AC Insider Podcast - Its Go Time! MLF is HERE!
As the Inaugural Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Kicks off the boys gives their commentary on the first day of competition, the good, the bad, the ugly and more! They also welcome in BASS Opens Winner and 2020 Classic Qualifier Whitney Stephens & FLW Pro Kurt Dove gives us some valuable info on Hayabusa hooks and some Podcasting tips. Chris applies for his Dream Job and more shenanigans, Check it out!
Scott Locklear drops over 22 pounds on the scales to win ABA Eufaula Open
ATHENS, Ala. – Scott Locklear of Atlanta, GA won the Bass Pro Shops Open Series Georgia Division tournament, held January 26th on the Lake Eufaula. Running out of Lakepoint Resort State Park in Eufaula, AL Scott caught five-bass weighing 22.24-pounds. For the Boater Division victory, Locklear took home a check for $5000 for his win.
“I only had seven bites today, one of which was a jack-fish. I was fishing the south end of the lake within sight of the dam all day. I caught my fish on a crankbait in 5ft-6ft of water,” Locklear said.
In second for the boaters, Mitchell Jennings of Auburn, AL landed a five-bass tournament limit going 21.80-pounds.
“I caught my fish between here and the dam. I caught three shallow and two deep. I lost one fish today, but I don’t think it would have helped me,” Jennings said.
Andy Norris of Columbus, GA took third for the boaters with five bass going 20.75-pounds.
“I caught my fish today on a rattletrap. It was a grind today. I only caught five fish,” Norris said.
The big bass award for the boaters went to Carl Hayes of Eatonton, GA for a big bass that weighed 7.35-pounds.
“I caught that fish on a crankbait in about 6ft of water,” Hayes said.
Finishing fourth, Clayton Shoupe of Newton, AL landed a five-bass limit for 16.34-pounds. Michael Smith of Andalusia, AL rounded out the top five boaters with five bass at 16.22-pounds.
In the Co-Angler Division, Bo Washam of Midland, GA won with three bass going 10.76-pounds. He pocketed a check for $950 for his win.
“I was fishing the south end of the lake today flipping a jig. I had six bites and caught six fish,” Washam said.
Taking second for the co-anglers, Emory Walden of Newnan, GA brought in two bass weighing 10.11 pounds that included a 7.53-pound big bass.
“I caught my fish today on a jig. The big bass was in about 3ft-4ft of water. I had the third one on but it came off. Just wasn’t my lucky day,” Walden said.
Jeremiah Hitt of Lutz, FL placed third among the co-anglers with two bass going 7.91-pounds.
“I have no idea where we were but we were in 20ft-25ft of water. I missed one fish but don’t think it would have helped me win,” Hitt said.
In fourth place among the co-anglers, Robert Enke of Columbus, GA brought in three bass for 7.72-pounds. Donnie Dawson of Brunswick, GA finished in fifth place with two bass for 5.42-pounds.
Slated for March 9th, the next tournament will be held on Lake Hartwell out of Green Pond Facility in Anderson, SC. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2020 Ray Scott Championship to be held at Lake Hartwell in April 2020.
Top 40 Boater Results (Full Results Link)
| PL | Angler | Fish | Penalty | Big Bass | Total | Points | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott Locklear | 5 | 0.00 | 6.42 | 22.24 | 250 | 5000 |
| 2 | Mitchell L. Jennings | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 21.80 | 249 | 1000 |
| 3 | Andy Norris | 5 | 0.00 | 5.98 | 20.75 | 248 | 700 |
| 4 | Clayton T. Shoupe | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 16.34 | 247 | 500 |
| 5 | Michael M. Smith | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 16.22 | 246 | 400 |
| 6 | George Haynie | 5 | 0.00 | 4.28 | 15.89 | 245 | 380 |
| 7 | Kenny M. Carroll | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 14.95 | 244 | 325 |
| 8 | Lee Gissendaner | 5 | 0.00 | 5.66 | 14.75 | 243 | 300 |
| 9 | David H. Lowery | 4 | 0.00 | 5.65 | 14.74 | 242 | 300 |
| 10 | Steve Dobbs | 5 | 0.00 | 3.73 | 12.53 | 241 | 280 |
| 11 | Grant T. Kelly | 4 | 0.00 | 6.57 | 12.26 | 240 | 225 |
| 12 | Shane Powell | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 12.14 | 239 | 200 |
| 13 | Jimmy Parker | 3 | 0.00 | 7.33 | 11.39 | 238 | 0 |
| 14 | Tim Howell | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 11.16 | 237 | 0 |
| 15 | Kim Carver | 3 | 0.00 | 5.54 | 10.03 | 236 | 0 |
| 16 | Carl AOY-D72 H. Hayes | 2 | 0.00 | 7.35 | 9.75 | 235 | 640 |
| 17 | Rick E. Chavez | 2 | 0.00 | 5.25 | 9.52 | 234 | 0 |
| 18 | Cole Burdeshaw | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 9.22 | 233 | 0 |
| 19 | Scott Hayes | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8.76 | 232 | 0 |
| 20 | Michael David Meason | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8.50 | 231 | 0 |
| 21 | Ronnie Ray | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8.01 | 230 | 0 |
| 22 | Kip Carter | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 7.88 | 229 | 0 |
| 23 | Patrick J. Brown | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.73 | 228 | 0 |
| 24 | Jason T. Wiley | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.60 | 227 | 0 |
| 25 | Mark Holloway | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.43 | 226 | 0 |
| 26 | Ethan Greene | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.34 | 225 | 0 |
| 27 | Joshua M. George | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.05 | 224 | 0 |
| 28 | John E. Holder | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5.96 | 223 | 0 |
| 29 | Mark Succi | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5.43 | 222 | 0 |
| 30 | Casey Smith | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5.38 | 221 | 0 |
| 31 | Jay Carter | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5.37 | 220 | 0 |
| 32 | Ched M. McClure | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 5.07 | 219 | 0 |
| 33 | Randy Smith | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.07 | 218 | 0 |
| 34 | Jim C. Windham | 1 | 0.00 | 3.29 | 3.29 | 217 | 0 |
| 35 | Durward Henderson | 1 | 0.00 | 3.10 | 3.10 | 216 | 0 |
| 35 | Scott Huff | 1 | 0.00 | 3.10 | 3.10 | 216 | 0 |
| 37 | Steven Stebo C. McKissack | 1 | 0.00 | 2.54 | 2.54 | 214 | 0 |
| 38 | Bradley S. Durden | 1 | 0.00 | 2.48 | 2.48 | 213 | 0 |
| 39 | Shaun Mulhall | 1 | 0.00 | 2.22 | 2.22 | 212 | 0 |
| 40 | Gerald Bozeman | 1 | 0.00 | 1.82 | 1.82 | 211 | 0 |
About American Bass Anglers - American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler while offering an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and all their bass tournament trails visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Ross Burns Claims ABA Open Title on Santee Cooper with over 20 Pounds!!
ATHENS, Ala. – Ross Burns of Columbia, South Carolina won the Bass Pro Shops Open Series South Carolina event held on Santee Cooper on 1/26/2019. Running out of John C Land Boating Facility in Manning, South Carolina, Burns weighed in a five bass limit totaling 20.48-pounds. For the boater division victory, Burns took home a check for $2200.00.
“I caught my fish today fishing eel grass in the lower lake on a rattletrap,” said Burns.
In second for the boaters, Brett E. Mitchell of Timmonsville, South Carolina weighed in a five bass limit weighing 20.16-pounds.
“I caught my fish today on a Keitech swimbait around shell beds,” said Mitchell.
Taking third for the boaters, Ron Brown of Cross, South Carolina weighed in a five bass limit weighing 13.19-pounds.
“I caught 12-13 bass today. I caught some on a rattletrap and some on a shakeyhead,” said Brown.
In fourth place for the boaters, Paul M Selle of Lexington, South Carolina weighed in four bass weighing 11.68-pounds. Rounding out the top five, Todd Pearson of Anderson, South Carolina weighed in three bass weighing 10.32-pounds.
The big bass honors for the boaters was caught by Norm Attaway of Clearwater, South Carolina for a bass weighing 6.84-pounds. Attaway collected $340.00 for his bass.
In the Co-angler Division Chris Odom of Charlotte, North Carolina won with three bass weighing 11.54-pounds with a 5.14-pound kicker fish. Odom pocketed $750.00 for the win.
“I caught all of my fish on a rattletrap around stump fields,” said Odom.
Taking second for the co-anglers, Zachary Liles or Mooresville, North Carolina weighed in a three bass limit weighing 10.70-pounds.
“I fished with the second-place boater today. I fished slow with a senko,” said Liles.
Taking third for the co-anglers, Anthony Petrella of Charlotte, North Carolina weighed in a three bass limit weighing 8.05-pounds.
“I caught my fish today on a rattletrap,” said Patrella.
In fourth for the co-anglers Damon Phillips of Anderson, South Carolina weighed in one bass weighing 8.05-pounds. Rounding out the top five, Wesley Mullins of Bloomingdale, Georgia weighed in two bass weighing 5.54-pounds.
The big bass for the co-anglers was an 8.05-pounder weighed in by Damon Phillips of Anderson, South Carolina. He took home $130.00 for the bass.
Slated for February 23rd, the next event will be held on Lake Murray out of Dreher Island State Park.
Top 20 Boater Results (Full Results)
| PL | Angler | Fish | Penalty | Big Bass | Total | Points | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ross W. Burns | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 20.48 | 250 | 2200 |
| 2 | Brett E. Mitchell | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 20.16 | 249 | 950 |
| 3 | Ron Brown | 5 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 13.19 | 248 | 650 |
| 4 | Paul M. Selle | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 11.68 | 247 | 550 |
| 5 | Todd Pearson | 3 | 0.00 | 4.89 | 10.32 | 246 | 400 |
| 6 | Norm Attaway | 2 | 0.00 | 6.84 | 10.02 | 245 | 740 |
| 7 | Sandy E. Oliver | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 9.76 | 244 | 300 |
| 8 | Randall Jar R. Hillyer | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 9.67 | 243 | 200 |
| 9 | Christopher L. Chavis | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 9.59 | 242 | 0 |
| 10 | Nolan Pulley | 4 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 9.52 | 241 | 0 |
| 11 | Joe Anders | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 7.95 | 240 | 0 |
| 12 | James Gibbons | 1 | 0.00 | 7.86 | 7.86 | 239 | 0 |
| 13 | Lonnie B. Drusch | 3 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.33 | 238 | 0 |
| 14 | Barry Thames | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.21 | 237 | 0 |
| 15 | David H. Rush | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.80 | 236 | 0 |
| 16 | Russell BIGWORM P. Ludwig IV | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.58 | 235 | 0 |
| 17 | Joseph Toth | 2 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.57 | 234 | 0 |
| 18 | Bradley L. Sears | 1 | 0.00 | 3.36 | 3.36 | 233 | 0 |
| 19 | Richard Mitch W. Mitchell | 1 | 0.00 | 2.70 | 2.70 | 232 | 0 |
| 20 | Justin DeBose | 1 | 0.00 | 2.18 | 2.18 | 231 | 0 |
About American Bass Anglers - American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler while offering an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and all their bass tournament trails visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Howell Leads Group A in Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Inaugural Event
Courtesy of MLF / Joe Shangle
January 29, 2019
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – New competition format, new all-star lineup of players in the game of professional bass fishing. But as the first Shotgun Round of the MLF Bass Pro Tour B & W Trailer Hitches Stage One presented By Power-Pole wound down Tuesday on the Kissimmee Chain, some ages-old truths about Florida largemouth proved themselves.
Truth 1: Florida-strain largemouth love sunshine.
Truth 2: Wind – no matter which direction it’s blowing – changes the way fish bite.
Day 1 weight leader Randy Howell took advantage of both.
On a day that started out flat calm with air temperatures in the lower 40s at takeoff, and got progressively warmer and windier, Howell piled 26 fish for 49 pounds, 12 ounces on SCORETRACKER, thanks mainly to two afternoon flurries.
Howell caught six fish for 11-5 in a 41-minute span (most of it on a 3-inch Bass Pro Shops Speed Shad swimbait and a homemade lipless crankbait), and then added nine fish for 15-9 in the final hour of Period 3 to distance himself from Ish Monroe (40-13), Zack Birge (36-0), Gerald Spohrer (35-4) and Ott DeFoe (35-14)
“The wind changed direction three times this afternoon, so my biggest task was to adjust to how it would move the bait around,” Howell said. “We had these windows where cormorants were really chasing the bait, and I was just trying to stay where the bait was. I’d move ahead of them and let the wind blow me back through them, and that’s when I had those flurries.”
Monroe took a decidedly different approach, catching 11 of his fish punching a Missle Baits Craw Father. The California native, who was a pre-event favorite because of his previous success in big-fish fisheries, caught seven fish 3 pounds or heavier, including a 5-4 and a 4-15.
He’ll head into the Elimination Round on Thursday with a comfortable cushion to advance to the Knockout Round, a fact that Monroe plans to use to his strategic advantage.
“I didn’t do anything really great today – I probably left 15 pounds of fish out there that I didn’t execute on – but my goal in the Elimination Round is to catch 10 pounds and then spend the rest of the day looking for new stuff,” Monroe admitted. “I figure I’m pretty safe with 10 pounds (to add to his 40-13). The guys down around the cut would have to catch 37, 38 pounds to pass me – it’s totally possible here, for sure, but I’d love to get to 10 and then go practice.”
Birge put the big fish of the day on SCORETRACKER midway through Period 2, landing a 6-12 on a small swimbait. The Oklahoma pro added a 5-3 in the final minute of competition to jump into the Top 5. Spohrer, fishing his first MLF-format event, started strong early, putting seven fish on the board in Period 1 and hovering in the Top 5 all day long. DeFoe consistently scored throughout the day, building his weight around a 4-8 and a 4-2.
Notes
The 40 anglers from today’s Group A will compete again on Thursday, Jan. 31, adding their totals from today’s round to their Elimination Round. The Top 20 weights from Elimination will advance to the Knockout Round.
