Bass Pro Shops Title Sponsor of American Bass Anglers
Athens, AL (December 13, 2018) - Bass Pro Shops and American Bass Anglers announced today a multiyear partnership to provide more avenues for weekend anglers across the country. Bass Pro Shops will become the Title Sponsor of American Bass Anglers and will support a new 150hp bass tournament trail. As North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company, Bass Pro Shops is a recognized leader in supporting grassroots weekend anglers and growing the sport of fishing and attracting new audiences to enjoy the outdoors.
“Bass Pro Shops is excited to support American Bass Anglers as part of our ongoing commitment to inspire everyone to enjoy, love and conserve the great outdoors,” said Christine Wamsley, Bass Pro Shops Director of Partnerships and Events. “American Bass Anglers play an important role in helping more amateurs discover fishing and we’re excited to further align with them through these new events.”
“Bass Pro Shops have continually provided support to outdoor enthusiast with the tools that fuels the passion of countless people worldwide. We are very proud to work with a partner who puts the future of the sport and the outdoors in the forefront. They have been a lifelong supporter of the weekend angler both offering a broad selection of angling tools plus supporting fishing conservation. Included in this partnership will be the formation of the new 150hp and below Team Bass Tournaments, designed to offer the weekend anglers and pleasure fishermen the opportunity to compete on a level playing field,” said Morris Sheehan, President of American Bass Anglers.
About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”
About American Bass Anglers
American Bass Anglers is the largest tournament organization for the weekend angler. American Bass Anglers operates the American Fishing Tour, the ABA Open Series, the 100% Team Trail, the American Couples Series and the annual Military Team Bass Tournament. Each tour is designed specifically for the weekend angler, offering low-cost and close-to-home events where anglers can qualify for a large year end championship. For more information on American Bass Anglers, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
AC Insider Podcast Featuring Classic Qualifier Matt Robertson & Elite Rookie Quentin Cappo & MLF, BASS, FLW & PETA News.
The boys are back with special guest Matt "On 'em" Robertson to talk about his Team Championship Classic Qualification. They also welcome in Elite Series Rookie Quentin Cappo to talk about his upcoming Rookie Season. The boys talk MLF/BASS & FLW News, More PETA Stuff, Weird Pirate crap and more!
MLF Bass Pro Tour Names Texas' Lake Conroe Its Second Destination
Perhaps the most game-changing rule implemented by the anglers to date is when they voted to have no entry fees for participation in the 2019 Bass Pro Tour events.
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"We control our own destiny, and that's what makes Major League Fishing and this new tour so unique," said MLF pro Gary Klein, a Texas-resident and co-founder of the league and the Bass Pro Tour. "We see competitive bass fishing as a major league sport and that's the basis for all of our decisions going forward. As for the Conroe destination, I can't be more pleased than to have a Texas lake become one of our earliest stops in 2019."
Rookie Blog - Hunter Freeman - I'm Ready to Get Going!
Photos Courtesy of Jason Duran & FLW
Looking back on last season the FLW Cup was a fun event for me. It was really tough fishing and the weights showed it. I admit it wasn’t the finish I wanted. Going into the Cup everybody said before I left home, you’re not expected to do anything. It was kind of like do your best. That lit a fire under me, and I looked to it as a way to show out. Everybody was expecting me to bomb, but I finished mid pack. I think it was a good event for me.
College fishing was the biggest thing I had ever fished. I’m just 21 years old, and my first pro tournament was the Super Bowl of bass fishing. It was like I didn’t really get a warm up. So, looking back on that event it was not a disappointment. I was really happy with the finish in my first ever professional level tournament.
When the Cup was over, I came home and fished everyday just like before the Cup. I was really going hard at it and spent a couple days on Rayburn. Getting time back out on the water was important for me. Then I was presented an opportunity I couldn’t pass. The chance to fish at the next level is something I have always dreamed of. I went to college to get a degree but obviously I wanted to fish. The ultimate goal was to win one of the brackets to get the inside track to fish at the next level. When it happened, I said this is my shot! I kind of had the spotlight and ran with it while I had it. The opportunity to fish the FLW Tour is an opportunity of a lifetime for me, and this year I am looking forward to fishing the Tour.
I took a two month break from fishing to spend some time in the woods and with family. Since hunting season has started I have been doing a lot of hunting. I have seen one buck on a camera at my buddy’s place, and I’ve been wasting a lot of time up there trying to get that buck in the day light. I haven’t been able to get a shot yet.
Zach Birge, former tour pro, current tour pro Jordan Osborne and a few more buddies and I made a cross country hunting trip to North Dakota to shoot some ducks. We all really had a lot of fun.
While at home I have been trying to get everything finalized for next year. I have been working on contracts designing a boat wrap. The new Basscat boat is rigged, so it is now time to get the pedal to the metal again and back out on the water every day (or at least 5 or 6 days a week).
I am really excited to have the new Mercury 4 Stroke on my boat this year. Recently, I fished the Toyota owners tournament and had the opportunity to drive the new Mercury 4 Stroke. Let me just say that new motor is mean! When you turn the key it has a growl like a V8 Truck with a Flowmaster exhaust. I was impressed with the hole shot and the power. I am the biggest fan of Mercury ProXS 2 stroke there ever was. I put 1200 hours on one before, and it was solid. Just like the 2 stroke, the 4 stroke really matches up in power. The top end speed is blazing fast. I like how it sounds so mean on the low end, but as you get on the top end, it’s quiet so all you hear is the wind.
I am gearing up for the FLW Tour for 2019. I looked at the schedule in previous years and there were a lot of clear water and shaky head type tournaments. It looks like this year will be made up mostly of big line and big baits. The first 4 or 5 are all grass lakes. I am especially excited about kicking it off a Rayburn, a lake where I have had success and experience in the past. I couldn’t ask for a better place to begin my pro career. I am going to start with a clean slate and go off what the fish are doing- not how I caught them a year or two ago. I know you don’t want to bomb your first day as a pro so I’m going to try and take the right approach to start off right and not spin myself out. Since I’ve never been to Toho, I’ve been doing a lot of map study and video watching from the past trying to prepare for that lake.
There are a lot of names on the rookie field for next year that I know. Four of them are guys I fished against in college, including Corey Neece. I didn’t sleep at all the night before the last day of the national championship because Corey was on the team right behind us, and they were the only team whose weight went up each day. Corey will be one to look out for. Nick LeBrun will also be a guy to watch for. He won the All-America and did well in the FLW CUP. For me I think fishing the Cup, getting the monkey off my back, gaining the experience and not being nervous give me the drive to do well and desire to get back at it. I said when I left Hot Springs “I gotta get back here!”
My goals for next year are to cash a check in every event- the biggest one being ROY. AOY would be great, but you only get one chance to be ROY. The third goal would be to make the FLW Cup again.
Angler Blog with Luke Estel - The Bassmaster Team Championship
Luke Estel
My partner Josh and I qualified for the Bassmaster Team Championship on the Harris Chain of Lakes by winning the Anglers Choice Classic in March held on Lake Guntersville. I had visited the Harris Chain before but the times I was there the events were held in January where the bass are typically spawning. Early December would fish much different so we set out on our two and a half day practice with absolutely no clue on what to do. We started fishing a few shell beds I had previously found and immediately started catching some fish but they were small. We did scan one area where Chopper found some bass using our side scan where he caught one three pounder and had several more bites. After our practice had ended we decided to start at that on spot and see what we could do. As our boat number was called, we raced across the lake to the spot and 
realized it was unfishable. The four and five foot waves made it impossible for me to even stand on the front deck and even the spot lock couldn’t stay in the water. The few other spots we had found were the same way. I started kicking myself for not finding areas that the wind wouldn’t have affected us that much but we didn’t. We ended up catching four small ones that weighed a whopping four pounds. Good enough for 165thplace after day one. The next morning we decided to explore some new water in hopes of finding the mother load. At 1:30 we were fishless and Chopper asked if we should just go hit our spot so we could at least catch some fish. I sat the boat down on our waypoint and Chopper’s eyes lit up. “They are here and they are big!” He said. I nonchalantly agreed as we worked down the bank. I caught 3 small keepers real quick and then what I thought could never happened, happened. The bite was not hard but it felt good. I set the hook into what felt like a cinder black. “There is no way this is a bass.” I said to Chopper. Chopper looked at me and said, “It’s a giant, I know it is.” The fish jumped completely out of the water and I thought I was going to pass out. I had a ten pounder on!! Of course, we don’t like to carry a net in the boat so I played her around so Chopper could reach her, She surged and I hit my button only to realize my reel wouldn’t engage back.” If I lose this fish, we are putting it on the trailer!” I yelled. The real finally engaged and I brought her back to the boat and Chopper grabbed it. We were screaming and hugging. I had never seen a fish that big before in my life. In fact, she was so big I could hardly get her in my livewell. At 27 inches long and the mouth the size of a volleyball, it didn’t seem real. “Well, that helps, let’s get another one.” Chopper said calmly. About that time another boat pulled up within a 100 yards of us fishing the same stuff we were. And let me tell you, they put on a clinic. They were catching them so fast it was impressive to watch. As we stood there watching I got another bite and this time it was a five. Ten minutes later Chopper catches a 4 and a 2.5. Then it was time to go. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. We got to the weigh in and my big fish wouldn’t even fit in the bag. When she settled on the scales, it read 9.5 pounds! Our entire limit weighed 22 pounds. We ended up winning day 2 big bass and moved all the way up to 33rdplace. The team that we watched catch all those bass had 29 pounds and the boater won the entire event on that spot catching another 26 and 32 pounds off of it. What an amazing spot and we had found it all by ourselves. I just wish we would have had more time but that’s fishing and plus, I caught my personal best. All of our fish came off a Strike King Rage Cut-R worm. Not only did we not give up, we got to experience a day that will be hard to beat. Remember, It’s just fishing.
GEORGIA STUDENT ANGLERS WINS BASS PRO SHOPS FLW HIGH SCHOOL FISHING LAKE SEMINOLE OPEN
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. (Dec. 10, 2018) – The Georgia Student Anglers duo of Jackson Conley of Bainbridge, Georgia, and Brunson Fain of Donalsonville, Georgia, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 17 pounds, 3 ounces to win the 2018 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Lake Seminole Open presented by Berkley.
According to post-tournament reports, the duo caught their fish in the Flint River, slow-rolling a blue and gray-colored spinnerbait over the rocky bottom.
A field of 25 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from Wingate’s Lodge in Bainbridge. In FLW/TBF High School Fishing competition, the top 10-percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.
The top two teams on Lake Seminole that advanced to the 2019 High School Fishing National Championship were:
1st: Georgia Student Anglers – Jackson Conley, Bainbridge, Ga., and Brunson Fain, Donalsonville, Ga., five bass, 17-3
2nd: Quincy Junior Bass Club – Brent Johns, Quincy, Fla., and C.J. Lockamy, Southport, Fla., five bass, 13-4
Rounding out the top 10 were:
3rd: Gordon Lee High School, Chickamauga, Ga. – Nickolas Barnes, Chickamauga, Ga., and Devon Underwood, Rock Springs, Ga., five bass, 12-7
4th: Bainbridge High School, Bainbridge, Ga. – Reece Conley and Ashton Aldridge, both of Bainbridge, Ga., three bass, 11-0
5th: Quincy Junior Bass Club – Niki Smith, Quincy, Fla., and Bodie Lachina, Lynn Haven, Fla., five bass, 10-3
6th: North Mississippi Student Anglers – Parker Maples and Kade Minor, both of Amory, Miss., four bass, 9-13
7th: Marietta High School, Marietta, Ga. – Lee Rose Koza and Carter Koza, both of Marietta, Ga., three bass, 9-0
8th: Shelby County Fishing Team – Ethan King, Wilsonville, Ala., and Tyler Cain, Bessemer, Ala., five bass, 8-5
9th: Quincy Junior Bass Club – Riley McKamey, Tallahassee, Fla., and Tommy Dunaway, Havana, Fla., two bass, 7-8
10th: Temple High School, Temple, Ga. – Elijah Nixon and Dawson Stripling, both of Temple Ga., three bass, 6-15
Complete results and photos of the top five finishers from the event can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The 2018 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Lake Seminole Open Presented by Berkley was a two-person (team) event for students in grades 7-12, open to any Student Angler Federation (SAF) affiliated high school club in the United States. The top 10 percent of each Challenge, Open, and state championship field will advance to the 2019 High School Fishing National Championship on a body of water that has yet to be revealed. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.
In addition to the High School Fishing National Championship, all High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest open high school bass tournament, the 2019 High School Fishing World Finals, held in conjunction with the National Championship. At the 2018 World Finals more than $150,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded.
Full schedules and the latest announcements are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and FLWFishing.com.
McKendree University Takes Over the Top Spot Heading into Winter Break
Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia Releases the Latest Rankings
The fall tournament season has concluded, and results are final for the remaining events of the semester. In the most recent update to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia, a major shakeup has occurred toward the top of the standings. Adrian College no longer sits in the number one spot. After holding that position since the 2018-19 season started, Adrian relinquishes their lead due in part to the overwhelming success of McKendree University.
