 29-June 1, Sabine River, Orange, Texas
June 5-9, Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Lake Fork, Quitman, Texas
July 23-26, St. Lawrence River, Waddington, N.Y.
July 30-Aug. 2, Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, N.Y.
Aug. 13-16, Elite makeup date
Aug. 20-23, Lake St. Clair, Macomb County, Mich.
Back to Basics
This week Chris and Jason go OG on the Podcast as they run solo for the first time in a while and do a quick show talking with MLF Pro Randy Howell about the 2019 BPT Season, what's ahead and his upcoming Kings Home Boat Giveaway this weekend. Check it out!
Cashion Fishing Rods Customer Appreciation Day this Saturday
Courtesy of Cashion Fishing Rods
Cashion Fishing Rods is proud to announce a Customer Appreciation Day and BBQ Lunch Fundraiser for the Baptist Children’s Homes of NC on Friday November 22, 2019 from 11a to 5p. Cashion Fishing Rods manufacturing facility will be open to the public for the opportunity to experience how Cashion Fishing Rods are made. Cashion Crew members John Crews, James Watson, Fat Cat Newton, Rob Digh, and David Williams will be in attendance at the Cashion Customer Appreciation Day and available to the public and members of the media. Cashion Rods will provide a BBQ lunch and 100% of lunch donations will go to the Baptist Children’s Home of NC. The schedule of events will include carbon rolling and rod building demonstrations, along with contest opportunities to compete against the pros.
What: Cashion Fishing Rods Customer Appreciation Day
Why: BBQ Lunch Fundraiser for Baptist Children’s Homes of NC, 100% of Lunch Donations go the Baptist Children’s Home of NC
When: Friday Nov 22, 2019, 11a – 5p
Where: Cashion Fishing Rods, 3915 Hawkins Ave, Sanford, NC 27330
Randy Howell Kings Home Boat Giveaway
Major League Fishing names Beshears Tournament Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, November 15, 2019 (Tulsa, Okla.) Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today that Aaron Beshears has accepted the position of Tournament Director for the Bass Pro Tour and MLF Cup events. Shortly after joining MLF in 2014 as a volunteer Official, Beshears was promoted to Lead Official in 2015. In late 2018 Beshears was one of the league’s first hires as MLF launched the Bass Pro Tour serving as Manager of Competition Crew Recruiting and Training throughout its inaugural year.
“Aaron did a fantastic job of recruiting, training, and deploying our battalion of League Officials,’ reflected Todd Walker, Senior Director of Operations for MLF. “With what seemed like an impossible task due to the shortened timeline, he turned into a huge success on which we will build for years to come, making him the perfect choice for this new role.”
Prior to joining MLF, Beshears retired from a 20-year career in law enforcement in 2010. His love for bass fishing, which began as a child in Oklahoma and Arkansas, led him to Major League Fishing where their conservation-friendly format appealed to him as a weekend tournament angler himself. When not at work, Aaron enjoys cooking barbeque with his wife Candice and their two children, Morghan and Taryn.
About Major League Fishing
Founded in 2011, Major League Fishing (MLF) brings the high-intensity sport of competitive bass fishing into America’s living rooms on Outdoor Channel, Discovery, CBS, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network, Sportsman Channel, and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). The Bass Pro Tour consists of eight events and a championship streamed live on www.MajorLeagueFishing.com and MOTV.
MLF recently acquired Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), which expands their portfolio to include the largest grassroots fishing organization, including the strongest five-fish format professional bass fishing tour, the FLW Pro Circuit (formerly FLW Tour), as well as the FLW Series, FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL), and high school and college tournament circuits.
FLW ANNOUNCES DETAILS FOR 2020 FLW PRO CIRCUIT
TULSA, Okla. (Nov. 18, 2019) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), announced today the full details, including rules, entry dates, schedules and the location for the 2020 Championship. The circuit will feature a field of 150 pro anglers competing across seven regular-season tournaments, which culminate to the FLW TITLE. A new event, the TITLE will showcase the top 50 pros from the FLW Pro Circuit regular season as they compete for an $820,000 purse.
The seven regular-season events will operate under a four-day, five-bass limit format with a full field of 150 anglers competing on days one and two. The field will cut to the top 30 on day three, and then the top 10 will advance to the championship round on day four.
In the FLW TITLE, anglers will compete using the Major League Fishing catch, weigh, and instantly release format. The TITLE field will divide into two groups of 25 (Group A and B) whereas Group A competes on days one and three and Group B competes on days two and four. Based on the cumulative two-day weight total, the top ten from each Group (field of 20) will advance to day five. The top 10 pros after day five will advance to the sixth and final day of competition for the opportunity to become the inaugural FLW TITLE Champion with a top prize of $200,000.
2020 FLW Pro Circuit Schedule:
- Jan. 23-26 Sam Rayburn Reservoir Brookeland, Texas
Hosted by the Jasper County Development District
- Feb. 20-23 Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla.
Hosted by Lake County, Fla.
- March 19-22 Lake Martin Alexander City, Ala.
Hosted by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce
- April 2-5 Cherokee Lake Jefferson City, Tenn.
Hosted by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
- April 23-26 Lake Hartwell Anderson, S.C.
Hosted by Visit Anderson
- May 14-17 Lake Dardanelle Russellville, Ark.
Hosted by the Russellville Advertising & Promotion Commission
- June 27-30* Detroit River Trenton, Mich.
Hosted by the Detroit Sports Commission
*Saturday-Tuesday event
2020 FLW TITLE Championship:
- Aug. 8-13 St. Lawrence River Massena, N.Y.
Hosted by the Town of Massena
The 2020 FLW Pro Circuit schedule, along with complete details, rules and payouts for the season can be found online at FLWFishing.com.
Each FLW Pro Circuit regular-season tournament will feature FLW Live on-the-water coverage with five cameras on the final two days. The FLW TITLE championship will feature live on-the-water coverage with 10 cameras on the final two days. Each regular-season tournament will also be featured in a two-hour television episode while the FLW TITLE championship will be featured in six two-hour episodes. Each episode will air on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel in 2020 for a total of 312 hours of programing featuring FLW Pro Circuit anglers. Every weigh-in will be streamed live on FLWFishing.com.
