All About Glass
Luke Estel
How many rods do you own? 5, 10, 20, or more? I would guess the average local tournament angler carries at least 10 rods. Each rod has a purpose. We have spinning rods for shakey heads, worm rods, and flipping sticks. What I have found is that most fishermen do not have the right crankbait rods yet they throw crankbaits several times throughout the season. They often use a seven foot medium graphite rod and call it good.
When I was younger, I became obsessed with crankbaits. I watched Bassmaster and read articles about crankbait gurus like David Fritts and tried to emulate them. At the time I could not afford a Fritts Cranking Rod but my dad had an old glass rod that I had redone that would work just the same. It was heavy, yet I still caught fish on it without losing very many.
As the years went by I purchased more glass rods and found that glass was the only way to go. They look different, feel different, and they are only suitable for doing one thing. Throwing a crankbait.
Fast forward to last year when my partner Chopper and I fished the Anglers Choice Classic on Lake Guntersville. We were throwing Strike King Red Eye Shads and KVD 1.5s all day. I had several glass rods rigged up with different colors of crankbaits. Throughout the two day competition we boated an estimated fifty fish. What is even more amazing than our two day total of 52 pounds was the fact that we never lost a fish! That’s right, we caught that many fish without ever losing one. The reason was simple. Glass. The glass rod flexes unlike any other rod on the market. The parabolic bend is was makes it unique and that is why you do not lose fish near as much throwing a crankbait versus a traditional graphite rod.
Everyone knows how to throw a crankbait and more times than not you here of fishermen at the weigh in talking about all the fish they had hooked up on a crankbait and the came off. If I had to guess, they weren’t using a glass rod. From Red Eyes to 6XDs, a glass rod should be an essential part of your arsenal. If you carry ten rods, and you throw crankbaits, a minimum of two should be glass. I know they are not a multi-purpose rod but they can make the difference in cashing a check or coming in empty handed.
There is a natural tendency to set the hook when a fish strikes the bait. Since the glass rod is more flexible, it naturally gives causing the fish to get the bait in his mouth instead of ripping the hooks out. They also improve casting distance due to their slingshot like ability. This allows for further casts and is crucial when throwing larger crankbaits.
There are several rod companies that make these specialized rods. Quantum KVD cranking rods, Power Tackle rods, St. Croix, Lews, and my favorite, Tigerrodz. These are just a few. If you are looking for more than one crankbait rod I suggest you get two sizes. A 7’3” for smaller crankbaits an a 7’6” plus rod for larger baits.
Trust me, starting out it will feel much different than your normal rods. They may even be slightly heavier also. They may feel flimsy without much back bone but I assure you they work. Once you learn how to use them you will have wished you had them a long time ago. Good luck and happy cranking.
Mathew Scotch wins Kayak Bass Fishing Toledo Bend event!
| Rk | Angler | Total | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |
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88.00" | |||||||||
| #2 |
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86.75" | |||||||||
| #3 |
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80.00" | |||||||||
| #4 |
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79.25" | |||||||||
| #5 |
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78.75" | |||||||||
| #6 |
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78.25" | |||||||||
| #7 |
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75.75" | |||||||||
| #8 |
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75.00" | |||||||||
| #9 |
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73.50" | |||||||||
| #10 |
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72.25" | |||||||||
| #11 |
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59.25" | |||||||||
| #12 |
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59.00" | |||||||||
| #13 |
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57.50" | |||||||||
| #14 |
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57.00" | |||||||||
| #15 |
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55.25" | |||||||||
| #16 |
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54.75" | |||||||||
| #17 |
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48.50" | |||||||||
| #18 |
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46.25" | |||||||||
| #19 |
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45.50" | |||||||||
| #20 |
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43.75" | |||||||||
| #21 |
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43.00" | |||||||||
| #22 |
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42.50" | |||||||||
| #23 |
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41.25" | |||||||||
| #24 |
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38.75" | |||||||||
| #25 |
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29.50" | |||||||||
| #26 |
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27.75" | |||||||||
| #27 |
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27.50" | |||||||||
| #28 |
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27.25" | |||||||||
| #29 |
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26.50" | |||||||||
| #30 |
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26.50" | |||||||||
| #31 |
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25.25" | |||||||||
| #32 |
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13.50" | |||||||||
| #33 |
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12.50" | |||||||||
| #34 |
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0.01" | |||||||||
| #35 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #36 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #37 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #38 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #39 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #40 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #41 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #42 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #43 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #44 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #45 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #46 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #47 |
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0" | |||||||||
| #48 |
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0" | |||||||||
Huff Defeats Bethel Teammate, Earns Bassmaster Classic Berth
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AC Insider Podcast - A Night of Champions!
This week the boys welcome in two-time Elite Series Winner Jamie Hartman to the show to discuss his Cayuga beat down and then they welcome in FLW Cup Champ Bryan Thrift to talk all things Cup Champ and how he's adapting to the title, "Champion".
Tackle HD signs on to sponsor Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Angler James Watson
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
St. Clair, Mo., August 1, 2019 – REP Outdoor Group, LLC and Tackle HD announced, effective August 1, it has signed on to sponsor MLF Bass Pro Tour Angler James Watson.
Tackle HD, a REP Outdoor Group company, produces and markets the original Hi-Def Craw, Hellgrammite, Mega-Mite, and Stealth jigheads.
“Establishing a relationship with James Watson is truly ‘Worldwide’for our company,” said Troy Nogosek, President of REP Outdoor Group, LLC. “After being invited to James’ home, extending four hours of his personal time, talking business, laughing at stories and talking about new opportunities, it confirmed what I already knew – Our company and James were a great match. Along with Aaron Click, our brand manager, and Ben Hill our marketing director, there is no shortage of energy to elevate our brand. The team at Tackle HD are all fans of JMFW Worldwide and we are all completely thrilled to be associated with the James Watson brand.”
After getting to know Ben, Aaron and Troy, James knew it was a no brainer to work with Tackle HD. “I was impressed with their business model, ideas, attitude and will to succeed in this industry. I am excited to get my hands on their newly innovated high definition baits they have and are currently working on.”
About James Watson
James “JMFW WORLDWIDE” Watson, is known for his quick wit and knack for jokes on the water. The real-estate mogul has used his success in residential real estate sales to fuel his passion for fishing. As a self-made angler and former United States Army Drill Sergeant he equally enjoys balancing the competition and the business sides of the bass community.
His 2013 season was the start of his career as a professional angler. Although his venture began later than some, James has accomplished many feats since he began at age 38.
From a B.A.S.S Open win to the Bassmaster Classic, Watson promotes fishing on a WORLDWIDE level. Additionally, James has qualified for the Forrest Wood Cup and the Texas Toyota Bass Classic during his duration fishing the FLW Tour, FLW Costa Series, BASS Opens, P.A.A. and Major League Fishing. He has also competed as a member of the US Bass Team in the Black Bass Championships in 2017 in South Africa and 2018 in Mexico. Bringing home the gold medal with the team in 2018.
In 2018, he received the Forrest L. Wood Sportsmanship and Community Leadership Award per his involvement in FLW Community Outreach.
He prides himself on his personality, often gaining him media attention, which positively promotes his sponsors. All eyes are watching where James “WORLDWIDE” Watson will go with his professional fishing career.
You can find James fishing Major League Fishing’s Bass Pro Tour, FLW Costa’s and attending charity events when it fits his schedule.
Follow along with James Watson and his partnership with Tackle HD to see all the excitement the year will bring:
Facebook: James Watson Professional Angler
Instagram: @therealjameswatson
Twitter: @JamesWatsonFish
YouTube: JMFW Worldwide
SANDUSKY READIES FOR WEEKEND OF FLW YOUTH BASS-FISHING TOURNAMENTS
YETI FLW College Fishing tournament set for Friday, Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Open tournament to follow Saturday
SANDUSKY, Ohio (Aug. 27, 2019) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) is set to visit northern Ohio next week, Sept. 6-7, with the YETI FLW College Fishing tournament at Lake Erie and the Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Open at Lake Erie presented by Costa. The tournaments, hosted by the City of Sandusky, will showcase some of the top young anglers from across the region competing for cash and prizes and angling for their chance to advance to the FLW College Fishing National Championship and High School Fishing National Championship events.
“There is going to be a lot of fish schooled up out deep, and it will take a lot of idling to find them, but once they find them, they’re going to catch a ton of fish,” said third-year FLW Tour pro Grae Buck of Harleysville, Pennsylvania, a former College Fishing angler who competed for Penn State University. “The fish tend to group up by size – you’ll find a school of 2½- to 3-pounders, then move around and find a school of 4- to 5-pounders. The key to winning these tournaments will be finding that bigger class of fish.”
Buck predicted that the event would be won and the overwhelming majority of clubs would weigh in with a limit of smallmouth bass, but did say that there could be a few largemouth brought to the scales, especially if the wind becomes a factor and anglers choose to stick to Sandusky Bay. He said that drop-shot rigs will be the primary lure of choice for tournament competitors.
“They’re going to be dropping anything that mimics a goby or perch,” Buck said. “A lot of green-pumpkin colors, maybe something with a pearl belly. If I was fishing this tournament, I’d be using a Cornerstone Shimmy Shot.
“My advice would be to look for the deep rock humps – 20 to 40 foot range – and that’s where the goby and crawfish will be,” Buck went on to say. “I think it’ll take a limit weighing 22 to 23 pounds to win.”
The college anglers will kick off competition on Friday, Sept. 6, at 7 a.m. EDT at the Shelby Street Public Boat Launch, located at 101 Shelby St., in Sandusky. The weigh-in will be held at the park on Friday at 3:30 p.m. The high school anglers will then compete on Saturday, Sept. 7, launching at 7 a.m. from the park and weighing in at 3:30 p.m. All takeoffs and weigh-ins are free to attend and open to the public, and will be streamed live online at FLWFishing.com.
YETI FLW College Fishing teams compete in three regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club that is recognized by their school. The top 10 teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 20 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2020 FLW College Fishing National Championship. Additional teams will qualify for the National Championship if the field size in regular-season events exceeds 100 boats.
The Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Open tournaments are free, two-person (team) events for students in grades 7-12 and open to any FLW and Student Angler Federation-affiliated high school clubs. The top 10 percent of teams at each Open event along with the TBF High School Fishing state championships will advance to the 2020 High School Fishing National Championship. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow YETI FLW College Fishing and the Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Opens at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Johnson Wins Guntersville Open Bass Tournament with over 14 pounds!
1st: Lealand Johnson - 14.50
2nd: Tony Tidwell/ Konner Tidwell- 12.38
3rd: Marshall Deakins/ Bryan Gregory- 12.26
4th: Ian Hudson/ Jerry Garcia- 10.22
Big fish: Lealand - 5.46
Winnings this week:
1st: $450.00
2nd: $270.00
3rd: $180.00
4th: (2) $10.00 gift card to waterfront
BF: $225.00
Iaconelli’s tiny buzzbait trick
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
A little fishing trick Mike Iaconelli learned 25 years ago as a young angler in the Top Rod Bassmasters Club in Southern New Jersey had a huge hand in his run at the $300,000 top prize in the recent MLF Redcrest Championship in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
“A guy in our Top Rod Bass Club named Dave Borodziuk was the first guy I can remember throwing the tiny buzz over grass and hammering them on it. Anytime the milfoil grass is matted over, with just an inch or two of water over it, that tiny buzzbait is wicked,” says Iaconelli.
When he says “tiny” -- he means it. Like equal in weight to a small pile of paperclips at just 1/8-ounce. But it’s perfectly sized to be effective for a lot of reasons.
“When the grass is that close to the surface you can’t get a popper with treble hooks on its belly to come through the grass without getting snagged, but that little 1/8 ounce buzz rides so high, it never gets snagged,” he explains.