Group B will follow the same format, fishing tomorrow’s Shotgun Round and carrying their weights forward to the second Elimination Round (Friday, Feb. 1).
| Angler | Qualified | Total Weight Caught | Number of Fish Caught | Average Weight | Largest Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randy Howell | 1st | 49 - 12 | 26 | 1 - 15 | 3 - 06 |
| Ish Monroe | 2nd | 40 - 13 | 15 | 2 - 12 | 5 - 04 |
| Zack Birge | 3rd | 36 - 09 | 15 | 2 - 07 | 6 - 12 |
| Gerald Spohrer | 4th | 35 - 04 | 17 | 2 - 01 | 4 - 10 |
| Ott DeFoe | 5th | 34 - 14 | 14 | 2 - 08 | 4 - 08 |
| Brandon Coulter | 6th | 32 - 05 | 17 | 1 - 14 | 3 - 08 |
| Randall Tharp | 7th | 28 - 11 | 9 | 3 - 03 | 6 - 04 |
| Dave Lefebre | 8th | 26 - 06 | 15 | 1 - 12 | 4 - 10 |
| Mark Davis | 9th | 24 - 03 | 15 | 1 - 10 | 4 - 14 |
| Jacob Wheeler | 10th | 23 - 09 | 11 | 2 - 02 | 4 - 02 |
| Mark Daniels | 11th | 20 - 13 | 8 | 2 - 10 | 4 - 08 |
| Takahiro Omori | 12th | 19 - 12 | 8 | 2 - 08 | 4 - 04 |
| Greg Vinson | 13th | 18 - 13 | 12 | 1 - 09 | 3 - 09 |
| Chris Lane | 14th | 18 - 00 | 10 | 1 - 13 | 3 - 02 |
| Matt Lee | 15th | 17 - 15 | 7 | 2 - 09 | 4 - 01 |
| Jordan Lee | 16th | 17 - 05 | 9 | 1 - 15 | 2 - 15 |
| Russ Lane | 17th | 16 - 01 | 7 | 2 - 05 | 4 - 12 |
| Michael Neal | 18th | 13 - 14 | 8 | 1 - 12 | 3 - 06 |
| Jared Lintner | 19th | 13 - 13 | 8 | 1 - 12 | 2 - 11 |
| Stephen Browning | 20th | 13 - 00 | 10 | 1 - 05 | 3 - 04 |
| Casey Ashley | 21th | 13 - 00 | 6 | 2 - 03 | 3 - 09 |
| Gary Klein | 22th | 12 - 14 | 8 | 1 - 10 | 2 - 04 |
| Roy Hawk | 23th | 12 - 12 | 5 | 2 - 09 | 3 - 07 |
| Edwin Evers | 24th | 11 - 00 | 8 | 1 - 06 | 2 - 02 |
| Brett Hite | 25th | 10 - 13 | 8 | 1 - 06 | 1 - 12 |
| Cody Meyer | 26th | 10 - 03 | 5 | 2 - 01 | 3 - 08 |
| Andy Morgan | 27th | 9 - 14 | 8 | 1 - 04 | 1 - 07 |
| Tim Horton | 28th | 9 - 04 | 6 | 1 - 09 | 2 - 08 |
| James Watson | 29th | 9 - 00 | 6 | 1 - 08 | 3 - 06 |
| Jason Lambert | 30th | 7 - 00 | 4 | 1 - 12 | 2 - 01 |
| David Walker | 31th | 6 - 04 | 3 | 2 - 01 | 3 - 07 |
| Fred Roumbanis | 32th | 5 - 12 | 4 | 1 - 07 | 1 - 15 |
| Tommy Biffle | 33th | 4 - 03 | 2 | 2 - 01 | 3 - 02 |
| Mike McClelland | 34th | 4 - 00 | 3 | 1 - 05 | 1 - 09 |
| Keith Poche | 35th | 3 - 14 | 3 | 1 - 05 | 1 - 10 |
| Kelly Jordon | 36th | 3 - 13 | 2 | 1 - 15 | 1 - 15 |
| James Elam | 37th | 3 - 04 | 3 | 1 - 01 | 1 - 02 |
| Shin Fukae | 38th | 2 - 06 | 2 | 1 - 03 | 1 - 03 |
| Andy Montgomery | 39th | 1 - 14 | 1 | 1 - 14 | 1 - 14 |
| Justin Lucas | 40th | 1 - 06 | 1 | 1 - 06 | 1 - 06 |
ABA Adds 150 Series to its Tournament Line up
Courtesy of ABA
Athens, AL – Bass Pro Shops and American Bass Anglers announced the 2019 Bass Pro Shops 150 Series season details today. The Bass Pro Shops 150 Series is a team format providing competition for boat owners with 150hp - or smaller outboards. In 2019, there will be four qualifying tournaments held in different regions of the country in connection with a local Bass Pro Shops location. The top 20 teams by place of finish from each of these events will be invited to the Bass Pro Shops 150 Series Championship on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri in late September.
With a $200 per team entry, each qualifying tournament will award a new Tracker Pro Team 175 XTE boats with Mercury 75hp 4 stroke engine valued at $20,995. The Bass Pro Shops 150 Series Championship will offer two (2) Tracker Pro Team 195 XTE boats with Mercury 150 Pro XS 4 stroke engine valued at $28,905. Cash payout will be to the remaining top 20% of the field at all events.
Early VIP Registration for the 2019 qualifying events will begin February 4, 2019 at 8am for Nitro and Tracker owners. Owners of a 2018 and 2019 Nitro and Tracker boat with a 150hp or less will receive a one-year free membership when registering for any qualifying event.
Open Registration for the 2019 qualifying events will begin February 5, 2019 at 8am. Anglers may register on line at www.americanbassanglers.com/150 or call American Bass Anglers at 256-232-0460
| One-Day Schedules | ||||
| Dates | City | Lake | Launch | Bass Pro Shop On-Site Registration Location |
| 4/20/2019 | Shreveport, LA | Red River | Red River South Marina 250 Red River South Rd Bossier City, LA |
Bass Pro Shops 100 Bass Pro Drive Bossier City, LA |
| 4/27/2019 | Huntersville, NC | Lake Norman | Blythe Landing 15901 NC-73 Huntersville, NC |
Bass Pro Shops 8181 Concord Mills Blvd Concord, NC |
| 6/29/2019 | Gallatin, TN | Old Hickory | Flippers Marina 200 Odoms Bend Road Gallatin, TN |
Bass Pro Shops 323 Opry Mills Drive Nashville, TN |
| 7/13/2019 | Pell City, AL | Logan Martin | Lake Side Park 2801 Stemley Bridge Rd Cropwell, AL |
Bass Pro Shops 5000 Bass Pro Blvd Leeds, AL |
| Two-Day Championship (Friday/Saturday) | ||||
| 9/27-27/2019 | Branson, MO | Table Rock | Table Rock State Park 5175 MO-165 Branson, MO |
Bass Pro Shops 1 Bass Pro Drive Branson, MO |
What is the Bass Pro Shops 150 Series?
This is a Team Series where participation is limited to boats with 150hp motors or smaller. Both fiberglass or aluminum boats qualify (any brand). It is designed to provide a different platform for boat owners to fish tournaments without having to compete with larger boats with larger motors.
1. There will be four (4) one-day events held in conjunction with Bass Pro Shops locations.
2. Entry Fee $200
3. Pay back will be a Bass Tracker Bass Boat package* for qualifying events and two Tracker Bass Boat packages* for the Championship plus a cash payback to the top 20% of the field.
4. Field is limited to bass boats with 150hp or smaller (see Rules).
5. No Pros or guides are allowed (Bass Elite or FLW Tour anglers, see Rules)
6. Draw prizes at registration meetings held at Bass Pro Shops
7. No Off-limits for qualifying events
8. On-Site Registration Meetings will be held on Fridays from 3pm to 6:30pm the afternoon prior to each tournament at the hosting Bass Pro Shops location.
9. Nitro Boats Contingency* is available for these events.
10. *Sponsors reserve the right to change and/or modify prizes at any time at their discursion.
11. Important Requirements;
a. $200.00 entry fee per team
b. $10.00 (Optional Big Bass Pot)
c. Be an ABA Member
d. Open to all anglers who own a boat with a 150hp or smaller (see Rules).
e. Anglers must sign a Liability Release form
f. All events are subject to a Polygraph
g. See more information at ABA web site www.americanbassanglers.com/150
With New Tours and Changes - Bass Rankings Needed a refresher as well
Courtesy of BassRankings.com / Sean Ostruzka
The creation of the Bass Pro Tour and the subsequent shifting of anglers between the now three major-level tours was something that shook up the entire sport. Everyone has needed to evolve and adapt, Bass Rankings included.
The three-major-level-tours landscape has added a new dynamic to statistically and unbiasedly comparing anglers from one tour to another. Thus, we have recognized a need to adjust our ranking algorithm to continue to rank anglers in an unbiased manner. In addition, we have added back-end coding to allow us to run analytics on angler rosters to better understand the differences (experience level, technique-specific, etc.).
See the updated Major-Level Rankings
Below are results from our analysis for the rosters of the three major-level tours. These statistical comparisons, in no way, are meant to be an expression of bias to any trail, but merely the current status of the anglers on each roster.
NOTES: Anglers have readily switched trails throughout their careers, and thus, their experiences may not have been entirely gained from the organization they currently compete. Also, these averages only include tournaments dating back to 2000, as this is as far back as we have data across all trails that we are able to track accurately.
As you can see, each trail is different in its own accord. Thus, our new algorithm has been updated to take this into consideration. It factors in veterans vs new anglers on each tour, while at the same time giving new anglers an opportunity to shine. As always, there are no bonus points; the algorithm is 100% statistical, simply accommodating the differences in the rosters of each tour. The end result allows our rankings to measure anglers across all three tours in a fair, just and sound way.
As we said, we’ve all had to adapt. Yet, this offseason and the subsequent adaptations have created more opportunities than ever for anglers and fans to enjoy the sport as it continues to grow.
Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour Post-Game Show to Kick Off in Kissimmee
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MLF broadcaster Steven "Lurch" Scott (left), shown here with MLF pro angler Greg Hackney, will emcee the league's new MLF Bass Pro Tour Post-Game Show that kicks off with this week's event opener in Kissimmee, Florida.
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MLF's Aly Atkins will be reporting from behind the scenes during MLF's Bass Pro Tour Post-Game Show, interviewing MLF pro anglers in line as they stage and prepare for entry. (Click to enlarge/download)
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Johnny Morris Makes First Cast to Start New MLF Bass Pro Tour in Florida
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Johnny Morris (left), Bass Pro Shops founder and CEO, fires the first cast to signal the official start of the new MLF Bass Pro Tour which begins today on Florida's Lake Toho. Also pictured are MLF pro angler Kevin VanDam (middle) and MLF broadcaster Steven "Lurch" Scott.
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Pro-Angler Alex Niapas has a three day total of 62.95 pounds to Win Wild West Pro-Am on Shasta!
Pro-Angler Alex Niapas has a three day total of 62.95 pounds! On the second day, Alex was able to reel in a 13 pound largemouth and an 8 pound spot.
PRO
| PLACE | ANGLER | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Niapas | 20.92 | 30.22 | 11.81 | 62.95 |
| 2 | Jason Castaneda | 12.11 | 11.54 | 13.90 | 37.55 |
| 3 | Joey Reggio | 14.67 | 10.34 | 10.79 | 35.80 |
| 4 | Greg Gutierrez | 15.29 | 10.60 | 9.56 | 35.45 |
| 5 | Cliff King | 12.05 | 12.12 | 11.12 | 35.29 |
| 6 | Bryant Smith | 11.85 | 12.45 | 10.93 | 35.23 |
| 7 | Alex Klein | 12.31 | 11.81 | 10.47 | 34.59 |
| 8 | Jim Riley | 11.98 | 12.17 | 10.33 | 34.48 |
| 9 | Christopher Gosselaar | 11.14 | 12.63 | 10.14 | 33.91 |
| 10 | Mark Gomez | 12.65 | 11.67 | 9.10 | 33.17 |
| 11 | Philip Garcia | 12.98 | 10.63 | 23.61 | |
| 12 | Nick Wood | 11.16 | 12.35 | 23.51 | |
| 13 | Shane Peirson | 10.89 | 12.57 | 23.46 | |
| 14 | Richard Dobyns | 10.89 | 12.55 | 23.44 | |
| 15 | Keegan Graves | 10.84 | 12.24 | 23.08 | |
| 16 | Zack Thompson | 12.48 | 10.48 | 22.96 | |
| 17 | Wade Durling | 12.81 | 10.11 | 22.92 | |
| 18 | Earl Dalton III | 11.28 | 11.59 | 22.87 | |
| 19 | Damon Witt | 13.43 | 9.39 | 22.82 | |
| 20 | Nathan Bromley | 11.90 | 10.89 | 22.79 | |
AM
| PLACE | ANGLER | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | DAY 3 | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richard Leal | 11.62 | 12.44 | 9.34 | 33.40 |
| 2 | Eric Fernandes | 10.96 | 10.58 | 10.82 | 32.36 |
| 3 | Glen Wyatt | 11.37 | 11.41 | 9.32 | 32.10 |
| 4 | Robert Couts | 12.00 | 10.20 | 9.51 | 31.71 |
| 5 | Joe Karlowsky | 11.09 | 10.45 | 10.14 | 31.68 |
| 6 | Brian Conder | 10.18 | 11.21 | 10.17 | 31.56 |
| 7 | Nick Fiscus | 10.25 | 11.36 | 8.85 | 30.46 |
| 8 | Will Doud-Martin | 10.45 | 11.12 | 8.84 | 30.41 |
| 9 | Bill Townsend | 11.27 | 11.17 | 7.66 | 30.10 |
| 10 | Kerry Harris | 11.69 | 9.72 | 8.60 | 30.01 |
| 11 | Kurt Forrister | 10.39 | 10.75 | 21.14 | |
| 12 | Jacob Fleming | 10.02 | 10.94 | 20.96 | |
| 13 | Jason Lazzerini | 11.07 | 9.85 | 20.92 | |
| 14 | Oneal Martin | 10.73 | 10.11 | 20.84 | |
| 15 | James Rodgers | 9.61 | 11.22 | 20.83 | |
| 16 | Tyler Frost | 10.09 | 10.44 | 20.53 | |
| 17 | Chad Leblanc | 8.95 | 11.54 | 20.49 | |
| 18 | Daryn Avalos | 10.03 | 10.34 | 20.37 | |
| 19 | Jordan Pinasco | 10.99 | 9.29 | 20.28 | |
| 19 | Bob Ayers | 11.18 | 9.10 | 20.28 | |
Gator Guards to Support MLF Bass Pro Tour
Farmington, IL (Jan 28, 2019) - Gator Guards, the leading global innovator of boat protection products, announced today that the brand has signed on as a sponsor and the official keel protector of the new Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour.