McKendree University managed to edge out second place by just 60 points to become the current leader in the School of the Year race. A strong fall season is what has propelled the Illinois based team to the top spot of college fishing’s most prestigious title. “We are absolutely thrilled to be sitting in such a great position going into the spring season! The School of the Year competition is loaded with outstanding teams and anglers from all over the country, so we are really excited about where we are,” says Jon Rinderer, Bass Fishing Coach at McKendree University.
Recent performances this fall can be credited for this climb into the number one spot. At the AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open in October, McKendree University earned a total of 905 points. This point total is more than double that of what the former leaders, Adrian College, gained at Lake Dardanelle. The team’s performance at that event in October helped McKendree to close the gap near the top of the leaderboard.
Entering the 2018-19 season, the Association of Collegiate Anglers announced a number of changes in regard to points distribution as it pertains to the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year presented by Abu Garcia. To view those rules, CLICK HERE.
Here is a brief highlight of two of the major changes: school run events become more valuable, and for major ACA events points are paid out to only 100th place. The intent of these changes was to create an even more competitive race for the School of the Year title. Up to this point in the season, we are witnessing just that.
Very seldom do we see a margin as close as this towards the top of the leaderboard. McKendree University currently holds a 60-point lead over Adrian College. Take a quick look at the points breakdown and you can instantly see where McKendree is capitalizing on each opportunity. From local school run events, to major ACA ran tournaments, they have managed to accumulate valuable points. “As with any competition, being active and having consistent finishes is the key to be number one, whether it be a school run event or one of the major events,” notes coach Jon Rinderer.
As was noted above, the new changes to the program lend themselves to a great deal of success but can also magnify a poor performance. This is something the schools need to be aware of as the season progresses adds Rinderer, “Also, with this year’s changes in the points system at both school run events and the major tournaments, there is the possibility of not scoring any points at all if you don’t do well. Therefore, consistently performing well is more important than ever.”
Although the season is entering the second half of the year, there are still numerous opportunities for teams to make a run at the title. In ACA events alone, there are three more tournaments. Each one will present the opportunity to earn double points as well. A good start to the year may not ensure a victory in the School of the Year race, but it provides a team with much needed confidence to go out and compete in hopes of taking home the title. “With being ranked number one in SOY, it brings great momentum heading into spring. We will all have the mindset to finish the year off strong and to maintain the number one spot,” says sophomore Nate Doty.
Sitting in second place is the aforementioned Adrian College. After a long run in the number one slot, the Michigan based anglers have dropped one spot. Right behind them in third is Murray State University. The top three teams are separated by only 150 points.
Here’s a look at the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year Top 20:
- McKendree University (Lebanon, IL)
- Adrian College (Adrian, MI)
- Murray State University (Murray, KY)
- Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI)
- Bethel University (McKenzie, TN)
- University of Louisiana – Monroe (Monroe, LA)
- Arkansas Tech University (Russellville, AR)
- Bemidji State University (Bemidji, MN)
- Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK)
- Bryan College (Dayton, TN)
- Campbellsville University (Campbellsville, KY)
- Northwestern State University (Natchitoches, LA)
- Blue Mountain College (Blue Mountain, MS)
- Auburn University (Auburn, AL)
- West Virginia University (Morgantown, WV)
- Sam Houston State (Huntsville, TX)
- University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)
- University of Missouri (Columbia, MO)
- Charles Community College (Cottleville, MO)
- University of Montevallo
To view the complete standings for the Bass Pro Shops School of the Year Presented by Abu Garcia, CLICK HERE.
Registration Opens For The Bassmaster Marshal Program
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Team Tournament Angler Fulfills Dream To Qualify For The Bassmaster Classic
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Robertson Takes Lead For Bassmaster Classic Spot With Huge Limit From Lake Harris
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Anglers Choice Team Goes From Alternates To Winners In Bassmaster Team Championship
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Wisconsin Bass Team Grabs First-Round Lead In Bassmaster Team Championship In Florida
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AC Insider Podcast Featuring Elite Series Rookie Garrette Paquette & Longtime Friend Don Barone
This week the Boys welcome in Elite Series Rookie and Classic Qualifier Garrett Paquette as we get to know the rookies on tour this year. They also talk with Outdoor Writer and longtime friend Don Barone about his foundation in Tackle the Storm and his newest ventures. Chris talks Progressive Bass Wrap Up and Jason looks ahead in the Costa Countdown to blastoff. All of this and more on the AC Insider Podcast!
Engel Coolers Renews Partnership with the ACA and Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series for the 2019 Season
The Association of Collegiate Anglers and Engel Coolers have announced their renewed partnership with the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. As a sponsor of the Series, Engel Coolers will support collegiate anglers nationally at each of the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series events along with continuing their discount program.
“As the Series continues to grow, Engel is excited to grow with it. We’re proud to count ourselves among the impressive group of partners that support an equally impressive collective of anglers,” said Mike Dixon, Vice President of Engel Coolers.
“These young men and women are excellent representatives for the sport and critical to the future of boating and fishing. Not only are they ideally suited to convey their passion for fishing to other youth in their community, they are tremendous ambassadors for environmental stewardship, boating safety, and angling etiquette,” continued Dixon.
Engel Coolers has designed a line of heavy duty coolers that are built for more than just keeping things cold. Rugged, Durable, High Performance Marine Coolers; insulated, spill-proof drinkware; lightweight cooler/dry boxes; soft-side coolers; and AC/DC Fridge Freezers are just some of the products that we have become known for. If your outdoor adventure or recreation require a heavy duty cooler solution, look no further. When the heat cranks up, Engel is here to cool things down. Adventurers, fisherman, hunters, and campers the world over rely on Engel high performance, heavy duty coolers.
In addition, Engel will continue their discount program for the 2019 season. Engel will be offering collegiate anglers a 35% discount on their purchase of Engel products. Anglers are encouraged to take advantage of the many sponsor and incentive programs from a wide range of distinguished Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series sponsors, and the ACA. To receive your discount, please send an email request from your school email to [email protected].
“I’ve used Engel Coolers in the field and on the water, as well as anywhere I need a cooler to keep things cool – it’s never failed me. You’ll see us working with Engel in a variety of videos as well coming up on how to use them to assist in fishery care as well. We’re excited to continue our partnership with Engel Coolers and to continue to introduce the lineup of Engel products to collegiate anglers,” said Wade Middleton, Director for the Association of Collegiate Anglers and President of CarecoTV.
COVERCRAFT® Announces Title Sponsorship of Bradley Roy
PAULS VALLEY, OK – November 30, 2018 – Today Covercraft announced a title sponsorship of Major League FishingTMprofessional angler Bradley Roy. A three-time Bassmaster ClassicTMqualifier, the Lancaster, KY resident is currently 10th in BassFan’s world rankings.
“We are thrilled to become Bradley Roy’s title sponsor,” said Covercraft Director of Marketing Jeff Jegelewicz. “Not only is he a Top-10 angler, but he’s dedicated to giving back to the community through charitable events and programs. This speaks volumes about his character, and we feel he represents the Covercraft brand exceptionally well.”
One part of Roy’s commitment to his community is the annual Bradley Roy High School Open fishing tournament. Aspiring anglers from his home state open their fishing season each year looking to earn their place in high school fishing’s biggest national events. Beginning in 2019, the Bradley Roy Open will also add Covercraft as the title sponsor. “We attended the 2018 high school event and were extremely impressed. High school fishing is a huge deal for these kids and their parents and mentors. We want to put our support squarely behind them,” said Jegelewicz. A video chronicling the most-recent Open is posted on Roy’s YouTube page here - https://bit.ly/2P4RjSp
Roy also gives back to those who have fought for freedom. Through a partnership with Louisville-based USA Cares (www.usacares.org), Roy has hosted six benefit tournaments to assist the organization with its efforts to provide financial and advocacy assistance to post-9/11 active duty US military service personnel, veterans, and their families. Two more tournaments are scheduled for 2019. Covercraft will continue its support of these events as well. Life-to-date, the events have raised over $30,000.
Covercraft branding will be the focus of Roy’s truck, boat, and jersey for 2019 - but the sponsorship goes beyond that. With the support of Covercraft and the associate sponsors, Roy will be hosting a sweepstakes for one angler to fish with him and attend the 2019 Covercraft Bradley Roy High School Open. Covercraft will outfit the lucky winner’s vehicle with their products bumper to bumper. More information and how to enter will be available in 2019.
About Covercraft
Covercraft Industries, LLC is the leading branded manufacturer of Automotive, Marine and Recreational Vehicle protection products, as well as a market leader in outdoor protection products for Home and Garden. Covercraft’s product offerings include full vehicle covers, seat covers, front end masks, dashboard covers, window sunscreens, patio furniture and outdoor kitchen covers and other products and preserve and protect. The company focuses on custom
Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Announces Inaugural Event Top Competitive Bass Fishing League Selects Kissimmee, Fla., to Kick Off Season
Amazon Alexa can now connect to Big Mouth Billy Bass!!!
Remember Big Mouth Billy Bass? That strange wall-mounted fish from the '90s that sings "Take Me to the River?"
Well, now it connects to Amazon Alexa's voice assistant, and its lips will move in-sync with Alexa's voice commands.
The fish can respond to inquiries about the weather, your commute, news, random facts and more. Oh, and it will sing an original song this time called "Fishin' Time."
It's available on Amazon for $39.99 and will be released on Dec. 1.
The fish was first hacked by artist Brian Kane two years ago. Video of his altered talking fish went viral, garnering almost 2 million views.
To read the whole story click Here
Final Bassmaster Classic Berth On The Line At Team Championship On Harris Chain
November 28, 2018
LEESBURG, Fla. — The 2018 B.A.S.S. tournament schedule that began in January and crisscrossed the country through 17 states over 10 months will reach its conclusion with the Bassmaster Team Championship on Dec. 5-8 at Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes.
The event will determine the final berth for the 2019 Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, which is scheduled for March 15-17 in Knoxville, Tenn.
Qualified teams from around the globe will compete for two days next week to determine the national team champions. Then the six anglers from the Top 3 teams will fish solo the final two days in the Team Championship Classic Fish-Off, with the winner earning a trip to the Classic.
“It’s a pretty amazing thing to think that you’ll have teams from Arizona, Texas, Ohio — all over the country — and they’ll be competing for a chance to take part in pro fishing’s pinnacle event,” said Clifford Pirch, a Bassmaster Elite Series pro from Arizona who has fished the Classic five times. “I don’t care what part of the country you come from, that’s the deal you’ve always dreamed of being a part of.”
Some competitors will be traveling from other countries. Also competing in the championship are three teams from South Africa and one from Australia. To qualify, two-angler teams representing sanctioned team trails had to finish near the top of their respective circuit’s championship or team of the year race.
Daily takeoffs will be at 6:45 a.m. ET from Ski Beach Park in Leesburg, and weigh-ins will be held at the park each day at 2:45 p.m.
Counting the team qualifier, the Classic field will feature 52 anglers, including Alabama pro Jordan Lee, who receives an automatic berth as the defending champion, and Drew Benton of Florida, who punched his ticket by winning the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest benefiting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in May.
Seven anglers also qualified through the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens circuit, along with one from the Carhartt College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, three from the Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors, three from the Mossy Oak Fishing Classic Bracket and 35 from the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings.
Pirch finished 28th in the AOY standings to qualify for the Classic for the sixth time. He’s finished in the Top 20 three times at the Classic, including a 13th-place showing at South Carolina’s Lake Hartwell last year.
He’s also had some success on the Harris Chain, where the final berth will be decided. In 2012, he finished second in a Southern Open held on the fishery with a three-day total of 58 pounds, 1 ounce.
“That tournament was in January, and when it actually warmed up, I saw a lot of really big fish,” Pirch said. “Then we had a little hiccup with the weather, had a cold night. So it wasn’t quite as wide open as it could have been.
“But I definitely saw the potential of the place.”
Pirch offered some advice to the anglers taking part in the Team Championship.
“Anywhere in the Southeastern United States this time of year, I would really be looking for that little bit of clearer water and better grass,” he said. “There’s always that zone that seems to be healthier than a lot of other places.
“There are plenty of big fish in those lakes, and if you can find areas like that, you should find some of those fish.”
Pirch said it’s also important for team anglers who may not be used to fishing under such enormous pressure to remember it’s a fishing tournament, just like any other.
“You’re fishing for a Classic berth, and that’s an exciting thing for any angler,” he said. “But in the end, it’s about catching the five biggest fish you can every day. Whatever happens will happen one day at a time.”
Bass Pro Shops Becomes Title Sponsor of Collegiate Bass Fishing Series and School of Year Program
SAN ANTONIO, TX (November 28, 2018) — The Association of Collegiate Anglers and the Collegiate Bass Fishing Series are proud to announce their new partnership with Bass Pro Shops. Under the agreement, Bass Pros Shops will become the title sponsor of the Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, as well as the title sponsor of the Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley event and the prestigious School of the Year program.