FLW also announced that fans can apply for the 2020 FLW Pro Circuit Marshal VIP Experience beginning Friday, Nov. 22. Early registration for fans who participated as Marshals in 2019 is now open. A limited number of Marshal opportunities are available at each 2020 regular-season FLW Pro Circuit stop. If selected as a Marshal, fans will be treated to a VIP cookout and seminar with FLW Pro Circuit pros on the day before the tournament, plus behind-the-scenes access throughout the event. Marshals will also receive exclusive FLW Pro Circuit clothing and play a vital role in live coverage of the tournament by verifying the pro’s catch and relaying information to FLW editors. The Marshals won’t be fishing, but they’ll be in the middle of the action. It’s a VIP experience like no other for only $100 per tournament. Marshals can also win cash awards based on the combined weight of the pros they are paired with in the two-day opening round – as much as $2,500 at every tournament.
Anglers have qualified for the 2020 FLW Pro Circuit field of 150 pros based on the criteria outlined in the 2019 FLW Tour rules. Invitations will be sent to these anglers, and they will have until December 2, 2019, to pay their deposit and secure their entry. If an angler declines his or her invitation, FLW will extend an invitation to the next eligible angler from the 2019 FLW Tour standings.
For complete details and updated information on the FLW Pro Circuit visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the FLW Pro Circuit on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
New Idaho Catch and Release Record Largemouth Caught!
New Catch & Release state record!
From IDFG:
JJ Schillinger shows off a 25-inch, 9.7 lb largemouth bass.
Congratulations to JJ Schillinger of Post Falls, Idaho on landing a new catch-and-release record largemouth bass. As an avid bass fisherman, JJ was competing in the Panhandle Bass Anglers Fall Open tournament on October 19, when he hooked the 25-inch bass in Cave Lake.
IDFG
#NorthIdahoNews
B.A.S.S. Announces New National Tournament Series For Kayak Anglers
November 14, 2019
B.A.S.S. Announces New National Tournament Series For Kayak Anglers
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The popularity of kayak fishing is at an all-time high, just one of the reasons B.A.S.S., the world’s largest fishing organization, has formed a new tournament trail aimed specifically at kayaking enthusiasts.
Today, B.A.S.S. officials announced the schedule for the inaugural Huk Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia. The trail will feature five regular-season events in 2020 on well-known bass fisheries across the country with a championship to be held in conjunction with the 2021 Academy Outdoors + Sports Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
“You don’t have to look very hard these days to find a kayak in the bed of a truck or strapped to the roof of a SUV,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. “People are bass fishing from kayaks all over the world — and they’re doing it everywhere from big lakes and rivers to small creeks and ponds.
“With this new trail, we wanted to give those anglers an opportunity to show what they can do from a small craft.”
The inaugural tournament will be held in conjunction with the 50th edition of the Bassmaster Classic on Logan Martin Lake in Pell City, Ala., on March 5. Classic competition kicks-off on nearby Lake Guntersville the next morning. Other events will be held on Lake Fork in Lake Fork Marina, Texas (March 14), Chickamauga Lake in Dayton, Tenn. (May 23), the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis. (Aug. 15) and Clear Lake in Lakeport, Calif. (Aug. 29).
Entry fees for all of the events will be $250, and each will pay 30 places. Based on a full field of 150 kayaks, the total purse for each event will be $30,000.
“Huk is proud to work with B.A.S.S. on this exciting new tournament series designed to push the limits of kayak fishing,” said Melinda Hays, Freshwater Community Manager for Huk. “Bass fishing is an integral part of our DNA here at Huk and we endeavor to inspire anglers to explore their home waters by kayak.”
In addition to title sponsor Huk and presenting sponsor Abu Garcia, the kayak series is partnering with Old Town for the inaugural season.
“Abu Garcia is always looking for a way to connect with passionate anglers,” said Jon Schlosser, VP of marketing for Abu Garcia. “With so many people fishing for bass from kayaks now, this was the perfect partnership, allowing our brand to help serve a growing segment in the sportfishing community.”
Instead of a standard weigh-in that uses scales to measure pounds and ounces, anglers will practice “catch, photograph and release” to determine the standings.
When an angler catches a bass, he or she will photograph the fish lying on a standard-issue measuring board and submit the photo through a special mobile app provided by TourneyX. The boards will measure each fish in inches down to a quarter of an inch, and the angler with the longest five-bass limit will win.
“There will be certain criteria for the photograph to be deemed a valid photograph,” B.A.S.S. Nation Director Jon Stewart said. “It will have to show the fish’s nose touching a certain part of the board and the fish’s tail touching a line. It will also have to show the identifying mark on the board that is specific to that tournament.”
Once the photograph is submitted via the TourneyX app, a tournament director and judges will deem them legal or not and enter an official length. A real-time leaderboard will be available online during the tournament until an hour before weigh-in.
“This is pretty standard procedure for kayak tournament fishing,” Stewart said. “In fact, most tournament trails use this very same app when hosting kayak events.”
The Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series Championship will be held in conjunction with the 2021 Bassmaster Classic at a site to be determined. The top finishers from the kayak season will be recognized during Classic festivities.
“It’s just one more opportunity for bass anglers,” Stewart said. “That’s what we’re all about.”
Registration is now open online HERE
Anglers must be a B.A.S.S. member to sign up.
2020 Huk Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia
March 5, Lake Logan Martin, Pell City, Ala.
March 14, Lake Fork, Lake Fork Marina, Texas
May 23, Chickamauga Lake, Dayton, Tenn.
Aug. 15, Mississippi River, La Crosse, Wis.
Aug. 29, Clear Lake, Lakeport, Calif.
About Huk Performance Fishing
Fueled by youthful anglers across the U.S seeking a brand with their same attitude and passion, Huk exploded onto the fishing scene in 2014 and has since become the fastest growing brand in the sport. Huk appeals to anglers across all disciplines with its energetic vibe and its focus on bringing new color, style and technology to the outdoor community. Based in Charleston, SC, at the confluence of three major rivers and a stone’s throw from the Atlantic Ocean, Huk enjoys a dizzying array of sportfishing opportunities that help shape and mold its purpose-built fishing brand. For more information, go to www.hukgear.com
About Pure Fishing, Inc.