In addition to being snag free, “Ike” also loves the ultra small size for creating a stealthy presentation when fishing for bass that are pressured – especially in super shallow water.
“The area where I caught them on the tiny buzz during the REDCREST Knockout round was in the Black River. It was only about 8 acres, and it was super shallow, like only two feet deep, but loaded with milfoil. And man it was full of life … from gar to bluegill, and obviously a ton of shad and small bass too,” he explains.
To further the subtleness of his approach, Iaconelli also gave careful strategic thought to the blade and skirt color of the little buzz.
“I wanted the silver blade to resemble the shad, but I wanted a black skirt that was a little tougher for them to get a good look at. I think that made them react and crush it, rather than follow it and shy away from it like white or chartreuse might have lead them to do,” he explains.
One drawback to the super lightweight lure is casting it can be like trying to launch a potato chip in a windstorm. So “Ike” throws it on a spinning rod -- a sight seldom seen with pros throwing buzzers. Heavier 3/8 and ½ ounce buzzbaits are nearly always paired with baitcasting equipment.
But in this case, a spinning rod and reel makes sense and works way better for casting the lightweight skirted assassin into the wind. Iaconelli uses 10-lb Berkley X5 straight braid with no fluorocarbon or monofilament leader.
“I’ll be honest, I tried a little bigger ¼ ounce buzzbait earlier in the week, but I just kept telling myself I needed something even smaller and more stealthy, especially where the milfoil was flooded so close to the surface,” reflects Iaconelli.
His intuition was spot on. His decision to tie on a tiny secret weapon he learned about in a local bass club in his early 20s proved big enough for a top finish this past week, and a shot at $300,000.
Ondras Wins ABA AFT D39 Two Day Event
Tom Ondras of New Lenox, IL, won the Bass Pro Shops American Fishing Tour D39 championship presented by American Bass Anglers. Launching from the Savanna Marina near Savanna, IL Tom brought back a five-fish limit both days for a total weight of 26.44-lbs.
Second place was claimed Brian Sopko of Saint Anne, IL with a five-fish limit both days for a total weight of 24.32-lbs. Brain also laid claim to big bass for day-one with a nice 4.05-lb lunker, it held strong a day two giving him the largest fish of the tournament.
Coming in Third Place was Michael Koening of Channahon, Il with a five-fish limit on both days for a total weight of 21.89-lbs.
Scott James of Wilmington, IL took fourth place with a total weight of 19.43-lbs. Rounding out the top five was Gregg Buda of New Lenox, IL with a total weight of 18.11-lbs.
The AOY race was too close to call going into the start of the event with a few guys in striking range of the title. Day one's results tightened the race even closer with Gregg Buda's placing in the standings over Scott James. Day 2 brought a rain delay which changed the fishing, and Scott's mechanical breakdown early on made it a shown down at the scales.
Scott James is crowned D39 Angler of the Year. And because of the great turn out we had during the year our region was awarded the 2nd spot in the ABA National AOY tournament in October on Lake George, Eufaula AL so Gregg Buda will be competing for the title and a brand new fully equipped Triton boat as well! Congratulations to both men on a great season!
Thanks to all the guys who participated this year in Division 39 and especially to the 15 who came out and fished the championship. Be on the lookout for the 2020 schedule shortly. For more information on this event or division please contact local director Mike Koenig at 708-514-7258
TROMBLY WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON DETROIT RIVER
Marine City’s Jacques Grabs Co-Angler Win
TRENTON, Mich. (Aug. 26, 2019) – Boater Mike Trombly of Belleville, Michigan, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Michigan Division tournament on the Detroit River Saturday after catching five bass weighing 24 pounds, 13 ounces. For his day on the water, Trombly took home $4,545.
“I fished the north shore of Lake Erie – everything came from 24 to 28 feet,” said Trombly, who earned his eighth career win in FLW competition – all launching out of the Detroit River. “I used shad-style baits – all of the fish that I weighed in came from drop-shot rigs.”
Trombly said he used a few different baits on his drop-shot rigs – a Zoom Fluke, a Strike King 3X ElazTech Z Too Soft Jerkbait and a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flatnose Minnow. He also rotated in a Lure Craft Big D darter-style bait, adding that everything he used was in shad-style colors.
“I had to soak it through the rock piles and breaks I was fishing to get the fish to bite,” said Trombly. “They were finicky – we had a strong northeast wind and the current ran the opposite, moving from west to east. You had to play the current to get them to strike. It was all about presentation.”
Trombly said he caught around 10 keepers throughout the day – all smallmouth. He credited his G. Loomis [IMX822S DSR IMX] Dropshot Spinning Rod and Shimano STRADIC CI4+ reel as being key components of his day.
“With the amount of current I was fishing, at those depths, the sensitivity really made an impact on my catch – I could feel the bites.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Mike Trombly, Belleville, Mich., five bass, 24-13, $4,545
2nd: Brett Haake, Shorewood, Ill., five bass, 24-11, $1,973
3rd: Jim Vitaro, Wooster, Ohio, five bass, 24-1, $1,731
4th: John Devries, Fishers, Ind., five bass, 21-7, $1,077
5th: Pat Upthagrove, Monroe, Mich., five bass, 21-6, $709
6th: Andrew Gaul, Saint Clair Shores, Mich., five bass, 20-7, $650
7th: Ross Parsons, Williamston, Mich., five bass, 20-1, $591
8th: David Reault, Livonia, Mich., five bass, 20-0, $532
9th: Troy Stokes, Brownstown, Mich., five bass, 19-14, $443
9th: Heath Wagner, Angola, Ind., five bass, 19-14, $443
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Gary Solomon of Clinton Township, Michigan, caught a bass weighing 5 pounds, 15 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $445.
Erik Jacques of Marine City, Michigan, won the Co-angler Division and $1,973 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 25 pounds, 9 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Erik Jacques, Marine City, Mich., five bass, 25-9, $1,973
2nd: Brian Kich, Berea, Ohio, five bass, 18-13, $936
3rd: Zach Laupp, Plainwell, Mich., five bass, 18-12, $591
4th: Jeffrey Thomson, Birmingham, Mich., five bass, 18-8, $414
5th: Darwin Griva, Hamilton, Ind., five bass, 18-3, $355
6th: Mike Eldridge, Blairsville, Pa., five bass, 17-2, $325
7th: Craig Fanning, Elwood, Ill., five bass, 16-8, $295
8th: Bill Dodge, Laingsburg, Mich., five bass, 16-7, $266
9th: Robert Busby, Fenton, Mich., five bass, 16-6, $236
10th: Andy Fryer, Westerville, Ohio, five bass, 16-3, $357
Neil Heisler of Plymouth, Michigan, caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 13 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $222.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Buchanan, Tennessee, presented by Evinrude. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
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.
Adams & Prince win Chattanooga Bass Association Derby with over 27 pounds!
1. Barron Adams/Trevor Prince 27.63- $2000.00
2. Jayme Copenhaver/Adam Dysart 25.83- $500.00
3. Logan Kokoszka/Justin Vaughn 22.90- $350.00
4. Kevin Drake/Cory Vetten 22.04- $250.00
5. David Craft/Stoney Johnson 21.92- $150.00+ BF:9.53- $690.00=$840.00
6. Victore Rowe/Tim Harrison 21.44- $150.00
7. Jim Cofer/Matt Wendorf 19.87- $150.00
8. Josh Wofford/Bruce Wofford 19.30- $150.00
9. Kyle Welcher/Hunter Haynes 19.30- $150.00
10. Nathan Schlie/ Ben Schlie 18.60- $150.00
11. Brian Wilson/Tom Brindle 17.85- $150.00
12. Brent Hayes/Dave Hix 17.76- $150.00
Evers 63 bass blitz nets Toyota Bonus Bucks
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Longtime Toyota owner and Bonus Bucks member, Edwin Evers was once a college football defensive back, and the 63 bass catch fest he brought to the MLF Redcrest Championship Sunday was an all-out blitz that netted not only a $300,000 first place prize, but also $7,500 in Toyota Bonus Bucks.
The numbers on the paychecks are solidly quantified, but Evers has actually lost count of the number of Toyota Tundras he’s purchased over the years. Comically, he’s pretty certain he’s bought five, but he says it might be six.
Whatever the case, aside from all the Bonus Bucks money he’s won over the years, he’s also grateful for the horsepower, safety, and stopping power his Tundras provide.
“What I love most about a Toyota Tundra is what I call “the go and the stop” – that 381- horsepower engine has a ton of towing power, but a Tundra also has huge oversized brakes to stop 4,000 pounds of boat and motor, plus no tellin’ how much weight in fishing tackle and other equipment I’m carrying,” says Evers.
“Everybody thinks about towing power when they’re buying a truck, but you really need to think about whether the truck you’re buying has the braking system necessary to stop what you’re towing in a safe way,” advises Evers.
The clinic Evers put on with a Chatterbait on the Upper Mississippi was strong enough to wear out a portable scale. But you don’t have to be a Major League Fishing champion, or catch 63 bass in one day to cash in on Toyota Bonus Bucks.
You just have to own or lease a 2015 or newer Toyota Truck, sign up free for Bonus Bucks, and be the highest finishing registered participant in one of the dozens of tournaments supported by the Program.
To learn more, please visit www.toyotafishing.com, or call (918) 742-6424 and ask for Kendell or Chip and they will help you get signed-up.
Sicotte & Sicotte Win US Anglers Choice Yooper Derby with over 16 pounds!
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Moslak & Lake win PA Fishers of Men Event on Erie with over 17 pounds!
| Place | Team | Members | # Fish | Big Fish | Gross | Penalty | Net Wt | Points | |
| 1 | 19394 | Jim Moslak Jeremy Lake |
5 | 4.26 | 17.82 | 0 | 17.82 | 150 | |
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| 2 | 24885 | Justin Lonchar Rick Fiola |
5 | 3.89 | 17.28 | 0 | 17.28 | 149 | |
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| 3 | 24887 | William Morlock Adam Morlock |
2 | 3.57 | 6.81 | 0 | 6.81 | 148 | |
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| 4 | 22984 | Stacy Worth Hugh Worth |
3 | 0 | 6.81 | 0 | 6.81 | 197 | |
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| 5 | 23439 | Greg Settnek Collin Settnek |
1 | 3.85 | 3.85 | 0 | 3.85 | 196 | |
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| 6 | 24716 | John Naugle | 1 | 3.76 | 3.76 | 0 | 3.76 | 195 | |
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| 7 | 24886 | Vince Humenay Dustin Dennis |
2 | 0 | 3.71 | 0 | 3.71 | 194 | |
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| 8 | 22992 | Thomas Harden William Brown |
1 | 2.63 | 2.63 | 0 | 2.63 | 193 | |
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| 9 | 24720 | James Walters Richard Nearhoof |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 192 | |
Evers Runs Away with REDCREST at Upper Mississippi River
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MLF pro Edwin Evers caps off a great Bass Pro Tour inaugural year with the REDCREST win today to accompany his Points Champion trophy won at the end of the regular season. (Photo by Josh Gassmann)
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LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 25, 2019) - Before the start of the REDCREST Presented by Venmo, there may have been a debate about who is currently the most feared angler on tour. But now there's no doubt.
It's been a good year for Edwin Evers: Stage Two Champion, Bass Pro Tour Points Champion, and now REDCREST Champion. He took home $300,000 for his win today and can add that to the $193,600 he won during the season; no matter how you look at it, it's been an excellent year.
Today, it was Evers, and then everybody else. His weight total of 85-06 was 15-pounds more than the combined totals of the second and third place anglers.