Bass Pro Shops was founded in 1972 by avid young angler Johnny Morris on eight-square-feet of space in the back of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri. In 2017, Bass Pro Shops united with Cabela’s to create North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company with 200 retail and marine centers and a commitment to inspire everyone to enjoy, love and conserve the great outdoors.
“Bass Pro Shops founder and conservationist Johnny Morris is passionate about introducing new audiences to the sport of fishing,” said Christine Wamsley, Director of Sponsorships for Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s. “We’re excited to contribute to the rising popularity of collegiate fishing as part of our broader efforts to connect more people to nature.”
With the series title sponsorship, Bass Pro Shops will also take over as the title sponsor of the most sought-after title in college fishing, the School of the Year program. As part of the School of the Year program, Bass Pro Shops and the ACA will continue to support a growing number of sanctioned school-run events across the nation this season, as well as major events on the national level.
In addition, Bass Pro Shops will also continue the angler favorite discount card which will be available to collegiate anglers who fish the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series in 2019. More information can be found on the Discount and Incentives page.
The 2019 Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series consists of four nationally televised tournaments , including the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, which are scheduled for the following dates:
- Texas Lunker Challenge presented by Mossy Oak Elements – Sam Rayburn Reservoir – February 3, 2019
- Bass Pro Shops Big Bass Bash presented by Berkley – Kentucky Lake – March 9-10, 2019
- BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops – Pickwick Lake – May 23-24, 2019
- AFTCO Collegiate Bass Open – Lake Dardanelle – October 25-26, 2019
For more information about the Bass Pro Shops Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, please visit www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com.
Tiny Fastach Clip Offers HUGE Advantages
Vance McCullough
There’s nothing dry about a kayak. And space is limited.
These are two of the drawbacks that make the sport of kayak fishing a great challenge, especially in cold weather.
A tiny piece of hardware answers both problems.
In winter, wet hands make it difficult to tie knots. Clips and snaps can be arduous to open and close with cold, shaky hands – and nearly impossible with gloves.
Yet, constant retying is common in kayaks where anglers can’t spread 20 rods across the deck as they can in a big motorboat. That glass rod you crank with may be the same one you tie a jerkbait to when the bite slows down and you have to do so as well.
Also, many lures perform better with a clip or split ring than when tied directly to line.
Enter the Mustad KVD Fastach Clip. A twist and a pull will remove a lure and then allow you to attach the next one as quickly.
Maybe even as quickly as Kevin VanDam.
A twist connection on one end lets you swap-out lures with the simple turn of the wrist. No retying needed. Made with the same quality as Mustad's premium hooks, the Mustad KVD Fastach Clip provides a secure connection. The increased efficiency means more time spent fishing.
This will also allow you to cut down the number of rods you need to cram into your kayak while greatly expanding your lure choices because, let’s face it, no matter how many plugs you stuff into a box, if it takes too long to change one for another, you won’t do it.
The Fastach Clip broadens your options.
Again, it is easy to use with cold or wet hands. Traditional clips are too small and stiff for my fingers, so I just retie – something I’ve become good at. I can’t, however retie as fast as I can twist and pull. Cold weather lure changes are nothing to dread now. I can dial-in the best lure choice much more quickly.
That’s important when winter fish are being finicky.
The Mustad KVD Fastach Clip is offered in 4 sizes and comes packaged by the dozen for about three bucks a pack.
Thump Cold-Water Bass. Don’t Rattle Them.
Vance McCullough
As waters cool, big bass get active again. Fish that have hidden beneath impenetrable cover or sulked in the depths and refused to bite your bait are suddenly putting on the feed bag.
As late fall becomes winter, now is a great time to catch big bass. In fact, a deep freeze will stun shad and other baitfish. Strong predators take advantage of such situations.
When conditions are a tad bit adverse, or bass have simply heard lures rattle past all summer, a subtler approach can make all the difference.
Then there’s this: Scientists tell us that as fish mature, they rely more heavily on their lateral line to locate food. This remote sensory organ is attuned to vibration rather than sound. And as fish mature, they generally grow larger.
Hence, bigger fish are more likely to eat a lure that thumps-out a low frequency vibration than one that rattles-out a high pitch sound and attracts the more abundant, smaller, ‘crumb-snatcher bass’ that rely more readily on their sense of hearing.
The adjustment could be as simple as switching to a tungsten-toting ‘trap’ instead of one loaded with the traditional bb’s.
Strike King’s Tungsten 2 Tap comes to mind. Another classic example would be Heddon’s One Knocker. 
And, since we’re looking for big bass, throw a big lure. Three-quarters of an ounce would work well. Don’t be afraid to throw the big lipless bait into shallow water. Grass should be thinned out enough this time of year that you can dip-and-rip a relatively heavy lure through it when the big girls visit the upper edge of the food shelf.
On one memorable trip I caught a 9-pounder in the morning and a 6-pounder in the afternoon, both from tufts of grass in 4 feet of water adjacent to the 30-foot depths from which the fish had slid up. The day before, my friend caught a giant from one of the very same grass clumps, about the size of a trash can. When they are ready to eat, they will sit up at the dinner table, usually in surprisingly shallow water.
While knocker-style plugs are great choices for low frequency fishing, you can cut the sound completely and send out good vibes only. Some flat-sided lures are devoid of any internal noise makers.
On the other hand, blade baits make for a superb change up.
The old school Silver Buddy or Gay Blade are about the size of a threadfin shad and will catch good numbers of fall and winter fish shallow or deep. I’ve successfully used them in holes and ditches on Lake Toho, the Saint Johns River and similar Florida waters during the cooler months.
The Steel Shad is a unique blade bait that comes in an unmatched variety of sizes to match the forage you want to imitate, including big ole gizzard shad and wild shiners – that would be the 2oz. XXL size. And as the folks at Steel Shad point out, “Our blade bait is designed to catch fish in 6 inches or 60 feet of water. It’s the only blade bait you will find that can run on the water’s surface.”
That’s a handy characteristic when cranking the flats for big cold weather bass.
AC Insider Podcast featuring the Man, the Myth, the Legend...Fat Cat Newton!!!
Still hungover from Thanksgiving Turkey and Football, The Boys check out the 2019 FLW Roster, Talk about some Tuesday giving opportunities and welcome in Social Media and YouTube sensation, The one and only, Fat Cat Newton! They talk fishing, Amish made Japanese swimsuits, Randy Flowers and more! This Episode is "Wall to Wall, Tree top Tall" It will be the best podcast you've ever heard. Check it out!
Links to Charities and Donation talked about in the show:
Go Fish For Me: Paradise California Camp Fire
Win The Bass Chaplains Boat - Chris Wells
FISHING LEAGUE WORLDWIDE ANNOUNCES 2019 FLW TOUR ANGLER ROSTER
MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 26, 2018) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today the complete professional angler roster for the upcoming 2019 FLW Tour season, the 24th season of the FLW Tour. The field will be showcased along the 2019 FLW Tour, which features seven regular-season tournaments around the country with competition kicking off at Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Jan. 10-13, in Brookeland, Texas, and culminating with the world championship of bass fishing – the FLW Cup at Lake Hamilton, Aug. 9-11, in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
There was enormous demand to compete on the 2019 FLW Tour, with 210 anglers registering for a slot on the prestigious tournament circuit in its final year of priority registration before switching to a strict qualifying process and a 150-pro field in 2020. To accommodate all anglers earning priority entry through the 2018 FLW Tour, Costa FLW series, T-H Marine BFL All-American, YETI FLW College Fishing National Championship and TBF National Championship plus sponsor entries, the 2019 FLW Tour field will feature 170 pros.
The top award at each qualifier is $125,000 with $300,000 going to the winner of the FLW Cup. Since the final field exceeds the published payout basis of 150 pros, FLW will survey all 170 participating pros to finalize the 2019 payout structure.
The 2019 FLW Tour roster is headlined by a stout contingent of bass-fishing heavyweights, including three-time Angler of the Year (AOY) and 2003 FLW Cup champion David Dudley of Lynchburg, Virginia, 2015 AOY and 2011 FLW Cup champion Scott Martin of Clewiston, Florida, and two-time Angler of the Year Bryan Thrift of Shelby, North Carolina. They’ll be joined by bass-fishing legends Jimmy Houston of Cookson, Oklahoma, and Larry Nixon of Quitman, Arkansas, as well as three former FLW Cup champions – John Cox (2016), Brad Knight (2015) and Darrel Robertson (2002). James Niggemeyer of Van, Texas, the 2019 FLW Cup runner-up, and rising star Luke Dunkin of Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, are also among the top contenders for 2019. The 2019 Tour will also feature 34 rookies from around the country.
“With the demand we saw this year to join the FLW Tour, we couldn’t be more eager to kick off another season at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in January,” said Bill Taylor, FLW’s Senior Director of Tournament Operations. “FLW has long been the home to some of the most decorated bass anglers in the sport, and with the expanded live coverage at all of our Tour events this year, we are more than ready to show off their skills at some of the best fisheries in the world.”
In FLW Tour competition anglers are vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2019 FLW Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The 2019 FLW Cup will be held on Lake Hamilton and is being hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs.
For complete details and updated information, visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishingand on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
2019 FLW Tour Anglers
Jason Abram Piney Flats, Tenn.
Randy Allen Gilliam, La.
Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, Okla.
Evan Barnes Hot Springs, Ark.
Clayton Batts Butler, Ga.
*Bradford Beavers Summerville, S.C.
Matt Becker Finleyville, Pa.
Bob Behrle Hoover, Ala.
Daryl Biron South Windsor, Conn.
Randy Blaukat Joplin, Mo.
Greg Bohannan Bentonville, Ark.
Terry Bolton Benton, Ky.
Lionel Botha Malabar, Fla.
*Bailey Boutries Daphne, Ala.
Jay Brainard Enid, Okla.
Christopher Brasher Longview, Texas
Jimmy Brewer Marshall, Texas
Aaron Britt Yuba City, Calif.
Grae Buck Harleysville, Pa.
*Miles Burghoff Hixson, Tenn.
Tim Cales Sandstone, W. Va.
*Jonathan Canada Helena, Ala.
Robert Case Jr. Point, Texas
Todd Castledine Nacogdoches, Texas
Russell Cecil Willis, Texas
Ryan Chandler Hebron, Ind.
Glenn Chappelear Acworth, Ga.
*Jason Christy Dadeville, Ala.
Joey Cifuentes Clinton, Ark.
Sheldon Collings Grove, Okla.
Ramie Colson Jr. Cadiz, Ky.
Kyle Cortiana Coweta, Okla.
John Cox DeBary, Fla.
Alex Davis Albertville, Ala.
Darrell Davis Dover, Fla.
*Randy Despino Colfax, La.
Tommy Dickerson Orange, Texas
Jeff Dobson Bartlesville, Okla.
Bradley Dortch Atmore, Ala.
Josh Douglas Isle, Minn.
Kurt Dove Del Rio, Texas
David Dudley Lynchburg, Va.
Tony Dumitras Winston, Ga.
Luke Dunkin Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
*Dakota Ebare Stephenville, Texas
*Jon Englund Farwell, Minn.
Charlie Evans Berea, Ky.
Ron Farrow Rock Hill, S.C.
Austin Felix Eden Prairie, Minn.
*Kevin Finley Phoenix, Ariz.
Mark Fisher Wauconda, Ill.
Tim Frederick Leesburg, Fla.
*Hunter Freeman Monroe, La.
*Derek Fulps Broken Arrow, Okla.
Nick Gainey Charleston, S.C.
*David Gaston Sylacauga, Ala.
*Sam George Athens, Ala.
Matt Greenblatt Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, Minn.
*Brant Grimm Church Hill, Tenn.
Buddy Gross Chickamauga, Ga.
Cody Hahner Wausau, Wis.
Bradley Hallman Norman, Okla.
*Chip Harrington Olathe, Kan.
Dylan Hays El Dorado, Ark.
Billy Hines Vacaville, Calif.
Jamie Horton Centreville, Ala.
Jimmy Houston Cookson, Okla.
Miles Howe San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Rex Huff Corbin, Ky.
John Hunter Shelbyville, Ky.
Bill Hutchison Bessemer, Ala.
Charlie Ingram Centerville, Tenn.
Eric Jackson Walling, Tenn.
*Rex Jaeger Hamilton, Ohio
Jim Jones Big Bend, Wis.
Rob Jordan Flowery Branch, Ga.
Cody Kelley Conway, Ark.
Jay Kendrick Grant, Ala.
Rob Kilby Hot Springs, Ark.
Brad Knight Lancing, Tenn.
Brian Latimer Belton, S.C.
*Marty Lawrence Mesa, Ariz.
Jeremy Lawyer Sarcoxie, Mo.
*Nick LeBrun Bossier City, La.
Wes Logan Springville, Ala.