Pure Fishing is a leading global provider of fishing tackle, lures, rods and reels with a portfolio of brands that includes Abu Garcia®, All Star®, Berkley®, Chub®, Fenwick®, Greys®, Hardy®, Hodgman®, Johnson™, JRC®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Pflueger®, Sebile®, Shakespeare®, SpiderWire®, Stren®, and Ugly Stik®. Additional information can be found at www.purefishing.com.
About TourneyX
TourneyX is the leading real-time CPR tournament management system. We utilize a Catch-Photo-Release (CPR) system where anglers catch, photograph and submit their fish via the TourneyX PRO app, then safely release their catch. TourneyX has been hosting tournaments since March 2015, and currently has 34,500 registered anglers. For more information, go to http://tourneyx.com
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 510,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2 and The Pursuit Channel), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Basspro.com Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship, new Huk Bassmaster B.A.S.S. Nation Kayak Series powered by TourneyX presented by Abu Garcia and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Huk.
The BASS Nation Recap with Champ Cody Hollen!
This week the boys welcome in TNT Fireworks BASS Nation Champ Cody Hollen from Beaverton, Oregon to talk about his recent win on Lake Hartwell in the BASS Nation Championship. The win qualified him for the Classic and the Elites for 2020! Chris tries to stay off the MLFLW stump, but just can't do it.
SOUTH CAROLINA’S MILLER WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE WILD CARD TOURNAMENT ON KENTUCKY/BARKLEY LAKES
Missouri’s Hammond Grabs Co-angler Title
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (Nov. 11, 2019) – Boater Michael Miller of Greenville, South Carolina, caught a two-day cumulative total of 10 bass weighing 31 pounds even to win the no-entry fee T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Wild Card tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. For his efforts, Miller earned one of the final berths into the 2020 BFL All-American Championship.
" src="blob:https://anglerschannel.com/138a3583-d61c-43b3-a3d0-1b93dbe67935" alt="image004.jpg" width="288" align="right" hspace="12" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2" class="Apple-web-attachment Singleton" style="opacity: 1;">The BFL Wild Card tournament is a last-chance shot at the All-American for BFL anglers that didn’t qualify for a Regional Championship.
“I did not see that coming,” said Miller, a former FLW College Fishing angler who competed for Furman University. “I had a pretty decent practice and I thought I might be able to catch a good one each day. Maybe two. I certainly didn’t see 15 pounds coming two days in a row.”
Miller caught his fish targeting two different places on the north end of the lake, never fishing more than 10 miles south of the dam.
“I caught them pretty much out of two areas,” Miller said. “One produced real well on Friday, and I caught all my weight on the other spot on Saturday.”
On day one, Miller said he caught five largemouth with an umbrella rig and a shaky-head rig targeting a wind-blown riprap bank with deeper water. Casting right at the bank, he fished 7 to 12 feet deep. His second area was a big windblown flat that was about 5 feet deep. He caught three largemouth and two smallmouth there on Saturday.
“On Friday at the end of the day, I saw a 4-pounder come out of the water chasing a gizzard shad on that flat. I didn’t catch it, but I decided to start there the next day,” said Miller. “It was just a big flat, probably the size of two football fields, and it had isolated stuff on it – rock piles, stake beds and some dark spots. You’d run your bait across the top or drag it through and every once in a while you’d get a quality bite.”
Miller’s key bait on the flat was a structure jig.
“I caught a small one Saturday morning, and I thought that fish probably got me to the All-American. Then, a little later, I caught a few more, including a 4-11,” says Miller. “At that point I thought I had the tournament won, so I spent the rest of the day trying to help my co-angler out. When I got in, everyone was talking about an 18-pound bag of smallmouth, and as I was loading my fish I was sure I didn’t have enough.”
The 18-pound bag of smallmouth belonged to Illinois’ Brian Futch, who weighed in a five-bass limit totaling 18 pounds, 5 ounces. Alas, it was just a bit short, as Miller had enough to earn the victory by a razor-thin 1-ounce margin.
“I put a lot of work in to make this All-American,” Miller went on to say. “I live about 30 minutes up the road from Lake Hartwell, and I made it in 2018 as a co-angler. It is without a doubt the best tournament I’ve ever been to. It’s so much fun to be there, and now I’ve got a chance to go and do really well.”
The top six boaters that qualified for the 2020 BFL All-American were:
1st: Michael Miller, Greenville, S.C., 10 bass, 31-0, $2,483
2nd: Brian Futch, Herrin, Ill., 10 bass, 30-15, $1,323
3rd: Bryan Dowdy, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 23-13, $772
4th: Toby Corn, Calvert City, Ky., five bass, 15-12
5th: Will White, Wake Forest, N.C., eight bass, 14-11
6th: Harold Buchmeier, Gilbertsville, Ky., five bass, 11-9
Rounding out the top-10 boaters were:
7th: Joey Schmidt, Hickory, Ky., four bass, 11-6, $694
8th: Walter James, Braselton, Ga., five bass, 10-12
9th: Rick Bowen, Jackson, Tenn., four bass, 10-10, $617
10th: James Davis, Hollywood, Fla., five bass, 10-6
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Futch caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Boater Division Saturday, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces, which earned him the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $81.
Walter Hammond of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, won the Co-angler Division with a two-day cumulative of three bass weighing 11 pounds, 14 ounces.
The top six co-anglers that qualified for the 2020 BFL All-American were:
1st: Walter Hammond, Lee’s Summit, Mo., three bass, 11-14, $1,295
2nd: Charles Dellard, Burleson, Texas, three bass, 9-14, $822
3rd: Chad Cartwright, Benton, Ky., four bass, 9-8, $470
4th: Bryan Barnard, Harrison, Ark., three bass, 8-2, $378
5th: Shawn Kemper, Iberia, Mo., two bass, 7-12
6th: Leo Reiter, Greenup, Ill., two bass, 7-0, $336
Rounding out the top-10 co-anglers were:
7th: Daniel Robinson, Atlanta, Ga., two bass, 7-0
8th: David Lambert, Middletown, Ohio, two bass, 6-12, $354
9th: Todd Blakeman, Chatham, Ill., three bass, 6-7, $269
10th: Jon Dailey, Kingston, Tenn., three bass, 6-3
Hammond also caught the heaviest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Saturday, a fish weighing 5 pounds, 4 ounces, which earned him the day’s Co-Angler Big Bass Award of $52.