The partnership is especially fitting because it brings together a long trusted supplier of Bass Pro Shops and the White River Marine Group (Nitro & Triton Boats) with the new beacon in the sport of professional bass fishing. Sharing a common goal to see the boating and fishing lifestyle continue to reach new audiences and be passed down to the next generation.
"We are very excited to partner with the MLF Bass Pro Tour for its inaugural season" “The energy, engagement, and new path forward for the sport is sure to excite all boaters and anglers. We’ve focused for 25 years to bring boaters easy and simple solutions to protect their investment. Many of which starts with the pride in ownership and maintenance of their first boat.” says Gator Guards’ Scott Smith.
Gator Guards’ sponsorship includes protecting the hulls the Bass Pro Tour fleet of Nitro Z21’s with KeelShield® as they traverse across the nation’s rigorous waters covering the anglers and capturing the best content to bring to you on “MLF NOW!”. The free live stream program will deliver seven hours of real-time coverage during each competition day on www.MajorLeagueFishing.com.
In addition to the support of the Bass Pro Tour, longtime MLF competitor and Classic Champion Randy Howell has officially joined the Gator Guards pro team to protect his Triton as he embarks on the new MLF Bass Pro Tour season.
About the MLF Bass Pro Tour:
The 80-angler MLF Bass Pro Tour field includes Bassmaster Classic champions, FLW Forrest Wood Cup winners, Anglers of the Year and top tour performers from throughout the world of competitive bass fishing. The 2019 Bass Pro Tour season opens Jan. 29 in Kissimmee, Fla. The tour concludes with a championship event in August
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Each Bass Pro Tour event will result in a two-hour television show that will air on Discovery Channel in the fourth quarter of 2019, and then repeat on Sportsman Channel in first and second quarters 2020.
MLF also has programming on Outdoor Channel, World Fishing Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network and Discovery Channel, and all episodes are available on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
Cody Clark & Blake Harvey win Outlaw Outdoors event on Rayburn with over 34lbs!!!
Cody Clark & Blake Harvey - Win the Season opening Outlaw Outdoors Sweet Sixteen event with 34.56lbs!!!! Full Results below!
FORT MYERS’ ANDERSON WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE GATOR DIVISION OPENER ON LAKE OKEECHOBEE
Co-angler Title Goes to Bradenton’s Hibbs
CLEWISTON, Fla. (Jan. 28, 2019) – Boater David Anderson of Fort Myers, Florida, caught five bass Saturday weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the 2019 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) season opener on Lake Okeechobee. For his win, Anderson earned $4,479.
Anderson said he spent his day on the north end of the lake fishing the outside of the Kissimmee grass line and dragging baits through beds.
“I was pretty much around bedding fish – they were either coming in or going out,” said Anderson, who earned his first career win in FLW competition. “I worked the outside before I went into the middle ground. It rained a little bit and was windy and cold, so the weather made me go to the middle ground instead of me cutting off the fish as they came and went. It was so windy that I had to primarily concentrate on fish that were bedding.”
He said his two key dragging baits were a black and blue Gambler Fat Ace with a 3/8-ounce Flat Out tungsten weight on 20-pound-test fluorocarbon line and a black and blue Bass Addiction Gear Boss Craw with a ½-ounce Flat Out tungsten weight on 50-pound Goat Rope braid line.
“I was fishing blind with both baits, just dragging them through beds. I used the lighter bait when there wasn’t much wind,” said Anderson.
Anderson said he caught his fish between 1 p.m. and 2:45 p.m., citing his 7-foot, 3-inch medium-heavy Reaper rod as especially helpful in feeling the bites.
“My Reaper let me feel those critical sensitive bites, which is important when you’re fishing blind. The fish only pick the bait up and move it for a few seconds, and I needed to be able to feel that in the wind.”
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: David Anderson, Fort Myers, Fla., five bass, 18-1, $4,479
2nd: Larry Cahan, East Palatka, Fla., five bass, 17-13, $2,140
3rd: Brian MacDougal, La Belle, Fla., five bass, 16-1, $1,426
4th: Chuck Webb, Sarasota, Fla., five bass, 15-6, $998
5th: William Schmitt, West Palm Beach, Fla., five bass, 15-0, $856
6th: Sandy Melvin, Boca Grande, Fla., five bass, 14-8, $785
7th: Timothy Feller, Coral Springs, Fla., five bass, 14-0, $713
8th: Mark Lundgren, Saint Cloud, Fla., five bass, 13-7, $642
9th: Ben Cox, Andrews, S.C., five bass, 12-14, $571
10th: Jody Gardner, Tippecanoe, Ohio, five bass, 12-11, $599
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Rodney Marks of Apopka, Florida, caught a 9-pound, 3-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $605.
Timothy Hibbs of Bradenton, Florida, won the Co-angler Division and $2,140 Saturday after catching four bass weighing 14 pounds, 15 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Timothy Hibbs, Bradenton, Fla., four bass, 14-15, $2,140
2nd: Ernie Johnson, Okeechobee, Fla., five bass, 13-7, $1,170
3rd: Mitch Avant, Johnsonville, S.C., five bass, 12-6, $712
4th: Matthew May, North Fort Myers, Fla., four bass, 12-0, $549
5th: Brandon St. Pierre, Lehigh Acres, Fla., five bass, 11-10, $428
6th: Randy Paquette, Sarasota, Fla., five bass, 10-7, $392
7th: Wayman Mobley, Miami, Fla., five bass, 9-11, $339
7th: Kenneth Hunnicutt, Jacksonville, Fla., five bass, 9-11, $339
9th: Tony Kromke, La Crosse, Wis., three bass, 9-10, $267
9th: Chris Mitchell, Cocoa, Fla., five bass, 9-10, $267
Charles Kilgore of Titusville, Florida, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $302.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 10-12 BFL Regional Championship on Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Georgia. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2019 BFL All-American will be held May 30-June 1 at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland, and is hosted by the Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism and the Commissioners of Charles County. 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.
B.A.S.S. Airs Week Of Programming To Preview 2019 Elite Series
| Jan. 28, 2019 |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Fishing fans who just can’t wait for the official kickoff of the 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series Feb. 7 on the St. Johns River, Florida, can get a sneak preview of the fishing action during a special “Bassmaster LIVE Preview Week” on Bassmaster.com every day through Friday.
“Since we introduced live-streamed, on-the-water tournament coverage to the world in 2015, bass fishing fans have clamored for more,” said Mike McKinnis, vice president of media content for JM Associates and producer of Bassmaster LIVE and The Bassmasters TV show. “We are expanding LIVE coverage from 18 to 24 hours for each Elite event this season, and we’re adding more cameras to cover more anglers.
“We think fans will appreciate getting a taste of what’s in store for them this year through this
week-long push of LIVE and pre-produced content served on all B.A.S.S. social and digital media outlets.”
The special programming is designed to entertain and educate fans and will be anchored by the Dream Team of tournament broadcast coverage — Tommy Sanders, Mark Zona, Davy Hite, Dave Mercer, Ronnie Moore and Mike Suchan — along with a host of players from the Toyota Bassmaster Studios and from throughout the country.
The special programming kicks off today with the “2019 Bassmaster Elite Series Preview,” a one-hour studio show featuring video and special reports on each of the nine regular-season Elite tournaments, including video, graphics and interviews with Elite Series anglers. Long-time B.A.S.S. members will want to tune in for a special guest appearance by Bob Cobb, the former editor of Bassmaster Magazine and founding producer of The Bassmasters.
The parade of big-bass lakes begins with Elite No. 1 on the St. Johns River at Palatka, Fla., Feb. 7-10, and continues the following week with a visit to Gwinnett, Ga., and Lake Lanier, renowned for its big spotted bass.
The season takes a break for the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods in Knoxville, Tenn., March 15-17, and the Classic is the focus of Tuesday’s preview show, airing on Bassmaster.com at 11 a.m. ET. The program incorporates historical footage of memorable Classics, along with video of Knoxville and the Tennessee River fishery, plus interviews with some of the 52 Classic contenders.
Fans of Fantasy Fishing will want to tune in to Wednesday’s show, “Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing 2019 — Meet the Pros,” debuting at 11 a.m. ET. With a number of rookies and other newcomers this year, the field will be harder to handicap without insights from the Bassmaster LIVE crew and other experts.
Registration for Fantasy Fishing is now open on Bassmaster.com. The top scorer of each Elite event will earn a $2,500 gift card to Bass Pro Shops, and the overall winner will receive a fully rigged Triton/Yamaha boat-and-motor combo valued at more than $35,000.
Thursday features a fun-filled competition, the “B.A.S.S. Brawl,” during which Zona and Hite are paired with Elite anglers Drew Benton and Drew Cook for a four-hour live-stream team competition on Bassmaster LIVE. The show will be streamed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET and will be hosted from the Toyota Bassmaster Studios.
And on Friday, “Zona LIVE” presents a fun-filled fishing trip with Zona and Benton as they cut up on the water and preview the upcoming Elite No. 1 on the St. Johns River. “Zona LIVE” is a spinoff of the hugely popular Zona’s Awesome Fishing Show on the Outdoor Channel.
“We’ve adopted the theme — ‘Big Bass. Big Stage. Big Dreams.’ — for our 2019 Bassmaster Elite Series season,” noted Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “Fans who tune in for our special ‘Bassmaster LIVE Preview Week’ will quickly understand why that theme is so fitting.
“We hope they’ll follow the Elite anglers throughout the year as they try to catch the heaviest limits of big bass and fulfill their dreams of grabbing the spotlight on the biggest stages in bass fishing — the Elite Series and the Bassmaster Classic.”
PITT WINS T-H MARINE FLW BASS FISHING LEAGUE COWBOY DIVISION OPENER ON TOLEDO BEND RESERVOIR PRESENTED BY NAVIONICS
Thibodaux’s Fussell Wins Co-angler Division
MANY, La. (Jan. 28, 2019) – Local angler Cody Pitt of Many, caught five bass Saturday weighing 24 pounds, 5 ounces, to win the 2019 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) season opener on Toledo Bend Reservoir presented by Navionics. Pitt earned $6,349 for his efforts.
Pitt said he caught his fish in and around Housen Bay, first targeting prespawn bass back in a creek channel before heading out to the main lake. He used one lure to catch his limit – a Powder Blue Back Chartreuse-colored Strike King Pro Model 6XD crankbait.
“Timing was the biggest part of my success,” said Pitt, who logged his second career win on Toledo Bend Reservoir in BFL competition. “In practice, I tried to find the early morning bite, but it was pretty much non-existent. The first bite I could find was the prespawn bite, but it didn’t really get going until 8:30 or 9 [a.m.] I knew going into the tournament that if I could just make myself wait, they’d be pulled up and schooling and I could get some good bites.”
By 9:30 a.m., Pitt had 18 pounds of bass in the boat. He described his first area as a creek channel bend that met a secondary point, and said the fish were on the point waiting to head back and spawn. From there, he decided to concentrate on the main lake.
“My [main-lake] spots had hard bottoms and the fish were more in a wintertime pattern. I found that they were out there from around 10 [a.m.] to 1 [p.m.] – a window of time I’d narrowed down from practice,” said Pitt. “I used the 6XD and caught my best fish, including three that I think were each about 5 pounds.”
Pitt said he ended up catching approximately 20 keepers throughout his day.
“My Lowrance electronics were key to finding my fish. I spent a lot of time idling and down-scanning and side-scanning, just looking for either hard spots or fish themselves.”
.The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Cody Pitt, Many, La., five bass, 24-5, $6,349
2nd: Benjamin Gulett, Converse, La., five bass, 20-0, $2,775
3rd: Jeffrey Grubbs, Goodrich, Texas, five bass, 19-13, $1,782
4th: Josh Champagne, Breaux Bridge, La., five bass, 19-8, $1,248
5th: Albert Collins, Nacogdoches, Texas, five bass, 19-1, $1,070
6th: Travis Kelehan, Lafayette, La., five bass, 17-14, $981
7th: Justin Shelton, Kemp, Texas, five bass, 17-10, $892
8th: Bryan McDonough, Katy, Texas, five bass, 17-6, $802
9th: Ryan Pinkston, Center, Texas, five bass, 17-0, $713
10th: Andre Martin, Lena, La., five bass, 16-14, $893
10th: Eason Dowden, Many, La., five bass, 16-14, $593
Complete results can be found at FLWFishing.com.
Shannon Frick of Hemphill, Texas, caught an 8-pound, 7-ounce bass – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division – and earned the day’s Boater Big Bass award of $850.
Bill Fussell of Thibodaux, Louisiana, won the Co-angler Division and $2,675 Saturday after catching five bass weighing 15 pounds, 8 ounces.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: Bill Fussell, Thibodaux, La., five bass, 15-8, $2,675
2nd: James Callaghan, De Berry, Texas, five bass, 14-4, $1,537
3rd: Chance Vicknair, Hemphill, Texas, five bass, 13-15, $941
4th: Jerry Strother, Glenmora, La., five bass, 13-9, $624
5th: Joseph Sciple, Lumberton, Texas, five bass, 13-4, $535
6th: Charles Dake, Carencro, La., five bass, 13-1, $490
7th: Jeff Grubbs Jr., Kemah, Texas, five bass, 12-15, $446
8th: Clark Moore, Nacogdoches, Texas, five bass, 12-5, $401
9th: Brian Murphy, Sulphur, La., five bass, 11-7, $357
10th: David Dennis, Mesquite, Texas, four bass, 11-5, $296
10th: Robert Bean, Daisetta, Texas, five bass, 11-5, $296
Carl Broussard of Converse, Louisiana, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division, a fish weighing in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces. The catch earned him the day’s Co-angler Big Bass award of $425.
The top 45 boaters and co-anglers in the region based on point standings, along with the five winners in each qualifying event, will be entered in the Oct. 24-26 BFL Regional Championship on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard and $20,000, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518L with a 200-horsepower outboard.