Richard Lowitzki Hampshire, Ill.
Tim Malone Kodak, Tenn.
Scott Martin Clewiston, Fla.
Lendell Martin Jr. Nacogdoches, Texas
*Michael Matthee Centurion, Gauteng Province, South Africa
Billy McCaghren Mayflower, Ark.
Chris McCall Palmer, Texas
Johnny McCombs Morris, Ala.
Bill McDonald Greenwood, Ind.
Brandon McMillan Clewiston, Fla.
Jared McMillan Belle Glade, Fla.
Chuck Medley Owens Cross Roads, Ala.
Jason Meninger Saint Augustine, Fla.
Kerry Milner Bono, Ark.
Kurt Mitchell Milford, Del.
Tom Monsoor �� La Crosse, Wis.
Harry Moore Valley, Ala.
Bob Morin Seymour, Tenn.
Troy Morrow Eastanollee, Ga.
Brandon Mosley Choctaw, Okla.
Jim Moynagh Carver, Minn.
Shawn Murphy Nicholasville, Ky.
*Cody Murray Nampa, Idaho
Chris Neau New Orleans, La.
*Corey Neece Bristol, Tenn.
*Ron Nelson Berrien Springs, Mich.
*Dicky Newberry Houston, Texas
James Niggemeyer Van, Texas
Larry Nixon Quitman, Ark.
Jordan Osborne Longview, Texas
Robert Pearson Herndon, Va.
Pete Ponds Madison, Miss.
*Hensley Powell Whitwell, Tenn.
Chad Randles Elkhorn, Neb.
* Drew Ratley Shreveport, La.
Tom Redington Royse City, Texas
Matt Reed Madisonville, Texas
Clark Reehm Elm Grove, La.
Jimmy Reese Witter Springs, Calif.
Jason Reyes Huffman, Texas
Curtis Richardson Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Darrel Robertson Jay, Okla.
*Troy Roder Brookeland, Texas
Zell Rowland Montgomery, Texas
Craig Rozema Simpsonville, S.C.
*Ryan Salzman Huntsville, Ala.
Casey Scanlon Lake Ozark, Mo.
Bryan Schmitt Deale, Md.
Colby Schrumpf Highland, Ill.
Braxton Setzer Montgomery, Ala.
Billy Shelton III La Crosse, Va.
Charles Sim Nepean, Ontario, Canada
*A.J. Slegona Pine Bush, N.Y.
Blake Smith Lakeland, Fla.
Derrick Snavely Piney Flats, Tenn.
Matthew Stefan Junction City, Wis.
Tyler Stewart West Monroe, La.
*Chuck Stratton Chaffee, Mo.
*Wade Strelic Alpine, Calif.
Mike Surman Boca Raton, Fla.
Timmy Thompkins Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Bryan Thrift Shelby, N.C.
Rusty Trancygier Hahira, Ga.
J. Todd Tucker Moultrie, Ga.
Jim Tutt Longview, Texas
Andrew Upshaw Tulsa, Okla.
John Voyles Petersburg, Ind.
*Jacob Wall Jacksonville, Ore.
Chad Warren Sand Springs, Okla.
Joshua Weaver Macon, Ga.
Joseph Webster Winfield, Ala.
Kyle Weisenburger Ottawa, Ohio
Chris Whitson Louisville, Tenn.
Andy Wicker Pomaria, S.C.
Scott Wiley Bay Minette, Ala.
*Joel Willert Prior Lake, Minn.
David Williams Maiden, N.C.
*Austin Wilson Citrus Heights, Calif.
Barry Wilson Birmingham, Ala.
Matt Wittekiend Angleton, Texas
*Tyler Woolcott Port Orange, Fla.
David Wootton Collierville, Tenn.
Gary Yamamoto Palestine, Texas
Andy Young Isle, Minn.
* denotes 2019 FLW Tour Rookie
Sportsmans Warehouse Black Friday Deals!
AC's John Byrne and the Crew from Sportsmans Warehouse talk Black Friday Specials in-store and online at www.sportsmanswarehouse.com
AC Insider Podcast - FLW, BASS & MLF News, Thanksgiving Holiday & Iron Bowl Week and More!!
This week the boys get down and dirty on some industry news, FLW, BASS & MLF News as well as discuss some big derbies from the past weekend including a 30 pound bag on Pickwick. Jason looks ahead on the Costa Countdown to blastoff and the boys continue to fast in order to get all they can when they pull up to the dinner table on Thanksgiving day. Its a Thanksgiving week/Iron Bowl week party here on the AC Insider Podcast, Check it out!
FLW AND RAPALA FISHING LOOKING FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE ANGLERS FOR NEW YOUTUBE REALITY SERIES
MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 20, 2018) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today that they are seeking applicants to be featured in a new, original YouTube based reality series, presented by Rapala, called Varsity Bass. Applicants should be a current high school or college fishing angler or team and are asked to submit their video through social media.
Similar to the hugely successful FLW Circuit Breaker series, each episode will document life as an angler that is just starting out in the sport of tournament bass fishing. It will allow fans to experience firsthand what life as a student angler is really like and feel both the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat as it happens to the young anglers competing in the YETI FLW College Fishing and Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Open circuits. A new angler or team will be featured in each episode.
“We are extremely excited to partner with FLW and showcase the talented young bass anglers that compete at the high school and college levels,” said Matt Jensen - Director of Marketing for Rapala USA. “We know that there are some unique, compelling stories that are waiting to be told and after the success of FLW’s Circuit Breaker series we are eager to see what the talented production team at FLW can come up with. Rapala is proud to be associated with such a fresh and innovative idea, which matches our strategic initiatives to support the fast pace growth of youth fishing! We expect Varsity Bass to be a huge success.”
Anglers are encouraged to submit a video – up to 10 minutes in length – that captures why they would be a great fit to be featured on Varsity Bass. Personality, creativity, uniqueness and passion for the sport are all qualities that producers of the show will be looking for on the submission videos.
To apply, visit http://bit.ly/VarsityBass. Videos should be uploaded to YouTube with the privacy set to “Unlisted.” Video links along with the application can be submitted starting Monday, Nov. 19 through the end of the year.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Dunlap Wins ABA AFT D125 on Lake Allatoona
The American Bass Angler’s D125’s newest member Johnny Dunlap of Acworth, GA takes first place at the American Fishing Tour Division 125 Georgia North Tournament held at Lake Allatoona on November 17. Running out of Galts Ferry near Acworth, GA, Johnny brought back 5-fish that locked in the scales at 8.11-lbs. anchored by a 3.08-lb. kicker. For the victory, Johnny took home a check for $620.
“I just threw a crank-bait and worms” Johnny stated in his post-tournament interview.
Second place was claimed by Mike Cronin with 5-fish and a total weight of 7.92-lbs. For his efforts, Mike took home $375 in prize money.
JohnKisella took third place with 5-fish and a total weight of 7.85-lbs. and took home $130 in prize money.
The fourth-place money winner was Nick Tunney with a five-fish limit weighing in at 7.44-lbs. Nick took home $101.
The Biggest Bass of the tournament was caught by David Huie. His spotted bass topped the scales at 3.21-lbs. earning him $125.
The next tournament in this division will take place on December 1, 2018 launching from Galts Ferry Ramp on Lake Allatoona.
For more information on this event or division please contact local director Matt West at (404)641-6345 or visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
TRUMANN HIGH SCHOOL WINS BASS PRO SHOPS FLW HIGH SCHOOL FISHING LAKE HAMILTON OPEN
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (Nov. 19, 2018) – The Trumann High School duo of Jay Morgan and Jackson Darr, both of Trumann, Arkansas, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 15 pounds, 8 ounces to win the 2018 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Lake Hamilton Open by a near 5-pound margin.
According to post-tournament reports, the Wildcat duo caught their fish flipping a jig and throwing a white swimbait.
A field of 20 teams competed in the no-entry fee tournament, which launched from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commision-Hulsey Hatchery Access in Hot Springs. In FLW/TBF High School Fishing competition, the top 10-percent of teams competing advance to the High School Fishing National Championship.
The top two teams on Lake Hamilton that advanced to the 2019 High School Fishing National Championship were:
1st: Trumann High School – Jay Morgan and Jackson Darr, both of Trumann, Ark., five bass, 15-8
2nd: Rogers County Bass Anglers – Dakota Page, Catoosa, Okla., and Bryce Blue, Claremore, Okla., five bass, 10-14
Rounding out the top 10 were:
3rd: Bauxite High School, Bauxite, Ark. – Brody Jacks, Tull, Ark., and Kanon Harmon, Benton, Ark., five bass, 10-13
4th: Scotts Hill High School, Scotts Hill, Tenn. – Chase Milholen, Lexington, Tenn., and Jaxon Sullivan, Reagan, Tenn., five bass, 9-7
5th: Henryetta High School, Henryetta, Okla. – Connor Bullard and Quinton Story, both of Henryetta, Okla., five bass, 9-1
6th: Calvary Baptist Academy, Shreveport, La. – Jackson Gregory, Shreveport, La., and John Kyle Pearce, Frierson, La., five bass, 8-12
7th: Alpha Anglers of Atascocita – Maverick Winford and Dustin Walters, both of Humble, Texas, five bass, 7-14
8th: Jessieville High School, Jessieville, Ark. – Beau Browning and Braxton Shifflett, both of Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 7-2
9th: Central Arkansas Youth Fishing Association – Andrew Bean and Anthony Bean, both of Little Rock, Ark., five bass, 6-14
10th: Fountain Lake High School, Hot Springs, Ark. – Milachi Thornton, Lonsdale, Ark., and Evan East, Hot Springs, Ark., five bass, 6-8
Complete results and photos of the top five finishers from the event can be found at FLWFishing.com.
The 2018 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Lake Hamilton Open was a two-person (team) event for students in grades 7-12, open to any Student Angler Federation (SAF) affiliated high school club in the United States. The top 10 percent of each Challenge, Open, and state championship field will advance to the 2019 High School Fishing National Championship on a body of water that has yet to be revealed. The High School Fishing national champions will each receive a $5,000 college scholarship to the school of their choice.
In addition to the High School Fishing National Championship, all High School Fishing anglers nationwide automatically qualify for the world’s largest open high school bass tournament, the 2019 High School Fishing World Finals, held in conjunction with the National Championship. At the 2018 World Finals more than $150,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded.
Full schedules and the latest announcements are available at HighSchoolFishing.org and FLWFishing.com.
Pietsch & Dawson with Texas A&M Win College National Championship Qualifier on Sam Rayburn with 34.13 total
Congratulations to Derek Pietsch and Trey Dawson fishing for Texas A&M Galveston! They held onto their Day 1 lead in The Bass Cat College National Championship Qualifier presented by Ross Motorsports finishing with 34.13 lbs and earning a berth to The Bassmaster College National Championship.
Evinrude Announces Program Year 2018 Dealer of the Year Award Winners
STURTEVANT, Wis., November 19, 2018 – Evinrude announced today the recipients of their Program Year 2018 Dealer of the Year awards; recognizing the Evinrude dealer network in the U.S. and Canada for excellence in sales and support. Award categories are further broken down into district, region and national recipients.
“Beyond the technological advances we’ve put into the Evinrude E-TEC G2 engines, we are equally proud of having built a strong network of dealers who offer customers the best ownership experience from sale to service,” said Tracy Crocker, president of the BRP Marine Group and senior vice president and general manager of Evinrude. “We are honored to recognize our Dealers of the Year and thank all of those who provide excellent support to our loyal customers.”
"Evinrude engines are the most technologically advanced line on the market,” said Richard Thayer, business manager, Thayer Marine. “Their quest to give anglers the most efficient, cost effective and advanced engine is clear. If something goes wrong, they are the fastest company I work with to turn negatives into positives. From the top down, Evinrude does everything they can to help us grow our business. That is why over 90% of the Rangers we sell are powered by Evinrude.”