Edwin Evers was the big story today, and rightfully so.
Evers Dominates
Evers started the Championship Round with a bang and was out in front for nearly every minute today. Greg Hackney made a push towards him during Period 2, but Evers was just getting started and turned it into a runaway victory.
His Period 3 flurry of 28 fish in 45 minutes sealed the deal with an exclamation point. In the third period alone, Evers caught 34 bass for a total of 48-08. That alone would have been enough to claim the win today.
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Evers put on a bass-catching clinic in the championship round today, keeping his official and cameraman busy,for the top score to claim the REDCREST championship. (Photo by Garrick Dixon)
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He was catching them so fast that his MLF official had a growing backlog of SCORETRACKER® entries. Once all of the anglers were notified of his nearly 40-pound jump when the system caught up, it came down to a battle for second, third and fourth places.
Evers did his damage in a backwater area with current flowing and bass feeding on shad. He had fished this area in previous tour-level events but was never able to secure a victory.
"What an amazing day. I was so excited to catch them where I caught them," he said. "I'm so thankful I did it now because it was such a bigger stage." Evers believes that if he had won previously, it would have exposed the area to more fishing pressure, and today's win might not have happened.
"The main deal was that backwater being loaded with fish," he said. He pitched a Berkley Pit Boss to shallow laydowns and a vibrating jig with a Berkley Powerbait The Deal as a trailer to current relating bass.
Hackney a Distant Second
Greg Hackney had a solid day of fishing with 22 bass for 40-07 and was the only angler to seriously challenge Evers today as he got within five pounds during Period 2.
"I caught some fish today but never found a group of them; they were all single fish. I knew the guy who wins would be the one who finds a school of them," said Hackney.
Like the rest of the field, Hackney was impressed with what Evers was able to accomplish this year.
"He's in the zone, and he's made all the right decisions this year. All great fisherman get on a roll where it seems like the fish are looking for them and they can't do anything wrong," he added.
Vinson Caps Off a Solid Week
Greg Vinson was fourth after the Elimination Round and then led his group's Knockout Round. Today, he ended up third during the Championship Round on Pool 7. All in all, it was a great week, and he was near the top of the standings all week long.
This fact isn't lost on Vinson who was satisfied with his finish. "I'm pleased with how the week went. I have some good tournament history here, but I feel I made the right decision to fish the Black River to catch enough to make it to today," he said.
He had limited experience on Pool 7 before today. "I'm proud that I put enough together to finish 3rd against this group of guys," said Vinson.
His daily total was 20 bass for 29-06.
Daily Winners
Championship Round daily awards were:
* The Berkley Big Bass of the day was Greg Hackney's 3-08 largemouth.
* Edwin Evers won the Berkley Catch Count award with 63 bass on the day.
* Evers' 85-06 earned him the Phoenix Boats Daily Leader award.
https://majorleaguefishing.com/event/redcrest-bass-pro-tour-championship-la-crosse-wi/results/
Hartman Comes From Behind To Win Bassmaster Elite Series Event At Cayuga Lake
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REESE GOES WIRE-TO-WIRE, WINS COSTA FLW SERIES TOURNAMENT ON POTOMAC RIVER
Maryland Pro Wins First Event as a Boater in Costa FLW Series Competition, Takes Home $38,026
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. (Aug. 24, 2019) – Pro Marvin Reese of Randallstown, Maryland, caught four bass weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces, Saturday to win the Costa FLW Series Northern Division tournament on the Potomac River presented by Lowrance. Reese’s three-day total of 14 bass weighing 38 pounds, 15 ounces, was enough to earn him the victory by a 1-pound, 6-ounce margin and a cash prize of $38,026. Reese also tallied 250 points in the Northern Division presented by Gajo Baits Angler of the Year (AOY) standings.
“This is my first win as a boater – it feels pretty special,” said Reese, who earned his fifth career victory in FLW competition – third on the Potomac River. “I’ve been in this position [to win] before as a co-angler and it always seems like things don’t go right the last day and you fall short. I had two fish break off today, and two other fish hooked up. I had the bites and I’m like ‘I blew it.’ It shouldn’t have been this close, but I’ll tell you what, this win feels great.”
Reese caught a fish or two in grass on days one and two and caught a couple on shallower hard cover up near Washington, D.C., but the vast bulk of his weight came from one particular structure.
“It was a pier in 20 feet of water in D.C., and I just fished simple. I threw up on the side of it, and they would hit the bait on the fall,” said Reese. “I was feeding the lure line so it could get down to the bottom – it was nothing more complicated than that.
“It had two key spots on it that accounted for 12 of the 14 bass I weighed-in,” continued Reese. “The two corners are the sweet spots, and I had stuff pretty dialed in on that dock. That structure is hollow underneath, and once that tide gets to a certain level they sit under there and they’d come out and hit it [the bait] on the fall. Not a fish we caught there all week hit it on the bottom.”
Reese cited a jig and a shaky-head rig as key lures this week. He preferred a ½-ounce handmade green-pumpkin-colored jig with a Strike King Rage Tail Craw trailer of the same color and a green-pumpkin/green-flake Zoom Trick Worm on a 3/16-ounce Spot Remover shaky-head hook. He said he caught six keepers Thursday and Friday, with each lure catching an equal amount of fish.
On Saturday, Reese struggled a bit, but managed to scrape up three late in the day, with his third fish coming from an area called the Spoils. He added that the shaky-head rig was what produced for him on the final day of the tournament.
“I thought if I could get one more fish I would run back up there to that dock to try and get a kicker,” said Reese. “I fished and fished and didn’t catch one, so with 15 minutes left I ran back up there anyway. With three fish in the boat and 15 or 20 minutes to fish I pulled up on it and caught one, and that ended up being the difference.”
The top 10 pros on the Potomac River finished:
1st: Marvin Reese, Randallstown, Md., 14 bass, 38-15, $38,026
2nd: Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., 15 bass, 37-9, $14,932
3rd: Justin Atkins, Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 37-3, $12,948
4th: Ryan Davidson, Branchland, W. Va., 15 bass, 36-3, $9,457
5th: Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J., 15 bass, 36-3, $9,511
6th: Robert Grike, Dumfries, Va., 14 bass, 36-0, $7,565
7th: Jordan Thompkins, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 15 bass, 33-10, $6,620
8th: Nitro pro Dylan Hays, El Dorado, Ark., 14 bass, 31-12, $5,874
9th: Casey Smith, Macedon, N.Y., 14 bass, 30-9, $4,728
10th: Wil Dieffenbauch, Morgantown, W. Va., 12 bass, 30-1, $3,783
A complete list of results will be posted at FLWFishing.com.
Chris Moxley of Strasburg, Virginia, weighed a 5-pound, 15-ounce bass Friday – the heaviest fish of the tournament in the Pro Division. The catch earned Moxley the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $272.
Jim Short of Ocean Pines, Maryland, won the Co-angler Division with a three-day total catch of 13 bass weighing 29 pounds, 9 ounces. For his win, Short took home a $32,350 prize package, including a Ranger Z175 with a 115-horsepower outboard motor.
The top 10 co-anglers on the Potomac River finished:
1st: Jim Short, Ocean Pines, Md., 13 bass, 29-9, $27,350 + $5,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Ted Kephart, Philipsburg, Pa., 13 bass, 28-10, $4,800
3rd: Austin Archer, Anniston, Ala., 12 bass, 26-11, $3,840
4th: Michael Duarte, Baltimore, Md., 14 bass, 26-1, $3,410
5th: Ryan Bauman, Fleetwood, Pa., 14 bass, 23-1, $3,030
6th: Dennis Blakely, Norwalk, Ohio, 13 bass, 22-7, $2,400
7th: William Puduski, Portsmouth, N.H., 10 bass, 19-4, $1,920
8th: Daniel Taylor, Elizabethton, Tenn., 6 bass, 17-6, $1,861
9th: David Williams, Fredericksburg, Va., 9 bass, 17-1, $1,440
10th: Sakae Ushio, Tonawanda, N.Y., 8 bass, 17-0, $1,200
Jeff Mellott of Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Friday, a fish weighing 4 pounds, 13 ounces. For his catch, Mellott earned the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $181.
The Costa FLW Series on the Potomac River presented by Lowrance was hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners. It was the second Northern Division tournament of the 2019 regular season. The next tournament for FLW Series anglers will be the Costa FLW Series at the St. Lawrence River presented by Realtree Fishing, held Sept. 19-21, in Massena, New York. For a complete schedule, visit FLWFishing.com.
The Costa FLW Series consists of five U.S. divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the International division. Each U.S. division consists of three regular-season tournaments with competitors vying for valuable points that could earn them the opportunity to compete in the season-ending Costa FLW Series Championship. The 2019 Costa FLW Series Championship is being held Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky.
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.
The "Invading Intern" - Special Edition
In this Special Edition of the AC Insider Podcast, Intern David takes on the Major League Fishing RedCrest Cup in LaCrosse, Wisconsin and talks to MLF Pro's such as James Watson, Brandon Palaniuk, MDJ, Jeff Sprague, Zack Birge, Ike, J-Pow, Jason Christie, Jordan Lee and more! Its an action packed special episode, check it out!!
Gustafson Cracks 25 Pounds, Takes Lead At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Cayuga Lake
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Vinson, Powroznik, Neal, Iaconelli, Evers advance to Championship Round of REDCREST Presented by Venmo
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(Left to right) Greg Vinson, Michael Neal, Jacob Powroznik, Mike Iaconelli, and Edwin Evers advance to Championship Round of Redcrest at La Crosse, Wis. They will be joined by today's Top 5 in the Sunday finale.
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LA CROSSE, Wis. (Aug. 23, 2019) - Round 1 of the Knockout Round at REDCREST Presented by Venmo did not disappoint. After yesterday's Elimination Round featured little to no drama near the Elimination Line, we had plenty of it today.
The 10 anglers battling to survive made it exciting down to the last second, and it truly came down to the wire. Edwin Evers was the last man in thanks to a Period 3 rally that bumped Stephen Browning to the wrong side of the Top 5.
Here's what we know: Stephen Browning, Mark Daniels, Jr., Jeff Sprague, Andy Morgan, and Jacob Wheeler were eliminated, but each of them had their chances and they made valiant attempts to survive.
Greg Vinson, Michael Neal, Jacob Powroznik, Mike Iaconelli, and Edwin Evers have advanced. These five will be joined by five anglers from tomorrow's Knockout Round - Round 2 and will compete for the REDCREST title at Sunday's Championship Round on Pool 7.
Vinson Cruises
During the Shotgun and Elimination Rounds, Vinson was the most consistent angler in the field, weighing 48-7 and 50-4, respectively. He continued his solid tournament with 40 bass for 63-10 today, with the bulk of his weight coming on a jerkbait and topwater walking bait.
He took over the lead from Powroznik late in the day and then continued to catch fish until "lines out".
Vinson credits the management of his locations for his success.
"I had a really good first day of practice there and saw other anglers fishing in the same area, but they were not keying on the same things," he said. "I had to be careful not to be seen fishing the way I was the first two days."
Pool 7 - site of the Championship Round - features a slightly different layout, and it is unclear if Vinson can run the same pattern, but he's happy to have a chance.
"I'll keep an open mind during my ride around and see what catches my eye," he said. "It's awesome to have a shot against nine other guys for the title of the first REDCREST champion," he said.
Neal Stays Steady
Over the first two rounds, Neal was a solid performer with 82-7 during the first two days to land in 10th place. Today, he weighed over 60 pounds doing the same thing, mostly in the same location.
"I started there every day, and it is one of those 'magical spots' that seems to always have fish there," said Neal. "It is what got me through each round."
When he left his primary area and then returned, the bass were biting.