The 2019 BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 tournaments throughout the season, five qualifying events in each division. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers from each division, along with the five winners of the qualifying events, will advance to one of six regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2019 BFL All-American will be held May 30-June 1 at the Potomac River in Marbury, Maryland, and is hosted by the Charles County Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism and the Commissioners of Charles County. 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.
FLW Veteran Terry Bolton Credits One-Boat Network from Minn Kota and Humminbird for First Tour Win on Sam Rayburn
Photos courtesy of FLW/Jody White
FLW pro angler Terry Bolton kicked off the 2018 pro bass fishing season right by sealing his first professional tour victory on Sam Rayburn. The 24-year pro reeled in 91-pounds, 3-ounces over the course of four days relying heavily on the combined capabilities of his Humminbird Helix and Minn Kota Ultrex, core parts of the One-Boat Network.
Bolton credits two big decision in his win, both stemming from what he saw on his Humminbird Helix G3 during the practice period. With just a couple hours left on the last day of practice, Bolton was running down imaging on his Humminbird when something caught his eye.
“I found tall grass in 17-feet of water that went up to about 6-feet of the surface,” Bolton said. “Cruising around the contour visible on my LakeMaster map, I found a drain that made a wall in the grass, and dropped a waypoint. I knew I found something special; I just didn’t realize how special it was until the tournament began.”
Over the first two days of the tournament, Bolton caught more than 54 pounds of bass on just that one spot.
“Every cast, I was catching a fish,” he said. “Without Spot-Lock on my Minn Kota Ultrex, I wouldn’t have been able to pull it off. It made it so easy to cast, land and go to the live well without my boat drifting from the hot spot. It was incredible.”
After a 33-9 stringer on day two and a steady day three, Bolton knew he was going to need more to get the win heading into the final day. With another crucial decision on his hands, he turned back to his LakeMaster map to try and find a school of fish he marked during practice days earlier.
“I hadn’t seen the school all week and had no idea how big they were, but I was running around all day and wasn’t catching anything,” he said. “By following the 12 to 14-foot contour on my LakeMaster Map, I was able to track them down and lo and behold they were good ones.”
Bolton found a 4 1/2-pounder and a couple 3-pounders in that spot, which was enough to lock up the first professional tour win in his 24-year career. Quite a turnaround considering Bolton almost walked away from the sport just a few months earlier.
After a rough 2018 season, in which he admits he didn’t give his best effort, Bolton said he was leaning 60-40 in favor of retirement. After deciding to give it another go around, Bolton had one goal heading into this season, to give his best effort and just have fun fishing.
“This is obviously a very special victory for me, and I have to say, it was well worth the wait,” Bolton said. “No question, I wouldn’t have been able get this win without the One-Boat Network and my Humminbird Helix and Minn Kota Ultrex. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year has in store.”
Stephens Notches Dominant Win At Bassmaster Open On Harris Chain
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Stephens Hammers 32.12 for the Opens Lead on Harris Chain!!
| Courtesy of BASS
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Sportsmans Warehouse Weekend Report
AC's John Byrne and Sportsman's Warehouse Fishing Manager Sam Johnson Talk upcoming tournaments in this weeks Sportsmans Warehouse Weekend Report. Check it out!
Sportsmans Warehouse Weekend Report
AC's John Byrne and Sportsman's Warehouse Fishing Manager Sam Johnson Talk upcoming tournaments in this weeks Sportsmans Warehouse Weekend Report. Check it out!
SEAGUAR HIGH-VISIBILITY SMACKDOWN FLASH GREEN NOW AVAILABLE
Courtesy of Seaguar
Seaguar’s new high-visibility braid sets a new standard for ultra-finesse fishing and bite detection
Louisville, KY (January 25, 2019) Smackdown is Seaguar’s premium braided line, made with 8 ultra-thin strands woven into a perfectly round profile for quiet, exceptionally long, laser-precise casts. Smackdown’s tight weave makes it one of the thinnest-diameter braids available—so thin that 20 lb. test has the diameter of 6 lb. monofilament—which dramatically enhances its sensitivity. A remarkably strong line, Smackdown provides exceptional knot and tensile strength with unparalleled abrasion resistance.
And now, all of Smackdown’s advantages are paired with a high visibility color, Flash Green, which is easy for anglers to see under a wide range of ambient light conditions. The visibility is better for bite detection, with Hi-Vis Smackdown Flash Green letting you see the slightest line movements and detect the most subtle bites.
Bass expert and Seaguar pro angler Mark Zona has been fishing the line since the very first samples were available before mass distribution. “I was one of the first anglers to test the Hi-Vis Smackdown Flash Green and here’s one of the things that’s overlooked in braided line is how well the line holds its color, which is critical. There are a lot of hi-vis braids on the market that lose that hi-vis aspect after a month of fishing, and I know Seaguar put a lot of time and effort into Flash Green holding its color,” says Zona.
Of course, this translates to long-term and excellent bite detection, which Zona has noticed shooting TV shows across the country. “Over the years I have used tons of hi-vis braids and when it comes to any finesse, bottom-bouncing technique nothing emits bites better than this color, which literally jumps like the green light flashing at an intersection to go. It literally tells you when a fish inhales your lure.”
The combination of lack of stretch, sensitivity, and high-visibility for better bite detection have moved Zona to respool 80% of his finesse rod and reel pairings to feature Seaguar’s new Hi-Vis Smackdown Flash Green. “10 to 15 years ago a lot of us laughed at hi-vis braid, wondering ‘What on Earth do I need this for? I need camouflage!” remarks Zona. “Well, that’s gone by the way wayside.
Now, you combine the castability, lack of stretch, sensitivity, and visibility, and you’re just putting more odds in your corner to land more fish. Period. I’m now fishing it any time I’m fishing a wacky rig, Neko rig, power shotting, drop shotting, or fishing small finesse swimbaits. And the deeper I’m fishing, the more important the line becomes, even more important than my rod, really, for telegraphing bites.”
Zona has also noticed how the smoothness of Smackdown Flash Green not only translates to longer casts but is comparatively quieter than other products on the market. “Hi-Vis Smackdown Flash Green is very, very quiet coming through your guides, and when you hook a fish it doesn’t sound like you’re sawing wood!”
Pair Smackdown – Flash Green with a Seaguar 100% fluorocarbon leader for the ultimate finesse rig that is easy for anglers to see above the water, but nearly invisible to fish as they inspect the lure. For Zona, that’s Seaguar’s AbrazX given the amount of cover he’s used to navigating on a daily basis – from timber to zebra mussels.
Seaguar Smackdown – Flash Green is now available in line tests of 10, 15, 20 and 30 lbs., in 150 yards spools and sets a new standard in high visibility braided lines – fish it once, and you’ll understand why Seaguar is Always The Best!
For more information, visit us on the Web at www.seaguar.com or on Facebook.
#Seaguar
From Co to Pro - Willert Learning Life Lessons and Loving Life on the Road
Jason sits down with Former FLW Tour Co-Angler Joel Willert and discusses his move to the front of the boat and breaks down Sam Rayburn and the missed opportunities there. They also talk Camping Life and looking ahead to the next event in Florida.
Major League Fishing Announces Dayton Venue on Lake Chickamuaga as Bass Pro Tour Stage 4
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Big names and big bass hook-up frequently on Chickamauga Lake, just as area super star Andy Morgan does here with a healthy largemouth. But Morgan and several other local heroes will have tough competition on the sprawling fishery as they go against bass fishing's finest in the 80-angler MLF Bass Pro Tour field during the April event. (Photo courtesy Richard Simms.
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Angler Groups announced for inaugural Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour
Courtesy of Major League Fishing
By Mason Prince - January 24, 2019
When you look at the lineup for the first-ever event of the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour (Jan. 29-Feb. 3 in Kissimmee, Florida), one word comes to mind: loaded.
The two official competition groups for next week’s MLF Bass Pro Tour B & W Trailer Hitches Stage One presented By Power-Pole are packed with champions, contenders and young stars-in-the-making, which sets the scene for a compelling week of fishing in Kissimmee, Florida.
“Every one of these guys are accomplished anglers in some form or fashion,” says MLF NOW! live stream analyst Maty Stone. “If any one of these anglers in either of these groups does well, it won’t be the first time they’ve ever done so.”
Group A
The resumes of the 40 anglers in Group A are highlighted with a combined 11 FLW and B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year awards, eight Bassmaster Classic titles and two Forest Wood Cup championships. The 40 anglers in each group compete in the Shotgun and Elimination rounds to battle their way into the Top 20 in their respective groups to advance to the Knockout Round.
While 50/50 might sound like good odds, Stone says there is nothing easy about making the cut in this group.
“I try to find a weak spot in Group A and from top to bottom, making that Top 20 is not going to be a given,” Stone says. “If I was one of these anglers trying to make the Top 20, I would be worried because it’s going to take my best to get there in this group.”
Group B
While the challenge in Group A looks daunting, Group B isn’t any easier: this lineup features a combined 19 Angler of the Year awards, nine Bassmaster Classic titles and five Forest Wood Cup trophies.
“You look at all the anglers and accolades in Group A and then say, ‘Okay, now let’s go look at our old sorry Group B,’ and you say, ‘Holy cow!’” Stone laughs. “I look at this group and see all of the young guys and former champs and get fired up. There’s nothing that makes me think that this group of anglers won’t come out of the gates swinging.”
Group A gets the first MLF Bass Pro Tour event started on Tuesday, Jan. 29 and Group B begins competition on Wednesday, Jan. 30. The MLF NOW! live stream will begin at 10 a.m. daily, while SCORETRACKER will be viewable starting at lines in every day.
Group A
- Mark Daniels
- Gary Klein, 2 AOY
- Casey Ashley, 1 BMC
- Brandon Coulter
- Andy Montgomery
- Dave Lefebre
- Randy Howell, 1 BMC
- Randall Tharp, 1 FWC
- Mark Davis, 1 BMC, 3 AOY
- Ish Monroe
- Kelly Jordon
- Jared Lintner
- Gerald Spohrer
- Fred Roumbanis
- Edwin Evers, 1 BMC
- Brett Hite
- Chris Lane, 1 BMC
- Michael Neal
- Justin Lucas, 1 AOY
- David Walker
- Zack Birge
- Jason Lambert
- Mike McClelland
- Tommy Biffle
- Russ Lane
- Matt Lee
- Stephen Browning
- Andy Morgan, 3 AOY
- Ott DeFoe
- Roy Hawk
- Jacob Wheeler, 1 FWC
- Greg Vinson
- Keith Poche
- Takahiro Omori, 1 BMC
- James Watson
- Jordan Lee, 2 BMC
- Tim Horton, 1 AOY
- James Elam
- Cody Meyer
- Shin Fukae, 1 AOY
Group B
- Aaron Martens, 3 AOY
- Adrian Avena
- Bradley Roy
- Jeff Kriet
- Jeff Sprague
- Skeet Reese, 1 AOY, 1 BMC
- Terry Scroggins
- Dustin Connell
- John Murray
- Shaw Grigsby
- Alton Jones, 1 BMC
- Brent Chapman, 1 AOY
- Britt Myers
- Jacob Powroznik
- Luke Clausen, 1 BMC, 1 FWC
- Boyd Duckett, 1 BMC
- Gerald Swindle, 2 AOY
- Jason Christie
- Josh Bertrand
- Todd Faircloth
- Greg Hackney, 1 AOY, 1 MLF WC
- Scott Suggs, 1 FWC
- Jesse Wiggins
- Wesley Strader
- Cliff Pace
- Paul Elias
- Cliff Crochet
- Johnathon VanDam
- Brent Ehrler, 1 FWC
- Anthony Gagliardi, 1 FWC
- Justin Atkins, 1 FWC
- Kevin VanDam, 4 BMC, 8 AOY
- Bobby Lane, 1 MLF WC
- Alton Jones Jr.
- Mike Iaconelli, 1 AOY, 1 BMC
- Fletcher Shryock
- Mark Rose, 1 AOY
- Brandon Palaniuk, 1 AOY
- Marty Robinson
- Dean Rojas
Abu Garcia, Berkley Expand MLF Support to Include Bass Pro Tour
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MLF pro angler Bobby Lane eyes a scorable bass being weighed by his boat official. The MLF Bass Pro Tour uses a conservation friendly weigh and release-immediately back into the water format during all competition days.
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Fantasy Fishing Sign-up!
If you like Fantasy Fishing, then we are challenging you to play Fantasy Fishing Challenge on Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing.
We give prizes to the top finisher in each tournament and at the end of the Year we give away a HUGE Prize pack for the Angler of the Year in the Group.
This game challenges you to build a roster of five anglers which will compete on your behalf in each tournament. The amount of points an angler can earn in a tournament are based on the Angler of the Year points system. Best of all, it's FREE to play.
Get in the action now: and join the Group: AnglersChannel.com
Day 1 of Bassmaster Eastern Open on Harris Chain Cancelled due to weather
Courtesy of BASS
Storms Postpone Bassmaster Open Start On Florida’s Harris Chain
LEESBURG, Fla. — Inclement weather has postponed the scheduled start of the Basspro.comBassmaster Central Open on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Fla. Citing concerns for angler safety, Tournament Director Chris Bowes confirmed that the event will be shortened to two days of full-field competition with 225 boats, Friday and Saturday.
“Severe weather with winds in excess of 50 mph, hail and lightning moved through during the launch period for a scheduled 7 a.m. launch,” Bowes said. “Although we may have been able get started late, I felt it was in the best interest of the anglers and fair competition to fish the full field Friday and Saturday. Both days look clear of any weather that could impact the angler’s safety.
“We discussed last night with local officials and, of course, the tournament anglers, that this was a possibility. They were made aware an evaluation would be made at 4 a.m. and a text would be sent. Although there were still tornado warnings in the area (as of approximately 8 a.m.), the immediate Leesburg area seems to have the worse behind."
The event was originally scheduled to begin today and conclude with Saturday’s final weigh-in at the Bass Pro Shops on International Drive in Orlando. The revised schedule will see anglers launching from Venetian Gardens in downtown Leesburg, with both days’ weigh-ins held at 3 p.m. at Leesburg’s Ski Beach Park.
Randy Howell Teams with Gator Guards KeelShield
Farmington, IL (Jan. 24, 2019) - Gator Guards, the leading global innovator of boat protection products, and former Classic Champion Randy Howell, are teaming up to tackle the new Major League Fishing (MLF) Bass Pro Tour.