National Evinrude Dealers of the Year (Engines)
- Martin Motor Sports – Edmonton, AB
- River Valley Power & Sport – Red Wing, MN
National Evinrude Dealers of the Year (Parts and Accessories)
- AVO Marine Sales and Service – Winnepeg, MB
- Boaters World Marine Centers – Lake Placid, FL
Regional Evinrude Dealers of the Year (Engines)
- Martin Motor Sports – Edmonton, AB
- Mike’s Marine – Carleton Place, ON
- River Valley Power & Sport – Redwing, MN
- Short’s Marine – Millsboro, DE
Regional Evinrude Dealers of the Year (Parts and Accessories)
- AVO Marine Sales and Service – Winnepeg, MB
- Boater’s World Marine Centers – Lake Placid, FL
- Jacobsen’s Marine – Edmonds, VA
- White Water Marine – Sackville, NS
District Evinrude Dealers of the Year (Engines)
- American Marine & Motorsports – Shawano, WI
- Bay Marine – Trenton, ON
- C&P Marine – Bronston, KY
- Century Marine – Century, FL
- Cowtown USA – Cuba, MO
- Crowley Marine – Denver, CO
- Gulf Coast Marine Center – Port Charlotte, FL
- Lakeside Motor Sports – Mecosta, MI
- Long Island Marina – Catawba, NC
- Martin Motor Sports – Edmonton, AB
- Mike’s Marine – Carleton Place, ON
- Real Deal Marine – Pineville, LA
- River Valley Power & Sport – Redwing, MN
- Short’s Marine – Millsboro, DE
- Thayer’s Marine – Norwich, CT
- Waypoint Marine – Corpus Christi, TX
District Evinrude Dealers of the Year (Parts and Accessories)
- AVO Marine Sales and Service – Winnepeg, MB
- American Marine & Motorsports – Shawano, WI
- Atlantic Outboard – Westbrook, CT
- Beck’s Outboard – Jacksonville, FL
- Boaters World Marine Centers – Lake Placid, FL
- Clark’s Jet-A-Marina – Calvert City, KY
- Cope Marine – O’Fallon, IL
- Hannay’s Marine – St. Anthony, MN
- Jacobsen’s Marine – Edmonds, VA
- Leaders Marine – Kalamazoo, MI
- Magnum Outboard Company – Harvey, LA
- Martin Motor Sports – Edmonton, AB
- Ron’s Marine & Equipment – Portsmouth, VA
- Short’s Marine – Millsboro, DE
- Waypoint Marine – Corpus Christi, TX
- White Water Marine – Sackville, NS
Evinrude’s engine line up, from 3.5 to 300 HP, offers customers superior value across a full range of applications, and are available at authorized Evinrude dealerships worldwide. Follow Evinrude on Facebook at www.facebook.com/brpevinrude.
For a complete list of new and existing Evinrude dealers, visit
www.evinrude.com.
Swider & White drop over 30 pounds on scales for Pickwick Winter Bass Series Win!
Courtesy of Midway Marine:
Midway Marine PWBT started off right with 120k in current and great temps!! 8 teams over 20 pounds and multiple 7-8.5 pounders!!! Congrats to Michael Swider and Tommy White for the win with a whopping 30.98 pounds with $1000 1st and $380 1BB of 8.34!!! Mike Roach and Tom Cook took second with 25.83. Mark Davis has 2nd BB with 8.31. Carroll Hoselton and Kevin King got 3rd with 22.88. 4th was Newman and Nichols with 22.01. We had 36 boats and paid 9 places. Next tournament is on December 1st!!!
Costa Sunglasses® Wins Inaugural Outdoor Retailer Innovation Award
Daytona Beach, Fla. – November 15, 2018 – Costa Sunglasses® earned top honors for innovation at last week’s Outdoor Retailer Winter Market trade show in Denver. The new Baffin sunglass frame from The Untangled Collection, released in 2018, was awarded with the show’s inaugural Innovation Award presented by Capitol One Spark Business and A+E Networks® as the show kicked-off on Wednesday, Nov. 7.
The awards recognized new products in the areas of design, innovation and achievement in the outdoor industry, and will become a fixture at Outdoor Retailer’s Winter Market show each year. Thirty-two products and services were selected as finalists by judges from the outdoor industry, and a panel of 20 determined the inaugural winners. Judges evaluated entries based on a variety of factors, including concept, design, functionality, originality, sustainability and impact. Costa’s Baffin sunglass frame from its Untangled Collection, made from recycled fishing nets, was one of 12 winners with other products including sustainable materials, footwear, apparel and outdoor equipment for all seasons.
“Innovation has always been at the core of our industry and is driven by the desire to make the outdoor experience more joyful and to encourage others to participate,” said Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer vice president and show director. “The 12 winners took that inspiration and created something that can transform an outdoor experience and improve our relationship with the natural environment. We were so thrilled to be able to celebrate the finalists, winners and all of the visionaries shaping our industry.”
The Untangled Collection includes four new frame styles made from 100 percent recycled fishing nets, each featuring mineral glass polarized lenses, recycled aluminum Costa logos, PLUSfoam recyclable temple and nose pads, and a unique tumbled finish. The Untangled Collection includes two male/unisex styles, Pescador and Baffin; and two female styles, Victoria and Caldera. All styles feature Costa’s patented 580 Lightwave® Glass lenses, providing 100 percent UV protection and polarization to offer the clearest lenses on the planet. The Costa 580® color-enhancing lens technology reduces glare and eye fatigue while selectively filtering out harsh yellow light for superior contrast and definition and absorbing high-energy blue light to cut haze and enhance sharpness.
The collection was created in partnership with Bureo, pioneers in recycled fishnet products. Identified as the most harmful form of ocean plastic, discarded fishing nets and gear account for ten percent of ocean plastic pollution, which grows by an estimated 640,000 tons every year. Bureo’s Net+Plus recycling program is working to prevent fishing net pollution by partnering directly with fishermen to collect back discarded nets at their end of life and providing funds to local communities for every pound of fishing net collected. Costa’s Untangled Collection supports Bureo’s ongoing efforts to generate a net positive impact for this once harmful material. To date, the Bureo team has collected more than 220,000 pounds of discarded fishing nets.
“We are truly honored to receive this year’s Innovation Award at the OR Winter Market trade show— the opportunity to create a collection of products that so closely ties to our broader mission of protecting our oceans and waterways, while raising awareness for plastic pollution and giving our consumers the opportunity to be a part of the solution, has been such a rewarding experience for the Costa team,” said Holly Rush, CEO of Costa Sunglasses. “Topping it off by being recognized by the industry that sets the standard in sustainable products and environmental impact has been complete validation of our efforts. We simply could not have brought this collection to life without the full partnership of the Bureo team, and we are so grateful to them for believing in our brand and this project so passionately from the beginning.”
The Untangled Collection is available at retailers now. For more information visit
http://www.CostaSunglasses.com/UntangleOurOceans.
FLW ANNOUNCES EXPANDED FLW LIVE COVERAGE ACROSS MULTIPLE CIRCUITS FOR 2019
MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 15, 2018) – Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization announced today a greatly expanded FLW Live schedule for the 2019 season as part of its commitment to growing the sport of tournament bass fishing and bringing more publicity to the anglers who fish its circuits. Fans will now be able to watch more than 700 hours of live coverage in 2019, including 286 weigh-in broadcasts from every FLW tournament and 23 days of on-the-water live streaming.
Originally airing from 8 a.m. to Noon during events, the FLW Live on-the-water program has been extended two hours and will now broadcast from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The FLW Live schedule will extend from January through November, providing nearly year-round viewing opportunities for fans, and more chances than ever for FLW anglers and their sponsors to receive exposure on the internet and to FLW’s social media audience of more than a million followers.
Here’s a rundown by circuit of what’s in store in 2019:
Forrest Wood Cup
On-the-water stream: The popular FLW Live on-the-water program will air all three days of the FLW Cup and will be broadcast from the floor of the FLW Expo in the Hot Springs Convention Center. Fans can stop in and watch the show hosts and FLW pros break down the action at bass fishing’s main event.
Daily weigh-ins: Every weigh-in will be broadcast on FLWFishing.com.
FLW Tour
On-the-water stream: The live on-the-water broadcast will air on days three and four of all FLW Tour regular-season events from the boats of the tournaments’ top pros.
Daily weigh-ins: Every weigh-in will be broadcast on FLWFishing.com.
Costa FLW Series
On-the-water stream: For the first time ever, FLW will stream a live on-the-water broadcast, complete with expert hosts and commentary, from the Costa FLW Series Championship, which will be held at Lake Cumberland. Coverage will air Nov. 1—2 on days two and three of competition.
Daily weigh-ins: Every weigh-in at the championship as well as all 15 regular-season events will be broadcast on FLWFishing.com.
T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League
On-the-water stream: Grassroots bass fishing will experience its first-ever live on-the-water tournament broadcast at the 2019 BFL All-American on the Potomac River. The broadcast will air May 31-June 1 for days two and three of competition, in the same hosted format as FLW Tour and Costa FLW Series events.
Daily weigh-ins: New this year, all 120 regular-season BFL events, six BFL Regional Championships, the BFL Wild Card and the All-American will feature FLW Live weigh-in broadcasts, allowing friends, fans and family to follow their favorite BFL anglers in action from anywhere in the world. That’s 168 total weigh-ins being broadcast live in 2019.
YETI FLW College Fishing
On-the-water stream: FLW Live from on the water will debut at the collegiate level at the National Championship on the Potomac River June 5-6 for days two and three of competition. FLW’s hosts and experts will break down the fishing action as it happens.
Daily weigh-ins: The FLW Live weigh-in broadcast schedule now includes all 15 regular-season FLW College Fishing events, the FLW College Fishing Open and the National Championship.
Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Opens
Daily weigh-ins: The fastest-growing segment of tournament bass fishing will get an additional boost in 2019 thanks to FLW Live weigh-in broadcasts from all High School Fishing Opens. National Championship weigh-ins will also be broadcast live.
You can watch any FLW Live broadcast – either from on the water or weigh-in – by logging on to FLWFishing.com and clicking on the FLW Live page link. On-the-water broadcasts will be simulcast on FLWFishing.com, YouTube.com/FLWFishing and Facebook.com/FLWFishing. All FLW Live broadcasts are free to watch.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the sport’s top anglers on the FLW Tour on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
Bass Fishing Pro Brent Chapman Joins KastKing
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(For Immediate Release - Thursday, November 15, 2018 - Garden City, Long Island NY) KastKing, (www.kastking.com) a brand of Eposeidon, Inc. in Garden City, New York, has added renowned veteran professional angler Brent Chapman to their team. Chapman will exclusively use KastKing fishing rods, fishing reels, KastKing braid fishing line, and other products while competing on the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour in 2019.
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"KastKing Speed Demon Pro fishing tackle gives me an advantage and are top quality. No doubt... KastKing will give me a competitive edge and help me put more fish in the boat. It feels good to work with a brand that can deliver on their slogans; KastKing Keeps Fishing Fun and Affordable Innovation by making great fishing tackle affordable and easily available to anglers everywhere at almost any fishing budget level. I look forward to working with KastKing to develop additional pro-level fishing gear and more products that recreational anglers and tournament anglers can enjoy and benefit from."
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In 2019 Chapman will compete in the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour with 80 other top-ranked professional anglers that brings a strong schedule of television programming across six networks. According to Major League Fishing, "...While MLF will continue its popular Cup events and World Championship, airing on Outdoor Channel, CBS Network and CBS Sports cable, it will now also have the Bass Pro Tour competitions and championship airing as originals on Discovery Channel with re-airs on Sportsman Channel in 2020. Altogether, Major League Fishing will air more than 850 hours of television programming in addition to the more than 350 hours of live coverage that will be streamed on majorleaguefishing.com..."
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Brent Chapman and Family
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Brent Chapman is married with two children. His wife Bobbi and their children accompany him around the country on bass fishing tournament trails. Chapman is an outdoor enthusiast both as a profession and as a hobby. He is an accomplished hunter with both a bow and firearms. Brent enjoys spending his off season stalking big game and working with the hunting community on game and land management. Brent has enjoyed hunting in many states and has been featured on the Outdoor Channel for live hunts, and providing hunting tips to hunters around the globe.
MLF, BASS or FLW - Who's Going Where in 2019? UPDATED 10.25
Here is a running list of Anglers who have made a public statement with their decisions in regards to where they will fish in 2019.
11.15.18 Update -With both the MLF & BASS fields set, FLW's deadline is today and several new additions to the FLW Tour are making their decisions known.