"I came back to it and caught nine fish in the afternoon with four on consecutive casts," Neal added.
Powroznik Rides Massive Morning
Early on, Powroznik could do no wrong. He had an area stacked with fish and went to work with a wacky-rig to build his lead. The majority of his 53-13 came in Period 1, and it was enough for him to advance.
Iaconelli Survives
Iaconelli had plenty of peaks and valleys as he occupied every place from 10th to 4th at some point today. He made a switch to a small buzzbait in the final 30 minutes, and it was the difference-maker as he landed key bass that cemented his spot in the Championship Round.
Edwin Squeaks In
Evers, the 2019 Points Champion, shook off a slow morning and stayed focused all day, even with a tense close to Period 3.
"This format is so intense and exciting knowing exactly where you stand," he said.
His final 3 minutes consisted of two fish catches and one two-minute fish landing violation. It was a crazy finish, but it worked out just fine for Evers.
Browning Falls Late
Stephen Browning had the unfortunate distinction of being the first man out. He had stayed in the top five the entire day, until when it mattered most. In the final 30 minutes, he was bumped by Evers. Browning caught a solid keeper in the final moments, but it was not enough as Evers also placed a bass on the scale in the last minute.
Browning was speechless as he was informed that he was eliminated by less than 2 pounds. Instead of addressing the MLF NOW! cameras, he strapped down his rods and prepared to leave.
MDJ's Rally Comes Up Short
Late in Period 3, Mark Daniels Jr. had a shot and was within striking distance of the fifth position, but couldn't get over the hump and finished just over 3 pounds out of the final spot. He remained unflappable even after hooking his official, having to remove the hook and then losing another bass in the final moments.
Daily Winners
Shotgun Round daily awards were:
* The Berkley Big Bass of the day was Stephen Browning's 3-15 largemouth.
* Michael Neal won the Berkley Catch Count award with 42 bass on the day.
* Greg Vinson's 63-10 earned him the Phoenix Boats Daily Leader award.
Looking Ahead
Knockout Round 2 commences tomorrow with the remaining 10 anglers vying for five spots to advance. They will be joined by today's top finishers for the Championship Round on Pool 7 this Sunday.
- Saturday, Aug. 24: 6:55 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Postgame Show at approximately 4 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 25: 6:55 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Postgame Show at approximately 4 p.m.
- REDCREST Midway: Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 23-25; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Postgame Show Presented by Berkley: Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 24-25; approximately 4 p.m.
https://majorleaguefishing.com/event/redcrest-bass-pro-tour-championship-la-crosse-wi/results/
YETI INTRODUCES THE HOPPER M30 TO ITS PREMIUM SOFT COOLER LINE
NEWEST COOLER FEATURES HYDROSHIELD™ MAGNETIZED CLOSURE FOR OPTIMAL ICE RETENTION
Austin, Texas (August 22, 2019) — YETI® Holdings, Inc. (“YETI”) (NYSE: YETI), a leading premium outdoor brand, today launched the latest evolution of its soft cooler collection, the Hopper® M30®. The Hopper M30 features a new leak-resistant HydroShield™ magnetized closure that provides superior ice retention and usability.
“We’re committed to providing our customers with the most innovative and highest quality gear on the market to use as they pursue their active adventures,” says YETI President and CEO, Matt Reintjes. “We know the Hopper M30 design will deliver incredible portability, durability, and ice retention, and we’re excited to officially introduce it to consumers.”
The Hopper M30 is completely waterproof and uses high-density fabric that resists punctures, abrasions, mildew, and UV rays for unmatched durability. It offers superior thermal performance due to its closed-cell foam insulation and is engineered with a 50 percent wider opening for increased ease of use.
The Hopper M30 is the latest product within the YETI soft-sided Hopper family and joins the Hopper Flip™ 8, the Hopper Flip 12, and the Hopper Flip 18. While it’s the first Hopper product to use a novel magnet technology, YETI began incorporating magnetic closures in 2017, first with the Rambler® MagSlider™ Lid and most recently within the SideKick Dry™ and Daytrip™ Lunch Bag.
The Hopper M30 retails for $299.99 and is available in Charcoal, Navy, and, for a limited time, River Green. For more information regarding the Hopper M30, and YETI’s other premium products, please visit yeti.com.
Berkley® Delivers High-Performing New Hardbaits for 2019 with the Tournament-Proven Frittside and the new Berkley SPY
Berkley has introduced a number hardbaits over the last two years that have become proven tournament winners, including some dynamic crankbaits and topwater baits. This year, anglers will have even more options to choose from as they look to take advantage of Berkley’s years of designing, testing and proving its lures with pros who know what it takes to make a fish bite.
“Our team is dedicated to making the best hardbaits in the world,” said Kevin Malone, brand manager for Berkley. “It is evident in our new baits, especially the Berkley Frittside and SPY. These baits represent years of hard work, prototyping, tank testing and proving their performance on the water and it is evident every time you pull one out of the tackle box.”
The Berkley Frittside crankbait features the same proven action that won David Fritts the Bassmaster Classic and made waves at the 2019 Bassmaster Classic earlier this year. Delivering balsa actions with the durability and casting performance of a plastic bait, the Frittside is a key bait for tough conditions when fish are sluggish or heavily pressured. The classic flat side profile mimics a variety of species and creates the most flash of any Berkley crankbait. Balanced weight design makes for improved tracking accuracy at higher speeds and the bait is designed to be cast well, even on bait casting set-ups.
The Frittside comes in 18 colors across three sizes, five, seven and nine which run five, seven and nine feet deep respectively. The seven and nine models feature a weighted bill to get the bait down to running depth quickly. The bait has sticking power thanks to sharp Fusion19 hooks. All models retail for $8.99.
Delivering a new level of Berkley finesse, the SPY has been fine-tuned by professional angler Josh Bertrand to perform in the toughest clear water situations. The compact profile offers a slightly different and wide-ranging baitfish profile. Fitted with easy spinning props and a tailor-made tight shimmying action, the SPY delivers an ideal spybait action on the fall and throughout the slowest retrieves. The bait features a compact profile for bullet-like casts.
The bait comes in two fall rate options, including a standard fall rate model and a slow-fall model designed to fish in shallower water than a traditional spybait. Each version comes in twelve dynamic colors and the baits feature high-detail finish and cosmetics for finicky fish. All the baits are equipped with super-sharp Fusion19 treble hooks. The SPY retails for $9.99.
A variety of popular Berkley baits will benefit from new size offerings. The popular Berkley Warpig is now available in a smaller, two-inch version called the Warpig Junior. This bait is perfect for pond anglers and is likely to get a workout from plenty of ice anglers this coming winter. The Berkley Choppo, currently available in a 90-millimeter and 120-millimeter version is now available in a 105-millimeter bait that fills in the middle ground and gives anglers a sought-after size option. The Berkley Bad Shad is the premier casting shad bait on the market and is now available in a new, larger 8cm size in addition to the existing 5-centimeter and 7-centimeter size, giving anglers a larger-profile bait.
The Berkley line of Flicker baits gets updated with new colors this year. Most notable are the additions of the popular firetail colors launched in 2018 for the Flicker Shad Jointed range, now available in standard Flicker Shad and Flicker Minnow bodies.
The 2019 lineup of new Berkley hardbaits will be available in retail stores nationwide in September 2019.
90 kids get a fishing lesson from Kevin VanDam
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Imagine getting the very first fishing tips of your life from the world’s greatest bass anger of all time.
Well, that was pretty much the case in La Crosse, Wisconsin Thursday afternoon as Team Toyota’s Kevin VanDam and several other MLF pros took time to share their expert knowledge with 90 kids from the local Boys & Girls Club.
While a small handful of the youth had some fishing experience, the vast majority had none, so comical questions like “Is that a jellyfish?” surfaced early as VanDam held up a skirted jig.
“We’re going to talk about artificial lures that are made to look like the real thing, but unlike real live minnows and worms, you have to cast these and make them wiggle and jiggle,” VanDam explained.
VanDam’s illustrious career of wiggling and jiggling began at age three on an ice fishing trip with his dad, and to this day, he says the chilly trip set the course for the rest of his life and highly decorated career.
La Crosse offers a water rich landscape surrounded by fishing opportunities, so taking time to educate its young residents about the sport VanDam and his peers love passionately made great sense.
“We thought it was real important to bring you here today, because you live in a city where water is everywhere, and you have so many neat opportunities to catch a fish,” VanDam told his students.
VanDam knows first hand from raising twin sons that getting bites is the key to hooking young anglers on fishing. He stresses the importance of an earthworm under a bobber to generate bites from bluegill and plenty of action, versus trying to teach somebody how to catch a bass or walleye on their first outings.
Nine-year-old Emma had actually caught a bluegill on a recent trip but she said VanDam taught her, “You can’t just sit in one place, you need to move around, even if you’re fishing from shore until you find where the fish are biting.”
Fitting advice from VanDam who is well known for his ultra fast fishing style, but young Kenzie was most concerned with the smell of the plastic topwater frog on the picnic table.
“Why does this frog smell like white rice,” she asked.
Comical inquiries were as plentiful as 2-pound bass in the Upper Mississippi, but mostly VanDam and other pros like Keith Poche, Gary Klein, and Kelly Jordan shared their love of the game they play at the highest level with 90 potential anglers while hitting the Boys & Girls Club Mission spot-on … “Inspire and empower all young people to reach their full potential as productive responsible and caring citizens.”
VanDam and his fellow pros indeed did just that Thursday afternoon.
Upper Mississippi River Elimination Round - Birge Continues Onslaught, Rose Rolls at REDCREST
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MLF pro Brandon Palaniuk was one of the Top 20 anglers to advance to the next round of competitions at the REDCREST on the Upper Mississippi River at La Crosse, Wis. (Photo by Garrick Dixon)
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- The Berkley Big Bass of the day was Jacob Wheeler's 4-0 smallmouth.
- Mark Rose won the Berkley Catch Count award with 44 bass on the day.
- Rose's 67-8 earned him the Phoenix Boats Daily Leader award.
- Friday, Aug. 23: 6:55 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Saturday, Aug. 24: 6:55 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Postgame Show at approximately 4 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 25: 6:55 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Postgame Show at approximately 4 p.m.
- REDCREST Midway: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 23-25; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Postgame Show Presented by Berkley: Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 24-25; approximately 4 p.m.
Wheeler is fishing the hard stuff
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Team Toyota’s Jacob Wheeler may not be the first angler you think of when salty “river rats” are discussed, but actually, the mega-talented young angler cut his teeth pitching a Texas rigged tube to log jams on the White River in his hometown of Indianapolis.
“When I was 14, I’d ride my bike two miles to the boat ramp with five rods, a bag full of tackle trays, and 10-bucks for boat gas money for whoever was kind enough to take me along as their partner in the Wednesday night jackpots,” says Wheeler.
Fourteen years later, lessons learned in “Indy” continue to translate well as he climbs steadily through the rounds of MLF’s inaugural REDCREST Championship on the Upper Mississippi in La Crosse, Wisconsin.
However, unlike most anglers who are fishing thousands of acres of milfoil, eel grass, and duckweed around the Mississippi’s shoreline – Wheeler is fishing the hard stuff like seawalls, river barges, rocky banks, barge tie ups, and industrial man made stuff.
“I just never found a good group of fish in the vegetation. But my experience on rivers has taught me you can always get bites around the barges, seawalls, and that type of stuff,” he says.
“You’re not typically going to get a lot of bites off one particular dock or barge, or whatever, but I know if I hit 20 of those places a day, six or eight of them will produce fish,” he adds.
Wheeler is not partial to one or two lures when running and gunning the rough stuff, instead it’s sort of a junk fishing approach that involves jigs, buzz toads, finesse worms, small cranks and Chatterbaits.