The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League Wild Card tournament on Kentucky and Barkley lakes was hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
The 2019 BFL 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 BFL All-American. The 2020 BFL All-American will be held April 30-May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, South Carolina, and is hosted by Visit Anderson. Top performers in the BFL can move up to the Costa FLW Series or even the FLW Tour.
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.
YETI V Series: First-of-its-kind stainless steel vacuum insulated hard cooler with absolute best-in-class insulation.
There’s only one way to say it: this cooler offers the best thermal performance that science allows. Using vacuum insulation with the support of our proprietary PermaFrost™ Insulation, The YETI V Series™ Hard Cooler is a testament to first-of-its-kind innovation and offers unprecedented ice retention in a cooler (more than 50% better than any other cooler we’ve made). Stylistically, it’s a nod to the past, but built with downright futuristic technology.
Tech Features:
Vacuum Insulation: A vacuum is considered the best known insulator. Incorporating vacuum insulation into a cooler took some serious engineering, but it offers the best thermal insulation that science allows.
Stainless Steel Body: Kitchen-grade stainless steel is tough, stately, and wears beautifully over time.
Stainless Steel Latch Loop: Single-center latch is easy to use and incredibly durable
Deep Seal Drain Plug: Leakproof and designed for quick and easy draining.
Cast Aluminum Hinges: Durable, reliable, and built to last.
For more information, Check out www.Yeti.com
Hollen Relies On Lipless Crankbait To Win B.A.S.S. Nation Championship At Lake Hartwell
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ABA Toho Division Reconfigured, New Okeechobee Division added
Athens, AL – American Bass Anglers announced today a new Bass Pro Shops Fishing Tour division on Lake Okeechobee. The new division (104) will be directed by Donald McMasters Jr and has scheduled events beginning in late December.
The new division will run all of its divisional events out of Okeetanie Campground located on the northwest corner of the lake on the canal that connects Kissimmee River with Okeechobee at 10430 State Road 78 W, Okeechobee, Florida 34974.
You can contact the director at (561)714-3491. Anglers can register for all ABA events online or by calling the ABA office at (256)232-0406.
2020 Okeechobee Schedule
| Date: | Lake | Ramp/Register |
| 12/28/2019 | Okeechobee | Okeetantie Campground |
| 01/18/2020 | Okeechobee | Okeetantie Campground |
| 02/22/2020 | Okeechobee | Okeetantie Campground |
| 04/11/2020 | Okeechobee | Okeetantie Campground |
| 05/02/2020 | Okeechobee | Okeetantie Campground |
| 06/20/2020 | Okeechobee | Okeetantie Campground |
| 07/25-26/2020 | Okeechobee | Okeetantie Campground |
Central Florida Divisions Reconfigured
In 2019 Lake Toho hosted two Bass Pro Shops Fishing Tour divisions. In 2020 these two divisions have been combined into one division (Bass Pro Shops Fishing Tour division 21).
Frank Derylak will be the director and will host events out of both Kissimmee City Ramp and Southport. This will provide anglers events out of both the north and the southern portions of Lake Toho.
The newly configured division will host its first tournament next Saturday on 11/16 out of Kissimmee City Park.
You can contact the director at (407)709-1632. Anglers can register for all ABA events online or by calling the ABA office at (256)232-0406.
Division 21 2020 Schedule
| Date | Lake | Ramp/Register |
| 11/16/2019 | Toho | Kissimmee City Ramp |
| 12/14/2019 | Toho | Kissimmee City Ramp |
| 01/18/2020 | Toho | Southport |
| 02/08/2020 | Toho | Kissimmee City Ramp |
| 03/14/2020 | Toho | Southport |
| 04/18/2020 | Toho | Kissimmee City Ramp |
| 05/09/2020 | Toho | Southport |
| 06/06/2020 | Toho | Kissimmee City Ramp |
| 07/11/2020 | Toho | Southport |
| 08/01-02/2020 | Toho | Kissimmee City Ramp |
Entry Fee for the Bass Pro Shops Fishing Tour are $70 for Divisional one-day events and $140 for Divisional Championships. Anglers may register online or call (256)232-0406.
On the Bass Pro Shops Fishing Tour you can just show up the morning of the tournament and register. New and Renewing members are not charged the $5 onsite late fee as well as active military, life members and visiting ABA directors.
The 2020 Bass Pro Shops Fishing Tour Rules are available online at (LINK)
All boaters fishing any American Bass Anglers are required to have a minimum of $100,000 in boat liability insurance with randoms checks are performed at all ABA events.
For more information about the Bass Pro Shops Fishing Tour visit www.AmericanBassAnglers.com
2020 Bass Pro Shops National Championship will be held on Old Hickory Lake in Gallatin, Tennessee the week of October 18 - 23.
South African Varkevisser Grabs Lead At B.A.S.S. Nation Championship On Lake Hartwell
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Costa® Sunglasses Unveils Diego As Most Advanced Performance Frame to Date
Daytona Beach, Fla. – November 7, 2019 – Costa® Sunglasses, long-committed to creating the highest quality performance sunglasses for the most discerning watermen and women, used those very people as inspiration to create the new Diego frame. Constructed to keep you on the water longer, Diego is the most feature-laden, highly engineered frame the company has ever produced.
Named for the diverse and dynamic fisheries around San Diego, California, the Diego frame is up to the task whether chasing Yellowtail or the mighty Bluefin. Simply stated, this next evolution in eyewear is performance perfected—designed with capability in every detail:
- Innovative vented hinge system to maximize airflow and maximize comfort
- Vented nose pads reduce fogging
- Integrated top and side shields block light
- Sweat management system cools and wicks away moisture
- Flexible and keeper-ready temple tips enhance fit
“At Costa, we put our all into every frame we create, and we strive to bring innovation into our performance collection with each new design,” said John Sanchez, vice president of product development at Costa Sunglasses. “Our team doesn’t just live for the water, we come to life on the water and that’s exactly why we created Diego. This high-tech frame was over engineered to provide maximum-performance features to keep even the most hardcore adventurers on the water longer.”