FLW
1. Bryan Thrift - Declined Elite & MLF Invitation
2. Hunter Freeman 2019 Rookie Class
3. Joel Willert - 2019 Rookie Class
4. Nick LeBrun - All American Winner - 2019 Rookie Class
5. David Dudley - Declined Elite Invitation
6. Larry Nixon
7. Cody Kelley
8. Scott Martin
9. Chad Grigsby
10. James Niggemeyer - Declined Elite Invitation
11. David Williams - Declined Elite Invitation
12. Andrew Upshaw
13. Sam George - 2019 Rookie Class
14. Jordan Osbourne
BASS
1. Chris Zaldain (Invitee - Declined)
2. Keith Combs
3. Matt Herren
4. Kelley Jaye
5. Bill Lowen (Invitee - Declined)
6. Seth Feider (Invitee - Declined)
7. Brandon Card
8. John Crews
9. Steve Kennedy (Invitee - Declined)
10. Drew Benton - (Invitee - Declined)
11. Mark Menendez
12. Micah Frazier
13. Cliff Pirch
14. Brandon Lester
15. Chad Pipkens
16. Cliff Prince
17. Hank Cherry
18. Stetson Blaylock (Invitee - Declined)
19. Jason Williamson
20. Patrick Walters - BASS Open Invite
21. Yusuke Miyazaki - FLW - Former Elite Pro - Returing to BASS
22. Tyler Rivet - BASS Open Invite
23. Gary Clouse - BASS Open Invite
24. Jeff Gustafson - Former FLW Pro
25. Clark Wendlandt - Former FLW Pro
26. Matt Arey - Former FLW Pro
27. Jake Whitaker - 2018 BASS ROY
28. Brandon Cobb - Former FLW Pro
29. Chris Johnston - Former FLW Pro
30. Cory Johnston - Former FLW Pro
31 - Scott Canterbury - Former FLW Pro
32. Chad Morganthaler - FLW - Former Elite Pro - Returing to BASS
33. Drew Cook - BASS Open Invite
34. Brad Whatley - BASS Open Invite
35. Clent Davis - FLW - Former Elite Pro - Returing to BASS
37. Derek Hudnall - BASS Open Invite
38. Harvey Horne - BASS Open Invite
39. Quentin Cappo - BASS Open Invite
40. Lee Livesay - BASS Open Invite
41. Shane Lehew - Former FLW Pro
42. Carl Jocumsen - FLW - Former Elite Pro - Returning to BASS
43. Skylar Hamilton
44. Brian Snowden
Full List:
| Bernie Schultz |
| Bill Lowen |
| Bill Weidler |
| Brad Whatley |
| Brandon Card |
| Brandon Cobb |
| Brandon Lester |
| Brett Pruett |
| Brian Snowden |
| Brock Mosley |
| Caleb Sumrall |
| Carl Jocumsen |
| Chad Morganthaler |
| Chad Pipkens |
| Chris Groh |
| Chris Johnston |
| Chris Zaldain |
| Clark Wendlandt |
| Clent Davis |
| Cliff Prince |
| Clifford Pirch |
| Cory Johnston |
| Dale Hightower |
| Darrell Ocamica |
| David Fritts |
| David Mullins |
| Derek Hudnall |
| Drew Benton |
| Drew Cook |
| Ed Loughran III |
| Frank Talley |
| Garrett Paquette |
| Gary Clouse |
| Greg DiPalma |
| Hank Cherry |
| Harvey Horne |
| Hunter Schryock |
| Jake Whittaker |
| Jamie Hartman |
| Jason Williamson |
| Jay Yelas |
| Jeff Gustafson |
| Jesse Tacoronte |
| John Crews |
| Keith Combs |
| Kelley Jaye |
| Koby Kreiger |
| Kyle Monti |
| Lee Livesay |
| Luke Palmer |
| Mark Menendez |
| Matt Arey |
| Matt Herren |
| Micah Frazier |
| Mike Huff |
| Patrick Walters |
| Paul Mueller |
| Quentin Cappo |
| Randy Sullivan |
| Ray Hanselman Jr. |
| Rick Clunn |
| Rick Morris |
| Rob Digh |
| Robbie Latuso |
| Scott Canterbury |
| Seth Fieder |
| Shane Lehew |
| Shane Lineberger |
| Skylar Hamilton |
| Stetson Blaylock |
| Steve Kennedy |
| Todd Auten |
| Tyler Carriere |
| Tyler Rivet |
| Yusuke Miyazaki |
10.24.18 MLF BPT Updates:
*Gary Clouse removes name from MLF BPT and accepts invite to fish BASS Elites
*Anthony Gagliardi accepts invitation to join MLF BPT in spot vacated by Clouse.
*JT Kinney removes name from MLF BPT to become Live Color Analyst with MLF
*Jeff Sprague accepts invitation to join MLF BPT in spot vacated by JT Kinney
MLF/Bass Pro Tour Commitments & Tour they fished in 2018
| 1 | Aaron Martens | BASS |
| 2 | Adrian Avena | BASS |
| 3 | Alton Jones | BASS |
| 4 | Alton Jones Jr | BASS |
| 5 | Andy Montgomery | BASS |
| 6 | Bobby Lane | BASS |
| 7 | Boyd Duckett | BASS |
| 8 | Bradley Roy | BASS |
| 9 | Brandon Coulter | BASS |
| 10 | Brandon Paulaniuk | BASS |
| 11 | Brent Chapman | BASS |
| 12 | Brent Ehrler | BASS |
| 13 | Brett Hite | BASS |
| 14 | Casey Ashley | BASS |
| 15 | Chris Lane | BASS |
| 16 | Cliff Crochet | BASS |
| 17 | Cliff Pace | BASS |
| 18 | Dave Lefebre | BASS |
| 19 | David Walker | BASS |
| 20 | Dean Rojas | BASS |
| 21 | Dustin Connell | BASS |
| 22 | Edwin Evers | BASS |
| 23 | Fletcher Shryock | BASS |
| 24 | Fred Roumbanis | BASS |
| 25 | Gary Klein | BASS |
| 26 | Gerald Sphorer | BASS |
| 27 | Gerald Swindle | BASS |
| 28 | Greg Hackney | BASS |
| 29 | Greg Vinson | BASS |
| 30 | Ish Monroe | BASS |
| 31 | Jacob Powroznik | BASS |
| 32 | Jacob Wheeler | BASS |
| 33 | James Elam | BASS |
| 34 | Jared Lintner | BASS |
| 35 | Jason Christie | BASS |
| 36 | Jeff Kriet | BASS |
| 37 | Jesse Wiggins | BASS |
| 38 | John Murray | BASS |
| 39 | Johnathon Van Dam | BASS |
| 40 | Jordan Lee | BASS |
| 41 | Josh Bertrand | BASS |
| 42 | Justin Lucas | BASS |
| 43 | Keith Poche | BASS |
| 44 | Kelly Jordon | BASS |
| 45 | Kevin Van Dam | BASS |
| 46 | Luke Clausen | BASS |
| 47 | Mark Daniels | BASS |
| 48 | Mark Davis | BASS |
| 49 | Marty Robinson | BASS |
| 50 | Matt Lee | BASS |
| 51 | Mike Iaconelli | BASS |
| 52 | Mike McClelland | BASS |
| 53 | Ott DeFoe | BASS |
| 54 | Paul Elias | BASS |
| 55 | Randall Tharp | BASS |
| 56 | Randy Howell | BASS |
| 57 | Roy Hawk | BASS |
| 58 | Russ Lane | BASS |
| 59 | Shaw Grigsby | BASS |
| 60 | Shin Fukae | BASS |
| 61 | Skeet Reese | BASS |
| 62 | Stephen Browning | BASS |
| 63 | Takahiro Omori | BASS |
| 64 | Terry Scroggins | BASS |
| 65 | Tim Horton | BASS |
| 66 | Todd Faircloth | BASS |
| 67 | Tommy Biffle | BASS |
| 68 | Wesley Strader | BASS |
| 69 | Andy Morgan | FLW |
| 70 | Anthony Gagliardi | FLW |
| 71 | Britt Meyers | FLW |
| 72 | Cody Meyer | FLW |
| 73 | James Watson | FLW |
| 74 | Jason Lambert | FLW |
| 75 | Jeff Sprague | FLW |
| 76 | Justin Atkins | FLW |
| 77 | Mark Rose | FLW |
| 78 | Michael Neal | FLW |
| 79 | Scott Suggs | FLW |
| 80 | Zack Birge | FLW |
AC Insider Featuring BASS Nation Champ Randy Pierson & More MLF, BASS & FLW News!
This week the boys are back and welcome in newly crowned BASS Nation Champ Randy Pierson from Oakdale, California. Randy has now qualified for 2019 Classic and as you'll hear, Randy has an exciting announcement regarding his 2019 invitation into the Bassmaster Elite Series. The boys also look back and talk about the latest Major League Fishing, BASS & FLW Tour news along with high flying dunks, the Price is Right and more! So ya'll "Come on Down" and enjoy!
Humminbird® HELIX® Adds MEGA Imaging+™ and Dual Spectrum CHIRP to Product Features
RACINE, Wis., Nov. 14, 2018 – For years, anglers have relied on the Humminbird® HELIX® Series of fish finders to help them find fish. Now, Humminbird is debuting the third generation (G3) HELIX models featuring MEGA Imaging+™, Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar and networking (G3N), at a range of prices and screen sizes.
“Our team has dedicated itself to continually innovating and providing anglers with access to the best technology to help them find and locate fish and fish-holding structure,” said Mark Gibson, Humminbird director of research and development.
The new HELIX G3/G3N units feature MEGA Imaging+, sonar frequency three-times greater than traditional 455 kHz frequencies, resulting in the clearest, sharpest underwater views. In addition to the detailed imaging returns, MEGA Imaging+ now gives anglers the ability to see out 200 feet to each side, and 200 feet below the boat and unlock more fish and structure with 20 percent more detail than MEGA Imaging®.
These new fish finders also come equipped with Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar. This new sonar technology is designed to help you see individual fish, clearly identify bait and structure, and reach greater depths and range. Dual Spectrum CHIRP allows anglers to choose between Wide Mode, showing bigger and better fish arches, and Narrow Mode, maximizing detail and target separation.
Humminbird Basemap comes standard on all new HELIX G3/G3N units. Basemap provides depth and points-of-interest to the entire U.S. coast and more than 10,000 lakes, letting anglers confidently fish right out of the box. The units are also equipped with AutoChart® Live, allowing anglers to easily create fishing maps in real time with more detail, including depth contour, vegetation and bottom hardness. Humminbird’s new AutoChart LiveShare also lets anglers share and view AutoChart Live data from anglers around the world.
Anglers can also employ the One-Boat Network™ when they have a Minn Kota® trolling motor equipped with i-Pilot® Link™ or a Minn Kota Talon™. With Humminbird and Minn Kota technologies working together, an angler can tell the Minn Kota trolling motor to “follow” a specific contour at a set speed, and with the press of a button the boat will precisely follow the exact path. Now, anglers no longer need to guess where fish-holding structure is located – when One-Boat Network products talk to each other, they can navigate the boat automatically and reposition or anchor effortlessly.
Select HELIX G3/G3N units feature built-in Bluetooth®, which allows users to sync their smartphones and other devices, delivering text messages, missed calls, signal strength and battery life on the Humminbird display. It creates a flawless on-board network of electronics and connectivity.
The HELIX G3/G3N family consists of five screen sizes (7-inch, new 8-inch, 9-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch), with each size offering three CHIRPing sonar model options – GPS 2D sonar, MEGA Down Imaging+™, and MEGA Side Imaging+™. All models allow users to download software updates via Bluetooth when available and come with a manufacturer’s warranty (one year for HELIX 7 units and two years for HELIX 8, 9, 10 and 12 units). The new units are also compatible with Humminbird LakeMaster® charts, SmartStrike™ and Navionics® + and HotMaps TM Platinum+.
For more information call Humminbird at 800-633-1468 or visit http://www.humminbird.com.
WIN Randy Howell's 2018 Tournament Rig!!!
Humminbird® Introduces Second Generation SOLIX®Series with Advanced Sonar and Imaging Capabilities
RACINE, Wis., Nov. 13, 2018 – With the inclusion of brand new technologies like MEGA Imaging+™ and Dual Spectrum CHIRP, the new SOLIX® Series second generation (G2) units continue to build on Humminbird’s commitment to giving anglers a more complete picture of the water beneath them to help them find and catch more fish.
When Humminbird® introduced award winning SOLIX, it was recognized as the most advanced fish finder of its time. Now, with new technologies and unmatched integration capabilities with Minn Kota® trolling motors, the SOLIX is once again redefining excellence in the category. MEGA Imaging+, featured in the new SOLIX G2 units, extends Humminbird’s exclusive and best-in-class imaging capabilities down 200 feet for MEGA Down Imaging+ TM and 200 feet to each side with MEGA Side Imaging+ TM. Humminbird’s MEGA Imaging+ technology is in the megahertz range with performance that’s three times greater than traditional 455 kHz frequencies. It provides the clearest, sharpest imaging returns ever, unlocking more fish and structure with 20 percent more detail than MEGA Imaging®.
SOLIX G2 units also come equipped with Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar – engineered to help anglers see individual fish, clearly identify bait and structure, and reach greater depths. Anglers can easily see fish, lure and activity along the bottom in more detail with fewer setting adjustments. Dual Spectrum CHIRP allows anglers to choose between Wide Mode, showing bigger and better fish arches, and Narrow Mode, maximizing detail and target separation.
In true Humminbird fashion, these technologies are packaged in an easy-to-use interface and system that can make any angler better. The SOLIX G2 comes standard with Humminbird’s Cross Touch® Interface, letting anglers operate the unit via touchscreen or keypad, all while customizing the screen with up to four independent viewing panes.
In addition to providing the clearest, sharpest imaging returns, the SOLIX G2 units offer advanced mapping capabilities to identify fish-holding areas and eliminate non-productive water. The SOLIX G2 units come equipped with AutoChart® Live technology that creates and saves structure maps on any body of water. AutoChart Live identifies and maps depth, bottom hardness and vegetation. Anglers know that fish relate to depth, weed lines and transition points in bottom type – for example where a soft, muddy bottom transitions to firm sand or rock. By collecting all that data on an AutoChart Live map, Humminbird helps anglers keep their boat in the strike zone on productive structures. The units also come pre-loaded with Humminbird Basemap, a mapping system that includes contour maps for more than 10,000 U.S. lakes.