Of course, you know, if he sees a log jam mixed in, he’ll pitch an old skool tube in there laced with memories of his childhood. And you can be certain he’d have ample anglers itching to take his $10 donation for boat gas money, for a chance to be his partner these days at any given Wednesday night jackpot.
, Zaldain Takes Day 1 Lead At Bassmaster Elite Series Event On Cayuga Lake
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REESE LEADS NORTHERN COSTA ON THE POTOMAC
August 22, 2019 by Jody White
Day one of the Potomac River event, which is the second stop of the Costa FLW Series Northern Division presented by Gajo Baits, featured plenty of limits, but getting quality bites was definitely an issue for some. In the lead after day one, Marvin Reese of Randallstown, Md., weighed 14 pounds, 12 ounces to get things underway. Behind Reese, Justin Atkins and Jason Kervin both weighed 14-5, and Robert Grike rounded out the 14-pound brigade with 14-4. Overall, just 11 pros cracked the 12-pound mark on day one of the tournament, which is presented by Lowrance, but 8- and 9-pound limits weren’t too hard to come by.
Reese is a Potomac local, and though he’s got two Costa FLW Series wins under his belt as a co-angler, he’s relatively new to the front of the boat in high-level competition, having only started fishing T-H Marine Bass Fishing League events as a boater in 2016.
“It went pretty good,” says Reese of his day. “I’ve got a couple of spots where I caught that bag early, and I left them alone by about 9:30 a.m. So hopefully they will reload for me tomorrow.
“Tide is everything on this river system, whether you’re fishing hard cover or grass, and low tide first thing in the morning is perfect for how I’m fishing.”
Catching just six keepers, Reese thinks he’s rationed his fish well. Unless the cool and cloudy weather on tap for tomorrow changes things he thinks he could keep up the pace.
“I found some pretty good quality,” says Reese. “This is my home fishery, and I’ve got a couple of hard-cover spots that usually produce. Right now they’re producing pretty good for me.”
Top 10 pros
1. Marvin Reese – Randallstown, Md. – 14-12 (5)
2. Justin Atkins – Florence, Ala. – 14-5 (5)
2. Jason Kervin – Raymond, Maine – 14-5 (5)
4. Robert Grike – Dumfries, Va. – 14-4 (5)
5. Gregory Wilder – Millersville, Md. – 13-7 (5)
6. Troy Morrow – Eastanollee, Ga. – 13-3 (5)
6. Brian Tyler – Johnsonville, S.C. – 13-3 (5)
8. Aaron Dixon – Bel Alton, Md. – 13-0 (5)
9. Erik Luzak – Fenelon Falls, Ontario – 12-12 (5)
10. Ryan Davidson – Branchland, W.Va. – 12-12 (5)
Co-angler Taylor wallops ‘em
Only eight pros broke the 13-pound mark on day one, but co-angler Daniel Taylor of Elizabethton, Tenn., blew by it with 13-10 on just four fish for the lead in his division. In second, Ted Kephart of Philipsburg, Pa., weighed a limit worth 12-10.
Fishing behind pro Bryan Sisk, Taylor caught a heavy 4-pounder right off the bat and a 3-pounder a little while later to set the pace.
“I had a wonderful day,” says Taylor. “I only got four bites that I could get in, but I got one other bite. I caught them all on a Senko. We’ve been here for five days practicing, and we caught just one bass the first three days.”
Taylor says that he and his travel partner found some fish later on in practice, but Sisk was doing something totally different today. So, Taylor adjusted.
“I feel great about tomorrow,” he says. “I’m versatile. Whoever I get drawn with, I’m going to do whatever I can do to stay in the lead.”
Top 10 co-anglers
1. Daniel Taylor – Elizabethton, Tenn. – 13-10 (4)
2. Ted Kephart – Philipsburg, Pa. – 12-10 (5)
3. Trevor Holman – Durham, N.C. – 11-0 (4)
4. Sakae Ushio – Tonawanda, N.Y. – 10-3 (4)
5. John Kelley Jr. – Old Forge, Pa. – 10-0 (4)
6. Jim Short – Ocean Pines, Md. – 9-9 (5)
7. Lenny Baird – Stafford, Va. – 9-7 (5)
8. Austin Archer – Anniston, Ala. – 9-6 (4)
9. Paul Georgiou – Rockville, Md. – 8-15 (5)
10. William Puduski – Portsmouth, N.H. – 8-10 (4)
Minn Kota® Continues Legacy of Innovation With New Trolling Motors Featuring Built-In MEGA Side Imaging® From Humminbird®
RACINE, Wis., August 22, 2019 – Minn Kota®, the global leader in trolling motor innovation, debuts Built-In MEGA Side Imaging® in its Ultrex™ and Ulterra® trolling motors this fall, allowing anglers to run their boats confidently, while seeing the clearest, most precise images of structure and fish in real-time directly below and to either side of their boat.
MEGA Imaging® is the first imaging technology to enter the megahertz range with performance that provides three times greater detail than traditional 455 kHz frequencies. Adding Humminbird’s MEGA Side Imaging to Minn Kota’s trolling motors results in the clearest, sharpest real-time images without the need to run wires which can compromise the use of the trolling motor’s key features such as Spot-Lock™ and i-Pilot® Link™.
Ultrex trolling motors changed the way anglers approach boat control by combining Spot-Lock – a GPS anchoring system with unparalleled accuracy – with power steering in an intuitive and responsive heel-toe foot pedal. Only Ulterra features auto stow/deploy and power trim, allowing anglers to precisely control their motor with unrivaled ease.
“Fishing from the bow with down and side-imaging has been an imperfect practice with anglers having to deal with external transducers and cords," said Joe Brown, senior director of brand management at Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics. “Minn Kota’s Built-In MEGA Side Imaging houses the transducer directly inside the trolling motor for ultimate protection. It also relays real-time images from directly underneath and to the side of the boat letting anglers focus entirely on the fish.”
With Built-In MEGA Side Imaging, the transducer is housed in the motor’s lower unit and the wiring runs through the indestructible composite shaft providing clean rigging that is protected from damage over time. In addition, having the transducer integrated into the trolling motors allows anglers to see what is directly below the bow and to the side of the boat, rather than the transom, meaning anglers can make better informed decisions in real time.
As part of the One-Boat Network™, the new Ultrex and Ulterra trolling motors with Built-In MEGA Side Imaging feature i-Pilot Link. Anglers can utilize i-Pilot Link to control the motor from a Humminbird unit, the i-Pilot Link mobile app or the i-Pilot Link remote. Both motors include features like “jog” and “follow” – with the press of a button the boat will automatically follow an exact depth contour at a set speed.
The new trolling motors are fully compatible with MEGA Imaging and MEGA Imaging+™ equipped Humminbird fish finders. Anglers fishing with a MEGA Imaging+ Humminbird unit will get 20 percent more detail compared to MEGA Imaging. The new Ultrex and Ulterra trolling motors with Built-In Side Imaging will be available to ship in early 2020. For more information visit MinnKotaMotors.com/MEGA.
Lee has lunch and a lucky penny
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Carhartt pro Jordan Lee didn’t have the day he was hoping for Wednesday in the opening round of the MLF REDCREST Championship on the Upper Mississippi River. He sat 25thout of 30 at days end, but makes no excuses, including the fact he forgot his lunch yesterday.
In reality, the former Auburn college bass fishing champ rarely eats during a tournament anyhow. Plus, his ride along MLF official was kind enough to grab Jordan some jerky and trail mix yesterday to make sure nobody went hungry.
Lee says he munched on the supplementary lunch supplied by his official, but the 13 bass he scored were only good enough for 23 pounds, and a place near the bottom of the leaderboard.
Today is a new day, and Lee’s armed with two strawberry Smucker’s Uncrustables and a pair of protein bars packed by his bride Kristen. But she’s not overly hopeful her lunch will mean much to his catching success.
“The kid won’t eat,” grinned Kristen, beneath her Carhartt hat in the foggy 58-degree air just before takeoff.
That said, she tossed a lucky penny into the chest pocket of his jacket that she found lying heads-up in the Target parking lot yesterday.
“Maybe the penny will help, maybe it won’t,” says her always un-rattled husband. “I knew what I found in practice wasn’t great, but I have no regrets about how I fished yesterday either.”
Lee says he plans to lean a little more on Texas rigged soft plastics today, and will mix-in a drop shot and a Chatterbait too. Mostly, he’ll fish today like a brand new day in nonchalant and carefree fashion – that’s the essence of the mega talented “Jo Lee.”
And hey, if peanut butter and strawberry jam don’t do the trick for a much better place on the leaderboard, maybe Abe Lincoln will.
Brown & Dingledine Win Joe Bass Team Trail Mark Twain event!
Courtesy of JoeBassTeamtrail.com
Typical late summer tough Twain. That was the general consensus as 29 teams gathered at Robert Allen Ramp for the division finale for 2019. Up for grabs wasn’t just the tournament payout, but also valuable points to qualify for the Invitational at Truman Lake in October and finding out who was the 154 Marine Division Points Champion.
The day started out with heavy cloud cover and lightning flashing the sky to the north and west yet throughout the day the anglers stayed dry as the storm front track north of the lake area, giving the anglers cloudy cooler conditions most of the day before the clouds surrendered to sunshine early in the afternoon.
Taking the top spot today was the team of Jim Brown and Gary Dingledine. Jim and Gary fished a tournament on Saturday and struggled all day never connecting with a legal keeper. So with 4th and 40 Jim and Gary punted their fishing area and decided to “Just Go Fishing”. So at take off they turned the boat up lake and fished a point in the mid-lake area that neither one had fished for several years. Dragging worms and jigs around the point the team connected with 3 keepers early, then the bite slowed Jim and Gary moved to an adjacent point and only connected with a few shorts but the plan was to let their primary point rest for a few hours. Jim and Gary felt comfortable doing this as no other boats were in the area. Late morning they returned to their primary point and caught the remainder of their limit. The BPG Inspections, Lavy’s Welding sponsored team topped the field weighing in 12.73 pounds of bass. Included in their bag was the second big bass weighing 3.83 pounds.
Coming in Second today was the team of Jim Coyner and Keith Ostrander. Jim and Keith did their normal summer pattern “Run and Gun” hitting as many as 30 spots on the day, brush piles, ledges, points, main lake pockets were all on the list of things to fish. Like the winners, Jim and Keith also fished soft plastics and jigs catching several keepers on the day with their best 5 weighing 11.99 pounds. Jimmy and Keith are sponsored by 154 Marine and Bulls eye bait and tackle.
Taking the third spot today was team of Keith Hendrix and Greg Zumwalt. Keith and Greg started their day off fishing top water in the lower end of the lake, but with little success. As the sun got higher Keith and Greg moved to drop baits and started hopping points and channel swings working their way back to Robert Allen Ramp. This turned out to be the right move as the team caught 4 keepers and lost number 5 twice. Their 4 fish tipped the scales at 10.46 pounds good enough for third place in the tournament and the team locked down the 154 Marine points championship. Keith and Greg are sponsored by 154 Marine, JC Auto and Truck Parts, HPW Lures, Crop Rotation Services, Dyna Grow Seed, and Jack’s Harbor Marine.