Diego features Costa color-enhancing 580® lens technology in both Lightwave® glass and impact-resistant polycarbonate, which provides 100 percent UV protection and polarization. This patented 580 lens technology selectively filters out harsh yellow light for superior contrast and definition while absorbing high-energy blue light to cut haze and enhance sharpness. In addition, Costa lens technology reduces glare and eye fatigue, and its Lightwave glass is 20 percent thinner and 22 percent lighter than average polarized glass.
Diego is a large fit and comes in three frame colors, including Matte Black, Matte Midnight Blue and Matte Gray. The new style ranges in price from $199 to $279 depending on lens selection. For more information on Diego and the full line of Costa sunglasses, visit CostaSunglasses.com.
Belik Takes Lead At Opening Round Of B.A.S.S. Nation Championship On Lake Hartwell
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Two Tour Pro, Costa Champ & the loss of a Fishing Pioneer
This week Chris, Jason and the boys welcome in newly announced two-tour Pro John Cox to discuss the details and answers the hard questions as to why he has committed to both BASS and FLW Tours for 2020. Jason also talks to 2019 Costa Champ, Strike King, Lew's Pro Andrew Upshaw! Turn it up, we are comin' atcha!
What DeFoe, Scroggins, and Swindle did when nobody was watching
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorhips
I was walking across a dark and wet parking lot a couple Saturday nights ago at Picwick Lake when I saw current Bassmaster Classic Champ, Ott DeFoe dang near standing on his head in the battery compartment of a boat he didn’t own. Next to “Otter” was 2-time Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Gerald Swindle. And beside Swindle, was his longtime buddy and $2 Million career prize money winner, Terry “Big Show” Scroggins.
The three very well-known pros had just finished making 450 amateur anglers feel like superstars at the 8th Annual Toyota Bonus Bucks tournament registration dinner and rules meeting. That’s where they discovered one team’s chance to participate the next morning was seriously threatened by the sort of marine wiring issues we’ve all dealt with.
“Gerald asked us how our day was in the registration line. We told him we’d lost all electrical power, been towed back to the ramp in the cold rain, and might not get to fish. He asked if we could go get the boat back at the house we were renting, and bring it back to the ramp for he and “Big Show” to try and fix,” says, Derrick Gray, team fishing partner of the boat’s owner, Jason Forsgren.
Gray, a career Air Force man and Tennessee Game Warden admits Swindle’s unbelievably generous offer blew him away and covered him in goosebumps of gratefulness.
He and Forsgren were quick to take Swindle up on his offer, and immediately upon their return with the troubled boat, DeFoe jumped in to help Swindle and Scroggins by targeting all the wiring in the battery compartment. Swindle became chief tool supplier, running back and forth to his Tundra’s toolbox, and Scroggins phoned for even more help in the form of hardworking Triton Boats technician, Kevin Davenport.
“Scroggins eventually climbed up under the driver’s console and figured out how to restore power to the outboard. But we had to improvise and limp through the tournament with portable navigation lights and a livewell pump we bought at Academy Sports later that night,” says Gray.
They did more than limp. Fact is, Gray and Forsgren caught an admirable 11 pounds, and finished barely out of the money by dragging a 3/8-ounce jig on the floor of the famed Tennessee River. Gray and Forsgren are both Toyota Tundra owners, and say they’ll be back for more Bonus Bucks Owners tournaments in the future.
“This was our third Bonus Bucks event to fish together. We love ‘em because there’s no entry fee, which expands our travel budget so we can bring the wives, rent a house, and make a mini vacation out of it. If you own a Toyota and you’re registered for Bonus Bucks – fishing in this annual event is a no-brainer in my opinion,” says Gray.
If it’s true the character of a man is best judged by what he does when nobody’s looking – then I’m glad I was there to see DeFoe, Scroggins and Swindle doing what most might never expect them to do. All I could do was hold a flashlight, marvel at their mechanical abilities, snap a photo, and make notes knowing this kind of goodness deserved to be shared.
The Big Bass Tour Special Edition
On this special episode of the AC Insider Podcast, Chris spends time at Big Bass Tour World Headquarters in Dallas, TX on opening day of 2020 Registration for the Big Bass Tour. Joined by Tournament Director Scott Gordon, Angler Experience Supervisor Greg Yates, BBT Angler Brayden Rakes and of the course the one and only KVD, This show is all about BIG BASS!
BPT Angler John Murray on Catching More Fall Bass!
Vance McCullough
Autumn. What a glorious time to be on the water. A camo-clad army of would-be anglers has headed to the woods and many of us have turned more than a little of our time and attention to football. You have more water to yourself and the bass are crushing spinnerbaits, crankbaits and topwaters.
Unless they aren’t.
Let’s be honest for a moment. As an outdoors writer, I’m supposed to sell you on this grand scene where bass fishing amid the blazing tones of turning leaves is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
It can be.
But fall fishing can also be downright frustrating at times.
Let’s take a lesson from a pro who excels under conditions that challenge most of us. Originally from Arizona, Major League Fishing Pro John Murray has been getting his mail in East Tennessee for a couple of years now but he acquired his reputation, and his skills, as a talented finesse angler in the big desert lakes out West.
“Twelve months of the year, 24 hours a day, I’ve always got a dropshot rigged,” shares Murray. “Even on days that they’re eating the paint off a spinnerbait or something in the morning, sometimes by eleven o’clock you’re scratching.”
Murray’s go-to technique has produced in a variety of theatres. “I’ve won tournaments on Toledo Bend, the James River, different places, and the dropshot has been a key to those wins. It’s a great back up for when you have 3 good ones and just need 2 more. It’s always got a place in my fishing, especially in the fall because it’s so versatile I can catch them shallow or deep on it, depending how the fishing is going that day.”
Though it can be productive any time, Murray most often turns to the subtle tactic when the action slows. “In the fall, you usually have a feeding window, whether it’s in the early morning or maybe the afternoon, but then there are other times when they’re just not doing anything, but if you put a dropshot in their face, you’ll get a bite or two.
“I’ll put it in a different gear. Instead of running the trolling motor on high and running down grass lines or the bank, I’ll just take the foot off the trolling motor and start fishing the dropshot.