Fishing takes another huge step forward when the One-Boat Network™ is employed and AutoChart Live is used in conjunction with i-Pilot® Link™ from Minn Kota. Through the One-Boat Network, both technologies cooperate, allowing anglers to tell the Minn Kota trolling motor to “follow” a specific AutoChart Live contour at a set speed, and with the press of a button the boat will precisely follow the exact path. Now, anglers no longer need to guess where a fish-holding structure is located. They can precisely follow the weed line, bottom hardness or depth contour, and stay within easy casting distance of their target. The One-Boat Network allows anglers to navigate their boat automatically and reposition or anchor effortlessly.
“The new SOLIX G2 fish finders, joined with the power of Minn Kota Built-In MEGA Down ImagingTM trolling motors combine the full capabilities of Humminbird and Minn Kota product through the One-Boat Network,” said Joe Brown, senior director brand management, Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics. “New technologies like MEGA Imaging+ and Dual Spectrum CHIRP only add to that system as we make time on the water more efficient and more productive for anglers everywhere.”
In addition, Bluetooth® is built into every unit, allowing anglers to sync smartphones to the units. Text messages, missed calls, signal strength and other notifications appear right on the Humminbird display, so phones can stay safely in pockets where they belong for hands-free fishing. It creates a flawless on-board network of electronics and connectivity. Wi-Fi is also included.
For plug-and-fish networking, high-speed ethernet provides easy connectivity to Humminbird 360 Imaging, Minn Kota i-Pilot Link, Humminbird CHIRP Radar, and additional SOLIX or select HELIX® units. The new units are fully compatible with Humminbird LakeMaster® charts, SmartStrike™ and Navionics® + and HotMaps™ Platinum+. Users are also able to sync each unit with their phone using the Humminbird FishSmart® app, to search for available software updates, and send the files wirelessly to the fish finder. All SOLIX units come with a two-year manufacturer’s warranty.
For more information call Humminbird at 800-633-1468 or visit http://www.humminbird.com.
Humminbird® Announces New Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar
RACINE, Wis., Nov. 12, 2018 – Humminbird® is giving anglers another advantage in finding and catching more fish with the announcement of its new Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar, designed to deliver the best 2D sonar returns ever with minimal setting adjustments.
Through its new Low Q transducer, Humminbird allows the user to choose from multiple settings to maximize their 2D sonar based on application and goals. It is included with select new HELIX third generation (G3/G3N) and SOLIX second generation (G2) units and the new Minn Kota® Built-In MEGA Down Imaging™ trolling motors. The transducer will also be available as an aftermarket product compatible with second and third generation HELIX models and all SOLIX models.
“The easiest way to explain Dual Spectrum CHIRP Sonar is that we are providing flexibility within 2D sonar based on different frequencies and cone angles,” said Justin Freeman, Humminbird product manager. “Anglers can choose Wide Mode, which delivers a wider cone angle and big, clearly defined fish arches to ensure that what you’re seeing is actually a fish. Narrow Mode gives you a tighter cone angle which allows you to clearly distinguish fish, bait and structural details and provide the ultimate in target separation even when fish are tight to bottom.”
Wide Mode chirps between 140 and 200 kHz and Narrow Mode chirps between 180 and 240 kHz. When combined, they work together to create the most complete 2D picture. Anglers can choose the correct mode for their style of fishing, ultimately leading to the strongest sonar returns ever in a Humminbird unit and a clear screen with minimal adjustments to sensitivity.
For more information, call Humminbird at 800-633-1468 or visit http://www.humminbird.com/.
Ranger Boats Expands Deep V Aluminum Line with All-New VX1888, VX1788 and VS1660
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Existing model lineup also receives new design and styling
FLIPPIN, Ark. (November 12, 2018) - Ranger's popular Deep V Aluminum line of boats is expanding with the introduction of the all-new VX1888, VX1788 and VS1660 models. Ranger Boats' aluminum line has seen explosive growth due to an unrelenting commitment to delivering innovative designs, feature-packed interiors and unrivaled styling.
 "We have long received positive feedback from customers and dealers on the versatility of our popular 1850MS Reata and 1880MS Angler. We wanted to extend those features and benefits to our aluminum line in the VX1888 and VX1788 and are excited to bring them to market," said Ranger Sales Manager Mark Zwicker. "The new VS1660, not to be outdone, was designed for the value-minded angler who needs a smaller boat that doesn't compromise on features and performance."
The VX Series sports a refined look with custom fitted, color-matched marine upholstery, high gloss paint, rich chrome Ranger graphics and custom-built Ranger Trail trailer for a sharp fit and finish. The boats borrow their fiberglass console design from the 1850MS Reata with flush-mounted electronics and a host of easy-to-read gauges.
Versatility is paramount in the VX Series. The front bow serves double duty as a casting deck or, with the addition of included padding and permanent side bolsters, a lounging area for family members. The center storage holds either fishing rods up to 7 feet, 6 inches, or a collection of water skis. The trolling motor foot pedal conveniently stores in a custom compartment under the deck when not in use.
The influence from the 1850MS Reata and the 1880MS Angler continues with the inclusion of fiberglass into the bow panel that accepts electronics up to 12 inches along with a forward fiberglass baitwell. The spacious rear casting deck houses two fold-down jump seats flanked by an innovative fiberglass fish station complete with an oversized, aerated livewell.
For families, the VX Series comfortably sits up to six people and offers family-friendly features such as integrated drink holders, on-board USB charging at both consoles, chrome reboarding ladder, available ski tow, in-floor cooler, ample gunnel storage, stereo and concealed bimini storage.
The VX1888 measures 18 feet, 11 inches, with a 102-inch beam that will accept a variety of factory-installed outboards up to 225 horsepower. The VX1788 comes in at 18 feet, 2 inches, and accepts outboards up to 175 horsepower. The VX1888 and VX1788 are both available in either walk-through windshield or dual console configurations.
Switching gears, the all-new VS1660 is designed to be easy on the wallet and also a serious fishing machine that fits into just about any garage. The 16-foot boat has a 75-inch transom and will accept outboards up to 50 horsepower. Despite its small footprint, storage does not suffer with the VS1660. Lockable storage compartments along the gunnels provide ample room to keep items dry and out of the way.
A wide-open cockpit space with multiple configurations for seating allow for the optimal set up for any given day. The fiberglass console features a binnacle-mounted throttle and accepts electronics up to 7 inches with the bow handling 9-inch electronics.
 Features of the VS1660 that are not usually associated with economically priced boats includes 8-foot rod storage, premium seating, livewell/baitwell and concealed battery and fuel storage. A portable 6-gallon fuel tank also comes standard, with room for a second. This small boat packs lots of features and looks as good as it performs.
The original aluminum lineup - VS1882, VS1782, VS1682, VS1670- have adopted the new design and styling of the VX Series for 2019 models. These proven and popular boat models are also available in three new color packages - Carbon Metallic, Midnight Blue Metallic and Fusion, which features lime green accents. The new look is complemented with a custom-built Ranger Trail® trailer that perfectly matches each boat for smooth, easy towing and maneuvering.
Ranger's new Deep V aluminum offerings are built in Flippin, Arkansas, and benefit from more than 50 years of experience making the best boats in the market. With the continued growth of the aluminum line, Ranger has been able to expand its capabilities in the Flippin plant to accommodate the increased demand for durable and quality aluminum products Ranger owners have come to expect.
2019 RANGER VX1888 WT/DC
Overall Hull Length: 18 feet, 11 inches
Beam: 102 inches
Maximum HP: 225
Inside Depth: 27 inches
Fuel Capacity: 47 gallons
Approx. Boat Weight: 2,100 lbs.
Trailer GVWR: SM4700
2019 RANGER VX1788 WT/DC
Overall Hull Length: 18 feet, 2 inches
Beam: 102 inches
Maximum HP: 175
Inside Depth: 27 inches
Fuel Capacity: 40 gallons
Approx. Boat Weight: 1,950 lbs.
Trailer GVWR: SM4200
2019 RANGER VS1660SC
Overall Hull Length: 16 feet
Beam: 75 inches
Maximum HP: 50
Inside Depth: 20 inches
Fuel Capacity: 6 gallons (12 gal. with optional second tank)
Approx. Boat Weight: 975 lbs.
Trailer GVWR: SM2995
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About Ranger Boats
Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation's premier manufacturer of legendary fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, with acclaimed models and series in the bass, multi-species, fish 'n play, saltwater, waterfowl utility and pontoon boat segments. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water. For more information, go to RangerBoats.com.
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KENTUCKY’S CORN WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE WILD CARD TOURNAMENT ON OLD HICKORY LAKE
Gustafson Grabs Co-angler Title
GALLATIN, Tenn. (Nov. 12, 2018) – Boater Toby Corn of Calvert City, Kentucky, caught a two-day cumulative total of seven bass weighing 21 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Wild Card tournament on Old Hickory Lake. For his efforts, Corn one of the final berths into the 2019 BFL All-American Championship.
The BFL Wild Card tournament is a last-chance shot at the All-American for BFL anglers that didn’t qualify for a Regional Championship.
“This was the first time I’ve been there [to the lake], so I didn’t really know what to expect,” said Corn, who earned his fourth win in BFL competition. “I got there for practice the Sunday before the tournament and didn’t do well at all – I only caught one keeper. On Monday, I caught three keepers from three different locations.”
Corn said tornadoes and storms rolled through the Nashville area overnight Monday, pushing the water level up and turning just about everything to mud.
“I fished until noon on Tuesday and pretty much realized I was wasting my time, so I went back home and worked on Wednesday,” said Corn. “I returned Thursday and saw the water was falling, but it was still fairly muddy. Long story short, I’d had one decent day of practice.”
On Friday, Corn started the tournament near takeoff and caught one keeper on a black buzzbait, the lure that would produce most of his fish that day. He then ran up the Cumberland River to the areas that would win him the event.
“I had two different no-name sloughs,” said Corn. “I went into the first one and it was very muddy. I caught three in there – two of them were small and one was about a 3-pounder. Then I went to my second little slough and I didn’t realize what I’d found until I got in there. Between me and my co-angler, we caught 10 keepers in there in about 45 minutes.”
Corn’s two sloughs were both very shallow – no more than 2 to 3 feet deep – and well up the river, approximately a 40-mile run from takeoff. He said one was quite muddy, but the more productive one was clear.
Friday was cold and cloudy, with temperatures in the 40s all day long. Saturday dawned clear and even colder – in fact, temperatures remained below freezing for much of the day. Corn returned to his second slough Saturday morning and caught a 5-pounder in the first few minutes. After that, he struck out for the next several hours. Switching sloughs, Corn added a 3-pounder and that was it.
Corn said his 5-pounder ate a Dave’s Custom Baits Black Market Balsa square-billed crankbait in “Diet Dew splatterback”, which Corn described as a faded chartreuse with a black splatter. The crankbait also accounted for a good fish on Day One. Corn also rotated in a Riot Baits Minima Jig.
“When I caught that big one in the first 10 minutes Saturday, I felt like I’d made the All-American,” says Corn. “After I caught that second fish I still felt like I needed one more fish to win.”
The top six boaters that qualified for the 2019 BFL All-American were:
1st: Toby Corn, Calvert City, Ky., seven bass, 21-2, $200
2nd: Scott Towry, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., seven bass, 18-14, $3,049
3rd: Stacey Edwards, Milton, Ky., 10 bass, 17-8, $1,475
4th: Jason Grape, Attalla, Ala., eight bass, 17-6, $997
5th: Keith Hays, Broken Arrow, Okla., six bass, 17-2
6th: Sean McAllister, Checotah, Okla., five bass, 16-1
Rounding out the top-10 boaters were:
7th: Mario Riojas, Blanchard, Okla., eight bass, 15-4, $897
8th: Jared Kutil, Beaufort, S.C., four bass, 14-6, $962
9th: David Wootton, Collierville, Tenn., seven bass, 14-1, $717
10th: Donnie Rubel, Murfreesboro, Tenn., four bass, 13-0, $803
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Rubel caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Boater Division Friday, a fish weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces, which earned him the day’s Boater Big Bass Award of $165.
Gary Gustafson of Gilbertsville, Kentucky, won the Co-angler Division with a two-day cumulative of three bass weighing 11 pounds, 12 ounces.
The top six co-anglers that qualified for the 2019 BFL All-American were:
1st: Gary Gustafson, Gilbertsville, Ky., three bass, 11-12
2nd: Keenan Hess, Herrin, Ill., four bass, 10-7, $100
3rd: Zach Barnes, Chickamauga, Ga., five bass, 9-6
4th: Scott Bussey, Hayden, Ala., five bass, 9-6, $1,208
5th: Wayne Miller, Morgantown, Ky., five bass, 9-3, $604
6th: Dickey Reece, Lafayette, Ky., three bass, 8-7, $408
Rounding out the top-10 co-anglers were:
7th: Rick Lovall, Sikeston, Mo., three bass, 7-3, $417
8th: Derek Henderson, St. Louis, Mo., three bass, 6-3
9th: Dewayne Marshall, Folkston, Ga., three bass, 6-1, $327
10th: Vincent Jones, Robertsville, Mo., two bass, 6-0, $351
Jones caught the heaviest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Friday, a fish weighing 3 pounds, 14 ounces, which earned him the day’s Co-Angler Big Bass Award of $57.