Randy Howell, the established Guntersville, AL angler, is best known as a Classic Champion and MLF Competitor, but what sets him apart is his genuine persona, and the strong commitment to his faith and family. The Howell family travels together across the country fishing and sharing their lives - making a positive impact in all the communities they visit and becoming a fan favorite on tour.
“We’re grateful to team up with Randy Howell and his family. We’ve supported Randy and been guarding his rigs for over 20 years since Triton Boats trusted us as their only keel protector. It is exciting to partner on a national scale as he puts his equipment to the test and tackles the new MLF Bass Pro Tour.” said Gator Guards’ Scott Smith.
“I’m excited to officially partner with Gator Guards, the makers of KeelShield. These guys are the leaders in hull protection, and I’ve trusted the KeelShield to protect my Triton Boats for the past 20 years. The entire lineup of products are innovative and necessary to protect your investment, especially with how we as pros put our boats through the toughest of circumstances, and expect them to be in great shape as we pass them on to the next owner. In my case, the winner of our annual King’s Home boat giveaway.”
Randy looks forward to the new season and redefined fishing landscape. “I’m proud to be representing an American made family company to protect my Triton on the exciting new Bass Pro Tour and Major League Fishing circuit.” Which starts soon in Kissimmee, Fla., to kick off the inaugural season Jan 29-Feb 3. You can tune in and watch the innovative “MLF NOW!” Live stream for all the non-stop action at www.majorleaguefishing.com.
Strike King / Lews Tip of the Week with Major League Fishing Pro Jeff Sprague
Lews Pro Jeff Sprague gives us the run down on one of his favorite rod and reel set ups, the Lew's Custom Pro Speed Stick and Hyper Mag reel.
Ed Watkins Marine - Full Line up of Boats and Models
Ed Watkins with Ed Watkins Marine in Denver, NC talks about his great line-up of Ranger Bass Boats and Pontoons and introduces the new Sea Pro line up of center console boats to his dealership.
2019 TH Marine BFL Season Kicks off the Weekend!
January 22, 2019
Courtesy of FLW / Curtis Niedermier
While much of the northern United States is locked in a deep freeze, Southern bass anglers will be kicking off their 2019 T-H Marine FLW Bass Fishing League season with the Gator Division tournament at Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla., and the Cowboy Division tournament at Toledo Bend Reservoir in Many, La.
Okeechobee and Toledo Bend are legendary bass fisheries rated among the best in the country, and their respective contingents of BFL anglers are some of the most experienced and capable in the league.
Here’s a taste of what we can expect to see at the BFL’s opening events.
Lake Okeechobee tournament details
Toledo Bend tournament details
Complete FLW tournament schedule
LOTS OF FACTORS IN PLAY AT OKEECHOBEE
Okeechobee is probably the most famous tournament fishery in the Sunshine State, and this year, according to well-known Florida angler Robert Crosnoe, there will be a number of interesting conditions for Gator Division anglers to deal with.
First, the water level is down to 12.28 (as of Jan. 21), which is several feet lower than this time in 2018. The low water will make navigation in some areas tricky and change up the dynamics of the lake’s vegetated areas.
More critical to the fishing, however, is Mother Nature’s role. The region is just starting to see temperatures recover from a cold front that landed at the end of last week and led to lows plummeting into the upper 40s, and it’s still cold by south Florida standards. There’s another cooldown possibly in the works for the end of the week, too.
“The fish are wanting to spawn really bad, but these cold fronts are going to be a huge, huge factor in it,” says Crosnoe. “It all depends on if a wave moves up. If we had prime weather it would be fishing unbelievably good. Every fish in the lake is wanting to come in and spawn. You might see unbelievable weights if we have stable weather – high 60s or low 70s for highs.”
Crosnoe expects fish to be caught with the usual spawning patterns of pitching jigs and Yamamoto Senkos to isolated reeds and in traditional spawning areas, but he figures the cool weather might also halt some bass in prespawn waters where anglers will need to throw lipless crankbaits, swim jigs and other open-water presentations.
As of late afternoon Monday, Crosnoe wasn’t sure of the exact water temperature at Okeechobee, but he says his home waters on the Harris Chain have water temps in the 60s and trending down. He thinks it might dip as low as the upper 50s in the next day or so and wouldn’t be surprised to see similar conditions, give or take, at the Big O.
“Fish like 68 to 72 degrees for a major wave to spawn on the Harris Chain,” he explains. “It’s way too cold for that.”
The winning weight at Okeechobee should still be decent for this time of year. It is Florida, after all, and Crosnoe thinks we might see 27 pounds or so win it. He’s just not expecting a parade of 20-plus-pound bags like would be on tap if south Florida was in the grips of a late-winter warming trend.
TOLEDO BEND MIGHT SEE A 2016 REPEAT
This is only the third time since 2011 that the Cowboy Division has opened at Toledo Bend. In 2011, the opener was held in February. The Jan. 23, 2016 tournament is a better barometer of what to expect. That derby saw eight limits of more than 20 pounds and two more 19-plus bags. It took 13-12 to get a check.
Like in 2016, the water level at Toledo Bend is right at or a hair above full pool, which is 172 feet. Compare that to 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018 when it was around 168 this time of year.
A cold front is going to impact the region midweek, bringing more rain to the already drenched area and forcing lows into the 30s, which should last into the weekend. That’s one major challenge. Another is that the water was about a foot and a half higher a couple weeks ago, and lake managers sucked the excess out pretty quickly. According to Louisiana pro Randy Deaver, that can sometimes pull muddy water into the main lake and hinder the deep bite.
Deaver’s team partner, Nick LeBrun, the 2018 BFL All-American champion and fellow Toledo Bend stick, isn’t fishing this derby, but he predicts a pretty typical mix of tactics will factor into the outcome.
“The water is probably going to be normal, if not high, and when it is normal or high you can always expect there to be a bush bite, a shallow bite,” LeBrun says. “I think you’re going to have guys north of Pendleton Bridge fishing stained, muddy water, flipping the bushes or throwing a ChatterBait or even a swim jig.
“The other phase of that is they have been generating a lot of water trying to get the high water down. That’s going to have some fish schooled up offshore somewhere. There’s going to be some prespawners down south on ridges or points. A guy doing that can get right in a hurry.”
LeBrun says that shallow-up-north, offshore-down-south split is “how it is” this time of year, with the Pendleton Bridge bisecting the lake at its north-south center and separating the two main sections of the fishery.
The results from January 2016 back up his claims. LeBrun finished fifth by flipping bushes up north. Tournament winner Cody Pitt, a local, won the tournament south of the bridge throwing an under-spin with a swimbait trailer and a Strike King 10XD. He fished the backs of ditches and the sides of humps near flats, as well as some deeper wintering areas.
More importantly perhaps than specific fishing conditions this weekend, LeBrun, an FLW Tour rookie this season, encourages BFL anglers to focus on the bigger picture of what’s at stake, starting with the 2019 openers.
“The BFL is a good start for where things can lead. I was a BFL guy who worked his way up,” LeBrun says. “That’s how I cut my teeth. And now I’m living the dream.”
CLEWISTON READIES FOR COSTA FLW SERIES AT LAKE OKEECHOBEE
Courtesy of FLW
CLEWISTON, Fla. (Jan. 22, 2019) – The 2019 Costa Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) Series Southeastern division is set to open next week at Lake Okeechobee, Jan. 31- Feb. 2, with the Costa FLW Series at Lake Okeechobee presented by Power-Pole. Hosted by Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina & Resort and the Hendry County Tourism Development Council, the three-day tournament will feature 500 of the best regional bass-fishing pros and co-anglers casting for a top prize of up to $110,000, including a brand new Ranger Z518L boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard in the pro division.
Water levels are down at Lake Okeechobee – nearly 3-feet low – according to local FLW Tour pro Brandon McMillan of Clewiston, and it has the world-renowned big-bass factory in a bit of a funk.
“The lake is fishing a little tough right now,” McMillan said. “The lake is lower than it has been in the last 4 or 5 years and the problem is that there is very little, if any, clean water right now. The key to this tournament will be figuring out how to catch them in the dirty water.”
With the water clarity being such a big factor, McMillan said he expects moving baits to play a large role for tournament anglers.
“Rat-L-Traps, squarebill crankbaits and ChatterBaits will be the ticket,” he said. “There will be some kind of flipping bite – off the grass reed line, flipping a big jig – but it seems like the more consistent anglers will be in the rim canals, just working down the bank. That being said, it’s always going to be won somewhere in the main lake.”
McMillan predicted that the winner would likely have a three-day total around 50 pounds.
“It’s really hard to give a good weight prediction because the fishing is tough, but it’s Lake Okeechobee and we know that there are giants that live here,” McMillan went on to say. “If a guy can catch one or two of those during the event it will really go a long way. One thing is for sure – someone is going to catch them, and it should be a pretty exciting event.”
Anglers will take off from Roland & Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort, located at 920 E. Del Monte Avenue in Clewiston, at 7 a.m. EST each day. Weigh-ins will also take place at the Resort, and will begin at 3 p.m. each day. All takeoffs and weigh-ins are free to attend and open to the public.
In Costa FLW Series regular-season competition, payouts are based on the number of participants competing in the event. At Lake Okeechobee, pros will fish for a top prize of up to $110,000 including a brand new Ranger Z518L boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard if Ranger Cup qualified. Co-anglers will cast for a brand new Ranger Z175 boat with a 115-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard, and $5,000 if Ranger Cup qualified.
The Costa FLW Series consists of five U.S. divisions – Central, Northern, Southeastern, Southwestern and Western – along with the International division. Each U.S. division consists of three regular-season tournaments with competitors vying for valuable points that could earn them the opportunity to compete in the season-ending Costa FLW Series Championship. The 2019 Costa FLW Series Championship is being held Oct. 31 – Nov. 2 on Lake Cumberland in Burnside, Kentucky.
For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the Costa FLW Series on FLW’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
"LeBoom!!!"
This week the boys welcome in Sam Rayburn FLW Tour runner-up Nick LeBrun to talk about how he was so consistent when Rayburn wasn't and we get the scoop on his new "LeBoom" Spinnerbait from V&M Lures. All that & the usual shenanigans on the AC insider Podcast!
Niggemeyer Trusts his Boat to Gator Guards
FLW Tour Veteran protects his Ranger with KeelShield
Farmington, IL (January 21, 2019) – It’s our pleasure to welcome FLW Tour Pro James Niggemeyer into the Gator Guards family of American-made marine protection products.
James Niggemeyer, a Ranger Boats and Bass Pro/Cabela’s pro from Van City, TX has long excelled across the spectrum as a professional angler on both the FLW Tour and B.A.S.S circuits. As well as guide on Lake Fork. “James is a great role model for showing that you can take your passion for the water and make it a career. We’re glad to have such a hard working and salt of the earth angler like him on board” says Gator Guards’ Nick Barr.
James has trusted Gator Guards for his boat protection throughout his career. James needs few words to explain why he chose KeelShield®“Simply put my Ranger boat is a tool to help me be more successful on the water.” “I take pride in keeping my boat in great shape for the next owner and Gator Guards provides durable and lasting products like the KeelShield to protect my investment through a rugged season – I certainly wouldn’t start a tournament season without one on my boat.”
You can follow James on his Facebook, Instagram, and throughout the FLW Tour season at www.flwfishing.com
About Gator Guards:
Gator Guards™, a family business from Farmington, IL is celebrating its 25th anniversary protecting all types of watercraft with easy solutions for the everyday boater. With their innovative, durable product line they have become the trusted protection supplier of over 30 boat builders including Triton, Nitro, and Skeeter Boats. All our products are available through Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s (www.BassPro.com).
KeelShield® – BowShield® – SkegShield® – GatorSkinz® – Hitch Guard® – and Gator Patch® are registered products of Gator Guards. For more information on how to protect your boat or kayak visit www.Gator-Guards.com
AC's John Byrne interviews Elite Series Pro Rob Digh
AC's John Byrne catches up with soon to be Elite Series Rookie Rob Digh to discuss Rob fishing the 2018 Elite Series.
Jai Hunter Sr. Wins ABA Open Series on Okeechobee with over 18 pounds for the win and $5500
Courtesy of ABA
ATHENS, Ala. – Jai Hunter Sr. of Deland, FL won the Bass Pro Shops Open Series Florida Central tournament, held January 19th on the Lake Okeechobee. Running out of Roland Martin Marina & Resort in Clewiston, FL the Jai Sr. caught five-bass weighing 18.10-pounds. For the Boater Division victory, Hunter Sr. took home a check for $5500 for his win.
“I was fishing on the north end of the lake today. I found some fish on Wednesday and the fish changed up a little today. It was a later bite. I was flipping a Gambler Fat Ace to isolated pencil reeds. The fish would flurry for 30 minutes then quit for an hour. I didn’t expect to win with 18-pounds, I had a blast,” Hunter Sr. said.
In second for the boaters, Robert Wood of West Palm Beach, FL landed a five-bass tournament limit going 17.12-pounds including a big bass that weighed 7.60-pound.
“I caught my fish junk fishing. I caught the big bass flipping. Another one on a speed worm and the rest on a swim jig. I only had six bites today. I also fished the north end of the lake,” Wood said.
Gary Milicevic of Labelle, FL took third for the boaters with five bass going 16.67-pounds.
“I caught my fish today dragging a Senko. I left fish biting to look for a big fish but I probably should’ve stayed and caught a few more 3 or 4 pounders,” Milicevic said.
Finishing fourth, Joey Roberts of Jensen Beach, FL landed a five-bass limit for 15.83-pounds. James “Doug” Harris of Loxahatchee, FL rounded out the top five boaters with five bass at 15.52-pounds.
In the Co-Angler Division, John Morgan of Miami, FL won with three bass going 13.06-pounds that included an 8.07-pound big bass. He pocketed a check for $1900 for his win and an additional $395 for the big bass award.
“It was a slow bite with cold water temps. I want to thank Razor Baits, I caught them on the Fat Boy Stick. We were fishing the east wall dead-sticking the baits. You had to be precise with the bait placement or they wouldn’t bite. I caught 6-fish and culled 3 today. I’m a saltwater guy and I really enjoyed fishing today,” Morgan said.