Well for most of the day the team of Bill Kayser and Donnie Seabaugh were scratching their heads wondering where the fish were and if they would ever boat a keeper on the day. Running out of options the team went to the dam to finish the day. Stroaking a jig the team popped 2 keepers in the final hour of the day, one of which wound up being the Ozark Chevrolet Big Joe Bass weighing 4.09 pounds.
| Place | Team Members | Fish | Pnlty | B/F | TotWgt | Pts | Payout |
| 1 | Jim Brown – Gary Dingledine | 5 | 3.83 | 12.73 | 110 | $1,620.00 | |
| 2 | Jim Coyner – Keith Ostrander | 5 | 3.21 | 11.99 | 109 | $980.00 | |
| 3 | Keith Hendrix – Greg Zumwalt | 4 | 3.49 | 10.46 | 108 | $690.00 | |
| 4 | John Thrasher – Jason Kiser | 5 | 10.28 | 107 | $450.00 | ||
| 5 | Chris Janda – J. Rowdy Yates | 5 | 0.5 | 9.98 | 106 | $300.00 | |
| 6 | Wayne Werle – Jim Lomax | 4 | 9.03 | 105 | |||
| 7 | Jason Huskey – Bryan Hulsey | 3 | 8 | 104 | |||
| 8 | Tom Herndon – Jason VanBeers | 4 | 7.56 | 103 | |||
| 9 | John Knudsen – Tom Williams | 4 | 7.15 | 102 | |||
| 10 | Chad Denningmann – Kurt Denningmann | 3 | 6.37 | 101 | |||
| 11 | Bill Kayser – Donnie Seabaugh | 2 | 4.09 | 6.1 | 100 | ||
| 12 | Ryan Hopping – *Chris Schwerdt | 2 | 4.81 | 99 | |||
| 13 | Paul Hager – Phil Allen | 2 | 4.79 | 98 | |||
| 14 | Steve Weber – Sam Phillips | 2 | 4.76 | 97 | |||
| 15 | Kenny Grothoff – Donnie Palmatory | 2 | 4.22 | 96 | |||
| 16 | Mike Tucker – Cory Kunkle | 2 | 4.08 | 95 | |||
| 17 | Brad Dooley – Terry Jones | 2 | 3.94 | 94 | |||
| 18 | Dominic Perotti – Jim Sexton | 2 | 3.9 | 93 | |||
| 19 | Ken Young – John Drury | 2 | 3.86 | 92 | |||
| 20 | Gary Koenig – Robin Hessling | 2 | 3.64 | 91 | |||
| 21 | Todd Hessling – Tom Darnell | 1 | 3.17 | 3.17 | 90 | ||
| 22 | David Kampschroeder – *fished aalone | 1 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 89 | ||
| 23 | Stephan Luckett – *Sean Kelly | 1 | 1.71 | 1.71 | 88 | ||
| 24 | Lee Atwood – Eric Maxey | 0 | 10 | ||||
| Jason Coan – Charlie Bogard | 0 | 10 | |||||
| Lonnie Franklin – Bob Peneston | 0 | 10 | |||||
| Charlie Kunkle – Keith Williams | 0 | 10 | |||||
| *Rick McGuire – Rich Labarge | 0 | 10 | |||||
| Dave Strutman – Denny Lambert | 0 | 10 |
Inaugural FLW KBF Cup Champ - Clint Henderson
Vance McCullough
“It’s really surreal. I can’t believe it happened, can’t believe I did it,” said Clint Henderson, clutching his champion’s plaque backstage after winning the Inaugural Dee Zee FLW/KBF Cup presented by YakAttack.
The kayak fishing pro from Rome, GA topped a field of 72 on 40,000-acre Lake Ouachita over two days of competition. Low water and a slow bite, typical of August, awaited the anglers. Henderson solved the problems better than anyone else.
He amassed 81.25 inches in the first round to start the tournament in 3rdplace, following that up with 76.50 inches on Day 2 to take the title with a length total of 157.75, good for a 2.75-inch margin of victory.
“I traveled up here with my real good friend Jim Ware. We did a bunch of homework, watched a lot of FLW Cup coverage and had the exact brush piles where (2018 FLW Cup Champion) Clent Davis caught his big fish last year. I did the ninja skills and said ‘hey, I see those buoys and I remember seeing that on the GPS satellites.’ We found that and fished there first and we did ok, but I think, with them dropping the lake levels like they did, I don’t think it was the same as it was when Clent was here last year.
“So, we hit another spot that we liked, that had some features like back home that we like, and when I went to the first spot I really liked, my screen just lit up - I’ve got a Humminbird Mega 9 on there. They moved from about 12 to 18 feet throughout the tournament, depending on the weather. I wanted more sunshine because I think I could have done better. I caught 3 good fish easy in pre-fishing when we found the spot. We got all this cloud cover during the tournament, so it was a tough bite up there. They scattered out. They weren’t hugged down there all the time like I wanted them, where I knew I could catch ‘em good, but it was still good enough.”
A late fish made the difference for Henderson, “I had a limit easy early yesterday, though I lost a big fish up shallow. Today it was a grind and I let a 12-and-a-half-incher flop off the board. I thought ‘this thing’s gonna bite me.’ I went forever with 4 fish. Almost on the hour, an hour left to fish, I caught my 5thfish of the day, a 19-and-a-quarter. It was already past the lunar peak and I thought ‘this bite is probably over. It ain’t gonna happen,’.”
Henderson was dragging a creature bait on hard bottom 15 feet down on a river ledge. “I fished where I thought I should have got bit and when I went to burn it back up to the boat, he about took the rod out of my hand. I didn’t catch another fish after that one. That was the one.
“When I netted that fish, it felt like I had won. It took me 15 minutes to recompose myself. I cried.”
Henderson is excited about the direction kayak fishing is headed. “I can’t wait to see where it goes. It’s grown so much in the last few years since I started doing it. I used to fish local bass boat tournaments and when I first got into kayak fishing it was just much more lucrative. I came out in the black for the first time,” he said, pointing to the lower operating expenses of angling from a kayak as opposed to a motorboat.
“I cut a check in my first one and I was like ‘this could work’. I love fishing from a kayak. I go out in a boat now and it feels weird. I have trouble landing fish because I don’t have that give. A big fish can pull that kayak around but a 20-plus-foot bass boat, a bass can’t move it.”
Henderson has experienced success before. He has used the platform to spread the word - God’s Word. “I started that Fishers Of Men Kayak Page on Facebook. I put it out there at the forefront: if you want to pull for me, here’s what I am, I’m a Christian and if you want to know about that, then get ahold of me.”
Experiencing the Creator’s handiwork on a deeper level is a huge draw for many who choose to fish from a kayak. Henderson says he’s better connected to his environment and the fish that swim in it for that reason. “The little things - that’s the part of fishing that I really learned from kayak fishing. I see every little baitfish, every little swirl, because I’m sitting down there on the water, tuned-in to it, listening. There’s no trolling motor buzzing. There’s just you and the Creation. Tuned in. Part of the river.”
Fish with Brad Giveaway!
Enter Here to win an All-Expense Paid two night, One day fishing trip with ARE Team Member Brad Knight!
Waterproof Bags for All Your Essentials
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Technologically advanced GILL Race Team Bags complement the outdoors lifestyle |
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Buford, GA (August 9, 2019) – We all wish we had the perfect bag to store our essential items for fishing or a simple day on the water with friends and family. Well, look no further than Gill’s new Race Team Bag Max (90-liter) and Race Team Mini (10-liter), building off the popularity of the original 30-liter Race Team Bag. All are the perfect accessory for keeping essential goods safe and dry, and easily stowable for use on any watercraft. And while their design might recall the classic duffel bag so many of us have stuffed with raingear, extra clothing and fishing gear, the similarities end there... |
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For starters, both bags are manufactured of a 100% PVC-free puncture-resistant, waterproof tarpaulin fabric for the ultimate in protection from the very real world of waves, water and weather. Stitch-free, high frequency welded seams only complete the Race Team Bag’s waterproofness, as well as secure Velcro fastening and a roll-down closure for a watertight seal. In terms of sizing, GILL has everyone’s bases covered. Available in an extremely roomy 90-liter Max version as well as the slimmer 10-liter version, you’ll find exactly the right size, whether it’s to pack for a week-long adventure or a simple afternoon junket. Gill didn’t leave aesthetics out of the picture, either. A very attractive design in total, the Race Team Max is available in a flattering graphite, while the Mini comes in graphite, tango, or blue. Looking for luggage that is willing to stand up to your next adventure? Then consider the GILL Race Team Bag Max 90L and Race Team Bag Mini 10L Race Team Bags! |
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GILL’s new Race Team Bag Mini 10L
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To learn more about Gill’s fishing rainwear and additional apparel, visit www.gillfishing.com. |
Berkley® Launches New PowerBait® Designs From Pros Mike Iaconelli and Skeet Reese
Berkley has a strong history of working directly with its stable of pro anglers to design baits that deliver against specific needs and trends. This year is no exception with two of bass fishing’s most exciting and successful anglers designing baits that headline the new product selection. All the new designs, including those designed by Iaconelli and Reese, feature the exclusive Berkley PowerBait formula that drives fish to hold on to a bait 18 times longer* than a traditional soft plastic, giving anglers the time and confidence to feel more bites.
“We can’t wait for more anglers to put these new designs to the test,” said Vice President of Marketing for Berkley, Jon Schlosser. “We are bringing the undeniable power of PowerBait to some of the most exciting and on-trend fishing styles and applications on the market today.”
The new pro-designed additions to the PowerBait lineup include the Flute Worm and Water Bug by Mike Iaconelli.
The PowerBait Flute Worm is a finesse worm with integrated o-ring locations primarily designed to be fished on a Neko rig. It features a tapered “flute-style” tail that twitches and moves with subtle movements, and a blunt head that is perfect for inserting weights, allowing the bait to be used to stomp the bottom when hopping a Neko rig. The Flute Worm is great on a shaky head or fished wacky rigged and is available in 4.7-inch, 5.7-inch and 6.7-inch lengths and 12 colors.
The new Ca$h Out, The Deal and Straight Money are designed by Skeet Reese. The PowerBait Ca$h Out is a 3-inch, small-profile bait designed to be fished year-round on the popular Ned Rig. The bait features a rudder-style tail which causes more action on the fall. Its ribbed belly kicks up dirt and silt for higher visibility. The Ca$h Out is available in 12 color options.
The Deal is Reese’s idea of the perfect bladed jig trailer. It has a high-sided shad profile, adding bulk and presence to the presentation and is available in 3.5-inch and 4.5-inch options, and 12 colors. Its high action tail mimics fleeing baitfish amping up the action of a bladed jig or is an excellent stand-alone swimbait in open water or around vegetation.
The Straight Money is a straight tail worm showcasing a simple, but important spade tail for generating wide actions, and when combined with the flat belly gives the bait a more seductive gliding action as it is falling. A key feature of the new bait, not found in other straight tail worms, is the hardness of the worm that causes a unique, high quivering action when twitched or hitting cover. The Straight Money is especially suited for Neko rigs and the blunt nose makes it easy to rig on a shaky head. The Straight Money is available in 12 colors, and 5-inch, 6-inch and 7-inch options.
In addition to the new pro-designed shapes, two additional sizes of the PowerBait Power® Swimmer will be available this summer. The Power Swimmer is a multi-purpose, multi-species smaller swimbait that can be used in countless scenarios. The small profile and paddletail action of the bait makes it perfect for fishing on a jighead as a finesse swimbait and it also makes a great swim jig trailer. Known for its durability over other similar style baits, the PowerBait Power Swimmer is also a perfect choice on A-rigs or heavy cover applications. The Power Swimmer is now available in 16 colors and 2.8-inch, 3.3-inch, 3.8-inch and 4.3-inch lengths.
Now available in a 3-inch option and seven colors, the Crazy Legs Chigger Craw has high action pinchers to create more strikes. The crazy legs swim with fast or slow movement and even flutter during a pause in the retrieve while creating additional action of the fall or retrieve that attracts curious fish. It can also be cut at the third leg to fit perfectly on a skirted jig.