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t care if I’m flipping, I can throw a dropshot in there as well as anything else. If I’m in 60 feet of water with a jig or a spoon, I can throw a dropshot there. There’s no place that I’m fishing that I can’t catch them on a dropshot if it gets a little tough.”
In a departure from the ‘video game’ technique used by many dropshoters, Murray seldom goes vertical with his worm in autumn. “Even out on deep structure, I’m usually casting and dragging it uphill. I really like an uphill drag in the fall. Even when grass fishing, I’ll make a long cast. I tend to use a light weight in grass and swim it a little more. It’s a real finesse-looking bait coming through the water. I will let it settle in any holes or along the edge of grass. There’s not as much vertical fishing in the fall as in the winter or summer.”
Murray will pick the low-hanging fruit with fast-moving lures before mopping up. “If I’m fishing way out on a piece of a ridge and they’re eating a crankbait out there and they’re killing it in the morning and then they stop, that dropshot is the first thing going back out there to catch those last few. That’s also a big deal in the grass. You find an outer edge that has some fish on it with a reaction bait and you can come through a second time throwing a dropshot and catch a couple more that you wouldn’t have caught on those reaction baits.”
Some days a dropshot is Murray’s primary choice from the beginning. “Two things really push me that way. One is a lot of sun - bright, bright weather where you’ve got good visibility and you just can’t fool them with the reaction baits.
“The other is a lack of wind. You get a real calm, sunny day, I’ll probably go to a dropshot a lot faster than if it’s a windy day or a cloudy day. Usually on those low visibility days I’ll stick with a reaction bait because you can fool them just as well with that, but calm, sunny - I’m going to pick that dropshot up pretty quick.”
While many of us ask what bait the bass are chasing in autumn, Murray looks inward for the answer. “I’m always a confidence guy. My confidence here on the Tennessee River is usually a redbug color. It’s got the green fleck and the red hue. It’s got the crawdad colors. It’s got the shininess for a shad.” (Who - besides John Murray - knew ‘shininess’ was a word?)
“I’m not that big on color changing my day. I feel like, if I have the right bait and present it correctly, I’m going to catch them.”
While Murray notes that Gene Larew makes great shad colors, he relies heavily on redbug and the Sooner Run color for most situations. He’s comfortable with that slim color selection and, given his experience, that’s saying a lot.
As for lure shape and size, “I’m pretty much a 6-inch Gene Larew Tattletail guy. That’s the worm I designed. It’s got a swimming tail. It’s not a paddle tail and it’s not a straight tail. It’s got a little vibration to it, a little movement to it but it’s subtle.
“I will upsize to the 8-inch sometimes if I’m out in deeper water, looking for a bigger fish. Sometimes I’ll pinch a couple inches off and get down to 4 inches if I’m fishing out West where I want a smaller profile bait, but a 6-inch Tattle Tail pretty much covers all my fishing year-round.”
Rigging matters.
“I like it weedless because I’ll throw it anywhere. I don’t want to have an open hook and then come across a brush pile and I can’t throw it in there. I’m using a little offset light wire Gamakatsu hook and Texas-rigging it 90% of the time.
“The biggest thing for me is length of leader. I’ve seen that make a huge difference. My general starting size is 8-to-10-inches of leader off the bottom. Now, sometimes when it’s cold or the water gets a little dingy I’ll lower that down to a 3-or-4-inch leader, just off the bottom, and sometimes when the water is clear I like a long leader like 2-and-3-feet off the bottom because those fish tend to roam a little more in that clear water. Usually 10 inches is a good start and if I feel anything is off, I’ll change my leader length a little bit; try a different one.”
When imparting action to his worm, Murray is a drag. “I’m pulling it with a steady pull. I’m not a real big shaker. I don’t usually shake the rod tip. The only exception would be if there are spotted bass. I will shake the rod tip more then, but for largemouth or smallmouth I just like a steady drag. I just want that thing swimming like a minnow would, just swimming through. If it’s warmer I might start swimming it longer, might start reeling it slow, but if there’s any sort of fall weather I’ll probably let it settle. Just settle. Sometimes I’ll dead stick it and then pick it up again and drag it.”
The dragging action is a reason Murray likes to work uphill. “You’ve got that bottom contact. You can feel ‘oh, I’m coming into rocks now. I should get bit’ type of deal.”
Murray achieves that bottom contact with anything from a 3/16 to a 1/2 oz. tungsten weight, the heavy sinker generally getting the call in 40-plus feet of water. “If I’m throwing into shallow grass, I’m throwing a 3/16 or maybe even 1/8 ounce sometimes. A quarter ounce will cover most things. If a guy just wanted to have one dropshot weight, a quarter ounce would cover it.
“I use an 8-pound Gamma fluorocarbon leader. That’s a little heavy for where I grew up but here you need it because you can catch a 7-pounder any time on a dropshot.”
Murray attaches 5 feet of fluoro to 20-lb Gamma braid via a surgeon’s knot or a small swivel. He then ties the hook to the fluoro and forms his drop leader.
As stated, he will fish heavy cover with this finesse tactic, so his rod choice matches accordingly. “I use a 7’1” Enigma rod with a 3000-size spinning reel on it. Just a simple Enigma rod but I’ll use a medium action to medium-heavy rod. You see a lot of guys dropshoting with willow branches – real wimpy rods. I don’t want to. I use those for crappie rods. I’m fishing Texas-rigged most of the time, so I do want to have some power. I’m not setting the hook like you would with a Texas rig, but I’m reeling and pulling in and you want a rod with some stoutness to get that hookset.”
Deep water, where hooksets are more challenging on light line, and cold water may cause Murray to use an open hook on the nose of his worm. Otherwise, it’s the Texas rig, and not just for its weedless ways. “Fall time, I’ll almost never have an open hook. It’s more about boating fish. Sometimes those open hooks get every fish and sometimes you lose half of them – like, every big smallmouth you hook on them. A little, light Texas rig hook, you’ve got ‘em; you’ve got them pinned and they’re coming in the boat.”
Enjoy those fall feeding blitzes with fast lures but when the bite slows down, do the same and put John Murray’s tips to good use.