Taking second for the co-anglers, Brandon St. Pierre of Lehigh Acres, FL brought in a three-bass division limit weighing 10.02-pounds.
“I caught all my fish today on a speed worm lower in the water column. Just making a lot of casts,” St. Pierre said. “
Roy Gentry of Ft. Lauderdale, FL placed third among the co-anglers with three bass going 9.26-pounds.
“We ran south today. I caught my fish on a Gambler Fat Ace and lost 2 big fish that would have helped me today. This is my first ABA event and I love it,” Gentry said.
In fourth place among the co-anglers, James Opetaia-Williamson of Dunnellon, FL brought in three bass for 8.96-pounds. Cornelius Llewellyn of Plantation, FL finished in fifth place with two bass for 8.74-pounds.
Slated for February 9th, the next tournament will be held on Lake Okeechobee out of Scott Driver Park in Okeechobee, FL. At the end of the season, the best anglers from across the nation advance the 2020 Ray Scott Championship to be held at Lake Hartwell in April 2020.
For more information on this tournament, call Billy Benedetti, tournament manager, at 256-230-5632 or ABA at 256-232-0406. Online, see www.americanbassanglers.com
About the American Bass Anglers - American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler while offering an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and all their bass tournament trails visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Sanders & Oliver Win Fisher of Men Georgia South event on Lake Harding with over 19 pounds!
| Place | Team | Members | # Fish | Big Fish | Gross | Penalty | Net Wt | Points | |
| 1 | 13156 | Scott Sanders Scott Oliver |
5 | 4.99 | 19.63 | 0 | 19.63 | 200 | |
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| 2 | 16993 | Tyler Morgan Adam Byrd |
5 | 4.24 | 16.72 | 0 | 16.72 | 199 | |
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| 3 | 23617 | Jason Mitja Jamie Wheeler |
5 | 3.15 | 14.19 | 0 | 14.19 | 148 | |
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| 4 | 23613 | Kris Moore Wes Stevenson |
5 | 4.42 | 13.83 | 0 | 13.83 | 197 | |
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| 5 | 23614 | Tony O'Connell Matt O'Connell |
5 | 4.43 | 13.78 | 0 | 13.78 | 196 | |
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| 6 | 8162 | Neil Stillwell Don Duke |
5 | 3.98 | 13.61 | 0 | 13.61 | 195 | |
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| 7 | 16994 | Charlie Williams Michael Smith Jr |
5 | 3.71 | 12.46 | 0 | 12.46 | 194 | |
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| 8 | 23619 | Matthew Peeler Andrew Wade |
5 | 3.37 | 12.12 | 0 | 12.12 | 143 | |
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| 9 | 23121 | Richey Bolton Darryl Adams |
5 | 3.35 | 11.27 | 0 | 11.27 | 192 | |
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| 10 | 11730 | Espy Odom Heath Odom |
5 | 4.95 | 10.86 | 0 | 10.86 | 191 | |
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| 11 | 22309 | John Cook Bill Boyette |
5 | 5.09 | 10.19 | 0 | 10.19 | 190 | |
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| 12 | 23618 | martie murphy Kenny Carroll |
5 | 2.89 | 9.95 | 0 | 9.95 | 139 | |
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| 13 | 22317 | Lew Richardson Clint Joyner |
5 | 4.67 | 9.81 | 0 | 9.81 | 188 | |
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| 14 | 14404 | Ken Jones Jimmy Wood |
5 | 3.21 | 8.51 | 0 | 8.51 | 187 | |
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| 15 | 18395 | Jeremy Stevens Rance Rex Mathis |
5 | 2.79 | 8.1 | 0 | 8.1 | 186 | |
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| 16 | 16052 | Randy Johnson Michael Smith Sr. |
4 | 3.47 | 7.59 | 0 | 7.59 | 185 | |
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| 17 | 635 | John Adams Robert Stewart |
5 | 0 | 7.26 | 0 | 7.26 | 184 | |
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| 18 | 10205 | Buddy Whitley Greg Noles |
3 | 3.44 | 6.99 | 0 | 6.99 | 183 | |
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| 19 | 19834 | Brandon Carraway Bo Washam |
4 | 2.65 | 6.86 | 0 | 6.86 | 182 | |
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| 20 | 22313 | Greg Hallford Todd Schell |
4 | 2.38 | 6.86 | 0 | 6.86 | 182 | |
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| 21 | 23615 | Mark Succi Justin Smallwood |
5 | 0 | 6.85 | 0 | 6.85 | 180 | |
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| 22 | 1853 | Steve Stewart Johnny Creel |
4 | 0 | 6.62 | 0 | 6.62 | 179 | |
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| 23 | 6492 | Hubert Stafford Steve Holt |
5 | 0 | 6.59 | 0 | 6.59 | 178 | |
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| 24 | 641 | Jim Pass Jim Buntin |
5 | 0 | 5.85 | 0 | 5.85 | 177 | |
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| 25 | 19830 | Zach Ranew Jacob Livingston |
3 | 3.02 | 5.52 | 0 | 5.52 | 176 | |
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| 26 | 22318 | Heath Rolling Rick Jacobs |
4 | 0 | 5.28 | 0 | 5.28 | 175 | |
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| 27 | 22513 | charles Boyd David Boyd |
3 | 2.52 | 5.27 | 0 | 5.27 | 174 | |
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| 28 | 10204 | Clayton Shoupe Johnathan Sullivan |
3 | 2.26 | 4.95 | 0 | 4.95 | 173 | |
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| 29 | 18384 | Greg Kropat Brian Willis |
5 | 0 | 4.74 | 0 | 4.74 | 172 | |
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| 30 | 23610 | Gene Flournoy Randy Harris |
3 | 0 | 3.56 | 0 | 3.56 | 171 | |
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| 31 | 13134 | Alan Butch Jones Shepherd Sawyer |
3 | 0 | 3.48 | 0 | 3.48 | 170 | |
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| 32 | 23608 | James Anderson Joe McChesney |
3 | 0 | 3.28 | 0 | 3.28 | 169 | |
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| 33 | 22311 | Michael Delk Ed Adams |
2 | 0 | 3.01 | 0 | 3.01 | 168 | |
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| 34 | 22322 | Jamie Thomas Ted Hamilton |
2 | 0 | 2.51 | 0 | 2.51 | 167 | |
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| 35 | 22310 | Paul Cooper Michael Smith |
2 | 0 | 1.98 | 0 | 1.98 | 166 | |
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| 36 | 16980 | Joel Hughes Dean Robinson |
2 | 0 | 1.53 | 0 | 1.53 | 165 | |
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| 37 | 23609 | William Buttram Kirby Rice |
1 | 1.53 | 1.53 | 0 | 1.53 | 165 | |
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| 38 | 23612 | Michael Howard Jason Carpenter |
1 | 0 | 1.52 | 0 | 1.52 | 163 | |
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| 39 | 11864 | Richard Wilson Debbie Wilson |
1 | 0.94 | 0.94 | 0 | 0.94 | 162 | |
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| 40 | 23611 | john gray willie jackson |
1 | 0.77 | 0.77 | 0 | 0.77 | 161 | |
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| 41 | 3621 | Larry Gardner David Grace |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 160 | |
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| 42 | 15711 | Jeff Mills Emory Walden |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 160 | |
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| 43 | 15715 | Pat McCrackin Randy Watford |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 160 | |
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| 44 | 16997 | Chad Wise Kevin Watford |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 160 | |
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| 45 | 22484 | Charles Hutchinson Mitchell Hutchinson |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 160 | |
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| 46 | 22514 | Michael Dike Jr. Michael Dike III |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 110 | |
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| 47 | 23616 | Allen Gray Mike Massey |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 110 | |
Guetti & Carrilo Win Wild West Bass Trail AZ Team Event on Lake Pleasant with over 14 pounds!
| PLACE | BOATER | NON-BOATER | #FISH | BIG | WEIGHT | WINNINGS | PAYOUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scott Guetti | Leo Carrillo | 5 | 3.4 | 14.28 | $5,000 | $5,915 |
| 2 | Michael Perry | David Burns | 5 | 4.13 | 13.08 | $2,700 | $3,865 |
| 3 | Laron Porter | Creston Carroll | 5 | 0 | 10.34 | $2,100 | $2,100 |
| 4 | Steven Boyce | Julius Mazy | 5 | 3.29 | 9.35 | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| 5 | Steven Mack | Seth Furmanek | 5 | 0 | 9.25 | $1,100 | $1,100 |
| 6 | Johnny Johnson | Napoleon Andrew | 5 | 0 | 9.23 | $1,100 | $1,100 |
| 7 | Jamal Franklin | Jeff Zills | 5 | 0 | 9.09 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| 8 | Josh Ahlvin | Ryan Wilson | 5 | 0 | 8.45 | $900 | $900 |
| 9 | Jay Mccandless | Dan Zehring | 4 | 3.12 | 8.12 | $900 | $900 |
| 10 | David Stachowski | Greg Valenzuela | 5 | 0 | 8.08 | $700 | $700 |
| 11 | Tai Au | Daniel Elias | 5 | 0 | 7.98 | $700 | $700 |
| 12 | John Rmsey | Justin Ramsey | 4 | 0 | 7.35 | $700 | $700 |
| 13 | Robert Hubler | Shane Edgar | 5 | 0 | 7.16 | $600 | $600 |
| 14 | Zack Holwerda | Dylan Maxon | 5 | 2.53 | 7.15 | $600 | $600 |
| 15 | James Salazar Sr. | James Salazar Jr. | 3 | 2.87 | 7.08 | $600 | $600 |
| 16 | Chris Traver | Michael Whitlock | 4 | 2.6 | 7.05 | $600 | $600 |
| 17 | Lyle Dalby | Todd Graffa | 5 | 2.28 | 7.04 | $0 | |
| 18 | Thomas Loughran | Dan Adams | 5 | 0 | 6.7 | $0 | |
| 19 | Michael Spain | Dustin Robinson | 3 | 0 | 6.13 | $0 | |
| 20 | Justin Kerr | Gunnar Stanton | 5 | 0 | 5.94 | $0 | |
| 21 | Gerald Kimzey | Loren Bryant | 3 | 3.6 | 5.93 | $0 | $415 |
| 22 | Ian Boehm | Derek Richards | 4 | 0 | 5.93 | $0 | |
| 23 | Jeff Pfundheller | Sterling Pfundheller | 5 | 0 | 5.85 | $0 | |
| 24 | Chris Santana | Ian Waite | 5 | 0 | 5.83 | $0 | |
| 25 | Lon Armel | Matt Shura | 4 | 0 | 5.73 | $0 | |
| 26 | Matt Rupect | Kevin Gross | 5 | 0 | 5.65 | $0 | |
| 27 | Richard Pratt | Bruce Pearson | 4 | 2.62 | 5.62 | $0 | $100 |
| 28 | Jim Everette | Clint Everette | 3 | 0 | 5.56 | $0 | |
| 29 | Luke Plante | Jonny Pelto | 5 | 0 | 5.42 | $0 | |
| 30 | Marc Townsend | Robert Kettner | 1 | 5.4 | 5.4 | $0 | $415 |
| 31 | Rich Kereny | Dean Kreuzer | 3 | 2.5 | 5.4 | $0 | |
| 32 | Winston Massey | Chris Massey | 5 | 0 | 5.07 | $0 | $300 |
| 33 | Derrick Amerson | Joe Wheeler | 5 | 0 | 5.06 | $0 | |
| 34 | Jeff Purinton | Grant Cooper | 2 | 3.33 | 4.82 | $0 | |
| 35 | Jason Ryan | Ethan Ryan | 2 | 3.83 | 4.72 | $0 | $415 |
| 36 | Bobby Lanham | Jason Stockon | 2 | 2.58 | 4.54 | $0 | |
| 37 | Murray White | Taj White | 2 | 0 | 4.49 | $0 | |
| 38 | Jeffrey Erickson | Ben Foster | 3 | 0 | 4.04 | $0 | |
| 39 | Joe Patz | Jose Aguilera | 3 | 0 | 4.02 | $0 | |
| 40 | Steve Pike | Jim Sullivan | 2 | 0 | 4.01 | $0 | |
| 41 | Jim Sleight | Inder Lopez | 2 | 2.56 | 4 | $0 | |
| 42 | James Shaw | Marty Lawrence | 3 | 0 | 3.96 | $0 | |
| 43 | Daniel Pecotte | Mike Bidak | 3 | 0 | 3.91 | $0 | |
| 44 | Mike Elliot | John Browning | 2 | 2.74 | 3.77 | $0 | |
| 45 | Todd Herman | Brian Ravelo | 2 | 0 | 3.49 | $0 | |
| 46 | Timothy Roden | Kyle Copingger | 3 | 0 | 3.45 | $0 | |
| 47 | Shaffer Pullen | Hunter Fattaleh | 3 | 0 | 3.27 | $0 | |
| 48 | Sean Coffey | Tommy Jonovich | 3 | 0 | 3.21 | $0 | |
| 49 | Forest Kirchner | Alex Ferguson | 2 | 0 | 3.02 | $0 | |
| 50 | Courtney Copley | Luke Agazzi | 1 | 0 | 2.75 | $0 | |