The 2019 PowerBait lineup is now available in retail stores nationwide.
New Abu Garcia® IKE Travel Rods Offer Whole New Level of Freedom – Letting Anglers Fish Anytime, Anywhere
Crafted with an easy-to-assemble four piece design, including two separate tips with different actions, the IKE Series Travel Rods live up to Abu Garcia’s expected high level of quality while also granting freedom like never before. Available in both spinning and casting models, the Abu Garcia IKE Series Travel Rods feature actions designed by Iaconelli.
The rods are forged with 36 ton graphite, for a lightweight, balanced design and feature stainless steel guides with Zirconium inserts and a Fuji® reel seat – craftsmanship that promises increased sensitivity and comfort at no loss of durability. The new travel rods come with an IKE-approved hard rod case, designed to hold multiple IKE Series Travel Rods.
“It’s not always easy to find ideal fishing conditions amid a busy life,” said Abu Garcia Global Brand Director, Andrew Wheeler. “That’s why we’ve created the new Abu Garcia Ike Signature Series Travel Rods – to let anglers fish wherever they are, at their own convenience. Travel across the globe to find an exotic species, or switch techniques and street fish in the city on your lunch break—either way, IKE Travel Rods make it possible.”
The new Abu Garcia IKE Signature Series Travel Rods are priced at $149.95 and now available at retailers nationwide. The rods also have a limited three-year warranty.
About Pure Fishing, Inc.
Pure Fishing, Inc. 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®, Gulp!®, Hardy & Greys™, Hodgman®, Johnson™, Mitchell®, PENN®, Pflueger®, Sébile®, Shakespeare®, SpiderWire®, Stren®, Trilene® and Ugly Stik®. Additional information can be found at www.purefishing.com.
Abu Garcia® Debuts All-New Veracity™ Rods, Infused with Exclusive 3M Powerlux® Technology
The new Abu Garcia Veracity rod series features 3M Powerlux 300 resin system in its blanks, making the rods on average 30 percent stronger than Veracity rods constructed without 3M Powerlux resin, without sacrificing overall rod balance and sensitivity. Constructed of 40-ton carbon fibers with Cork and EVA grip options, the Abu Garcia Veracity series handles better than ever, and its proprietary custom Fuji® soft touch reel seat makes for improved comfort.
“The Abu Garcia Veracity series marks a turning point for the technology we are able to put into our rods,” said Andrew Wheeler, director of global brands for Abu Garcia. “With the new 3M Powerlux technology, we’ve crafted rods that are durable while remaining perfectly balanced and handling with improved sensitivity. No other rods feel the same as Abu Garcia’s Veracity series. Once people try them, they won’t want to use anything else.”
The 3M Powerlux 300 resin system evenly distributes nanoparticles between each carbon fiber to enhance the rod’s performance and strength by preventing cracks in the in the blank material and dramatically improving the rod tip with its dense yet lightweight construction. The 3M Powerlux technology helps produce rods with higher break strengths and improved impact and fracture resistance.
Available in casting, spinning, and swimbait models, the new Abu Garcia Veracity series is available now and will be priced from $199.95 to $249.95.
About Pure Fishing, Inc.
Pure Fishing, Inc. 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®, Gulp!®, Hardy & Greys™, Hodgman®, Johnson™, Mitchell®, PENN®, Pflueger®, Sébile®, Shakespeare®, SpiderWire®, Stren®, Trilene® and Ugly Stik®. Additional information can be found at www.purefishing.com.
*When compared to identically constructed rods without 3M Powerlux resin.
GILL Fishing Shirts Made from Recycled Material
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Buford, GA (August 9, 2019) – These days, we’re all doing our part to recycle soda bottles and other plastics. Along the lines of growing conservationism, GILL is proud to announce their unique initiative to produce fishing apparel manufactured with performance fabrics made from recycled PET bottles. |
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Enter the Men’s and Women’s Holcombe Crew, a comfortable long-sleeve shirt perfect for days on the water. Features include soft ‘cotton touch’ fabric for next-to-skin comfort, quick-drying performance and crease resistance, as well as easy, machine-washable care. And, as mentioned, the fabric contains the byproducts of plastics recycling with 50% polyamide, 48% polyester, and 2% elastane. So, besides home and work recycling efforts, here’s your chance to do your part to support the environment by wearing apparel made from recycled plastic goods! Women’s Holcombe Crew shirts are available in a fashionable grey marl and blue-tinted sky colors and sizes 4 through 12. Men’s Holcombe Crew shirts are available in grey marl, charcoal, and ocean and sizes M-XXL. |
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To learn more about Gill’s fishing rainwear and additional apparel, visit www.gillfishing.com. |
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Iaconelli looking for 40 bass, and lots of topwater action
Alan McGuckin - Dynamic Sponsorships
Action is underway at the inaugural MLF REDCREST Championship on the habitat rich Upper Mississippi, and Team Toyota’s Mike Iaconelli says the bass are biting big time. So much so, he feels he’ll have to boat 40 bass today to score well in MLF’s format.
“This is a place I’ve been to many, many times in my career. The water is really low compared to year’s past, but it’s the same old Upper Mississippi, in terms of tons of habitat, and piles of bass under 3-pounds,” says Iaconelli.
“The fish are flat out biting – but catching a 4-pounder here is worth the excitement of catching a 6-pounder on a lot of other fisheries,” he explains.
“This is a numbers game. So I’m going to start on a spot that I know has tons of bass in it. It’s an area that I probably wouldn’t even list as my second or third best spot in a traditional 5-bass tournament format,” he admits.
“This week it’s about being able to catch as many of the 12 or 13” fish that usually equate to a 1-pound scoreable bass as you can. And there’s tons of them here. So my goal is to boat around 40 bass today,” he says.
To reach that lofty number, Iaconelli plans to lean heavy on a handful of topwaters. “Everybody talks about frog fishing here, but I’ll throw it all. From buzzbaits to small poppers and a Molix Sneaky Frog too,” says “Ike.”
Fact is, it’s been less than 30 days since Iaconelli last claimed victory on a river system. He won the Bassmaster Open on the James River the last week of July, and you can bet he’s carrying that current driven moment with him this week in La Crosse.
“Current is current, whether you’re talking about tidal current like the James River, or here on the Upper Mississippi. You’re still looking for an eddy or a current break where bass will set up to ambush prey. So yea, in that sense, there are definitely some similarities between here and The James River,” he concludes.
Iaconelli says his first stop on Wednesday will be main river focused, versus a backwater. But wherever he lands today, he just hopes it tallies nearly four-dozen scoreabale bass – and if so, you can bet he’ll fool some of them by buzzin’, poppin’ or froggin’.
Mammoth Coolers Announces Sponsorship of Angler Bill Lowen
(Cincinnati, OH) Mammoth Coolers, a leading provider of premium rotomolded and soft sided coolers, drinkware, and accessories is proud to announce their partnership with Bill Lowen. Bill competes in the Bassmaster Elite Series and has earned nine Bassmaster Classic appearances and 18 Top 10 finishes.
As a veteran angler who grew up on the Ohio River surrounding the Cincinnati, Ohio area, Bill has become one of the most respected anglers on tour. He is currently in 2nd place for AOY (Angler of the Year) Elite Series trailing Scott Canterbury by 17 points with three tournaments remaining. He’ll be competing in the SiteOne Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake in Union Springs, NY on August 22nd-25th.
Bob George, Director of Sales at Mammoth Coolers tells us, “Having worked with Bill Lowen in the past and knowing how hard a worker he is it was a natural for him to be our first sponsored angler. Bill is absolutely one of the best brand Ambassadors I have ever worked with in any category. Most importantly Bill is a family man and has his wife Jennifer and children Nevaeh and Fischer travel by camper with him everywhere. The fact that they are avid campers will only enhance our ability to improve and develop more intriguing products for that market in addition to the fishing industry.”
Mammoth and Bill have entered into a multi-year agreement and Mammoth is proud to join the premier line up of Bill’s current sponsors that include Xpress Boats, Mossy Oak Fishing, Yamaha, Lew’s, Strike King, and Buck Knives. As Mammoth continues to expand their brand and commitment to the fishing market, they are confident Bill will be a big contributor to that success. Mammoth wishes Bill the best of luck the rest of this season.
For more information or order inquiries, please contact support@mammothcooler.comor visit https://mammothcooler.com/. For press or media inquiries, please contact Brittany Maki at bmaki@rendezvousmarketinggroup.com.
About Mammoth Coolers:
Mammoth Coolers is out there in the field, on the water, at the tailgate party and in the backyard learning what works and what doesn’t so we can make all our products work for everyone. Every innovation we make is driven by a desire for performance, price and productivity. From our superior coolers to our Chillski, from our Rover tumbler to the Tusk, all our products were made for every person no matter their passion, no matter their interests. All backed by a Lifetime Warranty.
For More Information About Mammoth:
"The Game Plan" with Ryan Salzman
This week the boys welcome in FLW Cup 8th place Finisher and Alabama Bass Guide Ryan Salzman to the program to talk about his 2019 rookie season, his first cup experience and his new YouTube Series called "The Game Plan". The Circus joins for the Progressive Bass Wrap Up and the Costa Countdown to blast off!
Progressive Bass Wrap Up - Episode 4!
This weeks Progressive Bass Wrap Up brought to you by Sportsmans Warehouse features the Tennessee Team Trail on Douglas Lake, The American Bass Anglers on High Rock and the kick off of the Texas Team Trail on Lake Travis! Tune in! 7:30 am eastern time on the Discovery Channel!
Top 30 Pro Anglers Compete in La Crosse, Wisconsin, August 21-25 for Tour Championship
Lew’s/Strike King is Proud to Award Freshman Scholarships
Lexington, S.C. (August 14th, 2019) – After receiving dozens of applications from a very diverse field of high school anglers, Lew’s and Strike King are proud to announce that five very deserving students have been selected as this year’s scholarship winners.
This year’s winners are:
Alex Gauld
Alex hails from Sweet Home Senior High School in Amherst, New York. Alex plans to attend SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry where he will major in Environmental Science. His resume includes an impressive GPA and his list of fishing accomplishments throughout the state of New York are equally as impressive.
Parker Wagner
Of Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, Parker plans on majoring Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University in College Station next fall. His fishing accomplishments in The Faith Angler Network trail as well as his stellar GPA paved the way for his selection as scholarship recipient.
Sarah Morehead
Sarah attended McCracken County High School in Paducah, Kentucky where she excelled in the classroom as well as her school sanctioned fishing team. Sarah will begin her studies at West Kentucky Technical and Community College and she is focusing her attention on education and horticulture.
Shannon Dodson
Shannon “Cole” Dodson attended Alabama’s Gardendale High School. He was the president of his school’s team for two years and competed in the state’s highly competitive ASABFA trail as well as several other events throughout his career. Cole plans on attending The University of Montevallo where he will study Marketing and Environmental Science.
Lee Rose Koza
Lee Rose attended Mount Paran Christian School in Kennesaw, Georgia. As a consistent top ten finisher in almost every event she competed in, she proved herself on the water as well as in the classroom. She will be attending Carson-Newman University in Tennessee where she will major in Communications.
On behalf of Lew’s/Strike King we would like to congratulate these five outstanding high school seniors on their scholarships.