Jerry McKinnis, former B.A.S.S. co-owner, founder of JM Associates, and a legend in the fishing industry, passed away - Updated
Former B.A.S.S. Co-Owner, Outdoor Television Pioneer Jerry McKinnis Passes Away
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Jerry McKinnis, former B.A.S.S. co-owner, founder of JM Associates, and a legend in the fishing industry, passed away early Sunday morning. The 82-year-old McKinnis had been in the hospital for six weeks, dealing with an injury and infection sustained on a fishing trip in Wyoming.
McKinnis, along with Don Logan and Jim Copeland, purchased B.A.S.S. from ESPN in 2010, and then sold controlling interest in the organization to Anderson Media in 2017. He was the leader of JM Associates, producing award-winning television and Internet shows about fishing and the outdoors. McKinnis was also the beloved host of the television series The Fishin' Hole, which ran on ESPN for 44 years.
McKinnis was a member of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame.
“Jerry was a true friend of the angler,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. “He contributed so much to the sport of fishing, extending all the way from his days on The Fishin' Hole through his ownership of B.A.S.S.”
McKinnis and his partners hired Akin to lead the 500,000-member fishing organization shortly after they acquired it.
“Jerry was one of the most passionate people I’ve ever known as it relates to the world of bass fishing,” said Logan. “I don’t think I ever met anyone who spent more time than Jerry did thinking about how to make B.A.S.S. and bass fishing better — better for the anglers, better for the fans and members, and better for the sponsors.
“We came from very different backgrounds and totally different perspectives, but we always were able to reach common ground on any issue or problem we faced. He was not only a business partner, but he was also a true friend.”
A pioneer in outdoors television, McKinnis and his JM Associates production team took over production of the long-running television program The Bassmasters for B.A.S.S. and ESPN in 2001. Prior to that he helped create the FLW Tour and ESPN’s Great Outdoor Games, and he later developed the Redfish Cup and the Madfin Shark Series.
McKinnis was dedicated to bringing new participants into the sport of bass fishing. He held the first collegiate bass fishing championship and was instrumental in the creation of B.A.S.S.’s Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops and the Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Bassmaster.com will have addition information on funeral arrangements in the coming days.
OKLAHOMA’S UPSHAW WINS COSTA FLW SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP ON LAKE CUMBERLAND
Missouri’s Chad Allison Claims Co-angler Title, $35k Prize Package
BURNSIDE, Ky. (Nov. 2, 2019) – Strike King pro Andrew Upshaw of Tulsa, Oklahoma, brought a five-bass limit to the stage weighing 12 pounds, 15 ounces, Saturday to claim the title of 2019 FLW Series Champion at the Costa FLW Series Championship on Lake Cumberland. Upshaw, with a three-day total of 15 bass for 42 pounds, 15 ounces, won by a 1-pound, 10-ounce margin over second-place angler Rob Burns of Plano, Texas, who caught a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 41-5. Upshaw led the championship tournament on the final two days of competition and took home the top prize of $50,000 plus a $2,500 Mercury Marine contingency bonus.
Saturday’s final weigh-in marked the finale of the 2019 FLW Series, which featured thousands of anglers from across the globe competing in 15 events across three divisions.
Upshaw said that his main pattern that he figured out was targeting main-lake transition bluffs that, “Had to have the river-channel swing on it. Not just a transition, but a swing.” He had found 15 different spots, from Conley Bottom down.
“This lake is absolutely full of smallmouth and I’ve always said that if you’re not catching them consistently, then you’re not doing the right thing,” Upshaw said. “So, during practice, I’d just run around and find areas where I was consistently finding a bunch of bites. I had about 15 spots – some of them didn’t ever fire like they did in practice, but some did better.”
Upshaw mentioned four baits as catching most of his fish this week. He caught a couple of bass each on a buzzbait, a football-head jig and a Ned rig – a Strike King Ned Ocho worm (green-pumpkin) with a 1/8-ounce Gene Larew Ned Rig Pighead. He said the majority of his keepers came on a 3/8- and 1/2-ounce Strike King Bitsy Flip Jig with a Strike King Baby Rage Craw (green-pumpkin).
“The first day they were eating it on the drop,” Upshaw said. “As soon as you flipped it up there they were just swimming off with it, right on the bank. Yesterday they kind of shifted out a little bit, and today they were even deeper.
“I was fishing the jig anywhere between 5 and 14 feet. I’d let it free fall on slack line and then let it just gradually fall down the bluff. I feathered it all the way down and that’s when they’d eat it. It was a timing deal – anytime between 10 (a.m.) and 3 (p.m.) is when they would really bite.
“I love catching fish, and I absolutely love these Kentucky and Tennessee smallmouth,” Upshaw went on to say. “They are the best, and they’ve made me a lot of money this year. I’ve been to Lake Cumberland a couple of times on Tour and fell in love with it. I couldn’t be happier to win again, on this lake.”
The top 10 pros at the 2019 Costa FLW Series Championship on Lake Cumberland finished:
1st: Strike King pro Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla., 15 bass, 42-15, $52,500
2nd: Rob Burns, Plano, Texas, 15 bass, 41-5, $25,200
3rd: Matt Pangrac, Broken Arrow, Okla., 14 bass, 38-6, $20,100
4th: Luke Plunkett, Pinson, Ala., 15 bass, 36-9, $15,000
5th: Travis Manson, Conshohocken, Pa., 14 bass, 35-1, $10,000
6th: Rusty Salewske, Alpine, Calif., 13 bass, 33-10, $8,000
7th: Laramy Strickland, Bushnell, Fla., 11 bass, 31-6, $7,000
8th: Steve Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 13 bass, 30-6, $8,000
9th: Brent Algeo, Ozark, Mo., 12 bass, 28-7, $5,000
10th: David Valdivia, Norwalk, Calif., nine bass, 24-1, $4,500
Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Co-angler Chad Allison of Carl Junction, Missouri, weighed in four bass totaling 11 pounds, 3 ounces, Saturday to win the top co-angler prize of $30,200, including a new Ranger Z175 with a 115-horsepower outboard, with a three-day total of nine bass weighing 24-10. Second place went to co-angler Mason Roach of Conroe, Texas, who weighed in a three-day total of nine bass weighing 21-5, good for $12,650.