| 51 | Buddy Randall | Keith Hunsinger | 2 | 0 | 2.35 | $0 | |
| 52 | Steven Bowlin | Jack Lewis | 2 | 0 | 2.26 | $0 | |
| 53 | Delaney Dwyer | Joe Dwyer | 1 | 0 | 2.08 | $0 | |
| 54 | Kevin Caruso | Michael Caruso | 1 | 0 | 2.06 | $0 | |
| 55 | Richard Witt | Max Hernandez | 3 | 0 | 2.05 | $0 | |
| 56 | Robert O'donnel | Cody O'donell | 1 | 0 | 2.04 | $0 | |
| 57 | Tim Price | Rick Barushok | 1 | 0 | 1.72 | $0 | |
| 58 | Robert Morales | Damian Morales | 1 | 0 | 1.48 | $0 | |
| 59 | Jim Hawkes | Tom Edwards | 1 | 0 | 1.32 | $0 | |
| 60 | James Howard | Bobby Hamner | 1 | 0 | 1.29 | $0 | |
| 61 | Jordan Schwartzkopf | Stephen Byrum | 1 | 0 | 1.19 | $0 | |
| 62 | Aaron Reese | Tj Roach | 1 | 0 | 1.19 | $0 | |
| 63 | Scott Edwards | Alex Palumbo | 1 | 0 | 1.1 | $0 | |
| 64 | Robert Ostercap | Jordan Evekson | 1 | 0 | 1.07 | $0 | |
| 65 | Larry Holona | Olivia Holona | 1 | 0 | 0.88 | $0 | |
| 66 | Nick Teschler | Alan Tuberville | 1 | 0 | 0.87 | $0 | |
| 67 | Michael Tafoya | Matt Adamson | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 68 | John Whaley | Ron Bowman | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 69 | David Foreman | Danny Clark | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 70 | Ryan Higgins | Gunner Higgins | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 71 | Clifford Kinnney | Jeremy Ruiz | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 72 | Stephen Price | Brian Price | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 73 | Chad Davis | Lance Cathcart | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 74 | Bruce Johnson | Mack Johnson | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 75 | Tommy Lamanna | Sam Lamanna | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 76 | Fred Krumsiek | John Montoya | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 77 | Cliff Pirch | Reese Randall | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 78 | Josh Petrucci | Justin Patti | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 79 | Paul Matthews | Nick Susuras | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 80 | Brian Senter | Jessica O'quain | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 81 | Josh Selga | Brad Smith | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 | |
| 82 | Jerry Brown | Joaquin Chavez | 0 | 0 | 0.01 | $0 |
Meeks & Short win Best Bass Coastal Division Opener on Nacimiento with 11.53 pound limit
| Place | Angler | Angler | Total Fish | Big Fish | Total Weight | Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Damon Meeks | Jay Short | 5 | 2.75 | 11.53 | $1,920.00 |
| 2 | Graham Grove | Brandon Colombo | 5 | 2.68 | 11.07 | $1,080.00 |
| 3 | John C Zillig Jr | Erik M Zillig | 5 | 3.23 | 9.77 | $1,000.00 |
| 4 | William Welle | Miguel R Frias | 5 | 3.00 | 9.69 | $635.00 |
| 5 | Matt Clausen | Cory Woods | 5 | 2.55 | 9.12 | $360.00 |
| 6 | Jason V Lazzerini | Geno K Lazzerini | 5 | 2.05 | 8.73 | $215.00 |
| 7 | Travis A Woolf | Garett A Manion | 4 | 2.89 | 7.64 | $195.00 |
| 8 | Sam James | Jerry Rouse | 5 | 0.00 | 7.45 | $0.00 |
| 9 | Jeremy Monn | Jacob L Dilger | 3 | 3.10 | 7.17 | $220.00 |
| 10 | Harlin L Gibson | Mark Snow | 4 | 2.29 | 6.70 | $0.00 |
| 11 | Lori C Hollister | Mark C Scribner | 5 | 2.33 | 6.70 | $0.00 |
| 12 | Brian Duncan | Meade Hedricks | 5 | 2.28 | 5.92 | $0.00 |
| 13 | Bryan Botts | Rebecca Botts | 3 | 2.50 | 5.65 | $0.00 |
| 14 | James B Keeney | Tom Ryan | 5 | 0.00 | 5.12 | $0.00 |
| 15 | Todd M Langston | Margaret Langston | 4 | 0.00 | 4.85 | $0.00 |
| 16 | Jay Rich | Terry D Rawles | 2 | 2.84 | 4.80 | $0.00 |
| 17 | Mike J Pierce | Sean Morales | 4 | 1.61 | 4.30 | $0.00 |
| 18 | Justin Johns | Ray Gutierrez | 2 | 2.19 | 3.67 | $0.00 |
| 19 | Tim Sharpe | Tj Sharpe | 2 | 0.00 | 3.38 | $0.00 |
| 20 | Peter Manfrina | Chris Hawk | 1 | 0.00 | 2.58 | $0.00 |
| 21 | Barry Gardner | Sheldon Waters | 2 | 0.00 | 2.30 | $0.00 |
| 22 | Dan Dostal | Danny Conatser | 2 | 0.00 | 2.27 | $0.00 |
| 23 | Jeremy D Hightower | Joey Baldacchino | 1 | 0.00 | 2.06 | $0.00 |
| 24 | Tom B Johnson | Hannah M Johnson | 1 | 0.00 | 1.57 | $0.00 |
| 25 | Hyon An | Jon Mohnike | 1 | 1.54 | 1.54 | $0.00 |
| 26 | Daniel R Tracy Sr | Jason Maynard | 1 | 0.00 | 1.46 | $0.00 |
| 27 | Dustin Selck | Suzanne Musson | 1 | 1.05 | 1.05 | $0.00 |
| 28 | Brad Samaniego | Chad Samaniego | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 28 | Ron Morrison | Derek Morrison | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 28 | Charlie Barrios | Dan Barrios | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 28 | Randy Wallis | Mike Hummel | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 28 | Michael Cardinalli | Chaz E Johnson | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 28 | Darin Ferguson | John Flynn | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 28 | Will Duncan | Robert L Duncan | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 28 | Harry Delore | Brad Austin | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 28 | Anthony Carroll | John Phillips | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 28 | James Hall | Rebecca Hall | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
Ostrander & Heil Win Best Bass Mother Lode Opener on Don Pedro with over 18 pounds!
| Place | Angler | Angler | Total Fish | Big Fish | Total Weight | Winnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian Ostrander | Ronnie Heil | 5 | 7.10 | 18.51 | $2,715.00 |
| 2 | Anthony Pimentel | Norval A Pimentel | 5 | 5.68 | 16.35 | $1,730.00 |
| 3 | Bryan L Kane | Heath C Lane | 5 | 6.50 | 15.03 | $1,090.00 |
| 4 | Matthew P Ludwig | Jacob Schmidt | 5 | 7.78 | 14.72 | $1,105.00 |
| 5 | Bryan Cox | Kevin Davidson | 5 | 4.25 | 14.59 | $440.00 |
| 6 | Reece Wells | 5 | 0.00 | 14.46 | $255.00 | |
| 7 | Stephen Magill | Chris A Lienau | 5 | 4.35 | 14.09 | $215.00 |
| 8 | Mike Newton | Steve Nincioni | 5 | 3.59 | 13.74 | $200.00 |
| 9 | Brian Payne | Jeremiah Payne | 5 | 4.28 | 13.55 | $180.00 |
| 10 | Matthew L Hudson | Casey R Taylor | 5 | 2.73 | 13.03 | $170.00 |
| 11 | Don Hendrix | Roger Cummings | 5 | 0.00 | 12.34 | $150.00 |
| 12 | Gary Baldwin | Rick Leal | 5 | 4.77 | 12.15 | $0.00 |
| 13 | Mike Callahan | Mike D Freudenthal | 5 | 3.41 | 11.56 | $0.00 |
| 14 | Don Longton | John Myers | 5 | 2.66 | 11.35 | $0.00 |
| 15 | Jim Giancola | Cindy Silacci | 5 | 3.51 | 10.92 | $0.00 |
| 16 | Jeff D Frey | Tyler D Frey | 5 | 0.00 | 10.82 | $0.00 |
| 17 | Dalton A Tyler | Jack Lightsey | 5 | 4.02 | 10.81 | $0.00 |
| 18 | Douglas B Goodman | Paul D Goodman | 5 | 2.92 | 10.79 | $0.00 |
| 19 | Bruce Able | William J Hartlett | 5 | 0.00 | 10.66 | $0.00 |
| 20 | Al Karam | Art Romero | 5 | 2.41 | 10.41 | $0.00 |
| 21 | Sean Kimble | Mario Marroquin | 5 | 0.00 | 10.33 | $0.00 |
| 22 | John L Simpson | Reynold H Hysell | 5 | 0.00 | 9.94 | $0.00 |
| 23 | Daniel J McAlister | Pat Ammerman | 5 | 2.43 | 9.88 | $0.00 |
| 24 | Butch Bray | Jeff S Whited | 5 | 0.00 | 9.85 | $0.00 |
| 25 | Richard A Hamilton | Jacob A Vigna | 5 | 0.00 | 9.69 | $0.00 |
| 26 | Cody W Robinson | Sean A Robinson | 5 | 0.00 | 9.63 | $0.00 |
| 26 | Billy Davis | Russ Trapp | 5 | 0.00 | 9.63 | $0.00 |
| 28 | Bill K Goodman | Mike P Goodman | 5 | 0.00 | 9.61 | $0.00 |
| 29 | John R Scott | Roger D Lockhart | 5 | 2.69 | 9.40 | $0.00 |
| 30 | Don Bays | Darren Urban | 5 | 0.00 | 9.29 | $0.00 |
| 30 | Rich Ingram | Ron Ingram | 5 | 0.00 | 9.29 | $0.00 |
| 31 | Bryan Coy | Mike Brossard | 5 | 0.00 | 9.23 | $0.00 |
| 31 | Raul V Barajas | 5 | 0.00 | 9.23 | $0.00 | |
| 34 | Jeff Hobbs | Keith McGraw | 5 | 0.00 | 9.21 | $100.00 |
| 35 | Jeff Tonnesen | Pat M Vaughn | 5 | 0.00 | 9.14 | $0.00 |
| 36 | Scott Parsons | Doug Naruo | 5 | 2.92 | 9.13 | $0.00 |
| 37 | Ryan Accardo | Larry Accardo | 5 | 0.00 | 9.02 | $0.00 |
| 37 | Jim Griffin | Angel C Delarosa | 5 | 0.00 | 9.02 | $0.00 |
| 39 | Richard J Rodriguez Jr | Timothy Ybarra | 5 | 0.00 | 8.73 | $0.00 |
| 40 | Brian Orange | Mike Martinez | 5 | 0.00 | 8.67 | $0.00 |
| 41 | Richard Stephens | Troy Duke | 5 | 0.00 | 8.60 | $0.00 |
| 42 | Dan Byker | Wilton Harvey | 5 | 2.32 | 8.49 | $0.00 |
| 43 | Ryan Orozco | Michael S Bryant II | 5 | 0.00 | 8.23 | $0.00 |
| 44 | Gabriel S Cardenas | 5 | 2.92 | 8.18 | $0.00 | |
| 45 | Chris Peters | Darryl Peters | 5 | 0.00 | 8.11 | $0.00 |
| 46 | Robert Singleton | 5 | 0.00 | 7.87 | $0.00 | |
| 47 | Dustin Robinson | Ali Robinson | 5 | 0.00 | 7.83 | $0.00 |
| 48 | Ray Keenom | Joanne Keenom | 5 | 0.00 | 7.75 | $0.00 |
| 49 | Mike Ludwig | Eric Peterson | 5 | 0.00 | 7.67 | $0.00 |
| 50 | Tom Gomez | Joey A Verna Jr | 5 | 0.00 | 7.42 | $0.00 |
| 51 | Jeff Amstutz | Sara Amstutz | 5 | 0.00 | 6.95 | $0.00 |
| 52 | Albert L Anderson Jr | Jared K Anderson | 5 | 0.00 | 6.57 | $0.00 |
| 53 | Troy H Nakai | Bryce M Nakai | 5 | 0.00 | 6.48 | $0.00 |
| 54 | Troy Thomas | Shad E Sullivan | 5 | 0.00 | 6.25 | $0.00 |
| 55 | Billy Redding | Austin J Harden | 4 | 0.00 | 5.29 | $0.00 |
| 56 | Sean M Dryden | Dane Christensen | 3 | 0.00 | 5.20 | $0.00 |
| 57 | Kerry C Langley | Anne Langley | 2 | 0.00 | 2.87 | $0.00 |
| 58 | Chris Ward | Jeff Short | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 58 | Pete A Rodriguez | Manuel Martins | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
| 58 | Robert Mansor | Brandon Silvey | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 | $0.00 |
TXTT RESCHEDULES SEASON OPENER DUE TO RAYBURN’S HIGH WATER
Courtesy of Texas Team Trail
Mark Smith wins Media Bass LA North Individual Derby with over 15 pounds on Lake Claiborne
| Place | Angler | Hometown | # Bass | Pounds | Winnings | Points |
| 1 | Mark Smith | West Monroe | 5 | 15.31 | $1,000.00 | 165.31 |
| 2 | Chad Posey | Choudrant | 3 | 11.09 | $425.00 | 160.09 |
| 3 | Jeff Gregory | Marion | 4 | 10.67 | $300.00 | 158.67 |
| 4 | Heath Crocker | Calhoun | 3 | 9.21 | $225.00 | 156.21 |
| 5 | Matt Jones | Sterlington | 4 | 8.33 | $148.00 | 154.33 |
| 6 | Jacob Hearne | Choudrant | 3 | 8.04 | 153.04 | |
| 7 | Greg Terzia * | Ruston | 4 | 6.89 | 150.89 | |
| 8 | Kenny Covington | West Monroe | 5 | 6.04 | 149.04 | |
| 9 | Jason Williams | Libson | 2 | 5.82 | 147.82 | |
| 10 | Scotty Herron | West Monroe | 2 | 4.30 | 145.30 | |
| 11 | Nick Sylvestri | Monroe | 3 | 4.04 | 144.04 | |
| 12 | Luke Herring | Farmerville | 2 | 3.79 | 142.79 | |
| 13 | Teddy Walthall | Magnolia | 2 | 2.61 | 140.61 | |
| 14 | Bonz Goyne | Sterlington | 2 | 2.25 | 139.25 | |
| 15 | Jimmy Wright JR | Ruston | 1 | 2.07 | 138.07 | |
| 16 | Jon Richardson | Ruston | 1 | 1.56 | 136.56 | |
| 17 | James Wooten | Bastrop | 1 | 1.45 | 135.45 | |
| 18 | Justin Webb | Calhoun | 1 | 1.39 | 134.39 | |
| 19 | Zachary Johnston | Sterlington | 1 | 1.36 | 133.36 | |
| 20 | Todd Eppinette | Downsville | 1 | 1.08 | 132.08 | |
| 21 | Kevin Jennings | Calhoun | 1 | 1.03 | 131.03 | |
| 22 | Stacy Little | Calhoun | 0 | 0.00 | 64.50 | |
| 22 | Sontus Mitchell | Ruston | 0 | 0.00 | 64.50 | |
| 22 | Allen Anders | Sterlington | 0 | 0.00 | 64.50 | |
| 22 | Chris Patton | Farmerville | 0 | 0.00 | 64.50 | |
| 22 | Ivan Diags | Ruston | 0 | 0.00 | 64.50 | |
| 22 | Greg Liner | Simsboro | 0 | 0.00 | 64.50 | |
| Place | Little League Angler | Hometown | # Bass | Pounds | Winnings |
| 1 | Bradley Herring | Farmerville | 2 | 4.01 | Reel |
| 2 | Cameron Spence | Monroe | 2 | 3.07 | $20.00 |
| 3 | Isaac Richardson | Ruston | 1 | 2.67 | $10.00 |
Lusby & Rainwater Win Media Bass Team event on Lake Chicot with over 17 pounds!