Mike Wallace Wins ABA AFT D10 lake Hopatcong event with over 16 pounds!
|
Lake Hopatcong 08-17-2019
Angler
|
Finish
|
Weight
|
2-Day Total Weight
|
Penalty Weight
|
Big Fish
|
# Fish
|
Points
|
Winnings
|
|
1. Mike Wallace
|
1st
|
16.67
|
*4.17
|
5
|
194
|
$406.00 & $70.00 ( BF)
|
||
|
2. Nick Chaballa
|
2nd
|
12.63
|
.50
|
5
|
193
|
$200.00
|
||
|
3. Don Philpot
|
3rd
|
10.85
|
2.96
|
5
|
192
|
$79.00
|
||
|
4. Al Pallavicini
|
4th
|
10.20
|
3.15
|
5
|
191
|
|||
|
5. Chris Ulrich
|
5th
|
9.25
|
3.09
|
5
|
190
|
|||
|
6. Barry Burner
|
6th
|
8.50
|
5
|
189
|
||||
|
7. Greg Del Russo
|
7th
|
7.38
|
3.19
|
4
|
188
|
|||
|
8. Mike Messina
|
8th
|
7.30
|
2.07
|
5
|
187
|
|||
|
9. John Campos
|
9th
|
3.57
|
2
|
186
|
||||
|
10. John Haffy
|
10th
|
2.04
|
1
|
185
|
||||
|
11. Derrell Downey
|
11th
|
1.57
|
1
|
184
|
||||
|
12. Aaron Carnegie
|
12th
|
1.17
|
1
|
183
|
||||
|
13. Art Vitale
|
13th
|
0.00
|
0
|
50
|
||||
|
14. Len Scharffenberger
|
13th
|
0.00
|
0
|
50
|
Williams & Williams Wins USA Bassin Bull Shoals event
U.S.A. BASSIN - National Tournament Trail
Official Division Tournament Results
Division: MO-11 Bull Shoals / Taneycomo Division
Date: 08/18/2019 @ 6:30 am - 2:30 pm
Teams in Red are Next Generation Teams
Teams in Blue are Coed Teams
| Place | Team | Fish | Live Fish | Weight | Big Fish | Penalty | Net Weight | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Williams / Williams | 5 | 5 | 8.80 | 3.33 | 0.00 | 8.80 | 100 |
| 2 | Layton / Creson | 3 | 3 | 6.44 | 2.73 | 0.00 | 6.44 | 99 |
| 3 | Scott Mo / Vanhorn | 5 | 5 | 6.10 | 1.76 | 0.00 | 6.10 | 98 |
| 4 | Plummer / Isaacs | 3 | 3 | 4.54 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.54 | 97 |
| 5 | Pitney / None | 2 | 2 | 4.00 | 2.86 | 0.00 | 4.00 | 96 |
| 6 | Nichols / Rogers | 2 | 1 | 4.08 | 1.72 | 0.50 | 3.58 | 95 |
| 7 | Frahm / Bartlett | 3 | 3 | 3.53 | 1.30 | 0.00 | 3.53 | 94 |
| 8 | Purse / Purse | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 50 |
| 8 | Edwards / Brunell | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 50 |
| 8 | Frahm-mo / Prehm | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 50 |
| 8 | Brooks1 / Rhodes | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 50 |
| 8 | Brock / Mueller | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 50 |
LANGFORD WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON POTOMAC RIVER
Co-Angler Award Goes to Huwar
MARBURY, Md. (Aug. 19, 2019) – Boater Todd Langford of Great Falls, Virginia, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Shenandoah Division tournament on the Potomac River Saturday after catching a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 2 ounces. Langford took home $2,600 for his efforts.
Langford said he fished mid-river, in Occoquan Bay. He caught them out of heavy grass mats using a Texas-rigged green-pumpkin-colored Reaction Innovations Sweet Beaver, paired with a 1¾-ounce weight.
“I really fished one area where you could get bit on– the river is fishing tough right now,” said Langford, who notched his first career win in FLW competition. “The area was probably 500 yards, but had key spots within the stretch. There was some moving water in those spots and the high tide helped.”
Langford’s bait was rigged on a straight shank hook via snell knot, tied to 65-pound-test PowerPro Super Slick braided line on a 7-foot, 11-inch Halo Twilite Series heavy–action flipping rod.
“I caught 7 or 8 keepers during the tournament,” said Langford. “They bit best when the water was moving – at the end of the incoming tide and the beginning of the outgoing tide.”
Langford went on to say that he caught a key fish in the very back of a creek during low tide around 1:30 p.m. using a white 3/8-ounce Z-Man Evergreen ChatterBait Jack Hammer with a white Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper trailer.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Todd Langford, Great Falls, Va., five bass, 15-2, $2,600
2nd: Thomas Svec, Chesapeake, Va., five bass, 14-1, $1,440
3rd: Greg Lahr, Fayetteville, N.C., five bass, 13-8, $900
4th: Ronnie Baker, Providence Forge, Va., five bass, 11-0, $810
5th: Troy Morrow, Eastanollee, Ga., five bass, 10-5, $460
5th: Jim Jarvis, Timberville, Va., three bass, 10-5, $460
7th: Brian Mullaney, New Market, Md., five bass, 10-4, $400
8th: Kermit Crowder, Matoaca, Va., five bass, 10-0, $510
9th: Dennis Middleton, Madison Heights, Va., five bass, 9-15, $320
10th: Travis Lugar, McGaheysville, Va., five bass, 9-12
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Svec caught a bass weighing 6 pounds, 3 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $240.
Shawn Huwar of Fredericksburg, Virginia, won the Co-angler Division and $1,320 Saturday after catching four bass weighing 11 pounds, 6 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Shawn Huwar, Fredericksburg, Va., four bass, 11-6, $1,320
2nd: Costas Melendez, Shenandoah, Va., four bass, 8-15, $600
3rd: Michael Taylor, Providence Forge, Va., five bass, 8-10, $600
4th: Jeff Mellott, Warfordsburg, Pa., five bass, 7-10, $280
5th: Keith Allen, Sumerduck, Va., five bass, 7-6, $240
6th: John Poos, Manassas, Va., four bass, 7-5, $420
7th: Hayward Thaxton III, Emmitsburg, Md., three bass, 6-14, $200
8th: Barker Plake, Hodges, S.C., three bass, 6-4, $180
9th: John Castro, Lorton, Va., three bass, 6-1, $160
10th: Timothy Patch, Lorton, Va., two bass, 5-14
Huwar also caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 4 pounds, 10 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $120.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Hartwell in Seneca, South Carolina, presented by Navionics. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
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.
Canterbury Takes Toyota Bonus Bucks at the St. Lawrence River
Luke Stoner - Dynamic Sponsorships
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Scott Canterbury is leaving Waddington, New York heading towards Cayuga Lake with an extra $3,000 of Toyota Bonus Bucks in his wallet thanks to a 3rd place finish this weekend on the St. Lawrence River.
This marks the second time in the 2019 season Canterbury has been the highest finishing participant of the popular contingency program, he earned another Bonus Bucks check for his second place efforts on Winyah Bay a few months ago.
While Canterbury would have loved to capture his first Elite Series trophy this weekend, or back on Winyah Bay, he would gladly trade them both for the Toyota Angler of the Year title at the end of the season. Canterbury currently holds a 17-point lead in the AOY race over Elite Series veteran Bill Lowen.
Canterbury told Bassmaster emcee Dave Mercer he was “just trying to survive” coming in to the St. Lawrence River and keep himself in contention for the Angler of the Year trophy. He had never fished a tournament on this fishery and was nervous the unfamiliarity along with strong currents might throw him a curveball.
The Odenville, Alabama pro drop shotted either a Set the Hook Stumpy Crush Worm and a Drifter to trick 84-lbs and 8-ounces of fat St. Lawrence River smallmouth over the course of four days. Canterbury experimented with several different weight and P-Line Tactical Fluorocarbon line sizes each day until he dialed in what the fish preferred to seize his second top five finish of the 2019 season.
One thing Canterbury wasn’t at all concerned about surviving the 1200-mile haul from Alabama to the St. Lawrence River was his Toyota Tundra. Toyota’s reliability is one of Canterbury’s favorite qualities of his tow vehicle.
“I never have to worry about my truck,” Canterbury said. “As long as you keep up with routine maintenance that thing is smooth and steady. It tows my Skeeter Boat like a dream and gets me to the lake without concern. That peace of mind is extremely important.”
Canterbury left the St. Lawrence River boat ramp with his foot on the pedal of his lead in the Toyota Angler of the Year race and of his Tundra, heading to Cayuga Lake in hopes of keeping the momentum rolling forward.
For more information on the Toyota Bonus Bucks program, follow this link: https://www.toyotatrucksbonusbucks.com/. There you’ll find a full list of sponsored bass and walleye events, including numerous team trail and regional tournaments. If talking on the phone suits you more than surfing the web, give (918) 742-6424 a call and ask for Kendell.
POLLAK WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE TOURNAMENT ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT PRAIRIE DU CHIEN
Minnesota’s Krienke Claims Co-Angler Award
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, Wis. (Aug. 19, 2019) – Boater Joe Pollak of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, won the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Great Lakes Division tournament on the Mississippi River at Prairie du Chien Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 1 ounce. For his win, Pollack netted $4,586.
“I was able to catch a limit fairly quick fishing between the middle and the north side of Pool No. 9, south of Lansing,” said Pollak, who logged his second career victory in BFL competition – both on the Mississippi River. “I had a bunch of spots that had schools of fish on them – probably a dozen or so points that were current-related.”
Pollack said he fished in 1 to 5 feet of water, casting a ¼-ounce white and chartreuse-colored Dirty Jigs swimjig with a 4-inch white Zoom Paddle Tail swimbait trailer, as well as some reaction baits including a white Heddon Zara Spook Jr.
“Around 11 [a.m.], I locked back down to [Pool No.] 10 and sat on another current-related point on the north end and was able to cull out two or three fish using the same baits,” said Pollak. “I upgraded by about 2 pounds which gave me enough to win the tournament.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Joe Pollak, Lake Geneva, Wis., five bass, 15-1, $4,586
2nd: Mike Brueggen, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 15-0, $1,793
3rd: Brian Fitzpatrick, La Crosse, Wis., five bass, 14-10, $1,554
4th: Kyler Chelminiak, Franklin, Wis., five bass, 14-9, $1,090
5th: Kyle Von Ruden, Stoddard, Wis., five bass, 14-6, $677
6th: Robby Tufte, Fountain City, Wis., five bass, 14-5, $771
7th: Terry Fitzpatrick, Waukon, Iowa, five bass, 13-15, $536
7th: Steven Johnson, Lake Villa, Ill., five bass, 13-15, $536
9th: Curtis Samo, Rochelle, Ill., five bass, 13-10, $451
10th: Jeff Ritter, Prairie du Chien, Wis., five bass, 13-9, $395
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Fitzpatrick caught a bass weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $425.
Kory Krienke of Annandale, Minnesota, won the Co-angler Division and $1,893 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 12 pounds, 4 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Kory Krienke, Annandale, Minn., five bass, 12-4, $1,893
2nd: Bradley Thacher, Preston, Minn., five bass, 11-8, $846
3rd: Alan Bernicky, Joliet, Ill., five bass, 11-5, $764
4th: Rene Luis, Chicago, Ill., five bass, 11-3, $395
5th: Richard Conrad, Arcadia, Wis., five bass, 11-0, $439
6th: Thomas Roberts, Waunakee, Wis., five bass, 10-7, $310
7th: Josh Mohn, Lansing, Iowa, five bass, 10-4, $282
8th: Mike Toft, Belleville, Wis., five bass, 9-12, $254
9th: Joe Perez, Chanhassen, Minn., five bass, 9-8, $226
10th: Matt Finkeldei, Davenport, Iowa, five bass, 9-6, $198
Jared Greninger of Byron, Illinois, caught the heaviest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 3 pounds, 11 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $212.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 17-19 BFL Regional Championship on Kentucky and Barkley lakes in Buchanan, Tennessee, presented by Evinrude. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
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.