The top 10 co-anglers at the 2019 Costa FLW Series Championship on Lake Cumberland finished:
1st: Chad Allison, Carl Junction, Mo., nine bass, 24-10, Ranger Z175 with a 115-horsepower outboard
2nd: Mason Roach, Conroe, Texas, nine bass, 21-5, $12,650
3rd: Justin Leet, Bartlett, Tenn., eight bass, 19-0, $10,500
4th: Jason Clark, Bixby, Okla., eight bass, 17-11, $7,500
5th: Scotty Walton, Yukon, Okla., seven bass, 16-14, $5,000
6th: Michael Catt, Jacksonville, Fla., seven bass, 16-12, $4,000
7th: Dustin Robinson, Glendale, Ariz., seven bass, 15-12, $3,500
8th: Josh Lockard, Somerset, Ky., seven bass, 15-7, $3,000
9th: Zack Freeman, Russellville, Ark., six bass, 14-9, $2,550
10th: Brian Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, six bass, 14-0, $2,250
The 2019 Costa FLW Series Championship at Lake Cumberland was hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission. The three-day, no entry fee tournament featured a field of 386 boaters and co-anglers from across the five U.S. FLW Series divisions and multiple international anglers from countries that compete in the FLW Series.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Costa FLW Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
UPSHAW LEADS AT DAY TWO OF COSTA FLW SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP ON LAKE CUMBERLAND
Texan Rob Burns Just 1-pound, 13 Ounces Back Going Into Final Day
BURNSIDE, Ky. (Nov. 1, 2019) – Strike King pro Andrew Upshaw of Tulsa, Oklahoma, crossed the stage Friday with a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 1 ounce, for a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 30 pounds even, to lead after Day Two of the Costa FLW Series Championship on Lake Cumberland. Upshaw now holds a 1-pound, 13-ounce lead over pro Rob Burns of Plano, Texas, who weighed five bass totaling 14-10 – for a two-day total of 10 bass for 28-3 – in the FLW Series championship event that featured 193 boaters and co-anglers competing a top cash award of up to $100,000 on the pro side, including the keys to a new Ranger Z518L boat with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The field is now cut to just the top 10 boaters and co-anglers for the final day of competition in the no-entry fee bass-fishing championship, hosted by the Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission and the Burnside Tourism Commission, that featured the top 40 professionals and top 40 co-anglers from each of five U.S. FLW Series divisions, plus two pros and two co-anglers from each international country that competes in the FLW Series.
“I love smallmouth and I love fishing these types of Kentucky reservoirs – Lake Cumberland and Lake Cherokee,” said Upshaw, who earned the first FLW Tour victory of his career earlier this season on Lake Cherokee. “I feel like I have a pretty good understanding right now on how the fish are set up on cover, and that is helping me a lot.”
Upshaw said that he caught around 18 keepers today, with his first bite coming around 9:45 a.m.
“I knew that the first hour and a half was going to be slow,” Upshaw said. “The way I’m fishing, it’s a timing thing. I had to be there at the exact right time. It’s not necessarily a spot, though. I’m running a pattern. I found three or four other areas today that had them on it.”
Although Upshaw did not mention any specific baits that he threw on Day Two, he did say that he caught them Thursday on a buzzbait, a Ned rig and a jig. He thinks that the fish are actually already moving into their wintertime patterns.
“The way the fish are setting up, it’s almost more of a wintertime pattern than fall,” he said. “I’m fishing really slowly and thoroughly and that is a big key. I’m just keeping a couple of rods in my hand and just going fishing. I have a lot of confidence from how they’re setting up.
“I don’t think I’m going to have any problems tomorrow,” Upshaw went on to say. “If I can just go out there and put my head down and go fishing, I think I’ll be fine.”
The top 10 pros that advanced to the final day of competition on Lake Cumberland are:
1st: Strike King pro Andrew Upshaw, Tulsa, Okla., 10 bass, 30-0
2nd: Rob Burns, Plano, Texas, 10 bass, 28-3
3rd: Matt Pangrac, Broken Arrow, Okla., 10 bass, 26-8
4th: Steve Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 10 bass, 25-11
5th: Rusty Salewske, Alpine, Calif., 10 bass, 25-7
6th: Laramy Strickland, Bushnell, Fla., nine bass, 24-13
7th: Luke Plunkett, Pinson, Ala., 10 bass, 24-11
7th: Brent Algeo, Ozark, Mo., nine bass, 24-10
9th: Travis Manson, Conshohocken, Pa., 10 bass, 24-8
10th: David Valdivia, Norwalk, Calif., nine bass, 24-1
Full results for the entire field can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Mason Roach of Conroe, Texas, added to his lead in the co-angler division with four bass weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces. His two-day total of nine bass totaling 21-5 gives him a strong 4-pound, 10-ounce lead over Jason Clark of Bixby, Oklahoma, who has weighed eight bass totaling 17-11, good for second place. Co-anglers are casting for a top prize of $35,000, including a new Ranger Z175 with a 115-horsepower outboard.
The top 10 co-anglers that will fish the final day on Lake Cumberland are:
1st: Mason Roach, Conroe, Texas, nine bass, 21-5
2nd: Jason Clark, Bixby, Okla., eight bass, 17-11
3rd: Scotty Walton, Yukon, Okla., seven bass, 16-14
4th: Justin Leet, Bartlett, Tenn., seven bass, 16-6
5th: Dustin Robinson, Glendale, Ariz., seven bass, 15-12
6th: Josh Lockard, Somerset, Ky., seven bass, 15-7
7th: Michael Catt, Jacksonville, Fla., six bass, 14-13
8th: Zack Freeman, Russellville, Ark., six bass, 14-9
9th: Brian Campbell, Oxford, Ohio, six bass, 14-0
10th: Chad Allison, Carl Junction, Mo., five bass, 13-7
The final 10 boaters and co-anglers will take off from General Burnside Island State Park, located at 8801 S. Hwy. 27 in Burnside, at 8 a.m. EDT Saturday. Saturday’s Championship weigh-in will be held at the State Park beginning at 4 p.m. All takeoff and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
The popular FLW Live on-the-water program will air on Saturday featuring live action from the boats of the tournament’s top pros each day. Host Travis Moran will be joined by four-time FLW Tour Angler of the Year, Polaris pro David Dudley to break down the extended action from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On-the-water broadcasts will be live streamed on FLWFishing.com, the FLW YouTube channel and the FLW Facebook page.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Costa FLW Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.