| Place | Angler 1 | Angler 2 | # Bass | Pounds | Winnings | Points |
| 1 | Calvin Lusby | Joe Rainwater | 5 | 17.42 | $2,000.00 | 167.42 |
| 2 | Dakotah Pennington | Ben Bryan | 5 | 16.54 | $700.00 | 165.54 |
| 3 | Jonathan Brockwell | Steven Cash | 5 | 15.43 | $414.00 | 163.43 |
| 4 | Jeff Marks | Chris Watkins | 5 | 15.21 | $250.00 | 162.21 |
| 5 | Josh Burroughs | Derek Davis | 5 | 15.16 | $180.00 | 161.16 |
| 6 | Chris Clement | Greg Duke | 5 | 14.94 | 159.94 | |
| 7 | JR Grubb * | Frank Fulmer * | 5 | 13.26 | 157.26 | |
| 8 | Jon Craven | Josh Tittle | 5 | 11.59 | 154.59 | |
| 9 | William Hatton | Ronnie Atkins | 4 | 11.36 | 153.36 | |
| 10 | Brandon Dixon | Tyler Rhodes | 4 | 10.64 | 151.64 | |
| 11 | Jeff Gregory | Matt Jones | 3 | 9.42 | 149.42 | |
| 12 | Timothy Powell | Cole Cantrell | 3 | 8.76 | 147.76 | |
| 13 | Caleb Lane | Brandon Lyon | 3 | 8.66 | 146.66 | |
| 14 | Scott Pennington | Ken McDonald | 4 | 8.51 | 145.51 | |
| 15 | Rob Bland | Matt Shepherd | 3 | 7.52 | 143.52 | |
| 16 | Mike Pirtle | Ernie Heckford | 3 | 7.33 | 142.33 | |
| 17 | Rusty Linares | Patrick Chapman | 2 | 5.66 | 139.66 | |
| 18 | Billy Burchfield | Tony Harris | 1 | 4.68 | 137.68 | |
| 19 | Jimmy Farrar | Grady Rinehart | 1 | 4.61 | 136.61 | |
| 20 | Robert Adkins | David Cameron | 2 | 4.45 | 135.45 | |
| 21 | John Tilbury | Tanner Caldwell | 1 | 4.15 | 134.15 | |
| 22 | Zachary Oden | Trevor Rodgers | 1 | 3.29 | 132.29 | |
| 23 | Daryl Stapp | Jeff Patterson | 1 | 2.04 | 130.04 | |
| 24 | Raymond Cheek | Michael Coolman | 0 | 0.00 | 63.50 | |
| 24 | Robert Rush | Bruce Johnston | 0 | 0.00 | 63.50 | |
| 24 | AJ Morgan | Gary Roberts | 0 | 0.00 | 63.50 | |
| 24 | Timothy Comans | Ralph Comans ll | 0 | 0.00 | 63.50 | |
| 24 | Raymond Mosley | Jesse Mosley | 0 | 0.00 | 63.50 | |
| 24 | Justin Young | Beaver Smith | 0 | 0.00 | 63.50 | |
| Place | Big Bass | Pounds | Winnings | ||
| 1 | Billy Burchfield | Tony Harris | 4.68 | $250.00 | |
| 2 | Jimmy Farrar | Grady Rinehart | 4.61 | $0.00 |
Cold Front Could Have Major Impact On Bassmaster Eastern Open At Harris Chain
Courtesy of BASS
LEESBURG, Fla. — There’s a reason Florida-strain largemouth are stocked in major fisheries from Texas to California — their massive growth potential. But on the downside, these green monsters are a bit soft when it comes to cold weather, a truth that may impact the course of events during the Basspro.com Bassmaster Eastern Open at Harris Chain of Lakes.
Competition days will be Thursday through Saturday, with daily takeoffs at 7 a.m. ET from Venetian Gardens and weigh-ins Thursday and Friday at Ski Beach Park at 3 p.m. Saturday’s weigh-in will take place at the Bass Pro Shops in Orlando at 4 p.m.
With more than 75,000 combined acres, the Harris Chain offers a diverse array of habitat from offshore grass, humps and holes to shallow hydrilla, cattails, docks, wood and bridges. Spawning areas are plentiful, but South Carolina pro Jason Williamson is not looking for a lot of bed-fishing opportunities. Reason being, a major cold front making its way through the Eastern United States could send Central Florida air temperatures to below freezing during its Sunday or Monday arrival.
“It’s going to be warm by tournament time, but it’s not going to be a warming trend leading up to the event; it’s actually going to be an event starting on the tail end of a cold front,” said Williamson, who is also a regular on the Bassmaster Elite Series. “My outlook is that there are going to be a lot of big fish caught — it’s Florida, it’s the Harris Chain — but I don’t know if it’s going to warm up quickly enough to bring sight fishing into play.”
The area is expected to quickly recover, with daytime highs reaching the upper 70s again by Wednesday. The key, however, will be how quickly water temperatures regain what the front steals.
If Florida bass don’t have at least upper 50s — preferably 60-plus — they won’t be spawning.
“I think it will be a prespawn tournament,” Williamson said. “I’m sure some of the fish have already spawned, but the guy who finds the prespawn females that are fattened up and ready to go is the guy that’s going to weigh in a 30-pound bag and that’s going to carry him all the way to the final day.
“A lot of guys are going to have (smaller bags), but in Florida, you gotta get a big bite. I love to sight fish there, but I just don’t think it’s going to warm up enough for a bunch of fish to make a major move.”
Ultimately, Williamson says he believes the event will be won offshore by focusing on deeper grass with bait schools present. Intentionally snagging and ripping crankbaits or bladed jigs through the vegetation usually triggers reaction bites from staging prespawn bass, while dragging a lizard or creature bait on a long-leader Carolina rig will also deliver.
“If the weather were to stay warm, I think it would allow all the guys to compete by fishing shallow,” he said. “But in my opinion, the cold front will give the locals a little bit of an advantage by knowing where the offshore shell beds and isolated clumps of hydrilla are.”
The Harris Chain’s sheer vastness can be overwhelming, but Elite Series angler Chad Pipkens of Michigan says he’ll approach his first visit with a strategy focused on time management. He’s fared well in past Elite Series events in Florida, so he’s bringing the same disciplined game plan to this tournament.
“Florida is all about finding an area,” Pipkens said. “Those fish move up and down so much throughout the day, it’s not a place where you run and gun. It’s a place where you need to find your area, mill around and change with the conditions.
“My plan is to see which areas can funnel fish in to spawn and then pay attention to the details in front of those areas — the offshore grass lines, points and humps. I don’t want to have to run from one lake to another to another, but I’d like to find an area or two with the right habitat.”
Pipkens expects a jerkbait and bladed jig to produce, but he’ll also keep a topwater bait handy in case the late-week warmup spurs a surface bite. Elsewhere, pitching a stickbait and swimming a worm will handle his shallower searches.
Bass Champs Postpones East Region Sam Rayburn Event due to Flooding
*URGENT NOTICE**
January Amistad and Rayburn events have been rescheduled.
details below
1: Due to expected high winds the 1/19 Amistad event has been rescheduled
to Saturday, June 1st on Lake Amistad, Diablo East ramp.
2: Due to extreme flooding the 1/26 Sam Rayburn event has been rescheduled
to Saturday, July 13th on Lake Sam Rayburn at the Umphrey Pavilion.
https://anglerschannel.com/tournaments/bass-champs-east-region-rayburn-january-26-2019/
Hunter Freeman - "I'm Ready for Round 2..."
On the Inaugural episode of the AnglersChannel Rookie Podcast, Host Jason Duran talks with FLW Tour Rookie Hunter Freeman about his debut as a Professional Angler. They talk the good, the bad and the ugly as Hunter puts Rayburn behind him and puts his focus towards the Sunshine State and Lake Toho for Stop #2
MLF BPT Anglers Competing for $100,000 Paycheck with no Entry Fees
Courtesy of Major League Fishing
By Mason Prince - January 17, 2019
TULSA, Okla.— When the first winner in MLF Bass Pro Tour history is decided Feb. 3 in Kissimmee, Florida at the league’s inaugural event, that angler will leave Toho Marina with both a first-of-its-kind trophy and a $100,000 payday.
Payout structure for the MLF Bass Pro Tour was approved by a majority vote of the league’s 80 anglers – a process that was historic in its own right. A handful of different payout structures were discussed, but the anglers ultimately decided on a pay schedule that awarded $100,000 to the winner of Bass Pro Tour events, and heavily weighted the Top 10 instead of distributing more money down below the Top 40.
“It’s special for that guy when he holds up a six-figure payday for winning,” said MLF veteran Ott DeFoe. “When you see the winner of the first event hold up a check for first place it’s going to be the same thing you see on other leagues. Major League Fishing was very open to hearing possible restructures of the payout.
“The way it was restructured, it really put the emphasis on the Bass Pro Tour where all 80 guys fish all season long. That’s what the majority of the guys wanted.”
Building around a no-entry system
One of the key factors in the payout structure was the elimination of entry fees. For the first time in 80 anglers’ careers, they didn’t have to pay a sizable entry fee to compete, something that MLF co-founder Gary Klein points to as a historical moment.
“Never in the history of this sport have any of us as professional anglers, been able to compete on a circuit without paying an entry fee,” Klein expressed. “(MLF) is still paying back $5.9 million to the anglers, with no entry fees. That just goes to show the power of the group, and that our league is angler-driven.”
Randy Howell – a 23-year pro – is a big fan of the new way the Bass Pro Tour payout is constructed.
“It’s revolutionary honestly,” Howell explained. “It’s never been done (before), and we’ve never had this opportunity in all of professional fishing. It’s always been the norm to hustle and scrape together $48,000 in entry fees to try and pay up front before you even made a cast.
“What’s so great about this set-up is that the anglers are kind of in control of their own destiny. We’re all working together for that common goal, which is to save each other money and to help us all make each other money.”
Megaware KeelGuard Signs "Worldwide" Watson to MLF Angling Team
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Bass Pro Tour angler James "Worldwide" Watson
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rising star in bass fishing circles since going pro in 2010. His fishing successes - including three FLW Cups, one Bassmaster Classic and three wins among B.A.S.S., FLW and MLF events - and his entertaining personality have made him well known and a crowd favorite everywhere tournaments take him.
"James is a highly likeable guy that is simply an angler's angler," said Megaware KeelGuard's Tori Reed. "People can really relate to him because he's fun to watch, tells it like it is and has the kind of do-it-yourself common sense approach to everything he does. That makes him a great fit for representing our company and our lineup of DIY products."
"You know, I don't think these guys picked me because I tear my boats up, but rather because I take care of them," Watson said. "I'm thrilled with the association since they are the innovators of so many great and practical products to keep boats looking good and on top of the water where you always want your boat to be. It's also cool that I'll get to rub elbows with the KeelGuard folks at MLF events; they're as good as they're products."
Megaware's keel protectors have earned their places on watercraft of all kinds and sizes, including Coast Guard fleets. They come in several different colors and sizes to fit a wide range of boat lengths, and custom sizes are also available.
In 2016, the company developed a similar protective product for pontoons to protect sides of their aluminum tubes against scrapes by docks and other obstacles.
SkegGuard and SkegPro are additional products in the lineup, but are designed to protect a motor's most vulnerable-to-underwater-hazards parts, the skeg, and can even repair or replace a broken skeg.
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Megaware KeelGuard invented a way for boat owners to protect their watercraft against the common problem of keel damage with a protective product that can be applied by marine dealers and do-it-your-selfers. (Click to enlarge/download)
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"I don't know if it's my Army training or the fact that I've always had a 'take care of my equipment' attitude, but I can assure you'll always find Megaware KeelGuard products on my boats whether sponsored or not because they're the best on the market at protecting my 'office,'" Watson said about his boat.
Megaware KeelGuard is also one of MLF's longest-running sponsors.
"We've always liked the MLF format and for us to be involved with them is good for our company and the many retailers who carry our products," said Megaware KeelGuard President David Shumway. "James will be a good guy for fans to root for during the new Bass Pro Tour events and we're pleased to have him flying our colors."
For more information on Megaware products, visit www.keelguard.com.
For more information on James Watson, follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
Costa Sunglasses® Celebrated 35th Anniversary with 35 Beach Cleanups in 2018
Daytona Beach, Fla. – January 17, 2019 – In honor of its 35th Anniversary, Costa Sunglasses partnered with Surfrider Foundation to host beach cleanups in 35 locations throughout the U.S. The beach cleanups were a huge success thanks to everyone who participated and played a role in Costa's ongoing commitment to the health of our oceans and waterways.
The 35 beach cleanups took place between September 15 (International Coastal Cleanup Day) and December 22, 2018 with thousands of volunteers joining us to help Kick Plastic.
Here's a look at the impact of Costa's 35th Anniversary beach cleanup initiative:
- Beaches: 35
- Participants: 3,976
- Pounds of trash removed: 7,698
For additional details or questions, visit CostaSunglasses.com
Thank you for your ongoing commitment to kicking plastic once and for all!
About Costa
As the leading manufacturer of the world's clearest polarized performance sunglasses, Costa offers superior lens technology and unparalleled fit and durability. Still handcrafted today in Florida, Costa has created the highest quality, best performing sunglasses and prescription sunglasses (Rx) for outdoor enthusiasts since 1983. Born on the water, Costa works hard to protect the waters it calls home. Through programs like its Kick Plastic campaign, where the brand seeks to raise awareness about the growing plastic pollution problem threatening oceans worldwide, to serving as a long-term partner to shark research organization OCEARCH, Costa encourages people to help protect the Earth’s natural resources in any way they can. Find out more on Costa’s website and join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at @CostaSunglasses.