The T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League Wild Card tournament on Old Hickory Lake was hosted by the Sumner County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
The 2018 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 2019 BFL All-American will take place May 30-June 1 on the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland, and is hosted by the Charles County Board of Commissioners and the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism. 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, YouTube and Snapchat.
Humminbird® Extends Range of Best-In-Class Imaging With New MEGA Imaging+™
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIb-oMYgOJs&feature=youtu.be
RACINE, Wis., Nov. 12, 2018 – Humminbird® was the first to take sonar into the Megahertz range with the launch of MEGA Imaging® in 2016. Now, Humminbird announces MEGA Imaging+™ which allows anglers to see beneath the water’s surface even further, providing the most accurate representation of structure that’s ever been seen.
MEGA Imaging+ gives anglers the ability to see out 200 feet to each side, and 200 feet below the boat crisply and clearly. The extended Side and Down Imaging® ranges provide greater accuracy in identifying fish and fish-holding structure and make scouting time shorter so anglers can spend more time fishing the most productive water. MEGA Imaging+ unlocks more fish and structure with 20 percent more detail than standard MEGA Imaging sonar.
“Our product development team’s dedication to providing anglers with the clearest, sharpest imaging returns continues to produce industry leading technology,” said Joe Brown, senior director brand management, Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics. “The evolution of our MEGA Imaging technology provides extended coverage for anglers, so they can locate more fish at greater distances from the boat.”
The new imaging technology is available on select third generation HELIX 8, 9, 10 and 12 units, and second generation SOLIX 10, 12 and 15 units.
In addition to MEGA Imaging+ for the sharpest, most detailed screen images in fishing, the units also utilize Dual Spectrum CHIRP, resulting in greater clarity, improved target separation and reduced noise for more accurate identification of fish and structure.
The combination of MEGA Imaging+ and Dual Spectrum CHIRP delivers the finest details beneath the water’s surface, and is the most accurate representation of structure that’s ever been seen.
For more information call Humminbird at 800-633-1468 or visit http://www.humminbird.com/.
California’s Randy Pierson Wins B.A.S.S. Nation Championship At Pickwick
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California Angler Takes Over Lead In B.A.S.S. Nation Championship
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"Negative Ghostrider, The Calendar is Full!"
Jason Duran
This time of year, you are probably looking at your calendar and trying to find some time off to spend with family over the holidays.
You may be looking to try to join a Black Friday tournament or just sneak off in the woods for a little hunting.
If you are anything like me, you have other people always adding things to your calendar that you have to attend.
If you want to follow all the pro fishing that’s going to be happening next year, the team here at AnglersChannel have a few more things to add to your calendar.
We have started to put together the 2019 Pro Calendar where all the pro tournaments are listed in one place.
So now you can add this to your calendar and let everyone know you are going to be busy watching or attending events.
Click the link to view and Download next years 2019 Pro Tour Calendars
Next year MLF has planned their BPT schedule around a “Family Friendly Schedule.” This will allow for pros to be home for all family holidays.
This is huge for the anglers. They can be home to enjoy the very important family time. The pro tour is hard enough with all the travel and time away from home but it is even harder when the whole family is gathered together,
and a father can’t be home for Father’s Day. I think this is a great step forward that the BPT planners placed the importance on the anglers and their families.
Looking at the other schedules, it looks like BASS and FLW have also worked hard to stay away from major holidays. Unless you fish the Costa's or the Opens.
If you fish the Central Costa on Table Rock, you better bring home the trophy just to keep mama happy for Mother’s Day.
The Southwest Costa on Grand Lake is on Father’s Day weekend. So, if you were hoping for a big BBQ lunch you better make the drive home Saturday night. The rest of the family holidays are wide open and provide time for anglers to be with their families.
There are only 52 weeks in the year and trying to fit in all the tournament stops is tight. Gone are the days when pros can fish multiple tours.
This year there are weekends when all three pro tours have events on the same weekend. For example, in April the MLF BPT will be on their 4th Tour Stop, BASS will be at Winyah Bay and FLW will be at Cherokee. That is an action packed weekend.
Three weeks later it is the same thing just different lakes, MLF BPT Tour stop 5, BASS TX Fest at Fork, and FLW is at Lake Chickamauga. There are multiple weekends when just two of the trails conflict as well.
We will have to wait for MLF to announce their locations to be able to tell if their guys will be able to fish one of the Costa divisions, but as of right now looking at the calendar, many of those divisions already have a conflict.
So, what does all this mean?
Well for us that like to watch fishing there will be hundreds and hundreds of hours to watch fishing. Many of us will need three monitors to watch all the action.
Like the past years there will be many Fridays you will want to tell your boss that the office internet needs to be upgraded so you can keep up with all the action.
You will still get to watch all your favorite anglers fish and next year there will be a bunch of new anglers for us all to get to know.
This coming year is really going to be interesting and probably hard to catch it all. You can use the 2019 Pro Calendar to start planning now to watch live or attend the event of your choice.
We here at AnglersChannel will do our best to help you find all the action you missed. It is going to be a great ride. I cannot wait for next year to start!
Roll Tide!
Jason
Kentucky Angler Leads B.A.S.S. Nation Championship On Pickwick Lake
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BRANDON MCMILLAN JOINS THE BCB FAMILY
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Field For The 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series Features Familiar Faces, Rising Stars
November 7, 2018
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — With another season just three months away, B.A.S.S. officials announced Wednesday that the field for the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series has been set.
The prestigious circuit, which will feature higher payouts and lower entry fees than ever before, will consist of 75 anglers (about 40 fewer than last year), including three who have won both the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods and the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year award.
The season-opening event is scheduled for Feb. 7-10 on the St. Johns River in Palatka, Fla.
“Every year when our anglers leave the takeoff site for the opening day of the first tournament, the excitement in the air is just amazing — and that will certainly be true this year,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin. “As in past years, we have some familiar faces who have already accomplished great things with us.
“Then, we also have some new anglers who are bound and determined to become superstars themselves.”
Missouri legend Rick Clunn, who owns four Classic trophies and the 1988 AOY award is back from last year’s Elite Series field, along with North Carolina pro David Fritts, who won the 1993 Classic and the 1994 AOY trophy. Jay Yelas, a veteran Texas pro who won the 2002 Classic title and 2003 AOY award, will also be joining the Elite Series after several years with other circuits.
Other big names returning from last year’s Elite field will be Keith Combs, a two-time B.A.S.S. winner who is right on the cusp of the $1 million mark for career earnings, 2016 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship tournament winner Seth Feider of Minnesota and Nevada pro Chris Zaldain, who holds two B.A.S.S. wins of his own.
Elite Series stalwarts John Crews, Mark Menendez, Bernie Schultz, Matt Herren, Clifford Pirch and Steve Kennedy are also back, along with 2018 Toyota Bassmaster Rookie of the Year Jake Whitaker. A final spot will be added based on the top finisher from the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors.
The field will have a distinct international flavor with popular Australian pro Carl Jocumsen joining the circuit, along with Canadian pros Chris Johnston, Cory Johnston and Jeff Gustafson and Japanese angler Yusuke Miyazaki.
“We’ve got a great mix of competitors in every conceivable way,” said B.A.S.S. Tournament Director Trip Weldon. “We have anglers from all over the United States and a few from around the world. We’ve got established pros who have seen a little bit of everything and some young guys who have been waiting on the opportunity to make their dreams come true.”
After the kickoff tournament on the St. Johns River and a second event scheduled for Feb. 14-17 on Georgia’s Lake Lanier, the Elite Series schedule will pause for the Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods on March 15-17 on the Tennessee River in Knoxville, Tenn. Seven more regular-season Elites will be held between April and August, including the Toyota Bassmaster Texas Fest on May 2-6 at Lake Fork, Texas. Then, the season will conclude with the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship, which will be held at a date and site yet to be determined.
The Bassmaster Classic, Texas Fest and the Angler of the Year Championship will all feature $1 million payouts with no entry fee.
Regular-season Elite Series events will feature a full field of 75 anglers for the first two days, 20 during the semifinal round and 10 on Championship Sunday. Instead of only the top half of the field being paid — as they were in the past — all participants will leave this year’s events with a check. The winner will still earn $100,000 and the prestigious blue trophy that has become synonymous with Elite Series victory, and the angler who finishes in 75th place will earn $2,500.
The popular Bassmaster LIVE show on Bassmaster.com, which generated over 2.8 million video views and 65 million minutes of content consumed by fans in 2018, will be produced all four days of 2019 Elite Series events instead of just the final three days of an event as in the past. There will also be live-streaming cameras on all 20 boats for the semifinal round, as well as Bassmaster LIVE cameras on all 10 anglers for Championship Sunday.
“We celebrated our 50th anniversary at B.A.S.S. this year,” Akin said. “But even after a half-century of excellence, we’re not slowing down in our efforts to create the best opportunities possible for all of our anglers.
“With the field we’ve just announced and the format changes we’ve made, we have some really exciting days ahead.”
2019 Bassmaster Elite Series Field
Name Hometown/State
1. Matt Arey Shelby, N.C.
2. Todd Auten Lake Wylie, S.C.
3. Drew Benton Panama City, Fla.
4. Stetson Blaylock Benton, Ark.
5. Scott Canterbury Odenville, Ala.
6. Quentin Cappo Prairieville, La.
7. Brandon Card Knoxville, Tenn.
8. Tyler Carriere Youngsville, La.
9. Hank Cherry Lincolnton, N.C.
10. Gary Clouse Winchester, Tenn.
11. Rick Clunn Ava, Mo.
12. Brandon Cobb Greenwood, S.C.
13. Keith Combs Huntington, Texas
14. Drew Cook Midway, Fla.
15. John Crews Jr. Salem, Va.
16. Clent Davis Montevallo, Ala.
17. Rob Digh Denver, N.C.
18. Greg DiPalma Millville, N.J.
19. Seth Feider Bloomington, Minn.
20. Micah Frazier Newnan, Ga.
21. David Fritts Lexington, N.C.
22. Chris Groh Spring Grove, Ill.
23. Jeff Gustafson Keewatin, Canada
24. Skylar Hamilton Dandridge, Tenn.
25. Ray Hanselman Del Rio, Texas
26. Jamie Hartman Newport, N.Y.
27. Matt Herren Ashville, Ala.
28. Dale Hightower Manford, Okla.
29. Harey Horne Bella Vista, Ark.
30. Derek Hudnall Newport, N.Y.
31. Mike Huff Corbin, Ky.
32. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, Ala.
33. Carl Jocumsen Frisco, Texas
34. Chris Johnston Otonabee, Ontario, Canada
35. Cory Johnston Cavan, Ontario, Canada
36. Steve Kennedy Auburn, Ala.
37. Koby Kreiger Bokeelia, Fla.
38. Robbie Latuso Gonzales, La.
39. Shane Lehew Charlotte, N.C.
40. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, Tenn.
41. Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, N.C.
42. Lee Livesay Longview, Texas
43. Ed Loughran III Mechanicsville, Va.
44. Bill Lowen Brookville, Ind.
45. Mark Menendez Paducah, Ky.
46. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, Texas
47. Kyle Monti Okeechobee, Fla.
48. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, Mo.
49. Rick Morris Lake Gaston, Va.
50. Brock Mosley Collinsville, Miss.
51. Paul Mueller Naugatuck, Conn.
52. David Mullins Mount Carmel, Tenn.
53. Luke Palmer Coalgate, Okla.
54. Garrett Paquette Canton, Mich.
55. Chad Pipkens Lansing, Mich.
56. Clifford Pirch Payson, Ariz.
57. Brett Preuett Monroe, La.
58. Cliff Prince Palatka, Fla.
59. Tyler Rivet Raceland, La.
60. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, Fla.
61. Hunter Shryock Newcomerstown, Ohio
62. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, Mo.
63. Randy Sullivan Breckenridge, Texas
64. Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, La.
65. Jesse Tacoronte Orlando, Fla.
66. Frank Talley Temple, Texas
67. Patrick Walters Summerville, S.C.
68. Bill Weidler Helena, Ala.
69. Clark Wendlandt Leander, Texas
70. Brad Whatley Bivins, Texas
71. Jake Whitaker Fairview, N.C.
72. Jason Williamson Wagener, S.C.
73. Jay Yelas Lincoln City, Ore.
74. Chris Zaldain Laughlin, Nev.
75. TBD - 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors B.A.S.S. Nation Championship presented by Magellan Outdoors
